A Novel Bio-inspired Approach for Adaptive Manufacturing System Control -- Ongoing Research on Adaptive Layered Manufacturing from Overtraced Freehand Sketch -- An Application of Neural Network in Recognizing of the Tooth Contact of Spiral and Hypoid Bevel Gears -- Integration of Time Management in the DigitalFactory -- Concurrent Development of Products, Processes and Manufacturing Systems in PLM Environments -- Development of Accuracy Evaluation System for Curved Shell Plate by Laser Scanner -- Managing Demand Uncertainty with Knowledge Utilized Forecasting -- An Application of Simulation Based Process Design -- The Use of Expert Systems Associated to Agents for Routing Suggestions for Service Orders -- Augmented Reality for Machinery Systems Design and Development -- Development of a Virtual Environment to Implement a Computer-based Tool for Interactive Simulation of Lathe Operation -- Interoperability of Complex Business Networks by Language Independent Information Models -- A Kansei Clustering Method for Emotional Design Using Design Structure Matrix -- User’s Subjective Interpretation of Bodily Movements as Gestural Commands to Robot Companions -- A Study on Color Emotion for Plastic Eyewear -- A Strategy for Customer-oriented Human-centric Product Conceptualization -- Investigating Persuasion in Sustainable Design to Change Behaviour and Attitude -- The Consistency Between the Real Affordance and the Perceived Affordance-in the Case of Gripping a Mug -- A Design Method of Product Family for Unpredictable Customer Requirements Using Fuzzy Sets -- A Modular Design Method for Scenario Embedded Product -- Version Control Management for Federated Service-oriented File Sharing -- Ontology-based Approach in Hybrid Engineering Knowledge Representation for Stamping Die Design -- Documentation and Management of Product Knowledge in a System for Automated Variant Design – A Case Study -- Knowledge Base of Computer-Aided System for Design of Safe Ship Power Plants -- Knowledge Managementand e-learning for Underground Construction Projects -- Knowledge-Based Engineering Review: Conceptual Foundations and Research Issues -- Collaboration for Knowledge-based Engineering Templates Update -- Engineering Knowledge Modeling in Design -- Ontology-Based Intelligent Personal Assistant -- Multiagent System for Aiding Designing Process -- A Formal Model of a Complex Estimation Method in Lean Product Development Process -- Identification and Modelling of Product Development Process Activities: Time and Cost Analysis in SMEs -- The Conceptual LeanPPD Model -- From Lean Product Development to Lean Innovation: Finding Better Ways of Satisfying Customer Value -- Identifying Lean Thinking Measurement Needs and Trends in Product Development: Evidence from the Life Sciences Sector in Switzerland -- Applying the Core Elements of a Lean Enterprise to Product Development -- Collaborative Design of Modularized Set-Meal Using the Mass Customization Concept -- Sales Service Improvement for an Industrial Transformer Manufacturer -- Supporting Management and Analysis of Quotations in a Design Automation Approach to Customization -- Applying Image Processing for Rapid Customization of Multi-Color Nested Pattern Products -- A Study on Total Performance Analysis of Service Oriented Eco-businesses -- Preference Set-Based Design Method for Sustainable Product Creation -- Co-innovation and the Value-time Curve: A Case Study on the Dassault Falcon 7X and Embraer 170/190 Series -- Method for Evaluating VR-based Tools for Collaborative Design -- How to Support Mechanical Product Cost Estimation in the Embodiment Design Phase -- A Geometric Modelling in the CAD System from the Medical Images to Support Prosthesis Design -- Development of White Goods Parts in a Concurrent Engineering environment Based on DFM/DFA Concepts -- Sustainable Logistics – Example Automobile Manufacturer -- Systems Concurrent Engineering of an Electrical Ground Support Equipment for an On-Board Computer -- Systems Concurrent.

Over more than twenty years, numerous new concepts, methodologies and tools have been developed within the context of concurrent engineering (CE). During this period, the background for engineering/manufacturing has changed extensively. Now, industry has to work with global markets. This globalization has brought forth a new network of experts and companies across many different domains and fields in distributed environments. These collaborations, integrated with a very high level of professionalism and specialization, have provided the basis for innovations in design and manufacturing, and have succeeded in creating new products for a global market. No matter how diversified concurrent engineering (CE) may be, there is certainly a direction common to all the CE research and applications. The reader will find that, although each paper deals with different issues, the main thrust of most of the papers contained in New World Situation: New Directions in Concurrent Engineering is towards the human, i.e., viewing a designer as human, engineer as human, and customer as human. This trend is also reflected in session organization: design knowledge utilization and knowledge engineering, product design and development, lean product development, human centric product design and development, advanced manufacturing and mass customization, and advanced manufacturing. New World Situation: New Directions in Concurrent Engineering collects papers accepted for the 17th ISPE International Conference on Concurrent Engineering, held in Cracow, Poland, September 6-10, 2010. It aims to establish new directions in the rapidly changing world of CE and to enable readers to find the directions that will work best in their own particular environments.