This is Volume 1 of a report addressing the future of American industry. It has been written in response to the transformation of manufacturing practices that is currently in progress. Volume 1 of a two-volume report on the global competitive environment U.S. manufacturing will face, and the infrastructure it will require, in order to compete as it moves over the next 15 years into the 21st century. The developments described in the report present a unique opportunity to capitalize on distinctive U.S. strengths; failure to seize this opportunity will put the standard of living of the American people at profound risk.

This is volume 2 of a two-volume report on the global competitive environment U.S. manufacturing will face, and the infrastructure it will require in order to compete as we transition over the next 15 years into the 21st century. The developments described in the report present a unique opportunity to capitalize on distinctive U.S. strengths; failure to seize this opportunity will put the standard of living of the American people at profound risk. The report presents the thinking of leading representatives of industry, government and academe. It represents over 7500 man-hours of work and incorporates ideas culled from reports on U.S. industry.

Agile manufacturing is defined as the capability of surviving and prospering in a competitive environment of continuous and unpredictable change by reacting quickly and effectively to changing markets, driven by customer-designed products and services. Critical to successfully accomplishing AM are a few enabling technologies such as the standard for the exchange of products (STEP), concurrent engineering, virtual manufacturing, component-based hierarchical shop floor control system, information and communication infrastructure, etc.The scope of the book is to present the undergraduate and graduate students, senior managers and researchers in manufacturing systems design and management, industrial engineering and information technology with the conceptual and theoretical basis for the design and implementation of AMS. Also, the book focuses on broad policy directives and plans of agile manufacturing that guide the monitoring and evaluating the manufacturing strategies and their performance. A problem solving approach is taken throughout the book, emphasizing the context of agile manufacturing and the complexities to be addressed.