In 2012, President Obama unveiled the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation as a way to boost manufacturing in the United States. For engineers, scientists and manufacturing professionals, the NNMI's Institutes for Manufacturing Innovation present exciting opportunities to improve operations and increase productivity in U.S. manufacturing facilities.
Modern manufacturing in the United States is a mere shadow of its Industrial Age glory. For the first half of the 20th century, manufacturing drove the U.S. economy. Eventually, lower wages and production costs overseas began to lure American companies to countries like China and Pakistan, where they could produce the same products for a fraction of the price. The recession in 2008 took a significant toll on U.S. manufacturing, pushing it farther away from its former status as an economic powerhouse.
During his second term in office, President Obama began to push for the rebuilding of American manufacturing. Consumers, concerned about the U.S. economy and poor working conditions overseas, joined in the argument. Several major companies, including Walmart and Apple supplier Foxconn got onboard with pledges to "reshore" production operations, or return them to the United States.
As it stands, however, most American companies are unable to sustain the production levels that are required to make domestic manufacturing a viable economic force. In response, President Obama developed the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation.
The purpose of the NNMI is to foster research and development of new manufacturing technologies that will make American manufacturing more competitive in the global market. It creates a research infrastructure that brings together public and private groups to solve problems in the manufacturing industry.
Each of the NNMI Institutes in Manufacturing Innovation will allow participating professionals to share resources and knowledge in an effort to design more efficient systems. Industry professionals will bring a practical knowledge to the table, as they understand ground-level procedures, current limitations and the desired production goals. Engineers, scientists and other research staff contribute knowledge of cutting edge technology, materials science and the latest engineering developments. Together, the two groups will work together to create innovative manufacturing solutions.
One goal of the NNMI Institutes is the streamlining of each step of the manufacturing process in an effort to make the overall system more efficient. Advanced 3-D printers, for example, might be used to speed prototyping processes or to enable on-demand manufacturing. Each of the NNMI Institutes will create processes and machines that increase speed, boost productivity and cut costs without sacrificing quality.
The network includes multiple NNMI Institutes, each focused on a specific area of manufacturing. As of June 2014, established institutes include the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, the Next Generation Power Electronics Manufacturing Innovation Institute, the Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute, and the Lightweight and Modern Metals Manufacturing Innovation Institute. In his 2014 State of the Union Address, President Obama also announced plans for a Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institute for Composites Materials and Structures and proposed funding for a bio-manufacturing innovation institute. Each institute is led by a university or a division of the U.S. government.
For manufacturing professionals, the NNMI Institutes for Manufacturing Innovation are likely to be a continuing source of next-generation systems and technology. Through the NNMI, the government is expected to pour funding dollars into manufacturing innovation.
(Photo courtesy of Stoonn at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)
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