Assembly Hierarchy Generation for Assembly System Design for a Product Family

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhengqian Jiang ◽  
Hui Wang
Keyword(s):  
Modular Design ◽  
Recursive Algorithm ◽  
Product Family ◽  
Graph Model ◽  
Product Variety ◽  
Assembly System ◽  
Product Family Design ◽  
Flexible Assembly ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Hierarchy Generation

Increased demand on product variety entails a flexible assembly system for product families which can be quickly configured and reconfigured in a responsive manner to deal with various product designs. Development of such a responsive assembly system requires an in-depth understanding of the impact of product family design on assembly system performance. In this paper, the linkage between the product family design and assembly systems is characterized by an assembly hierarchy model, which reflects a hierarchical relationship among all possible sub-assemblies and components, assembly tasks, and material flow among the tasks. Our prior research developed a recursive algorithm to generate all assembly hierarchy candidates for one single product based on its liaison graph without redundancy. These generated assembly hierarchies provide a structure to help efficiently explore optimal assembly system designs with reduced computational load. In this paper, the application of the assembly hierarchy generation algorithm will be extended to a product family by developing joint liaison graph model. Taking the advantage of the modular design of the product family, we proposed a concept of multi-level joint liaison graphs to overcome the computational challenge brought by assembly hierarchy generation for joint liaisons. Two case studies were conducted to demonstrate the algorithm.

Identification of Platform Variables in Product Family Design Using Sensitivity Analysis

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chad Hume ◽  
David W. Rosen
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity Analysis ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Product Family ◽  
Product Variety ◽  
Product Performance ◽  
Constructal Theory ◽  
Product Platform ◽  
Product Family Design ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Selection Of

Product family design strategies based on a common core platform have emerged as an efficient and effective means of providing product variety. The main goal in product platform design is to maximize internal commonality within the family while managing the inherent loss in product performance. Therefore, identification and selection of platform variables is a key aspect when designing a family of products. Based on previous research, the Product Platform Constructal Theory Method (PPCTM) provides a systematic approach for developing customizable products, while allowing for multiple levels of commonality, multiple product specifications, and balancing the tradeoffs between commonality and performance. However, selection of platform variables and the modes for managing product variety are not guided by a systematic process in this method. When developing a platform with more than a few variables, a quantitative method is needed for selecting the optimal platform variable hierarchy. In this paper we present an augmented PPCTM which includes sensitivity analysis of platform variables, such that hierarchical rank is conducted based on the impact of the variables on the product performance. This method is applied to the design of a line of customizable finger pumps.

Global Product Family Design: A Mathematical Model for Simultaneous Decision of Module Commonalization and Supply Chain Configuration

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kikuo Fujita ◽  
Hirofumi Amaya ◽  
Ryota Akai
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Product Family ◽  
Product Variety ◽  
Optimization Method ◽  
Product Family Design ◽  
Design Production ◽  
Supply Chain Configuration ◽  
The Given ◽  
Chain Configuration

Today’s manufacturing has become global at all aspects of marketing, design, production, distribution, etc. While product family design has been an essential viewpoint for meeting with the demand for product variety, its meaning is becoming more broad and complicated with linking product design with issues on market systems, supply chain, etc. This paper calls such a design situation ‘global product family design,’ and firstly characterizes its components and complexity. Following them, this paper develops a mathematical model for the simultaneous decision problem of module commonalization strategies under the given product architecture and supply chain configuration through selection of manufacturing sites for module production, assembly and final distribution as an instance of the problems. This paper demonstrates some numerical case studies for ascertaining the validity and promise of the developed mathematical model with an optimization method configured with a genetic algorithm and a simplex method. Finally, it concludes with some discussion on future works.

Concurrent Design of Product Families and Assembly Systems

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Bryan ◽  
S. J. Hu ◽  
Y. Koren
Keyword(s):  
System Design ◽  
Concurrent Engineering ◽  
Product Family ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Product Variety ◽  
Assembly System ◽  
Concurrent Design ◽  
Assembly Systems ◽  
Product Families ◽  
Assembly System Design

In order to gain competitive advantage, manufacturers require cost effective methods for developing a variety of products within short time periods. Product families, reconfigurable assembly systems and concurrent engineering are frequently used to achieve this desired cost effective and rapid supply of product variety. The independent development of methodologies for product family design and assembly system design has led to a sequential approach to the design of product families and assembly systems. However, the designs of product families and assembly systems are interdependent and efficiencies can be gained through their concurrent design. There are no quantitative concurrent engineering techniques that address the problem of the concurrent design of product families and assembly systems. In this paper, a non-linear integer programming formulation for the concurrent design of a product family and assembly system is introduced. The problem is solved with a genetic algorithm. An example is used to demonstrate the advantage of the concurrent approach to product family and assembly system design over the existing sequential methodology.

scholarly journals An Investigation of the Impact of Assembly Sequencing on the Product Family Design Outcomes

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shafin Tauhid ◽  
Hakan U. Artar ◽  
Saraj Gupta ◽  
Gu¨l Okudan
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Simulation Study ◽  
Product Family ◽  
Shop Floor ◽  
Design Decision ◽  
Product Family Design ◽  
Floor Level ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

While many approaches have been proposed to optimize the product family design for measures of cost, revenue and performance, many of these approaches fail to incorporate the complexity of the manufacturing issues into family design decision-making. One of these issues is assembly sequencing. This paper presents a simulation study by which the impact of assembly sequencing on the product family design outcomes is investigated. Overall, the results indicate that when the product family design takes into account the assembly sequencing decisions, the outcomes at the shop floor level improve. The results have implications for companies that are looking into increasing their revenue without increasing their investment in the shop floor.

An Investigation of Impact of the Product Family Design on the Shop Floor Performance

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hakan U. Artar ◽  
Gu¨l Okudan
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Product Family ◽  
Shop Floor ◽  
Design Decision ◽  
Product Family Design ◽  
Computer Simulation Study ◽  
Family Case ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

While many approaches have been proposed to optimize the product family design for measures of cost, revenue and performance, many of these approaches fail to incorporate the complexity of the manufacturing issues into family design decision-making. One of these issues is different approaches for assembly sequencing. This paper presents a computer simulation study by which the impact of two postponement strategies is investigated for a real-life product family case under various demand conditions. Overall, the results indicate that when the product family design takes into account the assembly sequencing decisions, the outcomes at the shop floor level improve. The results have implications for companies that are looking into increasing their revenue without increasing their investment in the shop floor.

Using Shape Grammars to Identify Salient Features in Support of Product Family Design

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy D. Culbertson ◽  
Timothy W. Simpson
Keyword(s):  
Product Family ◽  
Consumer Preference ◽  
Fractional Factorial ◽  
Factorial Experiment ◽  
Ultrasound Transducers ◽  
Shape Grammars ◽  
Product Family Design ◽  
Baseline Design ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Full Factorial

Product form and aesthetics play a major role in consumer preference and product differentiation. During product family design, it is important to differentiate products in the family yet similarities among some stylistic features may connote a more coherent design strategy. Shape grammars offer a method for producing designs with a coherent style along with the ability to control the variation of the output shapes. In this paper, we investigate the use of shape grammars to support product family design, namely, identification of features that shape the perceptions of similarity within a family. A survey-based approach is implemented wherein the impact of a shape parameter on product style is evaluated by comparing design variants to a baseline design. Respondents are asked to rate the style similarities on a Likert-like scale, and candidate shape parameters are screened for aesthetic significance using a fractional factorial experiment. The approach is demonstrated using a family of medical ultrasound transducers, and our screening is validated using a full factorial experiment with practicing ultrasound transducer designers and engineers.

Recent Advancements in Product Family Design and Platform-Based Product Development: A Literature Review

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhila Pirmoradi ◽  
G. Gary Wang
Keyword(s):  
Product Development ◽  
Product Family ◽  
Product Variety ◽  
Practical Case ◽  
Product Family Design ◽  
Product Families ◽  
Design And Optimization ◽  
Future Design ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Research Activities

Increase of demand on product variety has pushed companies to think about offering more and more product variants in order to take more market shares. However, product variation can lead to cost increase for design and production, as well as the lead time for new variants. As a result, a proper tradeoff is required between cost-effectiveness of manufacturing and satisfying diverse demands. Such tradeoff has been shown to be manageable effectively by exploiting product family design (PFD) and platform-based product development. These strategies have been widely studied during the past decades, and a large number of approaches have been proposed for covering different issues and steps related to design and development of product families and platforms. Verification and performance of such approaches have also been traced through practical case studies applied to several industries. This paper focuses on a review of the research in this field and efforts to classify the recent advancements relevant to product family design and platform development issues. A comprehensive review on the state-of-the-art research in this field was done by Jiao et al. in 2007; therefore the main focus of this paper is on the research activities from 2006 to present. Mainly, the effort of this paper is to identify new achievements in regard with different aspects of product family design such as customer involvement in design, market driven studies, new indices and metrics for assessing families and developing the desired platforms, issues relevant to product family optimization (i.e., new algorithms and optimization approaches applied to different PFD problems along with their benefits and limitations in comparison to previously developed approaches), issues relevant to development of platforms (i.e., platform configuration approaches, joint platform design and optimization, and factors effective on forming proper platform types), and issues relevant to knowledge management and modeling of families and platforms for facilitating and supporting future design efforts. Through a comparison with previous research, new achievements are discussed and the remaining challenges and potential new research areas in this field are addressed.

Evaluation and selection in product design for mass customization: A knowledge decision support approach

2004 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
XUAN F. ZHA ◽  
RAM D. SRIRAM ◽  
WEN F. LU
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Product Design ◽  
Fuzzy Clustering ◽  
Mass Customization ◽  
Product Family ◽  
Product Variety ◽  
Design Evaluation ◽  
Product Family Design ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Knowledge Support

Mass customization has been identified as a competitive strategy by an increasing number of companies. Family-based product design is an efficient and effective means to realize sufficient product variety, while satisfying a range of customer demands in support for mass customization. This paper presents a knowledge decision support approach to product family design evaluation and selection for mass customization process. Here, product family design is viewed as a selection problem with the following stages: product family (design alternatives) generation, product family design evaluation, and selection for customization. The fundamental issues underlying product family design for mass customization are discussed. Then, a knowledge support framework and its relevant technologies are developed for module-based product family design for mass customization. A systematic fuzzy clustering and ranking model is proposed and discussed in detail. This model supports the imprecision inherent in decision making with fuzzy customers' preference relations and uses fuzzy analysis techniques for evaluation and selection. A neural network technique is also adopted to adjust the membership function to enhance the model. The focus of this paper is on the development of a knowledge-intensive support scheme and a comprehensive systematic fuzzy clustering and ranking methodology for product family design evaluation and selection. A case study and the scenario of knowledge support for power supply family evaluation, selection, and customization are provided for illustration.

Product Family Design to Minimize Manufacturing Complexity in Mixed-Model Assembly Systems

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
He Wang ◽  
Xiaowei Zhu ◽  
S. Jack Hu ◽  
Zhongqin Lin ◽  
Guanlong Chen
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Model ◽  
Product Family ◽  
Product Variety ◽  
Assembly Systems ◽  
Paradigm Change ◽  
Product Family Design ◽  
Family Selection ◽  
Relative Complexity ◽  
Manufacturing Complexity ◽  
Mixed Model Assembly

The number of product varieties offered by manufacturers has increased drastically as a result of the paradigm change from mass production to mass customization. High product variety introduces complexity in manufacturing. In this paper, we discuss product family design to minimize manufacturing complexity in manual, mixed-model assembly systems. A concept of relative complexity is proposed to help system designers making decisions on product family selection. Based on the relative complexity, a model for product variety selection is then proposed to find the best combination of product variants to be provided to the market in order to maximize market share and minimize manufacturing complexity. A numerical example is provided to demonstrate the approach.

A Web-Based Customization Product Design System

2009 ◽  
Vol 16-19 ◽  
pp. 20-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun Xia Wang ◽  
Zhi Liang Wang ◽  
Xiao Yu Ni
Keyword(s):  
Product Design ◽  
Modular Design ◽  
System Modeling ◽  
Product Family ◽  
Design System ◽  
Case Based Reasoning ◽  
Product Family Design ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Parametric Cad ◽  
Set Up

To improve product family design methods for mass customization currently, scale-based modular method for product family design is proposed. On the basis of it, a web-based customization product design system is built. Three processes are included in the system: modeling product family, customizing individual product and estimating cost. Key technologies used in the system are studied on focus that include modular design, scale factors design, tabular layouts of article characteristics (LAC), Case-Based Reasoning (CBR), parametric CAD (SolidWorks) and so on. Finally, taking MK2110 internal grinder as an example, the web-based customization design system is set up.

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