Hartford Business Journal

8 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | JANUARY 13, 2025 "This is the first lab I know of this kind in the country," said Thompson. "It's a prototype to really see, can we train, engage and get these small and midsized manufac- turers to adopt these new technologies?" At first, the Digital Thread Lab folks thought they'd be mostly engaging with engineers and focusing on purely technical educa- tion. But in the early months, they weren't getting traction. "What we learned is that those folks don't control whether they come in or not," Thompson said. "Their leadership does. So yes, we have this really exciting program, people want to come, but if we don't reach the leadership of the organization, it's not going to happen." They built out more curriculum that focused on the business case for digital thread and hired Michelle Scerbin to implement company outreach. "It is really amazing once you get the senior leader in," Scerbin said. "They go, 'whoa, we need to be doing this.'" The current goal is to put at least 500 people through the full training by the end of 2025. CCAT is also applying for a second round of DOD funding to further expand the program. The other insight that's become apparent over the first year of oper- ation is that although the lab was initially aimed at small and midsize businesses, the OEMs and their supply chain companies need to be engaged simultaneously. "To have these folks, with the resources that they have, be the change agents first for the defense industry — that's a heavy lift," said Scerbin, referring to smaller manu- facturers. "… What we decided is that everyone has to come together." "I would say, for the most part, all of the OEMs have been working on it. They're all aware," Thompson said. She points to Pratt & Whitney as one company that's particularly engaged in the process. Pratt regu- larly sends selected engineers and managers to attend Digital Thread Lab classes. "They're someone who's fully embraced this, wants to do it internally, move the needle," she said. "They want to help and engage their suppliers." Training and funding may be the biggest barriers for those smaller suppliers. Many are already running software platforms that can be adapted to the model-based defi- nition standards, and the state has grant funding available if companies need to invest in new, advanced machinery through its Manufac- turing Innovation Fund. But releasing critical workers to complete the full three-week training has been challenging for some. "It takes a few people to get the momentum, that tipping point," Scerbin said. Forward planning The business case for digital thread extends well beyond the design and manufacture of individual parts, into yet another acronym — PLM, or product lifecycle management. In a fully digital world, thousands of data points about an individual part can be captured as it is manu- factured, creating what's known as a digital twin. That digital represen- tation can identify potential design flaws that can be fed back to refine the design process, and it can also follow the part throughout its life. "You could know all sorts of things about the quality of the part," said Thompson. "Now when you go into operation, you have those records to help you do things like say, main- tenance, so you can actually have smart diagnostics." The representatives from smaller companies attending this initial digital thread session at CCAT seem intrigued. "With the ever-changing evolution of technology within the industry, we're really just trying to stay ahead and prepare," said Brett Kasper, vice president of finance and procure- ment at BNL Industries. "What do our next five years look like?" The 50-person shop based in Vernon manufactures valves for applications at Electric Boat and nuclear power plants. Right now, his company deals a lot with 2D prints, but Kasper says he sees value in 3D models making it easier for his machinists "to really understand what they're making. You would be surprised by the amount of delays it causes when you don't understand a drawing." He also sees it as a way to encode institutional knowledge as his veteran machinists retire, and he experiences more churn in the younger workforce. "With this type of technology, if a part is being machined and you have sensors in there that are giving you all this detailed informa- tion, you can capture that process and record it digitally for all of time," he said. The thing that concerns him most however, is the length of time it may take to get his staff trained up on a new system. "My next steps are probably understanding what the specific options are for software within model-based definition, and then really come up with a long-term implementation plan," Kasper said. That kind of forward planning is music to the ears of Brino, the CCAT technical trainer. "As harsh as it may sound," Brino said, "companies need to get on board, or they're going to be run over." Michelle Scerbin Here's A Glimpse of Our Bank Portfolio... Building banks is a specialty of ours. Over the years, PDS has had the great privilege of working closely and often with some of the area's most respected banks, including TD Bank and Webster Bank. These projects have ranged from new construction to general renovation, including several new free standing buildings, one of which incorporated the latest TD Bank design with LEED Platinum credentials. In addition, we have completed fast track interior fi t-outs with all new fi nishes specifi c to our client's design needs. With in-house disciplines of engineering from civil to mechanical, PDS can design the right building to fi t your budget and timeline. SPOTLIGHT ON: COMMERICAL 107 Old Windsor Road, Bloomfi eld, CT 06002 | 860.242.8586 | pdsec.com THINK • PLAN • BUILD 4,000 SF | Wallingford, CT 4,000 SF | Norwalk, CT Various Interior Renovations Bringing over five decades of expertise to the table, we've specialized in crafting pre-engineered metal buildings since 1965. This latest project, spanning an impressive 54,000 square feet, was tailored to the needs of our valued client, Hartford Truck Equipment in South Windsor, CT. Designed and built to their precise specifications, this new facility is set to be a versatile production and storage space for equipment, parts, and much more. For almost 60 years, PDS Engineering & Construction has prioritized building relationships based on trust, efficiency, and transparency. It's these values that ensure we consistently deliver the highest quality results. 107 Old Windsor Road, Bloomfield, CT 06002 | 860.242.8586 | pdsec.com Hartford Truck Equipment in South Windsor, CT Here's A Glimpse of Our Bank Portfolio... Building banks is a specialty of ours. Over the years, PDS has had the great privilege of working closely and often with some of the area's most respected banks, including TD Bank and Webster Bank. These projects have ranged from new construction to general renovation, including several new free standing buildings, one of which incorporated the latest TD Bank design with LEED Platinum credentials. In addition, we have completed fast track interior fi t-outs with all new fi nishes specifi c to our client's design needs. With in-house disciplines of engineering from civil to mechanical, PDS can design the right building to fi t your budget and timeline. SPOTLIGHT ON: COMMERICAL 107 Old Windsor Road, Bloomfi eld, CT 06002 | 860.242.8586 | pdsec.com THINK • PLAN • BUILD 4,000 SF | Wallingford, CT 4,000 SF | Norwalk, CT Various Interior Renovations CONSTRUCTING EXCELLENCE SPOTLIGHT ON: COMMERCIAL Digital Thread Continued from page 7

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