There was a realization, finally, post-pandemic that manufacturing and supply chains are dependent on data and that organizations that are further along on their journeys to smart manufacturing have been more resilient and productive.
By Lexi Regalado SAS Communication Specialist
Steam engines sparked the first Industrial Revolution, electricity energized the second, and early automation and the assembly line powered the third. Now, the fourth (often called smart manufacturing) is being shaped by artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, the internet and real-time data.
Smart technologies are transforming manufacturing. It starts on the factory floor, optimizing processes through advanced instrumentation, automation, robotics and human-machine decision making.
The Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CESMII) (pronounced sez-ME) was born about four decades ago, around the same time as the introduction of digital controllers and early AI systems.
CESMII is a US Department of Energy-funded public-private partnership and plays a pivotal role in promoting smart manufacturing and making it accessible to all manufacturers. CESMII’s focus areas include technology development, education, workforce development, and fostering a national ecosystem of leaders and innovation centers.
We recently talked with John Dyck, CEO at CESMII, about the challenges in manufacturing and the roles analytics and artificial intelligence will play in the future of smart manufacturing and the global competitiveness of US manufacturers.
