Computer-integrated manufacturing for constructional steelwork . £500k.

The CIMSTEEL project, an initiative of the BRITISH CONSTRUCTIONAL STEELWORK ASSOCIATION (BCSA), was announced at the Ministerial Conference in Madrid on 15 September, 1987. It is a collaborative venture in which more than 70 partners and other organisations from 9 European countries have participated. The project is committed to the integration and enhancement of competitiveness of the European Constructional Steelwork Industry from client brief through the structure's complete life cycle. The project will accelerate the development and implementation of European engineering standards and methods for integrating the associated activities.

* bringing to the industry sector an appreciation of the business advantages of IT integration of design, manufacturing and management processes incorporated in the concept of "Managing Information for Profit". * developing Information Models and computer system architectures to provide a framework for the exchange of technical information between different software products * exploiting the opportunity provided by the introduction of European Structural Codes to develop design procedures for use in the collaborating countries. * incorporating the Design Procedures into new software.