Abstract

Any novelty in product architecture design will condition key aspects of production systems and production networks and will involve facing different challenges when implemented. Through a longitudinal case study (2013–2020) in the European production networks of three automobile manufacturers, this paper analyses the implementation process for their new modular platforms. The results show that production network performance is not derived from product design per se. It is mainly conditioned by the production network structure and strategic roles assigned to plants in the implementation process. Networks resulting from the implementation of the new modular architecture are characterized by their geographical dispersion and high number of alternative plants for production, which allow greater operational flexibility to transfer and share manufacturing resources internationally. The implementation of automobile modular platforms has been characterized by a shareable production system, the same value-added activities distribution in the production network and the assignment of a strategic role to some plants as production hubs for specific models.

摘要

产品体系结构设计中的任何新颖性都将制约生产系统和生产网络的关键方面，并且在实施时将面临不同的挑战。通过在三个汽车制造商的欧洲生产网络中进行的纵向案例研究（2013-2020年），本文分析了他们的新模块化平台的实施过程。结果表明，生产网络的性能并非来自产品设计本身。它主要取决于生产网络的结构和在实施过程中分配给工厂的战略角色。由于实施了新的模块化体系结构而形成的网络的特点是其地理位置分散，并且有大量可供选择的生产工厂，这为在国际范围内转移和共享制造资源提供了更大的运营灵活性。汽车模块化平台的实施具有以下特点：共享的生产系统，相同的增值活动在生产网络中的分布以及将某些工厂的战略角色分配为特定模型的生产中心。