Adaptive Computing in Design and Manufacture

These papers were presented at the Third International Conference on Adaptive Computing in Design and Manufacture, organised by the Plymouth Engineering Design Centre (University of Plymouth) and held at Dartington Hall, Devon, April 1998. The collection is the work of leading international experts and researchers in the field of the development and application of evolutionary and adaptive computing techniques within the design and manufacture domain. Such techniques include Genetic Algorithms, Genetic Programming, Insect Colony Metaphors and Neural Computing utilised within overall search, optimisation and control strategies that offer significant utility to industrial design, manufacture and control. Applications address conceptual, embodiment and detailed design across aspects of civil, architectural, mechanical, electronic, aerospace and power system engineering. Manufacturing aspects include facility layout, task scheduling and system control. Application is illustrated in most cases by integration of the various algorithms and developed strategies with real-world design and manufacturing problems. This work illustrates the significant increase in application-oriented research relating to adaptive computing technologies in recent years and the increasing industrial interest in their integration with current practice. The content can be considered state-of-the-art in terms of application and will be of particular interest to associated research communities and to industrial design and manufacture groups who are either currently utilising such techniques or who wish to introduce them to their organisations.