The diploma thesis will deal with process automation in the field of financial audit. The introductory part will theoretically introduce the subject of robotic process automation. Subsequently, the current state of the audit process in the company PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) will be described and analyzed. In the main part, the robot will be designed and implemented. Finally, the project and its benefits will be evaluated.

Master thesis focuses on payment process automatization of selected company XY, which will eliminate repetitive manual work and routine and will lead to shortening of the whole process. To reach this solution RPA – Robotic Process Automation was used. RPA was designed based on data analysis, which showed areas of process best suited for automatization. Part of the thesis is also evaluation of impacts of implemented RPA solution.

This Master’s thesis deals with the selection and compilation of a suitable process for automation using RPA technology. The thesis first introduces the theoretical background needed to understand the issue. Subsequently, an analysis of the current state of the company is performed. In the third part, the selection of the process and assembly of your own robots is verified.

Currently, customers are pushing companies by demanding high quality, customized products, reduced lead time, and reliable delivery. To provide such high customer sat-isfaction, companies have to rely on third-party logistics and warehouse operations. The variety of products, combined with shorter delivery times makes warehouse operations even more complex. To manage these complexities, warehouses are turning to "auto-mation technologies" that provide a competitive edge in the market by lowering costs and improving productivity in all operations, throughout the shop floor. This project aimed to explore how warehouses can implement automation successfully by analysing the challenges that arise with the automation approach. The project will be limited to the planning phase of the automation approach. Based on the aim, two research ques-tions were defined. The first one concerns identifying the challenges that arise when a warehouse is becoming automated, while the second one concerns, finding solutions that mitigate these challenges. To fulfill the purpose, a single case study was conducted in the warehouse of a logistic company in Jönköping. The case study method consisted of interviews and observations as primary data collection techniques. In total thirteen challenges were identified in the literature, out of which ten were found at the case company. The identified challenges were classified into the organisational, technolog-ical, and people factors. In order to mitigate the challenges, suggestions were provided to the case company. The thesis concludes that even though automation is a good strat-egy for improving production activities, it comes with several challenges within organ-isational, technological, and people dimensions. Moreover, the study will be useful, for researchers and practitioners working in warehouse automation to identify and solve challenges while automating the facility

El presente proyecto de investigación propone el desarrollo e implementación de un sistema automático de selección para paltas tipo Hass, mediante sus diferentes índices de calidad (rozamiento, quemaduras y manchas negras). El sistema integra hardware y software para mejorar la calidad de exportación y la productividad en la industria agrícola. Este proyecto es la propuesta de solución a la problemática actual de las empresas exportadoras de paltas en la etapa de selección. La palta, también conocido como aguacate o avocado, en su variedad Hass, es la más conocida y se cultiva exclusivamente para la exportación, por tal motivo es necesario un control de calidad óptimo; sin embargo, actualmente este proceso es ineficiente al ser artesanal. Con el fin de mejorar este proceso, se propone su automatización, el cual consiste en diversas etapas mecánicas, diseñadas para realizar el movimiento de las paltas y un algoritmo de procesamiento de imágenes, encargado de detectar los desórdenes en los frutos. Finalmente, se muestran las pruebas de validación y los resultados del análisis empleado en la evaluación de la solución propuesta. / The following research project proposes the development and implementation of an automatic sorter system for Hass avocados, through its different quality indexes (burns, frictions and black spots). The system integrates hardware and software to improve export quality and productivity in the agricultural industry. This project is the proposed solution to the current problem avocado exporting companies are facing in the selection stage. The avocado, also known as aguacate or palta, in its Hass variety, is grown exclusively for export, which is why optimal quality control is necessary. However, this process is currently inefficient because it is a manual process. In order to improve it, an automatic method is proposed, which consists of various mechanical phases, designed to perform the movement of avocados and an image processing algorithm, responsible for detecting disorders in the fruits. Finally, the validation tests and results of the analysis used in the evaluation of the proposed solution are shown. / Tesis

Spacecraft formation flying refers to the coordinated operation of a group of spacecraft with a common objective. While the concept has been in existence for a long time, practical fruition of the ideas was not possible earlier due to technological limitations. The topic has received widespread attention in the last decade, with the development of autonomous control, improved computational facilities and better communication technology. It allows a number of small, lightweight, economical spacecraft to work together to execute the function of a larger, heavier, more complex and expensive spacecraft. The primary advantage of such systems is that they are flexible, modular, and cost-effective.<div><br></div><div>The flexibility of formation flying and other derived concepts comes from the fact that the units are not physically attached, allowing them to change position or orientation when the need arises. To fully realize this possibility, it is important to develop methods for spatial reorganization. This thesis is an attempt to contribute to this development. </div><div><br></div><div>In this thesis, the reconfiguration problem has been formulated as a single system with multiple inputs and multiple outputs, while preserving the individuality of the agents to a certain degree. The agents are able to communicate with their neighbors by sharing information. In this framework, a distributed closed-loop stabilizing controller has been developed, that would drive the spacecraft formation to a target shape. An expression for the controller gain as a function of the graph Laplacian eigenvalues has also been derived. The practical applications of this work have been demonstrated through simulations</div>

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the value co-creation opportunities for an autonomous cleaning robot, in the context of a cleaning service, by using several prototyping methods. Assuming a service perspective, with an exploratory, multi-stakeholder, and collaborative approach, a case study of an autonomous cleaning robot currently in development is conducted. With the methodological approach of sequentially and iteratively going through the phases of Mapping and Ideation, Conceptualization, Prototyping, and Data analysis, a total of 10 co-creative, stakeholder-centric workshops were conducted, using various prototyping methods e.g. Contextual value network mapping and Desktop walkthrough. Findings show that the value that an autonomous cleaning robot can bring different stakeholders in the context of a cleaning service is multi-facetted and can be divided in to eight different Aspects, where each value carries a different implication at the level of the individual and the level of the system. Furthermore, a list of seven different Design parameters and four different Design problems are presented, which should be used as guidelines when further developing a cleaning service that uses an autonomous cleaning robot. Finally, the implications of the findings are put into a broader perspective through discussion, with topics such as the impact of more robots in society.

Hospitals are crucial aspects of society, run by incredible people that dedicate their life to caring for others. However, there are several tasks that are vital to a hospitals operation that do not require an empathic competence. One such tasks is the continuous resupply of consumable items needed to maintain necessary hygiene levels.   The Pluto concept act as a helping hand to the assistant nurses, relieving them and enabling them to spend more time with the patients and emphasizes their empathic, inherently human capabilities. The chief motivation is that nurses value the interaction with the patients the most in their work, which is also their primary task. However, they are charged with so many menial tasks that they have little time to care for their patients.

Today’s society is increasingly moving towards a digitalized world where society is becoming more connected. In terms of industries, it´s extra important to keep up with this trend to be competitive, but also to be more effective. This work will be done in collaboration with the company Attindas. Attindas is a manufacturer of absorbent incontinence aids and delivers products worldwide. The purpose of this work is to investigate two different material flows at Attindas. These flows are raw materials in the warehouse and waste from production to recycling rooms. A deeper analysis is made of the different flows to investigate which parts can be automated and how to do this. The goal of this work is to develop a solution that can replace today’s manual material handling. The problem statements this work is based on is: • Which material flow of waste and raw material are the most valuable to automate? • How can the chosen material flow be automated? The work is carried out with a Design Thinking method that goes through the following steps. Find users’ needs, define needs and problems, come up with ideas and test the solution. The work is supported by a literature study that examines what has already been done and what is already on the market. The result of this work was that Attinda’s waste management is the material flow that should be automated if financial gain and efficiency are to be achieved. The solution that was constructed is an external lifting device that will be mounted on a platform AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle). Two AGVs will drive in the factory and pick up four waste wagons at a time. This is to cope with the waste flow that comes from the production lines. The conclusion of the work is that waste management is a step that Attindas can automate to go to a more automated factory and get one step closer to Industry 4.0. With the help of the new solution, which is a lifting device adapted to the waste bins. Attindas can replace manual work and automate the flow of waste from production to recycling room. By implementing this solution in the factory, Attindas will over time make a financial gain comparable to the current solution, while maintaining its efficiency. / Dagens samhälle går allt mer mot en digitaliserad värld där samhället blir mer uppkopplat. Vad gäller industrier är det extra viktigt att hänga med i denna trenden för att vara konkurrenskraftiga, men även för att effektivisera verksamheten. Detta arbete kommer att göras i samarbete med företaget Attindas. Attindas är en tillverkare av absorberande inkontinenshjälpmedel och de levererar produkter över hela världen. Problemformuleringen som arbetet utgår ifrån är: • Vilket materialflöde av avfall och råmaterial är det mest värdefulla att automatisera? • Hur kan det valda materialflödet automatiseras? Syftet med detta arbete är att undersöka två olika materialflöden hos Attindas. Dessa flöden är råmaterial i lagret och spill från produktion till återvinningsrum. En djupare analys görs på de olika flödena för att undersöka vilka delar som går att automatisera samt hur man kan göra detta. Målet med detta arbete är att ta fram en lösning som kan ersätta dagens manuella materialhantering. Arbetet genomförs med en Design Thinking metod som genomgår följande fem steg. Hitta användarens behov, definiera behov och problem, komma upp med ideer, ta fram ideerna och testa lösningen. Arbetet styrks upp av en litteraturstudie som undersöker vad som redan har gjorts och vad som redan finns på marknaden. Resultatet av detta arbete blev att Attindas spillhantering är det materialflöde som borde automatiseras ifall ekonomisk vinning och effektivitet vill uppnås. Lösningen som konstruerades är en extern lyftanordning som ska monteras på en plattform AGV. Två stycken AGV ska köra i fabriken och hämta upp fyra spillvagnar åt gången. Detta för att klara av det flöde av spill som kommer från produktions linjerna. Slutsatsen av arbete är att spillhantering är ett steg som Attindas kan automatisera för att gå till en mer automatiserad fabrik och komma ett steg närmre Industri 4.0. Med hjälp av den framtagna lösningen som är en lyftanordning anpassad för de spillvagnar som finns i fabriken kan Attindas ersätta manuellt arbete och automatisera flödet av spill från produktion till återvinningsrum. Genom att implementeradenna lösningen i fabriken kommer Attindas både göra en ekonomisk vinning jämfört med dagens lösning, samtidigt som arbetet bibehåller sin effektivitet.

Genom att använda sig av robotar kan processer automatiseras på ett enkelt och kostnadseffektivt sätt. Tidigare forskning visar på att Robotic Process Automation (RPA) är ett attraktivt sätt för företag att investera i ny teknik som ger snabb avkastning. RPA kan även avlasta anställda inom företag där processer upplevs manuella och repetitiva. Å andra sidan visar även forskningen på att utmaningar finns vid implementationen av RPA, som att anställda inte vill acceptera den nya teknologin samt att ledning har svårt att kommunicera ut vad RPA ska bidra med. Syftet med denna studie är att öka förståelse kring implementeringsprocessen av RPA och vilka utmaningar som finns. Vidare ämnar studien att ge riktlinjer kring hur det går att underlätta implementationen av RPA och öka anställdas acceptans. Teoretiskt bidrar denna studie till ökad kunskap och förståelse i hur företag ska gå till väga för att öka anställas acceptans vid implementation av RPA. Genom litteratursökningar har relevanta teorier samlats in; RPA,Automation, Projektledning, IT-Projekt, Förändringsarbete och Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Utifrån en kvalitativ ansats genomfördes fyra semistrukturerade intervjuer för att samla in empiri. Intervjuerna utfördes med fyra olika anställda på ett företag med olika roller. Genom en tematisk dataanalys identifierades tre teman; gemensam vision om RPA, saknad designfas och ansvar efter implementation. Resultatet visar på att det idag finns brister inom kommunikationen, förarbete och efterarbete vid implementeringen av RPA. Slutligen presenterar studien tre riktlinjer som ska hjälpa företaget att underlätta framtida implementationer av RPA.