This edited monograph presents a selection of research contributions on eco-factories of the future. The topical focus lies on cutting-edge solutions from academia and industry that enable and support companies in their efforts towards sustainable manufacturing. The authors provide an overview over recent developments, aiming at a comprehensive understanding of eco- and cost-efficient manufacturing from machine to factory level. The solutions contributed by leading research institutions and companies have been mostly implemented and evaluated in industrial pilot projects across Europe. The methodological approaches cover topics such as factory planning, manufacturing simulation, energy management as well as life cycle evaluation. The target audience comprises industry experts and decision makers as well as researchers in the field of sustainable manufacturing.

Presents state-of-the-art research and case studies from over 150 Design & Manufacturing professionals across the globe in the areas of CAD/CAM; Product Design; Rapid Prototyping and Tooling; Manufacturing Processes; Micromachining and Miniaturisation; Mechanism and Robotics; Artificial Intelligence; and Material Handling Systems.

The world of manufacturing is undergoing significant changes driven by various factors and technological advancements. Automation and robotics technologies are revolutionizing manufacturing processes. Robotic systems are being increasingly used for repetitive and precise tasks, improving efficiency, quality, and safety. The Internet of Things (IoT) is enabling connectivity and data exchange between devices and systems. Manufacturing generates vast amounts of data and is leveraging this data through advanced analytics, providing valuable insights to optimize production processes, predict maintenance needs, and improve supply chain management. Additive Manufacturing has also gained significant traction in manufacturing. It enables the creation of complex parts and prototypes, customization, and rapid prototyping. Supply chains are becoming more interconnected and digitally integrated. Technologies such as blockchain enable transparent and secure transactions, traceability, and efficient inventory management. These trends and others are reshaping the manufacturing industry, promoting increased efficiency, agility, and sustainability. Manufacturers must be aware, understand, and embrace these changes to stay competitive and meet the evolving demands of customers in the modern era. This book enhances the awareness and understanding of these core technologies by explaining what they are and how they are being used in manufacturing. In addition, it provides practical suggestions on how to advance manufacturing in light of these changes. The book provides a view into the future and direction on how to navigate the journey to a more automated, smarter, and continuously learning factory. This book consolidates the major elements of the fourth industrial revolution and describes them in clear terms within the context of integrated manufacturing. It creates awareness and a fundamental understanding of the advanced technologies that are coming together to facilitate highly automated, smarter, agile, and sustainable operations.

Comprises a collection of papers presented at the 7th International Conference on Harmonisation between Architecture and Nature, this volume reviews the challenges and new opportunities of contemporary architecture. These papers cover the results of advances in design and new building technologies, as well as the development of new materials. Many of the changes are motivated by a drive towards eco-architecture, trying to harmonise architectural products with nature. Another important issue is the adaptation of the architectural design to the natural environment, learning from nature and traditional construction techniques. Never before in history have architects and engineers had such a range of new processes and products open to them. In spite of that, the construction industry lags behind all others in taking advantage of a wide variety of new technologies. This is understandable, due to the inherent complexity and uniqueness of each architectural project. Advances in computer and information systems, including robotics, offers the possibility of developing new architectural forms, construction products and building technologies which are just now starting to emerge. Changes have also taken place in the way modern society works and lives, due to the impact of modern technologies. Patterns of work have been disrupted and changed, affecting transportation and the home environment. The demand is for a new type of habitat that can respond to the changes and the consequent requirements in terms of urban environment. The papers contained in this book deal with topics such as building technologies, design by passive systems, design with nature, cultural sensitivity, life cycle assessment, resources and rehabilitation and many others including case studies from many different places around the world. They will be of interest to architects, engineers, planners, physical scientists, sociologists and economists.

Sustainable Manufacturing examines the overall sustainability of a wide range of manufacturing processes and industrial systems. With chapters addressing machining, casting, additive and gear manufacturing processes; and hot topics such as remanufacturing, life cycle engineering, and recycling, this book is the most complete guide to this topic available. Drawing on experts in both academia and industry, coverage addresses theoretical developments and practical improvements from research and innovations. This unique book will advise readers on how to achieve sustainable manufacturing processes and systems, and further the clean and safe environment. This handbook is a part of the four volume set entitled Handbooks in Advanced Manufacturing. The other three address Advanced Machining and Finishing, Advanced Welding and Deforming, and Additive Manufacturing. - Provides basic to advanced level information on various aspects of sustainable manufacturing - Presents the strategies and techniques to achieve sustainability in numerous areas of manufacturing and industrial engineering such as environmentally benign machining, sustainable additive manufacturing, remanufacturing and recycling, sustainable supply chain, and life cycle engineering - Combines contributions from experts in academia and industry with the latest research and case studies - Explains how to attain a clean, green, and safe environment via sustainable manufacturing - Presents recent developments and suggests future research directions

Modern Manufacturing Processes draws on the latest international research on traditional and non-traditional practices, to provide valuable advice on the digitization and automation of the manufacturing industry. In addition to providing technical details for the correct implementation of the latest tools and practices, the impacts on productivity and design quality are also examined. The thorough classification of manufacturing processes will help readers to decide which technology is most effective for their requirements, and comparisons between modern and traditional methods will clarify the case for upgrading. This comprehensive assessment of technologies will include additive manufacturing, and industry 4.0, as well as hybrid methods where exceptional results have been gained through the use of traditional technology. This collection of work by academics at the cutting edge of manufacturing research will help readers from a range of backgrounds to understand and apply these new technologies. - Explains how the correct implementation of modern manufacturing processes can help a factory gain the characteristics of an industry 4.0 business - Explores what the main technical and business drivers for new manufacturing processes are today - Provides detailed classifications and comparisons of traditional, non-traditional, and hybrid manufacturing processes

With the introduction of Industry 4.0 in manufacturing industries, the paradigm shift from conventional to green manufacturing is quite evident. Manufacturing industries achieving sustainability objectives is now the prime concern. This paradigm creates more efficient products using green processes and practices (i.e., those that produce minimal environment hazardous waste). This book provides an overview of the broad field of research on green manufacturing with a focus on the Fourth Industrial Revolution to encourage interest in the topic. It includes the dissemination of original findings on Industry 4.0 pathways and practices applied to green manufacturing development, as well as the contribution of new perspectives and roadmaps to those eager to realize the benefits of Industry 4.0 to transform the manufacturing sector into a more environment-friendly state. This book shows how the innovations of Industry 4.0 work together to improve society, save lives, create efficiencies, and ultimately achieve the objectives of sustainability. To develop a smart green manufacturing technology, it is important to understand the prerequisites, technological developments, and technological aspects that conceptually describe this transformation. This understanding should also include practices, models, and real-world experiences. At the same time, the goal is to comprehend how Industry 4.0 technologies and smart products could result in environmental, economic, and social benefits. Essentially, the goal of this book is to provide the fundamentals of the cutting-edge smart technology-driven production maneuver known as Industry 4.0, primarily to determine and validate its potential as a practice that promotes green manufacturing to ultimately revolutionize the competitiveness of businesses and regions.

Toughening environmental legislation, national and supra-national environmental product policies and growing customer demands are focusing the attention of companies on the environmental and broader social issues linked to the creation and delivery of their products and services. There is now an urgent need for appropriate management structures, practical tools and increased awareness among all stakeholders in the product development process and throughout the entire product life-cycle. These are huge issues – with major implications for corporate management, design and production strategies. Sustainable Solutions provides state-of-the-art analysis and case studies on why and how cutting-edge companies are developing new products and services to fit "triple-bottom-line" expectations. The book is split into three sections: first, the broad issues of business sustainability are examined with focus on sustainable production and consumption and consideration of North–South issues. Second, the book tackles the major methodologies and approaches toward organising and developing more sustainable products and services. Third, an outstanding collection of global case studies highlights the progress made by a wide range of companies toward dematerialisation, eco-innovation and design for durability. Finally, the book collects together a comprehensive list of web addresses of useful organisations. Practical and comprehensive, Sustainable Solutions will be essential reading for corporate managers, product designers, R&D staff, academics and all individuals interested in a definitive source on how new product and service development can and is contributing toward tacking the challenge of sustainable development.

Eco-labelling is one of the key tools used by policy-makers in many parts of the world to encourage more sustainable production and consumption. By providing environmental information on products and services, eco-labels address both business users and consumers and range from mandatory approaches, such as required product declarations, to voluntary approaches, such as national eco-labels. Eco-labels can play an important role in environmental policy. They reward and promote environmentally superior goods and services and offer information on quality and performance with respect to issues such as health and energy consumption. Eco-labels fit well into a multi-stakeholder policy framework – as promulgated recently by the EU's integrated product policy (IPP) – since the development of criteria for labels and the acceptance in the market requires the involvement of a wide range of different parties, from government and business, to consumers and environmental organisations. However, many eco-labelling schemes have had troubled histories, and questions have been raised about their effectiveness. So, are eco-labels an effective tool to foster the development, production, sale and use of products and to provide consumers with good information about the environmental impacts of those products? Is eco-labelling useful to business as a marketing tool? What factors contribute to the development of successful schemes? More than ten years after its establishment, can the EU Flower be considered a success? Are national eco-labels such as the German Blue Angel and the Norwegian White Swan more effective? Should eco-labels be harmonised? Are eco-labels achieving their original aim of fostering sustainable production and consumption? For which product groups are ISO type I eco-labels appropriate and inappropriate? Are other labels, such as mandatory, ISO type II and ISO type III labels more effective in some cases? Are eco-labels focusing on the main environmental policy targets or just on "low-hanging fruit"? Are eco-labels really linked to other tools of IPP? The Future of Eco-labelling provides answers to all of these questions. Based on a major EU research exercise, the book plots a course for policy-makers to address some of the historic problems with eco-labelling, to learn what works and what doesn't and to move forward with schemes that can make a real difference to sustainable production and consumption.The book analyses the conditions under which eco-labelling schemes-both mandatory and voluntary-are or can become an efficient and effective tool to achieve given objectives; assesses previous experiences with eco-labels in different European countries and the relationship of these schemes with business strategies, IPP and market conditions; defines strategies aimed at linking eco-labels with other IPP measures; explores how eco-labels can be used to encourage sustainable consumption patterns, create green markets, foster innovation and development of green products and services, and implement multi-stakeholder initiatives; and sets out detailed recommendations for the future of eco-labelling.The book will be required reading for policy-makers, businesses involved with eco-labelling schemes and researchers interested in the development of sustainable production and consumption and IPP worldwide.

This book gathers the peer-reviewed papers presented at the 8th edition of the International Workshop “Service Orientation in Holonic and Multi-Agent Manufacturing – SOHOMA’18” held at the University of Bergamo, Italy on June 11–12, 2018. The objective of the SOHOMA annual workshops is to foster innovation in smart and sustainable manufacturing and logistics systems by promoting new concepts, methods and solutions that use service orientation of agent-based control technologies with distributed intelligence. Reflecting the theme of SOHOMA’18: “Digital transformation of manufacturing with agent-based control and service orientation of Internet-scale platforms”, the research included focuses on how the digital transformation, as advocated by the “Industry 4.0”, “Industrial Internet of Things”, “Cyber-Physical Production Systems” and “Cloud Manufacturing” frameworks, improves the efficiency, agility and sustainability of manufacturing processes, products, and services, and how it relates to the interaction between the physical and informational worlds, which is implemented in the virtualization of products, processes and resources managed as services.