This book presents a selection of papers related to the fifth edition of book further to the International Conference on Integrated Design and Manufacturing in Mechanical Engineering. This Conference has been organized within the framework of the activities of the AIP-PRIMECA network whose main scientific field is Integrated Design applied to both Mechanical Engineering and Productics. This network isorganized along the lines of a joint project: the evolution, in the field of training of Integrated Design in Mechanics and Productics, in quite close connection with the ever changing industrial needs over the past 20 years. It is in charge of promoting both exchanges of experience and know-how capitalisation. It has a paramount mission to fulfil, be it in the field of initial and continuous education, technological transfer and knowledge dissemination through strong links with research labs. For the second time, in fact, the IDMME Conference has been held abroad and, after Canada in 2000, the United Kingdom, more particularly Bath University, has been retained under the responsibility of Professor Alan Bramley, the Chairman of the Scientific Committee of the conference. The Scientific Committee members have selected all the lectures from com mplete papers, which is the guarantee for the Conference of quite an outstanding scientific level. After that, a new selection hasbeen carried out to retain the best publications, which establish in a book, a state-of-the-art analysis as regards Integrated Design and Manufacturing in the discipline of Mechanical Engineering.

"The unique focus of the book is the close symbiotic relationship between design and manufacture. It presents a selection of thirty-three papers ensuing from the fifth International Conference on Integrated Design and Manufacturing in Mechanical Engineering, held at the University of Bath, UK, in April 2004.

Keynotes.- A Virtual Research Lab for a Knowledge Community in Production (VRL-KciP).- Integrated Design for Manufacture, Service and Environment.- Design Strategies and Methodologies.- The Challenge of Environmental Improvement in Different Types of Innovation Projects.- Evolution of Collective Practices in Design by Integration of New Methods.- Effective Strategies in the Redesign Process.- Costs Models in Design and Manufacturing of Sand Casting Products.- Understanding Machine-Material Interaction for Improved Design Methods.- An Integrated Methodology for Propagating the Voice of the Customer into the Conceptual Design Process.- A Comparison of Methods in Probabilistic Design Based on Computational and Modelling Issues.- A Framework Supporting Collaborative Optimisation for Multi Professional Design Teams.- Specification of Product Modelling Concepts Dedicated to Information Sharing in a Collaborative Design Context.- Analysing Design Decisions from a Product and Process Perspective.- Aided Decision-Making for an Embodiment Design Problem.- Sharing Manufacturing Information and Knowledge in Design Decision and Support.- Integrated Design of Manufacturing Processes.- Manufacturing Process Simulation for Tolerance Analysis and Synthesis.- 3D Geometrical Manufacturing Simulation.- Some Aspects of Integrated Product and Manufacturing Process.- Integrating Design and Manufacturing Processes in Automotive Suppliers.- Agile Manufacturing and its Fitness for Innovation.- Holistic Approach for Production Ramp-Up in Automotive Industry.- Innovation Towards Improved Laminated Structure Design Aids.- Micro EDM Drilling: Accuracy Study.- Adaptative Control of the error in the von Mises Stress in 2D Elasticity.- Incremental Sheet Metal Forming: A Die-Less Rapid Prototyping Process for Sheetmetal.- Constitutive Equations for Joints with Clearance.- Design Tools for Particular Applications.- An Assistance Tool for Spline Coupling Design.- Surfaces 3D Digitising.- Simulation and Validation of Static and Dynamic Machine Tool Measurements.- The Role of CMM as a Tool for Detecting, Measuring and Evaluating Performance Change in the Mechanical Design Process.- The Design of Food Processing Systems for Improved Responsiveness and Late Customisation.- Evolutionary Morphology.- Computer Assisted Design of Actuators for High Precision Adjustment in Micro Technology.- Conception of Reconfigurable Machining Systems.