The way in which UK manufacturing companies operate is changing rapidly. The requirement for mass customisation of product lines along with the need to ensure high product quality, low product cost and consistent and reliable delivery is placing increasing pressure on UK manufacturing industry. Many larger manufacturing industries in the UK are responding quickly to these pressures by developing leaner, flexible and technologically advanced and intelligent manufacturing systems. The problem however, is that there is much evidence to suggest that SMEs do not implement and subsequently develop Advanced and Intelligent Manufacturing Technologies (AIMT) at a rate that will enable them to remain sustainable in the future.
This paper identifies the major operational characteristics of the SMEs surveyed and provides a classification system based on the attitudes and abilities of these companies to implement Advanced and Intelligent Manufacturing Technologies. The paper then describes the reasons associated with the poor level of AIMT implementation within SMEs. The findings of a three-year survey into 300 UK manufacturing based SMEs is used in order to provide a broader explanation for the poor level of AIMT implementation.
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Hello Andrew
In my experience SMEs don't have the time or resources to apply new technological innovations to their business. They are often operating at full capacity just to keep up with their current customer base. The cost of applying new technologies is often great and there is also a risk associated with this as the new innovations may not replace the old. If the SME is actually producing the technology innovations then this will give them a good advantage. So my question is, do you find that SMEs are willing to take the risk with new innovations or do they prefer to wait and see what happens and perhaps adopt the new technologies once they are commonly used across the sector?
Thanks tony