University of Bath KTP Programme
Ben Whistler Ltd
The Company
Established in 1999, Ben Whistler has an unrivalled reputation for the design
and manufacture of bespoke furniture for the luxury interiors market,
supplying to domestic, hotel and restaurant projects. The company combines
traditional craftsmanship and detailed knowledge of furniture making with
advanced manufacturing and process-flow technology. The company is based
in London where the work will take place.
Partnership
rationale
This 30 month Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) between Ben Whistler
and the University of Bath is to research, specify, develop and implement new
digital information technology tools and methodologies to enable volume
production of bespoke furniture.
Partnership Objectives
The Ben Whistler vision is to be a market leader both in the UK and in key
international markets, requiring an increase in design and production capacity
without compromising on quality or the bespoke feel of their products.
Bespoke furniture making requires multiple high level craft skills and needs an
intensive level of design and manufacturing input. Ben Whistler produce
c.2000+ unique designs every year and the high level of original design input
for each individual piece makes scalability very restricted. In order to upscale
production, the company need to move away from the traditional artisan
model into digital concurrent modelling and manufacture; an innovative
approach for the bespoke furniture manufacturing industry.
The KTP programme will therefore deliver innovative digital design and
manufacture tools enabling the company to achieve a mass-customisation in
furniture production capability.
Associate role
To achieve planned expansion the company is looking to dramatically reduce
pre-production lead times and effort, and make improvements in production
efficiency.
Through the re-use of the company’s large data repository of previously made
furniture; photographs, CAD models, drawings and production information, the
Associate will:
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Optimise the use of SolidWorks CAD software to automate outputs
such as Bill Of Materials, and CAM data.
Implement CAD techniques to model bespoke products from
componentised assemblies of previous production items.
Establish parametric modelling techniques to enable customers to work
with BW designers to quickly customize archived designs into new
products meeting their bespoke requirements and removing the need
to create labour intensive original templates for each new piece.
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Using CAM techniques to enable faster, more efficient production of
items with less re-work due to increased design accuracy, and
concentrating craft production effort to areas of value adding activity.
Partnership management
The KTP Project is managed through the Local Management Committee
(LMC). This is chaired by the senior company executive and comprises the
Company and Academic leaders/supervisors and a KTP Advisor (Technology
Strategy Board representative). The LMC meets every four months and is
responsible for programme direction, ensuring that all parties gain maximum
benefit and authorising expenditure.
Associates are expected to prepare an executive summary, to report on
progress for the LMC meeting and this must be circulated in advance to LMC
members. They are also expected to make a formal presentation on some
aspects of their work at this meeting.
A monthly progress meeting is held with the Company and Academic
Supervisors. The Associate is expected to arrange and document these
meetings. The Associate is required to maintain a log of the tangible benefits
of the project and to provide internal seminars for other members of University
and Company staff, based on knowledge acquired through attendance at
courses and conferences.
Associate profile
Upper Second or First Class Masters Degree in a subject relevant to
Innovative Manufacture, Product Engineering, or Product Design is essential.
Industrial experience of the Furniture Manufacture industry or Industrial
Product Design would be ideal. Experience of using computer aided design
software and/or a background in computer science would be advantageous.
We would also expect you to demonstrate, through examples of previous
work;
The ability to lead and facilitate technical development
A manufacturing and product orientated approach
Strong design and engineering skills
Personal ambition and self-motivation to own and drive the project
forward with minimum supervision within agreed and directed task
boundaries
Excellent written and oral communication and IT skills
Associate’s expectation
The Associate will have the opportunity to pursue a higher degree as a
member of staff of the University. Bath provides an MPhil in Knowledge
Transfer specifically for KTP Associates, or another higher degree offered by
the Department of Mechanical Engineering may be appropriate.
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The Associate may have the opportunity to gain undergraduate level teaching
experience by co-supervising undergraduate dissertation students and giving
the occasional seminar to students of the Department of Mechanical
Engineering, to deliver papers at international conferences and to co-author
articles. They will be encouraged and supported to apply for Chartered
membership of a relevant professional body, probably the IMechE or a similar
professional body as graduate member.
On successful completion of the project it is highly likely that the Associate will
be offered a permanent position with the company. However, if due to
unforeseen circumstances this is not possible, the Associate will still have
gained;
substantial experience of project management and delivery
general business and management experience through close
involvement with the senior management team of a successful and
growing company
experience of influencing senior management into adoption of project
recommendations
experience of communicating ideas and technologies internally to
create buy-in from key stakeholders and with supply chain companies
and customers
Experience of working and communicating with a team and developing
and selling ideas within a close, collaborative environment.
expertise in product design and the design process with substantial
skills in manufacturing issues
an understanding of the challenges encountered with implementing
digital design and making tools to an artisan manufacturing process.
Additionally, the Associate will become an expert in Computer Aided Design,
Computer Aided Making and Parametric Modelling techniques. They will also
have the opportunity to develop commercial acumen and create a business
case, based on market performance, for the implementation of their work.
Salary and conditions of employment
Salary Range is £25,000 - £30,000 pa depending on qualifications and
experience and the reward package includes a pension contribution and
separate £5,000 personal training and development budget.
The Associate will be appointed by the University as a member of staff with
the Department of Mechanical Engineering, responsible to the appointed
academic supervisor. The contract of employment is for 30 months. There is
a probationary period of six months, during which time the contract may be
terminated by either side with one month’s notice. Thereafter, the required
notice period to be given by either side is three months. The University
requires a mid- probationary report after three months and a full probationary
report at six months.
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In other respects the Associate will be treated as a company employee. Work
will mainly take place at the Company’s premises but may necessitate
working at the University as appropriate for the certain activities of the project.
The conditions of work, including work hours and holiday entitlement, will be
those applying to Company employees. An appraisal is carried out at six
months with the Academic and Company Supervisors. This is used to identify
the Associate’s training requirements in relation to programme tasks and their
personal development plan. There will be further appraisals at twelve and
twenty four months.
Whilst there is no commitment on the company to retain the Associate at the
end of the programme, it is expected that the Associate will be made aware of
future prospects at their twenty four month appraisal. KTP appointments
cannot normally be extended beyond the end of the project.
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