Inaugural lecture - Erik Hulthén IMS

Erik Hulthén is an Associate Professor in Product Development at the Department of Industrial and Materials Science at Chalmers. He is part of the Machine Element research group and focuses on research about optimization of production processes for rock materials. Erik is also the Dean of Education the EDITI area, which includes programs in Electrical, Medical, and Computer Technology, as well as IT and Industrial Economics. He is also active in the European university Alliance ENHANCE, where Chalmers is one of ten universities. He mainly teaches Product Development courses and is passionate about developing education.

Title of the lecture: Improvement tools for crushing plants and product development teaching

Abstract:
Improvement tools for crushing plants and product development teaching

Production plants for rock materials, whether in the aggregates sector or the mining industry, are continuous processes primarily focused on stability and reliability, as stoppages are costly and labor-intensive to resolve. Consequently, opportunities for optimization or improvements are often overlooked. However, the introduction of modern machine control and mathematical modeling opens up new possibilities.

This inauguration lecture explores optimization opportunities and the development of a unique simulation tool that enhances technical process performance and supports sustainability through the automatic generation of Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) reports. This tool has been refined to improve report quality, process traceability, and user-friendliness.

Additionally, teaching at a university is a process that has evolved over the past 15 years. Experiences from teaching product development in large classes have driven sustainable improvements in student learning, achieved without increasing teacher or tutor hours.