This book describes a vision of manufacturing in the twenty-first century that maximizes efficiencies and improvements by exploiting the full power of information and provides a research agenda for information technology and manufacturing that is necessary for success in achieving such a vision. Research on information technology to support product and process design, shop-floor operations, and flexible manufacturing is described. Roles for virtual manufacturing and the information infrastructure are also addressed. A final chapter is devoted to nontechnical research issues.

• Front Matter
• Executive Summary
• 1 Vision and Recommended Areas of Research
• 2 Manufacturing: Context, Content, and History
• 3 Integrated Product and Process Design
• 4 Shop Floor Production
• 5 Modeling and Simulation For the Virtual Factory
• 6 Information Infrastructure Issues
• 7 Organizational and Societal Infrastructure
• Bibliography
• Appendix A List of Contributors
• Appendix B Site Visit to Romeo Engine Plant, March 23, 1994
• Appendix C Illustrative Advanced Long-range Technology Demostrations