Digital infrastructure for the inclusion of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in design for distributed manufacturing and assembly construction ecosystems

The construction sector faces growing pressure to meet net-zero targets while addressing skills shortages, fragmented supply chains, and the limited participation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), despite SMEs delivering most UK construction output. Existing centralised models of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) often exclude SMEs, highlighting the need for alternative approaches that support inclusive, low-carbon industrial transformation. This paper presents a Design for Distributed Manufacturing and Assembly (DfDMA) framework that develops the shared digital and organisational infrastructure required for SME participation in timber-based MMC. Using a mixed-method approach combining co-design, research-in-residence, prototyping, and a full-scale demonstrator, the study developed and validated a DfDMA Platform, Production Control Plan, and Material Passport system through the Dell Cabin, the UK's first fully passported prefabricated timber building. Findings indicate that DfDMA has the potential to improve production consistency, material traceability, and embodied carbon outcomes, demonstrating its potential to enable resilient, SME-centred construction ecosystems.