An Innovative Production Paradigm to Offer Customized and Sustainable Wood Furniture Solutions Exploiting the Mini-Factory Concept

Abstract

To face increasing competitive pressures, European industry must develop methods and enabling technologies towards a personalized, customer oriented and sustainable manufacturing. This statement is well understood by many companies, shared by policy maker at the European Commission (e.g. as per the "Factory of the Future" multi-annual road-map), and empowered by the current funding programmes for industrial research (Horizon2020). Manufacturers are demanded to merge the need to be reactive towards customer needs and wishes (customized products), with the requisite to be proactive towards ecological and social impact (sustainable products). This concept points out two key elements whose impact on manufacturing is complex and interdepended: Customization and Sustainability. Within the CTC 3-year project methods and innovative enabling technologies are developed and integrated to enable a local flexible manufacturing of green personalized furniture close to the customer. © IFIP International Federation for Information Processing 2014.