The Product Platform And Family Design Theory And Its Application Based On Mass Customization

With the product changing quicker and quicker, the new product development occupies more and more important position within the life period of product. Mass Customization (MC) combining the advantages of customized production and mass production keeps the relatively smaller production cost and relatively shorter delivery time while satisfying customer's individualized demand. MC will be the mainstream mode of production in the 21st century because of its unique advantages.The main research of this thesis is the product platform and family design theory based on Mass Customization, classifies the product platform design method into two kinds: Bottom-up approach and Top-bottom approach; puts forward a new bottom-up product platform design method; and applies it to real products. Main research work and conclusions are embodied in the following four aspects:1. Classifying the product platform design method into two kinds: Bottom-up approach and Top-bottom approachThe foundation of the Bottom-up approach lies in defining the product platform according to the function structure of the products at first, a series of products are derived from adding, reducing, modifying corresponding function module basing of the product platform, and realizing the product family design. Top-bottom approach mainly bases on the optimization methods, flexible platform can be set up through changing one or more design parameters, and so different customers and market demand can be satisfied.2. Putting forward a new bottom-up product platform design methodStone method and Dahmus method are the representatives of the bottom-up approach, and there is slightly difference between them. Stone method is a kind of design method, which is faced to Modular design, it fully considers the user's demands while setting up function structure of product. Dahmus method is the result of the combining of the method, which sets up the function structure in B&P theory and MC thoughts. Based on these two kinds of methods, a new bottom-up product platform design method is brought forward which is combined by five steps: choosing the existing products to set up their function structures, setting up the function structure of the product family; evaluating whether the user's demands are satisfied or not; setting up the modularity matrix and defining the product platform.3. The platform design of traditional Chinese medicine machineryThis thesis has analyzed the current development situation and trends of traditional Chinese medicine machinery, and has designed the platform of traditional Chinese medicine machinery using Bottom-up approach put forward by the thesis. Designed result was approved by the company.4. The platform design of butterfly valveHaving analyzed the development situation in recent years of butterfly valves; used Top -bottom approach to design the platform of butterfly valves according to the structure characteristics of butterfly valves. It helps enterprises with the economic input at least, developing new products, which meet market demand constantly within shortest time, Satisfying different subdividing market demands.