swerea annual report 2015

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 1

Annual Report 2015

2 ANNUAL REPORT 2015


Report from the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Year 2015 in brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

The Swerea Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Areas of expertise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

We're here for industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

THEME – INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

An important puzzle piece for sustainability and development . . . . 12

Compound materials manufacturing – smart solution for high-performance components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Next-generation lead-free brass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Demonstrator manufacturing – ultra-high-temperaturecomposites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Knitted metal – lighter components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Laminate of thin-ply carbon-fibre weaves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Functional fibres – smart textiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Varying material thickness adapted for loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Additive manufacturing of next-generation pressure die-casting tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Recycled aluminium in vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Residual materials become a strategic product . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Bio-based fibres – textiles of the future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

SWEREA'S SUBSIDIARIES

Swerea IVF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Swerea MEFOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Swerea SICOMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Swerea SWECAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Swerea KIMAB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Co-workers and expertise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

The Board and Management Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Income Statement and Balance Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Sustainability and competitive advantage with CSR . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Member and interest-group companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37


Swerea is an enabler

“Plan for the future, because that's where you are going to spend the rest of your life.” So said American author Mark Twain. Research and development are all about creating the future, solving problems in industry and meeting society's challenges. Swerea is an enabler in this development. But where are we headed? What are the future needs of industry?


TOGETHER WITH Kairos Future, and several hundred trendspotters from industry, academia and society, Swerea has looked towards 2030 to identify significant trends.

A look into the immediate future reveals three exciting main shifts; namely, revolutions in technology, development and thinking. These will have a decisive impact on our lives. The technological revolution will be largely driven by developments in digi-tal technology. Inexpensive, highly effi-cient computational capacity together with very advanced mathematics will have an impact on both industrial processes and our daily lives. The de-velopment revolution is characterized by rapid growth and stronger innova-tion in Southeast Asia and India. This is evidenced by a dramatic increase in

the number of patent applications. A revolution in thinking has

to do with our ability

to realize benefit by combining more technologies to create something new.

Swerea's research and develop-ment activities are already subject to the effects of these revolutions. In our operations, modelling and simulation are important tools for which compu-tational capacity is a decisive factor. Swerea's research is of high inter-national standard and, within certain areas, Swerea commands globally leading-edge expertise. Collaboration with the world's best research groups is an important prerequisite for achiev-ing the latter. When leading research-ers meet, ideas for the next important stage of development emerge.

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, com-monly referred to as 3D printing, has in recent years seen strong develop-ment within Swerea. There are print-ers for sand, ceramics, composites, metals and plastics. This reflects the breadth of possibility offered by this technology. Interest from industry is great and, during the year, Swerea, together with industrial partners, Chal-mers University of Technology and University West, has started a national research arena for additive manufac-turing of metal components. The ambi-tion of this research initiative, which addresses both broad and indepth issues, is to be able to quickly create benefit for industry within this area.

Materials development, the theme of this annual report, is an interesting area in which Swerea plays a vital role in translating visionary research into benefit for industry. Increasingly, ma-terials are an important component of innovation; part of the solution, rather than being a fixed starting point. It is a matter not only of developing new materials but also combining materials in new ways and altering or modifying old materials, so that they solve the problem in a better, more sustainable way.

Corrosion costs society enor-mous sums each year. Therefore, great benefit can be realized by finding methods and solutions for minimizing corrosion, not least in public infrastructure.

During the year Swerea has col-laborated with the Swedish Transport Administration to develop effective, sustainable corrosion protection for the new Sundsvall Bridge. Another possibility is to use composite materi-als in the construction of road bridges. Swerea has contributed to materials engineering for Sweden's first com-posite bridge for heavy traffic.

A CIRCULAR ECONOMY is the basis of a sustainable society. As much as possible of what is produced should be recovered and reused. Many of Swerea's research projects have to do with this. How can manufacturing processes be designed to maximize resource efficiency? What can be reused? Residual materials from aluminium manufacturing can become a product for use in steelmaking and discarded clothing can be recycled into new textiles. This is a clever way to minimize waste.

Swerea has also been active in the establishment of RE:Source, a national industry-wide innovation programme that gathers many participants from Swedish industry, the waste manage-ment sector and the research com-munity in an effort to make Sweden a world leader in minimizing waste and upgrading residual products.

To reduce global warming we are continually looking for ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Here, for example, the steel industry has set high goals and Swerea is an important partner. Among other things, it's a mat-ter of minimizing the use of fossil fuels and, for example, replacing them with biofuels, but also of improving process efficiency, recirculating gases or sepa-rating and sequestering carbon dioxide.

TOGETHER WITH industry, we will continue to develop processes and products that provide competitive advantage for industry in a sustainable society.

We look forward to an exciting future.

Göran CarlssonPresident and Managing Director, Swerea Group


The Swerea Group's turnover amounted to 711 million kronor, an increase of 4.9 percent.

Income from industry accounted for 48 (53) percent. Joint European research activities accounted for 8 (9) percent. National programmes with public-sector funding accounted for 44 (38) percent.

The Swerea Group's operating income amounted to 8.8 (2.3) million kronor and income after net financial items reached 15.4 (10.3) million kronor.

The total number of employees in the Group is 532 (523).

Turnover per subsidiary (MSEK) 2015 2014

Swerea IVF 243 219

Swerea KIMAB 247 225

Swerea MEFOS 124 146

Swerea SICOMP 55 55

Swerea SWECAST 57 56

Swerea AB 30 28

Elimination of intercompany transactions -45 -51

Total 711 678

2015 in briefFigures from the previous year are given in parentheses .

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Swerea SWECAST

Swerea SICOMP

Swerea MEFOS

Swerea KIMAB

Swerea IVF

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Turnover, excluding eliminations 2011–2015 (MSEK)


Significant events

Swerea IVF presents equip-ment for ADDITIVE MANU-

FACTURING of metallic components.

Dec Jan Feb

Mar

Apr

May June July

Aug S

ept

Oct

Nov

The first CASTING MAS-TER training programmes are started by Swerea SWECAST.

EIT RAW MATERIALS, a Knowledge and Inno-vation Community (KIC), is granted funding and will be established in Luleå.

Swerea KIMAB co-arranges the annual SURFACE PROTEC-

TION CONFERENCE, the largest Nordic conference

and forum for protec-tion and renovation of

metal and concrete surfaces.

The EU project MUSECORR is designated a Horizon 2020 suc-cess story. Institut de la Corro-sion is the coordinator.

Horizon 2020 funds the multi-million-krona STEP-

WISE, project, of which the aim is to reduce steel-

industry carbon dioxide emis-sions. Swerea MEFOS plays an

important role in the project.

Hans Hansson, managing director of Swerea SICOMP, is awarded an HONORARY DOC-TORATE at Luleå Uni-versity of Technology.

THE SICOMP CONFER-ENCE ”Manufacturing and design of composites” is held in Gothenburg with dele-gates from 10 countries.

The trend-spotting re-port “THE FUTURE OF

INDUSTRY” is produced by Swerea and presented

at well-attended seminars during the autumn.

Swerea SWECAST presents unique new 3D EQUIPMENT for printing moulds and cores in sand.

Lena Sundqvist Ökvist from Swerea MEFOS is appointed ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR in Process Metallurgy at LTU.

An industrial PILOT-PLANT FACILITY for manufacturing textile materials from cellulose is built at Swerea IVF.

The CEFRACOR AWARD goes to Claude Duret-Thual of Institut de la Corrosion for her great contribution to corrosion research.

Innventia and Swerea SICOMP are the world's first to present a composite based on 100 PERCENT CONIFEROUS LIGNIN.

Swerea MEFOS's first MEMBERS' DAY EVENT, “With Research in Focus”, is held in Luleå.

A centre of excellence for IN-DUSTRIAL WORK ENVIRON-MENT is established at Swerea IVF in collaboration with labour market parties and other research organizations.

In collaboration with industry, Swerea IVF has assumed a leading role in the develop-ment of solutions for replacing hazardous chemicals in textile materials with more ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVES.

A NEW ANALYSIS METHOD for powder and particles is developed by Swerea KIMAB. Surface analysis and characterization of tens of thou-sands of loose particles, with results within a couple of minutes, was previously considered utopian.

Swerea KIMAB's successful col-laboration with General Motors towards the DEVELOPMENT OF JOINING TECHNOLOGY for light-weight vehicle bodies continues.

CASTING INNOVATION CENTRE is a world-leading research centre for cast products, casting proces-ses and cast materials.

Swerea KIMAB is formal-ly approved as a certified PLASTICS WELDING (CEPW) by the Swedish Welding Commission.

Swerea, Chalmers and Uni-versity West begin work on creating a NATIONAL ARENA for 3D printing in metal.


The Swerea Group creates, refines and disseminates research results within materials sciences, manu-facturing engineering and product engineering for sustainable industry. Projects resolve current challenges in a sustainable and future-safe way. Collaboration among the RISE institutes broadens and enriches our customer offering.

Dialogue with industrySwerea has a constant dialogue with industry on current and future needs. "The Future of Industry", a report pro-duced by Swerea and Kairos Future during 2015, supports this dialogue. Here, the trends are identified and we investigate what they mean for industry. What are the obstacles? Which strengths and opportunities can be discerned?

Competencies, labs and demosSwerea provides scientific and techni-cal expertise and advanced facilities for laboratory and demonstration-scale ex-perimentation. Within the five institutes, commissioned industrial R&D projects are conducted and strategic develop-ment and collaboration are pursued at the group level. Both academia and research institutes play a crucial role in the Swedish innovation system and Swerea has good, long-standing col-laboration with the leaders in our areas of expertise.

700 companiesSwerea's industrial owners represent 450 Nordic-based companies. In addition to these there are a further 250 companies which have agree-ments with Swerea or participate in multi-year research programmes. With

high-level competencies, facilities for experimentation and high capacity for computation and simulation, Swerea helps to strengthen competitive-ness among these 700 companies. Demand for our services in industry continues to grow.

There are no shortcutsIndustry is part of the solution to the great challenges and Swerea is a knowledgeable and committed part-ner on that journey. Sustainability is a central factor in all projects in which Swerea participates. There are no shortcuts. We consider the entire life-cycle and the ecological and social aspects of the product or process.

No one yet knows how visions for utilizing the revolutionary new material graphene will be realized. Nor does anyone know where the boundaries lie for adapting materials and managing residual products, which new materials can be developed or what can be achieved as information and materials become all the more inter-linked. Swerea has a vital role in utilizing research findings and syner-gies that can create industrial benefit. Materials research is a key aspect of many major future concerns which, fundamentally, have to do with sustainability and competitive advantage.

Swerea – the link between visionary research and industrial benefit

* Intressentföreningen för Korrosionsforskning, Metallurgiska Forskningsbolaget i Luleå, Stiftelsen Svensk Järn- och Metallforskning, Swerea IVFs Intressentförening and Svenska Gjuteriföreningen .

Member programmes 11% National programmes 39% EU programmes 8% Industrial R&D

programmes, etc. 42%

Operations per programme block, 2015

VisionSwerea is the leading Swedish research group for industrial renewal and sustainable development.

Business conceptThe Swerea Group creates, refines and disseminates research results within materials sciences, manufacturing engi-neering and product engineering for sustainable industry.

Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation100%

About 450 companies

Swerea IVFProgramme council

Swerea KIMABProgramme council

Institut de laCorrosion

Swerea MEFOSProgramme council

Swerea AB

RISE

Swerea SICOMPProgramme council

Swerea SWECASTProgramme council

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

43%

57%Five owner-associations*


Jönköping

Trollhättan

Eskilstuna

Borlänge

Linköping

Mölndal

Stockholm

Brest

St Etienne

Piteå

Oslo

Luleå

The Swerea Group

≤ 29 years . . . . . . 10% 30–39 years . . . . 25% 40–49 years . . . . 28% 50–59 years . . . . 25% ≥ 60 years . . . . . . 12%

Age distributionPercentage of total 532 persons

BSc engineers or equivalent . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11%

MSc engineers . . . . . . . .44%* Licentiate engineers . . 8% PhDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34% Associate professors . . 3%

Of the above, 11 people holdprofessorships.

*Of which 23 are doctoral students.

Level of educationResearch staff

Women/men

179 353

Total number of employees 532

68 Ongoing

EU-/RFCSprojects

170 Papers

presented atconferences

630 Referencesin the media,

including digitalchannels

98 Publicationsin scientific

journals

8 Referencesin broadcast

media

Of which wecoordinate

15


Areas of expertiseWe pursue evidence-based research in close collaboration with in-dustry to promote industrial renewal, improved competitiveness and sustainable growth. In other words, our strength is applied research with customer benefit in focus.

For each area of expertise, more information about services, pro-jects and equipment is available on our website.

Materials engineering and raw materials

Corrosion and surface technology

Materials production

Manufacturing processes

Production systems

Product engineering

Energy and environment


We're here for industryA selection of good exemples from our annual periodical “Beneficial research by Swerea”

Sundsvall Bridge protected against rust attackThe new Sundsvall Bridge is rusting at a faster rate than expected. Swerea KIMAB, together with other specialists, helped the Swedish Transport Administration to analyze the problem and proposed a solution. They recommend cathodic protection, which is a verified method, but the challenge has been to achieve a well-functioning system in the brackish water of Sundsvall Bay. By strategically positioning anodes and applying current, the metal has been made "immune" to rust attack.

Better surfaces and less wasteDuring continuous casting of steel differ-ent types of cracks can form, which has a negative impact on steel quality and pro-ductivity. Swerea MEFOS has produced mathematical models that can predict when cracks form in the steel during the process, which makes it easier to control casting. The results have been applied in practice in continuous casting at SSAB in Luleå, yielding gains in the form of bet-ter quality and reduced scrap volume.

Residual products reused in synthetic rubberHöganäs AB is constantly striving to mini-mize waste. One step in this direction is to use a residual product from the company's process, lime from tunnel kiln slag, in the manufacture of synthetic rubber. Swerea Industrial Recycling has conducted stud-ies in which the filler material in ethylene propylene diene M-class rubber (EPDM) is replaced with lime from tunnel kiln slag. Results show that the rubber has the same properties as it does when conventional filler material is used. A new use for tunnel kiln lime means that Höganäs no longer needs to landfill the material. In addition, use of virgin lime can be reduced.

Impact on repository for spent nuclear fuelSvensk Kärnbränslehantering AB, SKB (the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Manage-ment Company) will build a repository for spent fuel from our nuclear power plants. Safety is vital and the repository must remain secure for 100,000 years. Together with SKB, Swerea KIMAB has studied how electrical fields in the bedrock influence corrosion on the copper canisters that are to be used. Results show that the fields cause a marginally higher corrosion rate.

Carbon fibre for lighter satellitesWith a new carbon fibre material, the weight of satellite separation systems can be reduced, thereby enabling greater pay-load capacity for other equipment. RUAG Space and Swerea SICOMP have studied the possibilities for replacing aluminium with carbon fibre in some parts of the sys-tem. Prototypes in composite material have been tested, and manufacturing methods and performance have also been as-sessed. Manufacturing in composites can also yield lower cost and faster production.

New application area for forest productsResearchers at Swerea IVF and Innventia have demonstrated that the conventional raw material for carbon fibre can be re-placed with a forest product. Carbon fibre is normally based on non-renewable raw materials and is often very expensive, which limits use. There are great advantages to us-ing wood for making bio-based carbon fibre. Since wood is an inexpensive raw material, more companies will be able to afford to use carbon fibre in their products, which in turn helps to reduce weight and conserve fuel.

Sweden's first road bridge in compositesShorter construction time, higher strength and minimal maintenance are just some of the advantages with road bridges made from composite material. The Swedish Transport Administration has been tasked with constructing a bridge in which the composite material consists of glass fibre and carbon fibre. Construction time is estimated at one month, as opposed to half a year when conventional materials are used. Swerea SICOMP has led a project in which the technical specifications and design and construction principles for the bridge have been developed.

Sweden's first 3D printer for sandThe new printer at Swerea SWECAST is used for research and development, as well as for commercial manufactur-ing. With the 3D printer it will be easier to develop and manufacture moulds and cores with complex geometries. Access to a printer in Sweden will make it much easier for foundries to produce proto-types for their customers. Many develop-ment projects are planned and lead times will be shortened. Prototypes which have normally taken 3–4 months to produce can now be delivered in 3–4 weeks.

Environmentally friendlier pretreatmentPhosphating is a surface-pretreatment method that provides good corrosion protection due to better adhesion between the material and the surface coating. How-ever, the method requires a lot of energy, produces by-products and is not adapted for a so-called multimetal system. Over the past decade Swerea IVF has worked with the vehicle industry and material and chemical suppliers to assess environmen-tally friendly alternatives. Analyses help companies to make more informed choices where technology is concerned, thereby making it easier to change processes.

Less surplus metal in castingCasting always results in a certain amount of surplus metal which must be remelted, something which demands a lot of energy. To help the foundries to improve casting-process efficiency, Swerea has devel-oped new virtual methods (simulations). These simulations are used to support applications which would otherwise be difficult or expensive to test in real trials. Foundries can thereby reduce the amount of surplus metal, which leads to lower energy use and better product quality.


THEME: INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS

MUCH TECHNOLOGICAL develop-ment in industry is not possible without new and adapted materials. Technological paradigm shifts, such as automation and additive manu-facturing, also present possibilities for specialized materials with new properties and functions.

For Swerea, materials development is an integral and ever-present as-pect of research. Alongside the major visionary trends, Swerea's research-ers must address concrete industrial challenges that often have to do with

higher strength, lower weight, sensors embedded in materials, recovery

and recycling. It is not always a

matter of new materials, but rather of adapting common materials for use in new industries and application areas. Here, it is increasingly evident that use and needs are the deciding fac-tor, and that materials adaptation and development are part of the solution to the problem.

Nature can be a source of inspi-ration for the development of new industrial materials; for example, materials with foam structure in the middle and a hard outer shell (like the bones of a skeleton), or materials with self-cleaning surfaces and a sound-dampening function. Nature is miles ahead when it comes to resource ef-ficiency and functional solutions. The most visionary advances are made within academia and Swerea trans-lates visions in practical applications that meet needs in industry. Using for-est raw materials to make textile fibre and carbon fibre is one such area in which Swerea assists industry with projects. Knitted metals and metal foam in laminates are other examples.

COMBINING different materials, so that the right material is in the right place in a structure, is also an impor-tant field of development. Handling and joining different material types is complicated and poses a great chal-lenge for industry. Design and manu-facturing in mixed material is one of Swerea's strengths and is also the focal point of a major joint-group initiative in 2016. Multifunctional materials that solve several problems concurrently constitute an exciting area in which the Swerea institutes have begun to collaborate to take the lead and inspire new industrial applications.

Materials development is one of the most important future trends for industry, according to an analysis conducted by Swerea and Kairos Future. Instead of being a limiting factor for inno-vation, material will aid problem-solving and innovation.

AN IMPORTANT PUZZLE PIECE FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT

Industrial materials



IN PARTICULARLY interesting areas, Swerea conducts prestud-ies, often in collaboration with the best in academia. One example is surface modification, where we study whether an entire surface, or parts of it, can be optimized for the desired functionality. Another is "smart mate-rials", for which Swerea is now doing a prestudy. A smart material can be created by integrating sensors and actuators and, for example, monitor-ing the material's condition during operation. Rapid development within digitalization presents exciting new possibilities.

Compound manufacturing – smart solutions for high-performance components

A NEW CONCEPT for manufacturing high-performance bearings of com-pound material has been developed jointly by Swerea, SKF, Bodycote Hot Isostatic Pressing and Erasteel. The material is intended for roller bearings that are used in difficult and ad-vanced applications, for example, in transmissions and windpower plants.

Using powder technology, a high-performance steel is applied to a

simpler core. Thereafter, the materials are compressed into a unit by means of hot isostatic pressing (HIP). This is a smart and cost-efficient solu-tion since, for example, it allows the possibility of controlling both residual stresses and toughness.

Simulation is a valuable tool when producing suitable material combi-nations. Thermodynamic and kinetic calculations have been done to study the bond between the materials. Heat treatment simulations are used to study stresses during hardening, as well as residual stresses.

The benefit is great, since high- performance components can pre-vent premature failure in wind-turbine bearings, which has been a major problem for the windpower industry. The study was funded via Swed-ish Wind Power Technology Center (SWPTC), Swerea and participating companies.

The strong drivers of materials development in Swerea's industry projects are:

Sustainability for circular econo-mies, with efficient use of raw materials, recovery, recycling and substitution of certain raw materials.

Lightweight materials and light-weight structures for lower fuel consumption and reduced CO2 emissions.

Performance; for example, higher strength or better corrosion resistance, which contributes to more sustainable use of materials.

Multimaterials, both for improved function and lower weight.

Multifunctionality; for example, vehicle bodies that are also bat-teries, engine hoods that function as airbags, textiles which sense breathing and pulse or protect against intense heat.

Section inner ring in compound material.

Finished bear-ing. Photo: SKF.


THEME: INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS THEME: INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS

Knitted metal – lighter componentsAN ALL-METAL laminate with knit-ted metal between two thin sheets, has been developed by Swerea IVF in collaboration with the Swed-ish School of Textiles in Borås and Swedish industry. What makes this laminate unique, in addition to the combination of thin sheet and knit-ted metal, is that it can potentially cut component weight by half. The material is formable and can be used much like steel sheet in conventional industrial applications.

Factors that are important for formability, strength and appearance have been studied in the project. The laminate has been evaluated in hot and cold forming operations and in a smaller prestudy. The ability to combine metals or high-strength components with a lightweight mate-rial that performs well in hot, cold and corrosive environments while at the same time weighing half as much as conventional material presents new possibilities for making sustainable, climate-smart components.

With funding from Vinnova, the work has been conducted jointly by Lamera, Gestamp HardTech, Outo-kumpu Stainless, Inkubatorn i Borås, the Swedish School of Textiles and Swerea IVF.

USE OF CONVENTIONAL compo-sites in hot environments is limited due to the matrices' tendency to soften or degrade at tempera-tures above 150–200ºC. Swerea SICOMP has developed a new ver-sion of a carbon fibre composite that combines the advantages of conven-tional composites – high strength and rigidity relative to weight – but with extreme temperature tolerance.

The new material softens at 370–400ºC. The base is a new type of polymer, a crosslinked polyamide, developed specifically for the purpose by Swedish company Nexam Chemicals. The material is custom-made to function in rational,

cost-efficient manufacturing pro-cesses.

In the project, Swerea SICOMP has developed and adapted existing meth-ods for manufacturing composite com-ponents to the new thermoset plastic. In addition to studying the material's properties under different types of load Swerea SICOMP has also success-fully trial-manufactured components with propeller blade geometries.

Ultimately, this may mean that fibre composites can be used at higher temperatures, which makes them a potential substitute for heavier metal or light metal alloy structures in many applications, for example, in aircraft engine components.

DEMONSTRATOR MANUFACTURING

Ultra-high-temperature composites

Next- generation lead-free brass

Brass can be recirculated almost in-definitely and a lifecycle analysis shows that the environmental impact of the new alloy is at least 30 percent lower than other lead-free brass. Compared with other materials, such as plastic, the difference is even greater. The alloy meets all current environmental and health requirements and has been tested successfully by several of Nor-dic Brass Gusum's customers.

The alloy is now commercially avail-able as a product from Nordic Brass Gusum.

Photo: Nordic Brass Gusum

LEAD IS A COMMON alloying ele-ment in brass; however, since lead poses a health hazard, there is an increasing need to produce lead-free brass. Swerea KIMAB has helped Nordic Brass Gusum to develop the next-generation lead-free brass alloy, AquaNordic®. The alloy is based on a combination of microalloying ele-ments. It combines good corrosion resistance and machinability with considerably better environmental performance and lower cost than competing alternatives.



Functional fibres – smart textilesWITH SMART TEXTILES, athletic wear can measure heart rate and muscle activity. There are many application areas for smart textiles. The technique is based on seamless integration of electronics in textiles and research in this field has advanced in recent years.

Swerea IVF is developing functional textile fibres that can be woven into garments by means of a method that is already used in the textile industry. Electrical conductivity and piezoelectric effect are functions that are incorporat-ed into the structure and composition

of the fibres. Electrically conductive fibres of cellulose are integrated to carry signals and replace more rigid metal cables that are susceptible to corrosion. Piezoelectric fibres can be used as sensors, for example, to measure heart rate or respiration.

Garments with functional fibres present new possibilities within the health and healthcare sectors, enabling simplified monitoring and measurement outside of the hos- pital environment or follow-up of a patient's mobility and pattern of movement during rehabilitation.

Laminate of thin-ply carbon-fibre weavesCOMPOSITE LAMINATE with thin layers can withstand higher loads and strains before the first signs of damage appear. The Swedish company Oxeon manufactures thin-ply carbon-fibre weaves (TeXtreme)

that can be used to make this type of laminate. Aernnova, a major supplier to, among others, Airbus, Boeing and Embraer, has expressed interest in Oxeon's weaves.

In the DAMTEX project, Swerea

SICOMP, Oxeon, Aernnova and the University of Girona have devel-oped simulation models to predict damage growth in laminate made from TeXtreme. Swerea SICOMP has conducted impact experiments and damage studies, and devel-oped models to predict response and damage growth during impact and after impact loading. Results show that, in certain cases, damage growth differs markedly from what can be observed in laminates with layers of normal thickness, which has required new modelling methods.

Comparison of weaves with conventio-nal fibre bundles (regular tow) and weaves with thin spread-tow tapes. Illustration: Hellström.



IN THE ADDING PROJECT, pressure die-casting tools made by means of additive manufacturing are being developed. A wear-resistant material for 3D-printed tools will result in better productivity for Swedish foundries.

One of the great advantages of additive manufacturing is the greater material yield it provides as compared with today's manufacturing methods. Tools can be produced faster and with less environmental impact, thanks to the fact that only the material that is needed is used. Another improvement is that cooling channels can be optimally positioned in locations in ways that are not possible with conventional methods. In this way, mould lubrication can be reduced, which results in shorter cycle times.

Project participants include NovaCast Systems, Richardssons Verktygsservice, Volvo Technology, Ankars-rum Die Casting, VBN Components and Jönköping Uni-versity. The project is funded via the strategic innovation programme Metallic Materials.

ROLLING IS AN EFFICIENT manufacturing method with high productivity. By rolling sheet or strip steel to varying thick-nesses over the width of the material, it is possible to achieve greater manufacturing efficiency, create lighter products and save resources while at the same time maintaining or improv-ing technical performance. In the StripPro project a method has been developed for rolling material to a cross-sectional profile that is determined by the how the material is to be used. Finished components can then be manufactured with a material thickness that is adapted to the distribution of ex-pected loads in the components. This is particularly important for the aircraft and vehicle industries, where there is a great need to reduce weight without jeopardizing performance.

StripPro is funded by Vinnova via the LIGHTer programme. Industry participants include GKN Aerospace, Gestamp HardTech and Duroc Special Steel. The project is coordi-nated by Swerea MEFOS and the other research entities are IUC Olofström and Luleå University of Technology.

Varying material thickness adapted for loads

Additive manufacturing of next-generation pressure die-casting tools



WHEN SCRAP ALUMINIUM is smelted a salt slag is formed. This is a material for which there is currently no industrial use and it is landfilled after it is chemically stabilized.

Stena Aluminium is Sweden's lar-gest scrap-based aluminium smelter and the leading Nordic producer of recycled aluminium. Swerea MEFOS and Stena Aluminium have deve-loped a new process whereby salt slag, together with lime, is converted into a strategic product for the steel industry, a synthetic slag former for treatment of high-strength, high- quality steel. In the process a salt

flux that can be recirculated in alu-minium smelting is also extracted.

Process development has been aided by modelling, laboratory exper-iments and pilot trials. The material has also been successfully tested in industrial-scale trials at SSAB.

The synthetic slag former can reduce carbon dioxide emissions and use of fossil energy. This could also help Sweden to become self sufficient in the supply of a valuable raw material for steelmaking.

The project has been funded by Mistra, Stena Aluminium and SSAB in Luleå.

Residual materialsbecome astrategic product

LIGHTER VEHICLES result in lower fuel consumption. Improved design and materials contribute to reduc-ing the transport sector's climate impact and help to lower costs.

One example is replacing iron in cast components for the vehicle industry with aluminium. To retain the desired material properties without the risk of shorter service life, aluminium must be alloyed with other metals. The aim of the project “Advanced aluminium alloys in light structural components” is to improve conditions for the vehicle and aircraft industries to use high-quality aluminium alloys at higher temperatures by designing them specifically for the applications for which they are intended. Studies are being conducted of typical alu-minium alloying elements, such as nickel, and interesting new materi-als with particle additives that give the desired properties for the pur-pose. By using recycled aluminium, and thereby using considerably less energy as compared to virgin mate-rial, both cost savings and environ-mental gains can be realized.

The project is run by Swerea SWECAST in collaboration with GKN Aerospace, ABB Corporate Research, Husqvarna, Metall-fabriken Ljunghäll, Fundo Compo-nents, Scania, Stena Aluminium and Jönköping University. Project funding is provided via the strategic inno vation programme for light-weight engineering, LIGHTer.

Recycled aluminium in vehicles


Swerea is making a major invest-ment to build technology and expertise in the area of biobased fibres. The vision is to produce biobased alternatives to replace oil-based products. Developments include next-generation textile fibres and carbon fibres from Swedish forest raw materials.

DEMAND for fibres is increasing throughout the world, owing to popu-lation growth and the reduction of poverty. At the same time, production of cotton has reached a level which

is considered no longer sustainable. This has led to a dramatic increase in the production of oil-based fibres. This trend goes against Swedish and European ambitions regarding a tran-sition towards a biobased economy.

TO BRING about a circular economy and drive development towards reduced oil dependency, research concerning renewable textile fibre materials that can complement cot-ton and replace synthetic fibres is essential. With textile fibre materials made from cellulose from sustain-able Swedish forestry there are good

prospects for minimizing overall environmental impact.

IN RECENT YEARS Swerea IVF has invested in equipment and specialist know-how within different technolo-gies for production of biobased fibre materials. This includes several solu-tion-spinning lines, in both laboratory and pilot scale, as well as equipment for meltblown and solution blown (see definition on next page). The initiative has attracted great interest and several larger projects are run by Swerea IVF in close collaboration with industry.

Industrial renewal through sustainable development

Bio-based fibres – textiles of the future

Illustration: Astrid Hedenström


Solution-spun textile fibres from forest-based celluloseA pilot-plant facility for solution spinning of tex-tiles has been installed at Swerea IVF in Mölndal. Initially, textile fibres based on cellulose from forest raw materials will be produced in the pilot facil-ity, textile fibres from recycled textiles, marine raw materials and several other biopolymers will also be produced. The investment is an important step towards the industrial application of findings from laboratory-scale research conducted over a period of several years.

Solution blowing of cellulose fibresSolution blowing is a technique that is used to produce nonwoven fabric from polymers that can-not be melted, for example, cellulose. The material is made by extruding a polymer solution through a nozzle together with air under high pressure. The air flow makes the solution coagulate as thin fibres in the form of a nonwoven material. The irregular structure and the thin fibres make the material suitable for e.g., filters, geo textiles and hygiene products.

Meltblowing of bioplastics The market for biobased plastics for nonwovens is seeing strong growth. There is considerable interest in replacing oil-based plastics, such as polypropyl-ene, with biobased polylactic acid (PLA). For this, determined research and development efforts are needed. The meltblowing machine at Swerea IVF has been used during 2015 to produce and opti-mize nonwovens of PLA for products in which high demands are placed on the material's microstructure.

Solution spinning of lignin for carbon fibres Lignin is a by-product from paper pulp production. Flexible, strong fibres can be produced by solution spinning lignin together with, for example, cellulose. After heat treatment these fibres are converted to carbon fibres that can be used in high-perfor-mance lightweight products. Lignin-based carbon fibre is much more environmentally friendly and potentially cheaper than conventional petroleum-based carbon fibre.

Industry-related fibre projects

Solution spinning

Solution spinning is a method of manufacturing fibres from material that cannot be melted. This is also called wet spinning. Swerea helps companies to develop new fibres by means of solution spinning, with a focus on minimal environmental impact and low production cost.

Nonwoven

A sheet of fibres, continuous fila ments or yarns formed into a web and bonded together by any means, except weaving or knitting.


MUSECORR – a success storyThe EU project MUSECORR has been designated a Horizon 2020 success story . Institut de la Corrosion, Swerea KIMAB's subsidiary in France, has coordinated the project .

To protect Europe’s cultural heritage artefacts from the ravages of corrosion, sensitive detectors have been developed that monitor corrosive atmospheric pollu-tants in museums and archives . The detectors issue a warning signal when preventive measures must be taken . The project has achieved great commercial success . This has also resulted in follow-up research on new applications for the sensor in areas including vehicle corrosion and the paper industry .

Industry 2030 − where are we headed, and why?What will the future global industrial landscape look like? Which competencies will be required and what does Sweden need to do to remain at the forefront? “The Future of Industry”, a report commissioned by Swerea and produced by Kairos Future, provides new insights . It is a future-trend analysis based information from more than 400 people active in industry, aca-demia and the public sector . The report was presented during Almedal Week, and at seminars during the autumn which attracted more than 400 participants in twelve locations throughout the country .

“Those who have been warned can be prepared and, at Swerea, we want to be prepared to meet the needs and expectations of industry,” says Göran Carlsson, President and CEO of Swerea AB .

NOTICES

New multi-million-euro project will reduce carbon dioxide emissionsHorizon 2020 has granted funding amounting to about 128 million kronor over four years for the Stepwise project . Swerea MEFOS is one of nine partners in the project, which addresses cost-effective reduction of CO2 emissions from the iron and steel industry . As part of the project, a pilot facility will be built at Swerea MEFOS, where verifica-tion trials will be conducted . Gas from SSAB's blast fur-nace will be delivered to the pilot plant via a new pipeline .

“This project is important for the steel industry and for SSAB . If all goes according to plan and the separated carbon dioxide can be stored, a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from SSAB's operations can be realized,” says Jonas Larsson, Director of Environmental Affairs, SSAB .

Swerea MEFOS's share of funding for the project amounts to 75 million kronor .

Technological advance with 3D printerIn the former Munksjö paper mill, in Jönköping, Swerea SWECAST has built a test and demo facility for 3D print-ing of sand moulds and cores . The heart of the facility is a large sand-casting additive manufacturing system, the S-Max, from ExOne .

Within the foundry industry there is considerable inte-rest in 3D technology, since it both shortens lead times and increases freedom of design . With the Jönköping facility the very latest 3D technology can be demonstrated and easily and flexibly evaluated by the Swedish foundry industry . In addition, Swerea SWECAST can offer re-search, development and consultancy services to found-ries and their customers .

Patrik Fernberg appointed Associate Professor (Docent) at LTUPatrik Fernberg has been appointed Associate Professor (Docent) in Polymeric Construction Materials at Luleå Uni-versity of Technology . Patrik's postdoc research has been conducted at Swerea SICOMP in Piteå and has focussed exclusively on various aspects of polymeric composites .

Planned future research activities at Swerea SICOMP and LTU will be directed, as previously, towards practi-cal manufacturing of polymeric composite materials and advanced materials characterization and analysis .

Guide to green public procurementSwerea IVF and Kammarkollegiet have produced a hand-book that will support purchasers in their efforts to mini-mize the environmental impact of products and services from a lifecycle perspective . The guide includes general chapters on various sustainability is-sues, as well as concrete advice and examples on how to design and follow up on requirement specifications .

“We hope that it will be of great benefit in the creation of a sustainable society and contribute to the development of sustain-able goods and services,” says Stefan Posner, chemicals specialist and co-author of the book .

Agglomeration and minerals engineeringIn September Swerea MEFOS arranged a seminar on Agglomeration and Minerals Engineering in Luleå . About fifty participants from seven countries presented and discussed issues of current interest within minerals engi-neering, pretreatment and agglomeration . These are highly relevant topics at a time when global demand for metals and energy is placing greater requirements on more ef-ficient processing of raw materials and residual products .

“A general trend is that the supply of prime-quality ore raw material is decreasing, and the demand must be met with materials of a more complex nature . More strin- g ent environmental legislation and the industry's striving towards sustainable production mean that technology for recovery of metal-bearing sludges, slag and dust must be developed,” says Ulf Sjöström, Swerea MEFOS .

Smart transfer of residual heat from foundries to greenhousesEven though surplus heat from smelting plants and found-ries is used in various ways, much of the heat is wasted . In a prestudy by Swerea SWECAST and the Swedish Uni-versity of Agricultural Sciences, the possibility of utilizing surplus energy from foundries to heat greenhouses has been presented . The study has focused on conversion of relatively low-temperature (30-40ºC) residual heat .

“Our ambition is to design a demo facility and test technologies for efficient transfer of heat to greenhouse cultivation,” says Martin Wänerholm, Swerea SWECAST .

New technology for conversion of surplus heat will enable new greenhouses to be established more easily in different parts of the country, regardless of climate zones .

Swerea SICOMP's managing director has been awarded an honorary doctorateHans Hansson, managing director of Swerea SICOMP, has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the Faculty of Science and Technology, Luleå University of Techno-logy . The citation read: “Under his leadership Swerea SICOMP has grown to become an internationally leading research insti-tute and a strong research partner for Swedish and European industry and academia, not least, for Luleå Uni-versity of Technology . Collaboration between the university and the insti-tute has resulted in a large number of degree projects and project courses . Hansson has also encouraged the establishment of joint research centres and centres of excellence, which has been very important for the university .”

NOTICES

Centre for surface cleanliness − because cleanliness paysWhat happens in a fuel system if particle residues are left behind during assembly? How is a painted or coated sur-face affected by patches of surface contaminants such as oil, grease or oxides? Contaminants on components can result in extra costs due to failure, corrosion attack, peel-ing or other quality deficiencies . The Centre for Surface Cleanliness at Swerea IVF addresses the research and development needs of Swedish companies in this area . The centre will secure the long-term accumulation of knowledge related to surface-cleanliness issues, such as reduced contamination during manufacturing or ware-housing, within the Swedish manufacturing sector . Both time and money can be saved if more work is devoted to minimizing contamination .

CEFRACOR Award to Claude Duret-Thual Claude Duret-Thual, general manager of Institut de la Corrosion in Saint Etienne, was presented with the prestigious CEFRACOR Award at CEFRACOR's annual general meeting .

CEFRACOR is a French organization that works with corrosion-related issues . In connection with the meeting, Claude gave a presentation of experiences of trials in the testing laboratory . The award is in recognition of Claude's contribution to corrosion research in general, and the deve lopment of testing methods for stainless steel and other high-alloy material in particular .

Rapid tensile testingSwerea SWECAST has developed a new method for tensile testing (test for determining ultimate tensile strength) . With the new method the test specimen (rod) is drilled out of the material to be tested . The material is then affixed directly to a lathe, without any need for time-consuming truing of the workpiece . The method not only saves time, another advantage is that it is a controlled and repeatable process . The process was developed as part of a project to study the occurrence of chunky graphite .


Product and production development, manufacturing efficiency and work organiza-tion. Industrial manufacturing processes: sheet metalworking, mixed materials, surface finishing and heat treatment. Work, environment and energy. Materials development: textiles, plastics, rubber, ceramics and metals. Electronics packaging and hardware reliability. Materials analysis, testing and certification.

A CLEAR lifecycle perspective in terms of both operations and prod-ucts is becoming all the more evident in industry. This is strongly reflected in the research and development work conducted by Swerea IVF. Raw ma-terials from renewable sources as a basis for materials and product engi-neering are gaining in importance, while resources must be used more effectively and, preferably, recircu-lated in the process.

Use of forest raw materials for pro-ducing polymeric and textile materials is currently of great interest for the fur-niture and textiles industries. Therefore, we operate an industrial pilot plant for manufacturing textiles from cellulose. Here, in industry-funded development projects, the step is taken from the lab to industrial-scale production.

SWEREA IVF is working intensively to develop solutions for replacing haz-ardous chemicals in textile materials. This is accomplished in close colla-boration with industry via a network

known as the Chemicals Group. In collaboration with the relevant authorities, we are a strong resource for bringing about change in the industry. This includes consultation at the ministerial level to promote national development in this area.

WE ARE INVESTING heavily in ad-ditive manufacturing. In combination with our leading-edge expertise in this field, we provide a powerful technical resource for introducing technology across a broad front in Swedish industry. We help companies to test and evaluate technologies, based on their individual conditions and require-ments. This includes manufacturing of components in metallic, ceramic and polymeric materials. Expertise in geometric modelling, post treatment of 3D-printed components and quality assurance is also included.

Not only material and energy resources must be used sustain-ably; the same also applies to human resources. Swerea IVF is therefore

establishing a centre of excellence for industrial work environment in collaboration with companies, labour-market actors and other research en-tities. Here, we are building a strong base for research and development in the workplace, where higher productivity and an improved work environment go hand in hand.

FINANCIALLY and business-wise, 2015 has been a satisfactory year for Swerea IVF. The foundation is our ability to develop innovations within product engineering and manufactur-ing that span several industry sectors. This is becoming all the more impor-tant as greater focus is placed on a lifecycle perspective.

MATS LUNDIN, Managing Director

Biobased materials and sustainable production

TURNOVER 243 million kronorEMPLOYEES 164MEMBER COMPANIES 440ESTABLISHED 1964OPERATION LOCATIONS Mölndal, Stockholm, Linköping, Trollhättan, Eskilstuna, Jönköping and Oslo

BOARD OF DIRECTORSGöran Carlsson, Chair, Swerea

Johan Ancker

Hans Persson, Volvo Group Trucks Technology

Johan Carlsten, Chalmers University of Technology

Tor Ahlbom, Hultsteins Kyl AB

Ola Asplund, IF Metall

Lars-Olof Ingemarsson, Employee representative

Mikael Eriksson, Employee representative

Carina Egeman, Employee representative (deputy)

Melina da Silva,Employee representative (deputy)

FACTS


CHALLENGES in the steel and metals sector have given rise to challenges for Swerea MEFOS. Although income for the year declined, we have an even stronger commitment to inno-vative thinking and smarter ways of working. As newly appointed manag-ing director in August, I was struck by the commitment and expertise that exist in our company, and I am convinced that, in future, Swerea MEFOS will be a leading industrial re-search institute for resource-efficient and sustainable industry.

The concept of circular economy is prominent in much of the work we are now doing for industry. A closed- cycle approach, whereby waste is seen as a raw material and the pos-sibilities for recycling are grasped al-ready in the design phase, is reflected in the work we are doing in agglo-meration and fluidized-bed technology.

Development and consultancy in process metallurgy, heating, metalworking, envi-ronmental and energy engineering for the minerals, steel and metallurgical industry. Large-scale pilot projects (management, equipment, operation), reduction metallurgy, measurement technology and process analysis, advanced modelling/simulation, environmental and waste-product management, process integration.

We are developing new processes, for example, for recovery and recy-cling of salt slag and batteries, and through our involvement in Re:Source, a national innovation programme that spans several sectors, we want to realize even broader solutions.

WHERE RAW MATERIALS are con-cerned, Swerea MEFOS has been instrumental in the formation of “EIT Raw Materials”, a Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC). Together with Luleå University of Technology, as coordinator, Swerea MEFOS and other partners look forward to build-ing up the centre in Luleå.

By designing materials in the earli-est stage of product engineering, raw materials can be used as effectively as possible. In a current project we are studying how sheetmetal can be rolled to varying thicknesses across the entire breadth, for example, for aircraft components. This enables greater manufacturing efficiency and lighter products.

Verifying technologies and methods in semi-industrial scale using real raw materials has been one of our spe-

FACTSTURNOVER 124 million kronorEMPLOYEES 91MEMBER COMPANIES 42ESTABLISHED 1963OPERATION LOCATIONS Luleå and Borlänge

BOARD OF DIRECTORSJarl Mårtenson, Chair, Ovako Sweden

Göran Carlsson, Swerea

Nils Edberg, SSAB Europe

Kerstin Konradsson, Boliden Commercial

Johan Sterte, Luleå University of Technology

Fredrik Sandberg, Sandvik Materials Technology

Fredrik Skarp, Scanmast

Bijish Babu, Employee representative

Roger Nielsen, Employee representative

Lars-Erik From, Employee representative (deputy)

Biobased materials and sustainable production Commitment and expertisecialities since we started, more than 50 years ago. The Stepwise project is a good example of our capacity to design and develop tests that are applied under realistic conditions. In Stepwise we are designing, build-ing and running a new pilot facility to investigate how the blast furnace can be converted for hydrogen opera-tion and, in the same process, how carbon dioxide can be captured and separated.

IN OCTOBER we arranged our first members' day event on the theme “With Research in Focus”. The day gave insights into future trends such as raw-materials supply. In addition, members had a chance to meet our researchers, as well as having time to ask questions and discuss new ideas. We are very pleased that there is an overwhelming interest in more members' day events.

Equipped with commitment, exper-tise and our pilot and demo facilities, we are ready to meet the needs of industry, today and tomorrow.

EVA SUNDIN, Managing Director


Polymer fibre composites, including materials science, mechanical computation and simulation, damage resistance, process and manufacturing engineering, product development, prototyping and testing, and customized training programmes.

SWEREA SICOMP conducts re-search on three technology platforms: dimensioning, manufacturing engi-neering/process engineering and materials science.

Nationally and internationally, in materials science, biobased compo-site materials is a large research field that is aimed at the development of products made from forest raw materials. This includes development of biobased reinforcement fibre and plastics, as well as material based on nanocrystalline cellulose. One example is lignin-based carbon fibre, a high-value, biobased reinforcement fibre produced from residual products from paper manufacturing. In this area we work closely with Innventia and, together, we have produced a national roadmap for development across the entire value chain from tree to finished carbon fibre component.

WHERE BIOBASED plastics are concerned, research is now under way in EU-sponsored projects and in a Swedish cluster for the development

of new products from forest raw mate-rials. The raw materials consist mainly of by-products from the forest industry, such as tall oil, wood chips and lignin.

Nanocrystalline cellulose foam can be used as core material for both thermal insulation and sandwich structures. In our case, the feedstock for nanocrystalline cellulose is derived from dewatering by-products from paper manufacturing.

High-temperature composites for applications at temperatures exceed-ing 300 degrees are of great interest to the aircraft engine industry. The aim is to build energy-efficient engines for use in civil aviation by introducing light carbon fibre composites. We collaborate closely with materials manufacturers and European compa-nies that work with aircraft engines, such as Swedish GKN Aero Engine Systems in Trollhättan.

SMART, multifunctional composite ma-terials is an exciting area that includes, among other innovative applications, structural batteries – carbon fibre

structures that can bear mechanical load and store electrical energy. Using similar technology it is also possible to create composite materials that can be modified to quickly change in stiff-ness or rigidity. One application that is now being investigated, in collabora-tion with the automotive industry, is to use the material to distribute energy in collision situations and thereby lessen the risk of injury.

In addition, research on graphene and nanocomposites is also in progress. The research is conducted mainly in EU-sponsored projects and the aim is to improve certain proper-ties or to add more functions to the same product.

NEW CHALLENGES wait us in 2016, when we begin research on additive manufacturing. Please feel free to contact us, so we can tell you more and discuss how we can help you and your company.

HANS HANSSON, Managing Director

Biobased and multifunctional composites

TURNOVER 55 million kronorEMPLOYEES 50MEMBER COMPANIES 41ESTABLISHED 1988OPERATION LOCATIONSPiteå, Mölndal and Linköping


Ingegerd Annergren, Scania CV

Erik Persson, Municipality of Piteå

Bengt-Olof Elfström, University West

Jerker Delsing, Luleå University of Technology

Jonas Engström, Employee representative

Peter Mannberg, Employee representative

FACTS


GLOBALLY, production of cast pro-ducts has increased by more than 50 percent over the past ten years and, as the global economy continues to grow, potential demand remains high.

Development is mainly being driven by the need to reduce climate impact, improve resource efficiency and lower costs. Above all, this is reflected in smarter materials and more and lighter multifunctional cast compo-nents. One of the most interesting areas will probably be intelligent new products and new materials with im-proved properties and performance. Swerea SWECAST also continues to drive development within the national lightweight arena LIGHTer, which spans several industrial sectors.

ANOTHER INTERESTING area concerns improvements in resource efficiency in the manufacturing of cast components. Within RISE we have been tasked to lead a strategic initia-tive of which the aim is to strengthen

all of the RISE institutes' energy-related offerings to industry.

DURING 2015 Swerea SWECAST has initiated new research and deve-lopment projects on topics including recycling of casting sand, briquet-ting and reuse of fine-grained slag, additive manufacturing of pressure die-casting tools, MMC (Metallic Matrix Composite) and intelligent cast products.

In collaboration with a company that is world-leading in 3D sand printing, we have built up a successful testing and demo centre, where Swerea SWECAST provides research and development related to cast compo-nents. We can design moulds and cores and make them using the 3D sand printer, and then make cast prototypes or short series. The 3D sand printer is kept at our testing and demo facility and is the first and only one of its kind in Sweden.

Thanks to the new facility, Swerea SWECAST will be able to assist

Cast products, casting processes and cast materials, metallurgy, product engi-neering, simulation, and process and manufacturing engineering. Failure and dam-age analyses including accredited mechanical testing. Environmental studies and environmental protection engineering. Energy efficiency and industrial recycling Testing and demonstration foundry, and training programmes for industry.

FACTS

TURNOVER 57 million kronorEMPLOYEES 45MEMBER COMPANIES 142ESTABLISHED 1967OPERATION LOCATION Jönköping


Lars Alfredsson, Bruzaholms Bruk

Mats Jägstam, Jönköping University

Sten Dahlqvist, Swerea

Lars Johansson, BLJ Invest

Håkan Fernström, Employee representative

Ulf Gotthardsson, Employee representative

Biobased and multifunctional composites Safer, lighter, more efficientwith prototyping, taking the product concept to finished component while reducing the lead time from several months to about a week. We are currently the only European research institute that can do this under our own management and with our own resources. In continuation, we plan to invest further in new equipment and build knowledge surrounding additive manufacturing and the development of processes and new materials. Demand for our services has exceed-ed expectations and we are seeing considerable interest from companies that purchase cast products.

WE FORESEE great opportunities for continued growth, for developing new technologies and working with new customers and customer seg-ments. We look forward to exciting new projects in 2016 together with customers and strategic collaborative partners.

PETER SEMBERG, Managing Director


Process and alloy development for steels and metals. Joining technology, processes and dimen-sioning. Component manufacturing, processes and optimization. Mechanical properties, testing and prediction. Materials, including polymers, for aggressive environments. Corrosion (testing, evaluation of protection methods) – in various environments (atmospheric, high-temperature, marine, H2S, etc.). Materials analysis and metallo graphy. Failure analysis and materials selection.

SWEREA KIMAB has a strong custom-er base in the Swedish export industry, where heavy engineering, vehicles, energy, steel and metals are important sectors. These are demanding custom-ers with world-leading products and considerable research resources. To be able to meet their expectations we must be an internationally competitive research entity.

In the area of corrosion protection for vehicles in road environments we have a members' consortium in which most of the major vehicle manufacturers par-ticipate, together with several supplier companies. Here, groups of compa-nies contribute ideas and funding for projects addressing corrosion-related problems. One new project has to do with how corrosion problems can be prevented when new lightweight tech-nologies, including composite materi-als, are introduced in order to reduce fuel consumption. Project participants include 13 companies, together with Swerea KIMAB and Institut de la Cor-rosion. We are very proud to report that one of the world's leading automakers proposed us as project manager.

In the area of joining technology, we must remain internationally com-petitive, although our customer base comprises mainly Swedish compa-nies. We are proud to have General Motors as a member company and one of our researchers spends three month each year at GM's R&D Centre. Together with GM, we have developed an innovative spot-welding process for aluminium which eliminates the need for riveting, a considerably more expensive process. The method is patented.

FROM A NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE it is an expressed priority that the institutes support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in their innovation efforts. A customer survey has shown that our SME customers often learn about us from colleagues in other companies. It is gratifying to note that nine out of ten expressed interest in using our services again. From the survey it was clearly evident that our expertise in materials and corrosion is our most important strength.

FACTS

TURNOVER 247 million kronorEMPLOYEES 175MEMBER COMPANIES 184ESTABLISHED 1921OPERATION LOCATIONS Stockholm, Trollhättan, Brest and St Etienne


Anders G Lindberg, Scania CV

Göran Nyström, Ovako

Peter Gudmundson, KTH

Hans Klang, SSAB

Tomas Hult, Employee representative

Ragna Elger, Employee representative

Alexander Angré, Employee representative (deputy)

Thomas Björk, Employee representative (deputy)

Our focus is on customer value Society's costs for corrosion are

estimated at 100 billion kronor annu-ally in Sweden alone. Unfortunately, relatively few people are aware of this fact. We are therefore very pleased to report that we have been asked to take part in many infrastructure projects during the year. For example, together with the Swedish Transport Adminis-tration, we have identified a safe and sustainable solution to protect the new Sundsvall Bridge from corrosion. Now, a solution has been chosen after very extensive work on-location with divers, engineers and researchers.

WE ARE ALSO very pleased to report that 2015 has seen resumed growth in Swerea KIMAB's business and a dramatic improvement in financial outcome. We have welcomed 23 new co-workers during the year.

STAFFAN SÖDERBERG, Managing Director

OPERATIONS in Brest have con-tinued to grow during 2015, mainly in the areas of corrosion testing under realistic field-test conditions and in marine corrosion. A new EU-sponsored project has commenced, of which the aim is to gain a better understanding of how microstruc-tures affect the occurrence and spread of corrosion in metallic coatings in vehicles and building structures.

In Saint Etienne, in a new industrial project, researchers have begun to study the effects of oxygen on stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in steel. A framework agreement has been signed with ANDRA (French Na-tional Radioactive Waste Manage-ment Agency), making IC a selected partner for certain areas of corrosion research related to radioactive waste management.

Collaboration with various French universities, such as Ecole des Mines and the University of Brest, contin-ues via doctoral studies programmes related to corrosion in hydrogen sulphide and corrosion sensors.

Internationally, we have strength-ened our collaboration with Sin-gapore (Simtech and University of Singapore) and the University of Swansea.

WE LOOK FORWARD to exciting new challenges in 2016. Of particu-lar interest are the emergence of a new research field concerning cor-rosion in the aerospace sector, and increased activity within corrosion testing under high pressure and high temperatures.

DOMINIQUE THIERRY, Managing Director

Institut de la Corrosion

Unique Research Friday initiative in PiteåResearch Friday is arranged each year as part of the EU Researchers’ Night event . The 2015 edition was held in more than 300 towns and cities . In Sweden, 27 towns and cities took part, with Piteå being the northernmost . Swerea SICOMP and Swerea MEFOS, together with SP Energy Technology Center and Inter-active Institute Swedish ICT, joined forces to attract increased interest in research and development . The primary target group was secondary-school students, but public participation was welcome during the afternoon .

“We wanted to give visitors some insight into what composites can be used for and how materials selection and development can create incredible benefit for compa-nies and society in general,” says Lars Liljenfeldt, marketing manager at Swerea SICOMP .

Establishing locally grown textiles in Sweden Demand for textile fibres is growing and is expected to triple by 2050 . Production of oil-based textile fibres and cotton fibres, which has already reached capacity, impacts the environment negatively in various ways .

Funding amounting to 45 million kronor over three years has been granted for the project "Establishing locally grown textiles in Sweden" via the strategic innovation programme BioInnovation . Under the direction of Swerea IVF, project partners including companies, research institutes and academia will collaborate to secure sustainable production of new textile fibres from forest raw materials or recycled biobased textiles .

Revised edition of rustproofing handbookA newly revised edition of the rustproofing handbook has been published . Like the earlier edition it is the result of teamwork, this time between Swerea KIMAB and Auktorisation för Rostskyddsmålning . The handbook is both a practical and a theo-retical guide to the field of rustproofing coating . The intention has been to provide a general yet, in many respects, detailed over-view of the area . It is a primer that gives a good introduction to regulatory frameworks and fundamental standards, etc .

The handbook is available from Swerea KIMAB .

NOTICES


Subsidiary of Swerea KIMAB, established 2002.

28 ÅRSBERÄTTELSE 2015

SICOMP conference 2015Our 2015 conference, “Manufacturing and Design of Composites”, was held 1-2 June, at Hotell Arken in Gothen burg . During the two days, delegates from ten countries heard very interesting presentations on subjects including: use of composite materials in Renault and Volvo, mini car Zbee and innovative manufacturing methods .

New this year is a recently established grant for gradu-ate studies in polymeric fibre composites by Stiftelsen Swedish Institute of Composites SICOMP . This year the grant was awarded to Joraine Rössler, with a thesis pro-ject from Chalmers .

Transatlantic collaboration for new joining technology for General MotorsSwerea and General Motors have joined forces to develop next-generation joining technology for light vehicles . The technology gives GM environmental and production gains by reducing weight and cost for aluminium vehicle components .

Collaboration has facilitated the introduction and verifi-cation of a recently GM-patented solution for aluminium-to-aluminium joining in several different production-like scenarios .

“For us, Swerea's expertise and experience are a great asset . Working side-by-side on decisive research issues allows us to make strategic choices during the course of the project . That's what characterizes research and deve-lopment,” says Blair Carlson, GM manufacturing systems research lab group manager .

NASA and Swerea SICOMP collaborate on simulation of impact damage in polymeric carbon fibre compositesHigh-performance carbon fibre composites are subject to damage due to, for example, impact . This type of damage is often not visible to the naked eye and it is important to be able to design structures with the help of computations in order to prevent damage . Swerea SICOMP will collabo-rate in a two-year project with NASA Langley Research Center to develop a computer model for simulation of damage processes in polymeric carbon fibre compo-sites . NASA is responsible for developing the model and Swerea SICOMP will assess the experimental test data .

This collaboration is an important step towards an industrially adapted method for structural computation

of polymeric carbon fibre composites . The development will strengthen both organizations' ability to support industry with advanced computations .

NOTICES

New project will reduce vibration injuries Vinnova is investing 7 .3 million kronor in a Swerea IVF-managed project of which the aim is to come to terms with vibration-related occupational injuries . The goal is to eliminate vibration injuries by developing low-vibration handheld machines . Vibration is the second-greatest cause of occupational injuries among men and the occur-rence of such injuries among women is steadily increas-ing . Often, young people are subject to this type of injury and the consequences are long-term .

A consortium with broad representation from all rele-vant public-sector agencies has been formed .

“The project is unique, in that we are now, finally, gather-ing all stakeholders in society to address the problem and to stimulate demand for better machines . Everyone has something to gain if vibrations can be eliminated,” says Hans Lindell, Swerea IVF, who is leading the consortium .

New Professor of Process MetallurgyLena Sundqvist Ökvist, Swerea MEFOS, has been ap-pointed Associate Professor of Process Metallurgy at the Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Luleå University of Tech nology . Lena works with LTU both in research projects and in teaching . She has extensive experience of national and international research in reduction metallurgy and recycling of residual products, particularly in the area of materials and energy efficiency in the steel industry .

“Lena's expertise and commitment to research and teaching-related issues, as well as her very considerable national and international network, will be a major asset for our research field,” says Caisa Samuelsson, Professor at the Division of Minerals and Metallurgical Engineering .

3D-printed tools open new possibilities for the die-casting foundry industryTogether with Swedish die-casting foundries, Swerea SWECAST is studying the potential for pressure die- casting tools made by means of additive manufacturing .

“We see enormous potential in the project . We can make tools faster and we can reduce environmental impact, since only the material that is needed is used,” says Jörgen Henriksson, quality and production manager at Ankarsrum Die Casting .

The project builds on work done in a prestudy entitled Adding . In the second phase of the project, virtual methods for optimal positioning of cooling channels to achieve the right heat transfer and thermal balance in the tool will be studied .

Award for research on biobased carbon fibre Swerea IVF and Innventia accepted the award at the International Symposium on Wood, Fibre and Pulping Chemistry, ISWFPC, in Vienna, in recognition of their joint research on the development of light, wood-based carbon fibre material . In the project two wood compo-nents, lignin and cellulose, have been solution-spun and thin, pliable threads in which the best properties of high-tech, carbon-rich fibres and more conventional textiles are combined have been made .

“Naturally, we are very pleased that our project has attracted so much interest . Now, we want to scale-up production and it is important that we can bring the industry on board,” says Carina Olsson, Swerea IVF .

DISIRE – Integrated process control58 million kronor has been allocated to the DISIRE project via Horizon 2020 . The aim of the project is to develop a sensor that can be incorporated into the raw-material flow in the steelmaking process . The sen-sors can gather data (e .g ., temperature) inside the blast furnace, walking beam furnace or similar high-temper-ature environments and the information can be sent to process-control units online . Swerea MEFOS will help to develop and adapt the sensors for high-temperature environments . Testing and analysis will show if/how the sensors contribute to improved process control .

Luleå University of Technology is coordinating the three-year project .

New 3D printer for metalOver the past three years Swerea IVF has increased its activities in additive manufacturing and now has access to 3D printers for metal, ceramics and plastics . The most recently acquired 3D printer is adapted for manu-facturing components in different metal alloys such as stainless steel, tool steels, titanium, cobalt-chromium, Inconel and aluminium . All of these alloys have a range of applications in, for example, the medico-technical, aerospace and vehicle industries . The new printer rep-resents yet another step forward in the Swerea Group's major investment within this field .

New biobased lightweight material presentedEfforts in recent years to realize the vision of lightweight materials made from forest raw materials are now start-ing to yield results . Innventia and Swerea SICOMP are the world's first to present a composite based on 100 percent coniferous lignin in a so-called demonstrator .

The demonstrator, a sandwich structure consisting of balsa wood laminated with carbon fibre, is the first successful laboratory-scale evidence to show that it is possible to manufacture lignin-based carbon fibre . Yet another demonstrator, a model car that operates on a lignin-based battery, is now being developed to demon-strate a future application in the vehicle industry .

Docent in Atmospheric Corrosion Johan Tidblad has been appointed Docent in Corrosion Science, with specialization in atmospheric corrosion, at KTH in Stockholm . Johan works at Swerea KIMAB as manager for the Corrosion Protection and Surface Engineering section . The title of his Docent address was: “Planning for a sustainable infrastructure with short-term corrosion testing . Can we solve the conflict-ing demands of the modern world?”

3D focus at Elmia The Statue of Liberty – 3D-printed in sand in Swerea SWECAST's new test and demo facility in Jönköping – was a real showstopper at the innovation arena Innodex at Elmia Subcontractor . The statue and several other 3D-printed objects were displayed at Swerea's stand to attract the interest of visitors . Many people visited the

stand and a guided showing of the 3D machine during the fair was well attended .

For those interested in the very latest in 3D technology, Swerea arranged a conference in collaboration with Elmia Subcon-tractor and the industry organiza-tion Sveat .

NOTICES



Swerea's researchers are key players in Sweden's new industrializa-tion. Each day, their contributions strengthen the country's industrial competitiveness and attractiveness. Thanks to their efforts, estab-lished companies choose to remain here, while companies from abroad choose to open for business in Sweden. Qualified, committed co-workers are the most important factor for success in every project.

RESEARCHERS FROM ALL of Swerea's subsidiaries contribute small puzzle pieces to the develop-ment of industrial materials and inno-vative solutions often see the light of day in meetings between specialists from different fields.

Of the researchers employed in the group's Swedish operations during 2015, about ten percent are foreign recruitments. The fact that researchers from around the world come to work for us benefits our customers, our research and our

commissioned work. Finding and developing competencies and building leadership that fosters an inclusive and successful corpo-rate culture is an important process.

Swerea Academy provides man-agement training for supervisors and project managers. Personnel from Swerea' subsidiaries meet in the courses, which gives co-workers the opportunity to broaden their know-ledge and their network within the group.

Of Swerea's active research personnel, 45 percent hold doc-torate degrees. During 2015, 23 employees have pursued concurrent doctoral studies. Expertise and crea-tivity are our core business and our co-workers are our most important resource.

The people behind the successes

Jan LevénResearch Engineer and Operations Manager, Heating and Metalworking, Swerea MEFOS

In my research, one goal has beento manufacture products with consist-ently uniform properties, for example, thickness or strength . The trend towards greater resource efficiency means that each product must be customized so that properties are adapted to meet specific conditions at each point over the entire product . The challenge today is to find meth-ods for designing and manufactur-ing these products with the same or better productivity, material yield and energy consumption as in conven-tional manufacturing . Taking part in this development is both exciting and a privilege .

Marie FredrikssonSenior Research Engineer, Casting of Light Metals, Swerea SWECAST

Designed materials for casting is an area that is gaining increasing interest . These may be metals that are alloyed to give the desired properties, or mate-rials to which various types of particles

are added to achieve specific properties . Examples include components for heavy vehi-cles which are convention-ally cast in iron, but where aluminium alloys that can

withstand high temperatures are an interesting alternative .

One alternative is to cast different materials together in the same compo-nent, for example, aluminium and cast iron, in order to utilize the low density and thermal conductivity of aluminium while taking advantage of iron's supe-rior mechanical properties .

Peter MannbergResearch Engineer, Materials, Swerea SICOMP

Raw materials from renewable sourc-es are the future, since the demand for continuous growth means that finite resources are being used too quickly . Therefore, use of renewable resources must be increased .The building blocks from renewable resources can be used to replace those from finite resources such as oil . From the forest, Sweden's new “oilfield”, monomers, building blocks from which polymeric materials and fibres can be made, can be extracted . These plastics and fibres can directly replace today's oil-based equivalents in composites applications .

We asked Swerea's co-workers a question:

What is the most excit-ing thing happening in your field right now in the development of industrial materials?


Lennart SibeckResearch Engineer, Cast Materials, Swerea SWECAST

Austempered ductile iron (ADI) with double the strength of ductile iron has been in use for several years . Since austempering can double the strength of ductile iron while retaining good ductility and toughness, this material is starting to compete with steel .

Similarly, ausferritic steels with a unique combination of strength and ductility are being developed .

Castforging of ductile iron combines conventional tech-nology and material, resulting in a new forming process and a new material . Aluminium alloy-based metal matrix composites have long shown great potential . Widespread use of the material has been inhibited by difficulties in manufacturing and high cost, but new casting methods could solve these problems .

Annika StrondlSection Manager, Process Development, Swerea KIMAB

Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, has virtually exploded in Sweden over the past year . This technology is rapidly driving the rate of materials development and enabling design for function i .e ., lightweight products in which the material is used only where it is needed . Rotat-ing aircraft engine components that have been made by

means of additive manufacturing are one exciting example . If the material meets

these tough requirements, there is enormous potential in other indus-trial applications . The next step is to take advantage of the possibility of locally customizing the properties of

the material in the process .

Sepehr HatamiResearch Engineer, Additive Manufacturing, Swerea IVF

I work with additive manufacturing (so-called 3D printing) of metal components . This new technology enables the

use of less material for manufacturing certain components, thereby reducing

weight without jeopardizing perfor-mance or strength .

In practice, only a few companies have succeeded in finding the right

application for the method while retain-ing profitability . This is an interesting and

challenging part of my work . Therefore, my research focuses on understanding the full potential of additive manufacturing, as well as its limitations in various industrial applications .

Lisa Schwarz BourResearch Engineer, Textiles Recycling, Swerea IVF

Globally, there is a great demand for effective textiles recovery that would enable use of the recovered material as a valuable raw material in new processes . This would contribute to meeting increasing world demand for textiles . Since recovered textiles consist largely of mixed mate-rials, no single technology can meet this demand . We need to use the entire palette of recycling technolo-gies, both mechanical and chemi-cal, and develop recovery, sorting and separation methods to create a functioning circular value chain for textile materials .

Mari SparrSection Manager, Metallic Materials in Aggressive Environments, Swerea KIMAB

We work a lot with materials producers, the manufacturing industry and end-users to study corrosion properties of materials and products in different environments . The basic materials have certain corrosion properties, but different manufacturing process-es e .g ., welding, also affect corrosion properties . Corrosion has a great impact on a product's service life and is an especially important consideration from a material strat-egy perspective, since it can have a bearing on costs, the environment and safety . To be able to predict a product's service life it is important to have good knowledge of the environment in which it is to be used and access to reli-able methods for testing under conditions resembling that environment . In corrosion testing, we have longstanding experience of exposing test specimens in the field to obtain reliable corrosion data .

Lawrence HooeyGroup Manager, Materials and Raw Materials, Swerea MEFOS

The goal of process integration is to maximize ef-ficiency throughout an entire production system . One example is the introduction of new technology for converting a residual product into a valuable and sustaina-ble product . Energy-bearing process gas from integrated steelmaking is now combusted in combined heat and power plants (CHP) or heating plants . Through new ways of convert-ing this gas into valuable and sustain-able products, technologies can be developed that will reduce CO2 emissions, improve energy efficiency and lower costs . Swerea MEFOS is involved in the EU-sponsored Stepwise project, of which the aim is to convert blast furnace gas to hydrogen and, in the same process, capture and separate CO2 .


FROM LEFT: Olof Sandén (b 1962) . CEO, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden . MSc, Chalmers University of Technology/ETH Zürich . Formerly employed with Bactiguard, Elekta, Exportrådet (Busi-ness Sweden), and Boston Consulting Group in various senior management positions and busi-ness development . Other directorships: Board member, SP Sveriges Tekniska Forskningsin-stitut (Technical Research Institute of Sweden), Swedish ICT, Innventia, Scandidos AB, Micropos Medical and Unisport-Saltex Oy . Other assign-ments: Advisory Board, Wistrands Advokater . Elected to the board in 2015 .

Eva Wigren (b 1954) . Director, Industrial Deve-lopment, Teknikföretagen (the Association of Swedish Engineering Industries) . MSc, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH); MSc Business Ad-ministration and Economics, Stockholm University . Former CEO Electrolux Core Technology & In-novation and Sweco Industriteknik . Other director-ships: Chairman, Teknikföretagens Bransch-grupper . Board member of Vinnova, Structural Fund Partnership Stockholm and European Fac-tories of the Future Research Association . Board member, IVA . Elected to the board in 2012 .

Bo-Erik Pers (b 1956) . Managing Director, Jernkontoret . MSc, Royal Institute of Technol-ogy (KTH) . Formerly employed by SSAB EMEA, SSAB Tunnplåt and Scania in various positions in marketing, sales and technology development . Other directorships: Chairman, Hugo Carlsson Foundation for Scientific Research, and MEFOR . Board member, Eurofer and SIS . Elected to the board in 2011 .

Peter Samuelsson Chairman (b 1963) . Former CTO, Sandvik MT . MSc Metallurgical En-gineering, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) . Formerly employed by Outokumpu Stainless AB, Ovako AB, Danieli, Centro Met, Avesta Shef-field AB and Avesta Polarit in various positions in engineering, production, logistics, R&D and business management . Other directorships: Chairman, Högskolan Dalarna . Elected to the board in 2013 .

Merja Myllykoski (b 1971) . Process Controller, Swerea MEFOS . MSc International Marketing, Luleå University of Technology . Employee repre-sentative . Board member since 2015 .

Karl-Gustav Ramström (b 1954) . CEO and President, Prevas . MSc and MBA, Uppsala University . Formerly employed by SSAB Plate, SSAB Oxelösund and Process Automation ABB Sweden in various positions in engineering, divisional management and senior management . Other directorships: Board member, Automation Region . Board member, IVA . Elected to the board in 2012 .

Eva Pétursson (b 1968) . Research Manager, SSAB . PhD, Luleå University of Technology . Former Associate Professor, Steel Construction, Luleå University of Technology . Senior specialist in high-strength steel structures, SSAB . Other assignments: Board member, SSAB Technology and member of TGS8 (Research Fund for Coal and Steel) . Elected to the board in 2015 .

Sten Farre (b 1957) . Senior Researcher, Swerea SWECAST . BSc, Metallurgy, Bergsskolan . Employee representative . Board member since 2014 .

Board of directors


Management group

FROM LEFT: Sten Dahlqvist (b 1952) . CFO, Swerea . MBA, Stockholm University . Employed with the group since 1994 .

Peter Semberg (b 1961) . CEO, Swerea SWECAST . Studies in behavioural science at Linköping University . Employed with the group since 2015 .

Gunilla Kühner (b 1965) . Marketing Director, Swerea . Studies in medical technology and chemistry at Stockholm University and Umeå University; studies in marketing at Berghs School of Communication and IFL . Employed with the group since 2014 .

Göran Carlsson (b 1954) . President and CEO, Swerea . MSc Metallurgical Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) . Board member, IVA . Employed with the group since 2008 .

Staffan Söderberg (b 1951) . CEO, Swerea KIMAB . Associate Professor, Uppsala University . Board member, IVA . Employed with the group since 2007 .

Eva Sundin (b 1965) . CEO, Swerea MEFOS . PhD, Luleå University of Technology . Employed with the group since 2015 .

Mats Lundin (b 1963) . CEO, Swerea IVF . MSc, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) . Employed with the group since 1989 .

Mats Holmgren (b 1952) . CTO, Swerea . MSc, Lund University, Faculty of Engineering . Employed with the group since 1979 .

Hans Hansson (b 1955) . CEO, Swerea SICOMP . PhD, (Hon .) Luleå University of Technology . Employed with the group since 1993 .

ABSENT: Göran Fahlén (b 1951) . Strategic development, Swerea . Studies in Mechanical Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology and Forestry Production at Umeå University . Employed with the group since 2010 .


Five-year summary

2015 2014 2013 2012 2011Turnover, MSEK 711.1 678.1 666.3 604.9 472.0Operating profit after depreciations, MSEK 8.8 2.3 6.6 -0.8 22.6Income after net financial items, MSEK 15.4 10.3 15.7 10.0 30.6Balance sheet total, MSEK 682.0 638.4 654.9 616.4 527.7Shareholders' equity, MSEK 347.6 337.3 328,.5 317.6 273.6Operating margin, % 1.2 0.3 1.0 -0.1 4.8Return on equity, % 3.3 2.1 3.0 2.3 9.2Equity/assets ratio, % 51 53 50 52 52Cash liquidity, % 121 125 131 145 134Capital expenditures, MSEK 31.6 28.8 39.8 51.8 23.7Average number of employees 532 523 532 527 407

Income statement

Sums in kSEK 2015 2014Operating revenueNet sales 709 858 676 644Other operating revenues 1 274 1 480Total revenue 711 132 678 124

Operating expensesOther external expenses -266 213 -251 420Personnel expenses -406 910 -395 851Depreciation and write-downs of tangibleand intangible assets -29 218 -28 550Operating profit 8 791 2 303

Profit from financial itemsProfit from other securities and receivablesaccounted for as fixed assets 3 791 3 544Other interest income and similar profit/loss items 3 924 4 950Interest expenses and similar profit/loss items -1 126 -487Profit after financial items 15 380 10 310

Profit before tax 15 380 10 310

Tax on profit for the year -3 839 -3 393

PROFIT FOR THE YEAR 11 541 6 917

Balance sheet

Sums in kSEK 2015 2014ASSETSFixed assetsINTANGIBLE ASSETSCapitalized expenditure for computer software 503 470 503 470TANGIBLE ASSETSLand 476 476Land improvements 35 39Buildings 20 825 20 759Costs invested in another party's property 25 900 28 664Machinery and technical systems 29 389 32 432Equipment, tools, fixtures and fittings 63 047 65 774Fixed assets under construction 10 302 149 974 148 144FINANCIAL FIXED ASSETSShares and participations in group companies 10 11Other securities held as fixed assets 145 983 136 731Deferred tax asset 175 150Other long-term receivables 3 589 3 844 149 757 140 736Total fixed assets 300 234 289 350

Current assetsINVENTORIES, ETC.Finished products and goods for resale 3 413 3 547 3 413 3 547CURRENT RECEIVABLESAccounts receivable, trade 66 555 66 252Taxes recoverable 24 015 7 621Other receivables 6 400 5 371Prepaid expenses and accrued income 87 117 87 151 184 087 166 395

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS 12 088 10 643

CASH AND BANK BALANCES 182 198 168 493Total current assets 381 786 349 078

TOTAL ASSETS 682 020 638 428

TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY AND LIABILITIESRESTRICTED EQUITYShare capital 12 157 12 157Restricted reserves 13 421 12 607 25 578 24 764NON-RESTRICTED EQUITYProfit or loss brought forward 310 479 305 645Profit for the year 11 541 6 917 322 020 312 562 347 598 337 326PROVISIONSProvisions for pensions 3 722 3 621Provisions for deferred tax 12 236 13 147Other provisions 745 721 16 703 17 489

LONG-TERM LIABILITIES 1 644 3 863 1 644 3 863CURRENT LIABILITIESAdvances from customers 181 692 160 845Accounts payable 43 237 32 033Other liabilities 25 701 23 523Prepaid expenses and deferred income 65 445 63 349 316 075 279 750

TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY AND LIABILITIES 682 020 638 428

Sustainability and competitive advantage with CSR*

Sustainability is one of the most important drivers of the projects in which Swerea participates. All aspects of sustainability are at the crux of society's great-est environmental, societal and economic challenges.

Swerea's collective expertise enables unique possibilities for adopting a broader view, even when approach-ing issues of a seemingly insular nature. All projects address chal-lenges that are related to a system; a lifecycle from raw material to product, use and end-of-life management.

Swerea has a deep and genuine commitment to sustainability, and the Swerea institutes practise what they preach. Here, development is ongoing and during 2015, among other things, we have produced a research policy and a business policy. We have also presented proposals for ethical guidelines for Swerea.

Sustainability in practiceMost of Swerea's work towards long-term sustainability is done success-fully in concrete projects in collabo-ration with industry and our research colleagues. Getting the most out of a raw material while using as little energy as possible is the top priority in many projects.

Similarly, focus is placed on deve-loping new materials and upgrad-ing old materials, and reducing the environ mental impact of products during use and when they have reached end-of-life.

Swerea's model for sustainability assessment of projects has been applied in several of Vinnova's** stra-tegic innovation programmes, such as Metallic Materials and LIGHTer.

Practising what we preachSwerea creates broad, group-wide research and development platforms in areas where we see that our collective expertise can contribute to meet-ing society's challenges. Swerea Industrial recycling is one such area. Lightweight, Additive manufactur-ing, Industrial work environment and Swerea Virtual Lab are other areas in which we create benefit for industry with a holistic approach.

All of the Swerea institutes work continuously to improve sustain-ability in their own operations. As an example, in 2015 Swerea KIMAB conducted a review of its energy and heat consumption. Swerea IVF has updated its climate declaration and the results showed a further reduc-tion in climate impact per hour.

In collaboration with the property owner the institute also installed solar panels on the roof in order to make energy use more sustainable.

Equality and diversitySwerea strives to balance the numbers of men and women in all positions. In our work groups people with different backgrounds and ex-periences meet with mutual respect to deliver on Swerea's promise: scientifically and creatively excellent solutions that meet industry-related challenges.

Swerea MEFOS has also partici-pated in an EU-funded development project, Mångväx, where the goal has been to put the principles of equality and diversity to practice in develop-ing the company's business.

Both Swerea MEFOS and Swerea KIMAB have arranged professional development days on the theme of diversity and equality.

Work environmentTo be able to deliver research results and maximum benefit to industry it is absolutely essential to be an attrac-tive employer. Therefore, creating and developing a good physical and psy-chosocial work environment is always at the top of the Swerea institutes' agenda.

During the year Swerea SICOMP has designed workspaces and deve-loped working methods for working with nano-modified materials based on the latest research in nanosafety.

Swerea SWECAST has built an integrated management system and a new quality management system in an effort to ensure continuous improve-ment. Work environment management is done systematically.

Making a difference in the worldThe expertise that accrues from projects and collaboration with the Swerea institutes often brings benefit on a broad front.

Swerea IVF has produced a new guide to green public procurement. The guide, produced in collabora-tion with Kammarkollegiet, is an aid to public procurement of very large volumes.

As an important Swedish industrial research entity, we have a very great responsibility for development that leads to greater sustainability.

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 35* Corporate Social Responsibility** Sweden's Innovation Agency

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Member and interest-group companies

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Member and interest-group companiesNOTICES

Re:Source – It's all interrelatedSweden will be a world leader in mini-mizing waste and upgrading residual products . RE:Source, a national industry-wide innovation programme that gathers many participants from Swedish industry, waste manage-ment and research, has now begun . RE:Source will address three challeng-es: Less waste, sustainable materials supply and reduced dependency on non-renewable resources .

“It is exciting to start and coordinate a new innovation programme that brings together, and benefits, all of society,” says Johan Eriksson, Swerea, who is responsible for “Sustainable materials supply” . The programme is led by SP Sveriges Tekniska Forsknings-institut (Technical Research Institute of Sweden) .

New pipeline to supply pilot plant with blast furnace gasConstruction of a 500-metre-long pipe-line from SSAB's BF 3 to Swerea MEFOS began in autumn 2015 . The gas pipeline is part of the Stepwise pro-ject and will supply the new pilot plant at Swerea MEFOS with process gas .

The new pipeline also augments Swerea MEFOS's pilot plant facilities while giving the institute a means to make a considerably greater contribu-tion to the steel industry's efforts to reduce CO2 emissions . The capacity is about 2,500 m3n/h .

ANNUAL REPORT 37

Award winners Two of Swerea KIMAB's co-workers have been awarded for their efforts .

Claes Taxén has been awarded the 2015 Einar Mattsson Award, amount-ing to 30,000 kronor . Claes Taxén is an innovative researcher who has extensive knowledge of fundamental corrosion, electrochemistry and modelling . Thanks to his solid understanding of the theory of chemical processes, Claes can create directly applicable corrosion models .

Christer Eggertson has been awarded the 2015 Rune Lagneborg Award, amounting to 30,000 kronor, in recogni-tion of his outstanding contributions in the field of experimental simulation of steelmaking processes .

Both are also good ambassadors for Swerea KIMAB .

New technology will reduce Europe's vanadium importsVinnova has granted Swerea MEFOS funding amounting to 3 million kronor for a vanadium extraction project, of which the aim is to develop new technology for economically viable, environmentally friendly exploitation of untapped vana-dium resources in Europe . In the EU, where industry accounts for 13% of total world consumption, vanadium is classed as an economically important metal . Vanadium is used primarily in the produc-tion of high-strength, low-alloy steels, special steels (e .g ., tool steels) and in special alloys for the aerospace industry . The technology can reduce Europe's import requirement for vanadium raw ma-terial by as much as 80-90 percent .

© 2016 SwereaProject manager: Karin EdfastText and graphic design: Plan Sju kommunikation ABTranslation: Mark WilcoxPhoto: Swerea, Maria Åsén, Patrik Svedberg, Anneli Nygårds, Anders Alm, Fredrik Broman, Carina Olsson, Matton . Printing: Lule Grafiska AB, May 2016 .

“Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought.”Albert Szent-Györgyi

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Swerea ABBox 7047SE-164 07 Kista,Sweden+46 (0)8 440 45 [email protected]

Swerea IVFBox 104SE-431 22 Mölndal,Sweden+46 (0)31 706 60 [email protected]

Swerea KIMABBox 7047SE-164 07 Kista,Sweden+46 (0)8 440 48 [email protected]

Swerea MEFOSBox 812SE-971 25 Luleå,Sweden+46 (0)920 20 19 [email protected]

Swerea SICOMPBox 271SE-941 26 Piteå,Sweden+46 (0)911 744 [email protected]

Swerea SWECASTBox 2033SE-550 02 Jönköping,Sweden+46 (0)36 30 12 [email protected]

swerea annual report 2015

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