Smart Manufacturing Adoption Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Vol. 1

Courtesy of the Information & Computing Technology Center of Excellence

The adoption of core smart manufacturing technologies is becoming increasingly important for small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) to remain competitive. Companies that ignore the many potential benefits of smart manufacturing will end up finding their businesses at a great disadvantage. Those benefits include:

  • Increased efficiency and cost savings

  • Reduced energy consumption

  • Faster production cycles

  • Improved product quality and reduced defects

  • Increased agility that enhances responsiveness to shifts in market demands

  • Improved customer service

Unfortunately, for many SMMs the thought of implementing smart manufacturing technologies and processes seems daunting. Common misconceptions are that smart manufacturing technologies are too expensive to implement, difficult and disruptive to adopt, and beyond the skill level of their employees.

Adding to the perceived complications of embracing smart manufacturing tools is the fact that a practical definition can seem elusive because new technologies are continually being added to the mix.

What is smart manufacturing?

According to TechTarget, smart manufacturing is “a technology-driven approach that utilizes Internet-connected machinery to monitor the production process.”

A 2016 report by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) states that smart manufacturing systems are “fully integrated, collaborative manufacturing systems that respond in real time to meet changing demands and conditions in the factory, in the supply network, and in customer needs.”

The Smart Manufacturing Institute at UCLA (CESMII) provides the following: “Smart Manufacturing is the information-driven, event-driven, efficient and collaborative orchestration of business, physical and digital processes within plants, factories and across the entire value chain.”

To shed more even more light on smart manufacturing, we turned to ChatGPT for help. The following definition identifies essential core technologies involved in smart manufacturing as well as some of the skill sets required for utilization.

Smart manufacturing is an advanced production system that integrates digital technologies, data analytics, and automation to improve efficiency, productivity, and flexibility in manufacturing operations. It leverages real-time data, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and robotics to optimize processes, enhance decision-making, and enable predictive maintenance.

The power of SMMs:

  • According to the Small Business Administration, a small manufacturer is defined as having fewer than 500 employees, whereas a medium-sized manufacturer has 500 to 999 employees. Collectively, SMMs make up about 98.5% of all U.S. manufacturing firms.

  • The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 data shows that the U.S. was home to 603,348 small manufacturers, of which approximately 93.4% have fewer than 100 employees. Those small firms employed approximately 4.8 million workers and paid more than $277 billion in payroll.

Technologies most commonly used in smart manufacturing include:

  • Smart sensors (IoT) including:

    • Vibration sensors that detect early signs of mechanical failure in machines.

    • Temperature and humidity sensors that ensure optimal conditions for manufacturing processes.

    • Pressure sensors that monitor fluid and gas flow in industrial pipelines.

  • Machine learning (ML) algorithms that analyze sensor data from equipment to predict when a machine is likely to fail.

  • Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) that overlays digital instructions, 3D models or diagnostics on physical machinery via smart glasses or tablets.

  • Robotics that perform repetitive or complex tasks like welding, painting, assembling or packaging and are connected to networks, sensors and machine learning systems.

  • Additive manufacturing (3D printing) that quickly creates functional prototypes directly from digital designs.

  • Big data that collects massive amounts of data from IoT sensors, machines and systems in real time that enables improved decision-making with data-backed predictions.

Assessing readiness for smart manufacturing

The road to smart manufacturing starts with assessing your current readiness. Conducting a digital readiness assessment is an essential first step and will help youunderstand your current systems, bottlenecks and where improvements can offer the most value.

There are several reputable organizations and platforms that offer digital readiness assessment tools and literature specifically prepared for manufacturers, often tailored for small to mid-sized enterprises. Many of these are free or low-cost and come from government agencies, industry associations, consulting firms and tech providers. We have compiled the following resources for you to consider:

Government & Nonprofit Organizations

  1. NIST MEP – Manufacturing Extension Partnership

  1. CESMII – Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute

  • Tool: Smart Manufacturing Readiness Assessment Tool (SM RA)

  • Focus: Measures smart manufacturing maturity across key pillars

  • Cost: Free

  • Website: https://smroadmap.cesmii.net/

Consulting Firms, Technology Providers & Industry Associations

  1. org

  1. PwC – Industry 4.0 Digital Operations Self-Assessment

  1. KPMG – Digital Readiness Assessment

  • Focus: analyzes the state and quality of relevant areas of your company from several different perspectives.

  • Website:  https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/pdf/2016/04/ch-digital-readiness-assessment-en.pdf

  1. Rockwell Automation – Smart Manufacturing Assessment

  • Focus: Automation, digital control, data management

  • Website: https://www.rockwellautomation.com/en-us/search.html?keyword=Smart%20Manufacturing%20Assessment

  1. org– Maturity Assessment Tool

For our next article on smart manufacturing technology adoption for SMMs, we will explore smart sensor technology (IoT) and how it can be deployed selectively with existing equipment to bring real-time intelligence to the shop floor, enabling manufacturers to monitor motor health, bearing wear, defects, energy consumption and much more.

 

Washington State Community and Technical Colleges

Washington state is home to numerous community and technical colleges offering advanced manufacturing programs. These programs provide hands-on training and education in areas such as precision machining, robotics, mechatronics and aerospace manufacturing. For more information on specific technology-based manufacturing programs, please contact:

Brianna Rockenstire

Director

Center of Excellence for Information & Computing Technology

Email: brianna.rockenstire@bellevuecollege.edu

Tel: 425-564-4229

Brianna Rockenstire