Book excerpt: The development of technologies and management of operations is key to sustaining the success of manufacturing businesses, and since the late 1970s, the International Conference on Manufacturing Research (ICMR) has been a major annual event for academics and industrialists engaged in manufacturing research. The conference is renowned as a friendly and inclusive platform that brings together a broad community of researchers who share a common goal. This book presents the proceedings of ICMR2021, the 18th International Conference on Manufacturing Research, incorporating the 35th National Conference on Manufacturing Research, and held in Derby, UK, from 7 to 10 September 2021. The theme of the ICMR2021 conference is digital manufacturing. Within the context of Industrial 4.0, ICMR2021 provided a platform for researchers, academics and industrialists to share their vision, knowledge and experience, and to discuss emerging trends and new challenges in the field. The 60 papers included in the book are divided into 10 parts, each covering a different area of manufacturing research. These are: digital manufacturing, smart manufacturing; additive manufacturing; robotics and industrial automation; composite manufacturing; machining processes; product design and development; information and knowledge management; lean and quality management; and decision support and production optimization. The book will be of interest to all those involved in developing and managing new techniques in manufacturing industry.