Smart manufacturing technologies have been around for more than 15 years. However, they have been almost exclusively deployed at large manufacturers since they have been too costly and complex for small to medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) to adopt.
Historically, small and medium manufacturers have been fighting for survival and focusing on day-to-day operations, rather than planning future growth. Often faced with a shortage of skilled workers, lack of interoperability through proprietary systems, rapidly advancing technology, cybersecurity concerns, and scalability constraints, these challenges to SMMs are the focus of the Smart Manufacturing Experience in early June in Pittsburgh, which provides multiple connection points and engagement with leading voices; from manufacturers, system-integrators, thought-leaders, government entities and suppliers.
Our goal is to meet the needs of SMMs—putting their challenges at the forefront and providing actionable solutions to address these issues. SMMs will benefit from attendance they share strategic insights, hear from peers on best practices, and learn technical skills to leverage and deploy data-driven decision-making capabilities in their own operations, revealing new opportunities to create business value and previously untapped ROI.
With customized roadmaps available for attendees, including sessions titled "Getting Started with Smart Manufacturing with SMMs," "Inside Interoperability," "Democratization of AI" and "Business and Workforce Transformation."
There are many opportunities curated specifically to the needs of our SMM community. These topics are woven into the event programming from the strategic, technical, and practical levels at the Smart Manufacturing Experience. Over the three-day event, you will learn the impact of smart manufacturing technologies on productivity, quality, cost and speed-to-market.
Join us to explore new ways to deploy smart manufacturing technologies at SMMs and benefit from the network of peers and partners who are in similar situations at varying points of their SM journey.
CESMII members are being offered exclusive membership benefits for participating and speaking at The Smart Manufacturing Experience. Contact [email protected] for more information.
Jillian Kupchella is director of marketing with CESMII, The Smart Manufacturing Institute
