MxD | AIChE

MxD


ABOUT MxD

MxD (formerly DMDII), originally established under UI Labs by the Department of Defense, focuses on the digital future of manufacturing, pioneering new technologies that make America’s industrial base and warfighters more resilient and agile.

MxD is developing solutions to manufacturing challenges through their partner projects across four key focus areas:

  • (1) Design, Product Development, and Systems Engineering
  • (2) Future Factory
  • (3) Agile, Resilient Supply Chain
  • (4) Cybersecurity in Manufacturing

For more information on membership, please visit here

 

 

May 5th - MxD announced today the addition of six new experts to its Cybersecurity Steering Committee: Neil Brink, Cybersecurity Specialist, Rolls-Royce; Jim Giuliani, Director, Office of Secure Research, The Ohio State University; Martina Miles Johnson, Research and Development Manufacturing Technology Integrator at Defense Logistics Agency; John Livingston, CEO, Verve Industrial Security; Tom McGoogan, Cybersecurity Specialist, Boeing; and Sandra Parker, Global Improvement Director for Cyber Security, Dow, Inc.

“Cybersecurity threats in the manufacturing sector are constantly evolving and growing,” said MxD CEO Chandra Brown. “The diversity of opinions and backgrounds we have assembled within our national Cybersecurity Steering Committee will help MxD guide U.S. manufacturers to understand and manage the risks emerging from small machine shops to large aerospace companies and all along the supply chain that connects them.”

Read more about the appointments here

April 1st -  Software AG Government Solutions today announced the company will provide hybrid integration solutions to support MxD, the nation’s Digital Manufacturing Institute and the National Center for Cybersecurity in Manufacturing, in its efforts to deliver a supply chain risk alert framework to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed fragile aspects of supply chains that perpetuate widespread disruptions, driving a need to secure the U.S. manufacturing supply chains by improving the current structure and increasing resiliency.  To that end, MxD along with industry partners will develop a rapid analysis tool that provides policymakers and supply chain leaders the ability to efficiently assess a wide range of value chain designs of pandemic scenarios to optimize supply chain resiliency and agility during an emergency.

Read more about the partnership here

March 24th - MxD CEO Chandra Brown has been named to the Ronald Reagan Institute’s Center for Peace Through Strength’s newly launched Task Force on National Security and U.S. Manufacturing Base Competitiveness.

The bipartisan Task Force will explore the impact of recent economic developments on the strength of industrial sectors relevant to American national security. It will convene 16 prominent thought leaders, current and former public officials, and industry and financial sector executives.

“It is an incredible honor and responsibility to bring the perspective of MxD, the nation’s digital manufacturing institute and National Center for Cybersecurity in Manufacturing, to this task force,” said Ms. Brown. “The critical issues the task force is tackling are aligned with our own mission to give U.S. manufacturers the tools and expertise they need to increase their competitiveness, improve their cyber resiliency, and ensure they have a talent pipeline for current and future skills needs.”

Read more about the appointment here 

December 7th - MxD has been awarded funding from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Counterterrorism and Emerging Threats (OCET) to identify the unique barriers and advantages of digital transformation in regulated medical product manufacturing.

Even prior to the pandemic’s disruptive effects, manufacturers of medical products were under increasing pressure to improve output, quality, and efficiency. While all organizations face challenges in adopting new technologies, those that operate within the framework of FDA regulation have unique constraints—and opportunities.

Now, accelerating the adoption of these new technologies is more critical than ever to address the need to rapidly respond to novel threats and become more resilient.

Learn more here

November 19th - MxD announced today that cybersecurity expert Jon Powvens has been named director of MxD Cyber: The National Center for Cybersecurity in Manufacturing. Powvens will serve as director of cybersecurity for the full range of MxD’s projects and engineering activities.

“We are excited to welcome Powvens to the team to lead MxD Cyber,” said Chandra Brown, Chief Executive Officer of MxD. “If we want American manufacturing to push through this global pandemic and thrive beyond it, we need to invest in substantial cybersecurity practices across the industry. MxD’s efforts in educating small manufacturers about the threats, preparing companies to comply with forthcoming government standards, and shoring up the cybersecurity workforce reflect the emphasis we are placing on this mission.”

Read more here

August 25th - The nation’s digital manufacturing institute, MxD, has released The Hiring Guide: Cybersecurity in Manufacturing, a ground-breaking guide to help U.S. manufacturers build the workforce they need to protect the industry from growing cyber threats.

The Hiring Guide is available for free download at mxdusa.org/HiringGuide. A webinar on the guide, hosted by MxD, the Manufacturing Leadership Council, the National Association of Manufacturers and The Manufacturing Institute, will be held Sept. 3 at 10 a.m. CT.

Read More here

August 6th - MxD helps U.S. manufacturers adopt the digital tools and expertise they need to begin building every part better than the last. Read their recent article on “Five Steps to Choosing the Right Manufacturing Sensors” here

July 17th - LMI recently joined to become a member of, MxD. LMI aims to help and equip and enhance U.S. based manufacturers with digital tools and approaches to boost productivity. LMI joins the approximately 300 MxD connected partners from the commercial and academic sectors to address military system production challenges. Supply chain resiliency, digital engineering and cybersecurity are among the focus areas of the Chicago-based institute.

Read more here

July 3rd - MxD currently has two open project calls available. Find a synopsis and link to find out more for each below: 

1. Getting Started and Maximizing Your ROI from Digital Manufacturing as a Small Manufacturer 

Problem: There is a sustained effort among larger manufacturers to embrace digital manufacturing but there is still significant work to be done to accelerate the adoption of digital manufacturing among the supply base. Thus, there is a need for simple and practical resources that will help small and mid-sized manufacturers get started in this space and invest confidently to increase their sales, improve profitability and optimize their manufacturing operations. 

2. CMMC Readiness Assessment 

Problem: Manufacturers who are planning to renew or sign new contracts with the Department of Defense (DoD) will be expected to meet the latest cybersecurity requirement later this year. The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), unlike previous DoD cybersecurity requirements which allowed for self-attestation, will require validation and certification by accredited third-party assessors. Manufacturers who plan to conduct business with the DoD will need to familiarize themselves with the CMMC requirements and prepare to comply. 

**MxD announced it will join a new national project led seven other Midwest concentrated urban workforce development organizations. The groups, will strategize solutions to the U.S. manufacturing sector’s national recruitment challenges, deepen relationships between employers and communities, and develop credential-based training programs to forge a more racially inclusive future for manufacturing. Learn more about the cohort and MxD’s involvement here