Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A key components-based heuristic modular product design approach to reduce product assembly cost

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
International Journal on Interactive Design and Manufacturing (IJIDeM) Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Nowadays, increasing awareness of sustainability and varied customer requirements have driven manufacturers to reconsider product development starting from the design phase. As one response to these concerns, modular product design (MPD) has attracted significant attention. Since the architecture of a product or a system can have implications on its assembly cost, MPD and product assembly should be investigated jointly. In this paper, a heuristic clustering algorithm with key components emphasis that will reduce assembly cost is offered to group components into modules. Key product/system components are those that afford competitiveness to a company. An MPD method that can decrease product assembly cost while accommodating key components strategically is the primary motivation for this research. Upon the foundation of extant works, we provide the details of the proposed methodology and illustrate its use via a coffee maker case study.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Andeasen, M.: Design for Assembly. IFS. Ldt, U.K. (1983)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Boothroyd, G.: Product design for manufacture and assembly. Comput. Aided Des. 26(7), 505–520 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-4485(94)90082-5

  3. Boothroyd, G., Dewhurst, P.: Product Design for Assembly, 1st edn. Boothroyd Dewhurst Inc., Wakefield (1990)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Boothroyd, G., Poli, C., Murck, L.: Automatic Assembly. Marcel Dekker, New York (1982)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Chung, W.-H., Okudan Kremer, G.E., Wysk, R.A.: A modular design approach to improve product life cycle performance based on the optimization of a closed-loop supply chain. J. Mech. Des. 136(2), 021001 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4025022

  6. Chung, W.-H.: A Modular Design Approach to Improve Product Life Cycle Performance Based on Optimized Closed-Loop Supply Chains. Penn State University, State College (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  7. De Fazio, T., Whitney, D.E.: Simplified generation of all mechanical assembly sequences. IEEE J. Robot. Autom. 3(6), 640–658 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1109/JRA.1987.1087132

  8. Ernst, R., Kamrad, B.: Evaluation of supply chain structures through modularization and postponement. Eur. J. Oper. Res. 124(3), 495–510 (2000)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  9. Feitzinger, E., Lee, H. L.: Mass Customization at Hewlett-Packard: The Power of Postponement. Retrieved November 19, 2015, from https://hbr.org/1997/01/mass-customization-at-hewlett-packard-the-power-of-postponement (1997)

  10. Fukushima, T., Horike, S., Kobayashi, H., Tsujimoto, M., Isoda, S., Foo, M.L., Kitagawa, S.: Modular design of domain assembly in porous coordination polymer crystals via reactivity-directed crystallization process. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 134(32), 13341–13347 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1021/ja303588m

  11. Gershenson, J.K., Prasad, G.J., Zhang, Y.: Product modularity: definitions and benefits. J. Eng. Des. 14(3), 295–313 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1080/0954482031000091068

  12. Gershenson, J.K., Prasad, G.J., Zhang, Y.: Product modularity: measures and design methods. J. Eng. Des. 15(1), 33–51 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1080/0954482032000101731

  13. Gu, P., Hashemian, M., Sosale, S., Rivin, E.: An integrated modular design methodology for life-cycle engineering. CIRP Ann. Manuf. Technol. 46(1), 71–74 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0007-8506(07)60778-1

  14. Huang, C.-C., Kusiak, A.: Modularity in design of products and systems. Trans. Sys. Man Cyber. Part A 28(1), 66–77 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1109/3468.650323

  15. Hula, A., Jalali, K., Hamza, K., Skerlos, S.J., Saitou, K.: Multi-criteria decision-making for optimization of product disassembly under multiple situations. Environ. Sci. Technol. 37(23), 5303–5313 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Ishii, K., Juengel, C., Eubanks, C.F.: Design for product variety: Key to product line structuring. In: 1995 ASME Design Engineering Technical Conferences, 7th International Conference on Design Theory and Methodology (1995)

  17. Jose, A., Tollenaere, M.: Modular and platform methods for product family design: literature analysis. J. Intell. Manuf. 16(3), 371–390 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10845-005-7030-7

  18. Kamrani, A.K., Nasr, E.S.A. (Eds).: Collaborative Engineering. Boston, MA: Springer US. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-47321-5 (2008)

  19. Kreng, V.B., Lee, T.-P.: QFD-based modular product design with linear integer programming–a case study. J. Eng. Des. 15(3), 261–284 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1080/09544820410001647069

  20. Kumar, C.S., Chandrasekharan, M.P.: Grouping efficacy: a quantitative criterion for goodness of block diagonal forms of binary matrices in group technology. Int. J. Prod. Res. 28(2), 233–243 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1080/00207549008942706

  21. Kusiak, A., Chow, W.S.: Efficient solving of the group technology problem. J. Manuf. Syst. 6(2), 117–124 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1016/0278-6125(87)90035-5

  22. Kusiak, A., Wang, J.: Efficient organizing of design activities. Int. J. Prod. Res. 31(4), 753–769 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1080/00207549308956755

  23. Lau Antonio, K.W., Yam, R.C.M., Tang, E.: The impacts of product modularity on competitive capabilities and performance: an empirical study. Int. J. Prod. Econ. 105(1), 1–20 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2006.02.002

  24. Lee, S.G., Lye, S.W., Khoo, M.K.: A multi-objective methodology for evaluating product end-of-life options and disassembly. Int. J. Adv. Manuf. Technol. 18(2), 148–156 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s001700170086

  25. Lee, S., Yi, C., Wang, F.-C.: Force-based reasoning for assembly planning and subassembly stability analysis. In: Proceedings of the 1993 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems ’93, IROS ’93, Vol. 3, pp. 1582–1589. https://doi.org/10.1109/IROS.1993.583850 (1993)

  26. Lefever, D., Wood, K. L.: Design for assembly techniques in reverse engineering and redesign. In: ASME Design Theory and Methodology Conference (1996)

  27. Ma, J., Kremer, G.E.O.: An analysis of decomposition approach applications in design engineering & suggestions for improvement. In: Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED13), Design for Harmonies, Vol. 4: Product, Service and Systems Design, Seoul, Korea, (2013)

  28. Ma, J., Kremer, G.: A fuzzy logic based approach to determine product component end-of-life option from the views of sustainability and designer’s perception. J. Clean. Prod. 108, 289–300 (2015b)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Ma, J., Kremer, G.: A systematic literature review of modular product design (MPD) from the perspective of sustainability. Int. J. Adv. Manuf. Technol. 86(5–8), 1509 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Marshall, R., Leaney, P. G., Botterell, P.: Enhanced product realisation through modular design: an example of product/process integration. Retrieved from https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/dspace-jspui/handle/2134/2164 (1998)

  31. Micheletti, G.F.: Special Issue manufacturing science, technology and systems of the futureapplication of new technologies for fully integrated robotized automobile engine production. Robot. Comput. Integr. Manuf. 4(1), 141–148 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1016/0736-5845(88)90070-1

  32. Miller, M.G., Summers, J.D., Mathieson, J.L., Mocko, G.M.: Manufacturing assembly time estimation using structural complexity metric trained artificial neural networks. J. Comput. Inf. Sci. Eng. 14(1), 011005 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4025809

  33. Mohd Naim, Z.: Design for assembly and application using Hitachi assemblability evaluation method [Undergraduates Project Papers]. Retrieved November 19, 2015, from http://iportal.ump.edu.my/lib/item?id=chamo:45744&theme=UMP2 (2009, November)

  34. Nevins, J.L., Whitney, D.: Concurrent Design of Products and Processes: A Strategy for the Next Generation in Manufacturing. Mcgraw-Hill, New York (1989)

    Google Scholar 

  35. Newcomb, P. J., Bras, B., Rosen, D. W.: Implications of modularity on product design for the life cycle. In: 1996 ASME Design Engineering Technical Conferences—8th International Conference on Design Theory and Methodology. Irvine, CA (1996)

  36. Okudan Kremer, G.E., Ma, J., Chiu, M.-C., Lin, T.-K.: Product modularity and implications for the reverse supply chain. Supply Chain Forum: Int. J. 14(3), 54–64 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Owensby, J.E., Summers, J.D.: Assembly time estimation: assembly mate based structural complexity metric predictive modeling. J. Comput. Inf. Sci. Eng. 14(1), 011004 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4025808

  38. Pimmler, T. U., Eppinger, S. D.: Integration analysis of product decompositions. In: ASME Design Engineering Technical Conferences—6th International Conference on Design Theory and Methodology. Minneapolis, MN (1994)

  39. Rosenthal, S.R., Tatikonda, M.V.: Competitive Advantage Through Design Technologies and Practices. In: Design Integrating and Manufacturing for Competitive Advantage. Oxford University Press, USA, Oxford (1992)

  40. Salonitis, K.: Modular design for increasing assembly automation. CIRP Ann. Manuf. Technol. 63(1), 189–192 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cirp.2014.03.100

  41. Steward, D.: Partitioning and tearing systems of equations. J. Soc. Ind. Appl. Math. Ser. B Numer. Anal. 2(2), 345–365 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1137/0702028

  42. Stienstra, D.: Introduction to design for (cost effective) assembly and manufacturing. Retrieved from http://me.gatech.edu/files/capstone/L071ME4182DFA (2014)

  43. Stone, R.B., Wood, K. L., Crawford, R. H.: A heuristic method to identify modules from a functional description of a product. In: 1999 ASME Design Technical Conferences—11th International Conference on Design Theory and Automation. (1998)

  44. Storch, R. L.: Design in Manufacturing Firm. Retrieved from http://courses.washington.edu/inde494/Design%20for%20X.ppt (2014)

  45. Tatikonda, M.V.: Design for assembly: a critical methodology for product reengineering and new product development. Prod. Inventory Manag. J. 35(1), 31–37 (1994)

    Google Scholar 

  46. Ulrich, K.T., Eppinger, S.D.: Product Design and Development, 5th edn. McGraw-Hill, New York (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  47. Ulrich, K.T., Pearson, S.: Assessing the importance of design through product archaeology. Manag. Sci. 44(3), 352–369 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.44.3.352

  48. Umeda, Y., Nonomura, A., Tomiyama, T.: Study on life-cycle design for the post mass production paradigm. AI EDAM 14(02), 149–161 (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  49. Warnecke, H.J., Babler, R.: Design for assembly–part of design process. Ann. CIRP 37(1), 1–4 (1988)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Zhang, W.Y., Tor, S.Y., Britton, G.A.: Managing modularity in product family design with functional modeling. Int. J. Adv. Manuf. Technol. 30(7–8), 579–588 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-005-0112-z

  51. Zhang, Y., Gershenson, J.K.: An initial study of direct relationships between life-cycle modularity and life-cycle cost. Concur. Eng. 11(2), 121–128 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1177/1063293X03035427

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, USA

    Junfeng Ma

  2. Dept. of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA

    Gül E. Okudan Kremer

  3. University of Michigan-Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China

    Mian Li

Authors
  1. Junfeng Ma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gül E. Okudan Kremer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mian Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Junfeng Ma.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ma, J., Kremer, G.E.O. & Li, M. A key components-based heuristic modular product design approach to reduce product assembly cost. Int J Interact Des Manuf 12, 865–875 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12008-017-0448-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12008-017-0448-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation