Proceedings of the 33rd International Matador Conference

This text contains approximately 100 refereed papers presented at the 33rd MATADOR conference held at UMIST in July 2000. The MATADOR series of conferences cover the topics of manufacturing, automation and systems, technology, applications, design, organization and management, and research. The 33rd proceedings contain original papers contributed by researchers from over 20 countries. The papers cover both the technological aspect of the manufacturing processes and the systems, business and management features of manufacturing enterprise. The papers in this volume reflect: the importance of manufacturing to national wealth creation; the necessity of responsiveness and agility of manufacturing companies to meet market-led requirements and international change; the role of information technology and electronic communications in the growth of global manufacturing enterprises; and the impact of new technologies, new materials and processes on the ability to produce goods of higher quality, more quickly, to meet market needs at lower cost.
Some of the major generic developments that have taken place in these areas, which have taken place since the 32nd MATADOR conference was held in 1997, are reported in this volume.