Enabling Digital Manufacturing:

A Strategy to Develop a National Innovation Network

Just as the electric power infrastructure was the key to a strong manufacturing base a century ago, a Digital 

Manufacturing infrastructure is critical to the future of American industry. Economic uncertainty and leaden growth 

have slowed innovation, but access to cutting edge tools such as high performance modeling and simulation

provide a bold path forward, essentially transforming the way America builds.

The Opportunity

Of the approximately 300,000 manufacturers in the United States, over 95% are characterized as small and 

medium sized (SMMs). While millions of Americans are employed by much larger manufacturers such as Boeing or 

General Electric, SMMs provide more than twice as many jobs. National economic recovery and development is 

dependent on the revitalization of U.S. manufacturing, and the most efficient way to spur rapid growth is to 

intensely leverage what already exists.

One of America’s greatest competitive assets is our high performance computing (HPC) modeling and simulation 

capabilities. This toolset has been steadily developed and utilized by government laboratories, universities, and 

large companies for years - contributing to the successful manufacture of countless innovations. If shared 

throughout the entire manufacturing base, America’s global competitiveness will be greatly enhanced, particularly in 

desirable areas such as high-tech R&D manufacturing and modeling/simulation tools development.

Recent economic challenges have delayed job creation and R&D investment for many manufacturers. Large 

companies that once led the world in R&D investment are looking to SMMs for serial innovation within the supply 

chain. HPC is a transformative technology that must be elevated across the entire manufacturing ecosystem to 

empower simulation-based R&D, design, and manufacturing. Effectively leveraging these tools will transform U.S. 

manufacturers and their processes resulting in: accelerated development, mass customization, radical new 

products, lower-cost manufacturing and reduced off shoring.

The Strategy

NCMS proposes the development of a knowledge infrastructure which leverages the wealth of talent, ideas and 

facilities within our universities, national labs and industrial research centers to bring SMMs access to this 

desperately needed technology.

Focusing on product design, development and advanced manufacturing, this network will consist of numerous 

public-private sector collaborations called Predictive Innovation Centers (PIC). Access through a secure web-based 

portal will allow manufacturers of all sizes to experiment with HPC tools and optimize their own innovation 

processes – eliminating the heretofore insurmountable cost-up-front barrier that has kept so many SMMs from 

adopting HPC.

Four Levels of Engagement

The NCMS PIC strategy addresses the entire spectrum of needs within the manufacturing supply chain – from the 

small engineering shop stuck on 2D CAD software to the global supplier lacking the hardware to fully leverage its 

simulation tools. The NCMS PIC will be the bridge that links existing education efforts with higher end services, 

through a progressive set of tools and services that can benefit users at any level of need. The strategy will

facilitate upward progression, so users can elevate to a self-sustaining M&S capability. This unique approach is 

accomplished by engaging customers at four distinct levels.

Educate: Create a low-risk environment for end users to learn about M&S through free/low cost access to 

interactive demos, and education.

Entice: Clarify the value of advanced modeling and simulation to end-users by providing entry-level evaluative 

solutions. 

Engage: Provide end users more robust modeling and simulation capabilities for specific engineering problems via 

more sophisticated tools and collaborative engineering projects. 

Elevate: Enable full integration and adoption of advanced modeling and simulation at the end user level by 

providing necessary services and resources. 
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SMM Engagement and Scalability

Successful implementation of a national network will require scalability, affordability, accessibility, and marketability. 

The primary means to accomplish these four criteria is to build a base of virtual tools and services to reach SMMs 

with these new technologies. Many SMMs have small engineering shops, perhaps 1-2 employees wearing multiple 

hats. Due to the cost of bringing resources in-house, the lack of available expertise, and the high learning curve, 

many have chosen to outsource M&S tasks. The PIC infrastructure will give entry-level customers access to simple 

tools that can provide the same service faster and more affordably. 

In line with the PIC’s educational mission, the strategy calls for development of various e-Learning materials, 

communication tools, and links enabling users to run applications and simulations remotely. Each physical PIC

location will be a full-service center tied into the PIC “cloud,” which users will access through an all-inclusive, 

secure web-based portal.

The Benefits

Economic Impacts

The scope of this challenge calls for a government wide approach, integrating the strategy and leveraging it with 

existing investments for sustained economic growth and job creation. While PICs will result in the creation of new 

jobs at the centers themselves, the true benefits extend much further. Every region, every state, every community 

is touched by manufacturing. As almost 300,000 SMMs begin to engage HPC, they will grow their existing 

customer base and expand into new sectors, creating direct, indirect and induced jobs across the nation. The stage 

is also set for impact beyond manufacturing. New technology companies and service vendors for the growing HPC 

infrastructure will provide even greater sustained job creation, further supporting and enhancing community, state 

and regional services and facilities.

Global Competitiveness

U.S. suppliers must be able to affordably leverage predictive simulation-based design and manufacturing tools to 

solve their problems and explore the wealth of innovative possibilities this technology has to offer. Many foreign 

governments, including China, Korea and the European Union, have already established public-private 

partnerships to deliver HPC to their manufacturers. Meanwhile the U.S., the world leader in HPC technologies, is 

lagging behind.

Broad Collaborative Support

This strategy has evolved out of NCMS's conversations with senior Administration staff, Congressional officials and 

Industry leaders, and specifically addresses issues communicated. The successful launch and implementation of 

this national innovation network requires the participation of the U.S. Government as well as the conceptual 

concurrence, financial commitment and direct involvement of a broad set of key industry collaborators. 

More than 25 industry users and providers have already committed to the strategy, from large OEMs to smaller 

manufacturers, key HPC industry providers, and academia - this growing alliance has recognized the need for 

adoption and have committed themselves to the NCMS PIC strategy.

A Proven Collaboration Model

Since 1986, the non-profit National Center for Manufacturing Sciences has been the leader in working with 

manufacturers and technology providers to drive innovation and support global competitiveness. Every NCMS 

collaborative effort drives relentlessly toward successful commercialization of innovations. Managing collaboration 

is both art and science – our role is that of a catalyst. Our network allows us to bring together organizations with 

similar needs and our collaborative model ensures smooth project operation, intellectual property protection, 

risk/cost management, and successful commercialization.

Manufacturing is the most fundamental industry in any successful modern economy. A country that cannot make 

things cannot compete globally. Nor does it end with manufacturing. Nations must also constantly innovate: 

develop new products, new processes for designing them, and tools for building them. Just as the advent of steam 

power marked the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, and the appearance of the assembly line sparked the 

engine that drove the dawn of the modern age, a new game changer has appeared, and the United States must 

commit to it with the same energy and passion that drives the national interest.