Congratulations Zhang Yan, Doctor of Philosophy!

• Post by: Tobias Larsson
• 19th December 2024
• No Comment

Zhang Yan successfully defended his PhD thesis “Future Innovation Framework for Smart Product Service System Design: Exploring an Innovative Design Approach for Global Manufacturing Companies” in front of a crowd of people in the room and online. Yan made a popular presentation of his research and took the audience through his findings and application cases within mechanical engineering and automotive industry, and then landed in a summary of his findings. Yan has been working as an industrial PhD student in Shanghai/Singapore within the BIGmind Innovation & BIGSimulo companies with several industrial cases showcased in the research presentation and papers and with connections to the KKS Model Driven Development and Decision Support research profile at BTH.

Faculty opponent was Professor Dag Bergsjö (Chalmers University of Technology) and the grading committee consisted of Professor Dan Högberg (University of Skövde), Anna Öhrwall Rönnbäck (Luleå University of Technology) and Associate Professor Christopher Jouannet (Linköping University and Saab).

Professor Bergsjö invited Yan into a deep conversation around the work he had performed and by this creating an intersting back-and-forth dialogue that took the audience through both the academic and industrial aspects of the highly digital work done by Yan via industrial cases. Some challenging questions forcing Yan into reflections on the research activities and their industrial application.

After the opponent, grading committee, and audience have had the chance to bring up their questions, the grading committee left the room for their discussion and eventually returned with the verdict; a pass!

We gratulate our newest PhD on such an important milestone in his career!

Abstract

Today, the rise of digitalization is reshaping how products are designed, produced, and consumed, challenging conventional product development paradigms. In response, manufacturing companies are increasingly adopting service-oriented business models through digital servitization, fueling the emergence of smart Product Service System (sPSS). However, the inherent complexity and need for collaborative innovation in smart PSS design requires manufacturing companies to adopt innovative design approaches that enable value-adding solutions to customers.

This research addresses critical gaps in early-stage of smart PSS design, particularly in leveraging Digital Twins (DT) technology to facilitate value co-creation and support design decision-making. Despite growing interest in Digital Twins and virtual simulations, their practical application in smart PSS design remains limited, highlighting the need for new design approaches that foster collaboration and innovation in the early design stages.  To address these challenges and opportunities, this research integrates literature reviews, case studies, and empirical analysis to propose the Future Innovation Framework (FIF) and the Super-System Digital Twins (SSDT) approach for smart PSS development.

Through industrial case studies, the research provides practical insights and introduces a Digital Twins approach that supports the successful implementation of smart PSS design in the context of global manufacturing companies. The findings indicate that the proposed Digital Twins approach significantly enhances concept visualization, decision-making and design prototyping in smart PSS design. Future research should focus on refining the Future Innovation Framework (FIF) and Super-System Digital Twins (SSDT) approach, exploring their scalability across various industries, and incorporating advanced AI techniques to maximize their potential.  

In summary, this research contributes to the theoretical and practical advancements in smart PSS design by demonstrating how FIF and SSDT can foster more effective and innovative approach in global manufacturing companies. The proposed approach provides a robust foundation for future research and industrial applications, promoting the development of sustainable and competitive smart PSS solutions.

Download full thesis here: https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-27038

The presentation part of the PhD defense session

Find the PDF presentation from the session below.

More information

• BTH press: “Digitala tvillingar och extended reality ger bättre och smartare fordonsdesign”
• Dagens Näringsliv “Digitala tvillingar och XR revolutionerar fordonsdesign“