Innovation and Product Realisation
Production Development
The Production Development research group advances nextgeneration manufacturing by integrating digitalisation, automation and circularity from the earliest stages of production system design, and by strengthening the efficient operation, optimisation and continuous improvement of production systems throughout their entire lifecycle. Through strong industrial collaboration and a system-level research approach, the group develops methods and solutions that help industry transition toward flexible, resourceefficient and futureproof production.
Contact
The manufacturing industry is undergoing rapid transformation driven by sustainability demands, digital The manufacturing industry is undergoing a major shift driven by digitalisation, automation, sustainability demands and global supply‑network complexity. The Production Development research group addresses these challenges by developing holistic methods, technologies, tools and organisational models for future production systems.
Our research focuses on how manufacturing industry can design, operate and transform production in a way that is:
- Sustainable and circular – reducing environmental impact across lifecycles and factory networks.
- Digitally enabled – leveraging digital twins, data-driven decision-making, and smart automation.
- Flexible and resilient – enabling rapid reconfiguration and adaptation to new technologies, product variations and market dynamics.
A key strength of the group is its system perspective: integrating technical, organisational and sustainability aspects to support robust long‑term industrial development. Research outcomes are translated directly into industrial practice through collaborative projects with leading global companies.
Our Three Main Research Areas
These areas are deeply interconnected and together form a coherent research agenda that addresses production systems across their entire lifecycle.
1. Sustainable and Circular Production Systems
We investigate how production systems can embed circularity, sustainability and resource efficiency from the earliest design phases. This includes methods for circular production investments, long‑life and upgradeable equipment, industrial symbiosis, and strategies for reducing environmental impact across factory networks and the production and product lifecycles.
2. Manufacturing Transformation
This area focuses on how companies can plan, execute and govern major changes in production systems. Research covers transformation roadmaps, change management, organisational readiness, factory network strategies and the coordination of sustainability and digitalisation initiatives across global industrial structures.
3. Digitalisation and Automation in Production
We explore how digital technologies—such as digital twins, data-driven decision-making, robotics and smart automation — can be integrated into production to improve flexibility, robustness and performance. Emphasis is placed on system-level digitalisation, scalable and advanced automation solutions, trustworthiness and smart automation systems.
Collaboration and Education
The group collaborates closely with industrial partners, universities and institutes. We contribute broadly to education at MDU through bachelor’s and master’s programmes in Industrial Development, Production and Logistics, Industrial Engineering and Management, and Applied AI, together with PhD-level courses and extensive thesis supervision. The group is also highly active in lifelong learning, supporting industry in upskilling and reskilling for smart and sustainable production.
Impact
Our research helps manufacturing companies move from isolated projects to integrated, scalable and circular production strategies. By combining scientific rigour with strong industrial engagement, we support organisations in designing and transforming production systems that are:
- sustainable and resource-efficient
- digitally enabled and automation-ready
- flexible, resilient and future-proof
Ongoing research projects
The battery manufacturing program at Mälardalen University aims to build national competence in battery production with a particular focus on battery cell production by integrating advanced research, education, and industrial collaboration. With a focus on automation, digitalisation, and sustainable manufacturing, the initiative strengthens Sweden’s green transition and supports long-term partnerships with key industry actors.
Project manager at MDU: Jessica Bruch
Main financing: KK-Stiftelsen
The INDTECH project is an industrial graduate school at MDU, focusing on the implementation of Industry 4.0 and applied AI in production systems in collaboration with 12 partner organizations consisting of leading industrial companies, research institutes and technology centers and supporting organizations such as AI Sweden, PiiA, Automation Region and Blue Institute. INDTECH Industrial Technology Graduate School offers advanced training in the field of industrial digitization, a new and emerging field of technology that revolutionizes all aspects of the manufacturing and process industry
Project manager at MDU: Markus Bohlin
Main financing: KK-stiftelsen
MDU has launched a project to strengthen Sweden’s battery industry by focusing on the industrialization and production of batteries. This initiative aims to address the lack of expertise and education in the sector. challenges. By recruiting industry experts and studying the latest technologies and methods, MDU aims to build a strong knowledge center. Ultimately, the project aims to contribute to more sustainable and competitive battery manufacturing in Sweden.
Project manager at MDU: Jessica Bruch
Main financing: The Knowledge Foundation
ShiftLabs is an organization dedicated to supporting the adoption and integration of new digital technologies among small and medium-sized manufacturing companies.
Main financing: Digital Europe (EU kommissionen)
The initiative for Excellence in Production Research, XPRES, is a joint initiative between KTH, MDU and Swerea. XPRES was elected as one of two strategic initiatives within Manufacturing engineering in Sweden by the government in 2010.
Project manager at MDU: Koteshwar Chirumalla
Main financing: Governmental funding from Strategic Research Area (SRA) intiative