Master's Thesis: Design for Automated Control Cabinet Assembly

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This role sits within ABB's Robotics business, a leading global robotics company. We're entering an exciting new chapter as we’ve announced the plan for SoftBank Group to acquire ABB Robotics. SoftBank is a globally recognized technology group and investor/operator focused on AI, robotics, and next-generation computing. By joining us now, you’ll be part of a pioneering team shaping the future of robotics—working alongside world-class experts in a fast-moving, innovation-driven environment.

This Position reports to:

R&D Team Lead

Automation is key to maintaining competitiveness in modern manufacturing. A critical challenge is ensuring that product design enables efficient, scalable, and reliable automated assembly.

In control cabinet production, certain design choices either enable or limit the use of automated manufacturing workflows. Poorly adapted designs increase complexity, error risk, and cost, while well-optimized designs can unlock higher levels of automation.

This thesis focuses on how product design decisions impact automated assembly in production. The emphasis is on decisions made in the design phase that directly impact the automation feasibility, including exploring challenges in automating the assembly of complex components.

This thesis project is suitable for 1–2 students.

Your role and responsibilities
You will explore how design decisions influence the feasibility and efficiency of automated assembly. The work includes developing principles, methods, and/or concepts that improve:

• Design for automated manufacturing and assembly
• Integration between design tools and production systems
• Robustness and quality in assembly processes
• Cost-efficiency and scalability in production

The expected outcome is to propose concepts and solutions that enable higher levels of automation in our control cabinet production.

Examples of tasks

• Analyze current design and development processes from a manufacturing perspective
• Identify design-related barriers to automation and propose improvements
• Investigate how digital tools (CAD, simulation, AI) can support design optimization and virtual validation
• Develop general design guidelines for automation-friendly products (e.g., layout, interfaces, accessibility)
• Evaluate toolchains and workflows for digital continuity from design to production
• Create and validate concepts through simulations, prototypes, and/or physical mock-ups

Your background

You are studying:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Product Development
• Mechatronics / Mechatronic Engineering
• Electrical Engineering, Automation, or related fields

You have an interest in:

• Product design and development
• Manufacturing and production systems
• Automation and robotics
• Digital engineering tools (CAD, simulation, etc.)

As a person, you are:

• Curious and analytical
• Hands-on and solution-oriented
• Able to work independently and structure complex problems

More about us

A Future Opportunity
Please note that this position is part of our talent pipeline and not an active job opening at this time. By applying, you express your interest in future career opportunities with ABB.

We value people from different backgrounds. Could this be your story? Apply today or visit www.abb.com to learn more about us and see the impact of our work across the globe.