To facilitate the digitization of SMEs in the habitat sector through the definition of strategies that allow them to achieve objectives related to Industry 4.0.
The objectives of the project were to know the level of digitalization of the Habitat Sector as a whole, and to define, with objective criteria, the viability of developing projects for the implementation of enabling technologies that allow a company in the sector to reach a level of digitalization that is appropriate to its business strategy.

Once the objectives to be achieved were defined, the study provided a Sectorial Road Map that shows a set of actions to be developed in each area of the company, defined in a simple and understandable way, whose sequential execution would allow progressive progress in those areas.

To facilitate progress in the different areas of SMEs, files on the main digital enablers were defined, which provide useful and practical references so that any company interested in starting or continuing with the digitalisation of its business and its processes, can have a broad vision, although adapted to the Sector, of the usefulness of these main technologies that will lead to the digital transformation.

The technologies included in the sheets are: Collaborative work environments, B2B manufacturing platforms, B2C and B2B e-commerce platforms, ERP systems, MES systems, CRM systems, BI systems, additive manufacturing with plastic and metal, production robotics, logistics robotics, collaborative robotics, Data Analytics - Big data, artificial intelligence - Machine learning, sensors and systems in the manufacturing processes of furniture.

Resources needed

- 171,000 of the budget used in the Project.
- 3 cluster organisations from 3 regions representative of the sector at national level.
- 30 SMEs that participated in the self-evaluation.

Evidence of success

- A report on the situation of the sector based on a survey of 30 companies in three Spanish regions, where more than a third of the companies in the sector are located on a national level.
- Catalogue of 15 technologies 4.0, with examples of use adapted to the sector, suppliers of the same, and organized in 6 families.
- More than 500 downloads of the guide.

Difficulties encountered

- Homogenising answers to the evolution survey.
- Different degrees of development in each department or area of the company (product, processes, strategy, infrastructure, etc...)
- Certain company processes don't have mature technologies in the commercialization phase to be implemented.

Potential for learning or transfer

- This project methodology would be applicable to other traditional manufacturing sectors.
- Importance of knowing the different level of digitalization of SMEs within the sector. Each part of a different level of digitization and goes at a different speed.
- Importance of adapting the technologies to the specific sector, from the point of view of the processes.
- Development of a digitisation methodology adapted to the furniture sector and aimed at a level of digitisation appropriate to the sector. This level of digitalization serves as a reference for all companies that want to achieve a high level of digitalization.
- Development of a roadmap adaptable to each company and adapted to different levels of digitization by areas of the company.
- Analysis and research of seven reference models to analyse the level of digitalisation of SMEs.
Main institution
AMUEBLA
Location
Región de Murcia,
Start Date
September 2017
End Date
May 2018

Contact

Raquel Ortega Martínez Please login to contact the author.