This bachelor thesis has been done at Scania CV AB’s department for engine manufacturing in Södertälje. The manufacturing process at the department is currently under development, where two new lines are being added, one for cylinder head and one for cylinder blocks. These two new manufacturing lines are going to be controlled with the help of a Manufacturing Execution System.

The Manufacturing Execution Systems task is to collect data and information from the manufacturing process, which later can be presented in an interface. There is a specification at Scania that presents what information will be available in the system. That specification is in line with what the International Society of Automation has specified in ISA-95.

The specification for the system was set by the IT-department in consultation with department managers. There is currently an uncertainty if the specification meets the requirement that the workers has, to be able to work efficiently with the system. This thesis will identify the requirement that the workers has on the system, and compare it with the current specification.

What the workers deems is necessary information has been identified and mapped through interviews and a survey. The result of these interviews and the survey made it clear that the specification was well in line with the requirement from the workers. This information led to the decision to send out another survey that asked the workers to prioritize how important the information in the system is, in three different priority levels. This resulted in an overview of what the workers consider is the most important information in the system.

In the recent years, more and more manufacturing firms recognize the benefit of providing products together with related services with an aim to gain higher profits as compared to supplying products without additional services. On the other hand, the competition in the global markets has been increased dramatically through increased sales of services in order to gain additional value for their products. In addition, several environmental challenges such as climate change, pollution, global warming impact, greenhouse gases emissions have played a vital role by influencing on the production protocols and trend of the companies. These challenges forced manufacturing countries to take into consideration environmentally conscious approach to their design thinking and industrial production processes. As a result, it became an important drive for manufacturing industries to shift from traditional product-oriented to service-oriented business models that has been witnessed during the last few years.

The objective of this study research is to develop common questions that capture fundamental and common issues about Integrated Product Service Engineering (IPSE), Design for Environment (DFE) and Engineering education are effectives for industries to check and develop their knowledge, because the Engineering education plays a necessary role in associating socio-ethical knowledge with scientific and technological advances. The strategy taken to conduct this thesis task was first to study and understand the concept of Product Service System (PSS), IPSE, and Ecodesign as well as Engineering Education. Informative knowledge on these concepts were collected by reviewing several related journal articles, CIRP IPS² conference proceedings.

In this thesis the concepts of PSS, IPSE, DFE and Engineering Education discussed to develop the key common questions and issues to address the environmental, economic and social problems. Since PSS aims to reduce consumption through alternative schemes of product use as well as to increase overall resource productivity and dematerialization, but IPSE does not focus on a single factor but incorporates a wide range of factors such as environmental, social and economic issues. Whilst one of the main problems in this research focused on how to develop and strengthen the relationship between the academia and industry, and how this relation can be used to improve the academic performance and scientific research at universities and transfer them to industry.

Sustainability and the life cycle concept have become a main solution for various problems such as a growing world population and a change in the industrial culture to come. As results Ecodesign and environmental considerations, financial aspects, product improvement as well as the commercial aspects were discussed in this project by understanding the previous concepts. The university considered as an important base of cultivating the talents, basic of inputs business organizations which help them to develop and improve their level of performance and quality of their products and services, and enhance its competitive position in the market. Changes in organized science further encouraged university interests in expanding technology transfer, because the scientific disciplines play an important role in influencing the type of interactions with industry as well as the University and Industry collaboration became the basic method of solving the problems to achieve (environmental, economic and social) sustainability.

The increasing product complexity and usage of digital methods has made more and more companies realize the usefulness of good systems for Product Lifecycle Management and Product Data Management to handle their product through its lifecycle. The idea behind PLM solutions is to make sure that everybody has access to the last updated data at all times. This is achieved through central vaults for storage of data and the possibility to structure and manage the data. At Scania, Spectra and Enovia are used to structure and store all the product data. In recent years Digital Test Assembly (DTA) has been used along physical test assembly at the department of chassis production. DTA is used to simulate the ability to assemble new products before production starts.

At the department for test assembly a need has been identified for better management of 3D models for tools. Mainly a need for better availability of the models has been identified since the models are used to simulate access for tools during assembly. The master thesis will study a future usage of Spectra and Enovia, in the production department, in order for better management of the increased amount of 3D models that today are stored in the computers of the process engineers.   

Two methods to import the 3D models, which are delivered from Scania's subcontractors, into Enovia have been developed. Since it is the process engineers that manage the investments of tools today they should also perform the imports to Enovia. A structure for the tools was made in Spectra, the PLM-system at Scania. The structure was built according to the assembly sequence at the production of chassis. A study of how the models of tools should be geometrically positioned in the digital environment was also performed.

The study showed that the production unit of chassis assembly should implement Enovia for storage of models and also look into the possibilities to structure and geometrically position the models using Spectra. In order for the models to be geometrically positioned correctly the data system needs to be further developed to also handle tools instead of only products.

To improve the development process and lessen the waste of time and money the department of chassis and Scania as a whole need to improve the communication between the production unit and the development unit. Communication will improve the exchange of knowledge and resources between the units. The personnel at Scania also need to make higher demands on the material they get from subcontractors. Scania needs to get digital 3D material from their subcontractors as well in order to reach the vision of a more digital way of doing things.

Blomberg & Stensson is the sheet metal and tube processing company. This master thesis is done in tube processing facility. Tube processing facility consists of tube cutting, deburring, bending, end forming, bending and pressing machines. This facility produces bended tubes. Bended tubes are mainly used in automobiles (flow of liquids such as fuel and lubricants). Blomberg & Stensson bought a new orbital cutting machine from Transfluid (Germany). The new orbital cutting machine is going to be installed in tube processing section. This Master thesis focuses on tube cutting (both new, old and current), bending and deburring machines.

This thesis is aimed to develop a layout of tube processing section by including new orbital cutting machine. Suggestion on raw material storage and suggestions on material allocation to current and new cutting machines are also included in this master thesis. To design the layout a systematic layout planning technique is considered and google sketch up application is used to develop the 3d layout designs. After developing layouts, selection of a single suitable layout is done by a scoring matrix (concept from product development). Scoring matrix is to evaluate the available solutions. After selection risk analysis is made to predict the risks. An activity list is made facilitate a physical transformation of the facility.

På SAAB Aerostructures i Linköping utvecklas och tillverkas delsystem, så som dörrar och skevroder, till kommersiella flygplan åt framförallt Boeing och Airbus. Inom flygindustrin går utvecklingen mot en större användning av kompositmaterial i denna typ av strukturer. För att befästa sin position på marknaden och bygga kunskap kring konstruktion i och tillverkning av kompositmaterial har SAAB startat ett forskningsprojekt kallat GF Demo. Projektet syftar till att ta fram nästa generations kompositstrukturer för civilflygplan, samt att utveckla effektiva produktionsprocesser för detta. En utmaning med konstruktioner i kompositmaterial är den dyra och komplexa tillverkningsprocessen. För att skapa möjlighet för effektiv tillverkning måste konstruktionerna anpassas efter produktionstekniska krav tidigt i utvecklingsarbetet. Syftet med detta arbete är att utveckla en strategi för hur SAAB ska lyckas med detta. Arbetet har fokuserat på large cargo door till Boeings Dreamliner som är ett av de delsystem som ingår i GF Demo. SAAB har som målsättning att fördubbla takten i tillverkningen av dessa dörrar, för att uppnå målet måste konstruktionen utvecklas för att passa tillverkningen. Ett sätt att skapa roduktionsanpassade konstruktioner är att arbeta med DFM. Genom att undersöka kommersiella DFM-metoder och hur andra företag arbetar med dessa frågor har en strategi anpassad efter företagets förutsättningar utvecklats. Den benchmarking och litteraturstudie som genomfördes visade på ett antal faktorer som skapar förutsättningar för ett lyckat arbete med DFM. De viktigaste faktorerna är att arbetet är förankrat i hela organisationen och att det finns väldefinierade mål med arbetet samt en tydlig ansvarsfördelning. För att kunna identifiera vilka specifika utmaningar som finns på SAAB har anställda på företaget intervjuats. De utmaningar som identifierats är framförallt tillverkningen av kompositartiklar, granskningar av konstruktioner utifrån produktionstekniska förutsättningar samt rutiner vid konceptval. Utifrån detta har en strategi utformats som hanterar främst dessa utmaningar och på lång sikt säkrar att de viktigaste framgångsfaktorerna realiseras på SAAB. En del av strategin är ett verktyg som konstruktörerna kan använda i sitt dagliga arbete för att underlätta utvecklingen av tillverkningsvänliga konstruktioner. Den framtagna strategin inbegriper organisatoriska, taktiska och strategiska förändringar. Den är utformad för att möta problematiken kring framförallt kompositartiklar och tillverkningen av dessa. Strategin innehåller moment från kommersiella produktutvecklings- och DFM-metoder som har anpassats efter de förutsättningar som finns på SAAB. Att arbeta strukturerat med DFM bidrar till en effektivare produktutvecklingsprocess och utveckling av konstruktioner anpassade för tillverkningsprocessen.

Within the aircraft industry, the use of composite materials such as carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs) is steadily increasing, especially in structural parts. Manufacturability needs to be considered in aircraft design to ensure a cost-effective manufacturing process. The aim of this paper is to describe the development of a new strategy for how SAAB Aerostructures addressing manufacturability issues during the development of airframe composite structures. Through literature review, benchmarking and company interviews, a design for manufacturing (DFM) strategy was developed. The strategy ensures that the important factors for successful DEM management are implemented on strategic, tactical and operational levels that contribute to a more cost-efficient product development process and aircraft design.

Examensarbetet har genomförts på SKF Mekan AB i Katrineholm som tillverkar lagertillbehör, bland annat lagerhus, hylsor och muttrar. I ett av de produktionsflöden som tillverkar hylsor har SKF Mekan AB problem med långa genomloppstider och överproduktion. Produktionsprocessen som tillverkar dessa hylsor är helt kundorderstyrd vilket betyder att alla artiklar som tillverkas där inte finns på lager utan tillverkas när kunden lägger en beställning.

SKF Mekan AB ser den långa genomloppstiden som ett problem då det påverkar kunden och bidrar till högre kostnader, vilket har lett fram till arbetets syfte. Genom att undersöka flödet och ta reda på vilka faktorer som påverkar den långa genomloppstiden, har förbättringsförslag tagits fram för att ge SKF Mekan AB verktyg för att sänka genomloppstiden.

Genom intervjuer och observationer har en undersökning av flödet kunnat genomföras. För att kunna utesluta var i flödet de bidragande faktorerna till den långa genomloppstiden befinner sig, har en värdeflödesanalys genomförts med hjälp av insamlade data. En litteraturstudie har legat till grund för vilka teorier och verktyg som kan användas för att lösa problem som SKF Mekan AB har.

Resultatet från värdeflödesanalysen visade att bearbetningsmaskinen BBM101agerar flaskhals i flödet. De största bidragande faktorerna till skapandet av flaskhalsen är problem vid inkörning av nytt program och omställningar mellan olika produkter. Utöver dessa problem identifierades även oreda bland halvfärdigt och överproducerat material som stod utspritt i flödet. Genom att införa ett CAD/CAM system för beredningen, lägga mer fokus på 5Sarbetet och genomföra en SMED-analys skapas möjligheter till en sänkt genomloppstid.

In these times, when manufacturing firms wonder how to integrate products and services into innovative offerings, how should products be designed to be of most value? This study is the investigation of this question for the manufacturing firm Strömsholmen AB, which designs gas springs and hydraulic suspension. The research has led to interviews of personnel to identify challenges and a workshop to generate new service ideas. By analyzing a specific gas hydraulic suspension product, this study shows that designing for product service systems (PSS) with a life-cycle perspective specifically for manufacturing, assembly, delivery, use, maintenance and remanufacturing, can greatly reduce costs and open up for innovative PSS business models. Using Design for Assembly, Design for Disassembly, Design for Serviceability and Design for Remanufacturing shows how concrete improvements to a product can be made. Improvements that show the potential of a redesign for the gas hydraulic suspension. Integrating products and services and pursuing the ideas and methods of this thesis, will ultimately make Strömsholmen better prepared to differentiate, to stay competitive, to deepen customer relations and to gain greater profits long-term.

This master thesis has the purpose to analyse and identify smart efficient future solutions within the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) process for aircraft. The efficiency solutions, in form of new technologies and tools, should present a foundation that MRO suppliers can continue to develop to enhance and streamline their maintenance processes. The project was performed as a case study at the aerospace and defense company Saab AB in Linköping, where the company's MRO process was investigated. Through identifying possibilities and alternative technologies available today and in the near future, one continues to have a competitive and future-proof position in the market. 

Through an own constructed course of action influenced from established methods, the thesis' purpose and aim was attained. The method was based on authentic approaches for case studies but also inspired by the so-called "Requirement Engineering". The combination of the methods resulted in a precise focus on the relevant subjects, together with a clear structure of the requirements on the technologies to reach a successful implementation. Through a detailed data collection comprised of study visits, interviews, literature studies, market analyses, and document reviews, multiple relevant technologies and requirement-lists for utilization were identified. 

To concretize the use and potential improvements with the technologies, the project had the objective to develop a demonstrator with one of the technologies presented. The demonstrator should focus on minimizing the use of paper, which is a common problem among many market actors today. The most promising technology was considered to be a tablet application with an accommodated application. The selection of the tablet solution was based on the motivation that it is a well-established technology and a favorable first step from paperwork. 

To conclude this master thesis, a tablet application was developed in Novacura Flow Studio, where the majority of the identified requirements were fulfilled. Beyond the demonstrator, an introduction and analysis of technologies, such as AR-glasses, voice guidance, additive manufacturing, and a digital twin, was presented.

Composite materials like carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) present highly appealing material properties, as they can combine high strength with low weight. In aerospace applications, these properties help to realize lightweight designs that can reduce fuel consumption. Within the aerospace industry, the use of these types of materials has increased drastically with the introduction of a new generation of commercial aircraft. This increased use of CFRP drives a need to develop more rational manufacturing methods.

For aerospace applications, CFRP products are commonly manufactured from a material called prepreg, which consists of carbon fibers impregnated with uncured polymer resin. There are two dominant manufacturing technologies for automated manufacturing using prepreg, automated tape layup and automated fiber placement. These two technologies are not suitable for all types of products, either due to technical limitations or a combination of high investment costs and low productivity. Automation alternatives to the two dominant technologies have been attempted, but have so far had limited impact. Due to the lack of automation alternatives, manual manufacturing methods are commonly employed for the manufacturing of complex-shaped products in low to medium manufacturing volumes.

The research presented in this thesis aims to explore how automated manufacturing systems for the manufacturing of complex CFRP products made from prepreg can be designed so that they meet the needs and requirements of the aerospace industry, and are suitable for low to medium production volumes. In order to explore the area, a demonstrator-centered research approach has been employed. A number of demonstrators, in the form of automated manufacturing cells, have been designed and tested with industrial and research partners. The demonstrators have been used to identify key methods and technologies that enable this type of manufacturing, and to analyze some of these methods and technologies in detail. The demonstrators have also been used to map challenges that affect the development of enabling methods and technologies.

Automated manufacturing of products with complex shapes can be simplified by dividing the process into two steps. Thin layers of prepreg are laid up on top of each other to form flat laminates that are formed to the desired shape in subsequent forming operations. The key methods and technologies required to automate such a system are methods and technologies for automated prepreg layup, the automated removal of backing paper and the forming of complex shapes. The main challenges are the low structural rigidity and tacky nature of prepreg materials, the extensive quality requirements in the aerospace industry and the need for the systems to handle a wide array of prepreg shapes.

The demonstrators show that it is possible to automate the manufacturing of complexshaped products using automated layup and forming of prepreg laminates. Tests using the demonstrators indicate that it is possible to meet the quality requirements that apply to manual manufacturing of similar products.

Composite materials offer an appealing combination of low weight and high strength that is especially sought after in high-performance applications. The use of composite materials has and is continuing to increase, and the use of the material has been shown to provide substantial weight savings in for example aircraft design. With an increased use of composite materials follows an increased demand for cost-efficient manufacturing methods.

Composite products are in many cases manufactured either by manual operations or by the use of complex automated solutions associated with high investment costs. The objective for this research is to explore an approach to develop automated composite manufacturing based on commercially available off-the-shelf solutions as an alternative to the existing automated solutions for composite manufacturing.

The research, which was carried out in collaboration with industrial partners within the aerospace sector, is based on a demonstrator-centered research approach. Three conceptual demonstrators, focusing on three different manufacturing methods and a number of physical demonstrators, are used to show that off-the-shelf solutions can be used for automated manufacturing of composite products.

Two aspects that affect if it is possible to use off-the-shelf solutions for automated composite manufacturing are the rigorous quality standards used by the aerospace industry and the great variety in product properties and material properties that is associated with composite manufacturing.

The advantages in using off-the-shelf solutions has shown to be that the solutions generally are associated with low investments and that published information about the solutions, and the solutions themselves, is generally available for evaluation and testing. When working with the demonstrators it has been shown to be useful to break down a manufacturing system into basic tasks and consider off-the-shelf solutions for each particular task. This approach facilitates the search for a suitable off-the-shelf solution to solve a particular task. However, each of the separate tasks can affect other areas of the manufacturing system, and an overall systems perspective is required to find solutions that are compatible with the entire manufacturing system.

High-performance polymer composites are mainly used in applications where the benefits of high strength and low weight justify the high material and manufacturing costs. Many of these applications are found today in the aerospace, space and defense industries. Most of today’s commonly used manufacturing methods within this area are highly labor intensive. Furthermore, the quality requirements from the customers require a high level of process control. The purpose of this paper is to explore how changes that are introduced in order to improve productivity in a manufacturing system are managed, particularly with regard to who takes the decision to implement a change and how a change is validated. The study is based on qualitative interviews performed at several companies that manufacture composite components for the aerospace, space and defense sectors. The findings show that the responsibility for deciding to implement a change and the need for validating it are based on many diverse and interconnected factors. Therefore, it is difficult to construct guidelines for early assessment of the scope and cost of a proposed change. Hence each individual change request must be evaluated on its own. The study also shows that the validation process can be adapted to a level that is based on the type of change. In addition, it highlights that control over process parameters in manufacturing is essential.

The process parameters for an automated, three-dimensional ultrasonic cutting process of RTM-preforms are examined in order to find how they affect the cutting quality.

A novel approach to the manufacturing of composite products using off-the-shelf automation equipment is explored in this article. A manufacturing concept for a specific product is developed and analyzed, from a technical perspective, in order to find areas where off-the-shelf automation equipment can be used. The article also highlights areas where case-specific solutions need to be developed. In this particular case, off-the-shelf automation equipment can be used for most of the tasks that the manufacturing system needs to perform. The most challenging process is identified as the application of adhesive. The manufacturing concept described in the article shows that it is possible to build a system for the manufacturing of composite components using a high degree of off-the-shelf automation equipment.

With increasing use of fiber reinforced polymer composites follows a natural pursuit for more rational and effective manufacturing. Robotic pick-and-place systems can be used to automate handling of a multitude of materials used in the manufacturing of composite parts. There are systems developed for automated layup of prepreg, dry fibers and thermoplastic blanks as well as to handle auxiliary materials used in manufacturing. The aim of this paper is to highlight the challenges associated with automated handling of these materials and to analyze the main design principles that have been employed for pick-and-place systems in terms of handling strategy, reconfigurability, gripping technology and distribution of gripping points etc. The review shows that it is hard to find generic solutions for automated material handling due to the great variety in material properties. Few cases of industrial applications in full-scale manufacturing could be identified.

With an increased use of composite materials follows a need for rational, cost-efficient manufacturing processes. This paper explores how off-the-shelf solutions, developed for other purposes than composite manufacturing, can be used to build systems for automated composite manufacturing. Three demonstrators, each of them dealing with a specific type of material and all of them representing different manufacturing technologies for automated composite manufacturing, are presented and analyzed to find aspects that affect the ability to use off-the-shelf solutions. The three demonstrators target low to medium manufacturing volumes of complex products and they have been developed in collaboration with industrial partners within the aerospace industry. The conclusions drawn from the development of the demonstrators are that it is technically feasible to use off-the-shelf solutions in the three cases while adhering to the high quality standards of the industry. Furthermore three groups of aspects, quality aspects, product aspects and system aspects, which affect the ability to use off-the-shelf solutions for automated composite manufacturing, are identified.

Within the aerospace industry the manufacturing of composite components with complex shapes, such as spars, ribs and beams are often manufactured using manual layup and forming of prepreg material. Automated processes for prepreg layup and efficient forming techniques like vacuum forming are sometimes difficult to employ to these type of products due to technical limitations. This paper describes the development of tools and the forming sequence needed to automate sequential forming of a complex shape using an industrial robot. Plane prepreg stacks are formed to the final shape using a dual-arm industrial robot equipped with rolling tools. Tests show that the developed tools and the employed sequence can be used to form stacks to the desired shape with acceptable quality.

With an increased use of composite materials within the aerospace industry follows a need for rational and cost-effective methods forcomposite manufacturing. Manual operations are still common for low to medium manufacturing volumes and complex products.Manual operations can for example be found in material handling, when picking prepreg plies from a cutter table and stacking them toform a plane laminate in preparation for a subsequent forming operation. Stacking operations of this kind often involves a greatnumber of different ply geometries and removal of backing paper and other protecting materials like plastic. In this paper two differentdemonstrator cells for automated picking of prepreg plies and stacking of plane laminates are presented. One demonstrator is utilizinga standard industrial robot and an advanced end-effector to handle the ply variants. The other demonstrator is using a dual arm robotwhich allow for simpler end-effector design. In combination with a previously developed system for automated removal of backingpapers both systems have shown to be capable of automatically picking prepreg plies from a plane surface and stack them to generate aflat multistack laminate. The dual arm approach has shown advantageous since it result in simpler end-effector design and a successivelay down sequence that result in good adhesion between the plies in the laminate.

Automated solutions for manufacturing composite products based on prepreg often imply Automatic Fiber Placement or Automatic Tape Laying. These systems are generally associated with huge investments. For certain manufacturing applications it is interesting to investigate alternatives to find simpler and less costly automation. One example of an automated system could be the use of a standard industrial robot to pick single prepreg plies from an automated cutting machine and stack them to form a plane laminate. This paper is based on a case illustrating a product from the aircraft manufacturing industry. The case will demonstrate a pick and place concept on a general level and illustrate challenges that must be solved. The challenge selected to be the main focus for this paper is an automated process for backing paper removal. A literature review of different gripping technologies reveals several interesting technologies, and the most promising are tested for backing paper removal. The tests show that an automated removal process can be designed by using standard vacuum grippers in combination with mechanical clamping grippers. In order to lift the backing paper with a vacuum gripper an initial separation between the backing paper and prepreg is needed. This separation is most easily mechanically induced by bending the material. The proposed solution for automatic backing paper removal can be integrated in a manufacturing cell for manufacturing of the studied product.

Automotive remanufacturing companies are nowadays facing a wide range ofchallenges. Typical challenges from the point of view of suppliers, producers and customers.Several process steps are analysed and problem fields are dissected: From the core management,to disassembly and cleaning to machining and testing. The main fields of challengesanalysed in this paper are: the vagueness in respect of fiscal value, environmental regulationsand taxation of core parts, the important need for a continuing qualification of staff andengineers, an efficient core management, the adaption of pricing models and the competence tohandle the growing variety and complexity. The focus of this analysis lies on activities of theindependent after-market (IAM) for remanufactured products.

The automotive market is changing. For many years, cars with internal-combustion engines were dominant. Recently, more cars with alternative drive trains have become available, and their market share has increased, a trend that has had an effect on the remanufacturing industry for automotive parts. This paper aims to describe and evaluate the challenges and opportunities in the coming years for the remanufacturing industry as a result of the increasing number and share of electric vehicles. Both theory and empirical data have been used to meet this aim. From theory, the two different drive train concepts of the internal combustion engine and the battery electric vehicle are described, along with the major differences from a remanufacturing standpoint. These differences and effects are described, evaluated, and fully or partly confirmed by industry experts. The results show that future market actors are unset today, less space-consuming machinery parks will be needed, major investments into knowledge and equipment (especially for testing) will be required, and the necessity to handle different kinds of end-of-use/life solutions, especially the recovery for the electric vehicle battery packs, will be a challenge. As future development is still uncertain, the authors recommend that market actors investigate the challenges and opportunities highlighted in this paper and watch future developments carefully.

A key process in a closed-loop supply chain is managing and challenging the transportation and packaging management. Strict environmental regulations in connection with transport of environmentally hazardous substances (e.g. oil) are offering a highcost-saving potential in connection with an optimised transportation and packaging concept. The aim of this case orientated paperis to provide the framework for the management of reverse flow of materials in automotive industry. The emphasis is placed onthe remanufacturing activities. To obtain and verify the necessary information for the above mentioned problems, differentmethods and techniques have been applied: 1) Relevant, available literature in connection with this matter was studied; 2) Dataand documents was requested directly by relevant market actors; 3) The clustered data was analysed and samples werehighlighted; and 4) The data was evaluated and recommended courses of action were given. The results show that the mainproblems appear in the area of forward and reverse logistics: Packaging concepts which do not protect the product in an optimalway (forward / reverse logistics). Moreover, packaging concepts which do not protect the environment against potential negativeinfluence of a used part (reverse logistics) A best practice for the transportation of engine components is given and evaluated: Anengine in a metal frame with oil-pan. Securely attached by bolts. Packed in plastic bag.

The Industrial Revolution, which originally involved the change from an agrarian and handicraft economy to a market dominated by factory mechanization during the early 18th century, has profoundly shaped the world. It has progressed through four disruptive phases: Industry 1.0 through Industry 4.0. Industry 1.0 encompassed early automation, while Industry 2.0 began at the end of the 19th century, when enormous technological advances were made, such as mass production, electrification, and new modes of transportation. Industry 3.0 began during the 1970s, a decade that gave rise to the electronics, telecommunications, and computing that enable full automation and robotics. Industry 4.0 kicked off at the dawn of the third millennium, marked by the ubiquitous use of Internet technologies, which have radically transformed how people, society, and industry interact.

Nowadays manufacturing production systems are becoming more and more responsive in order to succeed in ahighly unstable environment. The capability of a production system to effectively and efficiently adapt and evolveto face the changing requirements – imposed by volatile and dynamic global markets – is a necessary conditionto enable manufacturing enterprises to be agile. Since the agility of a manufacturing enterprise is always limitedby the agility of its own building blocks than it needs to be spread over the whole enterprise including the operationand information technologies (OT/IT). Turning to production systems, one of the significant challenges isrepresented by the possibility to provide easy and rapid (re-)configuration of their internal components and/orprocesses. Innovative technologies and paradigms have been explored during the years that combined with theincreasing advancement in manufacturing technologies enable the implementation of the “plug and produce”paradigm. The “plug and produce” paradigm is the foundation of any agile production system, since to be agile itis inevitably required to reduce the installation and (re-)engineering activities time – changing/adapting the systemto new requirements – while promoting configuration rather than programming. Therefore, the “plug andproduce” paradigm is a necessary but not sufficient condition for implementing agile production systems. Modernproduction systems are typically known for their plethora of heterogeneous component/equipment. In this complexscenario, the implementation of the “plug and produce” paradigm implies the existence of a well-definedontological model to support components/equipment abstraction with the objective to allow interactions,collaboration and knowledge sharing between them. The PRIME semantic language specifies the semanticstructure for the knowledge models and overall system communication language.

Biological collective systems have been an important source of inspiration for the design of production systems, due to their intrinsic characteristics. In this sense, several high level engineering design principles have been distilled and proposed on a wide number of reference system architectures for production systems. However, the application of bio-inspired concepts is often lost due to design and implementation choices or are simply used as heuristic approaches that solve specific hard optimization problems. This paper proposes a bio-inspired reference architecture for production systems, focused on highly dynamic environments, denominated BIO-inspired Self-Organising Architecture for Manufacturing (BIOSOARM). BIOSOARM aims to strictly adhere to bio-inspired principles. For this purpose, both shopfloor components and product parts are individualized and extended into the virtual environment as fully decoupled autonomous entities, where they interact and cooperate towards the emergence of a self-organising behaviour that leads to the emergence of the necessary production flows. BIOSOARM therefore introduces a fundamentally novel approach to production that decouples the system’s operation from eventual changes, uncertainty or even critical failures, while simultaneously ensures the performance levels and simplifies the deployment and reconfiguration procedures. BIOSOARM was tested into both flow-line and “job shop”-like scenarios to prove its applicability, robustness and performance, both under normal and highly dynamic conditions.

An increasing number of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) are realizing that their products, earlier the foundation of their success, no longer stand alone in satisfying customer requirements. Customers now demand integration of services and bundling as well as increased active participation of OEMs during the use phase. Ericsson, a Swedish multinational OEM of communications technology and services, is an example of such a company. The objective of this paper is to describe, compare and discuss Ericsson's journey from a product provider to a PSS provider, e.g. by comparison with other industry examples. Furthermore, the paper highlights future challenges and opportunities for instance regarding business models, trends and product design.

In a world of growing population and increasing prosperity, the demand for new high-technology products is increasing together with the demand for rawmaterials. To be able to deal with the demand for new raw materials and the increasing amount of waste, the recycling industry needs to prepare itself to cope with these changes. If the waste can become the new raw materials, then the recycling industry has a bright future. The implementation of new ways to recycle products can be the solution to succeeding in this challenge.

The objective of this research is to investigate, from a technical perspective, automation in the recycling industry. More specifically, the objective is to identify problems and solutions in the recycling of plastics and large liquid crystal displays in order to better cope with current recycling requirements.

This research was inspired by the research methodologies of industry-aslaboratory, action research, experimental research and two concept development methods.

The results related to the recycling of plastics come from a theoretical investigation of the possibilities for a plastic sorting facility. The investigation resulted in two concepts for recycling systems, implementable with today’s stateof-the-art technology and a more futuristic concept for sorting and separating the different plastics of interest. The systems are designed with standardised processes and are arranged in a flexible way to be able to manage with current industrial requirements.

The results related to large liquid crystal displays include a clarification of the requirements for an automatic recycling plant, concept generation, and practical testing of different technologies. Two preferred processes for dismantle large liquid crystal displays are the circle saw and band saw. Additional results are the semi-automatic process structure to manage with current industrial requirements for large liquid crystal displays.

Many liquid crystal display television sets (LCD TVs) end up in the waste stream today. The combination of hazardous materials such as mercury and liquid crystal, and the labor-intensive disassembly of LCD TVs, make the recycling process interesting to automate. However, since there are so many manufacturers the variation of LCD TVs is high, making automation a challenge. Todays most common automatic process utilizes shredders, resulting in degradation of recycled material and possible decontamination of machine equipment. This paper aims to investigate the challenges related to the structural design of LCD TVs for an automatic dismantling process for the recycling of LCD TVs. The challenges identified during the empirical study were related to the mixture of materials, inhomogeneous materials, thin design, separation of the different components and finding a suitable dismantling sequence without unnecessary removal of components.

There is a large variety of electrical and electronic equipment products, for example liquid crystal display television sets (LCD TVs), in the waste stream today. Many LCD TVs contain mercury, which is a challenge to treat at the recycling plants. Two current used processes to recycle LCD TVs are automated shredding and manual disassembly. This paper aims to present concepts for semi-automated dismantling processes for LCD TVs in order to achieve higher productivity and flexibility, and in turn increase the value of the recycled materials, improve the work environment for operators and remove mercury from the recycled materials. A literature review and two empirical studies were performed to be able to present a concept for dismantling direct illuminated LCD TVs. The process used a circular saw and/or a band saw to machine two cuts in LCD TVs to gain access to the mercury-containing cold cathode fluorescent lamps inside. This conceptual process is compared to the other processes found in the literature.

This bachelor thesis is made on behalf of ETP Transmission AB during spring2019 to develop and produce layouts that are optimized for future demands. The proposals of the layouts should consider aspects such as ergonomics, economics and efficiency.

ETP:s products include casings and chucks. The production is located in Linköping, Sweden. In 2017 the company had 52 employees and the turnover was 110 million SEK. ETP:s vision for the production is to make it more efficient to be able to produce more. Therefore, they have decided to invest in the production hall by adding a lathe and three paternoster lifts. They also want to make space for two sanding machines. Because of the changes in the production hall, ETP needs a new layout to fulfill their new demands.

The method “Systematic Layout Planning” has been used to develop different proposals of layouts. Together with theory from different types of productions has three different layout concepts created. These concepts have been analysed through an extensive SWOT analysis process. Based on ETP:s suggestion, only two concepts were focused on. The result includes two layouts, both of them are fulfilling ETP:s demands.

The report describes the ideology “Lean”, with focus on the 5S tool. 5S is a tool that helps keep the workplace organized and maximize efficiency and effectiveness. The ideology Lean was used in the development of the concepts.

The overall aim of this paper is to draw combined, all-embracing conclusions based on a long-term multidisciplinary research programme on recycling centres in Sweden, focussing on working conditions, environment and system performance. A second aim is to give recommendations for their development of new and existing recycling centres and to discuss implications for the future design and organisation. Several opportunities for improvement of recycling centres were identified, such as design, layout, ease with which users could sort their waste, the work environment, conflicting needs and goals within the industry, and industrialisation. Combining all results from the research, which consisted of different disciplinary aspects, made it possible to analyse and elucidate their interrelations. Waste sorting quality was recognized as the most prominent improvement field in the recycling centre system. The research identified the importance of involving stakeholders with different perspectives when planning a recycling centre in order to get functionality and high performance. Practical proposals of how to plan and build recycling centres are given in a detailed checklist. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Increasing volume of waste in Europe, reduced availability of critical primary resources and new emerging trends towards “green” products push European manufacturers towards the implementation of ‘circular economy’. Product upgrading, i.e. the process of providing new functionalities to products through collection, disassembly/substitution and remanufacturing, could represent an effective solution to support the transition to circular economy. However, economic and environmental sustainability, legislation boundaries, industrial benefits and social impact of design for upgradability and upgrading remanufacturing are still debated in many sectors, and companies still perceive high risks in this transition.

The aim of the paper is to clarify the key success factors for companies that have the willingness to include upgrading remanufacturing in their businesses. An emphasis is placed on how the application of new service-oriented business models for product upgrade and design for remanufacturing can support this implementation and bring high value-added to circular economy businesses.

The methodology used to reach the aim of the paper was to map existing business approaches through a literature review focused on the existing upgrading strategies. Next, a study of real existing case studies of product upgrading was developed. Within this step, the identification of common success factors and a favourable scenario for the implementation of upgrading remanufacturing was conducted.

In recent years, the fields of reconfigurable manufacturing systems, holonic manufacturing systems, and multi-agent systems have made technological advances to support the ready reconfiguration of automated manufacturing systems.  While these technological advances have demonstrated robust operation and been qualitatively successful in achieving reconfigurability, their ultimate industrial adoption remains limited.  Amongst the barriers to adoption has been the relative absence of formal and quantitative multi-agent system design methodologies based upon reconfigurability measurement.  Hence, it is not clear 1.) the degree to which these designs have achieved their intended level of reconfigurability 2.) which systems are indeed quantitatively more reconfigurable and 3.) how these designs may overcome their design limitations to achieve greater reconfigurability in subsequent design iterations.  To our knowledge, this paper is the first multi-agent system reference architecture for reconfigurable manufacturing systems driven by a quantitative and formal design approach.  It is rooted in an established engineering design methodology called axiomatic design for large flexible engineering systems and draws upon design principles distilled from prior works on reconfigurability measurement.  The resulting architecture is written in terms of the mathematical description used in reconfigurability measurement which straightforwardly allows instantiation for system-specific application.

In recent years, the fields of reconfigurable manufacturing systems, holonic manufacturing systems, and multiagent systems have made technological advances to support the ready reconfiguration of automated manufacturing systems. While these technological advances have demonstrated robust operation and been qualitatively successful in achieving reconfigurability, their ultimate industrial adoption remains limited. Among the barriers to adoption has been the relative absence of formal and quantitative multiagent system design methodologies based on reconfigurability measurement. Hence, it is not clear that the degree to which these designs have achieved their intended level of reconfigurability, which systems are indeed quantitatively more reconfigurable, and how these designs may overcome their design limitations to achieve greater reconfigurability in subsequent design iterations. To our knowledge, this paper is the first multiagent system reference architecture for reconfigurable manufacturing systems driven by a quantitative and formal design approach. It is rooted in an established engineering design methodology called axiomatic design for large flexible engineering systems and draws upon design principles distilled from prior works on reconfigurability measurement. The resulting architecture is written in terms of the mathematical description used in reconfigurability measurement, which straightforwardly allows instantiation for system-specific application.

Sustainability is currently one of the biggest challenges and driver of manufacturing industry. Nevertheless, with the decrease of product life cycles, the consumption of raw materials as well as the obsolescence of production systems increases. In this sense, agile shop-floors that enact companies with the ability to quickly reconfigure their shop-floors by deploying or removing modules are the key for sustainable industrial development. This paper attempts to characterize an innovative approach that relies on bio-inspired concepts as the main control mechanism, in order to foster sustainability by attaining the necessary shop-flooragility. Furthermore an experimental setup is presented and the results are analysed, in order to understand the influence and impact of the main properties that characterize the approach towards the system performance.

Recently, offset contracts have become more complex. For the seller to carry through and review the effects and the demands of an offset contract, they need a framework.The paper identifies five main differences between outsourcing and related offset, which are translated into activities to be included in a suggested related offset framework. The paper is based on an in-depth case study of a related offset business at Saab, a Swedish military aircraft producer. The analysis compared the studied case with an existing outsourcing process identified in literature. The paper contributes by providing an overview of the activities taking place during a related offset process and showing the effect of the different hierarchical levels involved in the process on the efficiency of the fulfilment of the offset business. This paper is based on a single case study, and the suggested differences should be verified through further case studies.

With changing market demands such as individualization, volatility and sustainability, the current manufacturing environment at Scania is subject to an increasing need for change. This, together with the availability of more advanced technology and digitalization has sparked the fourth industrial revolution. It has been named Industry 4.0 and considers digitalization in a manufacturing environment. As a result, the purpose of this thesis is to outline the potential of increased digitalization for logistics and manufacturing at Scania Oskarshamn. This will be done by developing a digitalization strategy that encapsulates the core of Industry 4.0 and a roadmap to guide Scania in their development towards a future digitalized manufacturing environment. The study will consider two core functions of Industry 4.0 as the cornerstones of digitalization; consciousness and interoperability. Consciousness focuses on the level of digitalization within the system. With interoperability, integration throughout the whole supply chain and how it relates to the manufacturing environment. As a result, the study is separated into three main parts: Scania today, Scania 2030 and the gap in-between. For all three parts, three areas of focus will be the basis for the analysis. First, the level of digitalization will be analyzed. This is done in regards to the first core function, consciousness. Second, the level of process maturity will be analyzed. This is done in regards to the second core function, interoperability. Third, synergies between logistics and manufacturing will be analyzed. From the conducted analysis of the current state at Scania, the 2030 scenario and the gap inbetween, the digitalization strategy for Scania focuses on the two identified functions. Three key steps has been developed for each function.

Detta examensarbete är en del av ett forskningsprojekt som är ett samarbete mellan RUAG Space och Linköpings Universitet. RUAG Space är ett företag inom rymdindustrin som tillverkar delar till satelliter och bärraketer. För detta examensarbete kommer enbart adapter - och separationssystemet att beröras. Vid en uppskjutning av satelliter är det viktigt att tänka på att vikten är så låg som möjligt. Därför ville företaget att en ny produkt skulle tas fram genom att använda kompositmaterial. Företaget tar fram komponenten medan examensarbetets fokus är tillverkningen av den.

Produkten består av kolfiberformade laminatblock som limmas ihop för att skapa ett cirkelbågeformat segment. Eftersom flera block limmas ihop är det en tidskrävande tillverkningsprocess. Därför beslutade företaget att ett koncept för automatiserad monteringscell skulle kunna tas fram. Då examensarbetet är tidsbestämt angås det att ett virtuellt automatiserat monteringskoncept skulle räcka.

I detta examensarbete har ett stort fokus lagts på konceptgenereringen som har tillämpats för att hitta lämpliga koncept för problemet. Konceptgenereringen delades i tre huvudfunktioner som var robot, fixtur-och limapplicering samt gripdon. Det visade sig att konstruktionen av fixturen som gjordes parallellt med limappliceringen var examensarbetes viktigaste del. Därför lades stor del av examensarbetes tid åt att framta lämplig fixtur - och limningskoncept. För att kunna avgöra vilket fixturkoncept som är mest lämplig användes en konceptvalsmetod.

När ett fixturkoncept och dess limapplicering hade valts kunde resterande funktioner väljas utifrån fixturenskoncepts geometri och funktion. Det påvisades att en 6 axlar robot var den mest lämpade för monteringscellen medan det mest lämpade gripdonet var klämmande. Efter att alla huvudfunktioner hade valts kunde en processlayout tas fram som sedan användes som stöd vid programmering av roboten. Geometrisimuleringen består av att roboten hämtar blocken som sedan går igenom olika mellanliggande stationer innan det placeras i fixturkonceptet. Processen avslutas med en liminjicering i fixturen.

Det har visat sig att det lättaste sättet att utforma ett segment har varit genom att fixturkonceptet har en cirkelbågeformad geometri. Den slutgiltiga geometrisimuleringen visade att det går att automatisera monteringscellen.

This bachelor thesis has been made during the spring of 2021 on behalf of ETP Transmission AB. The company is located in Linköping, Sweden and produces hydraulic hub-/shaft connectors for several different markets and applications. What defines their products is the high quality along with the quick and simple assembly/disassembly.

The purpose was to examine and develop improvements for the company’s changeovers, especially for the low volume manufacturing. The aim was to reduce the changeover times with 25-50%. To achieve this the method SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Die) was used which is a Lean tool to help reduce changeover times. The choice of using SMED was made after conducting a literature study where it was shown to have great results in similar projects. 

The current state was analysed using video, spaghetti charts and interviews with the employees. The software AviX was used to break down the changeovers into internal and external operations. Tool changes and programming of the machines during the changeover were found to be greatest time consumers. 

By using the theory and analysing the current state, different improvement suggestions were developed. The strengths and weaknesses of the improvements were evaluated and visualized with the use of a PICK-chart.

What was found to be the greatest improvement was to group similar products which use the same machine tools. A theoretical changeover time reduction for one of ETP Transmission AB most sold product group was estimated to be approx. 30%. If all the suggested improvements were to be implemented, it would theoretically reduce the changeover time by approx. 47%. 

Lastly, the report highlights the importance of working with Lean and to measure more of the production.

Linear Incremental Hydraulic Actuators are a class of actuators consisting of one or more double-acting cylinders with are detachable from a common piston rod. The actuator works in a kind of rope-climbing motion. The cylinders engage to the rod, drive the load, disengage and retract. The various patterns, how these base actions of the realized cylinders are concatenated form the gaits of Linear Incremental Hydraulic Actuators. Depending on the gait the base actions are realized digital or continuous. For example, in the gait Smooth Motion engaging / disengaging is realized digital and the driving / retraction continuous. Other gaits may be realized fully digital. This contribution presents the concept of the Linear Incremental Hydraulic Actuator, an overview over various gaits, and how they can be combined to form advantages in applications. Advantages of Linear Incremental Hydraulic Actuators are or may be lower resource utilization and environmental impact, applicable for long or even infinite stroke, and simple integration.

The concept of the hydraulic infinite linear actuator consists of two double-acting cylinders with hydraulically detachable pistons driving a common rod. Alternatingly, one cylinder engages and drives the load, whereas the other retracts; the actuator, thus, works in a kind of rope-climbing motion. The actuator has three degrees of freedom, which are temporarily coupled compared with one in a conventional cylinder. Hence, the actuator is a hybrid system with both continuous and discrete states and control inputs. This paper presents a tracking control problem and a solution for high-performance motion, which is interpreted as utilizing the hardware limits in the sense of velocity, accuracy, smoothness, and usability. The concept is demonstrated by simulation for the case of a rest-to-rest motion, but the intended use cases also include arbitrary trajectories.

Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) is one of the fastest developing materials right now. Analogously to the material becoming cheaper and being used more widely in the aerospace industry the manufacturing methods have developed to follow the progress. How material and manufacturing method change the requirements and affect a product's design and performance can be hard to determine. This degree project has developed a Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFM/A) method to easier take into consideration the production process throughout the product development. The DFM/A method is developed for Saab Aerostructures and is based on their materials, production process and product development process. By studying literature and performing case studies a DFM/A method called Method 2015 (M2015) was developed. The method includes a work procedure, design guidelines and supporting DFM/A tools. By considering the production aspects throughout the development process this method of operation facilitate the development of CFRP products at Saab. In addition to the method itself the materials needed to use M2015 is compiled in a manual for the designer. By creating a better understanding of the production aspects of a design and providing the right tools the DFM/A method can contribute to several positive effects. The use of M2015 should lead to CFRP products that are easier to produce which in turn should minimize unnecessary costs, raise the quality and shorten lead times. However, the implementation of M2015 at Saab also creates demands to reach these targets

This paper compares and contrasts the lean product development (LPD) and green product development (GPD) concepts through a systematic literature review including 102 journal publications. The review resulted in 14 findings that were organised according to four dimensions: general, process, people and tools/techniques. A number of similarities between the concepts were found. For example, implementation of both concepts calls for a systems perspective where the dimensions of process-people-tools/techniques are linked holistically. Differences between the LPD and GPD concepts lie in: their goal and focus, value construct, process structure, performance metrics, and tools/techniques used. The findings do not unambiguously support that "green thinking is thinking lean" and consequently it cannot be argued that LPD and GPD are two sides of the same coin, meaning that LPD automatically leads to greener products or that GPD ensures improvements and efficiency in the product development process. However, it is reasonable to conclude that LPD and GPD belong to the same "currency". That is, the concepts share a number of similarities that indicate a synergistic relationship. This synergistic relationship has been accentuated by a nine propositions where the potential for cross-field learning is shown.

The transition to more sustainable manufacturing is urgently needed. We need to produce with radically less use of energy, virgin material and other resources. As a response to those needs, sustainable manufacturing has emerged as a concept and practise with the underlaying goal that manufacturing shall preserve resources, still contributing to economic growth and human welfare. The manufacturing industry plays a central role in addressing the UN’s global sustainable development goals.

Sustainable Manufacturing focuses on development and operations of manufacturing systems and processes, with manufacturing’s environmental impacts in focus. The chapters are organised from a life cycle perspective bringing up topics and showing how a manufacturing company can address sustainability issues in each life cycle stage.

This book is designed to be an introductory textbook applicable for students in higher education and for industrial practitioners, seeking an overview of sustainable manufacturing. It contains nine chapters which are easy to digest and include numerous examples of how to implement sustainable manufacturing in practice.

The purpose of instructions is to pass a strategy or method for work on to a previously unexperienced person. For an instruction to be successful it must be designed in a manner that allows easy use and correct interpretation. The increasing demand for customer customization and flexibility leads to an ever increasing need for manufacturing companies to create and utilize instructions in an effective way.

On the behalf of PartnerTech in Åtvidaberg, a project was conducted as a master thesis during the spring semester of 2014, with the target of facilitating the creation and revision of instructions. How information should be presented to best support the user was also a main objective of the project. Beside this, a method for categorizing the company’s products was requested, to facilitate the allocation of personnel at the assembly lines. PartnerTech as a contract manufacturer is continuously challenged with new products at various development stages. As a consequence, instructions needs to be created regularly. The initiative for the project originates from the dissatisfaction related to the current method.

The master thesis has been conducted by a student at the mechanical engineering program at Linköping University. The initial part of the project involved a study of the current method and the company’s needs, as well as research within the concerned areas. Later the software SolidWorks Composer was evaluated to see which possible benefits it could hold. A proposal for a new layout of the instructions was developed, based on the found literature during the research. Instructions was established using the layout and principles, which then was tested on real products. Parallel to this a method for categorizing the products was developed.

The project resulted in an alternative layout for instructions and a proposal for a new presentation method. The tool proposed for creating and maintaining the instructions is Microsoft PowerPoint, which was used during the project and showed several benefits compared to the current software. The evaluation of SolidWorks Composer showed that there is potential for more effective creation of images for instructions, given that some criteria is fulfilled. The method for categorizing products resulted in a checklist, based essentially on yes/no-questions.

In order to survive in today’s global market many manufacturing companies seek flexibility to reduce product lead times and meet changing market demands. Manufacturing equipment forms the base of the production system and manufacturing technology with the capability to adapt to any changes in prerequisites is thus a key enabler of flexibility. Industrial robots and fixtures are common in all types of manufacturing. Robots are versatile re-programmable units capable of performing many tasks, such as welding, part transfer, etc. Industrial robots have traditionally been unable to handle disturbances and lack of constraints of input. This has led to manual operations often being preferred to automation when some level of flexibility is needed. One way to enhance manufacturing equipment’s capability to handle unknown events is to integrate different kinds of sensors to gain more knowledge of the manufacturing environment. Force sensors, for example, can be used to close the feedback loop and, together with an adequate control system, enable the robot to react to force stimuli. This is useful in manufacturing applications like assembly and deburring, which have previously been difficult to automate.

Fixtures are devices that hold and position parts during a manufacturing process. Traditionally many fixtures have been dedicated, i.e. designed for a specific part and purpose. This means that fixtures have not been able to handle different products in the same unit, thus hindering flexibility. Sensors, like measurement systems, can be used together with fixtures to de-couple the structure of the fixture from the accuracy, which is the traditional approach to fixturing. This reasoning forms the base of the Affordable Reconfigurable Tooling (ART) concept, developed at Linköping University. The ART concept aims at increasing flexibility in manufacturing, while ensuring affordability and efficiency.

This thesis explores how common manufacturing equipment, like industrial robots and fixtures, combined with sensor input, can enhance flexibility in manufacturing. The research shows that force-controlled robots, reacting to force stimuli, produce consistent results in assembly of compliant structures and in complex deburring. Force control also makes the system more robust, as it is able to handle variance in the assembled and deburred parts which adds to system flexibility. It also lessens the need for accuracy in other equipment used, such as grippers and fixtures, and makes programming easier and safer. Force control would, however, benefit if parameter tuning was simplified in order to fit an industrial environment and if presented user information is tailored for the intended user.

Using measurement sensors to build fixtures, new ART devices aimed at increased flexibility in fixtures have been developed. These devices reduce the resources needed for fixture build and reconfiguring between products and also open up for making fixtures more active in manufacturing and similar to robots, while still being affordable. ART also reduces resources needed for design, as shown by the developed design aid programs. ART also supports concurrent design, as fixture specifications may be finalized before the product specifications are fully set.

The overall results indicate that the explored sensors in combination with today’s emerging technologies can give additional benefits for applications like assembly and deburring and for fixtures. Furthermore, it is shown that it is possible to increase flexibility on different levels in a manufacturing system by using sensors in combination with industrial robots and fixtures.