Modular platform components

In 2000, the industrial platform modular micro process engineering (pPVT) was founded with so far 45 research institutes, suppliers and industrial users [89], The target of this platform was to create a concept for the establishment of a uniform standard and a modular approach to process technology which should avoid the above-mentioned disadvantages and offer a cost-efficient solution. A manufacturer-spanning building set which consists of compatible micro process components had to be developed. 

Relatively stable gels were formed for matrices loaded with approximately 6 mM whether provided by microspheres only in vitro or by a combination of ions from the reservoir microspheres and surrounding tissue fluid in vivo. Cellular inflltration of the gels was supported by the macroporous morphology of gels formed in sim following injection. The ability to incorporate soluble immunomodulatory factors like interleukin-2 (IL-2) directly into the matrix and the use of microspheres as modular components for slow release CpG oligonucleotides electrostatic anchored to the surface may provide a potent platform for immunotherapy when combined with delivery of immime cells [146]. 

Modular design relies on the product architecture and product platform concepts. Product architecture is defined as a scheme where the physical components are linked to functional elements to form various products (Ulrich and Eppinger 1995). The architecture includes definition of modules, taxonomy which describes the relationships between modules in both functional and physical domains. The purpose is to decouple each element so that a change in one component does not influence changes in others in neither a functional nor a physical way. 

To establish modular architecture, the designer should first define modules with the consideration of their interfaces which offer functionality to the product based on the market analysis and adaptability to change the module without influencing others. Based on defining the product characteristics and modules, common and variant components can be found between the products in a family. The product platform and variant components can be further defined and analyzed. 

Line Replaceable Unit A line replaceable unit (LRU), lower line replaceable unit (LLRU), line replaceable component (LRC) or line replaceable item (LRI) is a modular component that is designed to be replaced quickly at an operating location. An LRU is usually a sealed unit such as a radio or other auxiliary equipment. LRUs improve maintenance operations, because they can be stocked and replaced quickly from on-site inventory, restoring the system to service, while the failed (unserviceable) LRU is undergoing maintenance. Because they are modular, they also reduce system costs and increase quality, by centralising development across different platforms. 

Modularity also enables variety in design by permitting variation in one or more components. This is a way to provide devices in various sizes, or sometimes at various levels of performance. In some cases, this is accomplished by selling the components of the system separately, in others the unit can be thought of as a platform product with several different products, all based on the same system and sharing a large number of elements. See Meyer."... 

Platforms as a special expression of a modular design are of particular relevance for an industrial practice. A platform is a standardized base product with fundamental functions and properties of the total product, on which a variety of similar products can be efiiciently built by using subsystems, modules and components. In the platform the architecture and the interfaces to optional elements are included, which are used for differentiation of the end products [14]. 

The central PLM concept in the automotive industry is the platform approach which is currently extended into a modular approach. Several car lines of an automotive OEM have an identical platform or are built based on the same module set sharing parts, components, concepts, manufacturing principles, supply chains, maintenance procedures and so on. For the OEM this leads to a reduction of costs on the one hand due to a standardization and re-use. On the other hand its modularization is the key to an increasing variety of products. This variety needs to be managed, approved and documented. This also leads to a very complex PLM concept due to the necessary modularization of PLM structures and the management of product changes over a larger number of car derivatives (see Sect. 21.2). 

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