Advances in techniques that reduce or eliminate the type of meshes associated with finite elements or finite differences are reported in the papers that form this volume. As design, analysis and manufacture become more integrated, the chances are that software users will be less aware of the capabilities of the analytical techniques that are at the core of the process. This reinforces the need to retain expertise in certain specialised areas of numerical methods, such as BEM/MRM, to ensure that all new tools perform satisfactorily within the aforementioned integrated process. The maturity...