When a product portfolio is fulfilled by several Platforms with a portion of common technology, this is called a Shared Module System. In this scenario, several Module Systems can reuse one Module System. The inverse also applies where one Module System can reuse several Module Systems.

When a product is a complex combination of other products or sub-systems in different design disciplines, this is referred to as a complex product. In this scenario, a Module System can include other Module Systems, also consisting other Module Systems. In some instances, Module Systems can be a product of its own system.

When a System or Line combines several individual products designed to operate together, this is called System Configuration. In this scenario, the top-level Module System defines several critical properties that control each equipment’s Module System.

In large module systems, the ownership is often assigned to each subsystem. This separation of ownership creates an accessible overview and clarification of responsibilities. It enables better and more accurate management.

Large organizations need to control product architecture access for various stakeholders. When working with large module systems, flexible access control allows a module system to be broken down into smaller module systems. With this structure, each stakeholder can be allocated dedicated space and information tailored to their needs. This approach to access management is well-suited for working with external suppliers.

As Module Systems grow, the corresponding datasets also increase in proportion. This growth eventually begins to affect performance and ease of navigation. By subdividing a Module System into several smaller Module Systems, the size of the datasets decreases, leading to improved performance and overview.