Algorithm for Designing Family of Modular Optoelectronic Devices

Designing modular products covers a wider range of tasks than traditional design. There are publications presenting selected issues related to the design of modular products, but generally, there are no comprehensive descriptions of this process. The authors of the article are convinced that the development and implementation of a proven algorithm for designing modular products will increase the effectiveness and efficiency of such work. Designs of modular products, and especially families of such products, can be long-term, therefore, in addition to using the experience gained from such projects, it is justified to use model tests. It was decided to use Petri nets to build a model of the design process. The places of this network are individual tasks carried out during design, and the transitions are the decisions of selected process participants enabling the initiation of subsequent tasks. Decisions are made based on criteria for assessing the effectiveness of individual tasks. The schedule of an actual project of a family of modular devices carried out in one of the renowned centres of the optoelectronics industry was used to formulate them. Analysis of known varieties of Petri nets showed that model construction is possible using coloured time nets. Conclusions were formulated regarding the proposed algorithm of the design process and methods of its evaluation.