THE DIGITAL LABcome with us into tomorrow...

Warwick University: Learning From Aerospace: Coventry Aerospace Forum

Joe DarlingtonKnowledge Transfer Specialist

joseph.darlington@warwick.ac.ukwww.digital.warwick.ac.uk

21st April 2009

Agenda

• Introduction to Warwick Digital Lab (DL)• DL Aerospace Fact Finding Mission• Collaborative Marketplace• Future Activities• Summary and Way Forward

Digital Lab Background

• A new £50 million Initiative• Digital technology is pervasive and core to all activities• No centralised interdisciplinary team of digital experts• Impacts all individuals, technologies, sectors and

countries to create wealth• Multi-disciplinary science involving end users• Research, knowledge transfer and education• Hub of emerging digital technology knowledge &

services aimed at meeting operational, marketing & R&D needs of SMEs

Working with SMEs in Digital Lab

• 10% - Feasibility to full R&D

• 25% - Leading edge SMEs

• 45% - Mainstream SMEs

• 20% - Late Adopters

Research & Technological Development

Strategic Thinking

Advanced Technology Engagement

Basic Technology Engagement

FP7AWM

TSB

RC UK

PhD KTP

EngD

DigitalGuilds

Leading to the development of new products/services

IndexVouchers

Funding Expansion R&D

Process Technology Products/Service

eSecurity

Organisational Analysis

Remote monitoring

Desktop ApplicationsWebsites

Workshops

SME LabeCommerce

Supply chain integration & collaboration

Demonstrators

Email/ communication

Routes to Collaboration with DL

Engagement OpportunitiesSkills

Long Term

PhD or EngD

Short Term

MsC

Undergraduate

Funding

Small Scale

Index Vouchers/APOC

Large Scale

TSB/FP7/RC UK

Quick Wins

Workshops

Digital Clinics, Technology Capabilities

DL Facilities

Product showcases / Demonstrators

Winning new business

Collaborative Marketplace, eMarketing

Expertise/ Equipment

DPLM/Lean & 6Sigma/Metrology Equipment

Fact Finding Mission

• Demonstration of DL metrology capabilities – 19th March 09

• DL SME team visits Coventry Aerospace businesses to understand current challenges:– Visited 4 companies to date– Evaluated current business challenges– Competence profiling

Fact Finding Mission

• SME Aerospace businesses in the region:– Short lead times (4 weeks)– Batch sizes from One off to Thousands– Business competencies range: Precision machining to Refurbishment– Range of capabilities in the workforce Highly Skilled to Apprentice

level– Range of challenges

• Knowledge of Lean and Six Sigma– Limited resources to apply these rigorously

• Improving Quality and Tool wear• RCA to Identify part variation• Accessing new business opportunities

• Resources to carry out non critical work at a premium

Companies Visited

• G & N Tools

• Technoset

• CFS Aero Products

• Harris RCS

Collaborative Marketplace - WMCCM

Competency profiling Coventry Aerospace SME’s

Access to Innovative SMEs

• Acquire/develop digital technologies to generate new products and processes:– RDM Automotive:

• Discussed initial ideas• Collaborative research projects funded by EPSRC and DTI• Found partners & configured online collaborative tools to address new market• Developed new products / services (Cat 5)• eMarketing of new products, assisting in Google AdWords campaign• Gained new OEM customers• Bought out December 2007 £m++

• Increase revenues Access new business opportunities:– Edwards engineering:

• Contract machining business• Developed new channels, SEO, digging the web, £100k++

• Decrease cost of existing working practices:– Increased efficiency, cost effective marketing & procurement– Anchor inserts:

• 100 year old machines, simple product, USA selling agent• Google Adwords, Paypal, opened up new market at limited cost

DL & Aerospace Digital Guild

• Group of business focussed on emerging technology:– The facilities at Digital Lab provide a neutral working environment to allow

the group of companies to share and develop knowledge that is beneficial to all

• The Benefits:– To respond to forward trends within industry and the industrial environment– To provides a base for research which could not be resourced independently– To provide a valuable counter weight to the dominance of OEMS within field– To provide a forum for the technical dissemination of new advances in

production and product technology to a targeted audience

• The Vision:– Spring board to develop technologies into the future– Development of businesses into other industries; e.g. automotive, white goods– The Digital Guild could stimulate and provide support for future funding

Future activities

• Talk to more industry leaders• Knowledge capture based on Coventry Aerospace

members (mail shot, site visits etc)

• Identify a ‘hit list’ 5 major challenges – Skills, Processes, Marketing etc– Collective interest/challenges of Aerospace

businesses to guide DL collaboration• The focus of effort to be defined by industry• Where can we help?

Summary

• Created high quality research environment• Knowledge transfer impact• Hub of emerging digital technology knowledge

aimed at SMEs needs• Digital Guilds• Regional & SME Development impact• Understanding what are the main challenges

experienced by Aerospace SME

• Where can we help?