Sustainable Manufacturing

Industrial washingmachine.

The concept of sustainability is important for industrial production, and it will become even more so in the future.

A sustainable production is one that satisfies the needs of today without limiting the possibilities of future generations to satisfy their needs. We have a group of researchers who study industrial processes, in particular remanufacturing. They focus in particular on how to make remanufacturing processes more sustainable. Remanufacturing describes the industrial process in which a used product is restored to its new condition, or even better. This is a key process in our striving for a more sustainable society, and the principles of circular economy must always be considered when it is used.

At Linköping University, we have over the years worked with, for example, the disassembly of computer screens, chemical-free industrial washes, efficient remanufacturing systems, and design for manufacturing and remanufacturing.

Manufacturers and remanufacturers benefit from our research, which is applied and aims to improve products in several industries. Within the research project IQ-Intelligent Qleaning, we have, for example, developed industrial washing equipment using ultraclean water for cleaning processes in the production of circuit boards.

In the research projects KEAP and ÅterProdukt, we have developed methods to make remanufacturing processes more efficient and to improve the flow of information through the value chains of several companies. Within the projects HÅPLA and AutoDisa, new methods and equipment have been developed for the Swedish recycling industry to achieve a more efficient disassembly of flat screens.

Researchers in Sustainable Manufacturing

Publications

Cover of publication ''
Mattias Lindahl, Niclas Svensson, Bo Svensson, Erik Sundin (2013)

Journal of Cleaner Production , Vol.47 , s.19-25 Continue to DOI

Cover of publication ''
Mattias Lindahl, Erik Sundin, Tomohiko Sakao (2014)

Journal of Cleaner Production , Vol.64 , s.288-296 Continue to DOI

Cover of publication ''
Erik Sundin, Bert Bras (2005)

Journal of Cleaner Production , Vol.13 , s.913-925 Continue to DOI

Female PhD student lectures to master's students in the lab.

From sketches to a robot with artificial intelligence

How do you develop a product with as little human involvement as possible? LiU students built a robot using generative artificial intelligence.

Mattias Lindahl.

Professor Mattias Lindahl is contributing to a global ISO standard

There are hundreds of definitions of circular economy in the world, which leads to confusion. A new ISO standard with a definition widely accepted and disseminated will remedy the situation.

Two female student, dissasembling an Ikea product.

Students disassemble Ikea products

This is part of a research project in which LiU students get to collaborate with the Swedish furniture giant. The students document possibility of repairing, replacing and reusing.

Research about production at Linköping University