Evaluating an assembly- and disassembly-oriented expansion of Modular Function Deployment through a workshop-based assessment

TL;DR

This paper proposes an expanded Modular Function Deployment method that integrates Design for Assembly and Disassembly principles, aiming to improve manufacturability and end-of-life strategies in modular product design.

Contribution

It introduces a novel expansion of MFD that incorporates assembly and disassembly considerations early in the design process.

Findings

Enhanced assembly efficiency and disassembly ease

Improved alignment with modular product strategies

Usability challenges identified for industry application

Abstract

Modular product architectures are used to enhance flexibility, reduce production complexity, and support sustainability goals. However, traditional Modular Function Deployment (MFD) method does not fully integrate Design for Assembly (DFA) and Design for Disassembly (DFD) principles, leading to sub-optimal manufacturability and end-of-life strategies. This study introduces an expanded MFD method incorporating assembly and disassembly considerations into early-stage modularisation. A workshop-based evaluation assesses usability and applicability, involving participants using standard and expanded MFD. Results indicate that integrating DFA and DFD enhances assembly efficiency, ease of disassembly, and modular product strategy alignment. However, usability challenges were identified, necessitating refinements for industry application.