Intelligent Manufacturing is part of the Advanced Manufacturing Series edited by Professor D.T. Pham of the University of Wales, College of Cardiff. This publication exposes the major issues associated with programming environments for manufacturing and illustrates specific software systems developed for industrial application. Clear and concise statements are made on the state-of-the-art and recent trends in manufacturing languages and programming environments. The book discusses the diverse approaches that are currently under consideration in North America and Europe. It gives the reader an understanding of how manufacturing languages can be used to integrate computer controlled machines and intelligent sensors in automated manufacturing systems including machine tools, robots, inspection and material handling equipment.