UPFRONT A Letter from the Editor


FOLLOW YOUR INTUITION, DOWNPLAY THE OBSTACLES


S


ocietal Greats often succeed at efforts to propel humankind for- ward by following their intuition


and underestimating obstacles. That’s what Nobel laureate Rita Levi-Mon- talcini told me in a discussion at her residence in Rome in 2004. Levi-Montalcini, who improved our


world by discovering nerve growth factor, gave herself as an example. And that interview stands out as one of the most memorable of my career, which has included covering the In- ternet of Things (IoT) since 1999 and writing and editing business news at the Los Angeles Times, the Washing- ton Post and The New York Times. As industry executives, engineers and other entrepreneurs apply IoT and other technological gains to manufacturing, possessing keen and quick insight and underestimating the


Smart Manufacturing Editorial Staff


EDITOR


Brett Brune 313-425-3253 bbrune@sme.org


ASSISTANT EDITOR


Kristen Golembiewski 313-425-3259 kgolembiewski@sme.org


Advanced Manufacturing Media Editorial Staff


EDITOR IN CHIEF


Sarah A. Webster 313-425-3252 swebster@sme.org


EXECUTIVE EDITOR


James D. Sawyer 313-425-3053 jsawyer@sme.org


SENIOR EDITORS


Bill Koenig 313-425-3058 bkoenig@sme.org


6


GROUP PUBLISHER Dave O’Neil 313-425-3260 doneil@sme.org


Patrick Waurzyniak 313-425-3256 pwaurzyniak@sme.org


DIGITAL EDITOR


Katelyn DaMour 313-425-3251


ASSISTANT EDITOR Darlene M. Pietryka 313-425-3255


Smart Manufacturing is designed and produced by the SME Creative Department


Business Staff


things that could get in the way of ideas will be critical. It’s how discovery happens and society advances. I spent the last several years inter-


viewing pioneers handling one of the first mass deployments of the IoT in the energy sector. Together, in Smart Grid Today, we introduced the world to such discoveries as transactive energy techniques—software applica- tion layers that use economic signals and data to coordinate the actions of power grid systems and devices. It is an honor and a privilege to helm this new publication. Here, you will find the intelligence you need to learn and thrive. In that way, we strive to facilitate the efficient manufactur- ing of things that improve our world. Manufacturing for the aerospace,


defense, automotive, medical and en- ergy industries are strong focus areas


James A. Lorincz 440-779-6946 jlorincz@sme.org


PUBLISHER


Greg Sheremet 313-425-3261 gsheremet@sme.org


PRODUCTION MANAGER


Kim Stebbins 313-425-3257 kstebbins@sme.org


AUDIENCE MANAGER


Mary Venianakis 905-755-0783 mvenianakis@sme.org


DIGITAL PRODUCT MANAGER


Marcus Abdullah 313-425-3262 mabdullah@sme.org


ADDRESS CHANGES


Cheryl Matulonis 313-425-3264 cmatulonis@sme.org


Although reasonable efforts are taken to ensure the accuracy of its published material, SME is not responsible for statements published in this magazine. Readers are advised that SME shall not be liable to any person or company for losses or damages incurred as a result of accepting any invitation or offer contained in any advertisement published in Smart Manufacturing. Copyright © 2016 by SME. Photocopy information: Users registered with the Copyright Clearance Center, 21 Congress St., Salem, MA 01970, can purchase copies at $2.00 each referring to serial fee code 0361-0853/88/$2.00. All other photocopying without the permission of SME is prohibited. Reprint information: For tearsheets, reprints, and bulk orders, write the Production Manager, kstebbins@sme.org. Available on microfilm/microfiche from University Microfilms International, 300 N. Zeeb Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Canada Post Publication Mail Sales Agreement No. 1436813


for us. We will add focus areas as we write about topics like advanced auto- mation, additive manufacturing, smart data management and fog computing. In this issue, smart manufacturing pioneers talk with us about what’s coming to machine shops and facto- ries. GE’s Stephan Biller, for example, explains the communications concept of a “digital twin”—which he envisions impacting a product’s performance, service and redesign based on feed- back from sensors connected to it. Innovations like the “digital twin”


have real consequences for real people. Smart manufacturing holds the potential to restore some of the millions of manufacturing jobs lost in the US in recent years, for starters. I see Biller, like other explorers


featured in this issue, going down in history as a Societal Great.


Brett Brune Editor


Spring 2016


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