Summary

This book presents a new design strategy based on a concentric design process. The fundamentals of this new approach are characterised by the fact that the assembly system is parallel and simultaneously developed with the analysis and the possible redesign of the product and the assembly process. Integrated and Simultaneous Design can be defined as a design process carried out in a systematic and structured way, with a parallel and continual iterative interaction between product, process and system design. Opposed to the traditional design methods where different designing activities are carried out sequentially and independently of each other, this new approach enables one to lower the design effort and to speed up the whole design process, hence reducing costs. Several new design models and tools are explained and illustrated. Although the emphasis in this book is on the design of robotic assembly systems, it is an excellent source for the design of arbitrary production systems. The modular approach of the book allows the reader to navigate through the stages of the design process.