An integrated approach to technology platform and product platform development

Abstract

Platforms may enable offering a variety of products to the market while keeping the development cost down. Reusing design knowledge is a key concept, whether manifested as reusing parts, ideas, concepts, or technologies. This article describes processes and information technology solutions for holistically working with both technology platforms and product platforms. A platform framework was developed for managing information and to support the processes. The use of the framework is illustrated through a case study performed at a subsupplier in the aerospace industry focusing on technology development, platform-based product development, and platform configuration. A wiki system supports the technology platform, containing electronic guidelines, methods, and information about the technologies. To support the product platform, a product lifecycle management architecture is created. A turbine rear structure from a turbofan engine is used as an example, requiring several different analysis technologies to be used and coordinated when creating a variant. The solution is a product lifecycle management architecture created based on the technology platform. It integrates a product data management system, a computer-aided design tool, two computer-aided engineering tools, and a configurator.

A literature review on multitype platforming and framework for future research

“…Recognizing the platforming potentials in other stages, authors recently put forward a number of new platform concepts to exploit diverse similarities existing in the entire spectrum of product family development. They include technology platform (Kim and Kogut, 1996;Levandowski et al, 2013), function-technology platform Alblas and Wortmann, 2014;Zhang, 2012), process platform (Sawhney, 1998;Jiao et al, 2007bJiao et al, , 2007cZhang, 2009;Zhang et al, 2007;Zhang and Rodrigues, 2009;Zhang and Jiao, 2013), process parameter platform (Williams et al, 2007), layout platform Halman, 2004, 2005), multibranded platform (Lundback and Karlsson, 2005;Skold and Karlsson, 2007;Karlsson and Skold, 2007), and customer, brand, and global platforms (Gunzenhauser and Bongulielmi, 2008;Halman et al, 2003;Sawhney, 1998). Table 4 shows the number of studies discussing these platforms from year 2001 onward (20 in total).…”

“…It, thus, consists of a set of distinctive technological competencies, which are related, common in different product families. Similarly, Levandowski et al (2013) refer to a technology platform as the reusable technological knowledge, which is arranged in a systematic way, from technology development. In this regard, technology platforms contribute to technology reuse among product families.…”

“…Thus, a review of all platform concepts that contribute to systematic product family development is not available. However, such a review is deemed important because systematic product family development relies on the potentials of common elements from different development stages, instead of the design stage only, as noted in Levandowski et al (2013Levandowski et al ( , 2014 and Michaelis et al (2014). Based on their field study, Halman et al (2003) also point out that it is very important to investigate other platform concepts so as to utilize the undetected platform potentials, other than these from product platforms.…”

“…Based on a longitudinal case study, Alblas and Wortmann (2014) demonstrate that function-technology platforms can help companies, especially these that develop complex products and systems, improve the efficiency of creating diverse customized products. Recognizing the importance of integrating different platform concepts for supporting systematic product family development, Levandowski et al (2013) develop an integrated approach for developing technology and product platforms. Based on a case study from a Swedish company designing and manufacturing turbine rear structures for aerospace engines, they also discuss the benefits of developing integrated platforms, e.g., developing customized products at a more rapid pace than before, and the implementation challenges, e.g., requiring major changes in development organization.…”

Development of a Morphology for the Description of Business Models for Technology Platforms

“…The platforms interact with each other and comprise valuable resources that are exploited in multiple applications. The main challenge within the integrated technology platform concept is the effective interconnection of the different level of technology, product and production (Levandowski, 2013).…”