This Master of Science thesis was completed at the Department of Machine Design at the Royal Instituteof Technology in Stockholm in collaboration with Lund Faculty of Engineering, Luleå University ofTechnology and Stanford University. At Stanford University a global product development project wasrealized as part of the course ME310. The project was initiated by the American company ImmerseGlobal whose vision was to develop a new type of Atmospheric Water Generators, a machine that absorbsthe moisture in the air and via a water system transforms it to pure drinking water. The project was partlyfinanced by the Product Innovation Engineering program, a Swedish research and development programfor increased innovation capability in organizations.In parallel with the global project in the ME310 course the product development process was studied inorder to compare it with a product development course at the Royal Institute of Technology, IPU. Thetwo courses are similar to each other in several aspects.

Globaliseringen innebär ökad konkurrens för företag vilket gör det viktigare för företag att snabbt kunna utföra sina kostnadsuppskattningar. I detta arbete undersöks förutsättningarna för att använda moderna teorier inom cost engineering för att kunna förkorta ledtiderna vid förkalkylsarbetet för företag inom custom made-tillverkning. Inom cost engineering har teorier för kostnadsuppskattning används för att beräkna tillverkningstider för tre olika produkter hos ett fallföretag. För att få en bra beskrivning av problematiken med kostnadsuppskattning inom custom made-tillverkning har design science-metodologi använts under arbetets gång.  Resultatet av arbetet visar att förutsättningarna för att använda moderna teorier inom cost engineering för kostnadsuppskattning hos custom made-tillverkande företag är att historisk data avseende för- och efterkalkylsarbete finns tillgänglig.

ABORT ?n GO is a design project within the crossing boundaries of Critical Design and IndustrialDesign.The contemporary discourse on abortion is problematic, and infected by double norms. Thesenorms may cause feelings of guilt and shame in women who have an abortion. The abortion rightis built upon conflicting standpoints; one is that women have right to have an abortion, withoutbeing questioned. Second is the notion that abortion is something that should be avoided, implyingthat you?ve done something wrong if you have had an abortion.With this project and physical product I want to explore and discuss the contemporary discourseon abortion in Sweden.

The purpose of this study was to examine how local producers in the food and confectionery segment in Västernorrland, Sweden, working to communicate that the product is locally produced through its packaging design. We have chosen to look at how they work with the right packaging design because it is such an important part of the product marketing. A further aim was to examine how consumers perceive the packaging design of the locally produced products and how they consider that the packaging design communicates the product as locally produced. We have also analyzed the graphical elements contained in the locally produced product packaging through a semiotic analysis.The theoretical framework is based on theories in brand communication and Visual Communication, specializing in packaging design?s visual elements.The method used in this study is a qualitative method.

Eco-design is all about improving products environmental performances throughout the products lifecycle by including the environmental aspect into the product development process. There are a large number of different tools that can be used for this, but there are several factors that can affect which one will be the best to use. Some tools for eco-design takes comprehensive studies and can only be performed by experts, while some tools can be used more time- and cost efficient and with basic knowledge. The choice of tool should be based on the company?s situation.This report describes the research of how the design and furniture company Blå Station could include a tool for eco-design in their product development process.

This study is intended to give an impartial view of a young and complex program in Sweden titled Product Innovation Engineering program. The purpose of this program is to increase innovation capability in Sweden that will result in new companies, patents and economic growth. The results from this study might give some direction to future innovation initiatives, but should primarily serve as a tool for the PIEp participants. The study will focus on investigating the creation of the program as well as the development of its strategy. From weaknesses and strengths within the strategy of the program the study should also attempt to show its future potential.

The design of packages is something that product manufacturers put great effort on. The package is often the consumers' first interaction with a product and consumers judge the product based on the package. A common way to evaluate a package design is to let respondents look at a package and answer which attributes they think the product has. This paper wants to take this evaluation a step further, i.e. it examines if consumers experience differences in taste between two identical products that have different package designs.

In today?s competitive market, design is an important element for the companies. They must succeed with delivering an increased value and an experience for the consumer to be able to survive. The Swedish company?s have become better in the design area, the higher standards the consumer?s demands forces the company to invest more in design.

 This report will describe a project between two students from Karlstad University and Markus Norström from Hovercraft solutions. The project aim was to develop a cabin for the hovercraft 380TD. The project was divided into two sub parts; one concerning the design of the cabin and one concerning the engineering. Throughout this rapport you can follow the engineering part of the project. The project has followed a systematic product development process resulting in optimized results for material selection and engineering solutions.

The aim of this thesis is to practice the theoretical methods that are concerned during the product development process of two new products. The theoretical concepts that embody the two products are created out of a product specification which is given by a commissioner with a private interest. The primary tasks of the design of the concepts are aimed on the products shape, which is to be created as a flexible structure by using silicon rubber as material.The storage box is a further development of the already known food storage box, or lunch box, which is common used in consumer kitchens. The main idea is to design a flexible product by using silicone rubber. It will able the storage box to be compressed when it is not used, be storage friendly and not consume more space than necessary in a storage compartment.

The purpose of the project was to design an electric bicycle to offer thetarget group youth an attractive alternative to mopeds. The basis for theproject was user studies in which young people were interviewed andobserved in their daily environment.The project resulted in a product, designed with the focus of integratingthe battery to the shape, to create a wholeness that is simple andintuitive.!The product is easy to use and operate, with an automatic transmissionengine.! A smart modular system allows the user to choose design withmudguards, rear rack, or without. The battery design is based on "cradleto-cradle" to maximize the battery life and minimize environmentalimpacts.It was very fun and rewarding to have the opportunity to present theresults for the youth who showed great interest in the product.The project was conducted in collaboration with Designit and Cycleurope..

In order to increase the independence in everyday life of the elderly population, we have developed a lifting aid for loading in the private car trunk. Independence from outside assistance affects self-esteem in a positive direction and can help increase the quality of life for a large group of individuals. As people age and experience changes in performance, it is important that aids and support is available, particularly to reduce the experience of aging and it?s increasing physical limitations. The aim was to develop a function prototype characterized by simplicity, which facilitates loading of the private cartrunk.The project was conducted at the request of Autoadapt AB, which is one of the leadingactors in car adaptations for individuals with disablilities.

This thesis work is the result of the company Prisjakt?s wish to develop and improve its current system of opinions for online stores. The challenge was to develop a similar system that competitors are using but better. The collection of information is based on purchases and are collected from Web-shops. The purchases can then be monitored in a control panel.

AbstractThis is a thesis done in cooperation with the firm Somas and University of Karlstad. The project is an independent final examination part of the program in Innovation and DesignEngineering comprising 22.5 points, and performed by Mia Myrén Zreloff during spring term 2012. In parallel and collaboration, Fredrik Kjellin performs a similar job for the same company and with the same extent, but for the Program in Mechanical Engineering.The client and supervisor at the company have been Magnus Jansson and Anders Josefsson. At Karlstad University has technical supervisor been Hans Johansson, and in the design- and development process it was Monica Jakobsson. Examiner has been Fredrik Thuvander, professor in the Faculty of Technology and Science at Karlstad University.The mission has been to make a basis work for the company's own development and make a computational model to calculate, visualize and implement materials and other solutions in the manufacture of the company's ball valves.The project has undergone three major phases that included thorough study of the company, production, the problem and product.

This thesis is an addition to pictures and animation that has been developed using CATIA V5. The animation and the images are a market basis to test whether the product is of interest in the Nordic market. The thesis is structured with elements of the Fredy Olsson method. In this thesis there is also a short presentation of the company Tylö AB, which been chosen to market test the product. A product definition with the sub-headings; ?Description and use of product?, ?Environmentand users?, ?Economy? and ?Product inquiry?, are the basis for the product.