Extreme Customization: Rapid Manufacturing Products that Enhance the Consumer

AbstractBody-fitting customized products are becoming an increasingly important area of research in terms of increasing a product's marketability and performance. Through the capture of simple scan data using Reverse Engineering techniques and the application of Rapid Manufacturing the production of bespoke components and products is possible, both technically and economically, due to the removal of labor and tooling from the manufacturing process. This paper provides a holistic view of the concept of personalized manufacturing, incorporating results from a global survey on the propensity for bodyfitting customization, specifically, on the customization of motorcycle seating. It outlines that the important geometry capture stage must capture the deformed geometry rather than simple body scan data for the customization to be effective. In addition the methods and issues associated with manufacturing personalized seating are explored and the service requirements for motorcycle seat consumers are identified, as well as providing a route to manufacture using wholly digital techniques.