HOGSKOLAN VAST

Their core work

University West (Högskolan Väst) in Trollhättan, Sweden, is a practice-oriented university with deep specialization in welding science, metal joining technologies, and advanced manufacturing. Their H2020 work centers on developing digital and automated solutions for welding — from friction stir welding for aerospace structures to additive manufacturing via directed energy deposition. They bridge materials science with industrial automation, particularly for the aerospace and transport sectors, and contribute expertise in non-destructive testing and quality assurance for metal components.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In 2017-2018, University West's H2020 involvement began with regional capacity building (MoRE2020 researcher mobility) and niche aerospace welding (OASIS friction stir welding). From 2018 onward, they shifted decisively toward digitalized and automated manufacturing — INTEGRADDE brought large-scale work on data-driven additive manufacturing pipelines, i-Weld introduced big data into welding, and AUTHENTIC added automated thermographic inspection. The trajectory is clear: from traditional welding research toward Industry 4.0 applications of their core metallurgical expertise.

University West is digitizing its welding and metal manufacturing expertise — expect future work at the intersection of AI/data-driven quality control and advanced metal processing.

How they like to work

University West has never coordinated an H2020 project, always joining as a participant or third party — they contribute specialist knowledge rather than leading consortia. With 49 unique partners across 19 countries, they integrate well into diverse international teams. Their role pattern suggests a reliable technical contributor that brings deep domain expertise in welding and materials science to larger initiatives led by others.

Despite only five projects, they have built a broad network of 49 partners across 19 countries, indicating participation in medium-to-large consortia. Their reach spans well beyond Scandinavia into a genuinely pan-European network.

What sets them apart

University West occupies a distinctive niche as a welding-focused university that has successfully digitized its core expertise. While many universities research either materials science or digital manufacturing in isolation, HV bridges both — offering deep metallurgical knowledge combined with data-driven automation for production. Their location in Trollhättan, near major Swedish aerospace and automotive industry (GKN Aerospace, Volvo), gives them strong industry connections that are hard to replicate.

Highlights from their portfolio

• INTEGRADDE
  Their largest project by far (EUR 1.25M), building a complete digital pipeline from design to certified metal parts via directed energy deposition — represents their strategic direction.
• AUTHENTIC
  Applied automated thermographic NDT to aeronautic welding inspection — a direct bridge from their welding expertise into aerospace quality assurance.
• i-Weld
  Combines big data with duplex stainless steel welding via MSCA-RISE researcher exchange — shows their commitment to internationalizing their niche expertise.