Service Center Mass-Personalization

To individualize products on request and according to the needs of the clientele in such a way that they can be produced in the quantity of 1 at the cost of mass production sounds paradoxical. But this is precisely the goal of the Mass Personalization service center. Since individualization is emerging as a megatrend in society, mass personalization enables completely new business models and gives companies in Baden-Württemberg the chance to open up new markets. With personalized products, a new business relationship with the end consumer - Business-to-User (B2U) - is to be developed. 

In October 2017, the service center Mass Personalization was launched as a joint initiative of Fraunhofer IAO with the other Fraunhofer Institutes IPA, IGB, IBP, the University of Stuttgart and numerous industrial partners in the region. It conducts interdisciplinary and cross-industry research into methods, procedures, processes, product systems and business models for manufacturing personalized products. Its core areas include housing and construction, mobility and automotive, and health and life science. To this end, innovative transfer paths are being established to enable the rapid transfer of research results into industrial practice (for example, through appropriate further training). Close, transdisciplinary cooperation will enable the latest processes and highly complex issues to be tackled.

The goal is the development of processes, production systems and business models for the cost-efficient production of personalized products. In addition, the advancement of innovations should lead to a significant improvement in the user value of products and services and thus help manufacturing companies to achieve sustainable competitive advantages. Ultimately, the initiative is to be regarded as a model plan for the entire federal territory.