9528463 Hartman The goal of this research is to explore methodologies for creating an Internet-based virtual manufacturing enterprise that would link the U. S. and Russia. The primary research effort focuses on investigating the means to develop a preliminary architecture, physical network, hardware, software and interface for the system, and to build a prototype. Several pilot projects in virtual manufacturing will build on existing U. S.- Russian manufacturing research collaborations to implement a proof-of-concept demonstration of the technical capabilities of the network. The work explores novel concepts in virtual manufacturing by linking two very different manufacturing systems in a proof-of-concept testbed. If successful, the results could be used as a model for the development of a more general virtual enterprise network that could be used jointly by manufacturers widely separated by distance, language and culture.
