Barriers to implementation of laser welding technology : A study of 11 companies in Scandinavia

In the manufacturing industry, one essential contribution to sustain high competitiveness is successful regular implementation of advanced manufacturing technology. Barriers of different sorts could interfere with this implementation. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether there are barriers to implementation of laser welding technology and how they affect the implementation process. Eleven small manufacturing companies, mainly in northern Sweden and Finland, are interviewed regarding their experiences with implementation of laser welding technology. What is clear is that this is a more complex question than just lack of money. The study shows other underlying barriers to have more influence on the lack of implementation. Many of the barriers are connected with organization and management. Identifying these barriers and when they occur in the implementation process may improve implementation efficiency.