Modularization of a washing machine and study its potential in implementing multiple life-cycles. Shimelis Mekonnen Wassie

Transcription

1 Modularization of a washing machine and study its potential in implementing multiple life-cycles Shimelis Mekonnen Wassie Master of Science Thesis KTH Industrial Engineering and Management Production engineering and management SE STOCKHOLM 2016

2 FOREWORD I would like to thank my supervisor Farazee Asif at Production engineering and management department, KTH for giving me the chance to work on this topic and for helping me with all the questions I had regarding this research work. Shimelis Wassie Stockholm, October,

3 NOMENCLATURE Notations Abbreviations MFD Modular Function Deployment CV Customer Value PP Product properties DFX Design for Excellence DSM Design structural matrix QFD Quality Function Deployment DPM Design Property Matrix MIM Module Indication Matrix IM Interface Matrix MVS Module Indication Matrix Keywords: MFD, modular product, multiple life cycles, resource conservative manufacturing 2

4 List of figures Figure 1 Company starategic directions (7) Figure 2 Customer segementation Figure 3 Customer values (Palma software tool) Figure 4. Customer values ranking (Palma software tool) Figure 5. Ishikawa for CV Protect fabric Figure 6. Ishikawa for CV Compact Figure 7. Ishikawa for CV Low operating cost Figure 8. QFD (partial) Figure 9 Bottom-up functional analysis (Motor) Figure 10 DPM (partial) Figure 11 DPM relations diagonally arranged (partial list) Figure 12 Module drivers Figure 13 Drivers grouped to company strategy (7) Figure 14 Module indication matrix (MIM) (partial) Figure 15 Initial modules coloured differently (partial list) Figure 16 Lead time in assembly as a function of number of modules (16) Figure 17 Statistical clustering of technical solutions (partial) Figure 18 Final module clusters (partial) Figure 19 Module driver matrix (MDM) Figure 20 Interface matrix (IM) Figure 21 Interface between control unit and holder module Figure 22 Module variants; Analogue (left) and touch screen (right) Figure 23 Sample variants (emphasizing on control unit and door module) List of tables Table 1 Product properties and goal values Table 2 Relationship strength Table 3 Technical solutions and function (partial list) Table 4 Module variant specification sheet (Control module) Table 5 End of life strategy based on drivers and company strategy (5) Table 6 end-of-life implication

5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents FOREWORD 1 NOMENCLATURE 2 NOTATIONS 2 LIST OF FIGURES 3 LIST OF TABLES 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 1 INTRODUCTION Background Purpose and motivation Delimitations Methodology Scientific methodology Tools and steps for the research processes 8 2 FRAME OF REFERENCE Modularity and modularization Why Modularization Modular design methods Heuristic method Design structural matrix (DSM) Modular function deployment (MFD) Multiple life-cycles in modular design 15 3 WASHING MACHINE CASE STUDY Modular Function Deployment MFD Customer segmentation Clarifying customer requirements Customer value ranking Product properties and Goal values Quality function deployment (QFD) 21 4

6 3.1.8 Technical solutions and functions Design property matrix (DPM) Module indication matrix (MIM) Module generator (MG) Optimizing modules Module driver matrix (MDM) Interface matrix (IM) Module variant specifications (MVS) Proposed concept variant illustrations Multiple life cycle implications 35 4 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS 39 5 REFERENCES 40 APPENDIX A 42 5

7 1 INTRODUCTION In this chapter the background, purpose and objective of this project will be presented. Also the organization of the project and the delimitations of it will be described, as well as the company will be briefly introduced. This research project deals with modularization and multiple life-cycles of a product. How modularization assists in extending the use life of a product through multiple life-cycles is discussed and demonstrated by using a case study. The product chosen for this case study is a front-loading medium capacity washing machine. 1.1 Background Modularization is a concept that different products are produced by combining a limited number of modules on a basic framework. In this way modularization balances standardization with customization and flexibility. Understanding the phenomenon and using the guidelines for a good modular design is essential to obtain high benefits from modularity. Despite the benefits only few companies use the concept of modularity. This may be due to the fact that many companies luck the basic understanding of modularity. Today s customers and users of high end brand appliances have high expectations on the products they purchase and use in their everyday life. To satisfy and retain the customers it is important to meet these expectations. However, to have too high quality requirements in production and too narrow tolerance ranges makes the production unjustifiably expensive. To be able to have an appropriate quality level the customers requirements, needs and opinions must be well known and understood, as well as they must be the foundation for all quality work. To have the ability to meet the requirements in satisfying way knowledge must also exist about which possibilities the production processes have and how the output can be controlled. Due to high market competition besides meeting their customer needs companies are forced to strive for efficiency, reduce cost, increase quality and reduce response time. Focusing on customer needs leads to high level of customization of the product to meet specific market segments. This usually makes companies to deal with a large variety of products which is difficult to manage. To strive in this business condition companies have to have the means to deal with these seemingly conflicting ideas. In the concept of mass customization modularization is often mentioned as a means to handle this situation. The ever growing in consumption of products together with today s conventional manufacturing system creates depletion of the limited natural resources. The use of resources worldwide is outstripping supply. It already requires three planet s worth of materials to maintain the pattern of consumption we re accustomed to in the Western world, and from metals to food and water, energy to timber, the demand on resources continues to grow (Kingfisher s PLC, 2012). To tackle this problem the way of manufacturing and natural resource usage should focus towards a sustainable way of operation. Incorporating the concept of modularity and life-cycle considerations in the early stage of product conception and design is key to a sustainable development. Designing products for multiple life cycles with the help of modularization is not only sustainable towards reserving natural resources but also cost effective. Modularization from a multiple life cycle point of view gives a competitive advantage in business to a company. 6

8 1.2 Purpose and motivation The aim of this research is to study the design of a washing machine from modularization point of view, demonstrate how redesigning can improve product variety and establish some ground work in implementing multiple life-cycles based on modularization. Moreover, the purpose of this project in a broad sense is to apply modularity concept for the design of a washing machine to enhance flexibility in product architecture and improve the life span through modular components. The project is also concerned with how modules are designed, how they could be improved, how they are selected and documented in order to improve the manufacturing efficiency and the overall life cycles of the product. 1.3 Delimitations Due to the complex nature and broad scope of this topic, it is necessary to clarify the limitations of this project, so as to set some boundaries. Due to the broad concept of sustainability and closed loop production system, this project only deals with modular design with the focus on multiple life-cycles. Only specific customer segments i.e. home users, commercial users including hotels have been considered. This analysis has been done for a specific model of a washing machine brand which means some of the results are not generic. Due to time and resource limitations, surveys have not been conducted among specified segments to reflect on customer demands. Rather, academic reasoning and experience of the research team at KTH (IIP) has been used. To comply with the company s innovation secrecy the existing washing machine model will not be revealed in detail. Only the modules which are subject to modification in the new approach will be discussed. Some attributes or variables are decided using academic reasoning. In this project utmost effort was done to reason the choices and decisions made. 7

9 1.4 Methodology Scientific methodology The research follows a qualitative research methodology where a case-study approach is used. It deals with the potential of product modularization n implementing multiple life-cycles in products. The research object (case-study) is a front loading medium capacity washing machine. Step by step clarification of the process is discussed in the next section. This case-study deals with customer demand and how it will translate in to a physical product. Techniques derived from Design for Excellence (DFX) are used as guidelines. In DFX a collection of specific guidelines that addresses different issues that may occur in a product life cycle as specified. The primary task in this method is to understand the user wants and specify the requirements. When using DFX method in this research it focuses on design for manufacturing, recyclability, reusability, re-manufacturability, upgradability and maintainability Tools and steps for the research processes Although there are different modularization methods the method used in this project is Modular Function Deployment (MFD). Through the washing machine case study the method and working principals of MFD will be tested and its impact in the life cycle of the product will be described. Palma modular management software tool is used as the primary platform for this research. Palma uses modular function deployment (MFD) method developed by Gunnar Erixon (Erixon, 1998) for developing modular product architectures using a systematic method. The basic steps that are followed to visualize the modular design follows the steps in Palma software which intern are based on modular function deployment (MFD). MFD is composed of five basic steps. The first step is represented in the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) matrix that clarifies the customer requirements (aka customer value statements) by mapping them against the product properties. Product properties are measureable and controllable entities that allow specification of the product demanded by the customer. QFD captures the Voice of Customer and allows it to influence the design of the product at the proper level of abstraction. In step two, the functional requirements of the product are identified through a form of functional decomposition. Functional decomposition is used to define the technical solutions. The technical solutions are the embodiment of the product properties. If necessary a Pugh selection matrix (Pugh, 90) can be used to evaluate and evolve technical solutions based on evaluation criteria. The results of these evaluations are modeled in a Design Property Matrix (DPM), where the relationship between product properties and technical solutions is presented. DPM then becomes the representation of the Voice of Engineering in which the product properties are translated to mechanical terms. Step three highlights a unique attribute of Modular Function Deployment. Unlike other architecting approaches, MFD incorporates a company s strategic intents into the product design. Module Drivers are the mechanism used to indicate the strategic reasons behind creating a module. There are twelve Module Drivers (Erixon, 1998) which cover the entire life-cycles of a product. Technical solutions are matched against drivers in the Module Indication Matrix (MIM) to impart the strategy the company has for each Technical Solutions. Those technical solutions 8

10 which have similar DPM relations and drivers are clustered in a Module. This step gives us the initial module clusters. The initial modules are evaluated in step four by considering how the modules will be physically connected together using module interfaces. Interfaces represent a connection or interaction between modules in product architecture. Evaluation of the interfaces is vital to ensure flexibility of the product assortment as well as allowing for concurrent engineering. An interface can be defined as an attachment, transfer, spatial, command and control, field, environmental and user. An interface matrix documents the interface type and facilitates the analysis of interfaces. In step five module concepts are improved using the DFX approaches, for example Design for end-of life or Assembly, depending on the company value driven operating model. Module specifications are written for each module containing market requirements, technical information, and business strategy. MFD is not a replacement for component level design improvements. Detail design of the components encapsulated in a module is still required and guided by the module specifications. Finally, multiple life cycle considerations are formulated depending on company strategy discipline. The formulated modules are evaluated against module drivers that are associated with the life cycle of the product. Modules are improved depending on their respective basic driver for example a module which end of life intent is to recycle is designed to be easily disassembled and containing the minimum material mix. This design methodology (MFD) is chosen as the method for modularizing the washing machine. Although it is based on functional decomposition and interaction like the other methods discussed, it also considers company strategies and business model through module drivers. The working processes and a step by step procedure is discussed in detail further in the report through the illustrative washing machine case study 9

11 2 FRAME OF REFERENCE This chapter will present theories relevant for the research work. A summary of the existing knowledge on this topic is presented. In this era of mass customization modular design plays a major role. Mass customization is defined as the ability to provide customized products through a flexible process in high volumes and at reasonably low cost (Can, 2008). Modularity unlike mass customization allows product variety keeping a certain level of customization. This is possible because modular product architecture have a variety of standard modules that has the feature of plug and play to create product variety. In this way, it is possible to satisfy a varied customer needs or customer segments in a systematic and cost effective way. Products with modular architecture can be varied with little complexity to the manufacturing process. Once the functions of a product are broken down and modules are defined with standard interfaces the same process can deliver product variety. The capability to introduce component design variations into a modular architecture enables a given product to be configured potentially in to a large number of varieties. This is possible by "mixing and matching" different designs of a component. These module variations when combined in a specific way can create a number of product variations. Unlike in modular design, in an integral design (non-modular architecture) a small change in a component requires redesigning of the whole product to some extent. This means that variation in the function or interface of the new component in the product might not go along with other components in the product without some redesigning. A non-modular design is favored when the product is created to serve a single intended purpose under well-defined and stable environmental conditions (Ron Sanchez, 2000). Thus, a fundamentally important design difference between modular and non-modular architectures is that modular architectures are system designs that are dynamically optimized to adapt to some range of changing purposes or conditions, while non-modular architectures are typically optimized to meet a single purpose under constant conditions (Ron Sanchez, 2000). Another important aspect of modularization is its impact on the life cycle of a product. Functional independence and component interactions are two main measures of modularity. In an ideal modular product, a module is independent from all the other components that are in the product. Within a module components should undergo similar life-cycles processes. This means that a module undergoes a process that is independent of other modules during its entire lifecycle. Life-cycle modularity is a broad subject where a product s whole life needs to be considered, from beginning to the end. This cradle-to-grave design philosophy is generally called Design for the Life Cycle and it encompasses all aspects of a product s life cycle from initial conceptual design, product use and end of life treatment of the product (Patrick J. Newcomb, 1996). End of life treatment refers to reuse, remanufacture, and recycle. In life-cycle modularity since each module is designed to undergo a specific process independent of others throughout its life the end of life treatment the product can vary between its modules. If a module is functional at the end of the product life-cycle it can be reused in a different product. If a module is at the end of its design life it can be either re-manufactured or recycled. Every module in a product have different design lives. The ability to extend a product life by replacing certain modules with new ones at the end of their life cycle or upgrading the modules to increase functionality without changing the whole product is the main idea behind life-cycle modularity. 10

12 In this way, a modular design helps to achieve multiple life cycle of a product that extends to maximum use of limited resources. 2.1 Modularity and modularization A company s ability to diversify and vary its product is based on its product architecture. Modular product design is a way to achieve good product structure. The aim of modularity is to develop a product that can serve as the basis for a number of product variants. Product modularity is not only about minimizing the number of parts it includes classification of product functions in to categories. Basic function, help function, special function, adaptive function and customer specific function (Pahl G, 1998). The principal idea in modularity suggests dividing complex product systems in to a number of modules where each module is optimized separately and interfaces with other modules should be considered to have smooth system integration. This allows a company to standardize its components and create product variety. Different levels of modularity are listed below (Erixon, 1998). Component-swapping modularity: when two or more alternative components are paired with the same basic product. component-sharing modularity: complementary case to component-swapping; when the same component is used in different products fabricate-to-fit modularity: when one or more standard components are used with one or infinitely variable additional components bus modularity: when a product with two or more interfaces can be matched with any selection of components from a given set of components sectional modularity: allows a collection of components out of a given set of components to be configured in an arbitrary way as long as the components are connected at their interfaces 2.2 Why Modularization For many years it was a common thought that companies had to choose a strategy as mass producing (standardization) at the expense of customization, tailored production at the expense of efficiency or high quality margin products at the expense of limited variants. This can be represented by the three strategic directions that a company has to choose from: Operational excellence (best cost), customer intimacy (best solution), and product leadership (best product). 11

13 Figure 1 Company starategic directions (Mark W. Lange, n.d.) Striving for one strategy will affect the other two strategies negatively. In today s market where companies strive to meet each customer requirements a company strategy of customer intimacy with customization is necessary to compete while keeping a good level of operational excellence and product leadership. So, balancing the three strategies in an optimal way is the key to company development. Modularization is a way for balancing these three strategies for any single company. How this is achieved is by shifting focus from the company level to product level. If we can work with different strategies in different parts of the product we can improve in all the three strategies. This is the basic principle behind modularization. At the same time modularity is a structuring principle which creates variety, reduces complexity, utilizes similarity, provides flexibility and has some organizational advantages allowing work in parallel (concurrent engineering) and tasks solved independently. 2.3 Modular design methods Through time many modular design methods have been developed. Modular design is not a new concept. Scania started modular design in the late 60 s on their modular truck cabins. Despite the early experiment not much progress has been seen in industries adopting the modular concept. Early research in to the influence of product architecture on organization and the development processes has been conducted by Miller and Sewers (Miller, 1995) and Gardiner (Gardiner, 1986). Henderson and Clark (Henderson, 1990) suggested that when product development processes becomes structured around a firm's current product architecture, the firm may have difficulties in recognizing possibilities for innovating new architectures, which may lead to a failure for a company to innovate in its product and thereby maintain market leadership (Ron Sanchez, 2000). A pioneering work that leads product architecture towards modularity is first proposed by Sanchez and Mahoney (Ron Sanchez, 2000). They suggested modularity as an open system 12

14 design for strategic flexibility and competitiveness. Their work suggests that modular/opensystem product architecture gives customers the ability to use industry standard components in configuring their own system. Furthermore, they suggest that the ability to design rapid, low-cost configurability into modular product architectures endows firms with the strategic flexibility to offer more product variations and more rapid technological upgrading of products that can be accomplished through traditional integral/ optimal design. Many more works have been done in product architecture and modularity through the years. To generalize the whole idea, we are going to follow the classification by Hölttä and Salonen (Holtta K., 2003). They classified modular design methods in to three basic types: heuristic method, modular function deployment (MFD), and design structural matrix (DSM) Heuristic method First developed by Stone et al. (2000), Heuristic method is defined as a method of examination in which a designer uses a set of steps, empirical in nature, yet proven scientifically valid, to identify modules in a design problem (Stone, 2000). It tries to find modules by breaking down the overall function of a product in to a smaller and easily solvable sub-functions based on flow of energy, material or signal passing through the product. Functional models are derived from a black box where specific customer needs are represented as input/output flow. For each input flow a chain of sub-functions are identified until it exits from the product. Sub-functions may follow different flow streams. This lead to the formulation of three heuristics based on the three possibilities that a flow can experience: 1) a flow may pass through a product unchanged, 2) a flow may branch, forming independent function chains, or 3) a flow may be converted to another type. Based on the heuristics sub-functions that are related by flow are taken as modules (Zamirowski E. J., 1999). However, each of the methods may identify overlapping modules or modules which are subsets or supersets of other modules. Besides, this method focuses on replacing components in modules, it ignores component swap with in a module or module interfaces. The choice that should be made on which module choose in this method is not always clear and requires some engineering judgment. This approach provides only suggestions and it is up to the designer to choose which ones makes sense. Due to these reasons this method is left out of this project Design structural matrix (DSM) Design structural matrix (DSM) is a method where a component-component matrix is derived from spatial, energy, information, and material interactions of components (Holtta K., 2003). The interaction is represented using co-efficient according to their strength. Once the interaction matrix is developed a clustering algorithm is used to maximize interaction within clusters and minimize interactions between clusters. The clustering algorithm can be specific to the design intent. A design with environmental focus can define the relationship between components in terms of life cycle issues such as service and maintenance and post life intent (recycle, redesign, or disposal). In this way by defining modularity measures and computerized clustering algorithm to a specific purpose complex product architectures can be modularized in a simplified way. However, the interactions between components are usually not clear. Defining the strength between the interactions and coming up with a sensible co-efficient is usually judgmental. This method is beneficial for complex product architectures. It involves tidies matrix evaluation considering the number of components that are in a product and the number of interactions 13

15 between them. It also neglects to include business oriented factors strategy leaving them to the designer s judgment. For this reason it is usually used for complex product architecture and not considered in this project Modular function deployment (MFD) Another modularization method which is based on functional decomposition is modular function deployment (MFD). It consists of five main steps: 1. Clarify Customer Requirements, 2. Select technical Solutions, 3. generate Concepts, 4. evaluate Concepts and 5. Improve each module. It is somehow similar to quality function deployment (QFD) (Akao, 1990). It starts with QFD to clarify customer requirements emphasizing on modularity. A fish bone diagram can be used to transform customer requirements to product properties. Design requirements or product properties derived from the QFD are then translated in to a technical term which gives technical solutions. Here functional decomposition of the product by means of for example functions means tree is used to breakdown product function in to sub-functions. In this step several technical solutions to each function could be formulated. Selection of the appropriate technical solution is carried out Pugh evaluation matrix. This is followed by Design property matrix (DPM) where product properties are matched with technical solution. MFD uses twelve module drivers to identify possible modules. The first is carryover where a technical solution carries the same function from product to product and no technology change is expected. The next two, technology push and planned development drivers; assumes changes in the function. The appearance and purpose of the product is affected by the next two module drivers, technical specification and styling. A common unit is where a module is common in all variants. Process and/or organization, separate testing, supplier availability, and service and maintenance are related to the organizational effects of modularization. Additional features to the product in the future are represented by the driver upgrade. The afterlife intent of the product is covered by the recycle driver. According to company and business strategy some or all drivers are chosen for to generate the modular concepts. The module indication matrix (MIM) is considered to be the heart of the MFD (Erixon, 1998). It relates technical solutions to module drivers. Each sub-function or technical solution associated with it is weighted against the drivers to identify the driving forces behind it. Depending on the weight of the relation technical solutions are grouped in to modules. Care must be taken in forming modules because some drivers cannot be grouped together in the same module. For example, carry-over driver cannot be in the same module with technology push. Since the later involves changes to the original design. After the modular concepts are generated the next task is which one of those module alternatives are better suited to the desired product. The concept evaluation step may involve many attributes but the main evaluation matrix is interface matrix (IM). In an interface matrix modules are related against themselves in a matrix. Interfaces can be defined depending on the intended purpose i.e. to simplify the process planning workshop organization or assembly and disassembly. In addition to interfaces different evaluation criteria could be used. These could be system cost, lead time in assembly, development cost, number of parts etc... The next task in MFD is module variant specification (MVS) and product configuration. Depending on the product property goal values a number of module variants could be specified. It is up to the designer to choose from these variants to meet customer demand in the final 14

16 product. The company variant strategy plays a big role in selecting the final concept. Variant strategy comprises of the overall product families to be offered and the degree of product customization. Product architecture, interface and resource or costs are also key factors in the selection processes. The last step is to improve each module. Product design improvement may take place at different levels: product level and part level. Using the MIM as a reference module that are specifically chosen for ease of end of life treatment should be designed to have a minimum possible material mix. All the other modules could also be improved using the design for X (DFX) methodology where the X could stand for the module drivers. 2.4 Multiple life-cycles in modular design One advantage of modular design is its ability to increase product variety through customized modular parts. In this era of mass customization flexibility of organizational structure in addressing the three basic company strategies product leadership, operational excellence and customer intimacy simultaneously is vital for economic feasibility. Following different strategy in designing the different modules leads to extended useful life of the product through upgrading, reusing or replacing a single module at the end of its functional life cycle. A product s architecture plays the predominant role in determining its assembly, disassembly, recycling, service, and other post-life characteristics. A modular architecture formulated considering the life cycle of a product is termed as life cycle modularity (Patrick J. Newcomb, 1996). In modular function deployment method, among the twelve module drivers upgrade, service and maintenance, and recycle are associated with life cycle issues (Erixon, 1998). Although this method uses significant human judgment and requires experience designers to categorize the end of life intent; based on the module drivers and strategic discipline it is possible to categorize modules in to their perspective end of life treatment. The three strategic disciplines (Mark W. Lange, n.d.) along with the twelve drivers can provide an indication on how different modules can be categorized from the perspective of end-of-life strategy. Modules associated with customer intimacy; i.e. technical specification, styling and service and maintenance may be good candidates to be replaced or recycled at the end-of-life. Modules associated with operational excellence; i.e. Carry-over, common unit, process and organization, and separate testing may be good candidates to be reused or remanufactured at the end-of-life. Module drivers associated with product leadership; i.e. Technology push, planned development and upgrade may be good candidates to be upgraded at the end-of-life. 15

17 3 WASHING MACHINE CASE STUDY This chapter describes the process of modularization of the washing machine. 3.1 Modular Function Deployment MFD Modular Management has provided the service of developing modular product architectures using a systematic method called Modular Function Deployment (MFD). MFD is a systematic method and procedure consisting of five main steps. It starts with Quality Function Deployment (QFD) analysis to clarify the customer requirements and to identify important design requirements with a special emphasis on modularity. The functional requirements on the product are analyzed and the technical solutions are selected. This is followed by a systematic generation and selection of modular concepts. The Module Indication Matrix (MIM) is used to identify possible modules by examining the interrelationships between module drivers and technical solutions. MIM also provides a mechanism for investigating opportunities of integrating multiple functions into single modules. The expected effects of the redesign can be estimated and an evaluation can be carried out for each modular concept. The whole processes are described step by step using figures and tables. Illustrations are partial; for the full content refer the index section. Existing product description New ideas Decided changes Clarify customer requirements (Step 1) Select technical solutions (Step 2) Generate concept (Step 3) Evaluate concept (Step 4) Improve product each module (Step 5) Modular QFD Functional decomposition MIM interface matrix DFX Decomposition questioner evaluation chart Pugh analysis (MEC) Figure 1 Modular function deployment (MFD) (Erixon, 1998) Customer segmentation Marketers have recognized that the target audiences of a certain product are not all alike. They differ in terms of demographics, attitudes, needs, location and social affiliations. Most markets are made up of different individual customers, sub-markets or segments. Segmentation and targeting of customers allows the marketer to deliver a product within the target audience needs and wants (David Pickton, 2005). It is a necessity to establish the needs and values of the target customers within each segment, in order for companies to promote their products, brands or services appropriately. Among the most critical dimensions for customer segmentation we have: Customer Attitudes, customer Needs and Degree of Self Customer Needs and Degree of Self-Sufficiency Sufficiency, different degrees of value added. Customer Behavior and Their Buying Practices Based on the typical user of medium capacity washing machines, the customers are divided in to three segments: home user, hotels, and commercial users. 16

18 Home users: This market segment targets customers from middle or high socio-economic class which needs a premium quality product as their home appliances. These end users perform light duty usage of the machine but with a reasonable simplicity and comfort. They also require a machine capable of washing a vast variety of clothing in different condition. Energy and water consumption is also a primary need. Commercial users: These are public facilities which provide a neighbourhood with a faster, efficient, and better cleanliness of garment wash. From everyday use cloths to larger garments can be washed for a cheaper and energy efficient way. This customer segments are laundromat owners which has a desire for high turnaround, more durable, efficient and heavy-duty machines. Hotels: This customer segment may include businesses in the servicer industries: hotels, boarding schools, etc... This segment focuses on less labour intensive, energy and water efficiency (low operating cost), heavy duty, and fabric protection features. Durability of the machine or ease of serviceability is also regarded highly. From the three customer segments a number of customer values were driven. Figure 2 Customer segementation Clarifying customer requirements The next step in any product design is to derive the appropriate design requirements from the customers. The customer requirements have to be clarified, such that, the specification of the product to be designed must be formulated. A method well suited to do this task is QFD with modularity as the first design requirement. In formulating the QFD limitation of project scope with reference to market segment, restricting laws and regulations, projects costs and volume is the primary task. Allocation of resource, time and limitation of questioners to customers should be systematic and selective. Organizing customer needs and wishes with the help of affinity diagram limits the entry to the QFD making it more manageable. Systematic methods like Ishikawa diagram can be used to establish the design requirements. 17

19 A customer value is a statement of the experience the customer desires in their use of the product. It is usually formulated by questioners or surveys and translated in a positive manner, which is, more is better. But for this project the values are formulated by the writer as if the customers were spoken to. Aggregating the two data, the following customer values were driven Figure 3 Customer values (Palma software tool) Customer value ranking To generate best concept on holistic customer value it is important to integrate direct customer attitude and information driven from internal data (e.g. market trend analysis, turnover) in to one evaluation. Each segment is compared with the other for every customer value. The goal is to define what is important for the segment and to identify where we can offer variance or development. Taking these in to consideration the customer values were ranked from 10, 10 being very important and 1 being least important, as shown below in figure 4: 18

20 Figure 4. Customer values ranking (Palma software tool) Product properties and Goal values Product properties or technical specifications are attributes about the product or service that can be measured or controlled. It is the properties of the product that delivers a specified level of value to customers interpreted in engineering terms. It can be features, functions or performance of the product. It tells us how the next generation product will be better than the previous one. There are different ways to drive product properties, one way is using Ishikawa diagram. In this method all the possible product properties that influence a specific customer value are listed in a fishbone diagram. Some examples in case of the washing machine are shown below in figure 5, 6 and 7. 19

21 Figure 5. Ishikawa for CV Protect fabric Figure 6. Ishikawa for CV Compact Figure 7. Ishikawa for CV Low operating cost The feature, functions or performance of the properties are given values, to set our goals on a better performing product we have to set goal values for product properties. Each property should have a measurable goal value or it should be possible to actively and intentionally control the property. Goal values are classified in to five groups. Each goal values are explained below using example product properties from figures 5, 6 and 7. These goal values could be: Variance: properties having more than one goal values E.g. Energy consumption (pp) [A (59-68), A + (52-59), A ++ (46-52), A +++ (<46)] Kwh (GV) Development: Property with Goal Value(s) that will change or be added in the future E.g. Design life (pp) (could be improved) Option: Property represented as a feature of the product that is applied near the end of assembly (Yes or no) E.g. Delay time (timer) Base: Property with only one Goal Value E.g. Drum material (pp) Stainless still (GV) System: Property related to several Technical Solutions having more than one Goal Value E.g. Number of programs (pp) 20

22 Table 1 Product properties and goal values Quality function deployment (QFD) QFD is a relationship matrix that maps customer values with product properties. It captures the voice of Customer and allows it to influence the design of the product. The goal is to determine which property or properties affect a specific customer value. Product properties generated from the Ishikawa diagram are used to populate the QFD. QFD matrix matches these properties with customer values with respect to the presence and strength of the relationship that exist between them. These relationships are portrayed by a set of three symbols. Table 2 Relationship strength Strong relation 9 points The product property has a clear and undisputable positive impact on fulfillment of the customer value recognized by all customers Medium relation 3 points The product property has positive impact on fulfillment of the customer value in most cases but it might not be recognized by all customers Weak relation 1 points The product property has positive impact on fulfillment of the customer value in special cases and it will not be recognized by all customers Negative relation 0 points The product property has negative impact on fulfillment of the customer values In this project a simplified form of QFD is used. It is mainly used to: Illustrate the relationship between customer values and product properties Calculate impact of Segment ranking and identify Product Properties that need Variance Identify Product Properties that are important to all segments or may develop Identify the trend of customer values that will help us on which product properties to develop or which properties are satisfactory at the present circumstances 21

23 Figure 8. QFD (partial) Product properties that have a strong relation with many of the customer values are area of focus. If these properties are matched with an upward trend future generation of the product should have an improved feature of this product for proper customer satisfaction. Low operating cost, which is matched with many product properties and has an upward trend, should be an area of focus Technical solutions and functions A good product design begins with a good functional decomposition and the corresponding technical solutions. Product properties being quantifiable measure of a module or component the module or component that embodies the function is the technical solution. Technical solutions in this project are derived entirely from the QFD. The method used to identify technical solutions is bottom-up analysis. First, the washing machine is disassembled and all components or functional units were identified. Second, main functions of each component are listed. Since the project is not to redesign with new features only existing technical solutions are considered. Third, product properties that are transformed by these functions are matched with product properties derived from the customer values and technical solutions that align with customer values and the corresponding product properties are selected. 22

24 Figure 9 Bottom-up functional analysis (Motor) Table 3 Technical solutions and function (partial list) Technical Solutions Functions Motor Rotate drum assembly Belt pulley Transfer motion from motor to the drum Bearing transmission assembly transfer motion from pulley to the drum Shock absorber Dump vibration Feet Carry body/load bottom cover Carry load and cover internal component Tub support frame support tub from bottom Tub(outer drum) Support and fix drum and hold water Rear drum supoort turn cloth(back drum side) Drum Hold cloth Front balance weight Balance drum motion Back balance weight Balance drum motion Front panel Cover internal components and asthetic Cabinet side panel Cover internal components and asthetic top cover Cover internal components and asthetic Rear panel Cover internal components Back support frame Structural frame Soap drawer Hold detergent/fabric softener Soap dispenser Control/Release detergent Inlet hoses water from valves to drum 23

25 3.1.9 Design property matrix (DPM) Now that the technical solutions that are needed to support the different performance and styling levels requested by the customers are identified, it is important to link technical solutions to product properties. The different goal values that are assigned for each product property reflect on specification requirements for technical solutions. DPM is a matrix that relates technical solutions with product properties. The motor whose function is to rotate the drum assembly is strongly related to product properties; maximum speed, energy consumption, design life and weight. It has also medium relations with product properties maximum noise and mean time to service. When a technical solution is related to a product property it takes the goal values of the property as its specification. Different segments may have different customer value ranking. The goal values associated with the technical solutions must much to satisfy different customer segments. In this way DPM gives as a clue to which technical solutions can be grouped as modules. Figure 10 DPM (partial) An ideal DPM maps technical solutions to Product Properties one-to-one. The motor that functions to rotate the drum assembly is matched with max spin speed, energy consumption, design life, weight and noise. This requires the motor to be broken down in to its components but due to the complexity a design decision is made not to go beyond this level. The same applies to other functional components; pump, bearing etc. 24

26 Initial clustering of the technical solution can be reveled after the TS and PP are matched properly. This is done in Palma modular management tool software where the relations can be diagonally arranged. In the picture below possible modules are colored to show how diagonally arranging the relation gives us a hint of the modules (see figure 11). The final modules are not defined here. We need more attributers to come up with a sound modular architecture. This will be discussed further in the project. Figure 11 DPM relations diagonally arranged (partial list) Module indication matrix (MIM) This matrix, which is called the MIM (Modular Indication Matrix), is considered to be the heart of modular function deployment (Erixon, 1998). It is a QFD-like approach of giving an indication of which sub function (s) should form a module. Modules proposed in the DPM are primary indication. To make sure these modules alien with company strategies technical solutions are checked for conflicting drivers (driving forces behind modularization). Module Drivers are the means by which the company strategy can be applied to the Product structure both at the Technical Solution and Module level. There are 12 pre-defined strategic reasons for creating interfaces and modules to modularize product Life cycle. 25

27 Figure 12 Module drivers This project focuses only on the product not on the process or supply chain. Therefore, process/organization, separate testing, and strategic supplier modules are not considered in this project. Drivers which are related to the life cycle of the product serviceability, upgrade and recycling are not considered for the time being. They will be discussed in the multiple life cycle consideration of the product later on in the project. As discussed above in the project company strategies can be grouped in to three main categories, product leadership, operational excellence and customer intimacy. Since modularization is about optimization between the three strategies, components or technical solutions can fall in to one of these three strategies and treated separately. The figure below shows how these drivers are grouped in to different strategies. Figure 13 Drivers grouped to company strategy (Mark W. Lange, n.d.) 26

28 The initial clusters of technical solutions created in the DPM are taken directly to the module indication matric (MIM) and are related with the module drivers. For example, the technical solution motor is related strongly with technology push and planned development. This is because motor efficiency is being constantly upgraded. It has a huge impact in customer demand because customers are constantly seeking for a better performing and efficient product. It determines the market leadership of the product therefore the motor takes up the product leadership strategy. On the other hand, the component or technical solution drum is categorised as a carryover and common unit. This is due to drum design doesn t change as much and has limited influence in customer demand and product function. Thus, it takes up the operational excellence strategy. Other technical solutions are grouped in the same methodology which are listed in the figure below. Figure 14 Module indication matrix (MIM) (partial) At this stage of the design technical solutions should be checked for conflicting strategies. A carry over technical solution cannot be a planned development as the same time. A styling component cannot be a carry over or a common unit. This create a strategy conflict because some parts of a product may be strongly influenced by trends and fashion, or closely connected to a brand or trademark that will vary on demand. Here is a list of conflicting strategies that should be avoided. Carry Over Technology Push Carry Over Planned Development Carry Over Styling Common Unit Technical Specification Common Unit Styling 27

29 Now the MIM is clear of conflicts indication of the final modules can be identified. Figure 15 Initial modules coloured differently (partial list) Module generator (MG) In Palma modular management tool software modules can be automatically generated. The automatic generation uses clustering algorithm that considers MIM and DPM relations. Here the number of desired modules should be decided. This depends on the company strategic plan and product complexity. But for this research ideal number of modules is estimated. The ideal number of modules can be estimated by the lead time for assembly versus number of modules graph (Erixon, 1998). Assuming the average lead assembly time for a washing machine in a factory takes 10 minutes which translates to 600 seconds, the ideal number of modules can be calculated to be 12. Figure 16 Lead time in assembly as a function of number of modules (Erixon, 1998) 28

30 Now that the number of modules is set to be 12 the statistical clustering algorithm groups the technical solutions. Figure 17 Statistical clustering of technical solutions (partial) For different reasons the clustering algorithm do not give the final modules. Some of the reasons are technical and special integration problems. Personal experience and a know-how on the product design and assembly is crucial in integrating and rearranging the TS in to modules. Most technical solutions fall in a cluster in a sensible manner but some are either alone in a cluster or mixed up with other module clusters. This can be sorted out considering the technical and spatial integration. For example, the soap dispenser and soap drawer technical solutions are clustered in a different group than the inlet valves and hoses. These four technical solutions are located attached as one unit in the washing machine and serve a specific function. This leads to clustering them together as one module due to technical and spatial integration reasons. The same is done until all the modules are arranged in a more sensible way. After all the technical solutions are grouped in to a module each module is given its own name. The final module clusters created is as shown below. Figure 18 Final module clusters (partial) 29

31 3.2 Optimizing modules There is a need to further evaluate the modules as many decisions and choices have been made. An evaluation of the modules serves as a feedback for earlier phases in the project Module driver matrix (MDM) All the technical solutions considered have been checked with module drivers for conflicts. Now it is important to check for conflicts again at the modular level. All technical solutions in the same module should be conflict free. If a technical solution conflicts with others in the same module the clustering should be revised to group this technical solution by its own or with other clusters with similar driver. Below in figure 19, the x shows modular level relation that is automatically driven from the relations for the technical solution with in the same module Interface matrix (IM) Figure 19 Module driver matrix (MDM) Interface matrix defines what module how to modules should be connected to function properly. For a modular design, the interfaces between modules have a vital influence on the final product and the flexibility within the architecture. Hence, evaluation of module interfaces is important in selecting the final concept. An interface might for example be an attachment (A), transfer (T), or command and control (C). Attachment interfaces defines physical attachment. Transfer interfaces transmit energy in the form of rotating, alternating forces etc. and material in the form of media like fluids. Command and control defines module based operational signals through an interface. 30

32 Figure 20 Interface matrix (IM) Optimizing the modules in terms of interface matrix is crucial to the assembly processes and life cycle cost. An ideal modularized product means that the modules should not only be compatible to different variants of the current product families but also compatible with new generation product families that may come in the future. Therefore, it is important to standardize the interfaces. Figure 21 Interface between control unit and holder module As shown in the above figure with a red circle in one of the intersections in the matrix, the control unit has one of the interfaces with the holder module of the washing machine. This is an attachment interface which press lock to the holder module. To sustain the control unit module that may fit in different product variants (or different variants of the control unit fit in the same holder module) of both the current and future product families this attachment method should be kept standard in all variants and generations Module variant specifications (MVS) The washing machine has a variety of different customer demands. These different demands are listed in section A modular product family is formed to realize these various customer demands while minimizing cost. To accomplish this each of the twelve modules created in this 31

33 process should be analyzed for possible variation depending on the customer value goal values set in section of this paper. Once the modules and interfaces are identified it is the time to decide on the most feasible concept for a new module variant by focusing on decisions regarding variety in the product family. This is based on the observation that increases in variety through product differentiation initially lead to strong increases in benefit for the company. This is because the additional variants provide unique value to the customer. This value can be used to either increase the sales price or open up new market segments. The marginal benefit, however, decreases with increasing variety. At the same time, empirical studies have shown that the costs required to provide variety, the so-called complexity costs, grow exponentially with increasing variety (Avak, 2007). The management of complexity is a key success factor that should be taken seriously. Module variants are selected based on numerous considerations. Specifications for a module to begin with are means to achieve company strategy. A company may follow more than one strategy to satisfy different market segments. Other considerations include Product architecture where the function and interfaces of a specific module complies with the rest of the product modules. To keep the cost of variety low module variants should also be checked for required resources. This also applies to evaluating and improving concepts Module variant specification (MVS) is a matrix tool that relates modules with technical solutions and their goal values. For example, on the control unit module the product property user interface has been assigned to have different goal values; analogue control, LED control, touch screen control, and wireless control. Each variant in this module could be part of a product family for a specific customer segment. Depending on our customer segmentation, Home user, Commercial user and Hotels, a home user may prefer a touch screen with or without wireless control for set-up simplicity and to remotely control the operation if occupied with another job. Hotels and commercial users in the other hand may prefer analogue with LED control for durability and for the reason that some personnel is assigned for this operation to monitor it upclose. The two variants are illustrated below (figure 22) in solid model for visualization. 32

34 Figure 22 Module variants; Analogue (left) and touch screen (right) Information about the modules has been dispersed in different documents so far. This makes it difficult for the decision maker to organize the information to form product architecture. At this stage in the project a module variant specification sheet is composed to gather all the information about a module for easier decision making. An MVS sheet contains information about the drivers behind the module, interfaces, variants and options, technical specifications and illustration of the variants. An example of MVS sheet for control module is given below in table 4. 33

35 Table 4. Module variant specification sheet (Control module) Module specification - M05 Control Module Module Drivers Product Properties Planned development 1. Wash (rinse) cycle 6. Color Technology push 2. Number of programs 7. Self clean program Styling 3. Delay time (timer) 8. Smart self fault diagnosis 4. User interface 9. Automatic safety switch 5. Relative ergonomic experience Illustration Technical Solutions 1. Display screen 2. Selection keys 3. Front panel cylinda Interface 1. A to M04 (Support) 2. C to M06 (Regulator) 3. C to M08 (Inlet) Variance 1. Analogue 2. LED 3. Touch 4. Wireless Important 4. Control unit 5. Software 4. C to M09 (Door) 5. C to M10 (Drain) 6. C to M13 (Motor) Development Display screen touch screen upgradable software through USB or wireless 3.3 Proposed concept variant illustrations In this section, some examples of the proposed product concept is illustrated using CAD solid modelling. Emphasis is given to the control and door module variants. A number of other feasible concepts could be proposed based on the company strategy. The ones listed here are just to give insight how product variant concepts could be visualised. 34

36 Base variant Variant 1 Variant 2 Figure 23 Sample variants (emphasizing on control unit and door modules) 3.4 Multiple life cycle implications In modular design since each individual module is functionally independent it is possible to follow different strategy for different modules. In today s dynamic technological innovation adopting the latest more functional technique is crucial for market successes and stay ahead of competitors. Technical modules that are prone to frequent technological update should be categorized as product leadership strategy while modules that stay the same from variety to variety or future generations should be categorized as operational excellence. Modules that determine product variety but do not change with future generations or technological advancement are categorized in to customer intimacy strategy. 35

37 In similar way, modules in a product can also be thought from the perspective of end of life strategies that is which modules should be designed for reusing, upgrading, remanufacturing or recycling at their end of life. To start with the module drives can be further categorized for their suitability of assigning one of the end-of-life strategies as shown in table Table 5 End of life strategy based on drivers and company strategy (Patrick J. Newcomb, 1996) Module driver Strategic disciplines Proposed end of life strategy Technical specification, Styling and Service and maintenance Customer intimacy Replace or recycle Carry over, common units, process and organization, separate testing, supplier offers, and recycling Operational excellence Reuse or remanufacture Technological evolution, upgrade, and planned design changes Product leadership Upgrade or replace Taking the results from the module indication matrix as an initial input, considering the company strategy discipline and based on the possible end of life strategies the multiple life-cycles planning for each modules has been proposed. Module M01: The module motor has been categorized as product leadership since the main drivers for this module are product leadership and technology push (refer figure 15). The current motor could be reused or upgraded at the end of the first life cycle according to the strategic discipline (table 5). Since the motor module is expected to evolve rapidly a new generation product should incorporate an upgraded version to stay ahead in the market and satisfy the ever-growing customer expectations. A careful consideration must be taken in designing this module and its interfaces. A room for upgradability should be left and a sound standard interface should be established well to aid in upgrading in the future. Module M02-04, M 07, M 08 and M 10-12: These modules have been categorized as operational excellence because of the driving force behind the modules, carry over and common unit. This means that these modules are proposed to be reused without or with some level of remanufacturing efforts after the first life cycle. These are the components that are least expected to change in the future. A simple re-work cleaning, coating and painting should be enough to reuse these components for a different variant. 36

38 M02 (transmission module), M08 (temperature regulator module) and M12 (drain module) can be re-used since the technology is expected to remain the same. M07 (inlet module) which mostly contains plastic components and hoses can be re-used directly in future products. M03 (support module), M04 (drum module) M10 (rear panel module) and M11 (holder module) can be re-used as it can be painted or coated for protection. M02 (carry module) that contains feet, tub support frame bottom cover and shock absorber. can be used for multiple life-cycles without any re-work or change. M03 (heating module) that contains heat pump, condenser and heating element can be re-used with or without simple rework since the technology more or less remain the same. M07 (cover module) which contains all cover panels and support frames would only require some painting or coating rework for reuse. M08 (inlet module) M10 (drain module) which contains pump, filter and drain hoses can be reused as it is since the filter and pump design is expected to remain the same for some time to the future. Module M05: The module control unit has modules drivers that are associated with product leadership and customer intimacy as it includes drivers styling and product leadership and technology push. The control module is the most rapidly changing module as the technology for display techniques (LED, smart touch) and the operating software are ever changing to optimize the functionality and human interaction features. The display hardware could be replaced with advanced features at the end of its life cycle and the software could be upgraded with a more interactive operating system. Module M06 and M09: These modules are categorized as customer intimacy as they are driven by technical specification and styling. M06 (door module) and M09 (front, side and top panel module) are designed for ergonomics and style. Since style trend and human-machine interface simplicity is continuously improving and changing new generation models could have new designs. Due to this, these modules could undergo service or maintenance at the end of their life cycle or recycled for material retrieval. Due to the ever-changing customer demand a module which satisfies customer demand in the current life cycle may not satisfy the improved needs in the next life cycle product. The overall summary of life-cycle planning is shown in table 6 below. 37

39 Table 6 End-of-life implication Module M01 motor M02 Transmission M03 Support M04 Drum M05 Control Unit M06 Door M07 Inlet M08 Temp. regulator M09 Front, side and top panel M10 Rare panel M11 Holder M12 Drain End-of-Lifecyle intent Reuse/upgrade Reuse Reuse Reuse replace/upgrade service and maintenance/ recycle Reuse Reuse service and maintenance/recycle Reuse Reuse Reuse 38

40 4 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS In this chapter results obtained from the project are discussed and conclusions are drawn. Conclusions are based on the purpose of the project and the goal set in the introduction chapter. Company strategy plays a major role in a sustainable economic growth. Rather than following a specific strategy optimizing business models on a sub-function level to satisfy varied number of customer needs leads to a larger market share. MFD has been shown to be applicable over the entire product range and the whole life cycle. In this project addressing more than one customer segments with modular product design using MFD has been shown to be possible. The principle of MFD where customer demands are linked directly to the sub-functions (modules) is shown to be very important. Rather than trying to meet the customer need considering the whole product it gives the freedom to work independently on each separate module step by step taking the specific customer need for each one. This has simplified the company strategy policy where different strategies can be applied for different modules. Besides this, the method allows the designer to review and improve modules based on strategy and future developments. The modular function deployment (MFD) method used in this project has been shown to be helpful in designing multiple life cycle products. The ability to crate different product variants through modularization by combining different module variants helps in developing a multiple life-cycle product. Furthermore, relating multiple life cycle drivers (upgrade, reuse, service and maintenance and recycle) with the module drivers in the concept generation phase and later evaluating the technical solutions focusing on their end of life strategy delivers a product with multiple life-cycles. Alternative technical solutions and interfaces were not discussed since the aim of the project was not to design a new product but to modularize the current washing machine design with multiple lifecycle considerations. The product function was satisfactorily broken down in to its subfunctions using functional analysis which leads to clearly defined modules. There could be many combinations of modules that can be derived from the technical solution but the ones selected are based on multiple life cycle driving forces. This is evident in the module indication matrix (MIM) where life cycle drivers were considered. The multiple lifecycles planning has been proposed purely from the perspectives of strategic disciplines i.e., customer intimacy, product leadership and operational excellence. A more reasonable approach could be to use design for X (DFX) methodology. In DFX attributes for multiple life cycle i.e. design for assembly/disassembly, design for reuse, design for upgrade and design for recycle could be independently considered for each module. Design structural matrix (DSM) method where components are related with each other could also lead to a better assembly/disassembly process and minimal material mix. 39

41 5 REFERENCES Akao, Y., QFD - Integrating Customer Requirements into Product Design, Productivity Press. Avak, B., variant management of modular product families in the market phase, u.o.: Master of Science, Georgia Institute of Technology. Can, K. C., Mass Customization, Modularization and Customer Order Decoupling Point: Building the Model of Relationships, s.l.: Linkoping University, Department of Management and Engineering Master s Programme in Manufacturing Management. David Pickton, A. B., Chapter 17: Identifying target audiences and profiling target markets. 2.edition, pp red. u.o.:integrated marketing communications. Erixon, G., Modular Function Deployment - A Method for Product Modularisation, u.o.: The Royal Institute of Technology Dept. of Manufacturing Systems Assembly Systems Division. Gardiner, F., Design, Innovation, and Long Cycles in Economic Development. u.o.:london: Francis Printer, pp Henderson, R. a. K. C., Architectural innovation: The reconfiguration of existing product technologies and the failure of established firms, u.o.: Administrative Science Quarterly, p.p Holtta K., S. M., Comparing three modularity methods In Proc of ASME Design Engineering Technical Conferences, u.o.: Chicago, IL. Kingfisher s PLC, The business opportunity of closed loop innovation. Kingfisher s progress towards products that waste nothing. Mark W. Lange, A. I., u.d. Modular Function Deployment Using Module Drivers to Impart Strategies to a Product Architecture. Chapter 4, p.p. 3 red. u.o.:modular Management USA, Inc.. Miller, R. M. H. T. L.-D. a. X. O., Innovation in complex systems industries: The case of flight simulation, u.o.: Industrial and Corporate Change, p.p Pahl G, B. W., Engineering Design a Systematic approach. ISBN ed. s.l.:springer-verlag. Patrick J. Newcomb, B. B. D. W. R., Implications of modularity on product design for the life cycle, u.o.: G.W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology. Pugh S., 1990, Total Design, Addison-Wesley Publishing company, ISBN Ron Sanchez, J. T. M., Modularity and Economic Organization: Concepts, Theory, Observations, and Predictions, p.p 11: Copenhagen Business School and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Ron Sanchez, J. T. M., Modularity and Economic Organization: Concepts, Theory, Observations, and Predictions, u.o.: Copenhagen Business School and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, pp Stone, R. B. W. K. L. C. R. H., A heuristic method for identifying modules for product architectures, u.o.: Design Studies, pp

42 Zamirowski E. J., O. K. N., Identifying Product Family Architecture Modularity Using Function and Variety Heuristics. 11th International Conference on Design Theory and Methodology, Issue ASME, Las Vegas, NV. 41

43 APPENDIX A. Customer Values Weight Trend Protect fabric 1 ~ 31 Compact 1 ~ 36 Low operation cost 1 ~ 51 Low noise, vibration 1 ~ 42 Wash all kind 1 ~ 18 Adequate washing options 1 ~ 12 Heavy duty 1 ~ 18 Pay per use capability 1 ~ 12 Optimize washing time 1 ~ 30 Disinfect cloth 1 ~ 21 Less maintenance 1 ~ 18 Easy repair/maintenance 1 ~ 19 Long service interval 1 ~ 12 Comfortable to use 1 ~ 21 Easy to use 1 ~ 21 Easy to clean 1 ~ 12 Environmental friendly 1 ~ 64 safe to use 1 ~ 36 Durable (long life) 1 ~ 18 Attractive 1 ~ 27 Cleanliness of washed cloth 1 ~ Product Properties PP01-Max spin speed PP02-Loading capacity PP03-Drum material PP04-Max water consumption PP05-Energy consumption PP06-Structural materia(classification)l PP08-Wash (rinse) cycle PP43-Weight carrying capacity PP09-Maximum noise PP10-Min number of programs PP11-Delay time (timer) PP12-User interface PP14-Open design PP15-Design life PP16-Wash temperature options PP17-Water level regulation PP44-Detergent variety PP45-Water leakage proof PP46-Drain water saturation PP18-Weight PP19-Safe lock PP20-Level of automation PP21-Automatic load sensing PP23-Relative ergonomic experience PP24-Color PP07-Length PP25-Width PP26-Height PP29-Portablity PP31-Self clean PP33-Number of steps to disassembly PP34-Mean time to service PP36-Smart self fault diagnosis PP37-Automatic safety switch PP38-Max resonance PP39-Number of steps to load/unload PP40-easy access to drum (Area) PP41-max dewatering PP42-Surface texture Quality Function Deployment 42

44 Property Class V V B V V V E - B D O D O B O O V B B V V D O V O V B B V O B D O O B B V V V Technical Solutions Functions complexity score Motor Rotate drum assembly Belt pulley Transfer motion from motor to the drum Transmission belt Transfer motion from motor to the pulley Bearing transmission assembly transfer motion from pulley to the drum Shock absorber Dump vibration Feet Carry body/load bottom cover Carry load and cover internal component Tub support frame support tub from bottom Tub(outer drum) Support and fix drum and hold water Rear drum supoort turn cloth(back drum side) Drum Hold cloth Front balance weight Balance drum motion Back balance weight Balance drum motion Front panel Cover internal components and asthetic Cabinet side panel Cover internal components and asthetic top cover Cover internal components and asthetic Rear panel Cover internal components Back support frame Structural frame Soap drawer Hold detergent/fabric softener Soap dispenser Control/Release detergent Inlet hoses water from valves to drum Inlet valves regulate incoming water flow Door lock restrain wash Door frame with handle Hold door parts together Hinge Hold and open/close door Door sealing with gasket Prevent water leakage Door glass Wash visibility 1 18 Drain hose dain water from tub to pump Filter Filter water at outlet Pump Drain water Heating element Heat water Thermistor Control temp. of water Hydrostat Control amount of water Component holder behind Structural frame(hold tubing & cables) Holder behind structural frame(hold wiring and electronics) Front pannel holder Holds control panel componenets Display screen Visula feedback on status of wash Selection keys Select different functions Front panel cylinda Hold keys and cover control unit Circuit board (including software) Operates and manages the machine Circuit board fixture mount for circuit board Product Properties PP01-Max spin speed PP02-Loading capacity PP03-Drum material PP04-Max water consumption PP05-Energy consumption PP06-Structural materia(classification)l PP08-Wash (rinse) cycle PP43-Weight carrying capacity PP09-Maximum noise PP10-Min number of programs PP11-Delay time (timer) PP12-User interface PP14-Open design PP15-Design life PP16-Wash temperature options PP17-Water level regulation PP44-Detergent variety PP45-Water leakage proof PP46-Drain water saturation PP18-Weight PP19-Safe lock PP20-Level of automation PP21-Automatic load sensing PP23-Relative ergonomic experience PP24-Color PP07-Length PP25-Width PP26-Height PP29-Portablity PP31-Self clean PP33-Number of steps to disassembly PP34-Mean time to service PP36-Smart self fault diagnosis PP37-Automatic safety switch PP38-Max resonance PP39-Number of steps to load/unload PP40-easy access to drum (Area) PP41-max dewatering PP42-Surface texture Design Property Matrix 43

45 Module Drivers Carry over Technology push Planned development Technical Specification Styling Common unit Process/organisation Separate testing Strategic supplier Serviceability Upgrading Recycling Module Indication Matrix Technical Solutions Motor Belt pulley Transmission belt Bearing transmission assembly Shock absorber Feet bottom cover Tub support frame Tub(outer drum) Rear drum supoort Drum Front balance weight Back balance weight Front panel Cabinet side panel top cover Rear panel Back support frame Soap drawer Soap dispenser Inlet hoses Inlet valves Door lock Door frame with handle Hinge Door sealing with gasket Door glass Drain hose Filter Pump Heating element Thermistor Hydrostat Component holder behind Holder behind Front pannel holder Display screen Selection keys Front panel cylinda Circuit board (including software) Circuit board fixture

46 Module Creator in Module Generator Modules M01-Motor M02-Transmission M03-Support M04-Drum M05-Control unit M06-Door M07-Inlet M08-Temperature regulator M09-Front,side and top panel M10-Rear panel M11-Holder M12-Drain Technical Solutions Motor Belt pulley Transmission belt Bearing transmission assembly Shock absorber bottom cover Feet Tub support frame Drum Rear drum supoort Front balance weight Back balance weight Tub(outer drum) Front panel cylinda Circuit board fixture Selection keys Display screen Circuit board (including software) Hinge Door frame with handle Door sealing with gasket Door glass Door lock Inlet valves Inlet hoses Soap dispenser Soap drawer Hydrostat Heating element Thermistor Cabinet side panel Front panel top cover Rear panel Back support frame Front pannel holder Component holder behind Holder behind Pump Filter Drain hose 45

47 Modules M01-Motor M02-Transmission M03-Support M04-Drum M05-Control unit M06-Door M07-Inlet M08-Temperature regu M09-Front,side and to M10-Rear panel M11-Holder M12-Drain Module Drivers Carry over Technology push Planned development Technical Specification Styling Common unit Process/organisation Separate testing Strategic supplier Serviceability Upgrading Recycling Module Driver Matrix Modules Strategy complexity score M01-Motor PL X X X M02-Transmission OE X X X M03-Support OE X X X X X M04-Drum OE X X 3.87E M05-Control unit PL X X X 1.16E M06-Door CI X X X M07-Inlet OE X X M08-Temperature regulator OE X X M09-Front,side and top panel CI X X M10-Rear panel OE X X X M11-Holder OE X X M12-Drain OE X X X Interface Matrix Modules M01-Motor M02-Transmission A,T M03-Support A M04-Drum A,T A M05-Control unit C M06-Door A C M07-Inlet A,T C M08-Temperature regulator A C C M09-Front,side and top panel A M10-Rear panel A A M11-Holder A A A A M12-Drain A C A 46

48 Module specification - M01 Motor Module Module Drivers Product Properties Technology push 1. Max spin speed Planned development 2. Energy consumption Technical specifications 3. Design life Illustration Technical Solutions 1. Motor Interface 1. A & T to M01 (Transmission) 3. A to M02 (Carry) 4. C to M12 (Control) Variance Development 1. Low speed small motor with 1200 rpm Direct drive digital inverter motor 2. Medium speed motor with 1400 rpm 3. High speed motor with 1600 rpm Important Direct drive digital invereter motor saves space, increases stability and lowers noise Module specification - M02 Transmission module Module Drivers Product Properties Technical specifications 1. Max spin speed Planned development 2. Mean time to service 3. Design life Illustration Technical Solutions 1. Belt pulley 3. Bearing transmission 2. Transmission belt Interface 1. A & T to M05 (Drum) 1. A & T to M13 (Motor) Variance Development 1. Small motor with 1000 rpm Direct transmission Important Direct drive digital invereter motor saves space, increases stability and lowers noise 47

49 Module specification - M03 Support Module Module Drivers Product Properties Technology push 1. Max spin speed Planned development 2. Energy consumption Technical specifications 3. Design life Illustration Technical Solutions 1. Shock absorber 3. Feet 2. Tub support frame 4. Bottom cover Interface 3. A to M05 (Drum) 3. A to M07 (Cover) 4. A to M13 (Motor) Variance Development 1. Movable with wheels Better dumpening with spring 2. Fixed feet Important Module specification - M04 Drum Module Drivers Product Properties Carry over 1. Loading capacity 4. Weight Commen unit 2. Drum material 5. Surface texture 3. Maximum noise 6. Max resonance Illustration Technical Solutions 1. Front balance weight 2. Back balance weight 3. Drum Interface 1. A & T to M01 (Transmission) 3. A to M02 (Carry) 4. A to M07 (Door) Variance 1. Small drum 6kg 2. Medium low drum 7kg 3. Medium high drum 8kg 4. Large drum 9kg Important 4. Drum ribs 5. Rare drum support 5. A & T to M08 (Inlet) 6. A & T to M10 (Drain) Development 48

50 Module specification - M05 Control Module Module Drivers Product Properties Planned development 1. Wash (rinse) cycle 6. Color Technology push 2. Number of programs 7. Self clean program Styling 3. Delay time (timer) 8. Smart self fault diagnosis 4. User interface 9. Automatic safety switch 5. Relative ergonomic experience Illustration Technical Solutions 1. Display screen 2. Selection keys 3. Front panel cylinda Interface 1. A to M04 (Support) 2. C to M06 (Regulator) 3. C to M08 (Inlet) Variance 1. Analogue 2. LED 3. Touch 4. Wireless Important 4. Control unit 5. Software 4. C to M09 (Door) 5. C to M10 (Drain) 6. C to M13 (Motor) Development Display screen touch screen upgradable software through USB or wireless Module specification - M06 Door Module Module Drivers Product Properties Planned development 1. Safe lock Technical specifications 2. Number of steps to load/unload Styling 3. Easy acces to drum Illustration Technical Solutions 1. Door lock 2. Door sealing with gasket 3. Hinge Interface 1. A to M05 (Drum) 3. A to M07 (Cover) 4. C to M12 (Control) Variance 1. Standard door size 2. Large door 3. Standard door with wide opening angle 4. Door frame with handle 5. Door glass Development Smart door: small extra door on the door, open while in operation Important Smart door enables addition of forgoten cloth or a pre washed cloth for final rinse or dewatering 49

51 Module specification - M07 Inlet Module Module Drivers Product Properties Planned development 1. Water consumption Commen unit 2. Level of automationl 3. Relative ergonomic experience Illustration Technical Solutions 1. Soap drawer 2. Soap dispenser 3. Inlet hose Interface 1. A & T to M05 (Drum) 3. A to M04 (Support) 4. C to M12 (Control) Variance 1. Manual 2. Semi-automatic 3. Full-automatic 4. Inlet valves 5. Air compressor Development Single fill detergent for multiple use controled Soup dispenser Important Module specification - M08 Regulator Module Drivers Product Properties Technology push 1. Water consumption 4. Wash tempreture Commen unit 2. Energy consumption 5. Levelof automation 3. Maximum noise 6. Automatic load sensing Illustration Technical Solutions 1. Heating element 2. Termistor 3. Load balance sensor Interface 1. A to M04 (Supprt) 3. F to M05 (Drum) 4. C to M12 (Control) Variance 1. Regulator Important 4. Hydrostat Development 50

52 Module specification - M09 Front, side top panels Module Drivers Product Properties Styling 1. Structural material 4. Height Planned development 2. Colour 5. Length Serviceability 3. Width 6. Number of steps to disassemble Illustration Technical Solutions 1. Front panel 2. Cabinet side panel 3. Top cover Interface 1. A to M02 (Carry) 2. A to M04 (Support) 3. A to M9 (Door) Variance 1. Wide body with Coloured steel 2. Wide body with Stainless steel 3. Slim body with coloured steel 3. Slim body with stainless steel Important Plastic body reduces vibration noise, reduces rust for extended life 4. Sound dead panel 5. Rare panel 6. Back support frame 4. A to M10 (Drain) Development Plastic body for side & top All around sound dead panel with better material Module specification - M11 Holder Module Drivers Product Properties Carry over 1. Structural material Common unit Illustration Technical Solutions 1. Componenet holder behind 3. Front panel holder 2. Holder behind Interface 1. A to M08 (Inlet) 3. A to M07 (Cover) 2. A to M12 (Control) 4. A to M06 (Regulator) Variance Development 1. Support Important 51

53 Module specification - M12 Drain module Module Drivers Product Properties Carry over 1. Max Dewatering Commen unit 2. Mean time to service Illustration Technical Solutions 1. Pump 2. Filter 3. Drain hose Interface 1. A & T to M05 (Drum) 3. A to M07 (Cover) 4. C to M12 (Control) Variance 1. Drain Important Development 52