Modularity Measurement as a Crucial Design Element

This paper aims to explore the problem of measurement of assembly process modularity, and to offer a new approach to quantify the relative modularity of different assembly process models. Specifically, it seeks to resolve the problem of the relation between relative modularity measures and optimal modularity measures. This relation brings us more close to find an effective measure for determining whether the process network is optimally modular. In our approach, process modularity expresses the extent to which processes can be decomposed into modules to be executed in parallel, and/or in series. Moreover, it also considers important feature of modular systems - that the great majority of interactions occur within modules and only a few interactions occur between modules. Consequently, the effect of a change in a given module is confined to that module only. This advantage of modular design clearly corresponds with Axiomatic Design theory, especially with its first axiom.