Strategic development of factories under the influence of emergent technologies

Structure and management of factories are heavily influenced by the implementation of emergent technologies and objectives for economic efficiency in the turbulent environment. A generic model of Technology Management for the development of factories constitutes the kernel of this paper. It includes trends of technologies and industrial priorities for research which have been defined in the European Road-Mapping Process for the Manufuture Platform. The investigations and road-mapping processes lead to structural changes towards new generations of adaptable factories - engineered with knowledge-based engineering systems and operating in an ubiquitous information and communication (Grid Manufacturing) environment. The paper shows the paradigms of holistic production systems (factories as products).