Knowledge-based decision support for concept evaluation using the extended impact model of modular product families

The design of modular product families enables a high external variety of products by a low internal variety of components and processes. This variety optimization leads to large economic savings along the entire value chain. However, when designing and selecting suitable modular product architecture concepts, often only direct costs are considered, and indirect costs as well as cross-cost center benefits are neglected. A lack of knowledge about the full savings potential often results in the selection of inferior solutions. Since available approaches do not adequately address this problem, this paper provides a new methodological support tool that ensures consideration of the full savings potentials in the evaluation of modular product architecture concepts. For this purpose, the visual knowledge base of the Impact Model of Modular Product Families (IMF) is used, extended and implemented in a model-based environment using SysML. The newly developed Sys-IMF is then applied to the product family example of electric medium-voltage motors. The support tool is dynamic, expandable and filterable and embedded in a methodical procedure for knowledge-based decision support. Sys-IMF supports decision makers in the early phase of interdisciplinary product development and enables the selection of the most suitable modular solution for the company.

Subjects

product architecture

modularity

data management

MBSE

SysML

KPIs

decision support

product concept evaluation

knowledge management

DDC Class

600: Technik

620: Ingenieurwissenschaften

Funding(s)

Validierung und Weiterentwicklung eines Wirkmodells zur Beschreibung der Effekte modularer Produktstrukturen in der industriellen Praxis

Funding Organisations

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)

More Funding Information

Thanks go to the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft - DFG) for funding this project within the research grant ‘Validierung und Weiterentwicklung eines Wirkmodells zur Beschreibung der Effekte modularer Produktstrukturen in der industriellen Praxis’
(project number: 415579334).

We acknowledge support for the Open Access fees by Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) in the funding programme Open Access Publishing.

Publication version

publishedVersion

Lizenz

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Name

applsci-12-00547.pdf

Size

7.08 MB

Format

Adobe PDF

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Knowledge-based decision support for concept evaluation using the extended impact model of modular product families