Integration of Manufacturing and Service Systems

Summary form only given. This is a very timely conference when opportunities are open to some interesting challenges today in the integration of manufacturing and service systems. In the processes of fabrication and assembly, the supply chain of complex products can easily cover the whole globe. The challenges here are how do we use modern IT systems to manage globally and also how do we manage inside our businesses to maximise the benefits of the new technologies. There is a revolution taking place in the design of complex products. Design is quickly becoming design for use rather than just to build. A modern aircraft incorporates huge amounts of diagnostic equipment to allow for the monitoring for performance in real-time using complex sensor systems to monitor aircraft equipment and engines in use. Clearly managing and responding to this data is a major issue and, if this is happening in aerospace today, it will be in other products tomorrow. The big challenge is how we integrate design in products to be able to incorporate all these issues, design for manufacture, design for use and even design for disassembly as well as re-use or disposal. It is an exciting time to be discussing these issues and I look forward to be seeing you all in Singapore for INDIN´06.