Laserskärning i Sverige : – tekniken, marknaden och hur de utvecklas

Sammanfattning: Laser for material processing possesses a number of advantages which mean that it has been and will be an important component for a wide range of industries' future development. Cutting materials processing is the dominant use of laser technology and has revolutionized the manufacturing industry. The aim of this thesis is to describe the principles of metal cutting by laser, how laser cutting is applied in practice and to identify how Swedish companies are using laser cutting. For the theoretical and technical description of laser cutting literature studies are the primary source of information. The empirical basis for the mapping of the Swedish industry for laser cutting is grounded on a survey; this includes Swedish companies that use laser cutting in their production. The companies were asked about their own sales and the development of their customer base, how laser cutting is used in their production and how they see the future of the industry.The study indicates a long term trend of increased sales for companies in the industry. Companies with a turnover below 10 MSEK has steadily declined over the last twenty years, while businesses with a turnover between 11-40 MSEK and more than 40 MSEK have increased. The surveyed firms report that national as well as international competition has become tougher and the product portfolio today contains more advanced products than before. Laser cutting has several advantages over competing cutting methods; the key is that a wide range of materials can be processed with high surface quality of the cut and sharp edges. In addition, advanced geometries with high precision can be cut. An overwhelming disadvantage is high cost, and operating costs. A company looking to invest in a plant for laser cutting should consider numerous aspects but mainly: specifications for the product, the conditions for implementation of the technology and installation of equipment and staff knowledge and skills. In the Swedish market for laser cutting, a clear trend in how producers alter their activity has been observed. The product portfolio will be broader and the products are becoming more sophisticated in terms of geometry and accuracy. The number of customers is increasing, thereby reducing dependence on any single industry, customer or product.