Recent work done between Warwick Digitial Lab & Coventry Aerospace Forum in engaing SME with DL

1. come with us into tomorrow...
Warwick University: Learning From
Aerospace: Coventry Aerospace Forum
21st April 2009
Joe Darlington
Knowledge Transfer Specialist
joseph.darlington@warwick.ac.uk
www.digital.warwick.ac.uk

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

3. 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

4. Working with SMEs in Digital Lab
AWM eSecurity FP7
• 10% - Feasibility to full R&D
Research & Technological
Development TSB
Process Technology Products/Service
RC UK
Funding
PhD KTP
Expansion R&D
Organisational
• 25% - Leading edge SMEs EngD Strategic Thinking Analysis
Leading to the development of new
products/services
Digital
Demonstrators Guilds
Advanced Technology
• 45% - Mainstream SMEs Supply chain Engagement
Index
integration &
Vouchers
Remote
collaboration
monitoring
Desktop
Websites Applications
Basic Technology
• 20% - Late Adopters
Email/
Engagement communication
Workshops eCommerce
SME Lab

5. Routes to Collaboration with DL
Long Term PhD or EngD
Skills
MsC
Short Term
Undergraduate
Small Scale Index Vouchers/APOC
Engagement Funding
Opportunities Large Scale TSB/FP7/RC UK
Workshops Digital Clinics, Technology Capabilities
DL Facilities Product showcases / Demonstrators
Quick Wins
Winning new
Collaborative Marketplace, eMarketing
business
Expertise/
DPLM/Lean & 6Sigma/Metrology Equipment
Equipment

6. 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

7. 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

8. Collaborative Marketplace - WMCCM
Competency profiling Coventry Aerospace SME’s

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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?

12. 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?