ADDFACTOR · ADvanced Digital technologies and virtual engineering for mini-Factories

In today globalized world, companies are trying to remain competitive through the adoption of a strategy where high quantity production of goods is the leverage to reduce costs.By negating this approach, ADDFactor proposes the “Mini-factories” concept, which is conceived to be an innovative solution for most of the actors involved in the whole supply chain: the relationship between retailers and the manufacturing technologies will be considered and characterized by a new production framework concept, founded on central knowledge-based design and local distributed manufacturing.This high-level concept will be applied focusing on need-driven products, and ADDFactor will manage the complexity of their design phase thanks to a direct connection with the retailer, that will provide “biometric data” of the customers as tacit requirements and “aesthetics tests” as explicit demands, being both fundamental for an effective individual personalization.ADDFactor achievements will be focused on two different levels of manufacturing solutions, which will be placed:•at retail environment, to consider products simple and/or reduced in terms of assembled components (i.e. orthotics or modular fashion heels and plateau);•and at district level when the products are complex and the manufacturing procedures cannot be scaled at local level (i.e. sport shoes or complete customized fashion shoes).Within this overall project concept, ADDFactor will structure its activities towards the achievement of different objectives, from diagnostic devices to advanced design tools in order to convert personal data in individual product specifications. The manufacturing is then guaranteed by a local manufacturing through novel ultra-fast and auto-configurable machines.Thanks to the concurrent impact of these project results, ADDFactor will spark off an innovation virtuous cycle towards a future European industry.