A resilient national manufacturing ecosystem is dependent on manufacturers of all sizes being empowered to operate at their peak efficiency. This is particularly true for small and medium sized manufacturers. There are nearly 600,000 small manufacturers in the U.S., representing 99 percent of all manufacturing enterprises. These small businesses employ more than 5 million people and generate more than $1 trillion in gross revenue. In short, the U.S. economy and the resiliency of our supply chains hinges on the success of these firms.
However, small and medium-sized manufacturers are also more likely to struggle with workforce shortages, operate on smaller margins and have fewer resources to adopt the advanced technologies that address these concerns. Smaller firms typically have a smaller R&D budget, less time and may not have the internal team needed to adequately evaluate and research solutions. In many cases, manufacturers have told the ARM Institute that they don’t know where to start with robotics because the internet is overloaded with sales-driven content. They worry about working directly with robotics sales representatives and purchasing a solution that ultimately doesn’t address their needs.
The ARM Institute created a new Robotics Manufacturing Hub as a no-cost service at ARM’s Pittsburgh facility funded through the Southwestern Pennsylvania Build Back Better Regional Challenge Award. It was launched to help manufacturers navigate and minimize the risks associated with adopting robotics, explore off-the-shelf solutions and solve unique technical challenges through prototyping.
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