D0.1c M18 Progress Report

Manufacturing is a dynamic socio-technical system, which is operating in a turbulent environment. Changes are normal and continuous at all levels and the competition is forcing manufacturers to improve the quality, reduce the delivery time and lower the cost. The approach presented in VFF supports the manufacturing enterprises to face these challenges. The project uttermost objective is to foster and strengthen the primacy of Future European Manufacturing by defining the next generation Virtual Factory Framework. The VFF will promote major time and cost savings while increasing performance in the design, management, evaluation and reconfiguration of new or existing facilities, supporting the capability to simulate dynamic complex behaviour over the whole life cycle of Factory, approached as a complex long living Product.