**8. The product development process**

In product development process, the modular and integral approach is defined to understand in detail the different characteristics involved in reconfiguration for a manufacturing system. Strategic technology insertion and challenges in manufacturing will also be briefly discussed. Product architecture is determined in the early stages of process development. Functional elements are arranged into specific blocks to breakdown their functions (what they do) and how they are interfaced to the rest of the product (**Figure 13**).
