This month we are joined by members of the Smart Manufacturing Executive Council (SMEC). The Council, comprised entirely of manufacturers, is setting a strategic course to rejuvenate U.S. manufacturing and regain global competitiveness. This council recently documented their point-of-view on the promises Smart Manufacturing (SM) holds for each manufacturer and their collective impact on the U.S. economy.

One of the key areas the panelists spoke about is the development of an industry-wide playbook. Led by the SMEC, the goal is to share use case examples that highlight Smart Manufacturing best practices and areas where solutions fell short. The intent is for manufacturers of all sizes to use this playbook to move faster and take advantage of SM.

Top 5 Takeaways

1. Manufacturing productivity is declining for the first time in history. As a result, there’s a growing sense of urgency to improve U.S. manufacturing productivity, competitiveness, and resilience. It is imperative for the U.S. to regain its competitive position in manufacturing for many reasons including economic growth, jobs, and national security.
2. The SMEC is a group of leaders that have come together to make SM accessible to all. The Council engages business and technology leaders to advocate for the manufacturing community and ecosystem. Their voice encourages new, innovative ways to solve manufacturing challenges in a collaborative way.
3. The SMEC has identified five promises of Smart Manufacturing which will have collective impact on the U.S. economy. These promises focus attention on the current and future workforce, customers, risk mitigation and optimization, time to market, and sustainable growth.
4. It’s not uncommon for Smart Manufacturing to feel aspirational in many organizations. Manufacturers’ DNA needs to include an SM mindset. Much like the well-known imperatives of safety, quality, and continuous improvement, it’s time for SM to become part of the day-to-day business for manufacturers.
5. The Smart Manufacturing Playbook is the sum of the parts above. This resource is a way to help leaders in a thoughtful, comprehensive way look at behaviors and policies through real life examples of success and failures. This high valuable deliverable will allow our community to share experiences in a way that will enable U.S. manufacturers to realize the promises of SM.

A preview of the Smart Manufacturing Playbook will be shared at the CESMII Annual Member Meeting in Knoxville, TN on November 6-7. Mark your calendars and join us for this unique gathering of Smart Manufacturing leaders.