Support for Managing Partly Configurable Modular Systems

Abstract

The paper studies what kind of support could be applied to the management of partly configurable modular systems. The main tasks of product management, product portfolio management and product variety management are defined. In addition, a partly configurable product structure and modular system are defined. Because the limited support in the literature for managing partly configurable modular systems, the article reviews previous product development cases in which authors have been involved on lessons learnt basis, i.e., if the methods and tools used in the cases could provide support for the research objective. As a result, the existing definition of the modular system should be extended by the concepts of non-module and design decision sequence description when dealing with partly configurable modular systems. This is because engineer-to-order should be made possible in cases where it brings clear added value to the customer compared to completely pre-defined solutions that may limit the customer's interest in the offering. Tools to assess the impact of changes to the product offering are required. These should be taken into account in frameworks that are used in method and tool development.

Types of Partly Configurable Products in High-Variety, Low-Volume Context

“…Thus, the final set of selected publications was 25 publications. Utilized publications: (1) (Belkadi et al, 2016), (2) (Brière-Côté et al, 2010), (3) (Bruun et al, 2013), (4) (Bruun et al, 2015), (5) (Doe, 2021), (6) (Giddaluru et al, 2015), (7) (Hanna et al, 2020), (8) (Hofer & Halman, 2005), (9) (Juuti et al, 2019), (10) (Mahapatra et al, 2012), (11) (Pakkanen et al, 2021), (12) (Pakkanen, Huhtala, et al, 2016), (13) (Pakkanen et al, 2015), ( 14) , (15) (Pakkanen et al, 2019), ( 16) (Shamsuzzoha & Helo, 2017), ( 17) (Wang et al, 2011), (18) (Yan & Stewart, 2010). Snowballed publications: (19) (Andreasen, 2011), (20) (Duffy & Ferns, 1999), (21) (Juuti, 2008), (22) (Juuti & Lehtonen, 2006), (23) (Murphy & Gorchels, 1996), (24) (Pahl et al, 2006), (25) (Ulrich, 1995).…”

“…A product becomes partly configurable when the fully configurable modular structure is introduced with customer specific element (Juuti, 2008). According to Pakkanen et al (2021) partly configurable products enable ETO and unique solutions while obeying architectural and interface restrictions, and partly configurable product structure allows delivery specific elements. Product family can be considered partly configurable, when one-off solution is introduced to the modular system (Pakkanen et al, 2021).…”

“…According to Pakkanen et al (2021) partly configurable products enable ETO and unique solutions while obeying architectural and interface restrictions, and partly configurable product structure allows delivery specific elements. Product family can be considered partly configurable, when one-off solution is introduced to the modular system (Pakkanen et al, 2021). Partly configurable element can also include partly configurable parts (Juuti & Lehtonen, 2006).…”

“…Reasoning for introducing such ETO element is a product management decision arising from business environment. ETO element in a partly configurable product should obey architectural decisions (Pakkanen et al, 2021), suggesting that one-of-a-kind ETO element should obey modular product´s architectural decisions and rules. However, one-of-a-kind element can be considered as ETO element, that can have an integral product's architecture, depending on the extent of the element, or such elements in a product.…”

“…Aim was to answer, 'What are partly configurable products? ' Juuti (2008) described partly configurable product is a fully configurable product introduced with customer specific element, and Pakkanen et al (2021) added that the customer specific solution should obey architectural and interface restrictions where it is allowed in the product structure. This objective is answered by the four different types below.…”