Lightweight and Cost-Effective Welded Structures - From Design to Manufacturing

Transport is at the core of modern society. Imagine using your expertise to shape sustainable transport and infrastructure solutions for the future. If you seek to make a difference on a global scale, working with next-gen technologies and the sharpest collaborative teams, then we could be a perfect match.

Description of the assignment:

How can welded structures be designed lighter and more cost-effectively by combining structural optimization with advanced manufacturing methods?

Volvo Construction Equipment is continuously working to improve product performance, reduce weight, and increase manufacturing efficiency. New possibilities in engineering analysis, joint preparation, welding processes, and automated post-weld treatment create opportunities to develop welded structures beyond conventional design solutions.

The objective of this thesis is to develop and evaluate concepts for lightweight and cost-effective welded structures by combining structural analysis, weld and joint design, and manufacturing optimization.

The thesis will include:

• Study representative welded structures and identify opportunities for weight and cost optimization.
• Develop alternative concepts for plate thickness, weld size, joint geometry, penetration, and joint preparation.
• Use structural and fatigue analysis to dimension and compare the concepts.
• Evaluate manufacturing aspects such as welding effort, material usage, productivity, process robustness, and automated post-weld treatment.
• Experimentally investigate selected joint and welding concepts where relevant.
• Apply and verify promising solutions on a physical demonstrator where feasible.
• Provide recommendations for future design and industrial application.

The work provides an opportunity to study concepts from both a product and manufacturing perspective, with the goal of finding solutions that provide the required structural performance with less weight and lower total manufacturing effort.

The thesis will be performed in a cross-functional environment within Volvo CE, providing the opportunity to work closely with specialists in structural analysis, welding, design, fatigue, materials, manufacturing, and automation.

Learning objectives:

During the thesis, you will have the opportunity to:

• Develop knowledge in lightweight design, structural analysis, welding, and manufacturing optimization.
• Combine analytical, numerical, and experimental methods to evaluate engineering concepts.
• Understand the trade-offs between structural performance, weight, cost, and manufacturability.
• Gain experience of cross-functional engineering together with specialists from several technical disciplines.

Suitable Background:

We believe you are studying within areas such as:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Structural Mechanics
• Welding Engineering
• Production Engineering
• Materials Engineering

An interest in lightweight design, structural analysis, welding, fatigue, and manufacturing is beneficial. Experience with simulation, calculation methods, welding, or experimental testing is an advantage but not a requirement.

A team of two students with complementary backgrounds is particularly suitable.

Thesis Level: Master of Science

Language: English or Swedish

Starting Date: January 2027

Number of Students: 1-2

Last day for application: 2026-11-22

Ready for the next move?