The complexity of new products: a dynamic model for productivity loss analysis within productive systems

Abstract Globalization has been constantly changing the consumer market characteristics in which companies are inserted, as well as their clients’ necessities. Thus, to maintain competitiveness in this market, companies need to include certain features in their products which lead to an increase in the complexity of these products. These complexities may cause unwanted effects in manufacturing productivity. Knowing this, a dynamic simulation model was developed to verify the effects that product complexity may have on system productivity. For this, bibliographic research on complexity and product complexity has been done to identify not only the elements which characterize them but also the effects they may cause in manufacturing. Through simulations, it is concluded that increments in product complexity generate a 50% productivity loss, and if the line has restrictions in its capacity, these losses are more than 60%. Ultimately, previous analysis of the changes product complexity may cause in the process is an effective tool to reduce productivity loss, which is evidence that efficient management of complexity is necessary for the processes of product development.