UNIT-IV

PRODUCT ARCHITECTURE

WHAT IS PRODUCT ARCHITECTURE? A product can be thought of in both functional and physical terms. The functional elements of a product are the individual operation and transformations that contribute to the overall performance of the product. Example: For the printer case, Store paper , !ommunicate "ith computer is some of the functional elements. The physical elements of a product are the parts, components and subassemblies that implement the product function. Example: For the printer case, #rinter cartridge , !hassis is some of the physical elements. The physical elements of a product are typically organi$ed into several ma%or physical building bloc&s, "hich are called as chunks. The architecture of a product is a scheme by "hich the functional elements of the product are arranged into physical chun&s and by "hich chun&s interact. 'ost important property of the product architecture is modularity. Modularity is defined as property of the product architecture "hich enables the design change to be made to one chun& "ithout affecting the other chun&s. (ased on the modularity present, the product architecture can be divided into t"o types namely )i* 'odular architecture and )ii* +ntegral Architecture. A modular architecture has the follo"ing t"o properties : )i* )ii* !hun&s implement one or fe" functional elements. The interaction bet"een chun&s is "ell defined and is generally fundamental to the primary function of the product. An integral architecture exhibit one or more of the follo"ing properties: )i* )ii* )iii* Types of )i* Functional elements of the product are implemented using more than one chun&. A single chun& implements many functional elements. The interaction bet"een chun&s is ill defined and may be incidental to the primary functions of the product. o!u"arity# S"ot-$o!u"ar architecture# Each of the interfaces bet"een chun&s is of different types so that various chun&s in the product can not be interchanged. Dr.K.Ramanathan, Department of Mechanical Engineering, ACCET, Karaikudi-4 ,

Example: Automobile Radio. i.e* Automobile radio and Speedometers have different type of interfaces to the instrument panel and can not be interchanged. )ii* %us-$o!u"ar architecture# +n a bus modular architecture, there is a common bus to "hich the other chun&s connect via the same type of interface. Example: Expansion card for a personal computer. )iii* Sectio&a"-$o!u"ar architecture# -ere all the interfaces are of same type, but there is no common bus to "hich all other chun&s attach. !hun&s "ill be connected to each other via identical interfaces. Example: Piping systems. . Figure belo" sho"s the conceptual difference among three types of modular architectures.

I P'ICATIONS O( THE ARCHITECTURE# .ecision about ho" to divide the product into chun&s and about ho" much modularity is to be imposed on the architecture are depend on many factors as detailed belo". )i* Pro!uct Cha&+e# The product architecture defines the "ay "ith "hich functional elements are arranged into physical chun&s and hence it also defines ho" the product can be changed. 'odular chun&s allo" changes to be made to a fe" isolated functional elements "ith out affecting

Dr.K.Ramanathan, Department of Mechanical Engineering, ACCET, Karaikudi-4

other chun&s. 0hereas integral chun&s needs more changes in other related chun&s as "ell as in functional elements. Some of the reasons for product change are: 1pgrade Add2ons Adaptation 0ear !onsumption Flexibility in use 3euse )ii* Pro!uct Variety# Variety refers to the range of product models the firm can produce "ithin a particular time period in response to mar&et demand. #roduct having modular architecture can be varied easily "ithout affecting the manufacturing system. For Example in the case of Wrist watch, 4ariety of "rist "atches can be made by combining different chun&s li&e "rist band, Faces, .ials etc. )iii* Co$po&e&t Sta&!ar!i,atio&# !omponent standardi$ation is the use of the same component or chun& in multiple products. +f a chun& implements only one functional element, then the chun& can be standardi$ed and used in several different products. -ence that particular chun& can be produced in large volume "ith lo" cost and high 5uality. For example, wrist watch battery is standardi$ed and it can be used in any "rist "atches. )i-* Pro!uct Perfor$a&ce# #roduct performance can be defined as ho" "ell a product implements its indented functions . Example for product performance characteristics are speed, efficiency, accuracy, noise etc., +n case of the ('0 motorcycle the structural support functional element and power-conversion functional element are assigned to only one chun& namely transmission chun . The practice of implementing multiple functions using a single physical element is called as fu&ctio& shari&+. An integral architecture eliminates redundancy through function sharing and minimi$es the cost, material and volume occupied by the product. )-* a&ufactura.i"ity# #roduct architecture and manufacturability is also influences the decision of dividing products into chun&s and amount of modularity on the product. .esign for Dr.K.Ramanathan, Department of Mechanical Engineering, ACCET, Karaikudi-4 6

manufacturing ).F'* minimi$es the number of parts in a product through component integration. +ntegration of components can be done more easily "ithin the chun&s and it is difficult bet"een various chun&s and may alter the architecture of the product. )-i* Pro!uct De-e"op$e&t a&a+e$e&t# 1sually the responsibility of detailed designing of each chun& "ill be assigned to a group of peoples. (ecause the design of each chun& re5uires careful understanding about the geometry of the product and interactions bet"een components. 'odular architecture re5uires lesser coordination bet"een team members designing various chun&s, "hereas +ntegral architecture demands more coordination. -ence a team depending on suppliers from outside "ill prefer modular architecture, in "hich the design responsibilities can be split according to the chun& boundaries. 'odular re5uires more planning at system level design and lesser coordination at detailed design phase. (ut +ntegral architecture re5uire lesser planning at system level design and more coordination at detailed design phase. ESTA%'ISHIN/ THE ARCHITECTURE Establishing the architecture incorporates the follo"ing four activities. ),* !reate a schematic of the product. )/* !luster the elements of the schematic )6* !reate a rough geometric layout. )7* +dentify fundamental and incidental interactions. Step-0# Create a sche$atic of the pro!uct A schematic is a diagram representing the team8s understanding of the elements of the product. The first step in establishing the architecture of the product is to create a schematic of the product. The schematic should reflect the team8s best understanding about the state of the product, but it

Dr.K.Ramanathan, Department of Mechanical Engineering, ACCET, Karaikudi-4

should not contain any imaginable details. +t is better to have less than 69 elements in a schematic. The schematic dra"n for a .es&:et printer is sho"n belo".

Step-1# C"uster the e"e$e&ts of the sche$atic ;ext step is to assign each of the elements of the schematic to a chun&. <ne extreme approach of clustering is to consider each of the elements as separate chun&. Another extreme is clustering all the elements to a single chun&. (ut the best procedure for clustering is considering each element as a separate chun& and then successively clustering elements "here advantageous. 0hile successively clustering, the follo"ing factors are to be considered. =eometric integration and precision. Function sharing !apabilities of vendors Similarity of design or production technology >ocali$ation of change Accommodating variety Enabling standardi$ation #ortability of interfaces

The clustering performed to the .es&:et printer schematic is sho"n belo".

Dr.K.Ramanathan, Department of Mechanical Engineering, ACCET, Karaikudi-4

Step-2# Create a rou+h +eo$etric "ayout After clustering of elements to a chun&, a geometric layout is to be created in t"o or three dimensions. .ra"ings, !omputer models and physical models can be used for the above purpose. Figure belo" sho"s the geometric layout of the .es&:et printer, positioning the ma%or chun&s.

Dr.K.Ramanathan, Department of Mechanical Engineering, ACCET, Karaikudi-4

!reating a geometric layout enables the team to consider "hether geometric interfaces among the chun&s are feasible. =enerally layouts are created by considering the factors listed in step2/. +t is preferred to include industrial designer in the team "hile creating a geometric layout. Step-3# I!e&tify the (u&!a$e&ta" a&! I&ci!e&ta" I&teractio&s !hun&s "ill interact "ith each other in both planned and unplanned manner. -ence it is necessary identify the interactions prevailing bet"een chun&s so that this information can be exchanged among team members designing the chun&s. There are t"o &inds of interaction bet"een chun&s namely Fundamental interactions and +ncidental interactions. !undamental interactions are planned and "ell understood "hich are sho"n in the schematic itself. Example for fundamental interaction in the case .es&:et printer is paper flow from paper tray to the print mechanism. "ncidental interactions are unplanned and "ill arise because of geometric arrangement of the chun&s or because of the particular physical implementation of the functional element. Example for incidental interaction in the case .es&:et printer is vibrations induced in the paper tray. Fundamental interactions can be easily represented in the schematic. (ut +ncidental interactions are represented in the form of "nteraction graph or "nteraction matrix. 0hen there are less than ,9 interacting chun&s, +nteraction graph "ill be useful. +f it is more than ,9 interaction chun&s, +nteraction graph "ill be more confusing and hence +nteraction matrix "ill be used. The figure belo" sho"s the possible interaction graph for the .es&:et printer.

P'AT(OR

P'ANNIN/

!ollection of assets, including component designs, shared by variety of products is called as Product platform. #latform planning is about managing the trade2off bet"een the common issues and differencing issues available in varieties of products. There are certain mar&eting benefits in Dr.K.Ramanathan, Department of Mechanical Engineering, ACCET, Karaikudi-4 A

offering variety of products. (ut there are design and manufacturing benefits in offering products "ith common components. T"o simple information systems namely differentiation plan and commonality plan allo" the team to manage the above trade2off. Differe&tiatio& P"a& The differentiation plan represents the "ay in "hich multiple versions of a product "ill be different from customer and mar&et point of vie". Table belo" sho"s the differentiation plan of a .es&:et printer for three different mar&et segments.

The differentiation plan consists of a matrix "ith ro"s for differentiating attributes of the printer and columns for the different versions or models of the product. .ifferentiating attributes are the characteristics of the product "hich are generally expressed in the language of specifications. Co$$o&a"ity P"a& The commonality plan represents the "ay in "hich multiple versions of a product "ill be same physically. Table belo" sho"s the commonality plan for a .es&:et printer case.

The commonality plan consists of a matrix "ith ro"s representing the chun&s of the product and columns for the different versions or models of the product. The team fills each cell in the remaining columns "ith a name of the chun& used to ma&e up the product. Dr.K.Ramanathan, Department of Mechanical Engineering, ACCET, Karaikudi-4 B

The challenge in platform planning is to resolve the tension bet"een the desire to differentiate the products and the desire to use common components. This tension can be felt "hile preparing differentiation plan and commonality plan. The above tension can be managed by follo"ing the belo" guidelines. )i* )ii* )iii* #latform planning decisions should be informed by 5uantitative estimates of cost and revenue implications. +nteraction is beneficial. The product architecture dictates the nature of the trade2off bet"een differentiation and commonality.

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Dr.K.Ramanathan, Department of Mechanical Engineering, ACCET, Karaikudi-4