Background: Material handling is a large part of a company´s internal work and represents between 15 % and 70 % of the total cost of a manufactured product. By improving the internal handling of material, more efficient distribution and manufacturing flows are possible. The material handling process is an input to the production and assembly process that has to be defined and mapped so that it can be improved. The material handling process studied at Volvo CE Braås includes goods receiving, storage, packaging as well as the order/delivery process to assembly, and will finish with the material transport to the assembly line. Research questions: How can the material handling process, from goods receiving to assembly line, at Volvo CE in Braås be described by using VSM? What kinds of waste can be identified? By proposing a future-state map, how can the identified problems and waste be reduced or eliminated? Methodology: This thesis is a descriptive case study and was conducted with a deductive approach. Data was collected by our own observations, personal interviews, statistics, benchmarking and questionnaire. The scientific credibility of this thesis was secured by for example using many sources, avoidance of assumptions, studying a common process and following standardized steps of the VSM tool. Conclusions: The material handling process was described in the separated areas of goods receiving, storage and assembly line. Visualization was given in a current-state map. Five different kinds of waste were identified. Finally, suggestions of improvements were presented along with a future-state map. Suggestions on future research: A more detailed VSM including information flow and lead times could be studied. Scenario simulations of critical areas within the material handling process could be preformed. Furthermore, an ABC classification of articles and storage locations can be done to optimize storage.

<p>This thesis work is performed on VSM Group Ltd in Huskvarna that produces sewing machines under the trademarks Pfaff and Husqvarna Viking. On these sewing machines is an application that helps the user to thread the needle. The aim with the work has been to study today's applications on VSM and their competitors' sewing machines in order to since developing a new Needle-threader that divides itself from all the ones used today. The objective with the work has been an entire new concept with an operational prototype.</p><p>As a base the competitor analysis was used where today's applications was studied in order to identify positive and negative aspects of these. This led to a number off “concept families” where different variants off the same ideas were collected and evaluated. The choice fell on the concepts with air suction that was regarded as the most unique and viable.</p><p>Different applications in order to create air suction were tested and the one with best results were chosen for a prototype.</p><p>The final prototype sucks the thread through the needles eye, using a mouthpiece that is positioned behind the needle. The suction is created when a diaphragm pumps from the air from an airtight shell whose only opening is the mouthpiece.</p><p>Of those concepts that have been tested in this thesis work it’s this solution that is most realistic to be used in future sewing machines.</p> / <p>Detta examensarbete är utfört på VSM Group AB i Huskvarna som tillverkar symaskiner under varumärkena Pfaff och Husqvarna Viking. På dessa symaskiner finns en applikation som hjälper användaren att trä tråden genom nålen kallad nålträdare. Syftet med arbetet har varit att studera dagens nålträdningssystem på VSM och deras konkurrenters symaskiner för att sedan utveckla en ny applikation som skiljer sig från samtliga idag använda nålträdare. Målet med arbetet har varit att ta fram ett nytt koncept med en fungerande prototyp.</p><p>Som grund till arbetet gjordes en konkurrentanalys där dagens nålträdare studerades för att identifiera positiva och negativa aspekter hos dessa. Med det som förlaga skapades ett antal ”konceptfamiljer” där olika varianter på samma idéer samlades och utvärderades.</p><p>Valet föll på koncepten med luftsug som ansågs mest unika och genomförbara. Olika applikationer för att skapa luftsug testades och den bästa valdes ut för prototypbygge.</p><p>Den slutgiltiga prototypen suger tråden genom nålsögat med hjälp av ett munstycke som positioneras bakom nålen. Suget skapas då ett membran pumpar ut luften ur ett lufttätt skal vars enda insug är munstycket.</p><p>Av de koncept som testats i detta arbete är det denna lösning som är mest realistisk att kunna användas i framtida symaskiner.</p>

<p>Background: Material handling is a large part of a company´s internal work and represents between 15 % and 70 % of the total cost of a manufactured product. By improving the internal handling of material, more efficient distribution and manufacturing flows are possible. The material handling process is an input to the production and assembly process that has to be defined and mapped so that it can be improved. The material handling process studied at Volvo CE Braås includes goods receiving, storage, packaging as well as the order/delivery process to assembly, and will finish with the material transport to the assembly line.</p><p>Research questions: How can the material handling process, from goods receiving to assembly line, at Volvo CE in Braås be described by using VSM? What kinds of waste can be identified? By proposing a future-state map, how can the identified problems and waste be reduced or eliminated?</p><p>Methodology: This thesis is a descriptive case study and was conducted with a deductive approach. Data was collected by our own observations, personal interviews, statistics, benchmarking and questionnaire. The scientific credibility of this thesis was secured by for example using many sources, avoidance of assumptions, studying a common process and following standardized steps of the VSM tool.</p><p>Conclusions: The material handling process was described in the separated areas of goods receiving, storage and assembly line. Visualization was given in a current-state map. Five different kinds of waste were identified. Finally, suggestions of improvements were presented along with a future-state map.</p><p>Suggestions on future research: A more detailed VSM including information flow and lead times could be studied. Scenario simulations of critical areas within the material handling process could be preformed. Furthermore, an ABC classification of articles and storage locations can be done to optimize storage.</p>

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Lean production är en väl etablerad produktionsteknik världen över. Inom Lean production finns det flertalet verktyg, ett av dessa är kartläggningsverktyget Value Stream Mapping (VSM). Med VSM kartläggnings information- och materialflöden inom den egna verksamheten, samt så identifieras icke-värdeskapande aktiviteter (slöseri) för att sedan skapa förbättringsförslag. VSM är ett bevisat effektivt verktyg att använda för att skapa effektiva flöden inom många typer av verksamheter såsom: fordonsindustrin, hotellverksamhet, stålindustri, energiindustri. Dock menar författare att VSM inte kan användas inom företag som har en MTO strategi och som karaktäriseras av produkter som tillverkas i låga volymer och höga variationer. I dagens samhälle ökar ständigt efterfrågan på kundanpassade produkter, vilket i sig leder till att fler MTO företag bildas för att kunna möta kundernas krav. Dessa företag har dock samma krav på sig som andra företag, det vill säga att reducera produktionskostnader, korta ner ledtider och öka kvaliteten för att kunna skapa en konkurrenskraft på marknaden. Således skapades problemformuleringen för denna studie: ”Hur kan ett företag som har en Make-To-Order strategi och som karaktäriseras av en produktion med hög grad av variation samt låg volym, använda Value Stream Mapping för att kartlägga värdeflöden och på så vis skapa möjligheter för att effektivisera verksamheten?” För att besvara problemformuleringen genomfördes studien på Bosch Rexroth Mellansel som är ett företag inom ovan nämnda kontext. Företaget erbjuder bland annat kundanpassade lösningar, företaget har en MTO strategi och tillverkningen av de kundanpassade produkterna sker av hög grad av variation samt låg volym. Arbetet utgick sedan från befintliga teorier om Lean production och VSM samt utvecklade verktyg av VSM för att sedan testa och anpassa dessa på den aktuella kontexten. Kartläggningen genomfördes med hjälp av att observera och samtala med arbetare i flödet samt genom att utforma blanketter som fick följa med artikeln där arbetare hade det huvudsakliga ansvaret att fylla i start- och sluttider för processer. I studiens VSM visades material- och informationsflöden samt identifierat slöseri, detta låg sedan som grund för att ge förslag till hur företaget kan effektivisera verksamheten. Studiens huvudsakliga slutsatser innebär att VSM kan anpassas till denna typ av verksamhet genom att: använda flödesfamiljer i kartläggningen i stället för enskilda produkter eller produktgrupper; koppla tidigare försäljning mot respektive flödesfamilj för att därefter skapa en övergripande prioritering och förståelse; kopplitera observationerna med hjälp av att använda blanketter som får ”följa med” produkten, där arbetare få anteckna information om aktuella processtider och väntetider; kommunikation, för att skapa förutsättningar för ett effektivt flöde. Genom tidigare litteratur och observationer skapades slutligen en modell för förslag på framtida arbetsgång för företaget. Slutligen redovisade studien att det är viktigt att anpassa VSM till den aktuella verksamheten samt betydelsen av att involvera arbetare i processen.

Individuals with dyslexia have an unexpected difficulty learning to read. This difficulty produces other effects, such as poor reading attitudes, meaning many choose not to read. Reading is a valuable source of information and entertainment, therefore individuals with dyslexia require better reading support. This study attempted to develop an intervention to improve reading attitudes using video self-modelling (VSM). VSM involves individuals watching carefully created videos of themselves correctly performing target behaviours. During this 1 month intervention, 14 participants (13 male and 1 female) aged 9-14 who had dyslexia were asked to watch a weekly video of themselves silently reading one of four types of material: academic digital, academic print, recreational digital or recreational print. The participants’ reading attitudes and ability were measured before and after the intervention using the Survey of Adolescent Reading Attitudes and the Wide Range Achievement Test–Fourth Edition, respectively. Their reading habits and affect while reading (as a proxy measure of reading attitudes) were monitored during the intervention using a daily reading diary. This study did not detect any systematic or reliable changes in reading habits, affect while reading, reading attitudes and reading skills. This may have been due to limitations in the procedure, or it is possible that VSM cannot affect attitudes and that reading attitudes alone do not have a strong influence on ability. Consequently, future research should use VSM to help individuals with dyslexia by focusing on specific reading skills, such as phonological awareness.

This thesis work is performed on VSM Group Ltd in Huskvarna that produces sewing machines under the trademarks Pfaff and Husqvarna Viking. On these sewing machines is an application that helps the user to thread the needle. The aim with the work has been to study today's applications on VSM and their competitors' sewing machines in order to since developing a new Needle-threader that divides itself from all the ones used today. The objective with the work has been an entire new concept with an operational prototype. As a base the competitor analysis was used where today's applications was studied in order to identify positive and negative aspects of these. This led to a number off “concept families” where different variants off the same ideas were collected and evaluated. The choice fell on the concepts with air suction that was regarded as the most unique and viable. Different applications in order to create air suction were tested and the one with best results were chosen for a prototype. The final prototype sucks the thread through the needles eye, using a mouthpiece that is positioned behind the needle. The suction is created when a diaphragm pumps from the air from an airtight shell whose only opening is the mouthpiece. Of those concepts that have been tested in this thesis work it’s this solution that is most realistic to be used in future sewing machines. / Detta examensarbete är utfört på VSM Group AB i Huskvarna som tillverkar symaskiner under varumärkena Pfaff och Husqvarna Viking. På dessa symaskiner finns en applikation som hjälper användaren att trä tråden genom nålen kallad nålträdare. Syftet med arbetet har varit att studera dagens nålträdningssystem på VSM och deras konkurrenters symaskiner för att sedan utveckla en ny applikation som skiljer sig från samtliga idag använda nålträdare. Målet med arbetet har varit att ta fram ett nytt koncept med en fungerande prototyp. Som grund till arbetet gjordes en konkurrentanalys där dagens nålträdare studerades för att identifiera positiva och negativa aspekter hos dessa. Med det som förlaga skapades ett antal ”konceptfamiljer” där olika varianter på samma idéer samlades och utvärderades. Valet föll på koncepten med luftsug som ansågs mest unika och genomförbara. Olika applikationer för att skapa luftsug testades och den bästa valdes ut för prototypbygge. Den slutgiltiga prototypen suger tråden genom nålsögat med hjälp av ett munstycke som positioneras bakom nålen. Suget skapas då ett membran pumpar ut luften ur ett lufttätt skal vars enda insug är munstycket. Av de koncept som testats i detta arbete är det denna lösning som är mest realistisk att kunna användas i framtida symaskiner.

This thesis is a case study centred around a professional development workshop, developed to teach video self modelling techniques using video self modelling to teachers and other professionals, evaluated from a practitioner researcher‘s perspective. Observational learning, social learning, social cognitive and self model theories are discussed as they relate to video self modelling and professional development and informed the structure and delivery of the workshop. The empirical literature base of video self model is documented. The thesis concludes with a discussion of learning that has accrued throughout this study. This learning relates to the use of VSM and the experiential learning that the author, as both researcher and practitioner has gained from the work carried out in developing, using, and evaluating the workshop to support VSM. The six participants were successful in completing a video self model. The thesis recognises and discusses the complexity of interactions between empirical and theoretical investigation. In a similar way it discusses the complexity of interactions between traditional forms of research and practitioner research.

The main objective of this dissertation was compare of two firms from aspect corporate culture. The questionnaire, interviews and observational metod were used for the research and for the understanding of the companies culture. After studying the literature I summarized the theoretical information, which forms the first part of my thesis. Based on the study of literature, I analyzed corporate culture in a selected companies. This analysis forms the second part of my thesis. In order to discover the results, the questionnaire VSM 94 of Geert Hofstede was used. From this questionnaire, 20 questions were used which were supplemented with 15 own questions. Furthermore, the unstructured interviews were conducted with the employees and I also took part the observations in both companies in order to help understand and discover the symbols. After that, I focused on finding the dimensions according to Geert Hofstede. The calculations were made on the established formulas. At the end of my thesis I proposed the recommendations for overall improvement and streamlining the current situation.

Instrument Control Sweden (ICS) is a software company that develops NATO STANAG 4586 compatible ground station software for control of unmanned systems such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). To perform testing and demonstration of the ground station software ICS needs a realistic UAV simulator that implements the STANAG 4586 protocol. This thesis studies what methods are best suited for the rapid development of such a simulator. One goal with the project was to examine what existing flight simulator systems and flight dynamics models can be used to rapidly develop a UAV simulator. Another goal was to design and implement such a simulator. It is found that it’s possible to quickly develop a UAV simulator based on existing projects such as the flight simulator FlightGear, the simulation framework OpenEaagles and the flight dynamics model (FDM) JSBSim. The design of the simulator is modular, object-oriented and features real-time design techniques. The main application is a simulation of a Vehicle Specific Module, which implements the STANAG 4586 protocol. Another module based on the OpenEaagles framework simulates the aircraft and its subsystems. A third module consists of the JSBSim FDM and simulates the flight dynamics and movements of the aircraft under the forces and moments affecting it.