Swedish Production Research 2020

Transcription

1 Teknikföretagen production research Swedish Production Research 2020 strategic research agenda

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3 Foreword World-class production is crucial for the global competitiveness of the Swedish manufacturing industry. Sweden has strong and long-standing traditions in the manufacturing industry but also in research institutes and universities. However, we have found that industrial knowledge and know-how has been hollowed out and that interest in production technology education and research in the field has diminished. The Association of Swedish Engineering Industries (Teknikföretagen) has together with other representatives in the industry, initiated the IVA project Production for competitiveness. Among many key factors, the project has identified the need for more co-ordinated research in the production sector. The automotive sector has also made significant contributions to boost production research within the MERA-programme. The enormous value that production brings to societal development has also been acknowledged at EU level with the launch of the European technology platform Manufuture. We believe that this research agenda Swedish Production Research 2020 will serve to bring together representatives from industry, academia, research institutes, and research funding agencies on a collective platform. Together they will be able to realise the strategic projects that are so crucial for making Sweden a world leader in both established and new areas of production, with new materials, products and processes. This research agenda is also a key factor in the creation of a national platform for dialogue with EU s research programme in the field. Teknikföretagen has therefore taken the initiative to make this joint research agenda happen. We are counting on the good will of organisations, authorities and research funding agencies to offer their resources to our disposal to help realise the agenda, to secure Swedish longterm competitiveness in this vital field. Together with all our member companies, academia, and institutes Teknikföretagen will work to transform this agenda into real strategies and projects. Anders Narvinger President Teknikföretagen 3

4 Summary Swedish manufacturing industry generates 50% of Sweden s export of goods. The industry is facing big changes. The main driving forces behind the changes are increasing globalization and requirements on ecological sustainability. Great opportunities exist for Sweden to strengthen its global competitiveness by quickly adjusting to the new conditions A continous development of production knowledge and skills is a key factor for renewing Swedish industry, in part to stimulate and develop domestic production and also to increase Sweden s attraction as a platform for development for global companies. Advanced production engineering research carried out in close cooperation with manufacturing companies is a key factor in industrial development. The presented agenda is a joint vision of industry and academia towards the year The agenda is designed to serve as a base for a detailed research strategy. It was planned by Teknikföretagen, The Swedish Production Academy and Swerea IVF and has been realised by Johan Stahre, Chalmers University of technology and Jan Sjögren, Swerea IVF. The agenda identifies a number of challenges facing Swedish manufacturing industry and points out the necessary research to overcome these challenges. 4

5 Proposed actions to develop a national strategy for Swedish production research Increased globalization and a need for ecological, social, and economical sustainability creates great opportunities for Swedish manufacturing industry. In order to take advantage of these opportunities Sweden needs strong and concerted research in the area of production engineering. Industry, academia, and research institutes all agree that Sweden needs a common strategy for production research and have therefore jointly created the present agenda which will serve as a base for a future detailed strategy. The Swedish production research strategy will include time and resource management priorities to achieve visions and create long-term research. Industry, academia and research institutes have identified a set of global, long-term challenges. These are complemented by a broad inventory of priority industrial and academic research needs. The selection and prioritisation work was done by Teknikföretagen s Production Forum, The Swedish Production Academy, and Swerea IVF. We strongly suggest that VINNOVA leads the task of refining Swedish Production Research 2020 into a detailed research strategy. The industry and academia is ready to contribute with their competencies. The work should start as soon as possible to be included in a detailed planning stage of the strategic research programme that should be a part of the governments bill of research and innovation in the autumn of

6 Introduction Production in Sweden is a fundamental prerequisite for future Swedish competitivenss. The manufacturing industry accounts for about 50 % of Swedish export (SCB 2007) and employs 350,000 people. Consulting and service companies working directly with manufacturing companies employs as many, which means that over 700,000 Swedes are employed in manufacturing industry. Sweden has exceptionally many global manufacturing companies, in relation to its population, in which production is controlled and developed by technologies in Sweden. With strong and sustainable production research, Sweden s production environment can grow to international excellence, thereby creating a base for a significant increase in engineering jobs. The global competition in the production industry is very tough. Asia, USA, and Europe are currently making large investments in industrial and academic research to attain competitive advantages. Their contributions to new technology and new methods that will increase flexibility, sustainability and innovation of industrial production poses a threat to Sweden s competitiveness - a threat that has to be met quickly and forcefully. Swedish production research must be substantially strengthended if Sweden is to be able to develop further as a leading industrial nation. Industrial success depends largely on having educated researchers and strong research results from university research. However, to overcome the challenges we face, academic, industrial and institutional efforts must be directed towards the same goal. This co-operation should be based on a common long-term strategy where industry, academia, and funding agencies agree on important priorities. The present document has been realised in collaboration with Swedish industry, academia and research institutes to serve as a foundation for a strategy for Swedish production research towards the year This strategic research agenda represents the industry s and academia s joint vision of the for production research. The agenda may therefore serve as a guide for the goals we need to achieve in the long-term. 6

7 FACTS: The development process of the research agenda Swedish industry, academia and research institutes have together proposed a strategic agenda for Swedish production research. The time plan horizon is set to the year The agenda is a result of a close collaboration between Teknikföretagen, The Swedish Production Academy and Swerea IVF. The research agenda will serve as a base for a long-term action plan based on future challenges and identified research needs. Teknikföretagen initiated the development of this agenda within its industrial network, Production Forum. Seven important challenges face by both Swedish and global manufacturing industry outline demands that will be placed on the Swedish manufacturing industry in the future. The information was collected using both international and national studies. A national questionnaire identified areas of research in the Swedish manufacturing industry and results made the pressing needs of Swedish production research even more evident. Teknikföretagen performed this survey among their member companies. Swerea IVF represented the industrial research institutes in the identification. The Swedish Production Academy gathers Swedish university researchers that perform high-level production engineering research and education with the aim to bring it to international academic excellence. The Production Academy has identified important research areas and research needs internally and also by arranging the Swedish production Symposium in Gothenburg The proposed areas are such that Sweden can attain and hold a good academic position. The two prioritisation processes have been carried out in parallel. As a result, a list of 60 research areas identified by industry and academia was compiled and the areas were collectively prioritised by a selection of industries, nine Swedish production professors, and representatives from the research institutes. The prioritisation result is a list of 16 research areas that will help the Swedish manufacturing industry take advantage of the ensuing opportunities and to achieve the long-term goals. The whole process has been co-ordinated by a smaller group of representatives from industry, academia and industrial research institutes. Results from this work have continuously been reported to the Production Academy s Presidium and the Production Forum. 7

8 Competitiveness and sustainability of the Swedish Manufacturing industry The conditions for Swedish industry are changing rapidly. The two main reasons behind this are the fast globalisation of industry and society, and the accelerating demands for sustainability from both an environmental, social and economical perspective. An important factor for the competitiveness of Swedish industry is a sustainable society. The power of this concept could not be predicted ten years ago, even though the concept of sustainability was described by the Brundtland commission already in The commission defines sustainability as a balance between ecological, social and economical factors. Sweden is in many ways a role model when it comes to both ecological and social sustainability. Great challenges await, but with the right investments Swedish industry can turn the demands for sustainability into a valuable competitive edge. Swedish industry is facing one of its greatest challenges in modern time. Easier trade across borders, competition from low-cost countries and international ownership, climate issues and the fast development in areas like Asia and Eastern Europe create a strong urgency for a change in Swedish manufacturing companies. To attain global leadership, the Swedish manufacturing industry must enhance its ability to cope with fast changes in a very forceful way. The challenges of globalisation create a growing need for flexibility, speed, and cost efficiency in the whole value chain of highly specialised companies that develop and manufacture products. To be able to compete with low-wage countries, Sweden must also increase the knowledge content of its industrial products. The companies that are able to drastically reduce the time from customer demand to delivery will gain great competitive advantages. For many products, the time from idea to full-scale production is now only a third of what it was ten years ago. All parts of the value chain in a manufacturing company must work simultaneously and coordinated to make the company competitive. Environmental goals and requirements are rapidly changing in the manufacturing industry and this entails radical changes in product design, production systems and the production process. The trend is lightweight products, more environmentally friendly materials, energy efficient manufacturing processes and systems for disassembly and recycling. In the future the environmental impact from production systems must be reduced to near zero. At the same time production must evolve to be able to handle the new, environmentally customised products that the market wants. Swedish industry has the opportunity to achieve a globally leading position with this change towards climate friendly sustainability, but this will require significant investments in research and development. A good example of this are the investments being made in the Swedish automotive industry to cope with customer and societal requirements on CO2-emissions. New requirements will be placed on handling and production when new materials and compounds are made. 8

9 Similar changes can be expected in other industries manufacturing energy consuming products. To further enhance the competitiveness of the automotive industry large investments have to be made in research and industrial production development processes for environmentally friendly products. Historically, Sweden has been seen as a role model when it comes to the working environment, innovation, safety and social sustainability. Very important competitive advantages are the high industrial competence and the ability to use advanced information technology in all parts of the organisation. In these times of change, Swedish industry has unique possibilities to gain a competitive edge because the cultural aspect of Swedish working life opens for efficient co-operation across organisational borders. To attain optimal industrial performance, many decisions have to be made further out in the organisation, which requires motivated and competent staff. Sweden was internationally famous for its methods to organise a professional working environment long before Toyota s methods spread throughout the world. Sweden has the opportunity to become world leaders in social sustainability in modern production, and this development will require goal-oriented research in close co-operation between industry and academia. Investments like these we will not be able to fully take advantage of the potential that exists in the highly educated Swedish workforce. Small and medium sized companies are important components in the Swedish industry structure. Swedish manufacturing industry normally functions in long value chains, where the larger companies work together with many small suppliers. Fast information processing and efficient logistics will be important factors in the distributed production system. To support and develop the smaller companies in the value chain is an especially important challenge for Swedish research. The report Knowledge driven Growth identifies sustainable investments in research as a crucial factor for achieving competitiveness. The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) inquiry Production for competitiveness summarises conclusions and identifies the production research being conducted at universities, research institutes and in industry. Research and development in production are strategic functions for the manufacturing industry, normally localised geographically close to the company s management and product development process functions. The strong link between the product development process, the production development process and location of production create a strong regional employment effect. 9

10 Swedish production research Advanced Swedish research in production is largely interdisciplinary and carried out at universities, research institutes, and through close co-operation with industry. Swedish production researchers are internationally active, working in global academic networks with high requirements on advanced scientific methods of research. International production research is often located close to the manufacturing industry. The co-operation between academic researchers, researchers/developers in industry and industry researchers at research institutes is more the rule than the exception. In successful cutting-edge research centres, industry works side by side with academia. University researchers often use industry as a lab, since many problems are highly dependent on their surrounding contexts and hard to reconstruct in an academic laboratory setting. Swedish research funders have encouraged co-operation and mobility between academia and industry. Research and development in production usually affects more disciplines than one and interdisciplinary approaches are therefore often the norm. A Swedish production research strategy can take advantage of the good experiences of interdisciplinary research collaboration. Efficient and long-term research co-operation must be based on joint visions, deep expertise and a strong confidence in the abilities of the partner. It is therefore important that the research visions and challenges are seen as relevant. Industry and academia normally have different internal reward systems and perspectives on time. 10

11 Strategic challenges Competitors from Asia, the USA, and the rest of Europe are facing the same global challenges as the Swedish manufacturing industry and academic production research. Sweden s competitiveness depends on how well companies and researchers will be able to identify and cope with these challenges. During the last years a number of studies have been conducted in prominent research countries to draw the guidelines for future production. Figure 1. International studies in production (Based on Futman Industrial Approaches Transformation Processes Strand Report) Many of these studies identify similar key challenges. The challenges are based on customer and societal demands combined with respect and consideration for coming generations. The most comprehensive list of important challenges are described in a global Delphi-based study: Visionary Manufacturing Challenges for (Vision 2020). A number of international and Swedish future studies have come to the same conclusions. 1) 11

12 Important challenges for future production Sustainable Production Only minimal environmental impact and minimal consumption of resources is acceptable. Manufacturing industries must achieve production sustainability from ecological, social, and economical perspectives. The competitive advantages are to be found in methods and technologies for resource efficiency and global perspectives on environmental impact in all stages of the product realisation process, from idea to recycled product. Flexible production Manufacturing companies must be able to adapt quickly to be able to seize opportunities. Production processes, production systems, competencies, and organisations in knowledge-based companies must be able to take advantage of changes in conditions, customer preferences, innovation and social requirements quickly. The role of humans in production systems Employment in future production means advanced, professional, knowledge-based work where communication and co-operation between people and production systems are crucial. Innovation, problem-solving, and ability to quickly adjust to new situations require efficient and user-friendly communication tools. Knowledge-based work enables maximal synergy between people and technology. Digital and knowledge-based production New technology must enable efficient transformation of data into useable knowledge. A constant access to enormous amounts of information demands new methods to process and transform information. Information technology, information standards, sensors, automated information processing and the interface towards humans must be developed radically. Production of innovative products New product concepts that cannot be predicted today will require completely new production processes and materials for production to take advantage of the potential in new materials, compounds, mechatronics, and micro- and nano-technology. Parallel product realisation Concurrency throughout the product realisation process. Minimize the time from idea to delivered product. The whole life cycle of the product must be taken into account. Customer needs and demands should be identified during product development and preparation for production and distribution. The challenge promotes fast innovation in all stages of product realisation. 12

13 From a Swedish perspective, the ongoing globalisation poses a huge challenge, which brings both possibilities and threats for Sweden. A seventh challenge is therefore added to the six previous challenges: Global Swedish production Strategies for taking advantage of the strong increase in globalisation. Method for efficiently chosing production strategies. Development of production strategies for optimized distribution of domestic and outsourced production. It is a challenge to strengthen Sweden as an attractive production country. The challenges outline key and long-term areas of research and development. All challenges place demands on interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary approaches. Today s technology and methods are not sufficient enough to take advantage of possibilities or solve problems created by these challenges. Long-term co-operation between the industry, academia and research institutes is necessary to increase the competitive edge of Swedish manufacturing companies. These challenges are long-term goals for industrial and academic development. A time limit is set to 2020, but many of these challenges will still be important for a long time after that. The areas of research identified by systematic matching of the industry s and academia s visions paints a justified picture of prioritised Swedish research needs. The challenges and areas of research that are described in the next chapter are generic and therefore fully applicable in many of the Swedish industries. 13

14 Areas of research Both industry and academia use problem oriented perspectives on research and development. The contents of research can be specified by for example the academic field or the industrial sector. During the creation of this research agenda, the Teknikföretagen interview study identified a number of research areas. These were then prioritised by professionals from industry and academia. These prioritised areas of research can be grouped into three main categories that describe the industrial production situation from different angles: Production systems Integrated product and production development Manufacturing processes Below is a description of the identified necessary research and development investments in these areas. The description starts with a short account of the vision for each main area 15 years down the road. FACTS: Identified areas of research The following 16 areas of research have been identified and prioritised to lead research towards the seven challenges in a long-term strategy. Prioritised areas of research, summary Production systems: Robust and reliable production systems Flexible and module-based automation Adaptive production systems Virtual factory and flow development The role of humans in production systems Competence, learning, and organisation in production Production logistics and enterprise networks Integrated production and product development: Production requirements in early stages of product development Methods for virtual production and product development Methods for analysis and optimisation of production and product development Manufacturing processes: Processing of new materials and compounds Virtual development methods for material processing and forming Processes for surface and heat treatment Manufacturing technology for micro- and nano-structures Measuring and management of measured data Characterisation of materials from a process perspective 14

15 Production systems In advanced production systems, humans co-operate with information technology and complex machines, such as robots. During the development of production systems, experts from many different technical fields work together to solve very complex, detailed, and specific problems. Production systems are characterised by a high complexity and contain both material and information flows. The requirements for production systems are very high. All parts of the system and all components must work well together and constantly be able to transform to manufacture new products. New technology and new materials must be able to be integrated into the current production system without disturbing it. The system should be able to handle large product variations. Products need to be manufactured without quality flaws with the lowest possible manufacturing cost. The flow of products should not be disturbed by problems or lack of raw material. Methods in modern production development processes often focus on resource efficiency and on efficient flows through the systems. The production systems should also have the ability to be integrated effectively in global material and information flows. Humans often participate in manufacturing as flexible and efficient resources and their working conditions must always be based on needs for safety and motivation. The staff must be in command of the systems and, if necessary, be able to solve complicated situations. A good working environment is therefore important and the systems must be designed to make human-human and human-technology interaction efficient. The distribution of tasks between humans and automated resources is not permanent but will change over time. Each production system should meet the requirements for ecological, social and economical sustainability. A big challenge is therefore to develop production towards life-cycle considerations, for example by minimising environmentally hazardous emissions and energy consumption. Visions for 15 years into the future Production systems that have been developed in Sweden are globally competitive thanks to high productivity, reliability, and ability to deliver. Swedish manufacturing industry uses communication systems that effectively and in real time integrate clients, production systems, and operators. Work in Swedish production systems is an attractive knowledge based occupation. Humans use advanced decision making tools for innovation, and high adaptability to new situations. Sweden is the leader in the development of advanced, technological, flexible, client oriented and module based production systems for a customer based manufacturing. The high robustness of the systems makes them able to handle continuous production without disturbances. 15

16 Prioritised areas of research to achieve the visions Robust and reliable production systems Production systems must be able to function continuously, flawlessly and cost effectively. The systems are constantly subjected to outer influences and must be made much more robust to be able to handle all forms of deviations. It must be possible to introduce new technology in parallel with the old, and sensitivity to product variations must be minimised. Humans with the right competence make the system more robust by their unique ability to handle unforeseen problems. It is becoming increasingly important to be able to move production capacity close to the market, but also modular and moveable factories must have high reliability. Robust production also entails stability towards threats that threaten the ecological, social or economical balance of a company. The role of humans in production systems Socially sustainable production requires great respect for humans, a key resource in the production system. Competent and motivated workers are critical resources in handling disturbances, achieving high flexibility and shortening lead-time. The humans unique role as innovators and decision makers must be developed and cultivated by better integrating humans with technology. Co-operation between robots and humans must be improved, without compromising safety. Other important areas of research are advanced user interfaces, mobile and hidden information technology, social networks for problem solving, production ergonomics and virtual representations of humans in production simulations. New technology is also needed as a support for human decision making in problem solving. A crucial factor is fast feedback on process experiences from operator to production and product developers. Flexible and module based automation The industry is changing at an increasing pace and therefore machines and accessory equipment for automation must be able to be quickly adjusted to new needs. The level of automation describes the mechanical and physical tasks but also includes information and decision information. A high level of automation usually gives good qualities in high volumes but often also less flexibility, and disturbances are costly. New products cannot easily be introduced to the production system without extensive re-programming. Swedish research must develop methods to measure and chose the level of automation. Modular and smart systems are also needed to gradually be able to increase or decrease the level of automation. Especially smaller companies with small possibilities to invest need improved methods for design and specification of machines and automation solutions to easily cope with fast changes. 16

17 Adaptive production systems Tomorrow s production equipment requires that the control programs be prepared for all imaginable events and conditions. Also, extremely fast follow-up systems for registration, error identification and the adjustment of production in case of disturbances. Adaptive and sensor controlled production systems adjust themselves to situations or disturbances that arise. Development of Self programming or module programming will create possibilities to simplify preparation. Advanced robots can regulate gripping forces with sensors that mimic feeling. Adaptive tools must be able to compensate variations in bending and wear of tools. New sensor and signal technology will create conditions for production that is impossible today due to too extensive disturbances. Virtual factory and flow development Simulation and visualisation tools can provide comprehensive overviews of very complex technical system of machines, people, product flows, production systems, workshops, and supplier networks. Virtual tools are therefore becoming increasingly effective support for co-operation between different specialist functions and a way to radically decrease the risk of future problems. Tools and new practices must be heavily improved and given higher capacities to simulate more and more complex situations, for example environmental impact, flow of information, human behaviour and resource efficiency. The time consuming and costly work of creating and continuously maintaining the digital models that are necessary for digital simulation must be made more efficient. New methods and standards for developing and recycling digital models are crucial. Methods and tools must also include efficient ways to collect correct information and data for simulation models from the real production situation. A big challenge is to make the simulations visualise predicted disturbances that often occur in real operative situations. Competence, learning and organisation in production New forms of competence development and learning in production create new possibilities, and often use other teaching methods than traditional education. Combinations of theoretical, practical and computer-aided learning are emerging fast, with tools such as simulation technology. Knowledge workers with a high basic competence will be demanding new forms of continuous further education in a highly technological environment. Social sustainability requires organisations with an ability to identify and bring out and develop competence and talents in individuals and groups. A company s competitiveness is based on both the competitive edge of individuals and the staff s collective average competence. Composition and assembly with generally lower levels of automation requires fast instruction for assembly sequences and quality improvement. Large research initiatives are necessary for the development of new forms of organisations and production strategies, as well as resources efficient production. 17

18 Production logistics and corporate networks Design and control of material flows and production capacities are key factors for a company s competitiveness. Availability of materials directly affects the delivery and the possibility of disturbance free production. A higher customer orientation of products, tougher lead-time requirements, globalisation and threats etc. increase the need for knowledge in logistics and networks. Important research challenges are for example the co-ordination and synchronisation of material flows and production resources in the production network and an adjustment of systems and methods for action/ incident based planning in insecure production environments. Efficiency in the systems and an allocation of activities, products and requirements in the network will be decisive for productivity as a whole. Research initiatives in production logistics must create routines that focus on value creating processes where both the physical flow and the flow of information need to be optimally designed. The activity pattern and material supply processes, the choice of management methods, packaging design, etc., influence costs, throughput times, quality risk levels, and surface needs in material supply also strongly influence the ability to measure efficiency in the direct production process. 18

19 Integrated production and product development The time from customer demand to delivery of a finished product is completely decisive for competitiveness and profitability. A close link between production and product development is an absolute prerequisite to be able to attain short lead-time. The prerequisites of the production process must be taken into account in the early stages. At the same time adjustments have to be made in the production system already during the product development process. Changes that are initiated too late could be devastating for profitability. Large research initiatives must be directed towards efficient transformation of information from many different sources to useful integrated knowledge. The equipment and automation level of the factory must be optimised with regard to expected volumes and new products. Tools and other expensive equipment must be able to be optimised with regard to expected volume. Products are being introduced faster and faster and to be able to handle this, at a lower cost, more flexible and faster processes, without excessive performance, are needed. Visions for 15 years into the future Swedish manufacturing industry has reduced costs significantly by a close integration of product development and production development. Production and product developers have constant access to incidents and deviations in production through advanced communication systems. Swedish production has developed systems for a unique speed in monitoring and feedback on the of product development s effects on the environment. Complex, Swedish products can be developed without physical prototypes which greatly decreases lead-time. Prioritised areas of research to achieve the visions Demands placed on production in early stages of product development Conditions for efficient production are created parallel to product development. Methods and strategies for handling and reusing information from systematic production analyses in product development process must be developed. The faster products are renewed, the more important this area of research becomes, because an existing facility must be able to be used for many versions of a product. Examples of important areas are systematic requirement analysis and feature -based construction where the products are divided into smaller standardised form elements on which production expertise can be used. 19

20 Methods for virtual production and product development Simulations and virtual modelling are used to greatly reduce the time from design to production and replaces the use of physical models and tests. These new IT-tools make it possible to significantly shorten the development time for new products. Methods for geometric simulation can also be used to create products that are less sensitive to deviations in the geometry of single details, which in turn reduce the requirements for precision in the manufacturing process. An important challenge is to create virtual models that have the necessary yet manageable degree of specific detail to test new product constructions. Methods for optimised production and product development With shorter development periods and extremely short lead-time the volume of series will be radically reduced. It will be increasingly challenging to choose an optimal investment level given expected volumes. Decisions about buying new equipment must in the future be optimised and economical, and technical and time factors must be considered. The development of decision support in the form of cost simulations is very important to be able to develop products with a high producability. 20

21 Manufacturing processes The accelerating evolution of high performance material offers new possibilities for lightweight product design with maintained or enhanced performance. Nanotechnology, and in the future also biotechnology, will radically change the conditions for the industry s manufacturing processes. New processes for free form design and additive manufacturing processes must be explored to complement the current need for processing and assembly methods. Swedish industry must quickly take advantage of developing manufacturing technology to create competitive advantages. The development of new material and manufacturing processes is crucial for the competitiveness of the industry. This is true for products such as vehicles, that must be made lighter to meet the increasing customer requirements on fuel efficiency and environmental directives regarding reduced pollution. The same goes for mechatronic consumer products. Total optimisation of energy consumption and elimination of environmentally hazardous manufacturing processes is therefore becoming increasingly important. An increased use of micro mechanical components and the integration of electronics require improved innovative thinking in material technology and the choice of a manufacturing process and measurement methods for quality assurance. Tribologic qualities are important for minimising wear and friction. New and developed manufacturing methods create new possibilities that may make it necessary to change the whole production chain. This will affect both product design and manufacturing systems. New material, changed processes, and requirements on low levels of cassation creates a higher need for adaptive control methods and in-line measurement methods. Long-term sustainable manufacturing processes require new technologies for disassembly, recycling, processing of toxic materials and the development of processes that require less coolant and lubricant. These new technologies make it possible to steer the external environment and the working environment in a positive direction. Visions for 15 years into the future Components manufactured in Sweden are 100 % correct from the first piece produced, by the use of simulated material characteristics and sensor-based feedback from the result. The Swedish manufacturing industry has reduced its consumption of energy by 50%. Swedish companies have reduced the number of process steps by 50% by optimal use of direct manufacturing and free form design. Swedish companies lead the development of competitive manufacturing processes for innovative compounds and nano-technology. 21

22 Prioritised areas of research to attain the visions outlined above Processing of new materials and compounds Refining of advanced and high performance materials requires new research on extreme tool performance and changed processes. Changed environmental requirements for joining and surface treatment of new compounds such as for example fibre composites and steel create possibilities for completely new process designs. New methods for optimising sequential refining must be developed. The need for methods to achieve high production safety with a minimal percentage of minimal cassations, downtime and reduced production rate is steadily increasing. Radical changes in processing are needed for economical manufacturing in short series, with a high flexibility and minimised changeover times. Principles for environmental sustainability and circulation thinking must make up the foundation of future processing methods. Reversible joining methods must be developed to meet requirements of separation of material at decomposition and waste deposit. Virtual development methods for material processing and forming The development of tools for forming operations is expensive, time consuming, and a source of great time delays. To minimise the time to start of production it is necessary to get it right at the first attempt. Simulation of forming operations can make it possible for tools to give the desired result at the first attempt and thereby avoid delays. For a successful process simulation, and to be able to predict the process result, large experimental research initiatives are necessary. A clear example of this is simulation methods for cutting machining. Advanced verifying measurement technologies must be developed. Methods for process optimisation and intelligent support system that take advantage of performance in the whole manufacturing system must be developed for cutting machining and other forming methods. Processes for surface and heat treatment Research aimed at different types of surface treatments and heat processing creates new processes for protecting the product and to give the surface a customer-ordered appearance. It is necessary to develop manufacturing processes that can give products completely new functions and characteristics by so-called smart coatings. More and more products consist of compounds, for example for weight optimisation, which places radical new requirements on surface treatment. Heat processing is an important purification method for creating higher product performance. Development of new heating technologies makes it possible to increase energy efficiency. Manufacturing processes for micro- and nano-structures The evolution of nano-structures and new surface structures create possibilities for radical changes in product qualities. Applications in areas such as tools require extreme surface characteristics to give the product the desired function and perfor- 22

23 mance. Many links between surface function and appearance are unexplored. Micro and nano-technology will have decisive impacts on ecological sustainability by surface functions in different products, and this leads to reduced wear and reduced energy and fuel consumption. Measuring and management of measured data Sensors and systems for real time monitoring make adaptation and real time optimisation of the production process possible. Simultaneous feedback of process data from the product development process and preparation functions creates large possibilities for improvement and significantly reduces lead-time. Research needs to lead to a development of tools for measurement and analysis methods, for example forces, temperatures, geometries and surface qualities. Big challenges remain to achieve quick analysis and conversion of massive amounts of measured data into useful information. Characterisation of materials from a process perspective Simulation and calculations for advanced manufacturing processes must be based on experimental material and process data. To be able to predict the process result in manufacturing, the used materials must be characterised and mapped. By developing process-like material characterisation it will be possible to increase the precision, speed and broad application of the simulation. Possibilities to characterise new material qualities and process behaviour is a crucial factor for producability, especially in regard to sequential manufacturing processes where different purification steps require different material qualities. 23

24 Appendix 1 Current and previous research programmes Swedish programmes The MERA-programme MERA - Manufacturing Engineering Research Area, ( ) is the largest initiative in production technology R&D ever performed in Sweden. MERA includes advanced cutting edge research and applied projects as well as education. The agenda is based on the needs of the industry. A special independent quality assurance group is responsible for making sure that the projects meet the programmes formal requirements. The MERA-programme contains around 50 projects and is a broad initiative that covers manufacturing methods and production systems. The programme has uniquely and successfully initiated a close co-operation between industry-industry, academia and research institutes. The companies that participate in the programme have initiated the creation of 10 topic clusters in production technology in highly prioritised areas. These clusters work with co-ordination and definitions of necessary initiatives. The clusters include representatives from the automotive industry, researchers from the Swedish Production Academy and research institutes as well as representatives from other industry sectors. The clusters have now defined the need for research and development and the R&D-system needed to continue the programme for the years in the document Sustainable Manufacturing Systems Capable of Producing Innovative Products. The document is a more detailed description of the present agenda. VINNOVA: Efficient product realisation VINNOVA s programme Efficient Product Realisation ( ) has mainly focused on the product development process and its links to production and has therefore had a somewhat broader approach than other programmes. The programme was evaluated by independent experts and the evaluation report will be made public during April When the programme comes to an end there will be a void, mainly in the more system-oriented areas. VINNOVA: Complex Assembled Products VINNOVA s programme Complex Assembled Products ( ) focuses on development and production of advanced industry products. The programme is coming to a close and this will also leave a large void. This programme is also being evaluated and the results will be made public in April VINNOVA: Working life VINNOVA s programme for the development of working life (200X-2008) includes subprograms for innovative companies as well as the working place as an innovative system. Both these areas are important for the present document, especially when it comes to integration of human resources and technical resources. 24

25 The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research: ProViking 1 and ProViking 2 (200X-2013) The two consecutive five-year programmes of the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research on basic research in product and production development have strengthened cooperation between different research environments in academia. They have also created a cross-university forum for cooperation in PhD education through a national PhD school. The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF) and the Foundation for Strategic Environmental Reserach (MISTRA): ProEnviro ( X) The five year research programme organised by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research and the Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research is aimed at research in product and production development with special focus on environmental aspects. It has SME priorities and has improved cooperation between different research environments in academia. ProEnviro is also a forum for PhD co-operation and a joint PhD school is organised together with ProViking. Produktionslyftet (200X-200X) Produktionslyftet is a recently started programme designed to increase the competitiveness of mainly small manufacturing companies. The programme is run by research institutes and academia in close co-operation and has established a strong structure to implement new methods in the whole manufacturing industry. Produktionslyftet has a large potential to become the driving force to quickly spread results from an extended initiative in production research. European initiatives ManuFuture Manufuture is one of EU s Technology platforms. The platforms are initiatives from the industry, to influence EU s research programme. Manufuture focuses on the manufacturing industry and has created an extensive Research Agenda. The Agenda focuses on a radical modernisation and development of the whole manufacturing industry including all processes. The congruency between the areas of research that have been identified in Manufuture and in the Swedish agenda is relatively good, but the difference is that the Swedish programme is more specifically oriented towards production while Manufuture is more general and covers all aspects of development in the manufacturing industry. Sweden has a national platform within the ManuFuture organisation ( Intelligent Manufacturing Systems Network of Excellence A recently concluded program in EU that was designed to broaden and deepen the co-operation between European researchers in production. 25

26 EU framework programmes The seventh framework programme was a strong initiative in very advanced new technology, NANO-technology. More traditional production was only covered in the framework for the very large, so called IP (integrated projects). Very few Swedish researchers have the strength to initiate such projects and therefore the framework programme was of little value to Swedish production research. In the seventh framework programme, that had its first call for applications during the spring of 2007, many clusters from the MERA-programme demonstrated that they had a strong position to take the lead in a number of projects that involved large parts of the European automotive industry. Results from the application round are expected during November In the NMP programme, Manufuture has been taken into consideration and the programme includes topics that support parts of Manufuture. The EU-programme Information and Communication Technologies covers parts of the production field, but to a much lesser extent and with less focus than product refinement. 26