Advanced Manufacturing Systems: Analysis of Trends

Today, due to the rapid change of manufacturing technology, many firms have to produce efficiently with minimum cost and best quality in order to maintain their status in the markets. Having invested a great deal of money in R&D the manufacturing environment is very competitive, using many advanced technologies such as computers, microelectronics, Computer‐Aided Design, Computer‐Aided Manufacturing, Flexible Manufacturing Systems and industrial robots. This means managers must acquire some technical knowledge and workers must be prepared to move from direct manufacturing to the information sector or to professional services because automation requires many professionals and technicians.