SFMA - Swedish Fluid Motion Association

Based on the report “Artificial Intelligence and Digitization in the Fluid Industry”, SFMA will conduct a feasibility study in the spring of 2021. The report shows that the global fluid industry is facing major upheavals in the long term. Digitization and AI are strong driving forces. The conditions for the Swedish fluid industry vary greatly depending on whether you are a large global company with its own internal AI development or a smaller company with limited resources with computer skills and limited networks for Swedish AI investments. The report also shows that there are several investments in digitization and AI, especially among the large global system integrators of fluid technology and fluid component and system manufacturers (eg Volvo CE, Komatsu, Epiroc and Bosch Rexroth, Parker Hannifin) and only a few investments in the small and medium-sized fluid component and system manufacturers. The latter observation also applies to the international global fluid R&D actors in the USA and Europe, where the global forest industry R&D actors seem to be the ones who have come the furthest.

At the same time, there are many national and regional AI initiatives that can create great opportunities even for the smaller companies in fluid technology in Sweden. In other words, there are great synergies with, in an overall industry investment, thinking through how the Swedish fluid industry AI and digitalisation should best relate to the opportunities that are now opening up for Swedish industry. To move forward with the strategic and tactical plan, we propose a feasibility study (feasibility study) as the next step.

The structure, challenges and tasks of the feasibility study What does the Swedish fluid industry's need for AI look like in the short and long term perspective?

How should a tactical plan be implemented in the best way, which companies, organizations and actors should participate in the region (projects)?

What activities and projects already exist that we can build on?

What competencies are there among companies and other actors in the regions linked to AI?

With which universities and colleges can we best collaborate on both competence-enhancing initiatives for member companies and specific product development projects?

Feasibility study supplies Conducted member survey on the picture of needs. More than 50 companies in different sectors (forestry, industry, construction, etc.) and in different parts of the value chain (components, systems, integrators) have been interviewed. How can an imaginary test bed for an AI demonstrator be realized? What should it show? Are components or fluid systems to be demonstrated? In which application? How will future AI activities be organized in the future and what specifically will SFMA's role be vis-à-vis other actors and projects? What resources will be needed? Can we, and do we have the conditions to, start applying for both co-financing in a future major industry investment as well as project financing for specific AI projects at SFMA's member companies? Where can you apply for funding for the various projects?

Here is the link to the interim report