ABSTRACT
The impact of the mechatronic approach in manufacturing has been very sig nificant in a number of areas from conceptual design of products and systems, as discussed in Chapter 3, through to shipping and after sales support. Within the manufacturing environment, the influence of mechatronics can be seen in manufacturing techniques based upon highly integrated CAD-CAM links and their extension to com puter integrated m anufacturing (CIM) to cover all aspects of machine performance, materials handling, assembly warehousing and despatch. This chapter will examine some of the areas where mechatron ics is having the greatest impact and potential future effect, beginning with an appraisal of the scope of manufacturing in relation to different types of indus try and organisation. These may be classified under four or five categories which can have quite different manufacturing cultures as exemplified by the implicit 'motto' which they may have.
