Product platforms have demonstrated success in manufacturing and construction to integrate design and production. This approach can drive efficiency improvements with design responsiveness. Product platforms deliver commonality in ‘assets’ that are defined as physical components, business processes, knowledge management, and stakeholder interactions. Defining common approaches to these assets allows variety to emerge through configuration while focusing resources on each asset to monitor performance and target continual improvement.
Fleetwood Building Solutions currently supply volumetric prefabricated buildings to the education, resources, housing, custodial, and commercial sectors. Designs are highly customised, responding to changing sites and client briefs. Working with the Future Building Initiative at Monash University, Fleetwood will develop a common organisational product platform for their built solutions to improve production efficiency while driving flexible designs that continue to deliver high quality design solution outcomes for customers.
Date commenced and duration
October 2020, 12 monthsLead researcher
Partners
Industrialisation
- Platforms and Process
- Production and Process Systems (Advanced Manufacturing)
- Building Design and DFMA
Platforms and Process
Theme coordinator

Dr Duncan Maxwell
Projects
#25 Operational Excellence framework of steel fabrication and processing in the OSM and prefabrication sector (Phase 1)
#3 Projects to Platforms: Investigating New Forms of Collaboration – Scoping Study
#31 Demystifying Volumetric Construction: A Study of the Bathroom Pod
#9 Implementing DfMA and Lean in Construction: Best Practice Guidelines through a Study of Building Services and Structure
#17 The implication of Industry 4.0 for the construction industry: towards smart prefab
Production and Process Systems (Advanced Manufacturing)
Theme coordinator

Dr Felix Hui
Projects
#15 Using the Whole Tree for Future Timber-Based Construction – Scoping Study
#25 Operational Excellence framework of steel fabrication and processing in the OSM and prefabrication sector (Phase 1)
#31 Demystifying Volumetric Construction: A Study of the Bathroom Pod
#30 Critical Path IMPACT through Productisation
#17 The implication of Industry 4.0 for the construction industry: towards smart prefab
Building Design and DFMA
Theme coordinator

Ivana Kuzmanovska
Projects
#31 Demystifying Volumetric Construction: A Study of the Bathroom Pod
#30 Critical Path IMPACT through Productisation
#9 Implementing DfMA and Lean in Construction: Best Practice Guidelines through a Study of Building Services and Structure
#18 Long-span Low-Carbon Floor Systems (Scoping Study)
#10 Product Platform for Volumetric Building (Scoping Study)
Keywords
- DfMA
- Industrialised Building
- Prefabrication
- Product Platform
- Volumetric construction