Examination of modularization metrics in industry
Year: 2013
Editor: Udo Lindemann, Srinivasan V, Yong Se Kim, Sang Won Lee, John Clarkson, Gaetano Cascini
Author: Heilemann, Markus; Culley, Steve J.; Schlüter, Meike; Haase, Hans-Joachim
Series: ICED
Institution: 1: Bosch Group; 2: University of Bath
Page(s): 427-436
ISBN: 978-1-904670-47-6
ISSN: 2220-4334
Abstract
It is the aim of this paper to examine applicability of modularization metrics in industry. For this purpose, two studies were designed. The first study collects requirements in industry for the application of modularization metrics. The second study mirrors modularization metrics from literature to main application requirements from industry. It has been revealed that efficient calculation of modularization metrics is a main requirement of industry. However, there is a gap between information needed to calculate existing metrics and product architecture relevant information that is available in standard IT-Systems like PDM- or ERP-Systems. Thus, only few existing metrics meet the main requirement of efficient calculation. This gap can be closed by developing modularization metrics that either have a diligently selected information content or by introducing product architecture relevant information into standard information systems of companies.
Keywords: Modularization, product architecture, product family design, platform design, system design