Evaluating Product Modules - Case study at a vehicle manufacturer from a production perspective

Paper in proceeding, 2001

A product modularization is not easy to accomplish – there are many requirements to take into account and balance. Hence, it is important to evaluate the product modules. This paper is about a case study of 18 different modules, conducted at a vehicle manufacturer. The study aimed to investigate how successful the modules have been according to five performance objectives, and to give ideas and guidelines about what characterizes a good module from a production perspective. The conclusion is that the evaluation is difficult to carry out, but still must be done if the firm is to benefit from a product modularization.