Request	for	Information	on	Pilots	to	Inform	the	Creation	of	Potential	New	Manufacturing	

Technology	Acceleration	Centers	(M-TACs)

In	response	to	your	RFI,	PolymerOhio	Inc.	offers	the	following.

The	information	below	includes:

 Narrative	on	the	importance	of digital	tools—modeling	and	simulation	included—to	U.S.	

SMMs

 Description	of	a	concept	to	provide	a	“supply	chain”	for	digital	tools

 Description	of	a	“Digital	M-TAC”	that	supports	the	use	of	digital	tools	including	

simulation	software	as	enabling	technologies	for	SMMs	across	the	nation	in	all	types	of	

manufacturing.		This	M-TAC	will	also	support	all	other	M-TACs	for	which	the	objectives	

should	include	developing	and	helping	apply	digital	tools	to	improve	their	

competitiveness.

 Summary	of	responses	to	questions	posed	in	the	RFI	that	refer	back	to	the	Digital	M-TAC	

concept.

Importance	of	Digital	Tools	to	the	Success	of	SMMs

With	the	advent	of	the	Digital	Age,	a	broad	variety	of	digital	tools	are	becoming	available	that	

enable	companies	to	more	quickly	develop	their	innovations	and	to	implement	them	at	lower	

cost	and	with	a	reduced	time	to	market.		These	tools	are	powerful	in	helping	companies	

improve	productivity,	remain	competitive	in	the	global	market	and	increase	the	bottom	line.	

Tools	such	as	simulation	software	have	been	available	and	used	by	large	companies	for	decades	

but	their	high	cost	and	requirements	of	skilled	engineers	to	apply	them	has	largely	limited	

SMMs	from	this	beneficial	approach.

Manufacturing leaders	in foreign	countries understand	the	value of	digital	tools	and	are	

focusing	on	applying them	to	try	to	compete	with	American	manufacturers.		The	governments	

of	China,	Korea	and	India	have	already	implemented	programs	that	specifically	attempt	to	help	

their	manufacturers	apply	digital	tools,	particularly simulation	software,	to	improve	

productivity.

To	meet	this	challenge	to	our	manufacturing	leadership,	it	is	important	that	the	use	of	

simulation	software	and	other	digital	tools	become “best	practice” in	the	U.S.		It	is	important	to	

our	global	competitiveness	and	continuing growth	that	US	manufacturers reach	this	point	as	

early	as	possible.

U.S.	small- and	mid-sized	manufacturers	(SMMs) play	a	significant	role	in	technology	innovation	

in	product	and	process	technologies.		At	the	same	time,	the	dramatic	gap	between resources,	
both	capital	and	human, of	large	companies versus	those	of	SMMs,	particular those	with less	

than	200	employees,	has	also	resulted	in	a	large	gap	in	the	capability	of	SMMs	to	develop	and	

introduce these	new	technologies, products and	processes.		The	application	of	digital	tools	can	

enable	innovation	and	speed	new	products	to	market	for	companies	of	all	sizes.

An	Enabling	Technology	to	Support	SMMs

The	Digital	Age	is	bringing	the	development	and	availability	of	new	tools,	for	example,	

simulation	software, that	a)	help	companies	carry out	projects	faster	and	at	lower	cost	than	can	

be	achieved	with	the	present	methodologies,	b)	offer	new	insights	into	existing	processes,	and	

c)	enable	innovation	by	providing	speedier	and	more	realistic	analyses	of	models	and	tests	than	

were	previously	possible	and	by	inducing	thought	processes	and	analytical	thinking.

Digital	tools	are	becoming increasingly a	part	of	“best	practice”.		Many	engineers	are	seeking

any	help	they	can	get	to	lower	cost	and	reduce time	to	market.	But	for	many SMMs, the	high	

cost	of	licenses of useful	software	and	of	hardware	as	well	as	the	need	for	trained engineers to	

effectively use the	tools	is	prohibitive.

The	proposed	M-TACs	will	be	tasked	to	provide	to	SMMs	a	“broad	spectrum	of	services	to	

enable	their	process	improvement	and	product	development.”		Digital	tools must	be	an	integral

part	of	these	services.

The	RFI	states	that	“M-TACs	can	serve	as	a	coordination	point	within	key	supply	chains”.		The	

term	supply	chain	is	generally	used	to	indicate	the	movement	of	raw	materials,	products,	etc.		

However,	in	the	Digital	Age,	digital	tools	will	be	such	an	important	part	of both manufacturing	

and	R&D	that	there	must	also	be	a	supply	chain	through	which	companies	obtain	digital	tools	

and	services.		A	company must	be	able	to identify	tools	that will	be	effective for	it.		Often	

companies do	not	know	about	simulation software	that	could	save	them time	and	money	in	

product	and	process development.

Accessibility	of	Digital	Tools	through	the	Manufacturing	Portal

As	an	affordable means	for	companies	to	identify	and	use	high-end	digital	tools,	particularly	

simulation	software,	PolymerOhio	has	developed	the	Manufacturing	and	Polymer	Portal under	

a	grant	from	the NIST	Manufacturing	Extension	Partnership	(MEP).		The	Portal	is	accessed

through	a	website	at	www.manufacturingportal.org,	which	takes	you	transparently	to	a	catalog	

of	digital	tools	housed	at the Ohio	Supercomputer Center,	the	partner	that	made	this	Portal	

possible.		PolymerOhio	has	been	licensed	by	the	providers	of	these	tools	to	provide	access	and	

training	at	reduced	cost,	usually	on	a	pay-per-use	basis.		For	example,	Moldex3D,	an	injection	

mold-filling	simulation	tool,	is	offered	for	$200/day	and	$800/week	versus	a	full license cost	of	
about	$50,000.		With	Moldex3D,	the	user	will	recover	their	costs	on	the	first	use.		Almost	all	

software on	the	Portal	will	yield	a	payback	within	months	with	very	little	risk	of	resources.

The	Portal	now	has	ten tools	available	including simulation	software for	plastics	processing	and	

welding	as	well	as	tools for	supply	chain	management,	production scheduling and	strategic

planning.		Software	and	digital	tools will	be	added	as	often as	useful	tools can	be	identified.

The	Portal	is	a nationwide	resource	and	its	services	will	be	provided	to	MEP	Centers	through	

revenue-sharing	agreements.		Its	benefits	will	be	marketed	nationwide	through	a	combination	

of	company visits,	conference	presentations,	webinars	and	internet	marketing.

We	envision	the	Portal	as	an	“access	center”	or	"Digital	M-TAC” that	will	provide	important	

complementary	services to	those	offered	by other	M-TACs. The	access	center/Digital	M-TAC

will	have	several objectives:

 Identify	simulation	software	and	other	digital	tools	that	can help	manufacturers	as	well	

R&D	groups	to	innovate,	lower	costs,	and	improve	their	processes	and	functions.

 Obtain	agreements	with	providers to	offer	access	to	their	tools	through the	Portal	at	

affordable prices,	for	example	pay	per	use.

 Provide	easy	access	to	the	tools	and	to	training	in	their	use

 Assist	all	M-TACs	in	identifying	both	existing	tools	and	needed	tools	and	provide	

capabilities	to	develop	the	needed	but	non-existent	tools.

 Provide	outreach	and	marketing	for	the	M-TACs	to	SMMs.

The	last	point	is	important.		The	“Digital	M-TAC”	will	develop	individual	marketing	plans	for	

each	digital	tool	in	order	to	inform	relevant	companies	of	the	benefits	of	using	the	tools.		The	

plan	will	include	sharing	marketing	costs	and	revenues.

It	is	important	that	each	M-TAC	focuses on	its specialty.		The	Digital	M-TAC	will	alleviate	the	

need	for	all	of	the	M-TACs	to	have	the	capability	of	offering	access	to	the	digital	tools	that	they	

identify	or	develop as	well	as	the	need	for	an	outreach	and	marketing program	to	assure	that	

companies	know	of	their	availability.

Each	M-TAC	should	be	seeking	to	a)	identify	needs	for	digital	tools,	b)	find	existing	tools,	or	c)	to	

develop	new	ones	to	meet	needs.		Thus,	the	other	M-TACs	will	be	important	sources	of	existing	

and	newly	developed	digital	tools.		We	are	able	to	install and	offer	a	new	digital	tool	in	a	

month,	usually less	than	a	month,	if	the	tool	is	ready	for public	use.

The	Manufacturing	Portal	has	just	held	a	National	Launch	with	a	press	release,	webinar	and

specific	outreach	to	nearly	40	individual	membership	organizations	across	the	spectrum	of	
manufacturing.		The	Portal	will	continue	to	proactively	carry	out	nationwide	marketing	

activities.

Access	is	available,	some within minutes,	for	ten	tools	including:

 Virtual	Fabrication	Technology:	Simulates	welding	of	large	structures	with	multiple	

welds	to	minimize	effects	of	residual	stresses,	saving	significant	cost	of	real	prototypes	

and	fixtures.

 Forecasting	Solutions:	Manages	supply	chain	to	forecast	sales	and	reduce	inventories	

of	raw	materials,	in-process	goods,	and	products.

 Supply	Planning:	Assists	companies	in	replenishing	raw	materials	to	maintain	an	

optimal	inventory	of	raw	materials	based	on	the	company’s	ordering	history.

 Advanced	Planning	and	Scheduling:	Schedules	production	equipment	and	labor	

resources	to	optimize	production,	resource	acquisition	and	allocation.

 StrategyStreet.com:	Guides	leaders	through	the	process	of	preparing	a	strategic	plan	

to	help	companies	improve	their	businesses.

 AutoHarvest: Resource	for	offering	new	IP	for	sale,	partnering	or	acquisition;	easy	

searchable	for	database	for	patents	and	for	all	SBIR	Programs.

 Moldex3D:	Simulates	the	injection	molding	process	in	3D	to	assist	in	designing	molds	

and	optimizing	processes.

 Training	from	Routsis	Associates:	Teaches	injection	molding	processes	and	equipment	

to	operators	and	design	engineers	including	safety	and	best	practices.

 Virtual	Extrusion	LaboratoryTM:	Assists	in	designing	extrusion	dies	of	all	types	and	in	

simulating	single-screw extrusion.

 Ludovic:	Simulates	co-rotating	twin-screw	extrusion	process	to	assist	in	optimizing	

process	parameters	and	designing	screw	configuration,	reducing	cost	and	improving	

product	quality

The	newly	designed	website	provides	to	visitors the	information	with	which they can	decide	if	

the	tool	is	appropriate	and	how	it	might	be	applied	productively.		The	individual	page	for	each	

tool	includes	a	value	proposition,	the	benefits	that	may	be	derived	from	its	use,	how	to	apply	it	

to	improve	productivity	and	the	fee	schedule	for	using	the	tool.		Supporting	videos	and	linked

articles	are	provided where	appropriate.

With	the	existing	relationship	with	the	NIST	MEP	and	the	additional	interfaces	with	other	MTACs,	the	Portal	will	be	able	to	rapidly	identify	existing	and	needed	tools	and	grow	its	catalog	of	

digital	tools	beneficial	to	companies	across	the	spectrum	of	manufacturing.

The	Manufacturing	and	Polymer	Portal	is	a	solid	foundation	for	a	“Digital	M-TAC”.		It	has	

developed	the	technical, organizational,	business and	marketing	mechanisms	needed	to	

provide	digital	tools	affordably	to	SMMs	across	the	nation.		Establishing	the	Portal	as	a	Digital	

M-TAC	will	assure	that	digital	tools	can	be	made	available	to	SMMs	almost	instantaneously.		
The	pilot	project	has	demonstrated	that	the	Portal	can	be	a	self-sustaining	provider	of	digital	

tools	to	SMMs	and	a	strong	supporter	of	the	technologies	developed	and	disseminated	by	

other	M-TACs.

The	Digital	M-TAC	will	meet	the	goals	stated	for	the	M-TACs.

 The	Digital	M-TAC	demonstrates	a	business	model	that	enables	SMMs	to	effectively	and	

efficiently	access	technology	that	will	enable	their	innovations	in	product	and	process	

technologies.		The	Portal	has	operated	for	the	past	two	years	as	a	pilot	project for	Ohio	

polymer	companies.		Its	scope	has	been	expanded	to	include	manufacturers	in	any	

segment	of	the	U.S.	manufacturing	industry.

 The	Portal	has	already	established	the	relationships	and	interfaces with	digital	tool	

providers to	apply	a	business model	that	will	benefit	both	the SMMs	and	the	providers.		

An	important part	of	the	relationships and	interfaces will	come from	MEP	Centers.		

Although	other	providers	and	organizations	have	considered	offering	digital	tools	for	

pay-per-use	prices,	the	Portal, its	provider	partners	and the Ohio	Supercomputer	Center	

are	the	first	to	offer	access	to	a	range	of	tools.

 The	Portal’s	NIST	MEP	grant	was	awarded	after	a	solicitation	for	programs	to	develop	

services	that	will help	nationwide	MEP	Centers	better	assist their client	companies in	

growing	their	businesses.		We	are	working	directly	with	the	MEP	to	use	the	extensive	

MEP	network	to	both	inform	SMMs	of	the	benefits	of	the	tools	on	the	Portal	and	to	

learn	from	the	SMMs	what	their	needs	are	in	order	to	identify	and	develop	additional	

tools	to	help	them improve	their	businesses.

 The	Digital	M-TAC	will	be	constantly	interacting	with	other	M-TACs,	MEP	Centers,	and

individual	companies	to	learn	where	the technology gaps are,	particularly	in	terms	of	

digital	tools	that	can	improve	their productivity.		Just	as	important,	we	will	be	learning	

what	companies	need	and	will	pass	that	information	to	appropriate	M-TACs.

Summary	of	Responses	to	RFI	Questions

1. A	Digital	M-TAC,	established	with	the	Manufacturing	Portal	as	its	base,	will	leverage	its	

present	relationship	with	NIST	MEP	and	its	nationwide	network	of	Centers,	SMMs,	other	

M-TACs,	NNMI	Centers,	OEMs,	and	with	academia to	identify	needed	digital	tools	and to	

find	or	develop	tools	to	fill	the	gaps.		In	addition,	it	is	important	that	the	Digital	M-TAC	

develop	relationships	with	the	software	provider	community	as	a	trusted	outlet	for	their	

digital	tools.		At	the	same	time,	the	Digital	M-TAC	will	tap	the	knowledge	in	all	of	these	

groups	to	identify	digital	tools	that	are	needed	and	will	work	to	make	those	tools	

affordably	available.		These	tools	are	also	important	additional	services	that	the	MEP	

Centers	can	offer	their	clients.		The	MEP	Centers	and	other	M-TACs	will	share	in	the	

revenues.
2. In	order	to	support	the	establishment	of	simulation	and	other	digital	tools	as	“best	

practice”	in	U.S.	manufacturing,	the	Digital	M-TAC	will	develop	a	“supply	chain”	through	

which	SMMs	can	access	the	tools	at	affordable	prices	as	well	as	training	in	their	use.		

Including	all	of	the	groups listed	in	the	point	above,	there	will	be many important	links	

in	the	digital-tool	supply	chain that	must	be	cultivated	and	brought	into	the	supply	

chain:

Digital-tool	providers	(software,	for	example)

Academia	(model	developers)

OEMs	(users	and	developers)

SMMs	(users)

Other	manufacturers	and	companies	(users)

Research	institutions	(users	and	developers)

MEP	Centers	and	their	partners	(“sellers”)

Other	M-TACs	(users	and	developers)

NNMI	Centers	(users	and	developers)

Associations	(promoters	of	the	value	of M&S	and	other	digital	tools)

3. In	regards	to	a	specific	Digital	M-TAC,	the	present	business	model	for	the	Manufacturing	

and	Polymer	Portal	is	feasible.		It	provides	benefits	for	all	parts	of	the chain.		For	

example,	with	any	simulation	software,	the	providers	will	not	generally	market	to	the	

smaller	SMMs—in	the	range	of	20	to	100	employees—because	few	companies	of	that	

size	have	the	resources	to	purchase	a	license.		By	allowing	the	Portal	to	offer	their	

software	at	pay-per-use	prices,	they	reach	this market	and	with the revenue sharing

model,	they can	benefit.		In	addition,	some	of	these	companies	will	eventually	purchase	

a	full	license	when	they	find	that	their	use	is	adequate	to	rationalize	a	purchase.		Newly

developed software can	be	offered	immediately	to a	broad range	of	companies and	thus	

can	grow	sales	at	a	faster	rate	than	is	now	achieved	with	the usual	approaches.

Of	course,	the	SMMs	will	benefit	significantly	because	they	do	not	risk	the	capital	to	

purchase	the	software	for	which	the usage	may be	less	than projected.		They	can	

expense	the	pay-per-use	access	fees	which	are	paid	only when the tool	is	actually	used.		

The	decision	to	apply	digital	tools,	simulation	software in	particular, is	significantly	

simplified	because	of	the	very	low	cost of	training	and	the	first	application of the	tool.

Cost	share	can	be	accommodated	because	of the	need	for	the	software	providers	in	

particular	to	give	cost	share	for a	number	of	licenses.		There will	need	to	be	one	license	

for	each	accessible	copy.		For	example,	if	the	Portal	needs	to	have	the	capacity	of	ten

simultaneous	users,	the	provider	will	provide	the	value	of	ten	copies	of	the	software.		

Training	will	also	require	multiple	licenses.		Classroom	training is	the	preferred method	
for	Portal	tools	and	a license will	be	required	for	each	student using	the	software	

through	a	computer.		The	Portal	presently	estimates	up	to	twenty student	licenses will	

be	needed	for	a	typical	class.		If	the	software	is	only	$50,000	per	license, the	thirty

licenses yields	a	cost	share	of	$1,500,000.

4. No	response

5. A	critical	issue	with	reaching	SMMs	with	any type of	new	technology	is	the	general	

resistance	of	such	companies	to	perceived “costly” investments.		We	believe	this	will be	

an	issue	for	any	M-TAC	in	persuading	an	SMM	to	evaluate	and	accept	a	new	technology,	

approach	or	tool.

A	company	with	annual	revenues	of	$5	million	to $10	million	cannot	easily	rationalize	an	

investment of	$50,000.		Many	times	there are	no	resources	with	which	to	evaluate the	

potential benefits.		If	the	SMMs	existing procedures and	technologies	are	adequate	in	

maintaining	its	bottom	line,	the	decision	makers	will	often	defer	even	the	consideration

of the	potential	benefits of	new	technology.

PolymerOhio	has	for	12	years	had	as	its	base	objective	to	assist	SMMs	in	growing	their	

businesses.		As	a	result,	it	has gathered	an	understanding	of	how	SMMs	make	decisions	

and	how	to work with	these	companies.		Consequently,	the	staff	assigned	to	the

Manufacturing	and	Polymer	Portal	Team	also	has	experience with	presenting	new	

technologies	to	SMMs.

August	5,	2013

R.	L.	Markham

PolymerOhio,	Inc.

614-477-1133

rmarkham@polymerohio.org