Co-Development of Products and Manufacturing Systems Using Integrated Platform Models

Doctoral thesis, 2013

Product first, manufacturing system second. While manufacturing companies in fact make their profits by selling products, the successful development and proper functioning of both the product and the manufacturing system need to be ensured. This consideration poses a challenge that must be met in a joint effort because the product and the manufacturing system are two technical systems that mutually affect each other. They do so not only inside the factory building, but also on the drawing board, before their final design is determined. With an emphasis on the mutual effect between the manufacturing system and the product, this thesis addresses the co-development of the two technical systems. It follows the idea of conducting development based on a strategy for managing change and variety, called platform. Rather than just regarding the reuse of physical parts, the thesis considers a platform approach that involves the definition of generic resources, such as systems, interfaces, and functions. The approach allows for the description of products and manufacturing systems with information about how they may change to produce variety and enable flexibility. Based on several industrial studies, the thesis explores how platforms can be devised for products, manufacturing systems, or both. It elaborates on how technical systems can be described for defining such platforms. Specifically, it proposes an integrated model that combines function-means trees, component structures, manufacturing operations, and their interactions. The model allows defining platforms that can be expanded over time and used continually to derive product and manufacturing system variants. Thus, it helps manage change and variety in products and manufacturing systems.