| 1. |
- Badasjane, Viktorija
(author)
-
Coordinating Digital Transformation in International Manufacturing Networks
- 2023
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Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Manufacturing companies have adapted to globalisation and collected their globally dispersed factories into factory networks, known as international manufacturing networks (IMNs). This requires coordination to access the associated competitive advantages, synchronise the factories, and exploit the capabilities inherent in those individual factories. However, when IMNs introduce digital transformation into the factories, the coordination is often hindered by uncertainty and complexity, as digital transformation requires an extensive adjustment that affects everything from the organisational structure to ways of working. Different parts of the network that are dependent on one another, for example, may be difficult to track and foresee the consequences of digital transformation. Hence, due to the respective challenges, complexities, and uncertainties, the coordination of digital transformation in IMN is paramount to examine. This licentiate thesis begins with exploring coordination mechanisms to increase the understanding of existing research and shape it into a comprehensive overview. Moreover, through case studies, this thesis explores the challenges in and enablers for coordinating digital transformation in IMNs. Altogether, the challenges and enablers are analysed within the dimensions and categories of coordination mechanisms, i.e., they are collected into an overview and described within the case study context. The most significant findings of this thesis are related to the organisational structure, which enables the coordination of digital transformation. However, plenty of challenges remain, foremost connected to the formalisation of the organisational structure, e.g., balancing the rules and guidelines for digital transformation but providing space for people performing the activities to explore and investigate digital technologies. This thesis further contributes to the existing body of research by untangling the complexity of coordination itself and, specifically, the coordination of digital transformation in IMNs, explicitly adding to the operations management field and the management of global operations. Practical contributions are also made, i.e., this thesis promotes practitioners’ increased understanding by providing specific examples and descriptions of the findings within their context. Based on the findings, this thesis offers multiple paths for future research, keeping in mind that coordination is not static but evolving, depending on the context in which it is performed.
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| 2. |
- Flankegård, Filip
(author)
-
Supplier Involvement in Product Development: A Supplier Perspective
- 2022
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Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This thesis explores the supplier perspective of supplier involvement in product development. Supplier involvement in product development is crucial for many companies to increase resource flexibility, access competence, reduce costs and time to market, among others. The existing literature focuses primarily on the customer perspective of supplier involvement, e.g., challenges and critical factors customers should consider. A few studies have focused on the supplier perspective. This research gap is addressed in this thesis by studying the conditions influencing the suppliers’ involvement in customers’ product development.This thesis explores two research questions: “What are the challenges suppliers experience when being involved in customers’ product development?”, and “What mitigating mechanisms and critical factors influence suppliers’ involvement in customers’ product development?”. The identified challenges originated [FF1] both from the customer and the supplier, indicating that both types of challenges must be focused on. The study also identified interdependencies between the challenges, implying that one challenge may lead to the occurrence of other challenges. The study suggests mitigating mechanisms to deal with the identified challenges. The identified critical factors influenced both the efficiency and effectiveness of supplier involvement in product development, e.g., lead-time, development cost, product quality, and cost. The study indicates that adopting a dual perspective and considering the challenges and critical factors for both the customer and the supplier, can support the involved supplier. The results build on findings from a case study including four SMEs.
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| 3. |
- Afshar, Sara Zargari, et al.
(author)
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Investigating Alternatives for System Architectures to Enhance Discrete Manufacturing
- 2019
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In: International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks. - Sweden : SAGE Publications. - 1550-1329 .- 1550-1477. ; 15:8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This article investigates the possibility of advancing discrete manufacturing using system architectures that are developed for Collaborative Process Automation Systems. Collaborative Process Automation System is a technology that has the potential to achieve production excellence for process industry. However, not much attention has been paid on using the architectures based on Collaborative Process Automation Systems for discrete manufacturing domains. In this article, we propose a base architecture consisting of three layers, and we discuss various alternatives to make the communications among the layers. We consider legacy components in the proposal, in contrast to most of the related works. In order to show the practicality of the proposed alternatives, we present an example that has been implemented in an ongoing project at ABB Robotics in Sweden.
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| 4. |
- Ahlskog, Mats, 1970-, et al.
(author)
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Approaching digital transformation in the manufacturing industry challenges and differing views
- 2023
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In: International Journal of Manufacturing Research. - 1750-0591 .- 1750-0605. ; :4, s. 415-433
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In order to support manufacturing companies in their digital transformation, challenges and views of the term 'digital transformation' need to be identified since digital transformation is considered a source of competitive advantages. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the challenges and differing views of digital transformation in the manufacturing industry. A case study was conducted in collaboration with four Swedish manufacturing companies. The results were then mapped into categories of three dimensions (people, process and technology), indicating that digital transformation can have different meanings within a company. We conclude that the term 'digitalisation' is more frequently used in the manufacturing industry than 'digital transformation' and identified challenges relate to lack of best practice for digital transformation, degree of standardisation and therefore affects the workload and limits the possibilities of transferring technical solutions between factories. Our findings are relevant to operations managers and other interested in digital transformation.
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| 5. |
- Ahlskog, Mats, 1970-, et al.
(author)
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Differing Views of the Meaning of Digital Transformation in Manufacturing Industry
- 2022
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In: Advances in Transdisciplinary Engineering. - : IOS Press BV. - 9781614994398 ; , s. 331-340
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In the literature there is no consensus regarding the meaning of the term digital transformation. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore the differing views of the meaning of digital transformation. A case study has been conducted in collaboration with four Swedish manufacturing companies. The results shows that digital transformation can have different meaning within a company and the main challenge when performing digital transformation is knowledge. This study is the first investigation in a research project focusing on coordination of digital transformation. Therefore, is the underlaying goal to identify how the participating companies in the research project describe digital transformation in comparison with the literature. The research intention is not to define digital transformation rather to explore differing views of digital transformation and highlighting similarities and difference in comparison with the literature reviewed. The findings are practically relevant for manufacturing companies by highlighting differing views of digital transformation and in the creation of a common language within a company.
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| 6. |
- Ahlskog, Mats, 1970-, et al.
(author)
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Paradoxes in the Digital Transformation of Production Systems
- 2024
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In: Advances in Transdisciplinary Engineering. - : IOS Press BV. - 9781643685106 ; , s. 244-255
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Digital transformation of production systems is a challenging task that demands radical responses from existing organizations. During the digital transformation of productions systems tensions occur that need to be managed and the purpose of this paper is to identify paradoxes in the digital transformation of production systems. Paradox theory has been applied as an analytical framework when identifying digital transformation paradoxes and tensions. A case study has been conducted and two manufacturing companies’ digitalization projects have been studied and analyzed in combination with data from workshops around digital transformation. The results were mapped into four types of paradoxes: organizing, performing, belonging, and learning. We conclude that the identified tensions are intertwined, and a major tension is the degree of standardization of technologies (standardization vs customization) and a more agile way of working (learning by doing vs learning before) doing is a trend within the digital transformation of production system. Our findings are relevant to operations managers and others interested in tensions during the digital transformation of production systems.
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| 7. |
- Andersson, Staffan Karl Lennart, 1987-, et al.
(author)
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Critical Factors Supporting the Implementation of Collaborative Robot Applications
- 2021
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In: IEEE International Conference on Emerging Technologies and Factory Automation, ETFA. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. - 9781728129891
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The industrial collaborative robot (ICR) is a promising technology for automating assembly systems in manufacturing industries. Yet, ICRs are not widely implemented in the manufacturing industry as there are challenges during its implementation. Furthermore, current research lacks real-world case studies on ICR implementation. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the critical factors supporting the implementation of ICR applications in assembly systems. A multiple-case study with eight case companies is presented in this paper, consisting of thirteen interviews. Moreover, critical factors were identified that could mitigate challenges in the ICR implementation process. By this, the study contributes to the current body of research by identifying and structuring the critical factors using a newness perspective. These factors can support the mitigation of potential challenges when manufacturers implement technology with a high novelty into their assembly systems. Specifically, this paper suggests that manufacturing companies focus on relieving operators from unergonomic tasks rather than focusing on high financial and efficiency gains. This finding contradicts previous research suggesting that financial gains are the main goal for manufacturing companies when implementing ICR applications. Moreover, how manufacturers work with external actors might change when implementing ICR applications, compared to traditional robots. Finally, we suggest testing the critical factors in a real-world case study investigating the whole implementing process to see if these factors, in fact, mitigate challenges.
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| 8. |
- Andersson, Staffan Karl Lennart, 1987-, et al.
(author)
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Experienced Challenges When Implementing Collaborative Robot Applications in Assembly Operations
- 2021
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In: International Journal of Automation Technology. - : FUJI TECHNOLOGY PRESS LTD. - 1881-7629 .- 1883-8022. ; 15:5, s. 678-688
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The industrial collaborative robot (ICR) application is a promising automation technology that combines human abilities with the repeatability and accuracy of an industrial robot. Yet, industrial challenges have prevented ICR applications from being implemented extensively in industry. Therefore, the purpose of the presented work is to deepen the knowledge of the key challenges that manufacturers experience during the implementation of ICR applications. In this study, a case study approach was used with eight companies to identify those challenges. The analysis of the qualitative data was conducted based on thirteen interviews with respondents from the industry to identify their challenges when implementing ICR applications. In this paper, a defined implementation process is presented that is combined with three significant areas of challenges relevant for the implementation of ICR applications, i.e., safety, knowledge, and functionality. Then, these areas are used as a basis to identify the corresponding challenges during the early implementation phases. The findings of the study point to an insufficient understanding of safety assessment and a lack of operator involvement in the pre-study phase that was propagated into the later implementation phases. The application design phase was identified to have several ad-hoc approaches due to a lack of knowledge concerning the application of ICR. In the factory installation phase, the challenges included increasing flexibility and ensuring standardised ways of working. This paper makes three distinct contributions to the research community. First, it provides rich data to the research concerning the implementation of applications of ICR, and it focuses on three areas, i.e., safety, knowledge, and functionality, and the challenges associated with their respective implementations. Second, contributions are made to the literature on implementing new technology, and they are focused on the early phases. Third, the results of this paper suggest that the role of system integrators might change in ICR application implementation projects. This paper contributes to practitioners a list of challenges that they might face during the implementation of ICR.
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| 9. |
- Andersson, Staffan Karl Lennart, 1987-, et al.
(author)
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Exploring the Capabilities of Industrial Collaborative Robot Applications
- 2020
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In: Advances in Transdisciplinary Engineering, Volume 13. - 9781614994398 ; , s. 109-118
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The increase in customization is pushing companies to use more advanced automation technologies in their production lines. Yet, assembly operations are predominantly performed by humans because of their ability to be flexible. The emergence of industrial collaborative robots provides an opportunity to have robots work alongside humans in a flexible and collaborative application. The aim of this study is to explore the industrial collaborative robot capabilities in a collaborative application compared to traditional robot applications. This interview study draws data from four companies with experience in industrial collaborative robot applications. The companies involved in this study experienced that there are several benefits of using an industrial collaborative robot but challenges still exist, in particular related to usability and the robot integration process.
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| 10. |
- Azamfirei, Victor, et al.
(author)
-
Harmonising design and manufacturing: a quality inspection perspective
- 2021
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In: 2021 26th IEEE International Conference on Emerging Technologies and Factory Automation (ETFA). - 9781728129891
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- As manufacturing companies are becoming more global, dynamic, and competitive, contradictory demands intensify. Flexibility is a key enabler for meeting the challenges of a global market if offered at mass production price and quality. Many companies have adopted Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) together with new technologies. Nevertheless, despite the drastic increase in industrial robots adoption, industrial robot applications continue today as they were designed 50 years ago. To obtain a flexible and reliable production system, it takes more than technology as quality depends on equipment and manufacturing processes. Non-adaptive industrial robots autonomy may be disrupted by the geometrical deformations of the fixtures. This paper presents a comprehensive case study of adopting a robotic in-line quality inspection in an automotive Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to aid the robot-fixture collision problem. The purpose is to examine errors that occur in production processes and how quality inspection can mitigate such errors. Empirical data collection was carried out in the form of (i) interviews, (ii) participant observations, (iii) documents, and (iv) video recording of robot cells. Results show that contrary to the case company beliefs, the manufacturing system does not follow the FMS standards; thus, to harmonise resources design and manufacturing processes, adding a robotic in-line quality inspection station is not enough. First, the robotic in-line quality inspection should follow a “preventive” control strategy to avoid deviated fixturing from entering the robot line. Second, the managers should address the beliefs of operators and their activities in solving the robot-fixture collision problem. Moreover third, the robot gripper design needs to be updated to an appropriate one.
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| 11. |
- Azamfirei, Victor, et al.
(author)
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Lessons from adopting robotic in-line quality inspection in the Swedish manufacturing industry
- 2022
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In: Procedia Computer Science. - : Elsevier B.V.. - 1877-0509. ; , s. 386-394
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Zero-Defect Manufacturing (ZDM) movement has received increasing interest from practitioners and academics. However, despite the academic development of the field, the adoption of ZDM enablers such as robotic in-line quality inspection applications has not increased as expected. This article explores the state of adoption of robotic in-line quality inspection at five global Swedish manufacturing companies. Results show that contrary to the case companies' beliefs, more people- and process-oriented challenges have been encountered compared with technological ones. Future work will focus on developing system design guidelines for robotic in-line quality inspection systems in the realm of ZDM.
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| 12. |
- Azamfirei, Victor, et al.
(author)
-
Multi-Layer Quality Inspection System Framework for Industry 4.0
- 2021
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In: International Journal of Automation Technology. - : FUJI TECHNOLOGY PRESS LTD. - 1881-7629 .- 1883-8022. ; 15:5, s. 641-650
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In the era of market globalisation, the quality of products has become a key factor for success in the manufacturing industry. The growing demand for customised products requires a corresponding adjustment of processes, leading to frequent and necessary changes in production control. Quality inspection has been historically used by the manufacturing industry to detect defects before customer delivery of the end product. However, traditional quality methods, such as quality inspection, suffer from large limitations in highly customised small batch production. Frameworks for quality inspection have been proposed in the current literature. Nevertheless, full exploitation of the Industry 4.0 context for quality inspection purpose remains an open field. Vice-versa, for quality inspection to be suitable for Industry 4.0, it needs to become fast, accurate, reliable, flexible, and holistic. This paper addresses these challenges by developing a multi-layer quality inspection framework built on previous research on quality inspection in the realm of Industry 4.0. In the proposed framework, the quality inspection system consists of (a) the work piece to be inspected, (b) the measurement instrument, (c) the actuator that manipulates the measurement instrument and possibly the work-piece, (d) an intelligent control system, and (e) a cloud-connected database to the previous resources; that interact with each other in five different layers, i.e., resources, actions, and data in both the cyber and physical world. The framework is built on the assumption that data (used and collected) need to be validated, holistic and on-line, i.e., when needed, for the system to effectively decide upon conformity to surpass the presented challenges. Future research will focus on implementing and validating the proposed framework in an industrial case study.
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| 13. |
- Azamfirei, Victor, 1994-
(author)
-
Robotic in-line quality inspection system for Zero-Defect Manufacturing : Requirements and Challenges
- 2023
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The modern manufacturing paradigm is characterised by an increased level of competition, growing demand for customisable or one-of-a-kind products, and stricter sustainability requirements. To maintain their competitiveness, manufacturing companies must adapt their processes frequently and efficiently while providing high-quality products. Given the importance of establishing flexible and reconfigurable systems, different advanced manufacturing technologies, such as industrial robotics, have seen a drastic increase in usage. However, no system is perfect or free from uncertainties (defects). To achieve Zero-Defect Manufacturing (ZDM, i.e., no defective products leave the manufacturing system, four strategies ‘detect’, ‘predict’, ‘prevent’, and ‘repair’ are needed. However, traditional quality methods, such as quality inspection (detect), suffer from significant limitations in highly customised small batch production.The objective of this thesis is to facilitate the design of robotic in-line quality inspection systems for ZDM. To achieve the objective, this thesis follows a mixed methods research approach, and its foundation is based on two extensive systematic literature reviews and four case studies in close collaboration with manufacturing companies to investigate how robotic in-line quality inspection is perceived and used. This thesis contributes to the research area of quality management.Through its findings, this research revealed the unexplicit and partial usage of the ZDM principles in research studies. Thus, this thesis characterises robotic in-line quality inspection, identifies its challenges, and pinpoints its enablers. Robotic in-line quality inspection systems are characterised as ‘connected’, ‘fast’, ‘accurate’, ‘reliable’, ‘holistic’, ‘flexible’, and ‘intelligent’. Several challenges to performing robotic in-line quality inspection have been encountered during this research. As part of the control system, as well as the manufacturing system, performance is highly dependent on its integration with ‘people’, ‘processes’, and ‘technologies’. For example, people need certain competences, time, communication, and participation in the development of ZDM; processes such as ZDM standards are lacking; and available technologies need to be balanced between equipment footprint, interoperability, measurement speed and accuracy, and reliability. Finally, to align all physical, digital, or cognitive components and characteristics, two frameworks and a design flowchart are proposed to help practitioners establish ZDM.
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| 14. |
- Azamfirei, Victor, et al.
(author)
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Towards fixtureless robotic in-line measurement assisted assembly, a case study
- 2021
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In: 2021 IEEE International Workshop on Metrology for Industry 4.0 and IoT, MetroInd 4.0 and IoT 2021 - Proceedings. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. - 9781665419802 ; , s. 636-641
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In the realm of Industry 4.0, measurement systems play an important role in adapting industrial robots to dynamic environments. Real-time control techniques such as Measurement Assisted Assembly (MAA) can exploit the digital measurements for operation process corrections. Likewise, the propagation of defects can be avoided with in-line measurement conditions. The purpose of this paper is to first understand the capability of robotic in-line measurement assisted assembly in the industrial case of peg-in-hole assembly and second, record the encountered challenges and their enablers. A proof of concept - formed by two 6DoF industrial robots, an in-line Linear Laser (LL), and an on-machine force sensor - have been designed and tested in a lab environment. The experimental results show that robotic in-line measurement assisted assembly can be performed within the tight tolerances of (i) 0, 071 ° to 0, 154° angular deviation between X and Y axes, (ii) applying minimum (near 0) Newton forces in X and Y axes when performing the peg-in-hole robotic assembly of two parts with only 50μm clearance, and (iii) within the company's cycle time. Further, for the effectiveness and practicality of robotic measurement assisted assembly systems, we recorded the encountered challenges and key enablers.
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| 15. |
- Azamfirei, Victor, et al.
(author)
-
Towards Zero-Defect Manufacturing : a review on measurement-assisted processes and their technologies
- 2024
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In: Procedia Computer Science. - : Elsevier B.V.. ; , s. 1001-1010
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- No system is perfect or free of errors. For companies to reach zero defects in a highly volatile and uncertain environment, emerging technologies, as well as human involvement, are needed. The tenant is to measurement-assist the manufacturing system to predict and prevent deviations in dynamic conditions. This article reviews the Measurement-assisted manufacturing (MAM) literature with the aim to (i) reveal key technologies and processes for MAM, (ii) identify current practices and their weaknesses, and (iii) propose future directions. Results show that despite MAM and Zero-Defect Manufacturing (ZDM) being treated separately, they are deeply interrelated and combining both strategies can lead to true sustainability. The literature indicated that future work must be placed in 'hardware' as instrument operation and equipment maintenance, and 'software', as data analytics and geometry assurance strategies.
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| 16. |
- Badasjane, Viktorija, et al.
(author)
-
Adapting the organisational structure for coordinating the digital transformation
- 2023
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In: 30th EurOMA conference, EurOMA23.
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Factories within International Manufacturing Networks (IMNs) need coordination to harness globalization’s potential. Simultaneously, adding additional complexity, they seek to coordinate digital transformation across the IMNs, requiring a holistic view encompassing the organizational structure. The purpose of this paper is to identify how manufacturing companies adapt the organizational structures of their IMNs to coordinate digital transformation. Through a multiple case study of four manufacturing companies, the results show new or adapted functional units, roles and interfaces. The findings describe and exemplify global and local functional units, boundary spanner roles, and formal and informal interfaces created for coordinating digital transformation in IMNs.
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| 17. |
- Badasjane, Viktoria, et al.
(author)
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Challenges with coordination of technology development and transfer of Industry 4.0 technologies in IMNs
- 2020
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In: Advances in Transdisciplinary Engineering, Volume 13. - 9781614994398 ; , s. 637-648
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Within an international manufacturing network (IMN), one particular factory, called the lead factory is responsible for development of new products, processes and technologies as well as transferring these to the subsidiaries within the IMN. These responsibilities require coordination, which is found difficult even in the best-performing companies due to its complexity. When the responsibility for development of Industry 4.0 technologies are included such as cyber-physical systems and Internet of Things the complexity increases further. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to identify what are the challenges with coordination of technology development and transfer of Industry 4.0 technologies in IMNs. Accordingly, a real-time embedded case study was carried out with six manufacturing companies. One major finding is that development of Industry 4.0 technologies does not fit the current way of organizing technology development at lead factories. Another finding is that several of the identified challenges connected to technology development can be derived from a lack of a long-term strategy ensuring competence for future needs.
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| 18. |
- Badasjane, Viktoria, et al.
(author)
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Coordination of Digital Transformation in International Manufacturing Networks—Challenges and Coping Mechanisms from an Organizational Perspective
- 2022
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In: Sustainability. - : MDPI. - 2071-1050. ; 14:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Coordinating the digital transformation of globally dispersed factories within international manufacturing networks has become a critical issue for competitiveness, yet there has been limited attention paid to this issue in previous research. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to, from an organizational perspective, explore the challenges in coordinating the digital transformation in an international manufacturing network and the coping mechanisms to overcome those challenges. A case study is conducted in a manufacturing company within the heavy vehicle industry, thus contributing to the limited empirical research covering coordination of digital transformation. The data is analyzed through organizational structure and design theory, and the findings are mapped into four core dimensions: differentiation, integration, centralization, and formalization. The results show 15 challenges and 11 coping mechanisms for coordination of digital transformation in international manufacturing networks, identifying the significance of the coordination uncertainty within the formalization dimension that is particularly exposed to the changes induced by digital transformation. The findings include the need for a coordination-oriented organizational structure that incorporates how and where coordination can be actualized. The research implications contribute with new insights by providing a detailed description of the created organizational structure and, in contrast to previous research, focuses specifically on the coordination aspect of digital transformation in an international manufacturing network.
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| 19. |
- Badasjane, Viktoria, et al.
(author)
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Enablers for coordination of digital transformation in international manufacturing networks
- 2021
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In: 28th EurOMA Conference EurOMA, 2021.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The digital transformation of International Manufacturing Networks (IMNs) has been identified as a complex undertaking that requires coordination. However, knowledge about coordination in this context is lacking. The purpose of this paper is to explore enablers for the coordination of digital transformation in IMNs. To this effect, a case study was conducted with a manufacturing company in the heavy vehicle industry. The most prominent enabler is identified as establishing an organisational structure around the digital transformation that ensures coordination and promotes collaboration across the IMN. Future research could moreover compare enablers across multiple cases.
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| 20. |
- Bruch, Jessica, et al.
(author)
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Managing the core plant role-key prerequisites from an operations perspective
- 2020
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In: International Journal of Manufacturing Research. - : Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.. - 1750-0591. ; 15:1, s. 90-106
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A core plant should be a centre of excellence, have a central role for knowledge creation, and ensure that the latest knowledge is diffused in the organisation's production network. Core plants can yield a range of benefits, such as increased resource efficiency and decreased costs in the production network. However, core plants face immense challenges in performing their roles, given the different interests of the different stakeholders that need to be satisfied. We use data gathered from an in-depth study of six core plants in Sweden to analyse the prerequisites. We conclude that the core plant prerequisites are influenced by human, organisational, and technological aspects, i.e., successful development of core plant capabilities can only be achieved if all the three components are considered together. Our findings are relevant to operation managers, plant managers, and others interested in developing and maintaining core plant excellence.
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| 21. |
- Bruch, Jessica, et al.
(author)
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Utveckling av Robust Produktionsutrustning : En guide för god samverkan mellan beställare och leverantör
- 2016
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Av dagens globala och allt hårdare konkurrens följer korta marknadsfönster och krav på snabb volym- uppgång i produktion. Det innebär i sin tur ökade krav på snabb och effektiv utveckling av produktions- utrustning som säkerställer hög prestanda direkt vid produktionsstart. Robust produktionsutrustning med hög produktionseffektivitet och minskade kostnader för drift och underhåll är därför en av de viktigaste faktorerna för stark konkurrenskraft och hög lönsamhet för svenska industriföretag. God samverkan mellan beställare och leverantör är nyckeln till framgång i denna typ av investerings- projekt. Denna handbok presenterar därför en modell som kan användas av tillverkande företag som vill utveckla robust produktionsutrustning. Modellen och övriga rekommendationer i handboken fokuserar på projekt som ska genomföras i stark samverkan och riktar sig till både beställaren och leverantören. Den har utvecklats i forskningsprojektet ”EQUIP – kund- och leverantörsintegration i utformning av produktionsutrustning” som finansierats av KK-stiftelsen under 2013-2016. Modellen består av sju utvecklingsfaser som är baser- ade på produktionsutrustnings livscykel: Fas 1 – Förstudie Fas 2 – Konceptstudie Fas 3 – Upphandling Fas 4 – Detaljerad utformning Fas 5 – Uppbyggnad Fas 6 – Installation och driftsättning Fas 7 – Produktion I varje fas presenteras kritiska aktivitetssteg och rekommendationer för hur ansvaret för dessa bör fördelas inom och emellan deltagande parter. Modellen använder ett livscykelperspektiv för utvecklingsprojekt för att underlätta samverkan samt tydligare visualisera sambandet mellan aktiviteter och deras påverkan på projektets framgång. Inom ramen för ett investeringsprojekt finns stor potential att utveckla hållbara produktionslösningar. Därför presenterar denna handbok även sju guider som kan stödja er i att ta fram produktionsutrustning som är säker, lean och hållbar under hela utrustningens livscykel. Huvudsyftet med handboken är att underlätta samverkan under hela investeringsprojektet på ett sätt som gagnar båda parter och bidrar till varaktiga relationer. Forskningsprojektets resultat visar att det finns ett stort intresse för främjad samverkan från både beställ- are och leverantör. Därför behövs stöd, verktyg och beredskap från båda parter för att våga investera tid och resurser på samverkan redan från början, i de tidiga faserna av ett nytt utvecklingsprojekt. Det är då potentialen att lägga grunden till långsiktig samverkan och utforma bästa möjliga produktionsutrustning på kortast möjliga tid är som störst.
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| 22. |
- Eriksson, Kristina, et al.
(author)
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Experiences in Running a Professional Course on Digitally-Enabled Production in Collaboration Between Three Swedish Universities
- 2022
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In: Advances in Transdisciplinary Engineering, Volume 21. - : IOS Press. - 9781614994398 ; , s. 653-664
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Needs for new competences and knowledge arise as industry 4.0 evolves in increasingly digitalized production. This development entails that job transformations and future skills need attention from the perspective of industry 5.0, where human and machine find ways of working together to improve production performance. Facing this perspective, one challenge is a growing need for novel lifelong learning initiatives, to meet emerging and altering occupations for the fulfilment of future skill requirements. This challenge is addressed here by portraying a case where three Swedish universities have formed a distinctive collaboration to develop a flexible (i.e. blended) course for professionals, in the subject of Digitally-enabled production. The purpose is to develop a sustainable collaboration between the universities and create a course format on master level addressing lifelong learning for the increasingly digitalized production. The ambition is to increase the impact of the universities respective efforts by sharing resources and utilizing individual specialized expertise to develop a practical and relevant course that can reach a larger target group. The course encompasses industry 4.0 readiness on three levels of production systems; plant-, production cell-, and component level; to adopt a holistic view of digitalization in production. We followed an action research approach for continuously collecting and documenting our experiences during the course development, implementation, and dissemination of the course. Within the frame of action research, an explorative case study describes and analyzes the initiative. The results highlight challenges and opportunities for succeeding with this form of co-produced course. The joint course gives professionals possibilities to work on cases from their own companies with expert supervision from three manufacturing levels to address complex challenges in industry 4.0 implementation. To conclude, the importance of lifelong learning in relation to the human-centric approach of industry 5.0 is emphasized as a future direction.
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| 23. |
- Flankegård, Filip, et al.
(author)
-
Challenges with supplier involvement in product development : A supplier's perspective
- 2019
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In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering Design, ICED. - : Cambridge University Press. ; 1:1, s. 2179-2188
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Studies of supplier involvement in product development have revealed potential benefits including faster time to market, reduced cost and increased quality. However, existing literature has mainly focused on the customer's perspective on advantages, disadvantages and factors to be considered when involving suppliers in product development. This paper addresses the supplier's perspective by answering following research question: How do challenges that originate from involvement in customer's product development affect a supplier? The question is answered through a single case study at a supplier that develops and manufacture products primary used in capital goods. Thirteen challenges are identified, classified as being internal or external, and categorised into five areas: (A) Customer requirements, (B) Information exchange between customer and supplier, (C) Product variety management, (D) Design-manufacturing integration and (E) Processes and work instructions. The findings suggest that internal challenges need as much attention as external ones that originate from the customer. Also, an indication of when the challenges affect the supplier during product development is presented.
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| 24. |
- Flankegård, Filip, et al.
(author)
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Critical factors for involvement in customers’ product development : an SME perspective
- 2023
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In: Journal of business & industrial marketing. - : Emerald Publishing. - 0885-8624 .- 2052-1189. ; 38:13, s. 143-153
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose: This paper aims to identify critical factors that influence small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) suppliers’ involvement in their customers’ product development and contrast these with the factors identified from the customer perspective.Design/methodology/approach: A multiple case study approach was used, including four companies. Data were collected through 32 semi-structured interviews, six workshops and documents.Findings: A model is presented that merges this study’s nine identified critical factors with seven critical factors from the customer perspective. The model provides a dual perspective of supplier involvement in product development, wherein the supplier and customer perspectives are concurrently addressed. Some factors are unique for the supplier, but several mirror those on the customer side.Research limitations/implications: The study is based on data from SME suppliers in Northern Europe. As it is expected that SME companies are more constrained by limited resources, future studies could study critical factors at larger suppliers.Practical implications: Customers and suppliers having insights about the critical factors can provide better conditions for product development for the other actor; for example, when evaluating customer–supplier integration.Originality/value: The presented model of critical factors provides a more nuanced picture of supplier involvement in product development as prior research has been biased toward the customer perspective. This study emphasizes the importance of contextual information that has been unnoticed in the literature.
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| 25. |
- Flankegård, Filip, et al.
(author)
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Supplier involvement in product development : Challenges and mitigating mechanisms from a supplier perspective
- 2021
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In: Journal of engineering and technology management. - : Elsevier. - 0923-4748 .- 1879-1719. ; 60
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This article explores challenges that suppliers experience when being involved in customers’ product development projects, and how these challenges can be mitigated. It presents a framework of supplier involvement in product development involving four dimensions: People-Process-Tools/Technology-Interaction. The framework consists of 24 challenges and associated mitigating mechanisms. The article concludes that suppliers must be aware of the challenges to ensure that proper internal capabilities are in place within their organizations. It also argues that customers should be aware of the challenges to provide best possible prerequisites for suppliers to ensure successful project outcomes.
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| 26. |
- Grahn, Sten, et al.
(author)
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Barriers to Value Specification when Carrying out Digitalization Projects
- 2021
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In: Technology Innovation Management Review. - : CARLETON UNIV GRAPHIC SERVICES. - 1927-0321. ; 11:5, s. 54-64
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- If digitalization projects aim to effectively create value for a company, one precondition is having a shared view among company staff and project members of what the "desirable" value is. However, it has been shown that few companies fully understand the value that digitalization projects can create for them, while many companies still launch digitalization projects without this understanding. This contributes to the current "alarmingly" low success rate for digitalization projects. Development of effective methods to specify the desired values of digitalization projects is thus important. One step in developing improved specification methods is to ask what the possible barriers are to improving current value specification practices. The purpose of the current study is to address this. We analyzed several digitalization projects regarding how specifications of desired project value were carried out, finding that very limited resources are spent on specifying desired values in digitalization projects, and that this limits project success. Likewise, there are several barriers to increasing resources for specifying desired values. Our findings contribute to understanding the development of value specification methods that aim to overcome these barriers and thus could help improve the success rate of digitalization projects.
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| 27. |
- Grahn, Sten, et al.
(author)
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How to Deal with Differing Views of Resource Efficiency when Carrying out Digitalization Projects
- 2020
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In: Advances in Transdisciplinary Engineering. - : IOS Press BV. - 2352-751X .- 2352-7528. - 9781614994398 ; 13, s. 71-82
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Having project goals that are shared among project members are preconditions for resource efficient as well effective projects and operations. However, specifying and communicating project goals require an ability to identify goals that are indeed commonly shared. Rapid technological developments may require digitalization projects that lead to large portions of existing company staff being redundant, making it possible to assume that the quest of finding a commonly shared view of what is resource-efficient' will be increasingly challenging. Development of methods to specify project goals that are incentivizing for all project members and staff can hence be assumed to be important. One step in developing improved specification methods is to ask how the process to specify desired value from digitalization projects handles possible disagreements of what is desired value'. The purpose of this study was to answer this question. We analyzed several digitalization projects, and how specifications of desired project results impacted project outcomes. We found that potential disagreements regarding desirable project outcomes generally are avoided by avoiding specification of what a desirable resource efficiency outcome is, and how actual project outcomes should be measured. However, we also found that this practice also led to unsatisfying project outcomes regarding resource-efficiency improvements, and that improved methods to specify desired value from digitalization projects should be developed. Our findings support earlier findings that the general failure rate of digitalization projects is high, often due to insufficient specification of desired projects outcomes before the projects are initiated. Our findings contribute to the understanding that despite this, there are also perceived benefits of spending limited resources on specification of desired outcomes. If attempts to improve the success rate of digitalization projects by improving specifications of desired project outcomes is to succeed, these perceived benefits must be considered. © 2020 The authors
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| 28. |
- Granlund, Anna, 1984-, et al.
(author)
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Automation in Healthcare Internal Logistics: A Case Study on Practice and Potential
- 2013
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In: International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM). - 0219-8770. ; 10:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The current demographic development puts even greater demands on the healthcare sector which already struggle with scarce resources and constant pressure of cost reductions. This paper aims at through a multiple case study describe how automation of hospital internal logistics can be a tool in improving the efficiency. The results include several potential implementations for patient transports, waste handling and small goods transports. However, organizational issues as lack of ownership and a strategic view render difficulties and needs to be dealt with. The authors conclude that transfer of knowledge and technology used in manufacturing industry would be beneficial.
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| 29. |
- Granlund, Anna, 1984-
(author)
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Competitive Internal Logistics Systems through Automation
- 2011
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Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The growing demand for products and services puts great pressure on logistics performance and enhances the role that logistics plays in determining a company’s competitiveness.This research focuses on internal logistics systems, which includes all logistics activities and processes within the physical limits of an isolated company. Internal logistics is vital for the overall function of many companies. However, despite its importance, this part of logistics has traditionally not been viewed or developed in a strategic way. Since internal logistics activities are often characterized by a high degree of manual handling and hence strongly affect the cost of operations, there is a large incentive for improvements in this area. One possible way to improve an internal logistics system is with the help of automation. In many areas, automation is a well-known means to increase productivity and cut costs, thus improving competitiveness. However, automation is not commonly used within internal logistics activities, and there is a lack of knowledge and research within this new application area. The main objective of this research, therefore, is to contribute to an increased understanding of how automation can be used to develop competitive internal logistics systems.Four empirical studies have been performed to investigate how companies perceive and work with their internal logistics systems, specifically in terms of improvements using automation. The empirical studies also aimed at identifying and describing how the studied companies could benefit from automation within internal logistics activities.From the studies, the importance of assessing and being aware of the current state of logistics performance was discovered as a basic requirement that needs to be fulfilled before conducting improvement work. Further, one of the main overall conclusions from this research is the need for a logistics strategy that includes goals and plans for the operation and development of an internal logistics system. As a result of the research, a structure and procedure for the development of a logistics strategy and a framework for conducting an improvement process in internal logistics using automation were developed.
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| 30. |
- Granlund, Anna, 1984-
(author)
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Facilitating Automation Development in Internal Logistics Systems
- 2014
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The internal logistics system includes all activities connected with managing the flow of materials within the physical limits of a facility. This system is an important part of operations in need of increased focus and continuous improvements. Automation is one possible tool with a previously confirmed great potential to improve internal logistics. Despite this great potential and a growing trend of using automation in the area, internal logistics activities are still not automated to the same extent as other parts of operations. The overall aim of this research is therefore to develop knowledge that supports the successful use of automation in internal logistics systems.The automation development process has been identified as critical for the success of the use of automation. With the overall aim of the research in mind, the objective of this thesis is to develop a framework facilitating the automation development process in internal logistics systems. To help fulfil the objective, empirical data have been collected through five case studies and a survey study. During the empirical studies, the process of improving the internal logistics system and the automation development process have been analysed and the focus has been on identifying challenges and facilitators for the successful use and development of automation in internal logistics systems.The findings indicate a poor awareness of both current and desired performance of the internal logistics system at the companies studied. In addition, automation development is often conducted in an unstructured and poorly supported manner and there is often insecurity regarding what steps and actions to take. Foremost, the findings indicate a poor base for proper evaluation and decisions during automation development in internal logistics systems. This is analysed and concluded as a cause of unclear goals and requirements and the lack of a strategic view with regard to both internal logistics operations and the use and development of automation.A framework, including proposed guidelines to overcome the observed challenges by including identified factors facilitating successful automation development in internal logistics systems has been developed. The core of the framework is a proposed process model for automation development in an internal logistics context. Due to the identified importance and the lack of a strategy linked to and supporting the automation development process, the framework also includes a proposed model for an internal logistics strategy as well as a proposed model for an automation strategy.
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| 31. |
- Granlund, Anna, 1984-, et al.
(author)
-
Lead factory operationalisation and challenges
- 2019
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In: Production planning & control (Print). - : Taylor & Francis. - 0953-7287 .- 1366-5871. ; 30:2-3, s. 96-111
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper deepens the understanding of the lead factory concept by examining how the lead factory role is operationalised and what challenges are associated with it. The research is based on an explorative case study of eight Swedish lead factories in the manufacturing industry. The empirical findings suggest that the understanding of the lead factory concept should be extended as it is not restricted to one type of set-up. The findings show a spectrum ranging from an entire manufacturing plant, parts of a plant, to a virtual plant considered to be the lead factory. The research also shows a broad range of challenges experienced by lead factories. Several of these are related to and originate from unclear role, responsibility and mandate of the lead factory. The lack of dedicated resources for lead factory activities, specifically long-term development and difficulties in measuring the benefits of the role, were other challenges faced.
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| 32. |
- Granlund, Anna, 1984-, et al.
(author)
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Lean Automationsutveckling - Handbok
- 2016
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Trender mot mer automatiserad produktion och allt snabbare förändringstakt av produktionssystem ställer krav på snabba, effektiva och verksamhetsanpassade utvecklingsprocesser av automationslösningar. Denna handbok beskriver centrala delar i en automationsstrategi, som stöd för utveckling av automationslösningar till produktionssystem. Den är relevant för alla typer av tillverkande verksamheter och leverantörer som vill effektivisera anskaffandet och införandet av ny automationsteknik. Handboken beskriver en automationsstrategi uppdelad i fyra huvudområden: Del 1 – Ekonomi Del 2 – Organisation Del 3 – Process Del 4 – Teknik Stort fokus ligger på att engagera olika kompetenser och aktörer, liksom att betrakta automationsstrategin som en del av en helhet tillsammans med övriga delar i och utanför verksamheten. Automationsstrategin lyfter vilka faktorer inom de olika huvudområdena som påverkar vid utveckling av automationslösningar. Den gör det möjligt att analysera vilken affärsmodell som passar verksamhetens förutsättningar bäst och vilka organisatoriska strukturer som är viktiga för verksamhetens automationskompetens. Den innehåller också en stegmall för effektiv anskaffning av automationsutrustning och tre viktiga kategorier av teknik som kan stötta utvecklingsprocessen. Handboken har tagits fram i projektet lean automationsutveckling, eller LEAD, som har finansierats av Vinnovas program FFI Hållbar produktion under 2013-2015. Grundidén var att underlätta både planering, utveckling och anskaffning av automationslösningar genom att förse de utvecklingsprocesser som idag är etablerade med verktyg från lean produktutveckling. På så vis säkerställs att verksamheter kan dra nytta av ny automationsteknik med så effektivt utnyttjande av resurser, hög hållbarhet och hög lönsamhet som möjligt.
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| 33. |
- Granlund, Anna, 1984-
(author)
-
Resource Efficiency in Internal Logistics : a Survey on Objectives and Performance
- 2011
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In: Proceedings of the 4<sup>th</sup> International Swedish Production Symposium, 3<sup>rd</sup>-5<sup>th</sup> of May, Lund, Sweden. ; , s. 303-311
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A growing need for flexible supply chains and low cost make logistics more complex and critical for competition. Internal logistics is a crucial function in manufacturing industries but despite its potential as a competitive strategy it has not been in focus when discussing performance and efficiency. The aim of this paper is to show and discuss how manufacturing companies work with, perceive, and develop their internal logistic system. The paper is based on the results from a survey study of Swedish manufacturing companies, intended to give an outlook of the current situation and views. The results show that system performances and information aspects together with a balanced flow and committed staff are the most important success factors for a well functioning internal logistic system. The most important performance criteria are delivery precision and dependability together with customer service and quality degree. Competence and manpower are considered the most critical resources, but desired and ongoing improvement work rarely relate to these areas. Many lack extensive performance measurement systems for logistics, risking sub optimization. Most also lack a vision and strategy with their internal logistic system and many do not have anyone who is strategically responsible for operating and developing it.
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| 34. |
- Johansson, Peter, et al.
(author)
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Exploring the integration process of new practices for knowledge sharing
- 2019
-
In: 26 th EurOMA Conference EurOMA.
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of this paper is to provide new perspectives on the implementation of new operations management practices by applying three different but interrelated frameworks: Human Interaction Dynamics, Normalization Process Theory, and Professional competence as ways of being. The empirical material in this paper is based on a case study within a global manufacturing company, and more specific the development and implementation of a new OM practice for knowledge sharing at one of the sites in Sweden. A mixed-method approach is used, and the empirical material is collected through analysis of a database, two group interviews, and a survey.
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| 35. |
- Nafisi, Mariam, et al.
(author)
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Manufacturing Engineering Requirements in the Early Stages of New Product Development — A Case Study in Two Assembly Plants
- 2019
-
In: Advanced applications in manufacturing engineering. - : Elsevier. - 9780081024140 ; , s. 141-167
-
Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The design–manufacturing interface is very crucial in NPD projects. Decisions made during the product development impact the downstream processes, such as manufacturing. To ensure that the new product is fit for manufacturing, it is important to understand manufacturing requirements early in the NPD process. In this chapter, we investigated how assembly requirements were handled in the early stages of two NPD projects at two manufacturing companies. First, assembly requirements during the early stages of NPD were identified based on the empirical data. A comparison between the empirical findings and the requirements in the literature revealed that some assembly requirements were not expressed or discussed by the assembly representatives in the study. Most notably, logistics and material handling aspects were rarely discussed between the assembly representatives and the product development department during CD. Additionally, it was noted that the companies lacked a systematic way to identify and express their assembly requirements. This made it difficult for assembly representatives in NPD projects to set requirements for the new product and to follow them up. As a result, it was up to the assembly representative in the projects to decide and act according to their experience and expertise, which resulted in divergence in the results of various projects at the case companies.
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| 36. |
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| 37. |
- Norouzilame, Farhad, 1985-
(author)
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Coordination of international manufacturing networks
- 2018
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Due to globalisation, many companies have established or acquired production plants worldwide in order to capture the market opportunities that lay beyond their national borders. This has resulted in the emergence of international manufacturing networks (IMNs), which consist of multiple, interdependent production plants with different characteristics within a single organisation.Coordination of such networks consisting of multiple plants in different countries is not a simple management task. That is why some companies struggle with it, and turn their global production into a function that hinders their agility and performance; while others turn it into a formidable advantage. Coordination of an IMN requires a company to link and integrate its plants to support its strategic business objectives. A proficient coordination of activities, across multiple plants of an international manufacturing company, leads to competitive advantages.Despite its significance, the coordination aspect of IMN management has not been studied sufficiently. Operations leaders in today’s complex manufacturing world require a common language, tailored tools and frameworks for the management of their network. The research area of international manufacturing lacks empirical evidence of how industrial companies are (or could be) coordinated. Therefore, the overall aim of this research is to develop knowledge that improves the coordination of an IMN.The data in this study were acquired from case studies carried out on the IMNs of four global manufacturing companies where the majority of data was gathered from a global contract manufacturer headquartered in Sweden. The findings reveal a set of challenges, which influence the coordination of an IMN as one of the main aspects of its management.In order to improve IMN coordination, a framework has been developed from the results of the studies performed in this research project, as well as the results of previous research related to IMN management. It is composed of two distinctive parts: (1) preparatory steps, and (2) executional mechanisms.The first part of the framework discusses, and provides an insight into, the strategic relevance of coordination, the establishment of an autonomy balance among plants in an IMN, and mapping an IMN. The second part of the framework contains three mechanisms for conducting coordination in an IMN.
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| 38. |
- Sauter, Barrett, et al.
(author)
-
What Not to Do : VR Implementation Teams and the Barriers That Inhibit Them
- 2024
-
In: Advances in Transdisciplinary Engineering. - : IOS Press BV. - 9781643685106 ; , s. 453-463
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Implementation of VR into NPD processes requires a coordinated effort from within the manufacturing organization. However, the knowledge to carry this out successfully is still quite limited within research as well as within manufacturing organizations, leading to failed pilot projects and a waste of resources. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to identify barriers that inhibit VR implementation. A multiple case study has been carried out focusing on two VR implementation attempts within a single manufacturing site. The results identify four specific roles and their responsibilities within the VR implementation teams: Key driver, gatekeeper, key user, and general user. The results further identify the barriers experienced within the VR implementation attempts.
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| 39. |
- Sigurjónsson, Vésteinn, et al.
(author)
-
Exploring Challenges in a Low-Volume Product Industrialization Process – A Railway Case Study
- 2023
-
In: Advances in Production Management Systems. Production Management Systems for Responsible Manufacturing, Service, and Logistics Futures. - 9783031436697 - 9783031436703 ; , s. 184-198
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The manufacturing industry is faced with a market environment that continuously grows more competitive. Achieving a short time to market is of vital importance to manufacturing companies that are characterized by low-volumes and high customization due to the already existing long lead times. An important process that transfers a product from design concept to production is the product industrialization process. This process plays a critical role as an interface between product development and production and any interruptions can have a significant effect on the overall time to market of a product. Research on the industrialization process and its challenges have mostly been conducted within a high-volume manufacturing, but what is currently lacking is exploring this process from the perspective of low-volume manufacturing. A case study was conducted within a low volume large equipment manufacturing company, analyzing their product industrialization process. The purpose of this article is to identify challenges within the process as well as to identify the effects these challenges have on the industrialization process. The findings from this case study identified 10 challenges within the low volume industrialization process that were grouped into four categories, relating to organizational, standardization, external, and technological factors.
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| 40. |
- Wikström, Anders, 1968-, et al.
(author)
-
Critical factors promoting design thinking in courses for engineering students
- 2023
-
In: Bidrag från den 9:e utvecklingskonferensen för Sveriges ingenjörsutbildningar. - Västerås : Mälardalens universitet. - 9789174856200
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In the rapidly evolving technological landscape, innovation emerges as a pivotal force, significantly rooted in the initial phases of the design and realization process. "Critical factors promoting design thinking in courses for engineering students" explores the cardinal role of design thinking in engineering education, juxtaposing it against the contemporary demands of society and innovation processes. Despite the ubiquity and acknowledgment of innovation and design competencies in academia and industry, a discernible gap persists in engineering education, particularly in instilling robust design thinking principles in future engineers. This paper seeks to identify and analyze the critical factors that promote and impede the incorporation of design thinking into engineering courses. As we move forward, it is imperative to continually assess and refine what is needed from educators to ensure that the future generation of engineers is well-equipped to use their knowledge in collaborative multidisciplinary teams in society and tackle the complex challenges of tomorrow. And thereby enhancing the engineering profession with readiness and adaptability in a dynamic professional environment where design thinking plays an important role.
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| 41. |
- Wiktorsson, Magnus, 1971-, et al.
(author)
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Automation and flexibility : An apparent or real dilemma?
- 2017
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In: Innovative Quality Improvements in Operations. - Cham : Springer-Verlag New York. - 9783319559841 ; 255, s. 35-48
-
Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There are trade-offs between cost and capabilities throughout specification, implementation and operation of automated solutions in manufacturing companies. This chapter describes four identified dilemmas or contradictions while balancing flexibility to automation, based on an empirical study with interviews and workshop in five internationally competitive manufacturing companies. The study generated insights on experienced challenges while implementing automated solutions in manufacturing, and these apparent conflicts between automated solutions and maintaining a high operational flexibility need to be managed as manufacturing automation will continue to increase on all levels.
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