Digital Manufacturing

The purpose of this website is to provide a central resource for SMMs to find information on what Digital Manufacturing is, why the implementation of Digital Manufacturing should be pursued, and assistance on how to get started.

This website is based upon research from several sources: 1) input from interviews with industry on supplier-customer data interactions through interviews of suppliers, 2) review of previous related research, 3) investigation of applicable and developing standards, and 4) a systematic analysis of several webinars on the topics related to digital implementation conducted with industry, government, consultant and academic practitioners.

This website is one output of the MxD sponsored project “Digitally Enabling the Supply Chain: Integrating Existing Tools and Capabilities to Guide Application,” 17-01-01. The lead organization was Auburn University (3312 Shelby Center, Auburn, AL 36849). Project Team Members included Collins Aerospace (formerly Rockwell Collins), Rolls Royce, Raytheon, International TechneGroup Inc., MBD360, The Lucrum Group, and NIST.

This work was sponsored by MxD with support in part by the U.S. Department of the Army. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Army. MxD is where innovative manufacturers go to forge their futures. In partnership with the Department of Defense, MxD equips U.S. factories with the digital tools and expertise they need to begin building every part better than the last. As a result, their approximately 300 partners increase their productivity and win more business.

How to use this site

This site has been developed to help companies learn about today’s manufacturing technologies that can help decrease costs, increase profits and win more business. The information provides an overview of these technologies and examples of their use without promoting any one vendor over another.

The site is organized to help you quickly find the information that is most relevant to your interest. The first two sections provide explanations of what is digital manufacturing and why it is valuable to your company. The third section delves deeper into common manufacturing challenges and the different elements of digital manufacturing that can address those challenges. The fourth section provides resources that provide further clarification. You can access any of these sections via the navigation bar, or get starting by choosing one from below.

What is Digital Manufacturing?

For those wanting to find information on WHAT Digital Manufacturing is, this section provides general information and insights to bring clarity to the topic and sift through the many versions currently being portrayed in the digitalization of industry.

Why is Digital Manufacturing Valuable?

The second section presents information to the user about WHY it is beneficial to adopt Digital Manufacturing capabilities and the VALUE derived from the effort. This section presents business cases and examples of the improvements achieved by early adopters.

How Do I Implement Digital Manufacturing Capabilities?

The third section of the website presents information on HOW to get started with and implementation of Digital Manufacturing capability. It is not a requirement to implement everything at once. This section presents some initial efforts that can be undertaken to show quick returns on investment.