Encourage smarter manufacturing policies

Elected officials in Washington, D.C., and other policymakers need to make smarter decisions to help manufacturing. Manufacturing research and leadership are key to U.S. economic prosperity, and anyone who says differently may be taking advice from a confused economist, recommended Robert D. Atkinson, founder and president, Information Innovation and Technology Foundation, a think tank, at Automation Fair 2011. Atkinson affirmed manufacturing as the key driver of U.S. prosperity, at the Rockwell Automation Manufacturing Perspectives conference on Nov. 15, among precursor events to the automation company's 20th annual Automation Fair.

"If manufacturing had grown as much as rest of the U.S. economy, we would have had 8 million more jobs right now," Atkinson explained. Additionally, he cautioned, the U.S. Commerce Department has been over-counting manufacturing growth, measuring a two-fold increase in computing speed as selling twice as many computers.

Manufacturing, as of 2009, was low among ranked industries for the ratio of IT spending to value added, showing large room for additional gains. Where? Manufacturing IT powers smart sensing and smart instruments, faster networks, micro controllers, design and visualization software, high-performance modeling and simulation, and machine vision.

Cloud-based efficiencies are growing with 44% of manufacturing implementing or evaluating cloud-based deployments and 22% having already implemented, according to Atkinson-cited IDC data. As well, IPv6 will bring Internet advantages to a nearly infinite number of smart elements, devices, and systems.

Atkinson said policymakers need to do a better job at developing policies encouraging industrial growth, advanced technology and R&D, and competitive strategies. These include advancing high-innovation industries; lowering taxes; increasing fair trade; and promoting high-tech talent with more science, innovation, engineering, and math-and apprentice programs.

I as well believe balanced budgets and a meaningful debt reduction plan would decrease risk and uncertainty and bolster confidence for manufacturing and other businesses.