The Product Platform Design Theory Based On Mass Customization And Its Software Development

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 the individualized demands of customers. MC will be the mainstream mode of production in the 21st century because of its unique advantages.The technique of product platform is one of key techniques of MC. Simpson classifies the design methods of product platform into two kinds: top-down approach and bottom-up approach. The main research of this thesis is the product platform design theory based on Mass Customization. A platform design method of function similar products is brought forward based on bottom-up approach. Then apply this method to real products, and develop software based on it. Main research work and conclusions are embodied in the following three aspects:1. Bring forward a platform design method of function similar products.The bottom-up approach is analyzing and redesigning the existing products, and is suitable for the products that have good dividing nature. Many products can be derived from the platform by adding, removing, or substituting one or more modules to the platform. The methods that put forward by Stone and Otto are the representatives of the bottom-up approach. This thesis put forward a platform design method based on these two methods. The platform is devided into two parts in the method: common part and adjustable part, which form a whole. Different products can be got by modifying the adjustable part of platform and adding personal components. It includes five steps: construct function structure of existing products using function base, construct function structure of product family, modularize product function structure using the module heuristic methods, set up modularity matrix, and identify product platform.2. Case study.Apply the platform design method of function similar products to the soybean milk maker, juicer and blender. Set up the product platform of these three products, and show the sketch map of platform.Apply the platform design method of function similar products to the engineering drills. Seriate the engineering drills, and set up series of product platforms.3. Developing software.On the basis of the platform design method of function similar products, the platform software is developed by using VC++ 6.0. It can help the engineers design the product platform, reduce workload, and improve work efficiency. The software includes four parts: function base, decomposing function, constructing function structure and seting up modularity matrix to determine platform.