Development of a product architecture for a LED based detector for liquid chromatography

Abstract

This thesis develops and describes the product architecture for a LED based detector for liquid chromatography systems. The product architecture development is discussed using a customized methodology, incorporating elements from different views on product architecture development. The market scope and segmentation for such a device was studied and the effect of technologies for such a device on the product architecture was reviewed. The architecture of the product is described at 2 different levels. The first level is the concept design phase which links functional elements to physical components. The second level contains the grouping of components into sub-systems of the product. Design Structure Matrices for the key interactions at the sub-system level were created. These serve to elucidate the key interactions between the chunks for the detailed designers. Finally, the implications of the developed architecture are discussed. One configuration of the developed architecture was selected for detailed design. The optical and mechanical design for this configuration was carried out by separate MIT students.