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This overview of research into enabling technologies for small and medium-sized companies presents the latest scientific advances and demonstrates how to develop new methods, tools and algorithms to address the problems inherent in mass customisation.

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Rapid One-of-a-kind Product Development discusses research in the development of new enabling technologies for small and medium companies. Scientific advancements presented include a novel product data modelling scheme to model product design, manufacturability and knowledge under a common data object; customised product development in a distributed environment; and new adaptive scheduling methods for the optimal production of a wide variety of customised products, taking into consideration all of the possible changes from customers and the uncertainties in manufacturing.
The book also includes research towards a computer aided customer interface, which allows customer requirements and changes to be processed and integrated with technical designs in real time; adaptive and concurrent CAD methods and algorithms; and product modelling and system integration technologies. The reader will learn how to:
- translate customer requirements to technical attributes;
- develop new and innovative products to meet customer requirements and expectations;
- evaluate and optimise a project design;
- design production systems and use them efficiently; and
- manage a variety of customised products.
Rapid One-of-a-kind Product Development demonstrates how to develop new methods, tools and algorithms to address the problems in a mass customisation environment. It is a valuable source of information for researchers and engineers in the fields of design and manufacturing.

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1. Motivation and Background.- 2. Review of Rapid OKP Product Development.- 3. Recent Development on Product Modelling.- 4. Integrated Product Development System for Rapid Product Development.- 5 Compound Method to Speed up the Sheet Metal Part/Product Development.- 7. Generic Product Modelling Framework.- 8. EXPRESS Data Model.- 9. Generic Product Modelling Framework: Case Study.- 10. Information Framework for Rapid Product Development.- 11.- Product Development Cost Estimation and Optimisation.- 12. Integrated Data Structure for Supporting Rapid Product Development.- 13. Product Information Management System for Rapid and Integrated Mould Product Development.- 14. Internet Based DFX for Rapid Tool/Mould Making.- 15. Management of Product Process Knowledge in OKP Enterprises.- 16. Conclusions and Future Work.

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