A hybrid multi-criteria decision-making approach for production line configuration based on product modularity and lifecycle

Modular product design, as part of a product family strategy, is a key methodology for mass customisation and significantly impacts production line configuration. Common modules shared across product families, generations, and the entire product platform have varying lifecycles due to constant changes in market demand. Therefore, it is crucial to design a production line that can quickly respond to product change requirements while maintaining flexibility in both product and process variants. The objective of this research is to develop a hybrid decision-making framework for determining an optimal production line configuration based on product modularity and lifecycle. In the proposed framework, three scenarios related to production line configuration are modelled as batch, mixed-model, and intermittent production lines based on specific product lifecycle. After modelling the three lines, data on processing times and inventory levels are gathered, while assumptions for additional data are made with industry collaborators. The proposed models are used as evaluation criteria in a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) framework to determine an optimal production line configuration by integrating product modules and lifecycle. The proposed research demonstrates the performance of the three scenarios quantitatively with eight sub-performance indicators, utilising a hybrid MCDM and real production line simulation data.