Over the past decade, additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, has continued to grow and solidify its place within private industry, academia, and government.
If there is a common thread found in the women Smart Manufacturing identified as making their mark in robotics and automation, it is a heightened awareness of the impact humans have on the planet without trying, as well as the positive impact we can have with concerted efforts.
COVID-19 marked the first time in history that supply, demand and the workforce were impacted at the same time by an adverse event. Manufacturing sites shut down, ports closed and the global economy was hit hard.
To cash in on the additive market in the future, the company knows it has work to help customers move beyond the early adopter phase.
Can small and medium-sized manufacturers, Tier 2 or Tier 3 guys, use all-digital descriptions of part orders, dispensing with paper specifications and supplemental drawings to efficiently deliver parts?
Industry 4.0 is often presented as a complex, somewhat overwhelming topic that involves large companies only. However, the data collection and transfer at the heart of Industry 4.0 can be as relevant to job shops and other small to medium sized enterprises as large companies.
Long gone are the days where the only solution to human error was human correction. As engineers today, we have access to smart technology that no other generation could have ever imagined.
Listen to this Smart Manufacturing magazine cover story: 25 leaders transforming manufacturing.
Additive manufacturing is one way companies can prepare for the next supply chain interruption.
The concept of smart manufacturing has been evolving for a decade among leading manufacturers, expert practitioners and consortia organizations like CESMII–the U.S.