Lessons for implementing AMT: some case experiences with CNC in Australia, Britain and Canada

With increasing global competition for manufacturers, interest has grown among researchers and practitioners in the role of advanced manufacturing technologies (AMT) in assisting firms to maintain their competitive edge. To contribute to the debate, this paper presents three case studies, one each from Australia, Britain and Canada, of companies investing in one type of AMT, computer numerical controlled (CNC) machines. The findings reported in this paper draw on the experiences of companies in developed economies but which are geographically dispersed and have different histories of industrialisation. Nevertheless when it comes to implementing AMT, there are far more similarities than differences in their experiences. The message is that for successful implementation of AMT, companies need to ensure that a broad, market driven perspective is taken to these investments, that attention is given to integration across systems and that people issues require as much attention as those directly relating to the actual technology.