Title: Modelling the mutual dependencies between product architectures and a network of partners

Authors: Marc Zolghadri, Claude Baron, Philippe Girard

Addresses: IMS-Bordeaux Labs, Bordeaux University, 351, cours de la Liberation, 33405 Talence, France. ' LATTIS, University of Toulouse, 135 Avenue de Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse, France. ' IMS-Bordeaux Labs, Bordeaux University, 351, cours de la Liberation, 33405 Talence, France

Abstract: Almost every New Product Development (NPD) project requires the collaboration of partners, especially those who participate in the design and realisation of product modules. The design and realisation of products cannot be conceived without considering the project partners| logical, temporal and physical constraints. The main idea of this article is to study the links between the architectures of a physical product and a network of partners. The product architectures are modelled by the generalised Bill of Materials and Operation (gBOMO) formalism and the interfaces graph, which explains the coupling of components. The necessary synchronisation situations among partners are extracted from the gBOMO, then modelled by a synchronisation graph. The interfaces and synchronisation graphs allow the determination of the various logical dependencies (especially hidden ones) between various parties. These tools are then illustrated through an example.

Keywords: mutual dependencies; partnership networks; product architecture; new product development; NPD; collaboration; product design; product realisation; bill of materials; gBOMO; BOM; synchronisation graphs; logical dependencies; production design; production management; advanced production systems; modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPD.2010.032451

International Journal of Product Development, 2010 Vol.10 No.1/2/3, pp.62 - 86

Published online: 03 Apr 2010 *

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