A Heuristic Method to Identify Modules From a Functional Description of a Product

TLDR

Developing product architectures is a key phase in design and development, involving transforming product function into alternative layouts. The paper proposes a new approach to identify modules in product architectures. The method reviews modular product terminology, introduces functional dependency to order functional models over time, and presents three heuristic techniques for module identification, validated on a database of 70 consumer products. Using functional dependency and the heuristics, modular design can be performed earlier in development, as shown with a power‑tool example and confirmed across 70 consumer products.

Abstract

Abstract Developing product architectures is a key phase in design and development processes. It encompasses the transformation of product function to alternative product layouts. In this paper, we describe a new approach for identifying modules for product architectures. We begin by reviewing the terminology and motivation for modular products. Following that discussion, three heuristic methods for identifying modules from a formal functional decomposition are presented. To aid in this process, a concept known as functional dependency is introduced to further arrange functional models with respect to time. Through this concept and the heuristic methods, modular design can be executed earlier in the product development process, as illustrated by the running example of a power-tool product. A database of 70 consumer products is used to verify and confirm the overall modular design approach.