Open-architecture products

This paper defines open-architecture products (OAPs), a new class of products comprising a fixed platform and modules that can be added and swapped. Customers can adapt OAPs to their needs by integrating modules into the platform. Manufacturers will produce these platforms, while new small companies...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	CIRP annals 2013, Vol.62 (2), p.719-729
Main Authors:	Koren, Y., Hu, S.J., Gu, Peihua, Shpitalni, M.
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Assembly Computer programs Customers Design Design engineering Economics Modules Open-architecture Platforms Software
Online Access:	Get full text
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Summary:	This paper defines open-architecture products (OAPs), a new class of products comprising a fixed platform and modules that can be added and swapped. Customers can adapt OAPs to their needs by integrating modules into the platform. Manufacturers will produce these platforms, while new small companies and customers will develop the modules, thus increasing employment and causing the economy to flourish. At the same time OAPs will provide consumers with the product they desire. Challenges include developing new OAP design software for non-professional designers and new assembly systems to facilitate economical assembly of a large number of product variants.
ISSN:	0007-8506