Assessment of Digital Factory Impact on Quality Improvement of a Furniture Company Products

Abstract

Relevance. The digital transformation of the furniture industry, driven by import substitution and personalized demand, is highlighting the issue of product quality assurance, as traditional quality control methods are no longer effective. Objective. To develop and test a methodology for comprehensively assessing the impact of key digital factory technologies (CAD/CAM, MES, machine vision) on the quality of furniture products. Methods. The study was based on a retrospective analysis of production indicators at Mebel-Stil LLC (Moscow) for 2021-2024, supplemented by expert interviews with the company’s technology specialists. An analysis of digital technology implementation points was conducted, identifying four key stages of the production cycle most sensitive to digitalization: design, pre-production, production, and quality control. A factor analysis for reducing defects was conducted using expert assessments. Results. It was found that the integration of digital factory elements reduced the rate of defects at the cutting stage by 58.6% (from 2.8-2.9% to 1.2%) and at the insertion stage by 57.1% (from 4.2-4.5% to 1.8%), as well as more than halved the number of customer complaints (from 12-14 to 5 cases per 1,000 completed orders). Parametric design (reducing design errors by 70%), real-time process parameter monitoring systems, and continuous inspection using machine vision were found to be the greatest contributors to the reduction in defects. The economic benefits of reducing losses due to defects and lowering warranty costs were determined. Conclusions. The proposed methodology can be adapted to other companies in the furniture industry. The conceptual shift from final inspection of finished products to quality management directly during the production process was confirmed. Key points of greatest digitalization effectiveness in the furniture industry have been identified, enabling targeted investment planning in digital transformation.