Bachelor and Master Theses

The emergence of Industry 4.0/5.0 technologies offer innovative opportunities for manufacturing and production. A good technology integration is required for the succesful implementation of advanced production automation, which requires a collaboration between a manufacturing company (receiver) and technology provider (provider). Due to the concept of plug-and-produce and faster integration mechanisms, there is a possibility for the technology provider to offer automation technologies in different types of service-based business models e.g., manufacturing as a service or X-as-a-service through renting or leasing or availbility business models. Despite the great potential, there is a limited knowledge how industrial companies can adopt and integrate such service-based business models in production automation.

Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to analyse the possible business scenarios for production automation as a service, and propose implementation strategy/maturity framework. 

The thesis will be guided by following research questions:

1. Which business scenarios are suitable to implement production automation as a service?
2. How to integrate and operationalise these business scenarios? 

The thesis employs qualitative case study research approach and data collection will be done through semi-structured interviews, workshops, observations, and documentation. In the initial phase, a systematic literature review will take place for understanding the existing knowedge, research gaps, and potential questions to ask in the study.

Students from master program in production, industrial engineering and management, product development.

If you are interested, you can contact me for futher discussion:

Koteshwar Chirumalla, Associate professor in product and production development, koteshwar.chirumalla@mdu.se