Pankkien vakavaraisuussäännöstön uudistus

Tutkielman tavoitteena on kuvata pankkien vakavaraisuusuudistuksen eri osa-alueita. Tarkempi analyysi rajautuu uudistuksen tuomiin muutoksiin luotto- ja operatiivisen riskin pääomavaateissa. Tutkielman empiirisen osuuden tavoitteena on perehtyä vakavaraisuussäännöstön uudistusten vaikutuksiin Nordeassa. Tutkimusmetodologiaksi on valittu normatiivinen tutkimusote. Lisäksi tutkielma sisältää deskriptiivisiä ja positivistisia osia. Lähdeaineisto koostuu Baselin pankkivalvontakomitean ja Suomen Pankin julkaisemista tutkimuksista ja dokumenteista sekä alan julkaisuissa ilmestyneistä artikkeleista. Pankkien vakavaraisuussäännöstöuudistuksen tavoitteena on lisätä rahoitusmarkkinoiden vakautta. Sääntelyn kautta pyritään turvaamaan pankkien varojen riittävyys suhteessa niiden riskien ottoon. Vakavaraisuussäännöstön uudistus muodostuu kolmesta pilarista: (1) minimipääomavaatimuksista, (2) pankkivalvonnan vahvistamisesta ja (3) markkinakurin hyödyntämisestä luottolaitosten toiminnan julkistamisvaatimuksia lisäämällä. Pankkivalvonnan harmonisoinnista vallitsee kansainvälinen yhteisymmärrys, mutta ennen kuin Basel II voi astua voimaan on useita ongelmia ratkaisematta. Baselin vakavaraisuuskehikko ei ole ainut lähitulevaisuudessa pankkitoimialaa koetteleva uudistus. Kansainväliset tilinpäätösstandardit; International Accounting Standards ja erityisesti IAS 39 sekä International Financial Reporting Standards, lyhyemmin IFRS tulevat muuttamaan merkittävästi pankkien tilinpäätöskäyttäytymistä. Epäselvää on vielä kuitenkin tukevatko uudistukset toisiaan ja missä määrin pankkien tulosvolatiliteetin odotetaan kasvavan. Tutkielmassa pohditaan vakavaraisuussäännöstön uudistuksen hyötyjä kansainvälisen kilpailuneutraliteetin osalta, sillä Yhdysvalloissa uudistus koskee vain suurimpia pankkeja. Tutkielmassa paneudutaan lisäksi uudistuksen mahdolliseen talouden syklejä voimistavaan vaikutukseen ja tarkastellaan parannusehdotuksia prosyklisyyden hillitsemiseksi. Yksi vakavaraisuusuudistuksen tärkeimmistä tehtävistä on luoda pankeille kannustin kehittää omia riskienhallinta malleja. Kannustin ongelma on pyritty ratkaisemaan vapaampien sisäisten mallien menetelmien avulla. Ongelmaa ei ole pystytty kuitenkaan ratkaisemaan aivan täysin, sillä luottoriskien osalta pankkien lainaportfolioiden rakenne määrittää sen, hyötyvätkö pankit siirtymisestä sisäisten mallien menetelmän käyttöön. Tutkielma sisältää myös Nordean arvion vakavaraisuusuudistuksen vaikutuksista pankkitoimialaan.

Kuumailmapolttolaitteiston numeerinen virtausmallinnus

Tämä diplomityö perustuu Lappeenrannan teknillisen yliopiston Uusiutuvien energiajärjestelmien laboratorion koelaitteistoon, jolla tutkitaan voimakkaan savukaasunkierrätyksen ja kuumailmapolton soveltuvuutta pienen kokoluokan energiantuotantoprosesseihin. Työn teoriaosassa esitellään tavanomaisesta palamisesta eroavaa kuumailmapolttoa ja tarkastellaan sen ominaisuuksia. Myös työssä käytetyn tutkimusmenetelmän, numeerisen virtauslaskennan, periaatteita ja ominaisuuksia tarkastellaan. Työssä tutkitaan numeerisella virtausmallinnuksella kuumailmapolttolaitteiston virtauskentän käyttäytymistä, kun takaisin tulipesään kierrätettävän savukaasun määrä sekä tulipesän lämpöhäviöiden suuruus vaihtelevat. Virtauskentän tarkastelu on tärkeää, sillä palamisilman ja kierrätetyn savukaasun täytyy sekoittua kuumailmapolton aikaansaamiseksi. Työn virtausmallinnus suoritettiin Finflo-virtausratkaisijalla kaksiulotteisena palamisreaktioita mallintamatta. Vaikka työssä käytetyt mallit olivat kaksiulotteisia ja niissä käytettiin yksinkertaistuksia, virtausten käyttäytymisestä tulipesässä saatiin olennaista tietoa, jota voidaan mahdollisesti hyödyntää jatkotutkimuksissa.

Accounting system for activity standard costs formulation in ERP environment

Toiminnanohjausjärjestelmän implementointi ja sen mukanaan tuomat muutokset tuotekustannuslaskentaan asettavat haasteita yritykselle. Metallitoimialalla toimivassa yrityksessä on havaittu samat haasteet implementoitaessa SAP R/3 toiminnanohjausjärjestelmää ja sen tuotekustannuslaskentatoiminnallisuutta. SAP R/3 tuotekustannuslogiikka tarvitsee tietoa järjestelmän ulkopuolelta, minkä huomioimatta jättäminen vaikuttaa suoraan laskentatarkkuuteen. Diplomityössä kehitetään sekä standardoitu prosessi että laskentajärjestelmä, joiden avulla pystytään laskemaan tarvittavat niin toimintokustannukset eri teräspalvelukeskuksen kuormituspisteille kuin kustannustenvyörytysarvot. Lasketut arvot muodostavat tarvittavat tekijät SAP R/3 tuotekustannuslaskennan master dataan. Tavoitteena on edesauttaa läpinäkyvän kustannustiedon muodostumista. Diplomityö pohjautuu ns. vesiputousmalliin (SDLC). Ensin tunnistetaan reunaehdot ympäristöstä, jossa tuotekustannuslaskenta toteutetaan. Tämä asettaa joustamattomia komponentteja kehitettävälle laskentajärjestelmälle. Joustavat komponentit sen sijaan antavat vapautta laskentajärjestelmälle. Yhdistämällä joustamattomat ja joustavat komponentit saavutetaan järjestelmä, jolla voidaan täydentää SAP R/3 tuotekustannuslaskennan puutteellisuutta.

Comparison of electricity generation costs

The economical competitiveness of various power plant alternatives is compared. The comparison comprises merely electricity producing power plants. Combined heat and power (CHP) producing power will cover part of the future power deficit in Finland, but also condensing power plants for base load production will be needed. The following types of power plants are studied: nuclear power plant, combined cycle gas turbine plant, coal-fired condensing power plant, peat-fired condensing power plant, wood-fired condensing power plant and wind power plant. The calculations are carried out by using the annuity method with a real interest rate of 5 % per annum and with a fixed price level as of January 2008. With the annual peak load utilization time of 8000 hours (corresponding to a load factor of 91,3 %) the production costs would be for nuclear electricity 35,0 €/MWh, for gas based electricity 59,2 €/MWh and for coal based electricity 64,4 €/MWh, when using a price of 23 €/tonCO2 for the carbon dioxide emission trading. Without emission trading the production cost of gas electricity is 51,2 €/MWh and that of coal electricity 45,7 €/MWh and nuclear remains the same (35,0 €/MWh) In order to study the impact of changes in the input data, a sensitivity analysis has been carried out. It reveals that the advantage of the nuclear power is quite clear. E.g. the nuclear electricity is rather insensitive to the changes of nuclear fuel price, whereas for natural gas alternative the rising trend of gas price causes the greatest risk. Furthermore, increase of emission trading price improves the competitiveness of the nuclear alternative. The competitiveness and payback of the nuclear power investment is studied also as such by using various electricity market prices for determining the revenues generated by the investment. The profitability of the investment is excellent, if the market price of electricity is 50 €/MWh or more.

Life cycle costs in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems with drive

Energy consumption and energy efficiency have become an issue. Energy consumption is rising all over the world and because of that, and the climate change, energy is becoming more and more expensive. Buildings are major consumers of energy, and inside the buildings the major consumers are heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems. They usually run at constant speed without efficient control. In most cases HVAC equipment is also oversized. Traditionally heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems have been sized to meet conditions that rarely occur. The theory part in this thesis represents the basics of life cycle costs and calculations for the whole life cycle of a system. It also represents HVAC systems, equipment, systems controls and ways to save energy in these systems. The empirical part of this thesis represents life cycle cost calculations for HVAC systems. With these calculations it is possible to compute costs for the whole life cycle for the wanted variables. Life cycle costs make it possible to compare which variable causes most of the costs from the whole life point of view. Life cycle costs were studied through two real life cases which were focused on two different kinds of HVAC systems. In both of these cases the renovations were already made, so that the comparison between the old and the new, now existing system would be easier. The study indicates that energy can be saved in HVAC systems by using variable speed drive as a control method.

Methods for assessing the sustainability of integrated municipal waste management and

The general striving to bring down the number of municipal landfills and to increase the reuse and recycling of waste-derived materials across the EU supports the debates concerning the feasibility and rationality of waste management systems. Substantial decrease in the volume and mass of landfill-disposed waste flows can be achieved by directing suitable waste fractions to energy recovery. Global fossil energy supplies are becoming more and more valuable and expensive energy sources for the mankind, and efforts to save fossil fuels have been made. Waste-derived fuels offer one potential partial solution to two different problems. First, waste that cannot be feasibly re-used or recycled is utilized in the energy conversion process according to EU’s Waste Hierarchy. Second, fossil fuels can be saved for other purposes than energy, mainly as transport fuels. This thesis presents the principles of assessing the most sustainable system solution for an integrated municipal waste management and energy system. The assessment process includes: · formation of a SISMan (Simple Integrated System Management) model of an integrated system including mass, energy and financial flows, and · formation of a MEFLO (Mass, Energy, Financial, Legislational, Other decisionsupport data) decision matrix according to the selected decision criteria, including essential and optional decision criteria. The methods are described and theoretical examples of the utilization of the methods are presented in the thesis. The assessment process involves the selection of different system alternatives (process alternatives for treatment of different waste fractions) and comparison between the alternatives. The first of the two novelty values of the utilization of the presented methods is the perspective selected for the formation of the SISMan model. Normally waste management and energy systems are operated separately according to the targets and principles set for each system. In the thesis the waste management and energy supply systems are considered as one larger integrated system with one primary target of serving the customers, i.e. citizens, as efficiently as possible in the spirit of sustainable development, including the following requirements: · reasonable overall costs, including waste management costs and energy costs; · minimum environmental burdens caused by the integrated waste management and energy system, taking into account the requirement above; and · social acceptance of the selected waste treatment and energy production methods. The integrated waste management and energy system is described by forming a SISMan model including three different flows of the system: energy, mass and financial flows. By defining the three types of flows for an integrated system, the selected factor results needed in the decision-making process of the selection of waste management treatment processes for different waste fractions can be calculated. The model and its results form a transparent description of the integrated system under discussion. The MEFLO decision matrix has been formed from the results of the SISMan model, combined with additional data, including e.g. environmental restrictions and regional aspects. System alternatives which do not meet the requirements set by legislation can be deleted from the comparisons before any closer numerical considerations. The second novelty value of this thesis is the three-level ranking method for combining the factor results of the MEFLO decision matrix. As a result of the MEFLO decision matrix, a transparent ranking of different system alternatives, including selection of treatment processes for different waste fractions, is achieved. SISMan and MEFLO are methods meant to be utilized in municipal decision-making processes concerning waste management and energy supply as simple, transparent and easyto- understand tools. The methods can be utilized in the assessment of existing systems, and particularly in the planning processes of future regional integrated systems. The principles of SISMan and MEFLO can be utilized also in other environments, where synergies of integrating two (or more) systems can be obtained. The SISMan flow model and the MEFLO decision matrix can be formed with or without any applicable commercial or free-of-charge tool/software. SISMan and MEFLO are not bound to any libraries or data-bases including process information, such as different emission data libraries utilized in life cycle assessments.

Costs and Benefits of a Shared Digital Long-Term Preservation System

Paper presented at the 40th Annual Conference of LIBER (Ligue des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherche - Association of European Research Libraries) on July 1st, 2011; with the slides used at the presentation.

Costs and Benefits of a Shared Digital Long-Term Preservation System

This paper describes the cost-benefit analysis of digital long-term preservation (LTP) that was carried out in the context of the Finnish National Digital Library Project (NDL) in 2010. The analysis was based on the assumption that as many as 200 archives, libraries, and museums will share an LTP system. The term ‘system’ shall be understood as encompassing not only information technology, but also human resources, organizational structures, policies and funding mechanisms. The cost analysis shows that an LTP system will incur, over the first 12 years, cumulative costs of €42 million, i.e. an average of €3.5 million per annum. Human resources and investments in information technology are the major cost factors. After the initial stages, the analysis predicts annual costs of circa €4 million. The analysis compared scenarios with and without a shared LTP system. The results indicate that a shared system will have remarkable benefits. At the development and implementation stages, a shared system shows an advantage of €30 million against the alternative scenario consisting of five independent LTP solutions. During the later stages, the advantage is estimated at €10 million per annum. The cumulative cost benefit over the first 12 years would amount to circa €100 million.

Sewage Sludge Electro-Dewatering

Original sludge from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) usually has a poor dewaterability. Conventionally, mechanical dewatering methods are used to increase the dry solids (DS) content of the sludge. However, sludge dewatering is an important economic factor in the operation of WWTPs, high water content in the final sludge cake is commonly related to an increase in transport and disposal costs. Electro‐dewatering could be a potential technique to reduce the water content of the final sludge cake, but the parameters affecting the performance of electro‐dewatering and the quality of the resulting sludge cake, as well as removed water, are not sufficiently well known. In this research, non‐pressure and pressure‐driven experiments were set up to investigate the effect of various parameters and experimental strategies on electro‐dewatering. Migration behaviour of organic compounds and metals was also studied. Application of electrical field significantly improved the dewatering performance in comparison to experiments without electric field. Electro‐dewatering increased the DS content of the sludge from 15% to 40 % in non‐pressure applications and from 8% to 41% in pressure‐driven applications. DS contents were significantly higher than typically obtained with mechanical dewatering techniques in wastewater treatment plant. The better performance of the pressure‐driven dewatering was associated to a higher current density at the beginning and higher electric field strength later on in the experiments. The applied voltage was one of the major parameters affecting dewatering time, water removal rate and DS content of the sludge cake. By decreasing the sludge loading rate, higher electrical field strength was established between the electrodes, which has a positive effect on an increase in DS content of the final sludge cake. However interrupted voltage application had anegative impact on dewatering in this study, probably because the off‐times were too long. Other factors affecting dewatering performance were associated to the original sludge characteristics and sludge conditioning. Anaerobic digestion of the sludge with high pH buffering capacity, polymer addition and freeze/thaw conditioning had a positive impact on dewatering. The impact of pH on electro‐dewatering was related to the surface charge of the particles measured as zeta‐potential. One of the differences between electro‐dewatering and mechanical dewatering technologies is that electro‐dewatering actively removes ionic compounds from the sludge. In this study, dissolution and migration of organic compounds (such as shortchain fatty acids), macro metals (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe) and trace metals (Ni, Mn, Zn, Cr) was investigated. The migration of the metals depended on the fractionation and electrical field strength. These compounds may have both negative and positive impacts on the reuse and recycling of the sludge and removed water. Based on the experimental results of this study, electro‐dewatering process can be optimized in terms of dewatering time, desired DS content, power consumption and chemical usage.

Biopolttoaineen rinnakkaispolton kannattavuustarkastelu hiilipölypolttokattilassa Martinlaakso 2:ssa

Euroopan unionin asettamat tavoitteet kasvihuonepäästöjen vähennykselle johtavat vih-reämpään teknologiaan. Tämä diplomityö on teoreettinen tutkimus, joka käsittelee biopolt-toaineen rinnakkaispolton kannattavuutta Vantaan Energian Martinlaakso 2:sen hiilipöly-polttokattilassa. Työssä perehdytään viiteen eri biopolttoainevaihtoehtoon, joita tarkastellaan viidessä eri skenaariossa, jotka vastaavat: 10, 20, 30, 40 ja 50 % biopolttoaineen osuutta kattilassa tuo-tetusta energiasta. Skenaarioissa on pohdittu tarvittavia investointikustannuksia ja muutos-töitä hiilipölypolttokattilassa. Tutkimuksessa on huomioitu myös uusi isojen laitosten pääs-töjä koskeva direktiivi, kattilan oletettava käyttöikä sekä biopolttoaineiden tuet. Saaduista arvioista on lopuksi laskettu vuosittainen polttoainekohtainen kustannusarvio ja investoin-nin kannattavuusarvio. Tuloksista voidaan päätellä, että sahanpurun mahdollisimman suuri hyötykäyttö on kannat-tavaa. Mikäli halutaan käyttää suuria määriä biopolttoainetta, (yli 20 % tuotetusta energias-ta) ei sahanpuru ole varteenotettava vaihtoehto huonon saatavuutensa johdosta. Tällöin hakkeen kaasutuslaitos olisi paras ratkaisu, mutta laitoksen kannattavuus riippuu tulevista energiatuista. Ilman energiatukia sahanpurun hyötykäyttö on ainoa kannattava investointi.

Two-Photon Excited Fluorescence Detection Technology in Screening for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Control of the world-wide spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been unsuccessful in most developed countries. A few countries have been able to maintain a low MRSA prevalence, plausibly due to their strict MRSA control policies. Such policies require wide-scale screening of patients with suspected MRSA colonization, in order to nurse the MRSA-positive patients in contact isolation. The aim of this study was to develop and introduce a 2-photon excited fluorescence detection (TPX) technique for screening of MRSA directly from clinical samples. The assay principle involves specific online immunometric monitoring of S. aureus growth under selective antibiotic pressure. After the novel TPX approach had been set up, its applicability for the detection of MRSA was evaluated using a large MRSA collection including practically all epidemic MRSA strains identified in Finland between 1991 and 2009. The TPX assay was found both sensitive (97.9%) and specific (94.1%) in this epidemiological setting, illustrating that the method is tolerant to wide biological variation as well as to environments with rapidly emerging MRSA strains. When MRSA was screened directly from colonization samples, all patients positive for MRSA by conventional methods were positive also by the TPX assay. The assay capacity was 48 samples per a test run, and the median time required for confirmation of a true-positive screening test result was 3 h 26 min. Collectively, the findings presented in this thesis suggest that the TPX MRSA screening assay could be applicable for direct screening of MRSA colonization samples without any prior steps of isolation. This can potentially mean that contact isolation of suspected carriers testing negative could be discontinued earlier, thereby reducing the costs and burden associated with the containment of MRSA. In case of infection, a positive test result would ensure an early onset of effective therapy.

Porin seudun liikenneturvallisuussuunnitelma

Porin seudulle laadittiin liikenneturvallisuussuunnitelma Harjavallan, Huittisen, Kokemäen, Luvian, Merikarvian, Nakkilan, Pomarkun, Porin ja Ulvilan kuntien alueelle. Suunnitelmat laadittiin kuntien ja Varsinais-Suomen ELY-keskuksen yhteistyönä. Suunnitelma sisältää turvallisuuden parantamisen lisäksi kestävien liikkumismuotojen edistämistä. Seudun liikenneturvallisuuden ja liikkumisen ongelmia kartoitettiin kaikille kuntalaisille suunnatuilla kyselyillä, onnettomuusanalyysillä sekä maastokäynneillä. Onnettomuusanalyysin perusteella seudun liikenneturvallisuuden tila Porin seudulla on koko maan keskiarvoa heikompi. Vuosittain kuolee noin 10 henkilöä ja loukkaantuu noin 220 henkilöä. Seudulla tapahtuneista onnettomuuksista aiheutuu kustannuksia vuosittain keskimäärin noin 90 miljoonaa euroa, josta kuntien osuus on vuosittain noin 16 miljoonaa euroa. Kyselyn vastauksista ilmeni, että vastaajia huolestutti muun muassa jalankulku- ja pyöräväylien kunto ja esteettömyys sekä talvikunnossapidon taso. Autoilun olosuhteissa tyytymättömyyttä aiheutti teiden kunto ja kunnossapidon taso sekä kouluympäristöjen liikennejärjestelyt. Kyselyyn vastanneista 64 %:lla työ- tai koulumatkan pituus on korkeintaan 5 kilometriä, joten kävelyn ja pyöräilyn edistämisellä seudulla on hyvät edellytykset. Ongelma-analyysin sekä valtakunnallisten tavoitteiden pohjalta seudulle määritettiin liikenneturvallisuustavoitteet. Pitkän aikavälin liikenneturvallisuusvisioksi seudulle asetettiin, että kenenkään ei tarvitse kuolla tai loukkaantua vakavasti liikenteessä ja liikkuminen on vastuullista ja se koetaan turvalliseksi. Määrällisenä tavoitteena on, että nykyisestä 10 keskimäärin vuodessa kuolleesta seudulla kuolisi liikenteessä enintään 6 henkilöä (40 henkilöä / miljoona asukasta) vuonna 2014 ja enintään 3 henkilöä (24 henkilöä / miljoona asukasta) vuonna 2020. Loukkaantuneiden määrän tavoitteena on, että nykyisestä 218 henkilöstä vähennystä olisi 25 % (korkeintaan 163 henkilöä) vuoteen 2020 mennessä. Nuorten onnettomuusriskiä halutaan pienentää 25 % vuoteen 2020 mennessä siten, että heidän riskinsä lähenee muun väestön onnettomuusriskin tasoa. Liikenneympäristön parantamisehdotukset tehtiin noin 300 kohteeseen seudulla. Toimenpiteiden toteuttaminen vaiheistettiin kolmeen ohjeelliseen kiireellisyysluokkaan. Suunnitelmatyön aikana kuntien liikenneturvallisuustyötä aktivoitiin ja perustettiin uudet ryhmät niihin kuntiin, joista ryhmät puuttuivat. Hallintokuntatilaisuuksissa ideoitiin ja käsiteltiin eri liikkujaryhmille sopivia toimintamuotoja liikenneturvallisuuden ja kestävän liikkumisen edistämiseksi. Lisäksi muodostettiin seudullinen liikenneturvallisuusryhmä, joka seuraa ja koordinoi liikenneturvallisuustyötä tulevaisuudessa.

Container logistic innovations in forest-energy sector: Markets, future service concepts and technical improvements

The report presents the results of the commercialization project called the Container logistic services for forest bioenergy. The project promotes new business that is emerging around overall container logistic services in the bioenergy sector. The results assess the European markets of the container logistics for biomass, enablers for new business creation and required service bundles for the concept. We also demonstrate the customer value of the container logistic services for different market segments. The concept analysis is based on concept mapping, quality function deployment process (QFD) and business network analysis. The business network analysis assesses key shareholders and their mutual connections. The performance of the roadside chipping chain is analysed by the logistic cost simulation, RFID system demonstration and freezing tests. The EU has set the renewable energy target to 20 % in 2020 of which Biomass could account for two-thirds. In the Europe, the production of wood fuels was 132.9 million solid-m3 in 2012 and production of wood chips and particles was 69.0 million solidm3. The wood-based chips and particle flows are suitable for container transportation providing market of 180.6 million loose- m3 which mean 4.5 million container loads per year. The intermodal logistics of trucks and trains are promising for the composite containers because the biomass does not freeze onto the inner surfaces in the unloading situations. The overall service concept includes several packages: container rental, container maintenance, terminal services, RFID-tracking service, and simulation and ERP-integration service. The container rental and maintenance would provide transportation entrepreneurs a way to increase the capacity without high investment costs. The RFID-concept would lead to better work planning improving profitability throughout the logistic chain and simulation supports fuel supply optimization.

Thick Section Laser Beam Welding of Structural Steels: Methods for Improving Welding Efficiency

Laser beam welding (LBW) is applicable for a wide range of industrial sectors and has a history of fifty years. However, it is considered an unusual method with applications typically limited to welding of thin sheet metal. With a new generation of high power lasers there has been a renewed interest in thick section LBW (also known as keyhole laser welding). There was a growing body of publications during 2001-2011 that indicates an increasing interest in laser welding for many industrial applications, and in last ten years, an increasing number of studies have examined the ways to increase the efficiency of the process. Expanding the thickness range and efficiency of LBW makes the process a possibility for industrial applications dealing with thick metal welding: shipbuilding, offshore structures, pipelines, power plants and other industries. The advantages provided by LBW, such as high process speed, high productivity, and low heat input, may revolutionize these industries and significantly reduce the process costs. The research to date has focused on either increasing the efficiency via optimizing process parameters, or on the process fundamentals, rather than on process and workpiece modifications. The argument of this thesis is that the efficiency of the laser beam process can be increased in a straightforward way in the workshop conditions. Throughout this dissertation, the term “efficiency” is used to refer to welding process efficiency, specifically, an increase in efficiency refers an increase in weld’s penetration depth without increasing laser power level or decreasing welding speed. These methods are: modifications of the workpiece – edge surface roughness and air gap between the joining plates; modification of the ambient conditions – local reduction of the pressure in the welding zone; modification of the welding process – preheating of the welding zone. Approaches to improve the efficiency are analyzed and compared both separately and combined. These experimentally proven methods confirm previous findings and contribute additional evidence which expand the opportunities for laser beam welding applications. The focus of this research was primarily on the effects of edge surface roughness preparation and pre-set air gap between the plates on weld quality and penetration depth. To date, there has been no reliable evidence that such modifications of the workpiece give a positive effect on the welding efficiency. Other methods were tested in combination with the two methods mentioned above. The most promising - combining with reduced pressure method - resulted in at least 100% increase in efficiency. The results of this thesis support the idea that joining those methods in one modified process will provide the modern engineering with a sufficient tool for many novel applications with potential benefits to a range of industries.