Redesign of Gas Hydraulic Suspension for Product Service System : A Master Thesis Work at Strömsholmen AB

Sammanfattning: In these times, when manufacturing firms wonder how to integrate products and services into innovative offerings, how should products be designed to be of most value? This study is the investigation of this question for the manufacturing firm Strömsholmen AB, which designs gas springs and hydraulic suspension. The research has led to interviews of personnel to identify challenges and a workshop to generate new service ideas. By analyzing a specific gas hydraulic suspension product, this study shows that designing for product service systems (PSS) with a life-cycle perspective specifically for manufacturing, assembly, delivery, use, maintenance and remanufacturing, can greatly reduce costs and open up for innovative PSS business models. Using Design for Assembly, Design for Disassembly, Design for Serviceability and Design for Remanufacturing shows how concrete improvements to a product can be made. Improvements that show the potential of a redesign for the gas hydraulic suspension. Integrating products and services and pursuing the ideas and methods of this thesis, will ultimately make Strömsholmen better prepared to differentiate, to stay competitive, to deepen customer relations and to gain greater profits long-term.