Case Study
·July 2021
DK Schweizer
How 3D Visualization Automated 11,089 Seat Models Across 6 Countries
Interactive 3D leather seat configurator and B2B e-store for DK Schweizer — automating 11,089 seat models with real-time customisation of materials, colours, perforations, and embroidery across a global dealer network spanning 6 countries.
11,089
3D Models Automated
230%
Efficiency Improvement
10,000+
Seat Patterns in Database
6
Countries Served
The Challenge
Digitising 10,000+ seat patterns for a global manufacturing operation
DK Schweizer's B2B ordering process was entirely manual. Agents from 6 countries relied on physical catalogues and manual communication to specify complex seat customisations across more than 10,000 seat patterns. Each order involved selecting from multiple material types, colour combinations, seam styles, perforation patterns, and embroidery options — all communicated through emails, phone calls, and sample swatches without any visual confirmation of the final product. Order accuracy issues were leading to costly remanufacturing, and sales cycles were slowing as agents spent excessive time on back-and-forth communication.
Manual B2B Ordering
Thousands of seat variants across global markets ordered through physical catalogues and manual communication with no standardised digital workflow.
No Visual Preview
B2B agents could not preview exact customisations before ordering, leading to costly seat set remanufacturing when specifications were miscommunicated.
Complex Pricing & Routing
Dynamic pricing across regions, packages, and seater ranges with multi-role order workflows spanning 7 distinct user roles.
The Solution
Three interconnected systems powered by real-time 3D
Advisory Apps built three interconnected systems to transform DK Schweizer's B2B operations from manual catalogues to a fully digital platform. The first was an interactive 3D seat configurator built with Unreal Engine (iPad), Unity (mobile), and Three.js (web browser). The second was a B2B e-store with gated ordering and automatic order routing. The third was a custom CMS and 3D asset repository managing the full complexity of 10,000+ seat patterns, pricing rules, and role-based workflows.
System Architecture
Multi-platform 3D configurator connected to a Laravel backend — serving iPad, mobile, and web clients with real-time seat customisation data from MySQL and 3D assets from Google Cloud Storage.
iPad App
Unreal Engine
Mobile App
Unity · iOS & Android
Web App
Three.js · Browser
Laravel API Backend
Auth • Orders • Pricing • 3D Asset Serving
VueJS Admin Panel
Users • SD Mgmt • Colors • Orders
MySQL Database
Users • Orders • SD • Pricing • Colours
Google Cloud Storage
GLB • PAK • PDFs • Logos • Masks
3D Asset Pipeline
How a physical seat design becomes an interactive 3D model available across all platforms — from hardware scanning through to live configurator deployment.
Step 1
3D Hardware Scan
Physical seat scanned with 3D hardware scanner, producing raw FBX file
Step 2
Blender Preprocessing
FBX cleaned, optimised, UV-mapped, and converted to PAK and GLB formats
Step 3
Admin Panel Setup
DK Code created, SD info entered, PAK/GLB uploaded, material config set
Step 4
Texture & Mask Config
Seamless images and masks uploaded for perforation, stitching, carbon fibre
Step 5
Live on All Platforms
Seat model available for 3D customisation across iPad, mobile, and web
Order Flow
How a B2B agent configures and orders a custom leather seat — from login through to automated production sheet generation for the factory floor.
Step 1
Agent Logs In
B2B agent authenticates via mobile or web app with role-based access
Step 2
Configure Seat in 3D
Select car model, choose materials, colours, perforation, seam, embroidery
Step 3
Review & Order
Confirm with 3D preview screenshots, pricing auto-calculated by config
Step 4
BDU Processing
Order auto-routed to assigned BDU personnel based on agent-customer link
Step 5
Factory Production
Order instruction PDF with spec sheet and 3D screenshots sent to factory
3D Seat Configurator
Interactive real-time 3D visualisation built with Unreal Engine, Unity, and Three.js — supporting material types, colours, seams, perforations, embroidery, and digital punching on any seat model.
B2B E-Store Platform
Gated ordering portal where agents browse and configure seats visually, with automatic order routing to designated BDU personnel and order instruction generation for the factory floor.
Custom CMS & 3D Repository
VueJS admin panel managing 10,000+ patterns, DK Codes, RGB colour formulas, dynamic pricing, and role-based access — plus a 3D asset pipeline processing FBX to PAK/GLB files.
Implementation Timeline
Phase 1
Design & Prototyping
Phase 2
Core Development
Phase 3
Integration & Expansion
Phase 4
UAT & Launch
Methodology
Phased delivery across four workstreams
The project was structured into four phases over 12 months — each independently scoped and delivered as a complete module. The 3D asset pipeline was established first to ensure the configurator engine had production-ready models to render. Development of the e-commerce platform and CMS ran in parallel during the core development phase.
3D Asset Pipeline
Established pipeline to ingest raw FBX files from 3D hardware scanners, preprocess in Blender, and convert to web-friendly PAK and GLB formats.
Configurator Engine
Built real-time 3D rendering with Unreal Engine (iPad), Unity (mobile), and Three.js (web) with dynamic texturing for material and pattern visualisation.
E-Commerce Platform
Developed B2B e-store with gated ordering, role-based workflows, region restrictions, and automated order instruction generation.
CMS & Training
Custom VueJS admin panel with comprehensive user training and 54-page user manual delivery across all DK Schweizer offices.
Key Features Delivered
Interactive 3D Seat Configurator
Real-time 3D visualisation supporting material types (leather, PVC, Nappa), main/secondary colours, piping, seam styles, perforation, and embroidery with full spin and zoom.
B2B E-Store with Gated Ordering
Agents browse and configure seats visually, while ordering is restricted to verified B2B accounts with automatic BDU personnel routing.
Role-Based Workflow System
Seven distinct roles (Admin, Designer, BDU, Finance, R&D, Shipping, Agent) with hierarchical order processing and granular permissions.
Dynamic Pricing Engine
Automatic price calculation based on package type (Full Leather, Half Leather, Nappa, PVC), seater range, and region with instant quotes during configuration.
Region-Restricted Catalogues
Agents only see standard designs available in their market (SG, UK, PHI, etc.) with region-specific shipping methods (DHL, FedEx, TNT, Citylink).
3D Asset Management Pipeline
Processing pipeline converting FBX files to PAK/GLB with dynamic seamless masks for carbon fibre, micro fibre, and pattern textures applied to 3D mesh.
The Results
Measurable impact across the global dealer network
11,089
3D Seat Models Automated
Every seat pattern in the database digitised and available for real-time 3D customisation.
230%
Efficiency Improvement
Customisation and ordering processes transformed from days of back-and-forth to minutes.
10,000+
Seat Patterns Digitised
Full product catalogue available as interactive 3D models across all platforms.
6
Countries on Platform
UK, Holland, Switzerland, Belgium, Dubai, and Thailand — all ordering through one system.
Modules Used
Built with production-ready modules
This project leverages our library of battle-tested modules — each independently scoped, tested, and deployed across multiple client projects.
3D Product Configurator
Real-time 3D customization where users pick materials, colors, and options — like designing in a game
3D Asset Manager
Upload, organize, and version 3D models with material libraries and texture management
User Management
Unified user profiles, role-based access, and secure authentication
Media Library & CDN
Upload, crop, compress, and serve images and videos with CDN delivery and format optimization
Content Management System
Headless CMS with rich text editor, media library, versioning, and publishing workflows
Approval Workflow Engine
Configurable multi-step approval chains with escalation, delegation, and SLA timers
Conclusion
3D technology transforming B2B manufacturing
The DK Schweizer project demonstrates how immersive 3D technology can transform traditional B2B manufacturing sales. By automating 11,089 seat models through the 3D asset pipeline, the platform delivered a 230% efficiency improvement in customisation and ordering processes. Agents worldwide can now visualise exact customisations in real-time 3D — selecting materials, colours, seam styles, perforations, and embroidery — and see the precise result before placing an order.
Orders are routed automatically to the right teams through role-based workflows, with pricing calculated instantly based on configuration. The platform now serves as the foundation for DK Schweizer's digital strategy — a single system connecting manufacturing, sales, and logistics across 6 countries.
Future Outlook
- B2C consumer-facing configurator for individual car owners to design and order custom seats online
- AR integration for customers to visualise custom seats inside their actual vehicle
- Expansion to additional manufacturing plants and new regional markets
Services Used
Capabilities behind this project
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