Service and Support Engineering

Services are assuming an increasingly important role in the business models of technology based companies as organisations shift from a product-based model to one that is more service-oriented. Services now represent over 75% of employment in the UK and are increasingly important in traditionally product based industries such as aerospace, defence and transportation. For many years, services have been used by suppliers to increase revenues and differentiate their products from their competitors.

Manufacturers' provision of integrated through-life services can offer customers greater realised value and reduce costs, while increasing the predictability of future revenue. Manufacturers are providing services with guaranteed outcomes (such as aircraft flying hours or factory production capacity), which requires the integration of complex engineering assets and through-life services. Since 2005, researchers from across the IfM have worked with BAE Systems, IBM and others to study this so called "servitisation" of manufacturing.

Current programmes

• The Cambridge Service Alliance
• "KT-Box
• Information for Asset Management

Recent programmes

• "Succeeding through Service Innovation". A joint IBM/IfM white paper outlining the future of service science.
• "Support Service Solutions: Strategy and Transition" A ten university collaborative project in partnerships with BAE Systems and EPSRC
• "Multi-Organisation Networks". Research on partnered service networks by the IfM's Centre for International Manufacturing.

Research team

The IfM's Service and Support Engineering programme is led by Duncan McFarlane, and coordinated by Chris Pearson . It draws on researchers from the Distributed Information and Automation Laboratory, the Centre for International Manufacturing, the Centre for Strategy and Performance and the Centre for Technology Management.

The IfM works closely with Michael Barrett and other researchers at Cambridge's Judge Business School.