LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER! Smart Manufacturing Architecture Imperatives Workshop
Join us on June 5th for one of the most important (virtual) workshops of 2025, bringing together some of the most knowledgeable and influential thought leaders from many organizations in this space to share their insights on the principles, architectures, strategies and the value of Smart Manufacturing Interoperability.
🎯 Objective: Review the strategies aimed directly at how the OT and IT communities can engage to strengthen your industrial data foundations and accelerate high-value initiatives. This is how we significantly reduce the cost and complexity of implementing manufacturing systems.
👥 Who Should Attend: OT and IT business leaders, architects, implementers, and practitioners — including developers, engineers, systems integrators, consultants, and machine builders with hands-on software experience in manufacturing environments.
The event will highlight 3 separate panels centered around the following Smart Manufacturing Imperatives: 🔹Open, Standards-Based Information-Modeling Strategy for Manufacturing Ops 🔹A Clear Set of Requirements for SM Interoperability Platform Compliance 🔹An open, common API for Manufacturing Systems
🗓️ Don’t miss this workshop and Q&A – where strategy meets practical guidance. The future of U.S. manufacturing depends on bold action, and that action starts here.
The Balancing Act: Running Today While Building Tomorrow
Behind every digital initiative is an ops leader thinking, "How will this affect the bottom line?" This episode of Smart Manufacturing Mindset™ takes a deep dive with the leaders who balance operational realities, manage change fatigue, and determine when new technology is worth the risk. Our panelists are responsible for keeping the lights on, the lines running, and products shipping no matter what stage transformation is in.
Smart Manufacturing Executive Council Update 🇺🇸 Shaping the Future of U.S. Manufacturing
CESMII & SME convened the Smart Manufacturing Executive Council earlier this month in collaboration with the LNS Research Pathfinder event in Minneapolis to tackle some of the most pressing challenges—and opportunities—facing the U.S. manufacturing sector.
🧠Key themes from the meeting:
Survey insights informing a national Smart Manufacturing workshop
Development of a Smart Manufacturing Playbook to guide industry transformation
Preparation for the June 12th Congressional Briefing to advocate for workforce development, tax incentives, and ecosystem growth
Strategic insights from the Global Lighthouse Network on scaling digital transformation
The Smart Manufacturing Executive Council has been formed to advocate for the strengthening of U.S. manufacturing and offer strategic guidance to revitalize our competitiveness and transform the future of U.S. manufacturing, and is working hard to deliver on that mission.
By Conrad Leiva, VP Ecosystem and Workforce Education at CESMII
The MX0 Southeast was a great conference at Greenville, South Carolina, this year with over 250 attendees. Manufacturers were very engaged at the conference and there were many opportunities for networking and sharing peer experiences. It was motivational to see that many of the attendees were on a path to digital transformation. However, there was also evidence of a temporary pause in some investment plans because manufacturers are worried about the effect of tariffs on their market, and supply of parts and materials.
I co-presented with Brian Kuney from SCMEP on the urgency behind digital transformation, developing a Smart Manufacturing Mindset, and some critical technology building blocks for Smart Manufacturing. Regional MEPs, like SCMEP, provide great services to small-medium manufacturers including consulting on improvement methods, technologies, and workforce training.
Get Certified with the Next Cohort - Sign up Today - Courses Start July 7
🚨 Last Chance to Register: CESMII's Smart Manufacturing Certification! 🚨
Time is running out to secure your spot in CESMII's upcoming 8-week online certification course designed for consultants, advisors, and innovation champions in manufacturing. Don’t miss this opportunity to:
âś… Master the Smart Manufacturing Acceleration Framework Build strategic roadmaps that drive transformation using CESMII's proven six-part framework.
âś… Engage in Hands-On Projects with Expert Mentors Work on real-world scenarios to assess and plan organizational success with guided expertise.
âś… Earn a Recognized Certification Boost your credibility as a Certified Smart Manufacturing Roadmap Professional and join an exclusive network of professionals.
📅 Details: • Course Dates: July 7 - September 2 • Commitment: ~6-8 hours/week • Format: Live interactive sessions (recordings available)
📢 Seats are limited! Enroll now to advance your career and lead the way in Smart Manufacturing.
In his recent LinkedIn article, “They Can Hallucinate It For You Wholesale,” CESMII Chief Technology Architect Jonathan Wise offers a grounded perspective on the evolving role of generative AI in manufacturing and industrial applications. He challenges the notion of artificial general intelligence (AGI) as an imminent reality, emphasizing that true intelligence remains a uniquely human trait.
Project Objective: The goal of this project is to improve steel slab quality and continuous caster productivity using Smart Manufacturing (SM) methodologies and technologies, thereby reducing the overall energy intensity of existing steelmaking and casting operations.
~22 M/yr
Potential annual gallons of gas savings through defect reduction and other process improvements.
~$90M/yr
Potential savings for the US Steel industry from the reduction of steel slab manufacturing defects.
~$2M/yr
Potential savings per caster strand by reducing equipment down-time.
At the 2025 Manufacturing USA Network Meeting, CESMII—the Smart Manufacturing Institute—actively contributed to advancing the national conversation on digital transformation and smart manufacturing. Held in Washington, D.C., this annual gathering brought together over 80 representatives from the network's 18 innovation institutes and federal partners to share insights, foster collaboration, and explore strategies for strengthening U.S. manufacturing competitiveness.
CESMII’s Role in the Institute Insights: Digital/Automation Session
CESMII participated in the "Institute Insights: Digital/Automation" session alongside peer institutes such as America Makes, ARM Institute, CyManII, and MxD. This session featured rapid-fire updates and a collaborative discussion on building effective innovation ecosystems. Topics included best practices for digital infrastructure, shared-use pilot facilities, and strategies for scaling smart manufacturing across diverse sectors .
Join over 75+ speakers and over 300 digital and operations leaders this October for the only event in North America to address how to achieve the next frontier of digital manufacturing by empowering workers with new technologies.
As you know, many smart manufacturing events exist, but few recognize the game changing role that connected workers play in shop floor transformation.
Hear from Boeing, Bimbo Bakeries USA, Coca Cola, Kraft Heinz, Mondelez, FUJIFILM, Hershey Company, Pfizer and more, this October, and learn how to leverage intelligent automation to improve supply chain efficiency, enhance customer experience, and increase revenue.
In collaboration with CESMII, make sure to use code CESMII20 to save 20% off your pass! Visit www.connectedworkermanufacturing.com for more information.
This nationwide event series brings CESMII representatives to cities across the country, connecting with small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs), Manufacturing Extension Partnerships (MEPs), and the broader manufacturing ecosystem. Our team is excited to share the latest advancements in Smart Manufacturing technologies, explore real-world applications, and discuss how these innovations can drive efficiency, sustainability, and competitiveness.
CESMII – the Smart Manufacturing Institute – has a total current investment commitment of $201M from Department of Energy funding and public/private partnership contributions, with a mandate to create a more competitive manufacturing environment here in the US through advanced sensing, analytics, modeling, control and platforms. CESMII is one of 18 Manufacturing USA institutes on this mission to increase manufacturing productivity, global competitiveness, and reinvestment by increasing energy productivity, improving economic performance and raising workforce capacity. University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) is the program and administrative home of CESMII. For more information about CESMII, its history and Smart Manufacturing, visit cesmii.org.
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