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The CDIO framework is an integrated and important part of the new quality assurance system within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Linköping University. Both the CDIO Syllabus and the CDIO Standards are used extensively in the system. First, the paper presents the development and use of the second generation of course matrices (previously denoted ITU-matrices) and program matrices, which build upon an adapted and extended version of the CDIO Syllabus. The extension is made to also include bachelor’s and master’s program in subjects outside the engineering field. Second, the paper presents how the CDIO Standards are used in the quality reports, which are vital parts of the quality assurance systems. As a result, the CDIO framework is used for the design, management, and quality assurance of all education programs ( approximately 60 programs) within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Linköping University.

The CDIO framework is an integrated and important part of the new quality assurance system within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Linköping University. Both the CDIO Syllabus and the CDIO Standards are used extensively in the system. First, the paper presents the development and use of the second generation of course matrices (previously denoted ITU-matrices) and program matrices, which build upon an adapted and extended version of the CDIO Syllabus. The extension is made to also include bachelor’s and master’s program in subjects outside the engineering field. Second, the paper presents how the CDIO Standards are used in the quality reports, which are vital parts of the quality assurance systems. As a result, the CDIO framework is used for the design, management, and quality assurance of all education programs ( approximately 60 programs) within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Linköping University.

The CDIO framework is an integrated and important part of the new quality assurance system within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Linköping University. Both the CDIO Syllabus and the CDIO Standards are used extensively in the system. First, the paper presents the development and use of the second generation of course matrices (previously denoted ITU-matrices) and program matrices, which build upon an adapted and extended version of the CDIO Syllabus. The extension is made to also include bachelor’s and master’s program in subjects outside the engineering field. Second, the paper presents how the CDIO Standards are used in the quality reports, which are vital parts of the quality assurance systems. As a result, the CDIO framework is used for the design, management, and quality assurance of all education programs ( approximately 60 programs) within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Linköping University.

The CDIO framework is an integrated and important part of the new quality assurance system within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Linköping University. Both the CDIO Syllabus and the CDIO Standards are used extensively in the system. First, the paper presents the development and use of the second generation of course matrices (previously denoted ITU-matrices) and program matrices, which build upon an adapted and extended version of the CDIO Syllabus. The extension is made to also include bachelor’s and master’s program in subjects outside the engineering field. Second, the paper presents how the CDIO Standards are used in the quality reports, which are vital parts of the quality assurance systems. As a result, the CDIO framework is used for the design, management, and quality assurance of all education programs ( approximately 60 programs) within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Linköping University.

For many years, FEA (finite element analysis) has been the dominant way of evaluating the mechanical properties of products. Engineers and design analysts are well familiar with the technology, and it is used for a lot of different types of phenomena. It is not easy to use FEA as it requires a lot of knowledge and skills for the analysis to be successful. One of the many problems is that it quickly becomes a large model with a large number of equations that have to be solved. A computer with a large internal memory, a fast CPU and fast hard disk drives is expensive to purchase and to keep up to date. Another problem is when thin-walled solids have to be analyzed. You usually need 2-3 elements in thickness to be able to obtain all stresses, which requires a lot of elements and nodes and makes the computations large or even too large. To solve these types of problem, a conversion to surfaces has to be made, where 2D shell elements may be used. Converting solids to surfaces can be demanding and time-consuming. It is a compromise, but it is solvable as a 2D model. As we all know, all body-in-white, e.g., automotive and aerospace industry, is analyzed by this method. A new type of software has recently reached the market, mesh-less design analysis, which makes it possible to perform design analysis in all kind of solids, very quickly and by using much less solving time and computer power. As this type of software doesn’t mesh the geometry, much time can be saved both on the geometry but also on waiting time for the problem to be solved. The main question is, “is it too good to be true”? In this paper, the focus is on comparing two types of design analysis software, traditional FEA, and mesh-less design analysis. Different samples of design problems have been analyzed and compared; results and conclusions are reported. © 2019 by ASME

The CDIO framework is an integrated and important part of the new quality assurance system within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Linköping University. Both the CDIO Syllabus and the CDIO Standards are used extensively in the system. First, the paper presents the development and use of the second generation of course matrices (previously denoted ITU-matrices) and program matrices, which build upon an adapted and extended version of the CDIO Syllabus. The extension is made to also include bachelor’s and master’s program in subjects outside the engineering field. Second, the paper presents how the CDIO Standards are used in the quality reports, which are vital parts of the quality assurance systems. As a result, the CDIO framework is used for the design, management, and quality assurance of all education programs ( approximately 60 programs) within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Linköping University.

In order to perform engineering design activities aiming at the design of new or redesign of existing products, a number of alternative processes, methods and techniques are available in the literature to the engineering designer/product developing enterprise. These processes, methods and techniques, are usually not explicitly expressed in terms of directives as to when and how they are to be used in the actual design of the product-to-be. An important goal in product development of today is to fulfill the terms for sustainable development, thus emphasizing the need to develop products which are not overexploiting the available resources provided by nature. By utilizing an approach to development and design based on bionics, i.e. utilizing biological methods and systems found in nature as a means of creating technical solutions, a conceptual framework is provided which is especially fit to accommodate the striving for sustainability. Striving for lightweight designs provides a significant potential to reduce the energy consumption of the product-to-be, which at present is a highly prioritized goal within sustainable development. Up until now, the dominating approach to lightweight designs has been to utilize lightweight materials such as different types of composites and metallic materials such as aluminum, magnesium and titanium. By introducing biomimicry into the engineering design process, an additional step towards efficient lightweight design solutions might be within reach. Since the objects created by nature are independent of costs and time, these are most often very complex especially regarding shapes and dimensions. In order to match these constraints in the creation of technical solutions (products), it is necessary to utilize optimization in combination with a flexible manufacturing process. The ideal manufacturing method to meet these demands is Additive Manufacturing (AM), though, at least for the time being, it imposes some constraints in size, costs

In most industrial product development projects, computer-based design analysis, or simply design analysis, is frequently utilized. Several design analysis process models exist in the literature for the planning, execution and follow-up of such design analysis tasks. Most of these process models deal explicitly with design analysis tasks within two specific contexts: the context of design evaluation, and the context of design optimization. There are, however, several more contexts within which design analysis tasks are executed. Originating from industrial practice, four contexts were found to represent a significant part of all design analysis tasks in industry. These are: 1. Explorative analysis, aiming at the determination of important design parameters associated with an existing or predefined design solution (of which design optimization is a part). 2. Evaluation, aiming at giving quantitative information on specific design parameters in support of further design decisions. 3. Physical testing, aiming at validating design analysis models through physical testing, that is, determining the degree to which models are accurate representations of the real world from the perspective of the intended uses of the models. 4. Method development, that is the development, verification and validation of specific guidelines, procedures or templates for the design analyst and/or the engineering designer to follow when performing a design analysis task. A design analysis process model needs to be able to deal with at least these four. In this work, a process model named the generic design analysis (GDA) process model, is applied to these four contexts. The principles for the adaptation of the GDA process model to different contexts are described. The use of the GDA process model in these contexts is exemplified with industrial cases: explorative analysis of design parameters of a bumper beam system, the final physical acceptance tests of a device transportation system (collisio

Computer-based design analysis is nowadays of utmost importance in most engineering design projects. However, this brings some challenges, among them that of the collaboration between engineering designers and design analysts. Since they work with, and are responsible for, different areas, they do not necessarily have full insight into each other’s way of working. The issue of integration between the design analysis process and the engineering design process is thus of major significance for providing an increase in efficiency and effectiveness in engineering design and development of products. In this work, an approach is proposed aiming at providing this increase in efficiency and effectiveness. Based on the analysis of the information workflow between the engineering design process and the design analysis process, a mapping of the necessary interactions between engineering designers and design analysts can be made. The presented approach facilitates this mapping. An application of this approach to an industrial project is also presented.

Computer-based design analysis is nowadays of utmost importance for most engineering design projects. However, this brings some challenges, among them that of the collaboration between engineering designers and design analysts. Since they work with, and are responsible for, different areas, they do not necessarily have full insight into each other’s way of working. The issue of integration between the design analysis process and the engineering design process is of major significance for providing an increase in efficiency and effectiveness in engineering design and development of products. In this work, an approach is proposed aiming at providing this increase in efficiency and effectiveness. Based on the analysis of the information workflow between the engineering design process and the design analysis process, a mapping of the necessary interactions between engineering designers and design analysts can be made. The presented approach facilitates this mapping. An application of this approach to an industrial project is also presented.

In most industrial product development projects, computer-based design analysis, or simply design analysis, is frequently utilized. Several design analysis process models exist in the literature for the planning, execution and follow-up of such design analysis tasks. Most of these process models deal explicitly with design analysis tasks within two specific contexts: the context of design evaluation, and the context of design optimization. There are, however, several more contexts within which design analysis tasks are executed. Originating from industrial practice, four contexts were found to represent a significant part of all design analysis tasks in industry. These are: 1. Explorative analysis, aiming at the determination of important design parameters associated with an existing or predefined design solution (of which design optimization is a part). 2. Evaluation, aiming at giving quantitative information on specific design parameters in support of further design decisions. 3. Physical testing, aiming at validating design analysis models through physical testing, that is, determining the degree to which models are accurate representations of the real world from the perspective of the intended uses of the models. 4. Method development, that is the development, verification and validation of specific guidelines, procedures or templates for the design analyst and/or the engineering designer to follow when performing a design analysis task. A design analysis process model needs to be able to deal with at least these four. In this work, a process model named the generic design analysis (GDA) process model, is applied to these four contexts. The principles for the adaptation of the GDA process model to different contexts are described. The use of the GDA process model in these contexts is exemplified with industrial cases: explorative analysis of design parameters of a bumper beam system, the final physical acceptance tests of a device transportation system (collisio

The current trend in industry to encourage engineering designers to take an active part in the analysis of their own design solutions is apparent in many companies today, domestically as well as abroad. From a research project with the objective to develop a computer-based design system for the design of lightweight grippers, one of the major difficulties was to overcome the system users’ lack of knowledge and experience in the design of lightweight structures and Computer-Based Design Analysis (CBDA). CBDA here refers to the use of analysis tools such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and computer-based structural optimization. In order to handle these difficulties, the author introduced the use of templates. In the given context, a template refers to an especially preformatted code, which contains the implemented information/knowledge necessary to perform a specific task on an operational level. It should be noted that the use of templates as a means of support in performing a specific design or analysis task is not a new phenomenon in industrial practice. Inspired by the opportunities provided by the template approach, the main objective set out for the thesis project was to facilitate the active participation of the engineering designers in performing CBDA singlehandedly, or in any other organizational setting, by utilizing a Template-Based Design Analysis (TBDA) approach, as an integrated part of their activities within the engineering design process. The evolutionary research approach for the development of the TBDA approach is based on surveys in Swedish as well as international industry, literature surveys, the development of a Generic Design Analysis (GDA) process model (facilitating integration of the activities between CBDA and engineering design) and a number of demonstrator projects to deepen the insights into TBDA. Note that as the TBDA approach is intended for use in industrial practice, the approach is independent of specific engineering design and pr, Vid framtagning av nya produkter måste man utgå ifrån de behov som den blivande kunden ställer i form av krav och önskemål på produkten för att den ska vara intressant att inhandla och använda. För att säkerställa att den blivande produkten har de egenskaper som efterfrågas, används idag omfattande simuleringar av den blivande produktens egenskaper. Simuleringar består i avancerade beräkningar med hjälp av dator. Genom att utföra dessa tidigt i utvecklingsarbetet, så kan man väsentligen korta ned tiden för utveckling och konstruktion av produkten. Detta uppnås framför allt genom att minska behovet av att bygga och prova prototyper. Beräkningar i utvecklings- och konstruktionsarbetet spelar därför idag en väsentlig roll för att ta fram konkurrenskraftiga produkter på ett snabbt och effektivt sätt. I denna avhandling har ett nytt tillvägagångssätt tagits fram för att låta konstruktörer själva beräkna sina konstruktionsförslag. Hittills har merparten av alla beräkningar av detta slag genomförts av beräkningsingenjörer. Nu kan man genom att tillämpa den i avhandlingen framtagna tillvägagångssättet att med hjälp av digitala mallar (program för att lösa speciella uppgifter i konstruktionsarbetet) och det föreslagna tillvägagångssättet MallBaserad KonstruktionsAnalys (MBKA) tillåta att konstruktörer, som vanligtvis inte är specialister på beräkningar, självständigt kan utföra sådana analyser. Mallarnas roll är alltså att överbrygga brister i kompetens och erfarenheter av konstruktionsberäkningar. Redan idag finns konkurrerande sätt att tillåta konstruktörer att delta i beräkningsarbetet, men då oftast med direkt stöd av en beräkningsingenjör och med tillgång till riktlinjer. Dessa kräver att konstruktören har en viss grundkompetens för att kunna följa och tillämpa dessa. MBKA ställer inte dessa krav på kompetens och insikter, vilket gör att den kan betraktas inte bara som en konkurrent till existerande tillvägagångssätt utan också erbjuda ett helt unikt och nytt stöd gen, ISRN LUTMDN/TMKT-15/1032-SE

The current trend in industry to encourage engineering designers to take an active part in the analysis of their own design solutions is apparent in many companies today, domestically as well as abroad. From a research project with the objective to develop a computer-based design system for the design of lightweight grippers, one of the major difficulties was to overcome the system users’ lack of knowledge and experience in the design of lightweight structures and Computer-Based Design Analysis (CBDA). CBDA here refers to the use of analysis tools such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and computer-based structural optimization. In order to handle these difficulties, the author introduced the use of templates. In the given context, a template refers to an especially preformatted code, which contains the implemented information/knowledge necessary to perform a specific task on an operational level. It should be noted that the use of templates as a means of support in performing a specific design or analysis task is not a new phenomenon in industrial practice. Inspired by the opportunities provided by the template approach, the main objective set out for the thesis project was to facilitate the active participation of the engineering designers in performing CBDA singlehandedly, or in any other organizational setting, by utilizing a Template-Based Design Analysis (TBDA) approach, as an integrated part of their activities within the engineering design process. The evolutionary research approach for the development of the TBDA approach is based on surveys in Swedish as well as international industry, literature surveys, the development of a Generic Design Analysis (GDA) process model (facilitating integration of the activities between CBDA and engineering design) and a number of demonstrator projects to deepen the insights into TBDA. Note that as the TBDA approach is intended for use in industrial practice, the approach is independent of specific engineering design and pr, Vid framtagning av nya produkter måste man utgå ifrån de behov som den blivande kunden ställer i form av krav och önskemål på produkten för att den ska vara intressant att inhandla och använda. För att säkerställa att den blivande produkten har de egenskaper som efterfrågas, används idag omfattande simuleringar av den blivande produktens egenskaper. Simuleringar består i avancerade beräkningar med hjälp av dator. Genom att utföra dessa tidigt i utvecklingsarbetet, så kan man väsentligen korta ned tiden för utveckling och konstruktion av produkten. Detta uppnås framför allt genom att minska behovet av att bygga och prova prototyper. Beräkningar i utvecklings- och konstruktionsarbetet spelar därför idag en väsentlig roll för att ta fram konkurrenskraftiga produkter på ett snabbt och effektivt sätt. I denna avhandling har ett nytt tillvägagångssätt tagits fram för att låta konstruktörer själva beräkna sina konstruktionsförslag. Hittills har merparten av alla beräkningar av detta slag genomförts av beräkningsingenjörer. Nu kan man genom att tillämpa den i avhandlingen framtagna tillvägagångssättet att med hjälp av digitala mallar (program för att lösa speciella uppgifter i konstruktionsarbetet) och det föreslagna tillvägagångssättet MallBaserad KonstruktionsAnalys (MBKA) tillåta att konstruktörer, som vanligtvis inte är specialister på beräkningar, självständigt kan utföra sådana analyser. Mallarnas roll är alltså att överbrygga brister i kompetens och erfarenheter av konstruktionsberäkningar. Redan idag finns konkurrerande sätt att tillåta konstruktörer att delta i beräkningsarbetet, men då oftast med direkt stöd av en beräkningsingenjör och med tillgång till riktlinjer. Dessa kräver att konstruktören har en viss grundkompetens för att kunna följa och tillämpa dessa. MBKA ställer inte dessa krav på kompetens och insikter, vilket gör att den kan betraktas inte bara som en konkurrent till existerande tillvägagångssätt utan också erbjuda ett helt unikt och nytt stöd gen, ISRN LUTMDN/TMKT-15/1032-SE

There is a call for more analysis and case knowledge of how the media use the participatory architecture of social media in media production. The research field of audience participation comes from the integration of concepts and theories about an active audience with production research, and social and cultural theory. This thesis analyses cultural participation from the perspective of professional media producers by analysing the production of the book Olympen (2014), where the audience participated in the production by the use of the web 2.0-practices of crowdfunding and crowdsourcing. This was done with special attention to power relations between the producers and the audience. An analysis of research interviews with key members of the editorial team show how the producers used social media strategies in the funding, marketing and in the production of the book. The analysis also indicates that the use of social media both enabled and hindered the audience in their participation. The participation of the audience improved the outcome of the project, but issues concerning quality stopped the book project from being even more participatory. However the analysis also shows that professional media producers and audience measure participation differently. This insight can be a source for further research.

The current trend in industry to encourage engineering designers to take an active part in the analysis of their own design solutions is apparent in many companies today, domestically as well as abroad. From a research project with the objective to develop a computer-based design system for the design of lightweight grippers, one of the major difficulties was to overcome the system users’ lack of knowledge and experience in the design of lightweight structures and Computer-Based Design Analysis (CBDA). CBDA here refers to the use of analysis tools such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and computer-based structural optimization. In order to handle these difficulties, the author introduced the use of templates. In the given context, a template refers to an especially preformatted code, which contains the implemented information/knowledge necessary to perform a specific task on an operational level. It should be noted that the use of templates as a means of support in performing a specific design or analysis task is not a new phenomenon in industrial practice. Inspired by the opportunities provided by the template approach, the main objective set out for the thesis project was to facilitate the active participation of the engineering designers in performing CBDA singlehandedly, or in any other organizational setting, by utilizing a Template-Based Design Analysis (TBDA) approach, as an integrated part of their activities within the engineering design process. The evolutionary research approach for the development of the TBDA approach is based on surveys in Swedish as well as international industry, literature surveys, the development of a Generic Design Analysis (GDA) process model (facilitating integration of the activities between CBDA and engineering design) and a number of demonstrator projects to deepen the insights into TBDA. Note that as the TBDA approach is intended for use in industrial practice, the approach is independent of specific engineering design and pr, Vid framtagning av nya produkter måste man utgå ifrån de behov som den blivande kunden ställer i form av krav och önskemål på produkten för att den ska vara intressant att inhandla och använda. För att säkerställa att den blivande produkten har de egenskaper som efterfrågas, används idag omfattande simuleringar av den blivande produktens egenskaper. Simuleringar består i avancerade beräkningar med hjälp av dator. Genom att utföra dessa tidigt i utvecklingsarbetet, så kan man väsentligen korta ned tiden för utveckling och konstruktion av produkten. Detta uppnås framför allt genom att minska behovet av att bygga och prova prototyper. Beräkningar i utvecklings- och konstruktionsarbetet spelar därför idag en väsentlig roll för att ta fram konkurrenskraftiga produkter på ett snabbt och effektivt sätt. I denna avhandling har ett nytt tillvägagångssätt tagits fram för att låta konstruktörer själva beräkna sina konstruktionsförslag. Hittills har merparten av alla beräkningar av detta slag genomförts av beräkningsingenjörer. Nu kan man genom att tillämpa den i avhandlingen framtagna tillvägagångssättet att med hjälp av digitala mallar (program för att lösa speciella uppgifter i konstruktionsarbetet) och det föreslagna tillvägagångssättet MallBaserad KonstruktionsAnalys (MBKA) tillåta att konstruktörer, som vanligtvis inte är specialister på beräkningar, självständigt kan utföra sådana analyser. Mallarnas roll är alltså att överbrygga brister i kompetens och erfarenheter av konstruktionsberäkningar. Redan idag finns konkurrerande sätt att tillåta konstruktörer att delta i beräkningsarbetet, men då oftast med direkt stöd av en beräkningsingenjör och med tillgång till riktlinjer. Dessa kräver att konstruktören har en viss grundkompetens för att kunna följa och tillämpa dessa. MBKA ställer inte dessa krav på kompetens och insikter, vilket gör att den kan betraktas inte bara som en konkurrent till existerande tillvägagångssätt utan också erbjuda ett helt unikt och nytt stöd gen, ISRN LUTMDN/TMKT-15/1032-SE

There is a call for more analysis and case knowledge of how the media use the participatory architecture of social media in media production. The research field of audience participation comes from the integration of concepts and theories about an active audience with production research, and social and cultural theory. This thesis analyses cultural participation from the perspective of professional media producers by analysing the production of the book Olympen (2014), where the audience participated in the production by the use of the web 2.0-practices of crowdfunding and crowdsourcing. This was done with special attention to power relations between the producers and the audience. An analysis of research interviews with key members of the editorial team show how the producers used social media strategies in the funding, marketing and in the production of the book. The analysis also indicates that the use of social media both enabled and hindered the audience in their participation. The participation of the audience improved the outcome of the project, but issues concerning quality stopped the book project from being even more participatory. However the analysis also shows that professional media producers and audience measure participation differently. This insight can be a source for further research.

The current trend in industry to encourage engineering designers to take an active part in the analysis of their own design solutions is apparent in many companies today, domestically as well as abroad. From a research project with the objective to develop a computer-based design system for the design of lightweight grippers, one of the major difficulties was to overcome the system users’ lack of knowledge and experience in the design of lightweight structures and Computer-Based Design Analysis (CBDA). CBDA here refers to the use of analysis tools such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and computer-based structural optimization. In order to handle these difficulties, the author introduced the use of templates. In the given context, a template refers to an especially preformatted code, which contains the implemented information/knowledge necessary to perform a specific task on an operational level. It should be noted that the use of templates as a means of support in performing a specific design or analysis task is not a new phenomenon in industrial practice. Inspired by the opportunities provided by the template approach, the main objective set out for the thesis project was to facilitate the active participation of the engineering designers in performing CBDA singlehandedly, or in any other organizational setting, by utilizing a Template-Based Design Analysis (TBDA) approach, as an integrated part of their activities within the engineering design process. The evolutionary research approach for the development of the TBDA approach is based on surveys in Swedish as well as international industry, literature surveys, the development of a Generic Design Analysis (GDA) process model (facilitating integration of the activities between CBDA and engineering design) and a number of demonstrator projects to deepen the insights into TBDA. Note that as the TBDA approach is intended for use in industrial practice, the approach is independent of specific engineering design and pr, Vid framtagning av nya produkter måste man utgå ifrån de behov som den blivande kunden ställer i form av krav och önskemål på produkten för att den ska vara intressant att inhandla och använda. För att säkerställa att den blivande produkten har de egenskaper som efterfrågas, används idag omfattande simuleringar av den blivande produktens egenskaper. Simuleringar består i avancerade beräkningar med hjälp av dator. Genom att utföra dessa tidigt i utvecklingsarbetet, så kan man väsentligen korta ned tiden för utveckling och konstruktion av produkten. Detta uppnås framför allt genom att minska behovet av att bygga och prova prototyper. Beräkningar i utvecklings- och konstruktionsarbetet spelar därför idag en väsentlig roll för att ta fram konkurrenskraftiga produkter på ett snabbt och effektivt sätt. I denna avhandling har ett nytt tillvägagångssätt tagits fram för att låta konstruktörer själva beräkna sina konstruktionsförslag. Hittills har merparten av alla beräkningar av detta slag genomförts av beräkningsingenjörer. Nu kan man genom att tillämpa den i avhandlingen framtagna tillvägagångssättet att med hjälp av digitala mallar (program för att lösa speciella uppgifter i konstruktionsarbetet) och det föreslagna tillvägagångssättet MallBaserad KonstruktionsAnalys (MBKA) tillåta att konstruktörer, som vanligtvis inte är specialister på beräkningar, självständigt kan utföra sådana analyser. Mallarnas roll är alltså att överbrygga brister i kompetens och erfarenheter av konstruktionsberäkningar. Redan idag finns konkurrerande sätt att tillåta konstruktörer att delta i beräkningsarbetet, men då oftast med direkt stöd av en beräkningsingenjör och med tillgång till riktlinjer. Dessa kräver att konstruktören har en viss grundkompetens för att kunna följa och tillämpa dessa. MBKA ställer inte dessa krav på kompetens och insikter, vilket gör att den kan betraktas inte bara som en konkurrent till existerande tillvägagångssätt utan också erbjuda ett helt unikt och nytt stöd gen, ISRN LUTMDN/TMKT-15/1032-SE

The need for dedicated fixtures for flexible manufacturing systems is increasing, as dedicated fixtures are lighter, more compact and, more accurate than flexible fixtures. The main challenges are that parts and processes are more and more complex, which requires designing novel or complex dedicated fixtures, and that, for one given flexible fixture to be replaced, several variants of such dedicated fixtures must be designed to hold a variety of individual parts, without imposing increased costs and delays. The systematic fixture design method and computer-aided design fixture system (CAFDS) developed and applied for the presented industrial case—novel design of lightweight (carbon fibre composite) robot grippers—is a possible approach to address these issues.

The current trend in industry to encourage engineering designers to take an active part in the analysis of their own design solutions is apparent in many companies today, domestically as well as abroad. From a research project with the objective to develop a computer-based design system for the design of lightweight grippers, one of the major difficulties was to overcome the system users’ lack of knowledge and experience in the design of lightweight structures and Computer-Based Design Analysis (CBDA). CBDA here refers to the use of analysis tools such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and computer-based structural optimization. In order to handle these difficulties, the author introduced the use of templates. In the given context, a template refers to an especially preformatted code, which contains the implemented information/knowledge necessary to perform a specific task on an operational level. It should be noted that the use of templates as a means of support in performing a specific design or analysis task is not a new phenomenon in industrial practice. Inspired by the opportunities provided by the template approach, the main objective set out for the thesis project was to facilitate the active participation of the engineering designers in performing CBDA singlehandedly, or in any other organizational setting, by utilizing a Template-Based Design Analysis (TBDA) approach, as an integrated part of their activities within the engineering design process. The evolutionary research approach for the development of the TBDA approach is based on surveys in Swedish as well as international industry, literature surveys, the development of a Generic Design Analysis (GDA) process model (facilitating integration of the activities between CBDA and engineering design) and a number of demonstrator projects to deepen the insights into TBDA. Note that as the TBDA approach is intended for use in industrial practice, the approach is independent of specific engineering design and pr, Vid framtagning av nya produkter måste man utgå ifrån de behov som den blivande kunden ställer i form av krav och önskemål på produkten för att den ska vara intressant att inhandla och använda. För att säkerställa att den blivande produkten har de egenskaper som efterfrågas, används idag omfattande simuleringar av den blivande produktens egenskaper. Simuleringar består i avancerade beräkningar med hjälp av dator. Genom att utföra dessa tidigt i utvecklingsarbetet, så kan man väsentligen korta ned tiden för utveckling och konstruktion av produkten. Detta uppnås framför allt genom att minska behovet av att bygga och prova prototyper. Beräkningar i utvecklings- och konstruktionsarbetet spelar därför idag en väsentlig roll för att ta fram konkurrenskraftiga produkter på ett snabbt och effektivt sätt. I denna avhandling har ett nytt tillvägagångssätt tagits fram för att låta konstruktörer själva beräkna sina konstruktionsförslag. Hittills har merparten av alla beräkningar av detta slag genomförts av beräkningsingenjörer. Nu kan man genom att tillämpa den i avhandlingen framtagna tillvägagångssättet att med hjälp av digitala mallar (program för att lösa speciella uppgifter i konstruktionsarbetet) och det föreslagna tillvägagångssättet MallBaserad KonstruktionsAnalys (MBKA) tillåta att konstruktörer, som vanligtvis inte är specialister på beräkningar, självständigt kan utföra sådana analyser. Mallarnas roll är alltså att överbrygga brister i kompetens och erfarenheter av konstruktionsberäkningar. Redan idag finns konkurrerande sätt att tillåta konstruktörer att delta i beräkningsarbetet, men då oftast med direkt stöd av en beräkningsingenjör och med tillgång till riktlinjer. Dessa kräver att konstruktören har en viss grundkompetens för att kunna följa och tillämpa dessa. MBKA ställer inte dessa krav på kompetens och insikter, vilket gör att den kan betraktas inte bara som en konkurrent till existerande tillvägagångssätt utan också erbjuda ett helt unikt och nytt stöd gen, ISRN LUTMDN/TMKT-15/1032-SE

The findings from a survey in industry and from an extensive literature survey revealed the need for the development of an integrated process model for computer-based design analysis (CBDA) facilitating the interactions in the engineering design process in mechanical engineering on an operational level. CBDA is here confined to the utilization of advanced computational methods and tools from computer aided engineering (CAE), such as computational structural mechanics (CSM), computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and multi-body systems (MBS). In order to facilitate integration to the multitude of engineering design process models in industrial practice, including overall processes such as product innovation and product development, the process model needs to be adaptive and generic. Generic should here be interpreted as not being dependent on any specific type of product, engineering design process, or on any specific type of product innovation and/or product development process models utilized by an enterprise. Resulting from synthesis processes based on the findings from surveys and experiences gained from design analysis projects in industrial practice, the generic design analysis process (GDA) model was developed. The application of the GDA process model is exemplified by four examples, which have been utilized for validation of the process model.

The current trend in industry to encourage engineering designers to take an active part in the analysis of their own design solutions is apparent in many companies today, domestically as well as abroad. From a research project with the objective to develop a computer-based design system for the design of lightweight grippers, one of the major difficulties was to overcome the system users’ lack of knowledge and experience in the design of lightweight structures and Computer-Based Design Analysis (CBDA). CBDA here refers to the use of analysis tools such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and computer-based structural optimization. In order to handle these difficulties, the author introduced the use of templates. In the given context, a template refers to an especially pre-formatted code, which contains the implemented information/knowledge necessary to perform a specific task on an operational level. It should be noted that the use of templates as a means of support in performing a specific design or analysis task is not a new phenomenon in industrial practice. Inspired by the opportunities provided by the template approach, the main objective set out for the thesis project was to facilitate the active participation of the engineering designers in performing CBDA singlehandedly, or in any other organizational setting, by utilizing a Template-Based Design Analysis (TBDA) approach, as an integrated part of their activities within the engineering design process. The evolutionary research approach for the development of the TBDA approach is based on surveys in Swedish as well as international industry, literature surveys, the development of a Generic Design Analysis (GDA) process model (facilitating integration of the activities between CBDA and engineering design) and a number of demonstrator projects to deepen the insights into TBDA. Note that as the TBDA approach is intended for use in industrial practice, the approach is independent of specific engineering design and p

Traditionally, design analysts are solely responsible for all computer-based design analysis (CBDA). CBDA refers to quantitative design analyses utilizing computational tools in the engineering design and development of technical solutions. There are currently limited insights into and knowledge of tools and methods needed to facilitate the use of CBDA by engineering designers. In order to gather information on this aspect of CBDA, an industry survey has been performed. 77 persons completed the survey (16% affiliated to NAFEMS) open for twelve weeks during October-December, 2014. Around 35% answered that within their companies CBDA is used by engineering designers, and 28% of those who are not currently doing so expect to do so in the future. Linear static analysis is the most frequent type of analysis performed by engineering designers. The benefits put forward by the respondents in favor of involving engineering designers in CBDA are: it allows early evaluation of concept candidates, shortens lead time, frees resources for the analysis department, and reduces costs. 26% of the respondents answered that there is resistance from the analysis department against allowing engineering designers to perform CBDA, 19% within the engineering design department are also against this involvement and 26% answered that there has been no problem associated with this involvement. Even though the engineering designer performs CBDA on his/her own, supervision (56%) and quality assurance of the analysis results (59%) is the responsibility of the design analysts. This is also the case regarding the development of tools and methods to be used by the engineering designers as well as instruction and training of the engineering designers.

Denna uppsats undersöker rollerna av förtroende och redovisningsinformation vid bankers kreditbedömning av små och medelstora organisationer. Fem intervjuer med kreditbedömare har genomförts med avsikt att få en djupare förståelse för hur förtroende och redovisningsinformation interagerar och påverkar vid en kreditbedömning. Intervjuerna företogs med dels respondenter som bedömer bostadsrättsföreningar dels med respondenter som bedömer övriga typer av organisationer. Detta gjordes för att ta hänsyn till den effekt säkerheter kan ha på kreditbedömningen. Studien finner att kreditbedömningen till små och medelstora organisationer är beroende av både utförlig och noggrann redovisningsinformation, och av förtroende för redovisningens kvalitet och organisationens ledning.

Traditionally, design analysts are solely responsible for all computer-based design analysis (CBDA). CBDA refers to quantitative design analyses utilizing computational tools in the engineering design and development of technical solutions. There are currently limited insights into and knowledge of tools and methods needed to facilitate the use of CBDA by engineering designers. In order to gather information on this aspect of CBDA, an industry survey has been performed. 77 persons completed the survey (16% affiliated to NAFEMS) open for twelve weeks during October-December, 2014. Around 35% answered that within their companies CBDA is used by engineering designers, and 28% of those who are not currently doing so expect to do so in the future. Linear static analysis is the most frequent type of analysis performed by engineering designers. The benefits put forward by the respondents in favor of involving engineering designers in CBDA are: it allows early evaluation of concept candidates, shortens lead time, frees resources for the analysis department, and reduces costs. 26% of the respondents answered that there is resistance from the analysis department against allowing engineering designers to perform CBDA, 19% within the engineering design department are also against this involvement and 26% answered that there has been no problem associated with this involvement. Even though the engineering designer performs CBDA on his/her own, supervision (56%) and quality assurance of the analysis results (59%) is the responsibility of the design analysts. This is also the case regarding the development of tools and methods to be used by the engineering designers as well as instruction and training of the engineering designers.

Traditionally, design analysts are solely responsible for all computer-based design analysis (CBDA). CBDA refers to quantitative design analyses utilizing computational tools in the engineering design and development of technical solutions. There are currently limited insights into and knowledge of tools and methods needed to facilitate the use of CBDA by engineering designers. In order to gather information on this aspect of CBDA, an industry survey has been performed. 77 persons completed the survey (16% affiliated to NAFEMS) open for twelve weeks during October-December, 2014. Around 35% answered that within their companies CBDA is used by engineering designers, and 28% of those who are not currently doing so expect to do so in the future. Linear static analysis is the most frequent type of analysis performed by engineering designers. The benefits put forward by the respondents in favor of involving engineering designers in CBDA are: it allows early evaluation of concept candidates, shortens lead time, frees resources for the analysis department, and reduces costs. 26% of the respondents answered that there is resistance from the analysis department against allowing engineering designers to perform CBDA, 19% within the engineering design department are also against this involvement and 26% answered that there has been no problem associated with this involvement. Even though the engineering designer performs CBDA on his/her own, supervision (56%) and quality assurance of the analysis results (59%) is the responsibility of the design analysts. This is also the case regarding the development of tools and methods to be used by the engineering designers as well as instruction and training of the engineering designers.

Traditionally, design analysts are solely responsible for all computer-based design analysis (CBDA). CBDA refers to quantitative design analyses utilizing computational tools in the engineering design and development of technical solutions. There are currently limited insights into and knowledge of tools and methods needed to facilitate the use of CBDA by engineering designers. In order to gather information on this aspect of CBDA, an industry survey has been performed. 77 persons completed the survey (16% affiliated to NAFEMS) open for twelve weeks during October-December, 2014. Around 35% answered that within their companies CBDA is used by engineering designers, and 28% of those who are not currently doing so expect to do so in the future. Linear static analysis is the most frequent type of analysis performed by engineering designers. The benefits put forward by the respondents in favor of involving engineering designers in CBDA are: it allows early evaluation of concept candidates, shortens lead time, frees resources for the analysis department, and reduces costs. 26% of the respondents answered that there is resistance from the analysis department against allowing engineering designers to perform CBDA, 19% within the engineering design department are also against this involvement and 26% answered that there has been no problem associated with this involvement. Even though the engineering designer performs CBDA on his/her own, supervision (56%) and quality assurance of the analysis results (59%) is the responsibility of the design analysts. This is also the case regarding the development of tools and methods to be used by the engineering designers as well as instruction and training of the engineering designers.

Traditionally, design analysts are solely responsible for all computer-based design analysis (CBDA). CBDA refers to quantitative design analyses utilizing computational tools in the engineering design and development of technical solutions. There are currently limited insights into and knowledge of tools and methods needed to facilitate the use of CBDA by engineering designers. In order to gather information on this aspect of CBDA, an industry survey has been performed. 77 persons completed the survey (16% affiliated to NAFEMS) open for twelve weeks during October-December, 2014. Around 35% answered that within their companies CBDA is used by engineering designers, and 28% of those who are not currently doing so expect to do so in the future. Linear static analysis is the most frequent type of analysis performed by engineering designers. The benefits put forward by the respondents in favor of involving engineering designers in CBDA are: it allows early evaluation of concept candidates, shortens lead time, frees resources for the analysis department, and reduces costs. 26% of the respondents answered that there is resistance from the analysis department against allowing engineering designers to perform CBDA, 19% within the engineering design department are also against this involvement and 26% answered that there has been no problem associated with this involvement. Even though the engineering designer performs CBDA on his/her own, supervision (56%) and quality assurance of the analysis results (59%) is the responsibility of the design analysts. This is also the case regarding the development of tools and methods to be used by the engineering designers as well as instruction and training of the engineering designers.

In their quest for a more efficient and effective utilization of the resources allocated to engineering design projects, and thus to the overall product development project from which the current design task(s) originate, an increasing number of companies allow engineering designers to perform Computer-Based Design Analysis (CBDA) on their own – CBDA is here confined to quantitative analyses using finite element-based structural and thermal analyses, Computational Fluid Dynamics, and Multi-Body Systems. Since all of these tools require a certain level of expertise in order to be successfully utilized in industrial practice, the types of analyses performed by the engineering designers are confined to simple, straightforward ones. In striving for an increase of the individual engineering designer’s possibilities to actively participate in CBDA in industrial practice, an online survey has been carried out and reported in [1]. The main objective set out for this survey was to give an overview of the current situation in the global industry regarding CBDA-tasks being performed by engineering designers, what positive effects it might present to the industry and how it should be implemented for best result. Resulting from this survey, one new support, Template Based Design Analysis (TBDA), singled out as very promising for future development. TBDA is a support to be used in engineering design analyses based on the utilization of the advanced features provided by high-end Computer Aided Design (CAD)/Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) software in supporting, guiding as well as monitoring the design analysis performed by the engineering designer. It was also found that TBDA was gradually being introduced in some industrial companies. Since TBDA is still in its infancy, substantial development needs to be invested in it to make it the full-blown support needed in industrial practice. To be able to contribute to the development of TBDA, it is essential to acquire knowledge about, Paper No. IMECE2015-50584

Traditionally, design analysts are solely responsible for all computer-based design analysis (CBDA). CBDA refers to quantitative design analyses utilizing computational tools in the engineering design and development of technical solutions. There are currently limited insights into and knowledge of tools and methods needed to facilitate the use of CBDA by engineering designers. In order to gather information on this aspect of CBDA, an industry survey has been performed. 77 persons completed the survey (16% affiliated to NAFEMS) open for twelve weeks during October-December, 2014. Around 35% answered that within their companies CBDA is used by engineering designers, and 28% of those who are not currently doing so expect to do so in the future. Linear static analysis is the most frequent type of analysis performed by engineering designers. The benefits put forward by the respondents in favor of involving engineering designers in CBDA are: it allows early evaluation of concept candidates, shortens lead time, frees resources for the analysis department, and reduces costs. 26% of the respondents answered that there is resistance from the analysis department against allowing engineering designers to perform CBDA, 19% within the engineering design department are also against this involvement and 26% answered that there has been no problem associated with this involvement. Even though the engineering designer performs CBDA on his/her own, supervision (56%) and quality assurance of the analysis results (59%) is the responsibility of the design analysts. This is also the case regarding the development of tools and methods to be used by the engineering designers as well as instruction and training of the engineering designers.

Denna uppsats undersöker rollerna av förtroende och redovisningsinformation vid bankers kreditbedömning av små och medelstora organisationer. Fem intervjuer med kreditbedömare har genomförts med avsikt att få en djupare förståelse för hur förtroende och redovisningsinformation interagerar och påverkar vid en kreditbedömning. Intervjuerna företogs med dels respondenter som bedömer bostadsrättsföreningar dels med respondenter som bedömer övriga typer av organisationer. Detta gjordes för att ta hänsyn till den effekt säkerheter kan ha på kreditbedömningen. Studien finner att kreditbedömningen till små och medelstora organisationer är beroende av både utförlig och noggrann redovisningsinformation, och av förtroende för redovisningens kvalitet och organisationens ledning.

Traditionally, design analysts are solely responsible for all computerbased design analysis (CBDA). CBDA refers to quantitative design analyses utilising computational tools in the engineering design and development of technical solutions. There are currently limited insights into and knowledge of tools and methods needed to facilitate the use of CBDA by engineering designers. In order to gather information on this aspect of CBDA, an industry survey has been performed.77 persons completed the survey (16% affiliated to NAFEMS) open for twelve weeks during October-December, 2014. Around 35% answered that within their companies CBDA is used by engineering designers, and 28% of those who are not currently doing so expect to do so in the future. Linear static analysis is the most frequent type of analysis performed by engineering designers. The benefits put forward by the respondents in favour of involving engineering designers in CBDA are: it allows early evaluation of concept candidates, shortens lead time, frees resources for the analysis department, and reduces costs. 26% of the respondents answered that there is resistance from the analysis department against allowing engineering designers to perform CBDA, 19% within the engineering design de-partment are also against this involvement and 26% answered that there has been no problem associ-ated with this involvement.Even though the engineering designer performs CBDA on his/her own, supervision (56%) and quali-ty assurance of the analysis results (59%) is the responsibility of the design analysts. This is also the case regarding the development of tools and methods to be used by the engineering designers as well as instruction and training of the engineering designers.

In their quest for a more efficient and effective utilization of the resources allocated to engineering design projects, and thus to the overall product development project from which the current design task(s) originate, an increasing number of companies allow engineering designers to perform Computer-Based Design Analysis (CBDA) on their own – CBDA is here confined to quantitative analyses using finite element-based structural and thermal analyses, Computational Fluid Dynamics, and Multi-Body Systems. Since all of these tools require a certain level of expertise in order to be successfully utilized in industrial practice, the types of analyses performed by the engineering designers are confined to simple, straightforward ones. In the strive for increasing the individual engineering designer’s possibilities to actively participate in CBDA in industrial practice, an online survey has been carried out and reported in [1]. The main objective set out for this survey was to give an overview of the current situation in global industry regarding CBDA-tasks being performed by engineering designers, what positive effects it might present to the industry and how it should be implemented for best result. Resulting from this survey, one new support, Template Based Design (TBDA), singled out as very promising for future development. TBDA is a support to be used in engineering design analyses based on the utilization of the advanced features provided by high-end Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Engineering software in supporting, guiding as well as monitoring the design analysis performed by the engineering designer. It was also found that TBDA was gradually being introduced in some industrial companies.Since TBDA is still in its infancy, substantial development needs to be invested in it to make it the full-blown support needed in industrial practice. To be able to contribute to the development of TBDA, it is essential to acquire knowledge about how companies, both national

Computer-based design analysis is nowadays a common activity in most development projects. Used for design evaluation, verification, validation, or as a support for design exploration, it fulfils an important support function for the engineering designer, thus making it essential to have an operationally efficient and effective integration between both the engineering design and design analysis activities in the overall development project. In this area, most works are focusing on software (mainly CAD/CAE) integration, but not on the integration between computer-based design analysis and engineering design at the process level or on the collaboration between the engineering designer and the design analyst. This paper presents a review of the literature on that specific topic, namely the integration of the computer-based design analysis activity in the engineering design process. Different research topics are identified and elaborated upon: integration in general process models; recommendations for the different analysis steps; analysis early in the engineering design process; integration of design analysis in the engineering designer's work; alternative usages of design analysis in the engineering design process; and others, such as recommending guidelines instead of process models, quality assurance aspects, education, and implementation issues. Some neglected aspects were also identified. Among others, there is a lack of research into the so-called technology development (development of design analysis procedures and guidelines), and a need for emphasis on uncertainties, both coupled with the design analysis activity., Presented 2014-05-20

In the large majority of product development projects, computer-based design analyses are performed to assess the feasibility of potential technical solutions. As a first step to bring about a deeper understanding of the interactions between the engineering design and the design analysis activities, a survey has been performed in industry. The results of the survey cover: the use of design analysis within product development, the interactions of engineering design along the design analysis process, and the treatment of uncertainties and errors connected to the design analysis activities., Presented 20140520

In the large majority of product development projects, computer-based design analyses are performed to assess the feasibility of potential technical solutions. As a first step to bring about a deeper understanding of the interactions between the engineering design and the design analysis activities, a survey has been performed in industry. The results of the survey cover: the use of design analysis within product development, the interactions of engineering design along the design analysis process, and the treatment of uncertainties and errors connected to the design analysis activities.

Computer-based design analysis is nowadays a common activity in most development projects. Used for design evaluation, verification, validation, or as a support for design exploration, it fulfils an important support function for the engineering designer, thus making it essential to have an operationally efficient and effective integration between both the engineering design and design analysis activities in the overall development project. In this area, most works are focusing on software (mainly CAD/CAE) integra-tion, but not on the integration between computer-based design analysis and engineering design at the process level or on the collaboration between the engineering designer and the design analyst. This paper presents a review of the literature on that specific topic, namely the integration of the computer-based design analysis activity in the engineering design process. Different research topics are identified and elaborated upon: integration in general process models; rec-ommendations for the different analysis steps; analysis early in the engineering design process; integration of design analysis in the engineering designer's work; alternative usages of design analysis in the engineering design process; and others, such as recommending guidelines instead of process models, quality assurance aspects, education, and implementation issues. Some neglected aspects were also identified. Among others, there is a lack of research into the so-called technology development (development of design analysis procedures and guidelines), and a need for emphasis on uncertainties, both coupled with the design analysis activity.

This paper presents the development as well as the architecture of a computer-Aided dedicated fixture design system intended to support the design of lightweight (carbon fiber composite) grippers for a major truck company. Lightweight grippers were required due to the increasing production rates in the automotive industry. The current robotic equipment was facing diverse problems during transportation and aligning of the parts, problems related to mass inertia, accuracy and stability. Moreover, the increased demands for truck customization and fast release of new product versions required a computer-based support for the design of the appropriate fixtures. This application is believed to be of interest for fixture research because the design of such complex fixtures is likely to appear more and more often. Specifically, such fixtures are subject to specific requirements that necessitate a systematic requirement elicitation method; they also require extensive conceptual design work as well as careful analysis activity planning. The main steps requisite for the development of the design system are reported: setup planning, fixture planning, conceptual design of the gripper. The architecture, the process and the constituent elements of the design system are also described and illustrated. Copyright © 2012 by ASME.

When developing products, engineering designers often face the problem that their candidate for a technical solution, ranging from a concept to a detailed design, needs to be analyzed by a design analyst before it is approved or rejected and the engineering designer can continue his/her activities within the product development process. If engineering designers have to send every solution candidate to a design analyst, a lot of time and money is lost. To avoid this, some Swedish companies have started to allow their engineering designers to use the analysis capabilities imbedded in modern CAD/CAE software. In the literature on product development and on computer based design analysis (CBDA) both processes are fairly well described. However, this cannot be said about the interaction between the two processes. This is a growing issue as it represents core knowledge for developing efficient and effective integration concepts, which in turn can be developed into likewise efficient and effective approaches on how to assist the engineering designer to perform parts of the CBDA process on his/her own. Note that when we refer to CBDA here, this is confined to the use of FEM in the development of products, primarily based on working principles originating from the area of Mechanical Engineering. Since we have been working on a process model for the integration between engineering design and design analysis, this has inspired us to utilize findings from these efforts to propose a conceptual model for a design analysis process driven by the engineering designer to be integrated into the product development process. The proposed design analysis process model is based on the use of predefined analysis methods or templates. Templates are also utilized for QA (Quality Assurance) and monitoring of the analysis activities. Responsible for the development of the analysis methods and the templates are expert design analysts, who develop these tools within, Paper No. IMECE2013-62130

New and innovative production equipment can be developed by introducing lightweight materials in modern day automotive industry production lines. The properties of these new materials are expected to result in improved ergonomics, energy savings, increased flexibility and more robust equipment, which in the end will result in enhanced productivity. Carbon composite materials are one such alternative that has excellent material properties. These properties are well documented, and the market for carbon composite materials is growing in many areas such as commercial aircrafts, sporting goods and wind turbines. However, when studying the use of carbon composite materials for production equipment in the automotive industry, it was found that there were few, if any, such examples. This paper focuses on innovative ways of making carbon composite materials available for designing automotive industry production equipment by introducing a design and material concept that combines flexibility, relatively low costs and high functionality. By reducing the weight by 60%, it was obvious that the operators were very positive to the new design. But just as important as the improvement of the ergonomic feature, the combination of low weight and material properties resulted in a more robust design and a more stable process of operation. The two main designs (two versions of the steel-based design were constructed) were developed sequentially, making it difficult to compare development costs since knowledge migrated from one project to the next. In this study, the gripper was manufactured in both carbon composite material and steel. The different designs were compared with reference to design costs, functionality, robustness, product costs and ergonomics. The study clearly shows that the composite material represents a favorable alternative to conventional materials, as the system combines superior properties without significantly increasing the cost of the equipment. This paper descr, Paper No. IMECE2013-62272