Modular Platform

Abstract

This thesis is about the identification of an optimal modular platform-based product development design process for a series of support vessels of the Royal Netherlands Navy, viewed from a Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding perspective. Because of increasing competition in the global shipbuilding market, the demand for ships with higher quality, lower lifecycle costs and shorter delivery lead time is growing. Advanced manufacturing technologies can partially address these challenges, but advanced design technologies are critical, since most design and manufacturing properties of a ship are influenced by the design decisions that are made in the early design stages. This makes a modular architecture platform approach very suitable. Moreover, it provides multiple opportunities to various stakeholders to benefit from. To clarify, standardisation means the use of identical components across multiple products and modularity means combining standardised components to create modules and/or building blocks. After the evaluation of the literature on modular platforms, an existing modularity method, called Modular Function Deployment (MFD), is expanded by Systems Engineering design disciplines/theories. Hereby, key aspects of platforming and modularisation principles were taken into account. Subsequently, the case study carried out explored whether the composed method is appropriate. In other words, the case study serves as a guideline and indicates which aspects must have close attention, because of encountered complications.