Enhancement of System Reconfigurability through Modularizing System Architecture: A Paradigm to Engineering Design for Adaptability

Abstract

Abstract The present study addresses ‘system adaptability’ requirement in engineering systems and highlights importance of realizing ‘reconfigurability’ characteristic in system architecture where engineering design for system adaptability is interested. This study develops a matrix-based probabilistic definition for the system reconfigurability and proposes modularization of physical architecture of the system as an effective design solution for fulfilling system reconfigurability and adaptability requirements. To modularize the physical architecture, Design Structure Matrix (DSM) method is employed. Moreover, information axiom of Axiomatic Design (AD) theory is also utilized to develop helpful indicators for evaluating the adaptability characteristic for the architecture and support engineering designers to make sound decisions in design for adaptability. To verify the developed methodology, ‘manufacturing information system’ (MIS), an integrated information system which is to support entire manufacturing processes, in a real case (Barez Industrial Group in Iran) is addressed and design of the physical architecture for this system is studied. A new optimally modularized design for the physical architecture of the MIS of interest is finally presented and examined. Results of the indicators reflecting reconfigurability and adaptability of the architecture indicate that the new proposed design of the MIS is highly capable of coping with the rapidly changing manufacturing environment.