Imagine you have booked a trip to the mountains and want to experience nature and the slopes. But unfortunately, you do not own your equipment and need to rent from a ski rental. As a customer, you then hope the rental process goes quickly, smoothly, and efficiently to avoid standing in long queues. That is exactly what this master thesis is about, is it possible to make the ski rental process more efficient and design a solution or service that optimizes the flow. Bottlenecks are something that slows down the process and by improving the bottlenecks hopefully a more optimized ski rental can be achieved. This master thesis is a collaboration with the company No More Boots. They have developed a tool called SkiClicker which makes the ski binding adjustment easier. SkiClicker had optimized the ski renting process by 40% and this master thesis is about to examine if more solutions could streamline the flow.    This project is built on human-centred design and service design. IDEO (2015) explain that human-centred design is about designing solutions after the users´ needs and believing the users who face the problems every day have the answer and the key to the solution. Performed interviews, surveys, and observations to understand the staff and the customer’s problems, needs and what they experience in a ski rental. Translated the problems into needs and according to Patnaik & Becker (1999) is better to build a project on the users´ needs because needs last longer than any specific solution. Further Patnaik & Becker (1999) describes it is more likely that the end-user will use the solution if it is built on their needs. Stickdorn et.al (2018) describe service design is about designing a whole service/ process after all stakeholders that are affected by the system and giving valuable experience to all stakeholders.  Used the Design Thinking process from IDEO in this project, the process involves three main phases Understand, Explore, and Materialize. The first phase is about empathize whit the user and understand their problems. Then define the needs and narrow down the information from the empathize phase and pinpoint the work further. The next phase is about generate ideas and create prototypes, to then test the ideas with the user. Last phase is about to materialize and implement the solution.  Radio Frequency Identification, RFID is a technology that enables wireless transmission of data by using radiofrequency waves (Smiley, 2020).  The advantage of RFID is that the tags can be detected through objects and at distance (Smiley, 2020). The result of this project became a service of renting, trying, and returning ski equipment by using RFID technology. Through guidance and recommendations is the goal to let the customer pick and try the ski boots by themselves without help from the staff. The return process is also something that was improved in this project. With this new return station, the customer no longer needs to take a queue note for returning the equipment. The customer can quick and easy just place the equipment in a return station and then is the equipment returned. Directly after new items had been placed on the return shelf, an icon will appear on a screen that the equipment is returned. All skis and ski boots are marked with RFID tags and the return station involves RFID readers to detect the tags. The staff already has a lot to do in a rental, so by allowing customers to perform more tasks on their own, a more time-efficient flow can probably be achieved. / Föreställ dig att du har bokat en resa till fjällen och vill uppleva naturen och backarna. Men tyvärr har du ingen egen utrustning och behöver hyra från skiduthyrningen. Som kund hoppas du att uthyrningsprocessen går snabbt, smidigt och effektivt för att slippa stå i långa köer, då det enda du vill är att åka skidor. Det är precis vad det här examensarbetet handlar om, är det möjligt att effektivisera skiduthyrningsprocessen och designa en produktlösning eller tjänst som optimerar flödet. Flaskhalsar är något som stoppar upp och saktar ner en process. Genom att förbättra flaskhalsarna kan förhoppningsvis ett mer optimerat skiduthyrningsflöde uppnås. Det här examensarbetet är ett samarbete med företaget No More Boots. De har tagit fram ett verktyg som heter SkiClicker som gör det lättare att justera skidbindningar. SkiClicker har optimerat skiduthyrningsprocessen med 40 % och det här arbetet handlar om att undersöka om det finns fler lösningar som kan effektivisera skiduthyrningen.  Projektet bygger på människocentrerad design och tjänstedesign. IDEO (2015) förklarar att människocentrerad design handlar om att designa lösningar efter användarens behov och inse att användaren som möter problemen varje dag har svaret och nyckeln till lösningen. Utförde intervjuer, enkäter och observationer för att förstå vad personalen och kunderna upplever i en skiduthyrning samt förstå vad de har för problem och behov. Enligt Patnaik & Becker (1999) bör man bygga ett projekt på användarens behov i stället för en specifik lösning eftersom behov varar längre. Vidare skriver Patnaik & Becker (1999) att det också är mer troligt att slutanvändaren kommer att använda lösningen om projekt är byggt på användarens behov. Stickdorn et.al (2018) beskriver att tjänstedesign handlar om att designa en hel tjänst/process efter alla intressenter som berörs av systemet, och genom tjänsten ge värde till alla intressenter. Designprocessen Design Thinking från IDEO användes i det här projektet, processen har tre huvud faser att Understand, Explore och Materialize. Den första fasen handlar om att empatisera med användaren och förstå deras problem. Sedan definiera användarens behov och smalna av informationen samt skapa en fortsatt riktning för projekt. Nästa fas handlar om att generera idéer, skapa prototyper och testa idéerna med användarna. Den sista fasen handlar om att materialisera och implementera lösningen. Radio Frequency Identification, RFID är en teknik som möjliggör trådlös överföring av data av radiofrekvensvågor, fördelen med RFID är att taggarna kan upptäckas genom objekt och via ett avstånd (Smiley, 2020). Resultatet av det här projekt blev en tjänst för att hyra, prova och lämna tillbaka skidutrustning med hjälp av RFID-teknik. Genom vägledning och rekommendationer är målet att låta kunderna hitta och prova pjäxor själva utan personalens hjälp. Returprocessen är också något som förbättrades i det här projektet. Med den här nya returstation behöver inte kunderna längre ta en kölapp för att lämna tillbaka utrustningen. Kunden kan smidigt och enkelt bara placera utrustningen i returstation för att lämna tillbaka utrustningen. Direkt efter att någon ny utrustning har placerats på returhyllan kommer en ikon upp på en skärm som visar att utrustningen är återlämnad. Alla skidor och pjäxor är märkta med RFID-taggar och returstationen har RFID-läsare för att kunna upptäcka taggarna. Personalen har redan mycket att göra i en skiduthyrning, så genom att låta kunderna utföra fler uppgifter på egen hand kan förhoppningsvis ett mer tidseffektivt flöde uppnås.

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Continuous improvement of various processes within a company is a necessity to remain competitive on the market. There are many different improvement methodologies to streamline work routines; however the different methodologies do not sufficiently embrace administrative processes or the employee motivation regarding changes. The purpose of this thesis has been to develop a model for streamlining administrative processes, while maintaining the employee motivation during the improvement projects implementation phases. The model has been developed theoretically through literature reviews including different improvement methodologies, such as Lean, TQM, Six Sigma, 5S, ISO 9000 and related subjects, while incorporating perspectives of the relations between quality, production and economy. Besides the aspect of continuous improvement, the methodology of Change management has permeated the model development and model outcome. The developed model for improving administrative processes should over time lead to shorten lead-times and streamlined high quality information flows. The first phases in the model have been implemented at Electrolux Laundry Systems providing the company a solid foundation for further implementation of the rest of the model. The results include several highlighted areas, which shall be further reviewed and improved to streamline the current routines at Electrolux Laundry Systems. / Kontinuerliga förbättringar av ett företags olika processer är en ständig kamp för företag som vill behålla en konkurrenskraftig position på marknaden. Det finns många olika förbättringsmetoder för att effektivisera arbetsrutiner men de olika metoderna har sällan tillräckligt fokus på administrativa processer eller anställdas motivation när det gäller förändringar. Syftet med denna uppsats har varit att utveckla en modell för att effektivisera administrativa processer, samtidigt som de anställdas motivation under förbättringsprojektens genomförande tagits i beaktande. Modellen har utvecklats teoretiskt genom litteraturstudier av olika förbättringsmetoder såsom Lean, TQM, Six Sigma, 5S, ISO 9000 och relaterade ämnen, samt även inkluderat perspektiv på förhållanden mellan kvalitet, produktion och ekonomi. Förutom aspekten av ständiga förbättringar, har teorier om Change management genomsyrat modellutvecklingen. Den utvecklade modellen för att förbättra administrativa processer avser att leda till minskade ledtider och effektiviserade informationsflöden. De första faserna i modellen har genomförts på Electrolux Laundry Systems vilka ger företaget en stabil grund för fortsatt genomförande av resten av modellen. I delresultaten finns flera identifierade områden som Electrolux Laundry Systems bör se över för att effektivisera sina nuvarande rutiner.

In present finite element study, the dynamics of incompressible isothermal flows of Newtonian and two generalised non-Newtonian models through complex mixing-separating planar channel and circular pipe filled with and without porous media, including Darcy's term in momentum equation, is presented. Whilst, in literature this problem is solved only for planar channel flows of Newtonian and viscoelastic fluids. The primary aim of this study is to examine the laminar flow behaviour of Newtonian and inelastic non-Newtonian fluids, and investigate the robustness of the numerical algorithm. The rheological properties of non-Newtonian fluids are defined utilising a range of constitutive equations, for inelastic non-Newtonian fluids non-linear viscous models, such as Power Law and Bird-Carreau models are used to capture the shear thinning behaviour of fluids. To simulate such complex flows, steady-state solutions are sought employing time-dependent finite element algorithm. Temporal derivatives are discretised using second order Taylor series expansion, while, spatial discretisation is achieved through Galerkin approximation in combination to deal with incompressibility a pressure-correction scheme adopted. In order to achieve the algorithm of semi-implicit form Darcy's-Brinkman equation is utilized for the conversion in Darcy's terms and diffusion, while Crank-Nicolson approach is adopted for stability and acceleration. Simple and complex flows for various complex flow bifurcations of the combined mixing-separating geometries, for both two-dimensional planar channel in Cartesian coordinates, as well as axisymmetric circular tube in cylindrical polar coordinates system are investigated. These geometries consist of a two-inverted channel and pipe flows connected through a gap in common partitions, initially filled with non-porous materials and later with homogeneous porous materials. Computational domain is having variety it has been investigated with many configurations. These computational domains have been appeared in industrial applications of combined mixing and separating of fluid flows both for porous and non-porous materials. Fully developed velocity profile is applied on both inlets of the domain by imposing analytical solutions found during current study for porous materials. Numerical study has been conducted by varying flow rates and flow direction due to a variety in the domain. The influence of varying flow rates and flow directions are analysed on flow structure. Also the impact of increasing inertia, permeability and power law index on flow behaviour and pressure difference are investigated. From predicted solution of present numerical study, for Newtonian fluids a close agreement is realised between numerical solutions and experimental data. During simulations, it has been noticed that enhancing fluid inertia (flow rates), and permeability has visible effects on the flow domains. When the Reynolds number value increases the size and power of the vortex for recirculation increases. Under varying flow rates an early activity of vortex development was observed. During change in flow directions reversed flow showed more inertial effects as compared with unidirectional flows. Less significant influence of inertia has been observed in domains filled with porous media as compared with non-porous. The power law model has more effects on inertia and pressure as compared with Bird Carreau model. Change in the value of permeability gave significant impact on pressure difference. Numerical simulations for the domain and fluids flow investigated in this study are encountered in the real life of mixing and separating applications in the industry. Especially this purely quantitative numerical investigation of flows through porous medium will open more avenues for future researchers and scientists.

Pin-up images have played an important role in American culture, in both their illustrated and photographic configurations. The pin-up is viewed as a significant representational cultural artifact of idealistic and aspirational femininity and of consumerism and material wealth, especially reflective of the mid-twentieth century period in America spanning the 1930s to the 1960s. These images not only reflect great shifts in social mores and women’s social status, but also affected changes in both areas in turn. Furthermore, pin-up images internationally circulated in magazines, advertising and promotional material, contributed to the manner in which America was idealized in Europe and beyond. Crucially, they influenced how an eroticized and glamorous, yet unrealistic, example of femininity came to be generalized as a desirous model of femininity. In recent years there has been vital, though limited, scholarly research into the cultural and social impact of pin-up imagery, to which this thesis adds to. This thesis takes a genealogical approach, charting the development of popular female-centric “pin-up” imagery in America since the 1860s and up to the 1960s, and its resurgence since the 1980s onwards. In doing so this thesis aims to provide a social, political and cultural context to the emergence of a specific archetypal sexualized femininity, with the aim of challenging the tendency to dismiss sexualized imagery as “anti-feminist” or as trivial. Toward that end, I examine the complexity of intentions behind the production of “pin-up” images. In taking this revisionist approach I am better able to conclusively analyze the reasons for the resurgence and reappropriation of pin-up imagery in late-twentieth- and early-twenty-first-century popular culture, and consider what the gendered cultural implications may be.

Problems governed by partial differential equations (PDEs) in deformable domains, t Rd; d = 2; 3; are of fundamental importance in science and engineering. They are of particular relevance in the design of many engineering systems e.g., aircrafts and bridges as well as to the analysis of several biological phenomena e.g., blood ow in arteries. However, developing numerical scheme for such problems is still very challenging even when the deformation of the boundary of domain is prescribed a priori. Possibility of excessive mesh distortion is one of the major challenge when solving such problems with numerical methods using boundary tted meshes. The arbitrary Lagrangian- Eulerian (ALE) approach is a way to overcome this difficulty. Numerical simulations of convection-dominated problems have for long been the subject to many researchers. Galerkin formulations, which yield the best approximations for differential equations with high diffusivity, tend to induce spurious oscillations in the numerical solution of convection dominated equations. Though such spurious oscillations can be avoided by adaptive meshing, which is computationally very expensive on ne grids. Alternatively, stabilization methods can be used to suppress the spurious oscillations. In this work, the considered equation is designed within the framework of ALE formulation. In the first part, Streamline Upwind Petrov-Galerkin (SUPG) finite element method with conservative ALE formulation is proposed. Further, the first order backward Euler and the second order Crank-Nicolson methods are used for the temporal discretization. It is shown that the stability of the semi-discrete (continuous in time) ALE-SUPG equation is independent of the mesh velocity, whereas the stability of the fully discrete problem is unconditionally stable for implicit Euler method and is only conditionally stable for Crank-Nicolson time discretization. Numerical results are presented to support the stability estimates and to show the influence of the SUPG stabilization parameter in a time-dependent domain. In the second part of this work, SUPG stabilization method with non-conservative ALE formulation is proposed. The implicit Euler, Crank-Nicolson and backward difference methods are used for the temporal discretization. At the discrete level in time, the ALE map influences the stability of the corresponding discrete scheme with different time discretizations, and it leads to schemes where conservative and non-conservative formulations are no longer equivalent. The stability of the fully discrete scheme, irrespective of the temporal discretization, is only conditionally stable. It is observed from numerical results that the Crank-Nicolson scheme induces high oscillations in the numerical solution compare to the implicit Euler and the backward difference time discretiza-tions. Moreover, the backward difference scheme is more sensitive to the stabilization parameter k than the other time discretizations. Further, the difference between the solutions obtained with the conservative and non-conservative ALE forms is significant when the deformation of domain is large, whereas it is negligible in domains with small deformation. Finally, the local projection stabilization (LPS) and the higher order dG time stepping scheme are studied for convection dominated problems. The analysis is based on the quadrature formula for approximating the integrals in time. We considered the exact integration in time, which is impractical to implement and the Radau quadrature in time, which can be used in practice. The stability and error estimates are shown for the mathematical basis of considered numerical scheme with both time integration methods. The numerical analysis reveals that the proposed stabilized scheme with exact integration in time is unconditionally stable, whereas Radau quadrature in time is conditionally stable with time-step restriction depending on the ALE map. The theoretical estimates are illustrated with appropriate numerical examples with distinct features. The second order dG(1) time discretization is unconditionally stable while Crank-Nicolson gives the conditional stable estimates only. The convergence order for dG(1) is two which supports the error estimate.