Facilitating Quick Change Introduction for Aircraft Interiors Product: Utilizing DSM-Based Risk Change Analysis and Clustering Technique

Abstract

This thesis shows how a Design Structure Matrix can support the re-design process of an aircraft cabin interior component - stowage. It presents an approach to identifying challenges of design change introduction in aircraft products and demonstrates how a modular product design can address them. First, the stowage was modeled with a DSM and a risk analysis was performed on the baseline design. Specific stages of the Change Prediction Method (Clarkson et al., 2001) were used to evaluate interfaces between product components in different design domains. Furthermore, DSM served as an input for clustering operations, which were a foundation for modular stowage design. As a result, a modular product architecture was created including new re-designed interfaces. The results show that the modular design approach can reduce the risk of change while increasing product customization and the number of configuration alternatives