ABSTRACT
Since the beginning o f manufacturing the trend has been to group similar types o f work machines together for better work organization and execution. This concept was used for production planning process, leading later on to the concept o f what is known as group technology in production organization, product manufacturing, and design. The group technology concept is used in mechatronic approach o f process and product design because it enables process and product development to be based on the use o f modification and the use o f existing development docu ments available within the enterprise, instead o f initiating each development from the scratch.
