How Digitalization is Changing the Economics of Manufacturing Supply Chain

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While the notion of lean manufacturing has been the cornerstone of operational efficiency in manufacturing for several decades, it’s the advent of digital manufacturing that is truly catapulting lean to another level. The digitalization of processes along the entire continuum of the manufacturing supply chain, starting with a product’s design and development, is what is driving the next industrial revolution, often dubbed Industry 4.0. Creating a digital supply chain—one that’s more resilient to market risks as well as more responsive to opportunities—is essential to not only staying competitive but also further improving operational efficiencies. This presentation will demonstrate how on-demand manufacturing can streamline the product development cycle and make the manufacturing supply chain more cost-efficient.

What you will learn:

• Explore what the “digital thread” is and how it ties together each aspect of the manufacturing process, from CAD model through to production parts
• Discuss the difference between back-end hardware automation and front-end software automation, and how digitizing the front-end can mitigate risk
• Learn how on-demand manufacturing can reduce production costs and allow companies to respond to volatile or unforeseen market demands

Speaker

Charlie Johnson, Production Manager, Proto Labs

Charlie Johnson is a production manager at Proto Labs, with nearly 10 years of experience in rapid manufacturing and designing for moldability. During his tenure with Proto Labs, Johnson has held a variety of positions ranging from customer service engineer to design supervisor for technical operations. In his current role, he oversees the injection molding build, milling, and operations departments Proto Labs’ U.S. facilities.

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