The intelligent manufacturing systems initiative

Intelligent manufacturing systems (IMS) is an initiative to determine the feasibility of international collaborative R&D in advanced manufacturing and its industrial deployment. The two year feasibility study consists of: (1) a study of four critical issues for collaboration (methods of cooperation, intellectual property rights, funding and technical project areas) and (2) R&D test cases to provide experience and information for designing a full ongoing IMS program. Once the feasibility study is completed in January 1994, the international participants will decide whether to recommend a full IMS program, and if so, the form such a program should take