Innovative production machines and systems (I*PROMS): a network of excellence funded by the EU sixth framework programme

The network of excellence (NoE) for innovative production machines and systems (I*PROMS) is designed to integrate the activities of leading European Union (El)) research institutions in the field of production research. I*PROMS seeks to facilitate the development of common concepts, tools and techniques enabling the creation and operation of flexible, re-configurable, fault-tolerant and eco- and user-friendly production systems that can react to changing customer needs, environmental requirements, design inputs, and material / process / labour availability to manufacture high quality, cost-effective products. Initially. I*PROMS addresses the six 'Visionary Manufacturing Challenges for 2020* published by the National Academy of Sciences, namely, concurrent manufacturing, integration of human and technical resources, conversion of information to knowledge, environmental compatibility, reconfigurable enterprises, and innovative manufacturing processes and products. Research on those themes would be prosecuted by four interconnected I*PROMS clusters: advanced production machines (APM), production automation and control (PAC), innovative design technology (IDT) and production organisation and management (POM).