Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Fully-automated software platform with 3D freeform configurator for design and production of individual and affordable furniture

Project description

New software brings mass customisation to furniture

The production of unique goods at scale is a business model designed to meet the growing individualisation of demand. Mass customisation is a strategic mechanism that can be applied in most business sectors apart from furniture. In this case, a new type of digital innovation is necessary. The EU-funded 3DConfigurator project will make it possible for clients to customise furniture design via their parametric design software FORMBAR. The process of design, conversion into optimal milling data and products will be highly integrated, and mathematical algorithms ensure the functionality of models. The project’s unique application will halve production costs, opening the technology for the mass market.

Objective

Mass customization is finding its way into innumerable areas of daily life, e.g. textiles, shoes, as consumer strive for individuality. 84 million customers bout furniture online in the EU. The preconditions for mass furniture are enabled by digitization. Yet there is no solution for affordable individualized furniture representing a tremendous unexploited market.
FORMBAR, our novel parametric design software based on mathematical-physical-architectural principles, is the enabling technology allowing customers for the first time to freely shape their furniture individually. In this Phase 2 project FORMBAR will be 100% automated. With simple mouse movements, the customer designs a photo-realistically rendered 3D model and thus constantly inspects his created piece of furniture visually with regard to the selected materiality and colour.
By directly integrating the machine specifications into the design process, the self-generated 3D piece of furniture is automatically converted into an optimized cutting pattern and produced cost-effectively using state-of-the-art CNC milling machines. The generated milling data are sent to one of the more than 100 carpenters of OKINLAB in close vicinity to the customer. FORMBAR covers the entire furniture manufacturing process 100% automated, from design to production, in a single application. In combination with mathematically implied algorithms, OKINLAB can guarantee the functionality as well as the producibility of the furniture while at the same time implementing a scalable business model. With FORMBAR mass customization of individual furniture becomes affordable for the first time.
OKINLAB with its team of 16 employees from software development, architecture, design, marketing, has developed a configurator in the past selling more than 1,500 pieces of furniture as of today. By automation of FORMBAR costs of the furniture is reduced by 50% opening the technology for the mass market with a potential of €25.3 billion.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

OKINLAB GMBH
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 891 750,00
Address
URSULINENSTRASSE 35
66111 SAARBRUCKEN
Germany

See on map

SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Region
Saarland Saarland Regionalverband Saarbrücken
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 2 702 500,00
My booklet 0 0