Commonality and its Measurement in Manufacturing Resources Planning

The main objectives of this paper are to (i) study the commonality indices in manufacturing resource planning reported in literatures since 1980 and (ii) some useful insights including advantages and disadvantages of using commonality in manufacturing/production environment. It is observed that in designing a new family of products/processes or analyzing an existing family, commonality indices can often be used as a starting point. Systematic understanding and effective use of commonality and commonality indices can help managing inventory levels, uncertainties and cost dimensions