Impact
In addition to our strategic partners, we collaborate with over a hundred different actors from the business and industry sector in our projects. Together we develop the industry of tomorrow with cutting-edge research that creates an impact in society.
Collaborations that generates impact
SPARK and the School of Engineering work hard to make sure new knowledge from research generate value for the society. This is made through tight cooperation with the industry as well as through education and research where we connect businesses with researchers and students.
Here you find some examples on how successful student or research projects have created valuable insights and results for our partners:
Industrial placement course
An industrial placement course is a unique opportunity for your company to establish close contact with engineering students from our School of Engineering as a part of their education. The course makes the students better prepared for their future career – something that benefits both them and you as a possible future employee.
Examples of companies industrial placements:
Student:
Logistik och ledning (Swedish programme in Supply Chain Management)
Mission:
"Improvement work within SPS-Office as well as logistics development work in order to submit improvement proposals for truck drivers with associated follow-up systems."
Student:
(Swedish programme in Supply Chain Management)
Mission:
“Operational purchaser. Additional tasks with supplier meetings, parameter setting and planning of financial order quantity.”
Thesis project work
The Thesis project work is a way to connect the courses, theories, and skills that the student has acquired during their education with a hands-on project, usually in close contact with a company.
Every year collaborates several of our industrial partners with students from the School of Engineering to develop sustainable solutions and concepts for the future.
Examples of thesis project works conducted in collaboration with our partners:
Student:
(Swedish programme in Supply Chain Management)
Project:
"Information sharing constitutes an important role within all processes
of an organization and is important for the interaction and collaboration
between stakeholders in new product development projects.
These project processes are highly complex, dynamic, iterative and
unique, making them reliant on efficient information flows. An insufficient
information flow can cause delays and loss of resources. It is therefore
important for industrial organizations to increase information sharing
during new product development projects.
In collaboration with SAAB Training & Simulation, the research has taken
an organizational perspective on information sharing. Furthermore, the
research hopes to shed light on how information sharing can be increased
within industrial organizations. "
Student:
Maskinteknik -
Produktutveckling och design
(Swedish programme in product development and design)
Project:
"Stroller wheels are the base to a stroller with good comfort, both for t
he kid and parent. The wheel in combination with suspension are the
components that absorb shocks and unevenness during strolling
on different grounds. Thules multisport trailer, Thule Chariot CAB,
can be used for four different activities such as cycling, cross country
skiing, running and walking. In the configuration for walk mode, the
trailer has two wheels at the front in addition to the rear wheels. They are
mounted on rigid front forks that don’t have suspension. This makes that
Thule Chariot CAB doesn’t adapt to the ground and bounces more during
strolling at uneven surfaces.
In order to improve the multisport trailer´s comfort characteristics,
ought either add front suspension or examine whether it is possible to
improve the wheels. In this case, Thule wants to investigate whether it
is possible to improve the front wheel. In the work, a concept study has
been conducted where the aim has been to create a front wheel that can
improve the multisport trailer´s comfort characteristics."
Research projects
SPARK collaborates with strategic partners and project partners in all our projects, and together we develop sustainable knowledge intensive products and processes for the future. Our research and education are divided into three subenvironments.
Integrated development of products and production
Example of project: CHaSE (Swedish)
"Till ChaSE kopplade vi flera studentprojekt och både Thule och GKN har anställt studenter som varit engagerade i del-projekten. På så sätt blev samarbetet en kreativ nod som bidrog till både kunskapsutvecklingen generellt, men också till ökad kunskap och förmåga hos de deltagande företagen, säger Fredrik Elgh."
Renewal and organising for sustainable innovation
Example of project: Innovate
"One foundation of the project is that the companies coach themselves by crystallising both what facilitates innovation and what gets in its way,” comments Annika Engström, assistant professor in work organisation."
Responsive and efficient operations and supply chains
Example of project: Reshoring I (Swedish)
"Genom forskningen har vi identifierat viktiga beslutsfaktorer för återflyttning av produktion och där till kopplade drivkrafter, hinder och möjligheter. Ramverket ska hjälpa företagen så att de inte missar någon faktor som är viktig för dem, säger Per Hilletofth."
Advanced and optimised components, materials and manufacturing
Example of project: ODISSEE2
"This enables manufacturing companies to obtain valuable input early in the product development process. This ultimately results in cast components that have optimal design and are lighter and more durable."
Digitalisation for smart products and services
Example of project: Datamine (Swedish)
"Med enkla medel, där data används på rätt sätt, går det att tillämpa verktygen på många olika företag och nå stora förbättringar, säger Ulf Johansson, projektledare för Datamine."
Why we collaborate with SPARK
“The collaboration is a way for us to get more employees involved in the company’s development. Meeting companies in other sectors facing similar challenges also makes the entire SPARK experience interesting.”
Michael Jonsson, CEO
“Our ongoing collaboration with SPARK increases our opportunities for developing new products and finding new markets.”
Jörgen Sundgren, VD
“I see SPARK as a very good way for us to look up from our daily operations and get new ideas and ways of thinking.”
Arne Wiréhn, Quality Manager
“Product development is an area with a constant need for renewal. In SPARK, we have found forms and structures for our development initiatives.”
Klas Scherdén, Technical Manager
"The project has given us a good understanding about the difficulties with information transfer, as well as the activities that minimises the risks for miscommunication. This has been successfully implemented in new projects. The project has also provided a deeper understanding for other companies’ challenges within the same area and widen our network for the future. All participants have contributed to an open, inspiring, and enjoyable work-climate that have created successful workshops with positive energy."
Gunnar Wallin, Head of Global Materials Management
"We need to create the correct conditions for knowledge development among organisations and individuals. That is the foundation for innovation. Through SPARK, we connect research, education and innovation in a way that creates new collaborations in new constellations. The result is increased innovation in the region.”
Gustav Österström, CEO
Are you interested in a unique collaboration customised to the needs of your business?
Please do not hesitate to contact Linda Bergqvist, SPARK collaboration manager, for more details of how our researchers and students can contribute to your future product and process development.
- External Relations Manager
- School of Engineering
- linda.bergqvist@ju.se
- +46 36-10 1074
