<p>The world economy is in a transition period never experienced before, One of the main realising factors, boosting economy growth, is the catch up of many emerging countries. The emerging countries impose new competitive dimensions to the global economy, forcing well established multinational corporations into new competitive situations, brining both opportunities and threats.</p><p>The construction equipment industry has entered a condition of unprecedented growth. The total market demand has increased significantly and the demand development is prospected to continue for many more years. To keep up with the market demand and the sales opportunities, it is important to have machines available in the market. This impose that the logistic strategy is getting more important for companies in order to keep up with the prospected sales opportunities.</p><p>This Masters thesis is initiated by our case company, Volvo Construction Equipment International, currently suffering from an inefficient logistics strategy constraining international growth.</p><p>Based on our analysis and conclusion, Volvo Construction Equipment is recommended to move from transaction selling, spot market like international logistics strategy towards a relationship marketing based logistics strategy establishing in-depth collaborations with key account shipping suppliers. Furthermore, we recommend that Volvo CE should consider a logistics management function in order to facilitate the inter-organizational flow of logistics information.</p>

This report represents the bachelor thesis examination by Julia Kastehelmi Rintamäki. The examination has been performed during spring semester 2013 at Volvo Construction Equipment in Eskilstuna. This report, Development of parking brake component, describes the product development process of the parking brake component for articulated hauler, wheel loader and grader. Volvo CE has problems with the parking brake switch that exist today on articulated hauler, wheel loader and grader. The purpose of this project is to develop one common solution for the parking brake component for articulated hauler, wheel loader and grader. The secondary purpose is to find final concept proposal for each machine. Employees at the Volvo CE were interviewed; they were contacted via e-mail, phone calls and via meetings to get the information about the machines and the information around the parking brake component. Volvo CE databases were also used for gathering information about standards and pictures. Lots of different ideas were sketched and concept proposals were created with the aid of material from marketing analysis, competitor analysis, target group analysis, requirement specification, function analysis, standards and ergonomics. Eight concept proposals were chosen to be evaluated with QFD, Pugh’s matrix and FMEA. Two concepts were most suitable and developed further to three dimensional models with the aid of Solid Works. The different aspects were taken into account when designing and dimensioning the final concepts. Two models were created with the aid of plasticine for figuring out the ergonomics and dimensions of the product. DFM, DFA, DFE, D4S were used for taking into account costs, assembly, dimensions and environmental impacts of this product. One of the concepts could replace the existing parking brake switch and suit in different cabins because of its size and design. This concept can be located on vertical or on horizontal plane. The other final concept solution functions better for the  articulated hauler on account of the double function with exhausting brake system activating before parking brake system. Suggestion for next steps for the project could be to make prototypes of the two concepts and test these components in real machines. Also interviewing users for further development of the final concepts and redesign if needed.

The world economy is in a transition period never experienced before, One of the main realising factors, boosting economy growth, is the catch up of many emerging countries. The emerging countries impose new competitive dimensions to the global economy, forcing well established multinational corporations into new competitive situations, brining both opportunities and threats. The construction equipment industry has entered a condition of unprecedented growth. The total market demand has increased significantly and the demand development is prospected to continue for many more years. To keep up with the market demand and the sales opportunities, it is important to have machines available in the market. This impose that the logistic strategy is getting more important for companies in order to keep up with the prospected sales opportunities. This Masters thesis is initiated by our case company, Volvo Construction Equipment International, currently suffering from an inefficient logistics strategy constraining international growth. Based on our analysis and conclusion, Volvo Construction Equipment is recommended to move from transaction selling, spot market like international logistics strategy towards a relationship marketing based logistics strategy establishing in-depth collaborations with key account shipping suppliers. Furthermore, we recommend that Volvo CE should consider a logistics management function in order to facilitate the inter-organizational flow of logistics information.

The aim of this research was to determine the effects of the fineness of different mineral additives on loss on ignition, heat of hydration, physical, mechanical and chemical properties of blended cements. For that purpose, portland cement clinker was replaced with granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS), natural pozzolan (NP) and limestone (L) at 6%, 20% and 35% replacement levels. Blended cements containing GBFS and NP were ground to a fineness of 3000, 5000 and 6000 cm2/g. Cements containing L were ground to 3000 cm2/g, 4000 cm2/g and 4500 cm2/g. All of the blended cement types mentioned above were both interground and separately ground to the specified fineness levels. Therefore, a total of 57 different cements were produced. Loss on ignition, heat of hydration, chemical, mechanical and physical analyses were performed on the produced cements. Moreover, the chemical analyses of the cements were obtained for cement particles finer (-45&mu / m) and coarser (+45&mu / m) than 45 &mu / m in order to determine the ingredients of -45 &mu / m, which is known to be more reactive. As a result it was shown that the grindability differences of the cement ingredients affect the properties of blended cements. An increase in the specific surface area increases both the compressive strength and heat of hydration values and adversely affects the loss on ignition values. The results also showed that if the cement particles were ground finer, it was more prone to moisture which resulted in higher loss on ignition values after longer periods.

Secondary markets have not historically possessed the characteristics necessary for market power to emerge, or effective product differentiation to be implemented. The potential effects of these characteristics on primary – secondary market interaction is generally not considered. The law of one price is expected to hold in secondary markets. By applying the hedonic technique to producer theory, and integrating the durability of the product directly into the profit maximizing conditions, potential differences in implicit prices between customer segments in the used bucket truck market are estimated. Applying weighted least squares to the hedonic equation, parameters were estimated to indicate whether differences in hedonic prices exist between customer segments in the secondary, utility construction equipment market. The hedonic approach accounted for differences in price due to physical characteristics, while underlying supply and demand conditions were accounted for using indicator variables for time. Estimated differences in the effects of physical characteristics on price, between industries, were identified using interaction terms. Results of the econometric estimation indicate that differences in physical product characteristics do not fully account for differences in price between customer segments in the secondary bucket truck market. If the law of one price can be violated in a secondary market, this could indicate market power. Future research on primary – secondary market interaction should consider the potential effects, if such market power does indeed exist.

Struck-by fatalities involving heavy equipment such as trucks and cranes accounted for 24.6% of the fatalities between 1997-2007 in the construction industry. Limited visibility due to blind spots and travel in reverse direction are the primary causes of these fatalities. Blind spots are spaces surrounding an equipment that are invisible to the equipment operator. Thus, a hazard is posed to the ground personnel working in the blind spaces of an equipment operator. This research presents a novel approach to intelligently identify potential hazards posed to workers operating near an equipment by determining the visible and blind space regions of an equipment operator in real-time. A depth camera is used to estimate the head posture of the equipment operator and continuously track the head location and orientation using Random Forests algorithm. The head posture information is then integrated with point cloud data of the construction equipment to determine both the visible and the blindspots region of the equipment operator using Ray-Casting algorithm. Simulation and field experiments were carried out to validate this approach in controlled and uncontrolled environment respectively. Research findings demonstrate the potential of this approach to enhance safety performance by detecting hazardous proximity situations.

This thesis performed on master level covers an assignment given by the cab division at Volvo Construction Equipment (Eskilstuna, Sweden). The thesis has been carried out by Josefin Hult during the period 2014-01-23 to 2014-05-30 at Mälardalen University. Volvo Construction Equipment manufactures products including wheel loaders, backhoe loaders and articulated haulers. The assignment involves developing the standard door for larger wheel loaders. The current door has a welded frame surrounding the glass that is considered outdated and not cost effective. Volvo Construction Equipment wishes that the door was made in glass in a greater extent. The aim of the assignment has been to generate concepts regarding a glass door that fulfills given requirements. Three research questions have been stated and answered during the process. The product development process has consisted of three phases: information gathering, concept development process and development of detailed concept. For example, field studies and benchmarking have been performed to gather information about competitors’ products and the manufacturing and assembling of the current door. Concepts for handrails, sealant and overall door design have been generated in an iterative process. All components of the door have been developed into a detailed concept during the last phase of the process. The process has resulted in a frameless glass door. The concept suggestion consists of; a tempered sheet of glass, a clip list (sealant) that covers the edges of the glass, two different handrails, inner and outer handles, a gas spring, components to attach handrails against the glass, a cover and a lock mechanism. The major conclusion that is drawn is that it is fully possible to develop a door made in glass in a greater extent than the current door. Many competitors have machines where the door is made in glass in a large extent. This makes it believable that the glass door also will be perceived as timely and more modern and clear. Recommendations have been developed if there is interest in further development. The recommendations include, among others, development of handrail and test of prototype to ensure that all requirements are fulfilled. Figures are produced by the author if not stated otherwise.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--North Carolina State University. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.Env.E.)--University of Central Florida, 2009. / Adviser: C. David Cooper. Includes bibliographical references (p. 184-186).

This thesis sets out to explore possible applications of speech recognition in construction equipment and autonomous machines. Advancements in autonomous vehicle technology mean that soon, vehicles like wheel loaders will be able perform tasks without human operators. Those vehicles still require a method of interaction with humans and recent improvements in speech recognition mean that it is possible for a natural voice-based interface to be used. The research question of this thesis is the extent to which voice control can replace hand-operated controls in an intelligent autonomous machine. Interviews and observation sessions took place in order to identify the requirements such a speech interface would have to fulfill. Next, a design process took place in order to build a prototype of such system, followed by test sessions to evaluate it. The prototype demonstrated positive attributes, with great learnability and ease of operation, but speech recognition errors meant low performance, and overall user satisfaction. / Detta examensarbete ämnar utforska möjliga tillämpningar av taligenkänning i byggutrustning samt självstyrande fordon. Framsteg i självstyrande fordonsteknologi visar att fordon som hjullastare kommer kunna utföra uppgifter själv, utan operatörer, inom kort framtid. I nuläget krävs ännu människor för att interagera med maskinen. Men nya framsteg i röststyrning visar att röstbaserade gränssnitt kan tillämpas. Forskningsfrågan i detta arbete är: Till vilken utsträckning kan röststyrning ersätta handmanövrerade instrument i ett intelligent självstyrt fordon? En etnografisk forskning ägde rum för att identifiera de krav som ett sådant gränssnitt skulle behöva uppfylla. En designprocess ägde rum för att utveckla en prototyp för ett sådant system. Prototypen utvärderades genom tester och påvisade positiva egenskaper. Den visade sig vara både lätt att lära samt enkel vid användning. Teknologin i taligenkänning påvisade dock brister genom dålig prestanda samt låg användarnöjdhet.