Knowledge Base Repository
In addition to research papers, the Design Society is developing several valuable resources for those interested in the study of design. These include a repository of PhD theses, a library of case studies and transcripts of design activities, and an archive of our newsletters. Please note that these resources are accessible exclusively to Design Society members.
Integrated decision support for architecture & supplier identification in early complex system design
Type:
Year:
2014
Supervisor:
Jean-Claude Bocquet, Marija Jankovic
Institution:
Ecole Centrale Paris
Page(s):
128
Abstract:
In order to combine the advantage of standardization with those of customization, modular design has
been increasingly used by OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) in complex system development.
Different from traditional design, modular design advocates entrusting lead suppliers with full
responsibility of a module. In this case, suppliers are involved much earlier in design, and start
collaborating with OEMs from the conceptual design phase. This characteristic of modular design makes
it impossible to define the product concept before choosing suppliers, as is normally done in the
traditional way. Instead, the product concepts and supplier possibilities need to be considered
simultaneously. However, this unbreakable link between a module and its supplier is rarely considered in
design support methods. Most existing methods treat architecture and supplier as two separate issues. In
this work, we propose the Architecture & Supplier Identification Tool (ASIT), which considers
performance of both suppliers and their modules. The ASIT is capable of generating all possible
product/system architectures based on customer requirements with consideration of new technologies
and new suppliers. The overall performance of each architecture is estimated using data of existing
products and expert knowledge. Appropriate candidates are identified, taking into account their customer
requirements satisfaction, overall uncertainty, and environmental impact, to be considered in conceptual
design. The utilization of ASIT is illustrated in a powertrain design case study. Comparing the results from
different methods shows that ASIT is an interesting decision support tool for OEMs to identify suppliers
and architectures regarding their overall performance.
been increasingly used by OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) in complex system development.
Different from traditional design, modular design advocates entrusting lead suppliers with full
responsibility of a module. In this case, suppliers are involved much earlier in design, and start
collaborating with OEMs from the conceptual design phase. This characteristic of modular design makes
it impossible to define the product concept before choosing suppliers, as is normally done in the
traditional way. Instead, the product concepts and supplier possibilities need to be considered
simultaneously. However, this unbreakable link between a module and its supplier is rarely considered in
design support methods. Most existing methods treat architecture and supplier as two separate issues. In
this work, we propose the Architecture & Supplier Identification Tool (ASIT), which considers
performance of both suppliers and their modules. The ASIT is capable of generating all possible
product/system architectures based on customer requirements with consideration of new technologies
and new suppliers. The overall performance of each architecture is estimated using data of existing
products and expert knowledge. Appropriate candidates are identified, taking into account their customer
requirements satisfaction, overall uncertainty, and environmental impact, to be considered in conceptual
design. The utilization of ASIT is illustrated in a powertrain design case study. Comparing the results from
different methods shows that ASIT is an interesting decision support tool for OEMs to identify suppliers
and architectures regarding their overall performance.
Keywords:
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