Development of a Product Platform for Ship Locks Using DSM Methods

During the coming decades, a significant number of ship locks in the Netherlands is due for replacement or renovation. In this respect, Rijkswaterstaat (RWS), the executive branch of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, is investigating the options while allowing for the necessary variety in lock configurations to meet lock location specific requirements. This paper presents the development of a product platform for locks to standardize selected lock components and to reduce the level of variety within the portfolio. Considering components and parameters, that are the main determinants in civil-mechanic lock design, the required solution freedom in choosing component types is determined to arrive at feasible lock configurations. Feasible configurations are determined for the locks in the RWS portfolio. A component and design process DSM analysis is carried out to arrive at a decision sequence for selecting component types to configure a lock.