Manufacturing in the 21st Century

Manufacturing in the early decades of the 21st Century will reflect continuation of trends and developments in the last quarter of the 20th Century. The accumulated effects of those trends will alter many aspects of manufacturing. For example, the increasing role of information technology will affect the manufacturing system from vendors and suppliers through production and on to delivery to customers and consumers, and waste disposal. Social forces, such as the environmental movement through pressures for recycling, reclamation and remanufacturing, will affect the choice of materials, design for dismantlement, and manufacturing for maintenance and repair. New tools and factors will come into play using micromachines in the early decades of the 21st Century. There may even be practical nanomachines. The vast new developments created by molecular genetics will develop new markets for manufacturing. Virtual reality design, test and evaluation will improve the quality of all products.