A Network Approach to Define Modularity of Components in Complex Products
Top Cited Papers
- 12 January 2007
- journal article
- Published by ASME International in Journal of Mechanical Design
- Vol. 129 (11), 1118-1129
- https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2771182
Abstract
Modularity has been defined at the product and system levels. However, little effort has gone into defining and quantifying modularity at the component level. We consider complex products as a network of components that share technical interfaces (or connections) in order to function as a whole and define component modularity based on the lack of connectivity among them. Building upon previous work in graph theory and social network analysis, we define three measures of component modularity based on the notion of centrality. Our measures consider how components share direct interfaces with adjacent components, how design interfaces may propagate to nonadjacent components in the product, and how components may act as bridges among other components through their interfaces. We calculate and interpret all three measures of component modularity by studying the product architecture of a large commercial aircraft engine. We illustrate the use of these measures to test the impact of modularity on component redesign. Our results show that the relationship between component modularity and component redesign depends on the type of interfaces connecting product components. We also discuss directions for future work.Keywords
This publication has 41 references indexed in Scilit:
- Component Connectivity, Team Network Structure and the Attention to Technical Interfaces in Complex Product DevelopmentSSRN Electronic Journal, 2007
- Analysis of Decomposability and Complexity for Design Problems in the Context of DecompositionJournal of Mechanical Design, 2004
- Characterizing complex product architecturesSystems Engineering, 2003
- Product modularity: Definitions and benefitsJournal of Engineering Design, 2003
- Modeling impacts of process architecture on cost and schedule risk in product developmentIEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 2002
- Implications of Modularity on Product Design for the Life CycleJournal of Mechanical Design, 1998
- Classifying Functions for Mechanical DesignJournal of Mechanical Design, 1998
- Econometric methods for fractional response variables with an application to 401(k) plan participation ratesJournal of Applied Econometrics, 1996
- Architectural Innovation: The Reconfiguration of Existing Product Technologies and the Failure of Established FirmsAdministrative Science Quarterly, 1990
- A Set of Measures of Centrality Based on BetweennessSociometry, 1977