This book provides essential information on metal forming, utilizing a practical distinction between bulk and sheet metal forming. In the field of bulk forming, it examines processes of cold, warm and hot bulk forming, as well as rolling and a new addition, the process of thixoforming. As for the field of sheet metal working, on the one hand it deals with sheet metal forming processes (deep drawing, flange forming, stretch drawing, metal spinning and bending). In terms of special processes, the chapters on internal high-pressure forming and high rate forming have been revised and refined. On the other, the book elucidates and presents the state of the art in sheet metal separation processes (shearing and fineblanking). Furthermore, joining by forming has been added to the new edition as a new chapter describing mechanical methods for joining sheet metals. The new chapter "Basic Principles" addresses both sheet metal and bulk forming, in addition to metal physics, plastomechanics and computational basics; these points are complemented by the newly added topics of metallography and analysis, materials and processes for testing, and tribology and lubrication techniques. The chapters are supplemented by an in-depth description of modern numeric methods such as the finite element method. All chapters have been updated and revised for the new edition, and many practical examples from modern manufacturing processes have been added.

In the industrial design and engineering field, product lifecycle, product development, design process, Design for X, etc., constitute only a small sample of terms related to the generation of quality products. Current best practices cover widely different knowledge domains in trying to exploit them to the best advantage, individually and in synergy. Moreover, standards become increasingly more helpful in interfacing these domains and they are enlarging their coverage by going beyond the single domain boundary to connect closely different aspects of the product lifecycle. The degree of complexity of each domain makes impossible the presence of multipurpose competencies and skills; there is almost always the need for interacting and integrating people and resources in some effective way. These are the best conditions for the birth of theories, methodologies, models, architectures, systems, procedures, algorithms, software packages, etc., in order to help in some way the synergic work of all the actors involved in the product lifecycle. This brief introduction contains all the main themes developed in this book, starting from the analysis of the design and engineering scenarios to arrive at the development and adoption of a framework for product design and process reconfiguration. In fact, the core consists of the description of the Design GuideLines Collaborative Framework (DGLs-CF), a methodological approach that generates a collaborative environment where designers, manufacturers and inspectors can find the right and effective meeting point to share their knowledge and skills in order to contribute to the optimum generation of quality products.

The process control industry has seen generations of technology advancement, from pneumatic communication to electrical communication to electronic c- munication, from centralized control to distributed control. At the center of today's distributed control systems are operator workstations. These operator wo- stations provide the connection between those overseeing and running plant operations to the process itself. With each new generation of products the operator workstation has become increasingly more intelligent. Newer applications provide advanced alarming, control, and diagnostics. Behind all of these applications are smarter devices. These smart devices provide greater process insight, reduce en- neering costs, and contribute to improving the overall operational performance of the plant. Smart devices include advanced diagnostics that can report the health of the device and in many cases, the health of the process that the device is connected to. It is not uncommon for smart devices to include diagnostics that can detect plugged lines, burner flame instability, agitator loss, wet gas, orifice wear, leaks, and cavitations. These devices tell the user how well they are operating and when they need maintenance. Improvements in sensor technology and diagnostics have lead to a large variety of smart devices. So how do users connect the capabilities of these smart devices to their existing control system infrastructures? The answer is wireless. Wireless technology has matured to the point that it now can be safely applied in industrial control, monitor, and asset management applications.

Industries and particularly the manufacturing sector have been facing difficult challenges in a context of socio-economic turbulence characterized by complexity as well as the speed of change in causal interconnections in the socio-economic environment. In order to respond to these challenges companies are forced to seek new technological and organizational solutions. In this context two main characteristics emerge as key properties of a modern automation system - agility and distribution. Agility because systems need not only to be flexible in order to adjust to a number of a-priori defined scenarios, but rather must cope with unpredictability. Distribution in the sense that automation and business processes are becoming distributed and supported by collaborative networks. Emerging Solutions for Future Manufacturing Systems includes the papers selected for the BASYS'04 conference, which was held in Vienna, Austria in September 2004 and sponsored by the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP).

"Advanced Steels: The Recent Scenario in Steel Science and Technology" contains more than 50 articles selected from the proceedings of the International Conference on Advanced Steels (ICAS) held during 9-11, Nov, 2010 in Guilin, China. This book covers almost all important aspects of steels from physical metallurgy, steel grades, processing and fabrication, simulation, to properties and applications. The book is intended for researchers and postgraduate students in the field of steels, metallurgy and materials science. Prof. Yuqing Weng is an academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering and the president of The Chinese Society for Metals. Prof. Han Dong is the vice president of Central Iron & Steel Research Institute and the director of National Engineering Research Center of Advanced Steel Technology, China. Prof. Yong Gan is an academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, the vice president of Chinese Academy of Engineering and the president of Central Iron & Steel Research Institute, China.

Nontraditional machining employs processes that remove material by various methods involving thermal, electrical, chemical and mechanical energy or even combinations of these. Nontraditional Machining Processes covers recent research and development in techniques and processes which focus on achieving high accuracies and good surface finishes, parts machined without burrs or residual stresses especially with materials that cannot be machined by conventional methods. With applications to the automotive, aircraft and mould and die industries, Nontraditional Machining Processes explores different aspects and processes through dedicated chapters. The seven chapters explore recent research into a range of topics including laser assisted manufacturing, abrasive water jet milling and hybrid processes. Students and researchers will find the practical examples and new processes useful for both reference and for developing further processes. Industry professionals and materials engineers will also find Nontraditional Machining Processes to be a source of ideas and processes for development and industrial application.

"Recent Advances in Intelligent Control Systems" gathers contributions from workers around the world and presents them in four categories according to the style of control employed: fuzzy control; neural control; fuzzy neural control; and intelligent control. The contributions illustrate the interdisciplinary antecedents of intelligent control and contrast its results with those of more traditional control methods. A variety of design examples, drawn primarily from robotics and mechatronics but also representing process and production engineering, large civil structures, network flows, and others, provide instances of the application of computational intelligence for control. Presenting state-of-the-art research, this collection will be of benefit to researchers in automatic control, automation, computer science (especially artificial intelligence) and mechatronics while graduate students and practicing control engineers working with intelligent systems will find it a good source of study material.

The relay feedback test (RFT) has become a popular and efficient in process identification and automatic controller tuning. Non-parametric Tuning of PID Controllers couples new modifications of classical RFT with application-specific optimal tuning rules to form a non-parametric method of test-and-tuning. Test and tuning are coordinated through a set of common parameters so that a PID controller can obtain the desired gain or phase margins in a system exactly, even with unknown process dynamics. The concept of process-specific optimal tuning rules in the nonparametric setup, with corresponding tuning rules for flow, level pressure, and temperature control loops is presented in the text. Common problems of tuning accuracy based on parametric and non-parametric approaches are addressed. In addition, the text treats the parametric approach to tuning based on the modified RFT approach and the exact model of oscillations in the system under test using the locus of a perturbedrelay system (LPRS) method. Industrial loop tuning for distributed control systems using modified RFT is also described. Many of the problems of tuning rules optimization and identification with modified RFT are accompanied by MATLAB (R) code, downloadable from http://extras.springer.com/978-1-4471-4464-9 to allow the reader to duplicate the results. Non-parametric Tuning of PID Controllers is written for readers with previous knowledge of linear control and will be of interest to academic control researchers and graduate students and to practitioners working in a variety of chemical- mechanical- and process-engineering-related industries.

Enterprise Networks and Logistics for Agile Manufacturing presents a focused collection of quality chapters on state-of-the-art research efforts in the areas of enterprise networks and logistics, as well as their practical applications towards agile manufacturing. With the increasing decentralisation of manufacturing systems and outsourcing of processes, more robust and practical approaches and systems are needed to support agile manufacturing operations. Enterprise Networks and Logistics for Agile Manufacturing consists of two major sections: the first presents a broad-based review of the key areas of research in enterprise networks and logistics; the second focuses on an in-depth treatment of a particular methodology or system relevant to the book title. Examples include: * sustainable green supply chain; * value creation and supplier selection; * extended enterprise network management; * reverse logistics; and * innovative supply chain systems. The authors take into account the need to pose intellectual challenges while retaining a balanced approach in terms of scope versus depth and theory versus applications. Enterprise Networks and Logistics for Agile Manufacturing can be beneficial to academic researchers, practicing engineers and managers, and graduate students with an interest in any manufacturing sectors. It can enable them to better understand the present state and future trends of research in this important area, in order to position themselves strategically for future challenges as we enter the era of agile and distributed manufacturing.

To meet and adapt to the current and future trends and issues in technology and society, the science committee of The German Academic Society for Production Engineering (WGP) continues to define future topics for production technology. These themes represent not only the key focus for the scientific work of the WGP, but also the central themes of the first annual conference in June 2011, whose paper is publically available in this volume. Such themes, including electric mobility, medical technology, lightweight construction, and resource efficiency, as well as mass production ability have all been identified as future, large-scale, and long-term drivers of change. Future trends influence changes sustainably and fundamentally; they permeate society, technology, economics, and value systems and have an effect in virtually all areas of life. The WGP has, as part of its research, established for itself the goal of not only observing these emerging changes, but also of supervising and influencing their development in order to ensure steady progress, secure sustainability, and shape the future.

The central purpose of this book is to impart knowledge, skills and practical - plementation methods for the planning and operation of adaptable production - cilities and factories. It addresses planning methods and procedures for various types of production facility up to and including entire factories, and is aimed at practicing factory planners and students alike. The book provides facts and demonstrates practical processes using case studies for the purposes of illustration, so that ultimately skills can be acquired that make independent practical implementation and app- cation possible. It is based on up-to-the-minute practical experience and univ- sally applicable knowledge of the planning and technological design of adaptable production facilities (manufacturing and assembly) and factories. In comparison to existing, thematically-similar reference books, what is in- vative about this manual is that it provides the impulse for a more flexible pl- ning approach for the efficient design of adaptable production facilities using - sponsive, unconventional planning and organizational solutions. The book aims to provide a way of integrating systematic and situation-driven planning methods in a meaningful way. Situation-driven planning is becoming increasingly important to production facilities in these fast-moving times of change, in particular in terms of resource and energy efficiency. Existing technical and organizational course of action in terms of resources (both human and technical) need to be selected for the specific case at hand, and changes (to workshops, products, processes and equ- ment) need to be managed.

Managing Cooperation in Supply Network Structures and Small- or Medium-sized Enterprises outlines different approaches to the analysis of the organisation of small- or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Owing to the increased competition in the worldwide market, several SMEs operating in the same industrial sectors have agreed collaborative market strategies, both for raw material procurement and for final product delivery. The resulting networks, however, have a tendency to suffer from a lack of organization, which minimizes their impact on the product and labour markets, and causes a weak negotiation capacity within their supply chain. Managing Cooperation in Supply Network Structures and Small- or Medium-sized Enterprises aims to give managers of SMEs a simple methodology that helps them to understand when and why becoming a partner in an SME network can be profitable for their enterprise. It discusses the most critical organizational problems and identifies which procedures must be known to become a collaborative member of the network. Policy-makers, as well as managers and executives, will be able to appreciate the key issues in creating and managing healthy networks that serve global market requirements in the major industrial sectors. Managing Cooperation in Supply Network Structures and Small- or Medium-sized Enterprises enables them to evaluate the efficiency of their organization, and to estimate both the network performance and the opportunity for further development.

Value stream design is increasingly asserting itself as the key approach for production optimization, but there has never been a detailed and systematic presentation of the value stream method before - a gap that has now been filled by this book. The author provides an easily comprehensible code of practice for the effective analysis of production processes, product family-oriented factory structuring and the target-oriented development of an ideal future state of production. The book plausibly conveys ten design guidelines for production optimization with corresponding equations, descriptive illustrations and industrial examples well-proven in numerous industrial projects. It addresses the professional public, practitioners wishing to avoid waste and systematically improve their factories' value streams, and students - tomorrow's practitioners. In contrast to other publications, this book complements the value stream analysis and its unique compact visualization of the entire production process by a detailed illustration of the information flow and a comprehensive discussion of the operator balance chart. The "traditional" concept of value stream design is significantly expanded with a view to its applicability in complex productions by way of methodological innovation and further development concerning campaign formation, value stream management and technological process integration. The method is embedded in a comprehensive procedural approach for factory planning, starting with the definition of the desired lean production goals.

With the increasing complexity and dynamism in today's product design and manufacturing, more optimal, robust and practical approaches and systems are needed to support product design and manufacturing activities. Multi-objective Evolutionary Optimisation for Product Design and Manufacturing presents a focused collection of quality chapters on state-of-the-art research efforts in multi-objective evolutionary optimisation, as well as their practical applications to integrated product design and manufacturing. Multi-objective Evolutionary Optimisation for Product Design and Manufacturing consists of two major sections. The first presents a broad-based review of the key areas of research in multi-objective evolutionary optimisation. The second gives in-depth treatments of selected methodologies and systems in intelligent design and integrated manufacturing. Recent developments and innovations in multi-objective evolutionary optimisation make Multi-objective Evolutionary Optimisation for Product Design and Manufacturing a useful text for a broad readership, from academic researchers to practicing engineers.

The well documented increase in the use of high performance composites as structural materials in aerospace components is continuously raising the demands in terms of dynamic performance, structural integrity, reliable life monitoring systems and adaptive actuating abilities. Current technologies address the above issues separately; material property tailoring and custom design practices aim to the enhancement of dynamic and damage tolerance characteristics, whereas life monitoring and actuation is performed with embedded sensors that may be detrimental to the structural integrity of the component. This publication explores the unique properties of carbon nanotubes (CNT) as an additive in the matrix of Fibre Reinforced Plastics (FRP), for producing structural composites with improved mechanical performance as well as sensing/actuating capabilities. The successful combination of the CNT properties and existing sensing actuating technologies leads to the realization of a multifunctional FRP structure. The current volume presents the state of the art research in this field. The contributions cover all the aspects of the novel composite systems, i.e. modeling from nano to macro scale, enhancement of structural efficiency, dispersion and manufacturing, integral health monitoring abilities, Raman monitoring, as well as the capabilities that ordered carbon nanotube arrays offer in terms of sensing and/or actuating in aerospace composites.

Characterisation: this volume presents the latest contribution to the theory and practice of modern robotics given by the world recognised scientists from Australia, Canada, Europe, Japan and USA.

The only book to provide detailed analytical tools for manufacturing process design. No other book takes a data perspective to design, although this becoming a hot topic in research and industry.

Microsystems applications (MST) in automobiles have become commonplace: they enable the introduction of a series of new functions and at the same time the replacement of existing technologies offering improved performance and better value for money. Microsystems are indispensable for fulfilling a complete transition from the mechanically driven automobile system to a mechanically based but ICT-driven system as part of a likewise complex environment. With the introduction of micro-systems a series of challenges arise regarding complexity, systems design, reliability, serviceability, etc. These challenges have to be addressed in order to meet high customer expectations concerning performance and price.

Microsystems are an important factor that contribute to an automobile model's success. To meet the customer's desire for safety, convenience and vehicle economy, and to satisfy environmental standards, microsystems play a critical factor. Microsystems applications (MST) have already resulted in improved performance and better value for money. But the advances implemented reveal only the beginning of a revolution in the vehicle sector, which aims at a complete transition from the mechanically driven automobile system to a mechanically based but ICT-driven system. The selected contributions from AMAA 2003 treat safety (both preventive and protective), powertrain (online measurement and control of engine and transmission subsystems), comfort and HMI (systems to enhance the comfort of passengers and human machine interface issues), and networked Vehicle (all aspects of intra car systems and ambient communication networks).

The field of large-scale dimensional metrology (LSM) deals with objects that have linear dimensions ranging from tens to hundreds of meters. It has recently attracted a great deal of interest in many areas of production, including the automotive, railway, and shipbuilding sectors. Distributed Large-Scale Dimensional Metrology introduces a new paradigm in this field that reverses the classical metrological approach: measuring systems that are portable and can be easily moved around the location of the measured object, which is preferable to moving the object itself. Distributed Large-Scale Dimensional Metrology combines the concepts of distributed systems and large scale metrology at the application level. It focuses on the latest insights and challenges of this new generation of systems from the perspective of the designers and developers. The main topics are: coverage of measuring area, sensors calibration, on-line diagnostics, probe management, and analysis of metrological performance. The general descriptions of each topic are further enriched by specific examples concerning the use of commercially available systems or the development of new prototypes. This will be particularly useful for professional practitioners such as quality engineers, manufacturing and development engineers, and procurement specialists, but Distributed Large-Scale Dimensional Metrology also has a wealth of information for interested academics.

"Machining dynamics: Frequency response to improved productivity" will train engineers and students in the practical application of machining dynamics, with a particular focus on milling. The book is arranged such that the steps required to improve machining productivity through chatter avoidance and reduced surface location error (forced vibrations resulting in part geometric errors) are clearly evident. The following topics are covered in detail: modal analysis, including experimental methods, to obtain the tool point frequency response function; descriptions of turning and milling, including force modeling, time domain simulation, stability lobe diagram algorithms, and surface location error calculation for milling; and receptance coupling methods for tool point frequency response prediction, including beam theory. Numerical examples are included, as well as the MATLAB code used to develop the figures.

"Machine Tool Vibrations and Cutting Dynamics" covers the fundamentals of cutting dynamics from the perspective of discontinuous systems theory. It shows the reader how to use coupling, interaction, and different cutting states to mitigate machining instability and enable better machine tool design. Among the topics discussed are; underlying dynamics of cutting and interruptions in cutting motions; the operation of the machine-tool systems over a broad range of operating conditions with minimal vibration and the need for high precision, high yield micro- and nano-machining.

The concept generation process seems like an intuitional thought: difficult to capture and perform, although everyone is capable of it. It is not an analytical process but a synthetic process which has yet to be clarified. Furthermore, new research methods for investigating the concept generation process-a very difficult task since the concept generation process is driven by inner feelings deeply etched in the mind-are necessary to establish its theory and methodology. Concept Generation for Design Creativity - A Systematized Theory and Methodology presents the concept generation process both theoretically and methodologically. Theoretically, the concept generation process is discussed by comparing metaphor, abduction, and General Design Theory from the notions of similarities and dissimilarities. Analogy, blending, and integration by thematic relation have been explained methodologically. So far, these theories and methods have been discussed independently, and the relations among them have not been clarified. Two newly developed research methods to investigate the concept generation process are clearly explained: the explanation-based protocol analysis and constructive simulation. By reading Concept Generation for Design Creativity - A Systematized Theory and Methodology, students, researchers and lecturers in design disciplines (including engineering design, industrial design, software design, CHI, design education, and cognitive science ) can obtain a clear picture of the advanced research findings and the outline of the theories and methods for concept generation. Furthermore, readers are expected to achieve the competence to generate new concepts.

As a companion to books on project-management theory, this book illustrates, in a down-to-earth, comprehensive style, how to put that theory into practice. In addition to the many examples that illustrate procedures, the book includes over 25 case studies, each one addressing a specific theme. Key topics, such as project selection, negotiations, planning and scheduling, cost and budgeting, project control, human resources, environmental impacts, risk management, and financial evaluation, are discussed, using a step-by-step approach. Beginning at the grassroots level, some cases are solved by hand to illustrate the mechanics of a procedure, while others are solved using advanced computer programs. In this way the reader has a clear idea of the problem, how and when to raise the issue, information needed (and who can provide it), how to solve it by hand, when possible, and also its resolution using the latest informatics tools.

Stereolithography: Materials, Processes and Applications will focus on recent advances in stereolithography covering aspects related to the most recent advances in the field, in terms of fabrication processes (two-photon polymerization, micro-stereolithography, infrared stereolithography and stereo-thermal-lithography), materials (novel resins, hydrogels for medical applications and highly reinforced resins with ceramics and metals), computer simulation and applications.