Nearly SEK 100 million to industry research
The Knowledge Foundation (KK-stiftelsen) has awarded the University of Skövde funding for a research profile entitled Virtual factories and knowledge-driven optimization. In total, the funds include eight-year-long research profiles close to SEK 100 million.
The research profile ’Virtual factories and knowledge-driven optimization’ (VF-KDO) will be included in the university’s INFINIT research environment. The overall general aim of the research profile is to contribute to the knowledge and innovations within virtual development and optimization techniques that are decisive to design and drive the next generation’s manufacturing systems. Behind the application that was granted by the Knowledge Foundation are Amos Ng and Anna Syberfelt who are both professors at the university’s School of Engineering Science.
”It’s great fun. It is clearly the biggest thing that has happened to this branch of research here at the University of Skövde. It is the result of long-term work during the past 10-15 years which has led to this”, Anna Syberfelt says and Amos Ng continues: ”This also means that we can strengthen our leading position within the area nationally. Many thanks are also due to the manufacturing industry that we collaborate with who have also made this possible”.
Anna Syberfelt, professor at the university’s School of Engineering Science and research leader for ASSAR.
Optimizing the whole production chain
The work in the research profile that started on 1 September 2018 will mainly focus on testing, in different ways, industrial solutions in a virtual environment. In this way, industrial companies can conduct development – without needing to invest in incomplete solutions.
”With us, companies can test almost anything from the smallest sensor to whole factories. What is unique with our virtual tests is also that the whole production chain is optimized. Using tests it can otherwise be easy that each part is optimized separately. But here we adopt a holistic approach” Anna Syberfelt continues.
Funded by the Knowledge Foundation and partner companies
All in all, the Knowledge Foundation is contributing with approximately SEK 49 million (including overhead costs) which is distributed over eight years. The University of Skövde and its partner companies also contribute with approximately the same amount. All research funded by the Knowledge Foundation is conducted in close collaboration with companies. In this research profile, the university’s researchers will collaborate with Volvo Car Corporation, Volvo Group Trucks Operations, Scania CV, IKEA Industry, Flexlink, Arla Foods Götene and ABB.
”Will be important work”
”Being able to meet tomorrow’s challenges not least considering digitalization will be very important work. We know that the University of Skövde is good at ergonomy and flow simulations and that knowledge will be useful to us. Research is also important as it gives a basis on which to make decisions about future investments” says Lars Hansson from Scania CV.
