Electrolux Professional AB is a multinational industrial appliance manufacturer and among many other things one of the leading global providers of laundry solutions in Ljungby, Sweden. Electrolux, being a global company with millions of customers, are always striving for the most efficient way of work in order to reach the best results. The ambition of this thesis was therefore to produce a specified suggestion of how to make a change in Electrolux Professional’s production to improve the resource, cost, and workflow efficiency directly and/or indirectly. This is done on the basis of answering two questions: 1. Is the current system improvable? 2. What kind of resources are needed to improve the efficiency in the assembly system? This thesis evaluates what kind of change of routines for picking and assembly workers (with the help of both theoretical framework and suitable solution for specifically Electrolux Professional) are needed to achieve a more efficient flow. Through the collected data, observations and unstructured interviews with the staff at Electrolux Professional, together with theoretical knowledge, important factors that need to be taken into account when implementing a more efficient work flow could be developed and thus answer the study’s question: Assuming that it is possible, with which resources/methods can the internal production system be changed to contribute to the company’s goal of making the production 50% more efficient? Several improvement suggestions were studied, including a rearrangement in the warehouse, and internal system change and even self-driving trucks. The solution that was proved to be most time and resource efficient to test and most optimal to change on short notice was a restructure in the assembly material feeding process. This could be achieved by changing the routine of the workers. By simulating a change in the daily work routines, it was proven that Electrolux Professional can use 4 fulltime workers instead of 5,5. In a long term this is quite an improvement, regarding time, money and production flow for the company.

In today’s competitive global market every companies strive to overcome challenges that occur during manufacturing in order to gain profits and stay in competition. Overcoming challenges include elimination or reduction of non-value adding activities that are happening in production. To eliminate non-value adding activities and achieve desired workflow it is important to follow set of successful strategies which suits production system. In this current research framework has been proposed which aids reduction of non-value adding activities and also plays an important role in achieving efficient material flow. Current research is carried out in a single case study at a Swedish manufacturing firm where identification of effects of existing non-value-added activities in major aspects of material flow was carried out. By analysing the findings from case company along with data from literature review effects of NVA on material flow were identified in production facility and solution has been recommended in the form of framework to overcome these problems. In the conclusion a set of strategies were developed into a framework by analysing the effects of existing NVA in production facility has been further recommended for implementation at case company to check for generalisability of developed framework. This framework aids in overcoming common problems associated with material flow along with eliminating effects of NVA activities and also helps improving productivity which enhances proper flow of materials into line.

Syftet med detta projekt var att undersöka möjligheterna att externt mata in pulver i en PBF-maskin (en EBM-maskin, Electron Beam Melting), för att öka maskinens effektivitet. Huvudmålet med projektet var att designa ett sätt att leverera pulver till byggkammaren från en extern källa. Metoden som användes var produktutveckling från lektioner på universitetet, litteratur och några faser uppfanns specifikt för att hjälpa till med utvecklingen. Metoden delades upp i olika faser som hjälpte till att hålla en jämn takt under hela projektet. Vissa tester gjordes för att pröva om den nuvarande utrustningen kunde användas i konceptet. Resultaten visar att extern pulvermatning för EBM-maskiner har en öppning på marknaden, vilket innebär att inget företag har upptäckt ett sätt att externt mata pulver. Ytterligare resultat visade nuvarande brister och positiva delar av det nuvarande matningssystemet, men ännu viktigare vilka områden som kan förbättras och saker att tänka på när man utvecklar det nya konceptet. Testerna på ventilen visade att den kan ta "fullt" vakuum när den är ren, men mer utveckling måste göras för att välja den perfekta ventilen. Testet av tunnan visade att tunnan kunde stå emot visst vakuum och tätningen kunde förbli intakt. Men det behövs mer utveckling av tunnan för att få det att fungera. En målspecifikation gjordes och några koncept utvecklades. Efter det togs ett beslut om vilket koncept som gick framåt, det var det blå konceptet. Sedan gjordes några skisser och design i CAD för att visualisera hur konceptet såg ut. Syftet med projektet uppnåddes och huvudmålet uppfylldes. Ytterligare arbete och utveckling krävs för att göra detta koncept redo för prototypframställning och produktion. / The purpose of this project was to investigate the possibilities to externally feed powder into a PBF-machine (a EBM-machine, Electron Beam Melting) to increase the effectiveness of the machine. The main goal of the project was to design a way to deliver powder to the building-chamber from an external source. The method used was product development learnt from lessons at the university, literature and some phases were specifically invented to help with development. The method was split up into different phases that helped keep a steady pace during the whole project. Some tests were made to try if the current equipment could be used in the concept. The results show that external powder feed for EBM machines have an opening in the market, meaning that no company has jet discovered a way to externally feed powder. Further results showed the current flaws and positive parts of the current feeding system, but more importantly what areas that could be improved and things to consider when devel-oping the new concept. The tests on the valve showed that it can take “full” vacuum when clean, but more research must be done to choose the perfect valve. The barrel test showed that the barrel could withstand some vacuum and the sealing could remain intact. But more research on the barrel is needed. A target specification was made and some con-cepts were developed. After that a decision was made which concept was moving forward, it was the blue concept. Then some sketches and designs in CAD was made to visualize how the concept looked like. The purpose of the project was achieved and the main goal was met. Further work and development are needed to make this concept ready for prototyping and production. / <p>Betygsdatum 2023-06-28</p>