Ingenjörsvetenskapens Tidevarv
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Acta Universitatis Umensis Bo Sundin Ingenjörsvetenskapens tidevarv • ./ : Universitetet i Umeå Almqvist & Wikseil International, Stockholm, Sweden ACTA UNIVERSITATIS UMENSIS Umeå Studies in the Humanities 42 Ingenjörsvetenskapens tidevarv Ingenjörsvetenskapsakademin, Pappersmassekontoret, Metallografiska institutet och den teknologiska forskningen i början av 1900-talet AKADEMISK AVHANDLING som för avläggande av filosofie doktorsgraden vid universitetet i Umeå kommer att offentligt försvaras i Humanisthuset, hörsal F, fredagen den 5 februari 1982 kl 10.15 Av Bo Sundin Fil kand Bo Sundin: The organization of technological research in Sweden at the begin ning of the 20th century. (Swedish text with a summary in English). Umeå 1982 (the Department of the History of Science and Ideas of the University of Umeå). Acta Universitatis Umensis. Umeå Studies in the Humanities 42. ISBN 91-7174-092-9. Distribution. Almqvist & Wiksell International, Box 62, S-101 20 Stockholm, Sweden. The period around the end of the First World War saw the organization of tech nological research in Sweden. It was at this time that work began at the Wood Pulp Research Association, at the Swedish Institute for Metals Research and at the Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences. The latter organization had as its basic aim the promotion of technical and scientific research and thereby the support of Swedish industry and the utilization of natural resources. The disser tation is concerned with the background of these institutions. The indirect cause of the founding of the Academy was a parliamentary motion in 1916 which resulted in an enquiry into an institute responsible for energy and fuel matters. The enquiry led to the conclusion that there existed a need for a central institution for technological research as a whole. Other issues which played a part in the sequence of events that led to the founding of the Academy, were the demand from industry for a modernization of Swedish government administration and the conflict that existed between scientifically- oriented engineers with roots in civil service traditions and the »modern» engine ers who emphasized the role of the engineer as an industrial manager trained in economics etc. The Academy came into being with the aim of bridging this conflict and of establishing a state agency corresponding to the older Swedish Academy of Agriculture. The Wood Pulp Research Association was founded by the pulp industry, which originally had not been based on any systematic research or development work. After the turn of the century, interest in the chemistry of wood and other related substances began to increase. All early research efforts had one aim in common: the utilization of waste material from the forestry industry. The Asso ciation was established at the end of 1917 and was jointly owned by a majority of the larger pulp companies. Due to an economic crisis in the pulp industry, the organization was abolished in 1922. The Swedish Institute for Metals Research was originally a metalographic research laboratory established as a result of cooperation between State and industry. The Institute was engaged primarily in basic research, dominated by work based on advanced X-ray spectroscopy. Keywords: Science and industry — 20th century Sweden — Research asso ciations — History of technology — Wood-pulp research — Metalography — Engineering. Ingenjörsvetenskapens tidevarv Acta Universitatis Umensis Umeå Studies in the Humanities 42 Bo Sundin I ngenjörs vetenskapens tidevarv Ingenjörsvetenskapsakademin, Pappersmassekontoret, Metallografiska institutet och den teknologiska forskningen i början av 1900-talet Umeå 1981 Almqvist 8* Wiksell International, Stockholm, Sweden Redaktion Per G Råberg Humanistiska fakulteten, Umeå universitet, S-901 87 UMEÅ Tryckt med bidrag från Sven och Dagmar Saléns stiftelse © Bo Sundin Composersättning Maise Nordström, Umeå universitet Tryckt hos Göteborgs Offsettryckeri AB, Kungälv 1981 ISBN 91-7174-092-9 FÖRORD Jag har skrivit den här avhandlingen vid institutionen för idéhistoria vid Umeå universitet och vill, innan allvaret börjar, tacka alla som hjälp mig i mitt arbete. Professor Gunnar Eriksson och professor Ronny Ambjörnsson, som har varit mina handledare, har alltid ställt upp så snart jag bett om hjälp. Jag vill framförallt tacka Gunnar för den inspiration han gav mig i avhandlingsarbetets inledningsskede och Ronny för mora liskt stöd och värdefulla synpunkter i det hektiska arbetet med att slutföra avhandlingen. Inger samt arbetskamraterna vid institutionen har gjort ovärder liga insatser vid de sista granskningarna av mitt manuskript. Personalen vid Umeå universitetsbibliotek har på alla sätt kompen serat det geografiska avståndet till mina källor. Vårt bibliotek är inte det största, men jag har svårt att tänka mig en bättre arbetsplats. John Hall har översatt den engelska sammanfattningen, Karin Knecht har renskrivit tidigare delar av mitt manuskript och Maise Nordström har gjort ett enastående arbete för den slutliga sättningen, som nu går till tryckning. Jag tackar er alla! Umeå november 1981 Bo Sundin Bo Sundin: The organization of technological research in Sweden at the begin ning of the 20th century. (Swedish text with a summary in English). Umeå 1982 (the Department of the History of Science and Ideas of the University of Umeå). Acta Universitatis Umensis. Umeå Studies in the Humanities 42. ISBN 91-7174-092-9. Distribution. Almqvist 8c Wiksell International, Box 62, S-101 20 Stockholm, Sweden. The period around the end of the First World War saw the organization of tech nological research in Sweden. It was'at this time that work began at the Wood Pulp Research Association, at the Swedish Institute for Metals Research and at the Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences. The latter organization had as its basic aim the promotion of technical and scientific research and thereby the support of Swedish industry and the utilization of natural resources. The disser tation is concerned with the background of these institutions. The indirect cause of the founding of the Academy was a parliamentary motion in 1916 which resulted in an enquiry into an institute responsible for energy and fuel matters. The enquiry led to the conclusion that there existed a need for a central institution for technological research as a whole. Other issues which played a part in the sequence of events that led to the founding of the Academy, were the demand from industry for a modernization of Swedish government administration and the conflict that existed between scientifically- oriented engineers with roots in civil service traditions and the »modern» engine ers who emphasized the role of the engineer as an industrial manager trained in economics etc. The Academy came into being with the aim of bridging this conflict and of establishing a state agency corresponding to the older Swedish Academy of Agriculture. The Wood Pulp Research Association was founded by the pulp industry, which originally had not been based on any systematic research or development work. After the turn of the century, interest in the chemistry of wood and other related substances began to increase. All early research efforts had one aim in common: the utilization of waste material from the forestry industry. The Asso ciation was established at the end of 1917 and was jointly owned by a majority of the larger pulp companies. Due to an economic crisis in the pulp industry, the organization was abolished in 1922. The Swedish Institute for Metals Research was originally a metalographic research laboratory established as a result of cooperation between State and industry. The Institute was engaged primarily in basic research, dominated by work based on advanced X-ray spectroscopy. Keywords: Science and industry — 20th century Sweden — Research asso ciations — History of technology — Wood-pulp research — Metalography — Engineering. INNEHALL INLEDNING 9 1. DEN TEKNOLOGISKA FORSKNINGENS INSTITUTION ALI- SERING - EN INLEDANDE ÖVERSIKT 19 Pappersmassekontoret och Metallografiska institutet 19 — Ingenjörs vetenskapsakademin 20 — De nordiska länderna 22 — Tyskland 24 — Storbritannien 26 — USA 27 — Sammanfattning 28 2. TEKNISK-VETENSKAPLIG FORSKNING I SVERIGE FÖRE VÄRLDSKRIGET 30 Laboratoriet vid Månsbo kloratfabrik 31 — Järnkontoret 33 — Mate rialprovningsanstalten 35 — Tekniska högskolan 39 — Sammanfatt ning 42 3. ENERGI- OCH NATURRESURSFRÄGOR I BÖRJAN AV SEK LET 44 Energifrågor i början av seklet 44 — Ved 45 — Stenkol 46 — Alun- skiffer 48 — Torv 48 — Vattenkraft 50 — Ingenjörerna och vatten kraften 55 — Några andra naturresursfrågor 56 — Sammanfattning 59 4. STATEN, INDUSTRIN OCH INGENJÖRSKÄREN 61 Staten och industrin 61 — Två motstridiga ingenjörsideal 63 — Teknologföreningen och dess kritiker 66 — Frågan om samarbete mellan de tekniska föreningarna 68 — Sveriges industriförbund 71 — Industriförbundet och Tekniska högskolan 72 — Teknologföre- ningens årsmöte 1913 75 — En tillsättningsstrid vid Tekniska högsko lan 80 — Avslutning 82 5. DE NYA TEKNISKA VETENSKAPERNA 86 Industriell ekonomi och organisation 86 — Taylorismen 89 — Indus triell psykologi 91 — Industriförbundet och de nya tekniska veten skaperna 94 — Sammanfattning 96 6. KRAFT- OCH BRÄNSLEINSTITUTET 98 Riksdagsmotionen år 1916 98 — Motionen i riksdagen 100 — Kom merskollegium och Kraft- och bränsleinstitutet 101 — Torvkommit- téns Bränsleinstitut 103 — Ämbetsverk eller forskningsinstitution? 104 — IVA:s Kraft- och Bränsleutredning 105 — Sammanfattning 105