Advanced IC tools for maximising virtual team creativity and Innovation in Manufacturing environments

During the last years (basically since 1999), the author and his research team are and have been involved in several research projects within the field of Product Life-Cycle Knowledge Management in the manufacturing domain. The key idea behind these projects is to develop means supporting the collection of all useful knowledge on product and process throughout the extended enterprise, all along the product Life-Cycle from Conception to Disposal and eventual Reuse. Keeping and re-using knowledge is of capital importance for the companies' competitivity to be used in continuous improvement of existing product/processes as well as in new developments. In a further step, the knowledge will then be developed into a means of fostering industrial innovations. Innovation is a critical factor in the success of manufacturing companies and it will mainly arise by combining ideas and feedback from all phases of the product life cycle.