Product Design Using Interface-Based Module Description

To address emerging issues due to global product development and shortening product development cycles, we propose a modular product design methodology using interface-based module descriptions published through cyber-infrastructure. In this paper, we describe (1) a general way of defining interfaces, partially utilizing a standardized language of product functionality known as the Functional Basis, (2) a formal way of representing components in eXtensible Markup Language that defines a new Module Description Language (MDL), and (3) the application of the proposed methodology to the design of a product family of electronic screwdrivers, a mechanical product, extending previous work with electrical products.