K.L. Mak - Böcker

In recent years, the importance of Internet and World Wide Web (WWW) technologies in manufacturing industries has been rising very rapidly in a global context, the impact of which is deemed most profound ever since the Industrial Revolution. The waving interests in the electronic commerce and electronic business (e-commerce / e-business) have spread, from the heartland (product development) to the battlefield (shop floor), of manufacturing enterprises. The number of web applications is ever on the rise, and many practitioners are keen on trying these remote systems through web browsers to support their decisi- making activities. Indeed, product design and manufacture professionals will soon be able to benefit from such remote services and supports commercially available on the Internet. The practice and performance of product development and realization are expected to make immense progress. Web applications in product design and manufacture signals the beginning of a new era of the digital manufacturing enterprise. However, many loopholes are found in the development and application processes because of domain complexity and technology sophistication, thus generating new challenges to both the developers and practitioners. A simple example is the difference in the user interfaces between web applications and traditional applications. Indeed, abundant issues need to be resolved before the full launch of digital manufacturing can come into being.

This Proceedings volume contains articles presented at the CIRP-Sponsored Inter- tional Conference on Digital Enterprise Technology (DET2009) that takes place December 14–16, 2009 in Hong Kong. This is the 6th DET conference in the series and the first to be held in Asia. Professor Paul Maropoulos initiated, hosted and chaired the 1st International DET Conference held in 2002 at the University of D- ham. Since this inaugural first DET conference, DET conference series has been s- cessfully held in 2004 at Seattle, Washington USA, in 2006 at Setubal Portugal, in 2007 at Bath England, and in 2008 at Nantes France. The DET2009 conference continues to bring together International expertise from the academic and industrial fields, pushing forward the boundaries of research kno- edge and best practice in digital enterprise technology for design and manufacturing, and logistics and supply chain management. Over 120 papers from over 10 countries have been accepted for presentation at DET2009 and inclusion in this Proceedings volume after stringent refereeing process. On behalf of the organizing and program committees, the Editors are grateful to the many people who have made DET2009 possible: to the authors and presenters, es- cially the keynote speakers, to those who have diligently reviewed submissions, to members of International Scientific Committee, Organizing Committee and Advisory Committes, and to colleagues for their hard work in sorting out all the arrangements. We would also like to extend our gratitude to DET2009 sponsors, co-organizers, and supporting organizations.