Smart Seat-Manufacturing (SSM) – Digitally Automated Quality-Driven Finishing Process

At the heart of this project is the challenge of effectively digitizing part of a manufacturing process namely, the process of visual/perceived quality control and finishing of automotive seats. This is a challenging area since the project aims to take a subjective craft-based activity and change it into a quantifiable process via suitable metrics. Once this is achieved, the second phase of activity will migrate the manual ad-hoc process to a semi, and ultimately fully-automated finishing process, bringing with this the ability to integrate suppliers and users via this digital product model much more effectively than is possible with the current manufacturing approach. From a materials perspective the project valuably aims to enable the visual characterization of natural materials and their processing and inspection. The project unites a large global end-user based in the UK with innovative SME technology providers and enabling basic technologies and methods from WMG at the University of Warwick. The outcomes include a radical improvement in digitally definable product manufacturing quality and efficiency for a key automotive component supplier and SME products and services applicable to the next generation of smart connected factories.