What does the manager of the future look like?

Nika Machinery first learned about Ditrama - Digital Transformation Manager in 2019 when representatives of Transilvania University of Brasov visited their stand. The project, which set out to train professionals capable of guiding companies towards their digital transformation, was in its infancy and the presence of specialists with close links to manufacturing would have been helpful in providing real market intelligence. Exclusive dealer in Romania of Cabinet Vision, complete design and production software for customized furniture, Nika Utilaje had the specialists and technical expertise. But before we get to the results of this collaboration, let's first take a look at how the Ditrama program came about, who the partners are and what they aim to do. Professor dr.ing Lidia Gurău spoke to us about the program and its link with Transilvania University.

What is Ditrama and why was this program needed?

Today, the furniture sector is strongly affected by specific challenges/threats: competition from countries with cheap labor, an ageing workforce, weak attraction of young people and so on. The sector needs to be transformed through the development of new technologies in the framework of the 4th industrial revolution in order to grow, Industry 4.0. It is the main way to regain the competitiveness and attractiveness of young talent.

There are numerous technologies now aimed at improving the efficiency of furniture production, such as the industrial internet of smart things, big data analytics, cloud computing, systems and device integration and sensing, cybersecurity, robotics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, blockchain, virtual, augmented and mixed reality, simulation technologies and digital twins. This means furniture makers are more likely to be faced with identifying and understanding the most appropriate technologies to get the best results.

In this direction, DITRAMA aims to train the professional capable of leading the progressive introduction of these technologies in the company's processes (supply processes, design and machining processes and distribution/delivery processes), in a direction that respects the company's know-how and the company's overall growth strategy. Thus, the project materialized in a course accessible online, free of charge, which you can follow below,

Transilvania University of Brasov - partner of the Ditrama project

The idea of developing an interactive, online and accessible course originated with the Spanish coordinator of the program, CENFIM, who launched the initiative by co-opting partners with whom he wanted to work. Thus, we became 12 partners, from 8 countries, eager to explore this topic especially through the needs of the sector in each country involved. The goal was to define the profile of the new professional, the Digital Transformation Manager for the mobile sector through the development of a multimedia training program (MOOC).

The 36-month project is a collaboration of 12 partners from 8 different European countries, from academia, business, applied research and training in an integrated synergy, responding to the need for companies to entrust the definition and implementation of their technological innovation strategy to a company professional.

"The team of the Faculty of Furniture Design and Wood Engineering, part of the DITRAMA project, would like to thank NIKA Utilaje for its exemplary involvement in supporting, both for the development of course materials and by continuously popularizing the project results. The DITRAMA "network" is thus concretized in an inspiring pairing on the path of digitalization, between the educational environment and the real world of companies in the field". Lidia Gurău - DITRAMA team

Cabinet Vision - the furniture programming software made available by Nika Utilaje to the University

The request to collaborate with Nika Utilaje came naturally because, from the division of the project themes, Transilvania University of Brasov addressed, among other topics, the area of furniture design. The DITRAMA course also includes a case study of the implementation of the Cabinet Vision program at Flory Design company under the brand Gabxa. Flory Design was even among the first Cabinet Vision implementations in Romania, and the company's representatives came with many examples of how the program has helped them in their daily work in the workshop.

Cabinet Vision is a complete custom furniture design program and has dedicated functions for both solid wood, chipboard and MDF. It is a modular software, with solutions for workshops with simple machines as well as complex, fully automated factories. Used by over 35,000 users in 50 countries, it is the market leader in solutions for custom furniture manufacturers. In addition to highly realistic design and rendering, Cabinet Vision can automate and fully integrate design into the production process, no matter what level of manufacturer - beginner or highly advanced. Automatic file transfer to production is done with Screen to Machine Center (S2M)a software program that takes the machining information visible on the screen and transmits it to the CNC or other computer-aided machines.

Examples of Cabinet Vision use:

• design any type of furniture;
• design of furniture pieces;
• photorealistic renderings and perspectives;
• price offers for the customer;
• customized drawings and reports;
• optimized cutting lists and material lists;
• barcode labels;
• G-Code files

"We are glad to be able to support Transylvania University, especially through such projects that aim to innovate the field of woodworking. We believe that for any challenge there is a simple solution, and this is proven once again by the DITRAMA course. We invite you to attend the course and benefit from the technologies of the future today." Adrian Broșiu - Technical Director NIKA Utilaje