Digital Manufacturing

Adoption Issues

The key to successfully adopting digital manufacturing is identifying and focusing on those solutions that offer the greatest value in meeting a firm’s strategic objectives. While success metrics will vary by company, many of the adoption issues are similar. The greater that organizational and individual motivations are higher than barriers, the faster and more thoroughly adoption will occur. Following are some common motivations and barriers to consider in accelerating the adoption of digital manufacturing solutions.

Motivations

Increased profits can be leveraged at both the organization and individual level, particularly if employees receive performance bonuses or compensation is tied to profitability.

Greater competitive advantage is a very powerful motivator for companies looking to expand within existing markets or target new ones.

Reduced workload and effort can be particularly motivating for individuals, especially if it helps them move from tactical duties into more strategic responsibilities.

Barriers

Inertia is typically one of the greatest barriers in any endeavor and is best overcome by educating the audience about the organizational and individual values and providing a realistic assessment of the effort required.

Cost and effort are a consideration that can’t always be measured by a return on investment and sometimes need to be weighed more against the ability to help a firm meet its strategic objectives.

Lack of skills is a common challenge in the growth of digital technologies, but one that can often be addressed with the help of resources like community colleges and regional Manufacturing Extension Partnerships.