Paradigm Shifts in Manufacturing: Observing From the Sides of Technological Evolution and Demand of the Society

The subject paper discusses some of the paradigm shifts observed in manufacturing in heavy and other industries, with a focus on shipbuilding, such as the shifts toward gigantic structures with the advent of riveting and welding technologies, toward labor and total cost saving, speedy systems with the availability of automation technology, various computers and workstations, and advanced information technology (IT). This has lead to a paradigm shift from hardware- to software-oriented systems. The advancement of material and its manufacturing technology has lead to availability of light-weight vessels and higher performance goods, and oil crises have lead to a paradigm shift toward energy conserving vessels and goods. The advent of semi-conductor and integrated circuits has lead to a paradigm shift from “Big is great” to “Small is beautiful” worlds, leading to further emphasis and promotion of micro- and nano-technologies. An overview and summary of those paradigm shifts and future trends are also given in this paper.