“This partnership is a testament to our shared commitment to helping small and medium manufacturers thrive in a rapidly evolving, digitally connected manufacturing landscape.”
Contact
For more information, media inquiries, or to schedule interviews with CESMII and NIST MEP representatives, please contact Howard Goldberg at howard.goldberg@cesmii.org.
Knoxville, TN – November 7, 2024 — The Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CESMII), part of the Manufacturing USA network, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP) are pleased to announce a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at boosting the competitiveness and innovation of U.S. manufacturers through the widespread adoption of smart manufacturing technologies.
This partnership aligns CESMII’s deep smart manufacturing expertise with NIST MEP’s extensive network and expertise working with small and medium-sized manufacturers. (SMMs), The collaborative efforts outlined in the MOU will enable both organizations to provide expanded resources, educational opportunities, and cutting-edge technologies that foster increased manufacturing, energy, and worker productivity and greater economic competitiveness across the country.
Key Goals of the Partnership:
The collaborative efforts will bring smart manufacturing adoption consistency, economy of scale, and deep domain expertise to the SMM ecosystem.
- NIST MEP will expand its impact on growth and competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing by gaining expertise in smart manufacturing and connecting its national network of MEP Centers to relevant technologies, approaches, best practices, resources, and educational opportunities.
- CESMII will leverage the assets and resources of the MEP National Network to assist SMMs in accelerating smart manufacturing adoption to increase manufacturing productivity and competitiveness in an increasingly digitally connected supplier network.
Strategic Collaboration to Foster Innovation:
This MOU also highlights the following key areas for NIST MEP and CESMII collaboration
- Smart Manufacturing Ecosystem: NIST MEP and CESMII will jointly promote smart manufacturing through workshops, webinars, and other outreach communications channels. NIST MEP and CESMII will provide SMMs with local access to domain expertise to help integrate advanced manufacturing techniques and enhance global competitiveness.
- Education and Consulting: NIST MEP will work with CESMII to provide access to smart manufacturing curriculum resources including packaged curriculum, software, and hardware featuring the CESMII Smart Manufacturing Learning SystemTM (SMLS) to develop hands-on smart manufacturing skills. They will also collaborate on regional industry events with expert speakers, demonstration exhibits, and educational workshops. This includes CESMII’s Smart Manufacturing Business Assessment and Smart Manufacturing Acceleration Roadmap FrameworkTM process with the support of its community of trained consultants and advisors.
- Technology Integration: With access to CESMII’s expertise in smart manufacturing, NIST MEP will expand its impact by introducing new technologies and best practices to its national network of MEP Centers, helping SMMs realize value from data-driven, smart manufacturing. This includes exposure to essential tools such as CESMII’s starter kits and the Smart Manufacturing Interoperability PlatformTM (SMIP), designed to accelerate digital transformation and facilitate technology adoption across supply chains.
CESMII and NIST MEP will also collaborate to develop a cost-effective membership model to meet the needs of MEP Centers and their SMM clientele. They will work together to identify funding opportunities and grants that support smart manufacturing initiatives so that SMMs have access to the necessary financial and technical resources to succeed.
“We are excited to partner with NIST MEP and combine our respective strengths to foster a more innovative and productive U.S. manufacturing sector,” said John Dyck, CEO of CESMII. “This partnership is a testament to our shared commitment to helping small and medium manufacturers thrive in a rapidly evolving, digitally connected manufacturing landscape.”
About NIST MEP
The Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) is a public-private partnership with MEP Centers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico dedicated to serving small and medium-sized manufacturers. MEP Centers provide expertise to help manufacturers reduce costs, create new products, develop the next generation workforce, find new markets and achieve business results. For over 35 years, the MEP program has focused on bridging the manufacturing productivity gap, identifying opportunities for growth and encouraging technology deployment. MEP Centers and their partners, including state governments, universities, community colleges, nonprofit entities, associations and private consultants provide manufacturers with the services needed to reduce bottom-line expenses and grow top-line profits, both of which are necessary to thrive in the global marketplace. Learn more.
About CESMII
CESMII – the Smart Manufacturing Institute – has a total investment of $140M from Department of Energy funding and public/private partnership contributions, with a mandate to create a more competitive manufacturing environment here in the US. CESMII is one of 17 Manufacturing USA institutes on this mission to increase manufacturing productivity, global competitiveness, and reinvestment by increasing energy productivity, improving economic performance and raising workforce capacity. University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) is the program and administrative home of CESMII. For more information about CESMII, its history and Smart Manufacturing, visit cesmii.org