All producing companies strive to deliver high-quality products to meet their customers’ requirements, to a reasonable price. In order for the companies to stay competitive, it is important to have an efficient flow through the production and therefore continually analyze and develop their own production. The master thesis was carried out at Strömsholmen AB (SAB), a company which produces and develops gas springs and hydraulic springs. Their production is made by a machining hall and an assembly hall, with a component inventory in between. SAB has a plan to upgrade their surface treatment process, the current bottleneck in the production. The goal with the thesis is to point out the future bottlenecks and constraints, furthermore, propose improvements for a more efficient flow. To discover the improvements, three research questions were asked. The first question refers to map out the current production and map the production when the surface treatment is upgraded. The second question is about finding the next bottleneck in the production with an increased order stock. The last question refers to the finding of improvements and the effects related to the production performance. In order to fulfill the purpose and answer the research questions, a literature survey was conducted and a collection of empirical data. The literature survey provided a connection to the existing theory and the study. The empirical data consists of quantitative data which illustrates the current production, the collected qualitative data gives a more in-depth knowledge about SAB’s production. The data has been collected through observations, semi-structed interviews and documentation. The analyze was built upon the five-why method, to find the root causes in the production. The empirical data established that SAB has a complex material flow through the production and a big assortment of components. Beyond that, the surface treatment process was verified as the current bottleneck of the production. When the surface treatment was upgraded, seven percent capacity was available until next machine group will reach the capacity cap. In the analyze, the current production and potential improvements were compared with the existing theories. The study pointed out the value creating and waste steps of the production and how to adjust the flow according to the value creating and waste steps. Further on, future bottlenecks were pointed out, the bottlenecks could discourage the potential to increase the order stock. Two distinguished results could be established from the analysis. First of all, it would be suitable to implement flow shop for A product’s (stands for 70% of the revenue) components that have the same material flow and go through the same machine groups. This would reduce the production throughput time and enable lower stock levels and thereby decrease the inventory carrying cost. The second result is considering how to eliminate the future bottlenecks in the production, this can be done with either sub-contractors or balance the workload. Consequently, this will enable an 20% increased order stock from the production. In addition to these two major improvements, several other improvements were found during the study which will affect SAB’s potential to gain more profit. The improvements include investigate the quality of their data, start performing forecast and review the number of products and components.

In studies carried out at wooden house companies, it has been shown that the window assembly process has been a bottleneck. Bottlenecks cause waste in the process as it can lead to unused value-creating time. Window mounting is also done in a way that is not ergonomic for the worker which damages their productivity and health. By getting rid of the bottleneck, there is the possibility of a lead time reduction.  The purpose of the study was to investigate whether a new window mounting method can replace the existing one in an advantageous way. The study was conducted at the fall company Vida Building AB, which is a manufacturer of prefabricated wooden houses.  To fulfill the purpose, qualitative and quantitative collection methods have been used to map work steps in the production flow and its cycle times. In this way, a comparison has been made between the existing and the new window mounting method. It has then been possible to make an analysis to investigate whether it is possible to fill queue times with the new method.  Several improvement proposals have been made based on the data collected. The utilization of the new window mounting method enables a balancing in the production flow, as well as a reduction in waste partly due to ergonomic work but also due to a more efficient mounting method. To further increase productivity, proposals for aids have been specified to improve the workers working position.

Syftet med studien har varit att undersöka om en god arbetsgemenskap kan upprättas och bibehållas vid digitalt arbete i virtuella team. Studien bygger på svar från 104 respondenter som alla till viss del arbetar hemifrån digitalt och som arbetar i olika stora digitala arbetsteam. Studien har baserats på en webb-baserad enkät som mätinstrument och som utformats på basis av tidigare forskning kring gemenskap och effektivitet samt utifrån tre teorier. Dessa teorier har varit arbetsgemenskap (McMillan 1996), Psykosociala arbetsmiljöfaktorer (Rubenowitz 2004) samt Motivationsteori (Locke 1968;2013 & Hackman & Oldham 1976). Slutsatsen i studien visar på goda förutsättningar för en god psykosocial arbetsmiljö även i virtuella team. / The purpose with this study has been to enquire if a good working community can also exist in virtual team settings in teams working together outside the office. The study is based on 104 answers from respondents that all has experience from working digitally from outside the office. The study is based on a web-based survey as means of measurement and that has been developed based on theories within the field, such as work communities, psychological work factors, motivation theories (Rubenowitz 2004; Locke 1968;2013 & Hackman & Oldham 1976). The results show that also virtual teams have a great potential for a good psychological Environment.

Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD) are a disadvantage for companies both from the health and economics view. To reduce them, workstation ergonomics need to be accounted for. Previous ergonomics assessments involved spreadsheets filled and analysed by ergonomists and were regarded as time and resource-consuming, but recent improvements in virtual reality (VR), motion capture (MoCap) and digital human modeling (DHM) tools have open new options for analyses. Workstation redesign is one of the most common ways to improve working conditions, but a proper strategy that allows recording a sequence of actions using VR and assesses ergonomics is needed. Limitations: The strategy was designed for Simumatik, software for virtual commissioning of workstations that wanted to also consolidate itself as a DHM tool. Simumatik and HTC Vive were used as MoCap system and Ergonomics in production platform (EPP) as the assessment tool. Method: Literature review – prestudies and definition of use cases to test strategy and implement in it - requirements and wishes – strategy development – validation of use cases – evaluation. Results: Compared to manual simulations performed manually in IPS IMMA where the user performs same tasks, the strategy output accuracy of 73.3%. However, there are some misinterpretations to fix within the performance of the strategy that would fairly raise it and make the study more realistic, concerning the use cases studied. These mistakes include the posture prediction of the neck and some minor issues with the performance of the use cases. The number of resources vs. development was also studied and it showed that fixing the minor mistakes would raise accuracy close to 80% in the use cases. Adding a chest tracker could make it close to 100% compared to manual simulations in IPS IMMA. Conclusions: The strategy steps were tested and concluded that worked fine, because of the accuracy reached. However, further development of all the parts concerning the strategy is needed. The aim reached was to achieve rough results that could democratize physical ergonomics assessments.

During the last two decades, many companies have reshored their manufacturing operations to the home country, reversing previous offshoring decisions. Reshoring is a strategic decision for manufacturing companies because it is costly, complex, dynamic; thus, it is an important topic for research. Nevertheless, there is a research gap in how the reshoring decision-making process is modeled. Therefore, the overall purpose of this research is to increase the understanding of the reshoring decision-making process. The purpose is fulfilled through two research questions: (1) what is the state-of-the-art of reshoring decision-making process? and (2) how the reshoring decision-making process can be explored using a system dynamics model? The research design includes a literature review, modeling, and an expert interview.  The findings indicate that the state-of-the-art of reshoring decision-making process comprises the drivers, barriers, and other factors are variables that motivate or hinder reshoring decision-making. However, their behavior varies over time and context. Environment and sustainability topics are not completely neglected in the decision-making process. Nevertheless, they are not a priority in reshoring decisions. The developed system dynamics model identifies relationships between the variables of reshoring decisions and how one variable can have a cause-and-effect relationship with another. During modeling of the reshoring decision-making, the complexity considerably increases as more variables are considered in the model. The developed system dynamics model provides a holistic view of the variables, their relationships, dynamics, and the overall complexity of the reshoring decision-making process.  The research has implications for researchers because it increases the understanding of reshoring decision-making concerning the variables involved and relationships among them. Furthermore, this research contributes to the overall topic of reshoring by addressing modeling aspects. The research has implications for practitioners because it contributes to increasing the practitioners’ visualization of the decision-making, which can be used to communicate with various stakeholders. In order to advance this highly relevant field, it is recommended to quantify relationships among the variables that the developed system dynamic model can be simulated.

Detta examensarbete utfördes inom högskoleingenjörsprogrammet i maskinteknik påKarlstads universitet. Projektet var i samarbete med PLS Produkter AB i Skövde där omställningen på en maskin med namnet Tretapparen analyserades. Maskinen klassas somen multitasking maskin där syftet är tappning av olika typer av flaskor. Problemet är att detsker omställningar ofta då maskinen är flexibel och kan producera många olika typer avprodukter. Omställningarna sker då en ny produkttyp ska tillverkas och är väldigttidskrävande då nya inställningar på maskinen behöver göras. Maskinen och verktygenbehöver dessutom rengöras noga för att inte kontaminera nästa batch. Examensarbetets syfteär att effektivisera omställningen genom att tydliggöra omställningstiderna för maskinensolika moment och bidra med kultur- och kunskapsbyggande till företaget. Målet är att hittamöjliga lösningar som minskar ställtiden på de moment som tar längst tid att ställa om ochdär det kan antas finnas förbättringsmöjligheter. Därmed kan flödet på maskinen förbättras iden mån att antalet tillverkade produkter ökar. Förbättringsarbetet började med förstudier, intervjuer, datainsamlingar och att analyseravideos. All viktig information sammanställdes i en A3-modell där SMED var grunden förstrategierna som gjordes för att ställtidsreducera. Resultatet innebär en konvertering från intern till extern ställtid för varje moment var för sigefter respektive färdig omställning, 26 förbättringsförslag och en ny ordning föromställningsarbetet som tillsammans effektiviserar, standardiserar och planerar upp omställningsprocessen. Efter förändringen minskade omställningstiden med totalt 30%, vilket leder till att flödet påmaskinen förbättras då maskinen kan producera ungefär 217 produkter mer än i dagsläget. Islutet av arbetet gjordes en avrapportering till företaget där samtliga produktionsteam varnärvarande. / This degree project was carried out within the university engineering program in mechanicalengineering at Karlstad University. The project was in collaboration with PLS Produkter AB in Skövde, where the conversion on a machine called Tretapparen was analyzed. The machineis classified as a multitasking machine where the purpose is bottling different types of bottles.The problem is that there are changes often as the machine is flexible and can produce manydifferent types of products. The adjustments take place when a new product type is to bemanufactured and are very time-consuming as new settings on the machine need to be made.The machine and tools also need to be cleaned thoroughly so they do not contaminate thenext batch. The purpose of the degree project is to streamline the adjustment by clarifying theadjustment times for the machine's various steps and contributing cultural and knowledgebuilding to the company. The goal is to find possible solutions that reduce the set-up time onthe steps that take the longest time to adjust and where it can be assumed that there areopportunities for improvement. Thus, the flow on the machine can be improved to the extentthat the number of manufactured products increases. The improvement work began with feasibility studies, interviews, data collection andanalyzing videos. All important information was compiled in an A3-model where SMED wasthe basis for the strategies made to reduce downtime. The result implies conversion from internal to external set-up time for each step separatelyafter each completed conversion, 26 improvement proposals and a new arrangement for theconversion work that together streamlines, standardizes and plans the conversion process. After these changes, the adjustment time decreased by a total of 30%, which leads to animprovement in the flow on the machine as the machine can produce approximately 217products more than at present. At the end of the work, a report was made to the companywhere all production teams were present.

This thesis investigates using friction stir welding to repair common surface defects found in aluminum-silicon sand castings. Wherein, the effect of welding parameters: weld RPM, weld speed, and number of weld passes, were evaluated using hardness, porosity density, welding temperature, microstructure refinement as metrics. Therefrom, the results strongly suggest friction stir welding: reduces porosity size, reduces porosity density in a specific area, increases average hardness, improves hardness uniformity, increases surface roughness, redistributes microstructure features in a manner that theoretically improves strength, and maintains a welding temperature less than 660 degrees Celsius.

The manufacturing industry is quickly adapting to new technologies. Some of these trending technologies are virtual commissioning, virtual reality, and cloud-based technologies. This project summarizes these three technologies and aims to create a commissioning tool adapted to the 4.0 Industry. The project’s methodology was to analyse a problem and consequently create a solution that solves it. The process of designing and developing was repeated iteratively, each time an evaluation was made. The final product developed has shown that it is worth spending time introducing the cloudbased technologies inside many applications since it saves time and allows to work remotely. Applying virtual reality to virtual commissioning has proven to add efficiency. At the same time, it gives an immersive experience with a real-time display of quantitative data and the process itself in a visual mode without interfering with the actual production. With these two technologies, virtual commissioning evolves and goes a step further. This project also proved that the user experience and interface in this type of immersive applications need much attention on creating a comfortableinterface that does not fatigue or cause rejection in the user.

ROL Ergo is a company that belongs to the ROL Group concern. They develop and manufacture products for the office furniture market and their main focus is on electrically height adjustable desk stands. They also develop products for personal use, often in collaboration with other companies.The products that ROL Ergo develop are all quite robust and stable, which are qualities often associated with weight. As the E-commerce is increasing in popularity, ROL-Ergo will have to adapt and further improve their products to keep up with it. This means that their product needs to decrease in weight, but without compromising their other qualities. To accomplish this, well thought-out weight reductions must be made on their components.The desktop stand that this report covers consists of many different components. However, the main components consist of the foot, leg, frame, and strut. There is also a motor housing, containing the electric engine used adjust the table, that connects the leg with the frame and strut. The foot, frame and strut are some of the heaviest and least complex components of the stand, and therefore suitable to perform weight reduction on.This report covers the work that was done to analyze the current components, as well as the design and development process to generate a new weight-improved design. To begin with, the analyzing of the current components consisted of getting an understanding of their purpose and what stresses they are subject to. Simulations were done to determine this, and the results from these were the basis as well as point of comparison for the new concepts.As the project finished, new weight improved concepts for the foot, strut and frame with new designs had been developed. Combined with the current remaining parts of the desk frame, it led to a significant total weight reduction. All the new components were compared to the already existing ones through simulations.

The purpose of the study was to implement a sorting station for the carpentry company Sibab Interior AB, located in Blikstorp in Hjo municipality. Sibab manufactures furniture for the hotel industry, including the hotel chain Scandic. Today, the company burns all waste material to heat the company's premises without regard to further areas of use. The company wanted to implement sustainable production, and at the start of the project wanted to reuse residual material of wooden boards for future needs, such as further sales or incineration. The project was carried out with regard to the Swedish Work Environment Authority, the government and the UN as a basis for the study, followed by interviews and requests from the company's employees. Sibab showed clear wishes of the sorting station, the information collection has has therefore been the basis for concept generation and results. The sorting station was placed in a storage tent outside the factory, the scaffolding for the residual material has storage shelves that are used for placing the materials chipboard, MDF as well as other materials that can be used in production. For administrative knowledge of the number and properties of the residual materials, document management was created in the form of sheets of paper to enable structured stock status for waste material. After completing the project, Sibab Interior AB has decided to implement the created sorting station for waste materials. When implemented the sorting station, the company fulfils the request to work for a better tomorrow and create further handling for residual materials.