What is product architecture?
In modern manufacturing processes, product architecture refers to the organization and integration of a product’s functional elements, and the ways in which those elements interact. In some ways it’s a “blueprint” for your product. Product architecture, therefore, is a crucial aspect of the design, manufacture, sale, and servicing of discrete product offerings.
Why is product architecture important?
Product architecture is a vital aspect of every product development strategy principally because it enables the effective management of a product’s variants and changing configurations. It can be said to “map function to form” among the elements of a given product, so that products can be refined, redesigned, customized or personalized, and reproduced as efficiently as possible. A product’s architecture becomes more important as product complexity increases, and as the number of variants of a given product line rises.
Consider, for example, the complexities faced by an automaker with multiple product lines, hundreds of models, thousands of options, and a dozen factories. The right product architecture strategy will eliminate friction, and fuel synergies, between the company’s products, sites, and projects. Moreover, because many architectural decisions are made during the research and development phase, it’s highly relevant to the R&D function—and therefore to innovation.
What are the types of product architecture?
There are several specific approaches to product architecture, the choice of which is determined by the nature of the product, market and industry being addressed. These include modular, integral, configurable, platform, and standardized architectures. Hybrid architectures may also be deployed when appropriate. A closer look at modular and integral architectures will help compare the two most distinct architectures.
Modular product architecture
For products like computers, cars, and electronics, modular architectures are usually appropriate. Such products are characterized by a rich array of variants, customization requirements, and often the need to upgrade parts over time. It’s been said that complexity is the enemy of operational efficiency, and modular architecture attempts to minimize that dynamic. This approach involves designing products with clearly defined, interchangeable and functionally self-contained components or modules.
Integral product architecture
The second major approach, integral architecture, conceives of products as unified and singular entities. Components of such products tend to be highly interdependent and tightly integrated. They are very specifically tailored to work together. The integral approach is often appropriate for products designed for high performance, but which may be less flexible in their configuration, and harder to repair or upgrade. Aerospace and defense products, like fighter planes, satellites, and weapons systems may lend themselves to an integral approach, as would certain high-performance sporting goods.
The benefits of product architecture
Defining and refining the product architecture strategy that’s most appropriate to the product being manufactured yields several critical business benefits.
Faster time-to-market
Design cycle times are minimized, errors and inaccuracies are avoided, and the overall development process compressed, so that quality products that perform as intended are available sooner.
More efficient product development
Though as noted, different architectures have different costs and benefits, proper definition of the most effective architecture for the intended product will yield the most efficiencies available to the specific product type.
Easier to customize products for users
An approach that best supports customization will enable the most efficient introduction of features and improvements, which can reduce the time and cost of repairs, as well as service.
Helps to create sustainable products with long lifespans
The choice of architecture, by optimizing for the target product’s most likely maintenance and upgrade scenarios, can help ensure that once in service, the product’s useful lifecycle can be efficiently extended as long as practical.
Allows for concurrent engineering
When the enterprise is aligned on the most appropriate common architectural approach, components can be confidently developed by different teams working independently but simultaneously.
Improves product quality
In general product architecture has a highly significant impact on product quality, which can vary in its specific effects according to which approach is selected. Among the most important are benefits like improved fault isolation and repair; focused quality control through faster and often independent testing protocols for different components; and more consistent quality across related products.
How to create a product architecture?
Generally speaking, there are four steps to developing an effective product architecture.
Establish a diagram of the product
Creating a diagram or schematic representation of the architecture is the first critical step. Many tools and templates exist for this purpose. More important than the tool used to generate the diagram is that it captures, and expresses with clarity, the features that define the product to be manufactured.
Cluster each aspect of the diagram
Within the overall schematic, there will be commonalities among subsets of features and elements. These subsets should be grouped in “clusters” according to shared functional aspects and the level of interaction each cluster has with the others.
Construct a geometric layout for the elements
A geometric layout should then be derived from the clustered diagram, forming the basis for a map of the product’s performance and desired attributes.
Identify the different relationships between elements
The relationships and dependencies between each of the elements in the geometric layout are then captured. Process flows and functions should be clearly represented. With this step complete, checked, and confirmed among all key stakeholders, the product architecture strategy is realized in an actionable planning document.
Product architecture in PLM
It’s important to recognize that the relationship between PLM systems like Windchill and the selected product architecture is foundational to success. The integrations, workflows, and data structures within a given PLM system must be carefully tuned to match the design and management needs required by the specific architectural approach.
Otherwise, errors may be introduced, effective collaboration impaired, and rather than streamlining product lifecycles, the system can slow them down. Problem-solving is hindered, company resources wasted, and administrative requirements increase unnecessarily. In such cases, as well, the opportunity cost of failing to realize the operation’s true potential adds significantly to the real costs of these roadblocks and inefficiencies.
On the other hand, effective integration of the architecture with the product’s development and manufacturing environments enables seamless and productive collaboration between designers, engineers, development teams, and other critical domains.
Significant business benefits accrue, as efficiency is maximized, costs reduced, lead times compressed, and time to market accelerated. As products become more diverse, and the boundaries of performance are constantly pushed, the embrace of these challenges through effective product architecture strategy and its integration with PLM has the potential to transform the required investments in time, money, and energy into powerful competitive advantage.
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