Metrics of product modularity: lessons learned from case companies
Abstract
Purpose
Modular product development is a turning table concept in terms of benefits and impact in manufacturing companies. It offers added benefits to the companies with respect to reduce lead-time, improve assemble ability and agility in supply chain management, promote product family and enhance customer satisfaction. This paper aims to identify the patterns of modular product development strategy by using measurement techniques.
Design/methodology/approach
Both quantitative and qualitative approaches are considered. In the qualitative section, relevant data on product design are collected from six case companies. On the other hand, in the quantitative section, collected data are analyzed to measure the product modularity level with the case companies.
Findings
This research identifies potential metrics which can be used successfully to measure product modularity level or index in manufacturing industries. Selection of such metrics also depends on individual company’s objectives to measure modularity index.
Originality/value
This research contributes to the development of modular product design that supports product family design with lean and agile (leagile) supply chain process. It also provided a parsimonious framework to mapping modules within a product, which is ultimately used to measure modularity index.
Keywords
Citation
Shamsuzzoha, A., Piya, S., Al-Kindi, M. and Al-Hinai, N. (2018), "Metrics of product modularity: lessons learned from case companies", Journal of Modelling in Management, Vol. 13 No. 2, pp. 331-350. https://doi.org/10.1108/JM2-12-2016-0127
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited