Modelling and simulation tools support to reduce the number of physical prototypes in the development of multidomain systems. Virtual prototyping of the multidomain systems is one of the essential steps to decrease the time of the product development. In mechatronic systems, mechanical, electrical and software domains cannot be developed independently from each other at the beginning of the earliest design phases. Integrated, virtual and mathematical models are developed as they are less time consuming and are less expensive than physical prototypes. This paper explores design process of mechatronic product development with the aid of models. V-model is used as a basic approach in the design process. Virtual model of an electromechanical system is developed by using Bond graph method and the response of the system is simulated in a software tool 20-sim. This development process is summarised in a model from design integration to simulation of the system. Furthermore, the overall design process of the system is illustrated in a model that is based on mechatronic module development. That includes mainly the allocation of requirements to individual domains and illustrating the steps in the design process.

To enable product configuration of a product family, it is important to develop a model of the selected product family. From such model, a product configurator, in which customers can specify individual products from the family, can be developed. To further utilise the product family model for planning and executing production, the model should be enriched with additional data. The idea is that, when any individual product is specified using the product configurator, a product model can be extracted with all data, necessary for manufacturing planning. In this paper, issues of creating manufacturing structures and related planning data in product family models are presented. Primarily, the more complicated multi-level manufacturing structures are considered and it is argued that the models need to specify other structures for manufacturing compared with the product structure resulting from configuration. Furthermore, the addition of attributes for planning data is addressed.

Implementation of mass customization and product configuration in companies requires fundamental considerations about how products can fulfil the demand from customers. In order to support such decision-making, a multi-level model for customization is developed. This model identifies four different levels of customization, ranging from the structure level at the bottom, through the performance level and the experience level, to the learning level at the top. The model also has a dual view with customers/demand at one side and product/supplier at the other side. It is a rather general model, which can be applied to many types of products, and typically, product designers must decide how far up in levels the customization should aim. In this paper, the four-level customization model is applied to wheel chairs.

At present time in a world of change our understanding are constantly challenged with new knowledge that radically makes demand on prevailing theories and concept the scientific world for long have believed was unchangeable. This article makes a back flash on innovation performance with some suggestion on how International Manufacturing Joint Ventures can enhance their learning capacity. Manufacturing in a global world is a complicated management challenge because the supply chain is located in different national settings. Networkning and knowledge absorption is a key to get international competitiveness. This paper claims a framework for building absorption capacity in international manufacturing firms.

A recent survey has indicated that 17 % of companies have ceased mass customizing less than 1 year after initiating the effort. This paper presents measurement for a company's mass customization performance, utilizing metrics within the three fundamental capabilities: robust process design, choice navigation, and solution space development. A mass customizer when assessing performance with these metrics can identify within which areas improvement would increase competitiveness the most and enable more efficient transition to mass customization.

The manufacturing literature has for long been occupied with the linking of manufacturing capabilities with the competitive advantages of the company. The dominant manufacturing content approach is concerned with the consistent set of decisions about process technology design and organizational practices that can be exploited as competitive capabilities. This paper suggests that an open network structure demands a transformation of peripheral-located SME subcontractor from traditional customized producer to mass customized producer. Mass customization as an instrument for the transformation process consisting of practical tools on many different company levels will comply with the challenges the international competition charts.

In mass customization, offering the right variety is critical and it is therefore proposed to develop an assessment system for the capabilities critical for mass customization success. This paper proposes different metrics and methods for assessing the utilization of a company's product variety. Two different methods are selected for further testing which is done on historical data for three different product families from three different companies. It is concluded that different metrics and methods may be relevant for different products, reflecting variety and complexity. However, in general, monitoring utilization of variety has potential to improve business for mass customization companies.

Manufacturing systems are today developed as engineer to order solutions tailored to producing a specific product or a limited product mix. Such dedicated systems are not consistent with market demands for rapid product changes, product variety, and customisation, which require flexibility and responsiveness of manufacturing systems. A Reconfigurable Manufacturing System (RMS) is aimed at possess such flexibility and responsiveness and is said to be the manufacturing paradigm of tomorrow. RMS is, though, not yet fully developed. A similarity between RMS and modular product families, known from Mass Customisation (MC), is seen and based on this similarity a potential to maturing RMS further by applying MC methods and techniques is identified. Based on literature surveys this paper analyses this potential by diagnosing gabs for RMS to succeed as a MC product. For each gab MC theory holds related methods and techniques, which indicates a potential and, herby, an area of interest for further study.