Scope and Topics

This symposium was initiated in 1986 as "Japan-U.S.A. Symposium on Flexible Automation." The title "Flexible Automation" was selected as a general term referring to automation technologies essential to meet the increasing requirements of modern manufacturing. While many of these requirements were identified over two decades ago, such as flexibility, intelligence, lead-time reduction, and lean manufacturing, they still pose major challenges. In addition, requirements such as agility, reconfigurability, networked CAD/CAM, Device Net, 3D-CAD, CE, Rapid prototyping, ERP, PDM, SCM, Cell Production, micro manufacturing, e-manufacturing, intelligent automation, RFID, health monitoring, security, sensor and actuator technologies, MEMS, haptics, mechatronics, ubiquitous machines, bioengineering and its application, automobile control and the protection of the environment, have broadened the research agenda and thus the scope of this symposium. We recognize that these requirements are not unique to manufacturing automation but are shared by other automation fields such as automobile production and house hold electronics, IT, biotechnology, aerospace, and transportation systems. We also note that every industrialized nation faces challenges to respond to these requirements and that global collaboration is essential for successfully developing new high-tech products at reasonable costs. Thus, we have changed the title of the Symposium to "International Symposium on Flexible Automation." The purpose of this biennial symposium, following in the footsteps of the ten previous ones and reflecting the new title, is to promote research activities in various areas of flexible automation by providing a forum for the exchange of ideas among engineers and researchers from every part of the globe.