Design-as-a-Service (DaaS) Framework for Enabling Innovations in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)


 Modern manufacturing enterprises must be agile to cope with sudden demand changes arising from increased global competition, geopolitical factors, and unforeseen circumstances such as the Covid-19 pandemic. Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing sector lack agility due to lower penetration of Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT), the inability to employ highly skilled human capital, and the absence of a formal innovation ecosystem for new products or solutions. In recent years, Cloud-based Design and Manufacturing (CBDM) has emerged as an enabler for product realization by integrating various service-based models. However, the existing framework does not support the innovation ecosystem thoroughly from concept to product realization by addressing economic challenges and human skillset requirements in a formal way. The present work considers augmentation of Design-as-a-Service (DaaS) model into the existing CBDM framework for enabling systematic product innovations. The DaaS model proposes to connect skilled human resources with enterprises interested in transforming an idea into a product or solution through the CBDM framework. The model presents an approach for integrating human resources with various CBDM elements and end-users through a service-based model. The challenges associated with the successful implementation of the proposed model are also discussed. It is established that the DaaS has a potential for rapid and economical product discovery and can be readily accessible to SMEs or independent individuals.