KKS Research Profile revving up

KKS Research Profile revving up

As of March, the KK Foundation Research Profile “Model Driven Development and Decision Support” is starting to gain speed. The formal inauguration will be in April, but work is starting to rev up along the lines of the Use Cases and company interactions. Partner GKN Aerospace Engine Systems visited BTH for a workshop to introduce the researchers to the challenges and opportunities that brought them into joining the research profile build-up at BTH.

Ola Isaksson of GKN at the whiteboard
Ola Isaksson of GKN at the whiteboard

In the profile project two main mechanisms are used in order to drive the progress of the research; Use Cases and Research Tracks.

Use Cases are mechanisms where industrial settings serve as host of research and gathers researchers around a research challenge where a partner company have a specific interest, and hence support the work and its development. In this case GKN hosts the initial work of “UC1 – Sustainable and Value-Driven Engine Sub System Design”, and the goal of a use case is that it should demonstrate research capabilities in relative short term (i.e. within a year). Multidisciplinary is the work since researchers from different disciplines join in, and the day was targeted on getting to know each other and what competences that people have and to start aligning these towards the goal of the Use Case, and the profile.

From start we have 6 use cases in the project:

  • UC1 – Sustainable and Value-Driven Engine Sub System Design (GKN Aerospace Engine Systems)
  • UC2 – iCoach and iGroups (Volvo Construction Equipment)
  • UC3 – Value-Driven Product Development (Dynapac Compaction Equipment)
  • UC4 – Easy Open Food Packaging (Tetra Pak)
  • UC5 – PSS for Online Functional Offering of Automotive Fixtures (Holje International)
  • UC6 – Providing Lux as PSS Instead of only Light Tubes for Lightning (Aura Light International)

Research Tracks are mechanisms where the research areas are in focus and more longitudinal stable over the years of the research. This is the host environment of BTH and where researchers reflect back upon findings and how this brings the research forward. 4 research tracks exist from start:

  • RT1 – Sustainability Integration in Conceptual Design
  • RT2 – Ambidextrous Organizations for Sustainable PSS innovation
  • RT3 – Value-Driven Design of PSS in Collaborating Networks
  • RT4 – Simulation-Driven Design and Knowledge Engineering

With the profile being all about increasing companies competitiveness in developing the next generation of sustainable products and services, there is going to be a growth in the research that supports this so we do expect new companies and research projects (Use Cases, and adding to Research Tracks) to join.

For more information on the Use Case contact project leader Sophie Hallstedt, sht@bth.se.

For more information on the profile project contact Director Tobias Larsson, tlr@bth.se.

Categories: MD3S, News, Research