Shu, L.H., Ueda, K., Chiu, I., Cheong, H., 2011, CIRP Keynote Address on Biomimetics in Manufacturing, presented at the 61st CIRP General Assembly, Budapest, Hungary, August 21-27, 2011 (In Press).
This paper explores how manufacturing can be inspired by natural processes through case studies, research and a wealth of references. After an overview of terminology, the paper surveys a wide range of examples, presents general methods supporting biomimetic design, describes the design process of three case studies and closes with observations and insights. This article summarizes the key points of the article with an emphasis on process issues of particular interest to designers.