It is said that today's industrial and business enterprises must know and apply a wide range of advanced technical methods in order to remain competitive. A number of these, such as CAD, CAM and MRPII are already being well used and understood. However, the management and control and engineering and product data is only now being given prominence. this book aims to provide an introduction to the subject of EDM systems, their development, theory and practical use. The book charts the historical development of EDM and highlights the need for for a concurrent engineering process. It outlines the concepts of open systems and database technology to provide a firm foundation on which to build a knowledge of EDM. It also details both the tangible and intangible benefits to be gained from EDM so that the required capital investment can be justified. Finally, ways of implementing EDM are discussed and illustrated with a number of practical case studies.
