Field Isolation As a Basis for Modular Product Architecture

Abstract

Research into product modularity has created methods to partition a product system in to modules, including DSM algorithms to minimize various within- or between-module connectivity assumptions, as well as heuristic methods for combining functions into common modules, including dominant flow, convert-transmit, repeated elements, and branching flows. We here re-examine these methods in view of flows between field potentials. Fields are spatially defined scalar functions representing temperature, pressure, voltage, etc., each with associated flows such as heat, fluid, current, etc. It is hypothesized that isolation of elements to desired field values can form a physical basis for module defini..