Virtual manufacturing and its implications

This paper presents news problems linked to the increasing use of virtual spaces in the building of new types of manufacturing what is currently called Virtual Manufacturing (VM). VM has many consequences in the activity of industrial companies whatever be size, economic sector or geographical area. Particular attention is paid on virtual spaces, manufacturing and collaboration, skills matrix and manufacturability, the CAD and Virtual Prototyping case and, finally, the virtual partnerships or enterprise as a new type of organization.