Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • November 2, 2020 • Hartford Business Journal 21 By Sean Teehan steehan@hartfordbusiness.com M iddlefield plastic molds manufactur- er Wepco Plastics Inc. just bought a 3D printer, a technol- ogy that's rapidly moving from being considered cutting edge, to a neces- sity — even for small producers. In Enfield, Phoenix Manufacturing recently installed a robotic machin- ing array on its production floor. "It's so advanced that the machine itself will know if a tool is broken, or whether or not a hole is being drilled straight," said Phoenix President Glenn Ford. Across Connecticut, manufacturers big and small are researching, buy- ing and installing new technology to keep up with current trends toward automation, additive manufacturing and software that enables companies to put legions of model and blueprint data on a single computer file. The investment — to the tune of millions of dollars — comes as Con- necticut manufacturers face increas- ing pressure to remain competitive, especially with companies in lower- cost states and countries. Jet-engine maker Pratt & Whitney's recent deci- sion to invest $650 million in a new facility in lower-cost North Carolina, rather than its home state of Con- necticut, underscores competitive pressures manufacturers here face. Advanced manufacturing technol- ogies like 3D printers or AI-enabled machines are quickly moving from impressive bells and whistles to in- dustry standard equipment as they help companies make products with greater efficiency and less waste. However, there are concerns that some state manufacturers aren't moving quick enough — or don't have the scale or resources — to adapt to "Industry 4.0," a term used to describe the ongoing automation of traditional manufacturing practices. "I think it would make us more com- petitive," if more in-state manufactur- ers adopted new technology, said Tom Maloney, chief technology officer at the quasi-public Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT), which advises companies on leading-edge equipment. "The companies just don't have the right computers, software or per- sonnel to work with this equip- ment right now." Maloney said tech adoption will become increasingly im- portant over the next two to five years because recent ad- vances in some manufacturing equipment make the design and production pro- cesses simpler and cheaper for customers. Model-based definition, for example, allows design- ers to place actual product dimensions, manufacturing instructions and other notes directly on a 3D model, making it easier for the producer to interpret how to make a product, Maloney said. This requires high-powered comput- ers and enables customers to send manufacturers all information about a product on a single computer file. "The goal for the [customer] is to be able to send out model-based definition files [to manufacturers]," Maloney said. "I believe soon it will be a requirement in manufactur- ing; you'll have to have model-based capabilities." Additionally, while 3D printing is currently being used mostly for prototypes and lower-volume manufactur- ing, it could be a game-changer in the indus- try. Traditional manufacturing Continued on page 22 >> Tech Arms Race CT manufacturers face increasing pressure to adopt 'Industry 4.0' technologies Investing in new tech a key priority for CT manufacturers A recent Connecticut Business & Industry Associa- tion survey found that manufacturers are making the most investment in the following areas: Employee training 20% Property & facilities 20% New technology 19% Other capital assets 13% Research & development 12% Recruiting qualified workers 9% Other 7% Source: CBIA Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT) Chief Technology Officer Tom Maloney (left) and CCAT President Ron Angelo at the organization's East Hartford advanced manufacturing facility. HBJ PHOTO | STEVE LASCHEVER

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