XPRES Impact Cases

Based on numerical simulations and targeted experimental studies, KTH and Saab have identified the underlying causes of critical material discrepancies that arise during the multi-layer forming of advanced composite materials for aircraft components. The findings highlight that a methodology for fault-free forming must be integrated already at the material design stage.Today, the wing spars produced for the Saab Gripen E fighter successfully incorporate the results of this research. The methodology also serves as a foundation for manufacturing high-quality composite parts for civil aircraft.

Through extensive research involving advanced numerical methods, experimental validation, and collaboration with Swerea KIMAB and leading industrial partners, KTH developed Winteria®—an innovative system that provides precise digital assessment of weld geometry and quality. Today, Winteria® is successfully integrated into industrial production lines, significantly improving weld quality, reducing structural weight, and increasing the durability of welded components and structures.

The project aims to develop AI solutions and practical software applications for dynamic scheduling technologies in smart assembly and logistics. This includes novel digital services based on information and communication technologies for the automotive sector. The project consortium includes original equipment manufacturers in the automotive sector, small and medium-sized enterprises, and universities from Sweden and South Korea, all with expertise in the use of AI and digital twins for smart assembly and logistics.

Remanufacturing for restoring worn-out products to a ”like-new” condition is an exemplary sustainable practice, particularly valuable for advance turbine parts. Here, this will be via hybrid additive manufacturing (AM) subtractive machining (SM) for repair with minimal material waste, while assessing the related environmental benefits and economic value. This is a novel cutting-edge technology, exploiting in-situ sensors to monitor the process whilst novel digitalised driven value identification models are made to explain environmental and economic savings.

In order to achieve further reduced CO2 emissions, automotive manufacturers are turning to multimaterial designs which reduce the vehicle weight. Traditional joining/welding methods struggle with these difficult material combinations, like aluminium to steel. Therefore, the ISOLDE Vinnova project, with additional support from XPRES, has examined several novel approaches to joining these materials, including a promising technique making use of a cold-sprayed interlayer

We envision a new open and flexible experimental environment focusing different aspects of prototyping, industrialisation and manufacturing. The environment should support (1) practical project based elements in education in basic and advanced levels within industrial engineering, (2) industrial collaboration within relevant centres, (3) competence development and life long learning, (4) staff education within experimental learning, and (5) outside-curricula activiteties for students

By integrating remanufactured gearboxes into new truck production, the iReGear project addresses the environmental challenge of high carbon emissions and material use in vehicle manufacturing. This innovation cuts material use by 50% and carbon emissions by 45%. Through circular methods and industry-academia collaboration, the project sets a precedent for sustainable, high-quality, and cost-effective manufacturing.

The project addresses the sustainability challenge in additive manufacturing by recycling degraded 316L stainless steel powder and scrap from the printing process. Using innovative re-melting and gas atomization methods, new powder with low oxygen content and good processability was produced. This circular approach reduces material waste and reliance on virgin resources, supporting both environmental and economic goals in metal AM.

With its research in the intersection of manufacturing, sustainability and digital technologies, MDU’s mission is to address major societal and industrial challenges such as environmental sustainability, resource efficiency and economic competitiveness. By leveraging digital tools such as AI, 5G and digital twins, the research supports manufacturing industry in making production more efficient but also user and climate friendly - creating smart, sustainable jobs for the future.

The project aims to demonstrate a path to NetZero by showing industry how green production can be achieved. It encourages industry peers to involve everyone in climate work and identify opportunities locally and across the value chain. The project promotes sustainable value chain management through clear targets and metrics, and by managing disruption. It also highlights green design principles in the production system. Using lean action learning and integrating sustainability and resilience research, it supports local innovation and long-term impact.

Rather than taking jobs, robots will soon join people on the factory floor, as co-workers and collaborators. That was the vision of an EUR 6.5 million project led by KTH-XPRES. SYMBIO-TIC, a five-year EU Horizon 2020 initiative led by KTH-XPRES for Symbiotic Human-Robot Collaborative Assembly, aims to provide an alternative: Robots that can quickly adapt their work plans to changing production situations, and even respond to commands that production workers provide by touch, voice or gesture.

Swedish manufacturing industry is very internationally linked and rarely have visibility in production logistics and supply chains been so in demand as the recent years. The KTH XPRES team have over a number of projects worked with manufacturing companies, technology providers, standardization organizations and various supply chain actors in determining conditions for logistics visibility as well as demonstrating and testing solutions, now being implemented in industry.

Waste Flow Mapping (WFM) cathegorise residual streams into current and potential circular streams and valorise each stream with market value/cost and analyses logistis and material handling costs for each stream. It brings a toolbox of applicable scientific methods to improve handling and management of wasted materials. It delivers measurments in economic and environmental terms and potential business cases for improving sorting and higher quality of recycling streams as well as decreasing amounts of wasted materials.