A review of modular strategies and architecture within manufacturing operations

Abstract

This paper reviews existing modularity and modularization literature within manufacturing operations. Its purpose is to examine the tools, techniques, and concepts relating to modular production, to draw together key issues currently dominating the literature, to assess managerial implications associated with the emerging modular paradigm, and to present an agenda for future research directions. The review is based on journal papers included in the ABI/Inform electronic database and other noteworthy research published as part of significant research programmes. The research methodology concerns reviewing existing literature to identify key modular concepts, to determine modular developments, and to present a review of significant contributions to the field. The findings indicate that the modular paradigm is being adopted in a number of manufacturing organizations. As a result a range of conceptual tools, techniques, and frameworks has emerged and the field of modular enquiry is in the process of codifying the modular lexicon and developing appropriate modular strategies commensurate with the needs of manufacturers. Modular strategies and modular architecture were identified as two key issues currently dominating the modular landscape. Based on this review, the present authors suggest that future research areas need to focus on the development and subsequent standardization of interface protocols, cross-brand module use, supply chain power, transparency, and trust. This is the first review of the modular landscape and as such provides insights into, first, the development of modularization and, second, issues relating to designing modular products and modular supply chains.

Interfaces in service modularity: A typology developed in modular health care provision

“…Whereas C‐C interfaces highly resemble the standardized connections between two interacting components of a modular good during production (Baldwin and Clark, 1997, 2000), the existence of interfaces between elderly care providers (i.e. O‐I and C‐I interfaces) as well as interfaces that support variety (open interfaces) and coherence (closed interfaces) separately from each other contrast with much of the extant literature on interfaces in modular products (Doran and Hill, 2009; Salvador, 2007; Sanchez, 2000).…”

Product-family shared-component selection based on the consistency constraint function

“…Although there have been many studies carried out on this subject over past 20 years, the modular platform model is still relatively new. To review the research progress, Doran and Hill 27 published a very helpful and informative review of modular strategies and architecture within manufacturing operations in 2008; the review contains numerous insights into the development of modularization design and supply chains. Lampón et al 4 explored the impact of modular platform implementation in great detail including the subject’s history, related research methodologies, manufacturing networks and effects.…”

From Modular to Distributed Open Architectures: A Unified Decision Framework

“…Following Conway's law [Conway, 1968], it has been argued that modularity in products gives rise to modularity in organizations that manufacture them [Sanchez and Mahoney, 1996] and can result in some benefits at the enterprise and organizational level. A comprehensive list of studies related to the advantage of modularity in products and organizations can be found in Schilling and Steensma [2001], Langlois [2002], Campagnolo and Camuffo [2010], Doran and Hill [2009].…”