Planning and management of logistics and material flow are widely studied and two key factors contributing to company competitiveness. Automation in material flow is recognized in efficient and profitable factories in the context of today’s smart industry, however, the operators are playing a significant role as well. The purpose of the study was to identify which criteria could be used to determine the level of automation in a material flow of the industrial factory. A model was developed to practically support the decision making on the level of automation for the case company that was going to build a pilot line for battery manufacturing. The question for the case company was to decide whether the process should be fully automated, manual, or semi-automated in its trial production to avoid costly reconfigurations when a full production starts. In this study a literature review was conducted in the form of previous research to describe which criteria were important to decide the level of automation. The literature study together with site visiting, interviews, survey and document analysis was used for the formulation of research questions, establishment of methodology and model development. The study has identified different criteria whereas six of them are shared by both literature studies and the case company. Two unique criteria were identified in the case company but not found in the literature: lead time and recruitment. The lead time refers to the time from planning to finished process and the recruitment is about how difficult to recruit people with the right skills. Two theoretical contributions presented in this study: new criteria when deciding on the level of automation and a model that assists in decisions regarding the level of automation in early phases. The model is also a practical contribution to the case company. Finally, some suggestions for further research within the area are presented.

Globalisation has led to increased competition among companies, operating both locally and internationally. As a result, it has become crucial to stand out on the market by working cost-effectively, meeting customer requirements, offering short delivery times, smart material planning, among other things. New conditions, ranging from technological advancements to environmental demands, have prompted companies to focus on improving their material flow. The concept of logistics, along with lean-production, is now being recognized as a powerful tool. The purpose of this thesis is to gain a deeper understanding of wastes in a company's internal logistics flow and provide improvement suggestions for enhancing efficiency. The goal is to provide a foundation for future enhancements in the logistics flow of a manufacturing operation. To achieve the study's objectives and address the research questions, a case study is performed. The study will consist of a three-step plan. In the first stage, the problem is discussed, a literature study is carried out and suitable methods are identified. The next stage involves gathering information through interviews, observations, and documentation. Data is analysed and evaluated according to lean-principles. In the last phase, improvement proposals are developed based on the analysis. Theoretical approaches include deduction. The study employs both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The improvement suggestions are presented in the results chapter, categorized into general proposals, material handling, mapping, as well as a spaghetti diagram of the future state. The proposals focus on creating a continuous flow in production and minimizing security flaws. In addition, it is justified why a pulling-system and kanban-system should be introduced. The value stream mapping of the future state shows theoretically that the lead time can be halved if the stock size is minimized. The study analysed internal logistics waste and provided a basis for future projects. Using value stream mapping and spaghetti diagram, the authors successfully identified various improvement suggestions. For future research, it is recommended to include areas such as education, economic calculations, PDCA implementation, order and hook analysis, waste reduction, and optimal utilization of production space in the development process. / Globaliseringen har lett till ökad konkurrens mellan företagen, där allt fler väljer att ha verksamheter både i närheten och globalt. Sedan dess har det varit angeläget att stå ut på marknaden genom att arbeta kostnadseffektivt, anpassat till kundens krav, erbjuda korta leveranstider, smart planering av material, med mera. Nya förutsättningar skapas, allt från teknikutvecklingen till nya miljökrav, som har fått företagen att arbeta med förbättringar av materialflöde. Begreppet logistik har börjat uppmärksammas tillsammans med lean-produktion som anses vara ett kraftfullt hjälpverktyg. Syftet med examensarbetet är att få en ökad förståelse för de slöserier som finns i ett företags interna logistikflöde, för att kunna ge förbättringsförslag om hur flödet kan effektiviseras. Målsättningen är att skapa underlag för framtida förbättringar inom logistikflödet i en tillverkande verksamhet. För att uppnå syftet med studien samt kunna besvara frågeställningarna, genomförs en fallstudie. Studien är uppdelad i tre delar. I första stadiet diskuteras problemet, en litteraturstudie genomförs och lämpliga metoder identifieras. Nästa stadie omfattar insamling av information genom intervjuer, observationer och dokumentation. Data analyseras och utvärderas enligt lean-principerna. I den sista fasen presenteras förbättringsförslag baserade på analysen. Teoretiska angreppssätt inkluderar deduktion. Studien använder både kvalitativa och kvantitativa forskningsmetoder. Förbättringsförslagen presenteras i resultatkapitlet, som indelas i generella förbättringsförslag, materialhantering, samt kartläggning och spagettidiagram över framtida tillståndet. Förslagen fokuserar på att skapa ett kontinuerligt flöde i produktionen och minimera säkerhetsbristerna. Därtill motiveras varför ett dragande- och kanban-system ska införas. Värdeflödeskartan över det framtida tillståndet visar teoretiskt sätt att ledtiden kan halveras, om lagerstorlekarna minimeras. Med hjälp av värdeflödesanalys och spagettidiagram lyckas författarna identifiera olika förbättringsförslag. Inför framtida forskning kan följande studeras vidare: utbildning för medarbetare, ekonomisk kalkylering, PDCA-tillämpning, order- och krokanalys, kassationsminimering och optimal användning av produktionsyta i utvecklingsprocessen.

The research focuses on the selection and prioritization of Continuous Improvement (CI)projects in organizations. This study emphasizes the importance of recognizing appropriatecriteria for selecting projects that align with an organization's needs, skills, and goals. Thechosen criteria are prioritized to ensure that those are crucial to the overall success and have themost significant influence on project decisions. The criteria are obtained through a literaturereview and interviews with the management team in the company. Finally, six critical criteriaare considered for the organization, Health & Safety, Impact on Customers, Financial Impact,Impact on Business Strategy, Risk of Project, and Project Duration. A survey has beenconducted to weight and prioritize the selected criteria based on their importance by using theAnalytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method.Additionally, the research focuses on the utilization of AHP and Failure Mode and EffectAnalysis (FMEA) in supporting organization project selection. In the following, six CI projectsfrom the organization portfolio are selected to be ranked and weighted based on the criteria’sweight by using the AHP method. The overall weight of each project evaluates as a benefit ofthe project. FMEA, on the other hand, helps identify and address potential failures and risksassociated with projects. By combining AHP and FMEA, organizations can gain acomprehensive understanding of project risks and benefits and make informed decisions onproject selection. To facilitate a holistic understanding, a benefit-risk matrix that integrates theevaluation of both the benefits and risks of the projects is presented. This matrix will serve as avisual representation, enabling decision-makers to assess the trade-offs and make informeddecisions. The final proposed model based on AHP simplifies and organizes the decisionmaking process for the case company and ensures structure and consistency.The overall conclusion highlights the benefits of using the proposed methods, such as improveddecision-making, alignment with organizational goals, and resource optimization. This methodemphasizes the need for a structured approach to project selection and acknowledges thesignificance of risk assessment in project management.

Den här studien undersöker hur kvinnor med en högkänslig personlighet upplever att arbeta på distans. Undersökning har en kvalitativ ansats, vilken är framtagen genom sex semistrukturerade intervjuer. Vidare undersöks deras möjligheter till återhämtning samt hur stödet från chefer och kollegor ser ut. Bakgrunden till det högkänsliga kriterier är att personlighetsdraget ofta medför att individen tar in större proportioner av omgivningen. En person med ett högkänsligt personlighetsdrag har lättare för att drabbas av ohälsa och stress vid för mycket intryck. Studien använder sig av den så kallade krav-kontroll och socialt stöd-modellen och tar avstamp i tidigare forskning om både högkänslighet och distansarbete, därtill begrepp som ledarskap och stress. Genom tematisering har resultatet vuxit fram och det presenteras genom temana högkänslighet, ledarskap, företagskultur, motivation och arbetsmiljö. Temat arbetsmiljö är uppdelat på undertema: fysisk arbetsmiljö, arbetssituation, socialt stöd och digitala medier och verktyg. Resultatet visar att majoriteten av respondenterna anser att distansarbete är positivt för deras hälsa. Flera respondenters arbetstillfredsställelse påverkas av chefernas förhållningssätt, mängden avbrott och överstimulering förknippat med socialt umgänge. Omgivningens bristande förståelse alternativt bristande kunskap om det högkänsliga personlighetsdraget bidrar till respondenternas positiva upplevelse av distansarbete. Dock visar studien ändå på högst individuella upplevelser av att arbeta på distans. Studien avslutas med tips och råd till chefer som, inte bara bör gälla för medarbetare med en högkänslig personlighet, utan kan med fördel appliceras på alla medarbetare.

According to various sources, it is more difficult for foreign people to get a job in Sweden than for people who are native born. Statistics show that the unemployment number is higher for foreigners than Swedish born people. It has also been shown that this group of people who are born i another country are exposed to discrimination during the recruitment process. They also have it harder to get a job within their field of education. In this study we have investigated how foreign people find their employability at the Swedish labour market and if the perception differs between men and women. To answer these questions we have interviewed six people who were born in another country and have arrived in Sweden in the last four years, three men and three women. All of the respondents have an academic education from their birth country. The interviews were semi-structured to make the process a bit more flexible. The result of this study shows that the foreign born people experience that it is harder for them to find a job, than people born in Sweden. They think the fact that they do not know the language perfectly is the biggest reason the employer would rather hire a native born person instead of them. They also feel like their education from their country of birth is not valid here, and that they need a Swedish education. The last thing they feel is a disadvantage for them in the labour market is their lack of personal contacts who can help them get a job.

In today's car industries, low investment costs and high production rates are sought. By using nut piercing in the stamping dies in the manufacture of body components, otherwise necessary subsequent tempos can be reduced. The goal of the work was to implement nut piercing from below in a reference die to be able to use this type of operation in future projects. The main problem when implementing nut piercing from below is to be able to handle and evacuate the scrap piece that remains after the punching. By studying the equipment in the reference die, a deeper understanding of the process could be obtained, at the same time as information and necessary material were collected by expertise and the case company's suppliers for nut piercing. The recommendation to the case company provides a solution proposal for scrap evacuation as well as the components involved to be able to carry out the operation.

The landscape in the Swedish labour market is moving further towards flexibility. As a direct consequence of that, staffing companies are growing faster than ever. Recruiters are working tirelessly to make deadlines in time and keep their clients happy. Some staffing companies offer monetary compensations that are achievable for recruiters when they hit their targets. To be able to offer these commissions the companies have a lower base salary. Other companies have a wage structure where they don’t offer commission, but their base salary is a fair bit higher. Our main aim in this study was to find out what salary system motivates its recruiters more. Furthermore, our aim was to figure out what positives and negatives the recruiters experience and what differences appear. Theoretically we used several motivational minds in Maslow and Hertzberg to name a few. We have performed qualitative interviews with eight recruiters from two different companies, one which uses commission and another with higher base wage. Our study showed some resemblance to earlier studies on the subject, however there were some differences. We found that the respondents who participated in our study were close to content with the work environment and most things surrounding their employment. Despite that they weren't totally satisfied. They all argued that salary is a big part of what motivates them and that their current salaries don’t match the amount of work they perform. In the case of what salary system is more desirable it depends on the individual preferences of the worker.

I dagens flexibla arbetsliv har den informationstekniska utvecklingen bidragit till en uppluckring av gränserna för tid och rum. Denna fallstudie syftar till att öka förståelsen för hur digitala arbetsverktyg påverkar förmågan till gränsdragning mellan arbete och privatliv, samt att undersöka hur gränsuppluckringen påverkar hur individer betraktar rollen som yrkesrespektiveprivatperson. Studien utgår från en abduktiv ansats och tar sin utgångspunkt i Clarks (2000) gränsteori samt Goffmans (2014) rollteori. För att möjliggöra jämförelser av respondenternas upplevelser genomfördes sex semistrukturerade intervjuer med konsultchefer vid ett bemannings- och rekryteringsföretag. Efter en tematisk analys av den insamlade empirin visade resultatet att respondenternas arbete består av en hög grad av tillgänglighet efter arbetstid samt att gränserna mellan arbete respektive privatliv är svaga och karaktäriserasav hög flexibilitet, vilket möjliggör kontinuerliga gräns- och rollövergångar. Gränserna konstruerades i samråd med andra människor, men den enskilde individen upprättade egna gränsdragningsstrategier för att hantera arbetets flexibilitet. Slutsatsen drogs att upplevdfrivillighet och en välutvecklad gränskompetens är betydande faktorer för att hanteragränsutmaningarna. Slutligen konstaterades att arbetsgivare behöver förmedla tydliga förväntningar kring tillgänglighet och en kontinuerlig dialog behöver föras med såväl arbetsgivare som kollegor, familj och andra domänmedlemmar för att underlätta individensgränsdragning.

Sammanfattning   Syfte – Syftet med studien är att öka förståelsen kring tidsmässig lönsamhet vid användandet av en flexibel robot i produktion. Syftet har sedan brutits ned i två frågeställningar:   Vilka fördelar kan fås vid implementering av en flexibel robot i produktion?   När kan det anses vara tidsmässigt lönsamt att använda en flexibel robot i produktion?   Metod – Studiens syfte och frågeställningar besvarades genom en fallstudie och teori inom ämnet. Fallstudien genomfördes samtidigt som det gjordes en kompletterande litteraturgenomgång som låg till grund för det teoretiska ramverket. Fallstudien bestod av observation och dokumentstudie. För att formulera syftet, frågeställningar och problemområde utfördes även en förstudie innan studien påbörjades.    Resultat – Studiens resultat visar på en mängd fördelar som ges till företag som väljer att implementera en flexibel robot i sin produktion. Fördelarna går att dela upp i olika kategorier för att tydliggöra vem eller vad fördelen berör. Studien formulerade och presenterade även en formel för användandet av en flexibel robot i produktion. Formeln har möjlighet att tydligt visa vilka ordrar som är tidsmässigt lönsamma för roboten att hantera och vilka som bör göras manuellt. Denna formel generaliserades även genom att visa på vilka siffror som företag behöver använda sig av för att få korrekt resultat. Det visas även på två olika sätt som resultatet av formeln kan illustreras på.   Implikationer – Studien kan ge stöd åt företag som är i behov av vägledning kring när de bör använda en flexibel robot inom produktionen. Dessutom kan studien ge företag vägledning till ifall de bör investera i en flexibel robot genom beräkningar av hur stor del av antalet order som kan tillverkas med hjälp av en flexibel robot.    Begränsningar – Studiens begränsningar var att studien endast utfördes på ett företag. Det kunde ha varit fördelaktigt att undersöka samma sak på ett annat företag för att bekräfta resultatet. Robotens flyttbarhet undersöktes inte heller då fokuset var på användandet vid en maskin. Resultatet bör dock även vara applicerbart på den andra maskinen.    Nyckelord – Automatisering, Flexibel robot, flexibilitet LoHi produktion, tidsmässig lönsamhet / Abstract Purpose – The purpose of the study was to increase the knowledge about when it is time-wise profitable to use a flexible robot in a production. The purpose has been broken down into two research questions:  Which benefits could be obtained when a flexible robot is implemented in a production?    When could it be time—wise profitable to use a flexible robot in a production?   Method – The purpose of the study and its research questions was answered by preforming a case study and through theories regarding the subject. The case study was performed at the same time as complementary literature was reviewed which made a foundation for the theoretical framework. The case study was performed by using observations and a document study. A pre-study was done before the study to help with formulating the purpose, research questions and the problem area.   Findings – The findings of the study are that several benefits are given to a company that implements a flexible robot in the production. The benefits can be divided into categories to clarify who or what the benefit concerns. The study succeeded to formulate and present a formula for using a flexible robot in production. The formula can show which orders that are timewise for the robot to handle and which that should be made manually. This formula was also generalized by showing which numbers of companies must use to get a correct answer by the formula. The result of the formula is also illustrated in two different ways and the companies can choose which one they want to use.    Implications – The study can give support to companies that needs guidance for when they should use a flexible robot in their production. Furthermore, the studies result can give guidance as to if their company should invest in a flexible robot solution by determining how much of the production could be handled by a flexible robot.   Limitations – The limitations of the study were that the case study was only done at one company. It could have been beneficial to examine another company to confirm the results. Other limitations were that the robot’s ability to be moved was not examined because the focus was on the usage of the robot at a single machine. With this said, the result should be applicable on the other machine as well.    Keywords – Automation, flexibility, flexible robot, LoHi production, time-wise profitable

Industries are becoming more and more demanding with new technology and trying to improve the productivity of their lines by adding technological methods and thus obtaining greater flexibility and time savings. One of these methods is to train their workers with the new augmented reality technology, which saves training time since the user can learn independently by following the steps indicated on the device. Another method is to add robots to the production line to carry out those tasks that are supposed to be repetitive and tiring for humans. To squeeze more and get the best out of the robot and the human, companies choose to combine their virtues and put them working together hand in hand as a human-robot collaboration.In this project, the demonstrator includes an assembly car process realized in a human-robot collaboration system, where the human and the collaborative robot communicate through an augmented reality device, Hololens2. This demonstrator might be used for user experience studies to evaluate if the human can realize an assembly process following the instructions in a head-mounted device without previous experience and collaborate with a robot. / <p>Program: - (Utbytesstudenter)</p>