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Establishing assembly-oriented modular product architectures through a design for assembly expanded modular function deployment
KTH, School of Industrial Engineering and Management (ITM), Production Engineering, Production systems and automation.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-2993-511X
KTH, School of Industrial Engineering and Management (ITM), Production Engineering. Sweden Modular Management AB, Dept Prod Engn, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID iD: 0009-0008-8432-9167
KTH, School of Industrial Engineering and Management (ITM), Production Engineering. Sweden Modular Management AB, Dept Prod Engn, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-8692-5589
Sweden Modular Management AB, Dept Prod Engn, Stockholm, Sweden.
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2026 (English)In: Journal of engineering design (Print), ISSN 0954-4828, E-ISSN 1466-1837Article in journal (Refereed) Epub ahead of print
Abstract [en]

Modular product design has become a strategic enabler for companies seeking to balance product variety, operational efficiency, and market responsiveness, making alignment between modular architecture and manufacturing considerations increasingly critical. Modular Function Deployment (MFD) is a widely adopted method for defining modular product architectures, yet it lacks systematic support for assembly considerations during early concept and system-level development. This limitation increases the risk of delayed production ramp-up and life cycle inefficiencies. This paper proposes a set of enhancements to MFD that integrate Design for Assembly (DfA) logic into architectural synthesis. The extended method introduces structured heuristics, assembly-oriented module drivers, a coded interface taxonomy, and quantitative metrics for assessing assembly feasibility and automation readiness. These additions preserve compatibility with standard MFD workflows while enriching decision-making with traceable, production-informed reasoning. An illustrative case study involving a handheld leaf blower demonstrates the method's usability and effectiveness. The redesigned architecture shows reduced assembly effort, simplified interfaces, and increased automation potential. By supporting early-stage evaluation of architectural alternatives through an assembly lens, the method enables faster transition to efficient volume production and provides a foundation for continuous improvement throughout the product life cycle.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Informa UK Limited , 2026.
Keywords [en]
Modular function deployment (MFD), design for assembly (DfA), product architecture, concept selection, interface design
National Category
Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics Industrial engineering and management
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-387376DOI: 10.1080/09544828.2026.2680613ISI: 001814805800001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105044222356OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-387376DiVA, id: diva2:2094221
Note

QC 20260821

Available from: 2026-08-21 Created: 2026-08-21 Last updated: 2026-08-21Bibliographically approved

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Monetti, Fabio MarcoLundstrom, Adamde Kwant, ColinMaffei, Antonio
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