- Email: [email protected]
Editorial for the Special Issue of RCIM for FAIM 2005
ARTICLE IN PRESS
Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing 22 (2006) 397–398 www.elsevier.com/locate/rcim
Editorial
Editorial for the Special Issue of RCIM for FAIM 2005 15th International Conference on Flexible Automation and Intelligent Manufacturing, University of Deusto, July 18–20, 2005, Bilbao, Spain Today, manufacturers are competing in a global, dynamic marketplace that demands excellence in quality and service, throughput, innovativeness, flexibility in production, short response time to changing markets, and profitable margins. Manufacturers must stay current and at the same time master emerging and rapidly advancing technologies in order to remain competitive. They are challenged to achieve short product development cycles, expend product lines, and combat shrinking product lifecycles in a global economy marked by rapid fluctuations and increasing competition. This special issue of Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing contains selected papers from the 15th International Conference on Flexible Automation and Intelligent Manufacturing (FAIM 2005), organized by the University of Deusto in July 2005, Bilbao, Spain. Authors from 35 countries presented 110 papers at the conference. FAIM 2005 is dedicated to advanced technologies, computer-integrated product and process development, and organizational methods that meet changing manufacturing-related conditions. This special issue addresses research and applications of a few of these technologies and methods to help improve the manufacturing environment from both the industrial and academic perspectives. All papers for consideration of publication in this special issue have been carefully selected from the 110 papers based on the review results for conference paper publication. Following extensions, the selected papers have been thoroughly refereed again by at least two reviewers. Twenty papers have been finally accepted and included herein, which represent approximately 18% of the FAIM 2005 conference papers. The intention is to publish a peer-reviewed collection of FAIM conference papers each year in a special edition of the RCIM journal. As demonstrated by the articles in this edition, the FAIM 2005 conference puts a focus on current research, best practices, and future trends within the areas of global competitiveness and rapidly advancing technologies in 0736-5845/$ - see front matter r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.rcim.2006.05.001
flexible automation and intelligent manufacturing. The conference covers the following themes:
Concurrent and Simultaneous Enterprise Re-engineering Intelligent Manufacturing Systems Simulation Modelling and Applications Production Planning and Scheduling Automation Technology Economics and Performance Measurement of Automation Reliability and Maintenance Management in Automated Factory ERP and Supply Chain Systems Capita Selecta in Related Manufacturing Next Generation in Manufacturing Manufacturing Education
The FAIM 2005 conference proceedings were published by the University of Deusto Press in two volumes of 982 pages (Vol. 1—ISBN:84-7485-991-3; Vol. 2—ISBN:847485-992-1) and in a CD-ROM. The editors of the proceedings are Dr. Esther Alvarez, Prof. Jalal Ashayeri, Prof. William Sullivan, and Prof. Munir Ahmad. For those who are not familiar with the FAIM conference series, we provide a brief historical sketch below. FAIM conference series have a rich and time-tested tradition of excellence culminating in the FAIM 2005 conference in Bilbao, Spain. The first conference, ‘‘Factory Automation and Information Management’’, was hosted in March 1991 by the University of Limerick, Ireland. Authors from more than 18 countries contributed over 100 papers. The second conference, ‘‘Flexible Automation and Information Management’’, was hosted by Virginia Tech in Washington, DC, in June 1992. The third conference, ‘‘Flexible Automation and Integrated Manufacturing’’, was hosted in June 1993 by the University of Limerick, Ireland. The fourth conference was held at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, in May 1994. Since then, the focus of
ARTICLE IN PRESS 398
Editorial / Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing 22 (2006) 397–398
FAIM changes to ‘‘Flexible Automation and Intelligent Manufacturing’’. The fifth conference was held at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing and Management, University of Stuttgart, Germany, in June 1995. The sixth international conference was conducted in May 1996 at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. The seventh FAIM conference was sponsored by the European Process Industries Competitiveness Centre (EPICC) at the University of Teesside in Middlesbrough, United Kingdom, in June 1997. FAIM’98 was sponsored by Portland State University in Portland, Oregon, with generous assistance from Oregon State University and the Oregon Centre for Advanced Technology Education. FAIM’99 was hosted by Tilburg University in the Netherlands, and FAIM 2000 was organized by the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. FAIM 2001 returned to Ireland at Dublin City University in July of 2001. FAIM 2002 was hosted by the Dresden University of Technology in Dresden, Germany. Recently, FAIM 2003 was organized by University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida, and FAIM 2004 was hosted by Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada. This series of FAIM conferences have been providing a broad forum for practitioners and academics to exchange ideas and network for 15 years. The next FAIM conference, FAIM 2006, will come back to the University of Limerick, Ireland. The aims of both the RCIM journal and the FAIM conference series are to present innovative research and to focus on state-of-the-art trends within the general areas of
flexible automation, information management, and intelligent manufacturing. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the authors for the time and effort they spent in writing their papers, and for complying with referees’ and Guest Editors’ comments in revising their manuscripts. We would also like to express our special gratitude to the referees, who evaluated the papers included in the special issue and made valuable comments for improving the quality of the papers. Finally, we would like to gratefully acknowledge the trust and support provided by Prof. William Sullivan and Prof. Munir Ahmad, founders of the FAIM conference series and Associate Editors of the RCIM journal, in the process of compiling this special issue.
Guest Editors Esther Alvarez Faculty of Engineering, University of Deusto, Avda. Universidades, 24, Bilbao 48012, Spain E-mail address: [email protected] Jalal Ashayeri Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Tilburg University, Warandelaan 2, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands E-mail address: [email protected]
Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing 22 (2006) 397–398 www.elsevier.com/locate/rcim
Editorial
Editorial for the Special Issue of RCIM for FAIM 2005 15th International Conference on Flexible Automation and Intelligent Manufacturing, University of Deusto, July 18–20, 2005, Bilbao, Spain Today, manufacturers are competing in a global, dynamic marketplace that demands excellence in quality and service, throughput, innovativeness, flexibility in production, short response time to changing markets, and profitable margins. Manufacturers must stay current and at the same time master emerging and rapidly advancing technologies in order to remain competitive. They are challenged to achieve short product development cycles, expend product lines, and combat shrinking product lifecycles in a global economy marked by rapid fluctuations and increasing competition. This special issue of Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing contains selected papers from the 15th International Conference on Flexible Automation and Intelligent Manufacturing (FAIM 2005), organized by the University of Deusto in July 2005, Bilbao, Spain. Authors from 35 countries presented 110 papers at the conference. FAIM 2005 is dedicated to advanced technologies, computer-integrated product and process development, and organizational methods that meet changing manufacturing-related conditions. This special issue addresses research and applications of a few of these technologies and methods to help improve the manufacturing environment from both the industrial and academic perspectives. All papers for consideration of publication in this special issue have been carefully selected from the 110 papers based on the review results for conference paper publication. Following extensions, the selected papers have been thoroughly refereed again by at least two reviewers. Twenty papers have been finally accepted and included herein, which represent approximately 18% of the FAIM 2005 conference papers. The intention is to publish a peer-reviewed collection of FAIM conference papers each year in a special edition of the RCIM journal. As demonstrated by the articles in this edition, the FAIM 2005 conference puts a focus on current research, best practices, and future trends within the areas of global competitiveness and rapidly advancing technologies in 0736-5845/$ - see front matter r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.rcim.2006.05.001
flexible automation and intelligent manufacturing. The conference covers the following themes:
Concurrent and Simultaneous Enterprise Re-engineering Intelligent Manufacturing Systems Simulation Modelling and Applications Production Planning and Scheduling Automation Technology Economics and Performance Measurement of Automation Reliability and Maintenance Management in Automated Factory ERP and Supply Chain Systems Capita Selecta in Related Manufacturing Next Generation in Manufacturing Manufacturing Education
The FAIM 2005 conference proceedings were published by the University of Deusto Press in two volumes of 982 pages (Vol. 1—ISBN:84-7485-991-3; Vol. 2—ISBN:847485-992-1) and in a CD-ROM. The editors of the proceedings are Dr. Esther Alvarez, Prof. Jalal Ashayeri, Prof. William Sullivan, and Prof. Munir Ahmad. For those who are not familiar with the FAIM conference series, we provide a brief historical sketch below. FAIM conference series have a rich and time-tested tradition of excellence culminating in the FAIM 2005 conference in Bilbao, Spain. The first conference, ‘‘Factory Automation and Information Management’’, was hosted in March 1991 by the University of Limerick, Ireland. Authors from more than 18 countries contributed over 100 papers. The second conference, ‘‘Flexible Automation and Information Management’’, was hosted by Virginia Tech in Washington, DC, in June 1992. The third conference, ‘‘Flexible Automation and Integrated Manufacturing’’, was hosted in June 1993 by the University of Limerick, Ireland. The fourth conference was held at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, in May 1994. Since then, the focus of
ARTICLE IN PRESS 398
Editorial / Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing 22 (2006) 397–398
FAIM changes to ‘‘Flexible Automation and Intelligent Manufacturing’’. The fifth conference was held at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing and Management, University of Stuttgart, Germany, in June 1995. The sixth international conference was conducted in May 1996 at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. The seventh FAIM conference was sponsored by the European Process Industries Competitiveness Centre (EPICC) at the University of Teesside in Middlesbrough, United Kingdom, in June 1997. FAIM’98 was sponsored by Portland State University in Portland, Oregon, with generous assistance from Oregon State University and the Oregon Centre for Advanced Technology Education. FAIM’99 was hosted by Tilburg University in the Netherlands, and FAIM 2000 was organized by the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. FAIM 2001 returned to Ireland at Dublin City University in July of 2001. FAIM 2002 was hosted by the Dresden University of Technology in Dresden, Germany. Recently, FAIM 2003 was organized by University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida, and FAIM 2004 was hosted by Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada. This series of FAIM conferences have been providing a broad forum for practitioners and academics to exchange ideas and network for 15 years. The next FAIM conference, FAIM 2006, will come back to the University of Limerick, Ireland. The aims of both the RCIM journal and the FAIM conference series are to present innovative research and to focus on state-of-the-art trends within the general areas of
flexible automation, information management, and intelligent manufacturing. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the authors for the time and effort they spent in writing their papers, and for complying with referees’ and Guest Editors’ comments in revising their manuscripts. We would also like to express our special gratitude to the referees, who evaluated the papers included in the special issue and made valuable comments for improving the quality of the papers. Finally, we would like to gratefully acknowledge the trust and support provided by Prof. William Sullivan and Prof. Munir Ahmad, founders of the FAIM conference series and Associate Editors of the RCIM journal, in the process of compiling this special issue.
Guest Editors Esther Alvarez Faculty of Engineering, University of Deusto, Avda. Universidades, 24, Bilbao 48012, Spain E-mail address: [email protected] Jalal Ashayeri Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Tilburg University, Warandelaan 2, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands E-mail address: [email protected]