Presents invited lectures given at the International Symposium on Novel Materials held at Puri, India, during March 1997, discussing novel materials' growth, morphologies, and electrical and magnetic properties as well as related first principles, electronic structure calculations, simulations, and

To engineer and manufacture is human. Manufactured goods are subjected to severe international competitive forces. Consumers' perceptions towards total quality, reliable performance, health and safety, environmental issues, energy conservation and cost of ownership are changing day by day. Manufacturers have no alternative but to satisfy the consumer's increasing demands with maximum efficiency and profitability with minimum delay. Failure to meet such a challenge is clearly undesirable and will, no doubt, result in the closure of manufacturing activities, which is still regarded by many as the backbone of our national economy. Manufacturing for profitability should be the number one concern of all serious minded and responsible people. To help the industries to meet these challenges and to manage efficiently well into 1990s and beyond, the Technical Advisory Committee in their wisdom decided the appropriate theme, Profitable Condition Monitoring, for this year's International Conference, to coincide with the great European market to be opened in 1993. The benefits from condition monitoring are well documented. Condition monitoring is now an affordable technology which is waiting to be fully exploited by all sectors of industry, both big and small. Many companies have realised the following benefits from condition monitoring: * optimisation of profits * maximisation of production * cost-effective maintenance * minimisation of product liability * maximisation of total quality. As the contents of this proceedings reveal, there have been a number of significant advances in condition monitoring of which companies ought to be taking full advantage.

RajB KNRao Conference Director, Birmingham Polytechnic Condition Monitoring and Diagnostic Engineering Management (COMADEM) is a relatively new field that has already made its mark in a wide range of industries. But all the signs are that even more will be required of researchers in the field over the next decade, for COMADEM directly addresses a whole range of issues that are likely to become increasingly important to companies as competitiveness increases along with the uncertainties resulting from rapid technological change. Already for example, businesses are having to scrutinize the economics of plant and machinery in greater detail than ever before; reliability is becoming a crucial factor as the costs of unscheduled breakdowns rise and there is increasing pressure on companies to demonstrate and assure improved health and safety conditions, especially in light of the growing number of catastrophic accidents that have occured throughout the world. Because it offers solutions to these and similar problems, COMADEM is now gaining an international reputation as a problem-solving, user-friendly and financially beneficial multi-discipline with immense potential. Many people at the senior management level are now convinced that COMADEM has much to offer and are wasting no time in reaping maximum benefit from the latest developments. The fact that the first UK informal seminar on COMADEM - COMADEM 88 - proved to be a great success and had a truly international flavour reflected this growing interest in the new field.

This volume documents the latest advances in condition monitoring. Particular emphasis is palced on the profitability issues which can be gained by introducing condition monitoring technology in manufacturing systems.