This volume contains the selected manuscripts of the papers presented at the Second IDMME Conference on "Integrated Design and Manufacturing in Mechanical Engineering", held in Compiegne, France, at the University of Technology of Compiegne, May 27-29, 1998. The purpose of the Conference was to present and discuss topics dealing with the optimization of product design and manufacturing processes with particular attention to (1) the analysis and optimum design of mechanical parts and mechanisms (2) the modeling of forming processes (3) the development of computer aided manufacturing tools (4) the methodological aspects of integrated design and manufacturing in adapted technical and human environments. The initiative of the conference and the organization thereof is mainly due to the efforts of the french PRIMECA group (Pool of Computer ResoUfces for Mechanics). The international Institution for Production Engineering Research (C.I.R.P.) was helpful to attract international participants. The conference brought together three hundred and twenty worldwide participants.

This book presents recent advances in the integration and the optimization of product design and manufacturing systems. The book is divided into 3 chapters corresponding to the following three main topics : - optimization of product design process (mechanical design process, mass customization, modeling the product representation, computer support for engineering design, support systems for tolerancing, simulation and optimization tools for structures and for mechanisms and robots), -optimization of manufacturing systems (multi-criteria optimization and fuzzy volumes, tooth path generation, machine-tools behavior, surface integrity and precision, process simulation), - methodological aspects of integrated design and manufacturing (solid modeling, collaborative tools and knowledge formalization, integrating product and process design and innovation, robust and reliable design, multi-agent approach in VR environment). The present book is of interest to engineers, researchers, academic staff, and postgraduate students interested in integrated design and manufacturing in mechanical engineering.

This book presents a selection of papers related to the fifth edition of book further to the International Conference on Integrated Design and Manufacturing in Mechanical Engineering. This Conference has been organized within the framework of the activities of the AIP-PRIMECA network whose main scientific field is Integrated Design applied to both Mechanical Engineering and Productics. This network isorganized along the lines of a joint project: the evolution, in the field of training of Integrated Design in Mechanics and Productics, in quite close connection with the ever changing industrial needs over the past 20 years. It is in charge of promoting both exchanges of experience and know-how capitalisation. It has a paramount mission to fulfil, be it in the field of initial and continuous education, technological transfer and knowledge dissemination through strong links with research labs. For the second time, in fact, the IDMME Conference has been held abroad and, after Canada in 2000, the United Kingdom, more particularly Bath University, has been retained under the responsibility of Professor Alan Bramley, the Chairman of the Scientific Committee of the conference. The Scientific Committee members have selected all the lectures from com mplete papers, which is the guarantee for the Conference of quite an outstanding scientific level. After that, a new selection hasbeen carried out to retain the best publications, which establish in a book, a state-of-the-art analysis as regards Integrated Design and Manufacturing in the discipline of Mechanical Engineering.

The 33 papers presented in this book were selected from amongst the 97 papers presented during the sixth edition of the International Conference on Integrated Design and Manufacturing in Mechanical Engineering during 28 sessions. This conference represents the state-of-the-art research in the field. Two keynote papers introduce the subject of the Conference and are followed by the different themes highlighted during the conference.

Proceedings of the Third IDMME Conference held in Montreal, Canada, May 2000

This volume contains the selected papers of the first I.D.M.M.E. conference on 'Integrated Design and Manufacturing in Mechanical Engineering', held in Nantes from 15-17 April 1996. Its objective was to discuss the questions related to the definition of the optimal design and manufacturing processes and to their integration through coherent methodologies in adapted environments. The initiative of the Conference and the organization thereof, is mainly due to the efforts of the french PRIMECA group (Pool of Computer Resources for Mechanics) started eight years ago. We were able to attract the internationru community with the support of the International Institution for Production Engineering Research (C.I.R.P.). The conference brought together two hundred and fifty specialists from around the world. About ninety papers and twenty posters were presented covering three main topics : optimization and evaluation of the product design process, optimization and evaluation of the manufacturing systems and methodological aspects.