Creating a Digital Roadmap for U.S. Manufacturing
In today’s technology-driven world, how you think about the task of navigating from Point A to Point B can reveal a lot about your age and the time in which you grew up. If you can read a paper map or ever used printed Mapquest directions to find your way to a destination, then it may be time for your annual colonoscopy.
Nowadays getting somewhere you’ve never been is as easy as asking Siri for directions and following the step-by-step instructions in your map app. While the technology in your smartphone might guide you to an address, it unfortunately won’t be much help if your destination isn’t quite as tangible as a physical location.
For example, a small- to medium-sized manufacturer (SMM) hoping to transform its operations with advanced automation technologies will need more than Siri and an iPhone. The digital manufacturing landscape is evolving rapidly and navigating it can be daunting, leaving many leaders of SMMs asking “Anybody have a map?”
Fortunately, the answer to that question is “yes” and the organization with the map(s) is known as MxD or The Digital Manufacturing and Cybersecurity Institute. According to a recent 3D Printing Industry article by Ada Shaikhnag, MxD “has released its Strategic Investment Plan (SIP) for 2025-2027, presenting a detailed roadmap to bolster the competitiveness, resilience, and cybersecurity of U.S. manufacturing.”
MxD’s SIP, “[s]haped by insights from manufacturers, technology providers, academic institutions, and government partners,…lays out a targeted investment strategy in digital engineering, factory modernization, supply chain resilience, and workforce development.”
By focusing on things like “digital engineering and design, future factory systems, supply chain visibility, and cybersecurity integration,” MxD intends to “address persistent challenges within the industrial base, particularly among…SMMs…that often lack the resources needed to adopt and scale digital manufacturing solutions.”
So, what should SMMs be keeping in mind as they look to incorporate advanced automation technologies? Here are a few key areas of focus according to MxD:
- Data Lifecycle
MxD developed “a technical framework called the data lifecycle…[that] maps the flow of data across the various stages of a product’s lifecycle, from development and manufacturing to deployment and support.” MxD believes “seamless data movement and high-fidelity data collection…are vital for unlocking capabilities such as predictive maintenance, quality control, and secure information sharing throughout supply chains.” - Interoperability and Data Standards
According to Shaikhnag, “MxD is working on a…[p]laybook to consolidate and harmonize data standards used by manufacturers. This effort addresses the challenge of fragmented data formats and standards across different systems, which can hinder consistent data flows and semantic interoperability. - Future Factory Development
MxD has its eyes on the factories of the future and its “projects in this area aim to build digital environments that support real-time process optimization, data-driven decision-making, and production lines that can adapt quickly to disruptions and new customer demands. Initiatives around digital twins, 5G/6G integration, and cybersecurity best practices will help shape these future factories.” - Cybersecurity
In addition to its other digital focuses, MxD serves as “the National Center for Cybersecurity in Manufacturing. With manufacturing identified as the most targeted sector for cyberattacks in recent years, MxD’s cybersecurity projects aim to enhance protections for both operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) environments.”
As manufacturers prepare for an increasingly digital future, MxD also believes that “workforce initiatives [are] critical, noting that 1.9 million manufacturing jobs could remain unfilled by 2033 without targeted upskilling efforts.” To that end, MxD offers “advanced role-based training programs in data analytics, cybersecurity, and extended reality applications” as part of its Virtual Training Center.
In addition to upskilling current workers, it’s critical for manufacturers to hire highly skilled workers that can manage cybersecurity risks, in addition to operating, maintaining, troubleshooting, and repairing the advanced automation systems that are being implemented. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing “skills gap” issue in the manufacturing sector, finding highly skilled workers remains a significant challenge.
How can manufacturers find the workers they need? And how can they be sure that workers have the hands-on skills they need to succeed in the modern workplace? Today, more and more manufacturers are looking for workers with industry-standard certifications that prove they have the skills employers need.
For example, if workers possess a certification from the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA), employers can feel confident they’ve already proven they have the knowledge and hands-on skills needed for working with advanced smart automation technologies.
SACA has been hard at work collaborating with industry leaders to develop a wide variety of industry-standard certifications that will help employers find workers who possess the advanced connected-systems skills they need to take their businesses to the next level. Be sure to check out SACA and all it has to offer!
- Published in News
SACA & Vincennes University to Host Cobot Credential Development Work Group
The Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) is pleased to announce that it is partnering with the Vincennes University Center for Applied Robotics & Automation to host an exclusive Credential Development Work Group meeting on July 16th, 2025, in Lebanon, Indiana.
WHO IS IT FOR?
We’re inviting top professionals and innovators in advanced manufacturing to join us in crafting a credential that meets the real-world demands of modern industry with a key focus on Collaborative Robotics and Connected Workspaces. Your input will directly influence the development of a nationally-recognized, occupation-specific certification that reflects the evolving needs of a smart manufacturing workforce.
WHAT IS THE NEED?
Are you struggling to find workers for your open positions? Are you investing in automation and now need to upskill/reskill your employees? Do you want a workplace culture where people seek to learn, grow their skills and stick around long-term?
Discover how industrial employers are hiring, training, and retaining highly-skilled workers using micro-credentials from the Smart Automation Certification Alliance
- Learn about the only Industry 4.0 certifications developed by employers, for employers
- Get a roadmap to align highly-targeted micro-credentials with the exact skills incumbent workers in your company need
- Discover how to recruit SACA-certified employees graduating from advanced manufacturing programs
Interested? Here are the details:
SACA & Vincennes University Cobot Credential Development Work Group
July 16, 2025
Gene Haas Training and Education Center
316 N Mt Zion Rd, Lebanon, IN 46052
Click here to download a flyer with more information.
Plan to attend? RSVP here.
About SACA
SACA sits at the forefront of the effort to certify students and workers who demonstrate the required knowledge and hands-on smart automation skills employers so desperately need. SACA’s certifications were developed in conjunction with industry partners who could speak from experience about their needs when it comes to workers able to work alongside a variety of advanced automation technologies.
SACA offers a wide variety of certifications in popular industrial skill areas, including certifications at the Associate, Specialist, and Professional level. For those wishing to focus on building a strong foundation of skills employers need, SACA also offers many micro-credentials that allow students and workers to add certifications as they master new areas.
For workers, SACA certifications can help market their smart automation skills to potential employers. For those employers, SACA certifications represent confirmation that a worker has the skills to hit the ground running in the workplace. To learn more about Industry 4.0 certifications and how SACA can help both future workers and industrial employers begin the task of bridging the Industry 4.0 skills gap, contact SACA for more information.
- Published in News
Robots and Cobots Finding Niche in Food Manufacturing
Manufacturers across the country and around the world share many of the same challenges in today’s fast-paced technological workplace. There’s always pressure to increase productivity and efficiency while struggling to manage labor shortages and a lack of enough skilled workers.
In the food and beverage industry, manufacturers must also stay on top of myriad regulations covering food safety. Like other manufacturers in adjacent industries, food and beverage manufacturers are increasingly turning to advanced automation technologies, like robots and cobots, to tackle the issues they face.
According to a recent Food Engineering article by Grant Gerke, “[c]obot and robot applications and overall automation investments in food plants have been vital to stemming ubiquitous workforce retention issues, overcoming limited space in food plants and increasing throughput.”
Gerke predicts “the next five years will see more innovation and expansion with cobot and robot applications, including delta pick-and-place product stations, mobile work cells and even autonomous mobile robot (AMR) technology at larger plants.”
For example, the author points out a new Tyson food production facility in Virgina that “features high-speed automated case packing lines and high-speed robotic case palletizing units.” Gerke insists “the robust trend of food companies eliminating plants, reorganizing and investing in automation and smart manufacturing plants isn’t going away.”
What’s driving the automation push? In many cases, it’s the ongoing skills gap problem that has left many manufacturers with a persistent labor shortage. According to Universal Robots’ Chris Savoia, “[e]mployee retention is one of the most significant factors driving the adoption of cobots in secondary packaging. The high turnover rates and difficulty recruiting and training staff for repetitive, labor-intensive jobs have forced many companies to reconsider their approach.”
Of course, humans are still an integral piece of the food and beverage manufacturing puzzle. As more and more advanced automation technologies are implemented, even more highly skilled workers are needed to install, operate, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair these systems.
Unfortunately, finding highly skilled workers remains a significant challenge. How can employers find the workers they need? And how can they be sure that workers have the hands-on skills they need to succeed in the modern workplace? Today, more and more employers are looking for workers with industry-standard certifications that prove they have the skills needed.
For example, if workers possess a certification from the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA), employers can feel confident they’ve already proven they have the knowledge and hands-on skills needed for working with advanced smart automation technologies. SACA has been hard at work collaborating with industry leaders to develop a wide variety of industry-standard certifications that will help employers find workers who possess the advanced connected-systems skills they need to take their businesses to the next level. Be sure to check out SACA and all it has to offer!
- Published in News
Connected Factories Need Humans More Than Ever
In recent weeks, manufacturing has once again been a popular topic of conversation amidst the Trump administration’s on-again/off-again tariff announcements. Proponents of tariffs believe they will force companies to reshore manufacturing that has been previously moved overseas.
However, people familiar with the current state of manufacturing in the United States know things aren’t nearly as simple as they’re made to seem on the news. Already facing an ongoing skills gap that has left more than a half-million manufacturing jobs unfilled, where will manufacturers find even more workers to fill new factories?
Many Americans do agree that it would be a good thing if there were more manufacturing workers in the U.S. However, far fewer people think manufacturing would be a good fit for themselves personally. This lasting negative impression of manufacturing as a career choice is one of the primary contributing factors to the ongoing skills gap plaguing manufacturers across the country.
Over the past couple of decades, American manufacturers have attempted to deal with the skills gap in a variety of ways. For example, many manufacturers have invested heavily in advanced automation technologies that can increase productivity and efficiency while reducing the need for human workers in certain types of jobs. These facilities feature “connected systems” technologies that create what many refer to as a “smart factory” environment.
This use of robots and other automation technologies has led some to worry that human workers would be completely displaced by technology one day. To the contrary, though, many of these technologies are merely taking the place of workers that couldn’t be found in the first place. For those who worry about robots replacing humans, new research should give them comfort that human beings in the workplace will always be necessary…and even more so in the age of advanced automation.
A DC Velocity article summarizes recent research by Gartner, which found that a “human-centric strategy is key to operating the ‘connected factory.’” “According to Gartner, connected factory workers use digital tools and data management techniques to improve how work is done in factories. That access to new knowledge and technology reduces variability, decentralizes decisions, and proliferates knowledge.”
Although the focus is often on the technology being implemented, Gartner “emphasizes the role of the connected factory worker in the advancement of an overall smart manufacturing strategy…The connected factory worker can serve as a strategic pillar in supporting an organization’s aim of localizing manufacturing and expanding capacity.”
As manufacturers navigate the complex pathway of combining advanced automation technologies with highly skilled workers who can install, operate, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair these systems, finding the right type of workers who can thrive alongside technology will be paramount.
“Successful implementation of these initiatives is key to overcoming labor shortages, revitalizing the frontline workforce and reinventing the employee value proposition in manufacturing for a new generation.”
Involving workers in the decision-making process early can be beneficial. “In the near-term, they can achieve operational cost savings, while in the longer-term they may gain strategic benefits centered on enhancing the employee experience, upskilling talent, and creating new organizational roles that will appeal to and engage the next generation of workers.”
So where do these connected factory workers come from? As companies embrace new technologies, they will often need to either upskill current workers or hire new workers with the advanced automation technology skills they require.
If hiring new workers ends up being part of their automation implementation plan, manufacturers should look for candidates with industry-standard credentials that prove they already possess the advanced automation skills needed to thrive.
For example, if workers possess a certification from the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA), employers can feel confident they’ve already proven they have the knowledge and hands-on skills needed for working with advanced smart automation technologies. SACA has been hard at work collaborating with industry leaders to develop a wide variety of industry-standard certifications that will help employers find workers who possess the advanced connected-systems skills they need to take their businesses to the next level. Be sure to check out SACA and all it has to offer!
- Published in News
Microcredentials Becoming Popular Alternative to College
Today’s high school students have more career paths to choose from than any other generation in history. For years, parents, teachers, and guidance counselors steered students toward college to earn a four-year degree before entering the job market. However, college isn’t always the right choice for a student.
Thanks to years of effort by manufacturers, many students now realize that entering the workforce straight out of high school is a viable option. Not only can they make good money right from the start, but they can also avoid tens of thousands of dollars in student loans.
In addition to skills they can acquire in modern career and technical education (CTE) programs in high school, students can also pursue apprenticeships with on-the-job training, as well as microcredentials from a national organization like the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA).
In a recent article on The 74 website, author Kerry McDonald profiles high school student Chase Buffington, a senior currently working as a paid apprentice for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) company.
According to McDonald, “Buffington is representative of a growing number of young people, especially men, who are eschewing a college degree for alternatives, such as apprenticeships, entrepreneurship, and microcredentialing.”
Connor Boyack, president of apprenticeship preparation and placement program Praxis, agrees that “the future of postsecondary pathways lies in creating more opportunities for teenagers and young adults to explore their interests and gain career-related skills and knowledge outside of a conventional college classroom.”
Author, professor, and workforce development advisor Kathleen deLaski offers advice for the modern workplace: “Employers beyond the trades need to consider apprenticeship and they need to provide certifications in a broader number of fields so that learners can demonstrate skills mastery without a degree.” Likewise, high schools, colleges, and universities would do well to consider how they will “respond to the changing preferences of a young workforce.”
Whether you’re a high school or college instructor or an industrial hiring manager, it can be difficult to switch gears to respond to new trends, like the growing popularity of apprenticeships and microcredentialing. Fortunately, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. SACA has worked closely with industry leaders to craft a wide variety of microcredentials that reflect the hands-on skills that industry needs.
Smart automation technologies are vital parts of many major industries. These industries need highly skilled workers to fill thousands of open positions, and employers need to know that potential employees have the skills they need to hit the ground running.
That’s why SACA’s microcredentials were developed with input from a combination of industry and educational experts. Guided by their expertise regarding the skills and competencies needed for today’s smart manufacturing workforce, SACA has been able to create nationally recognized, occupation-driven microcredentials for numerous industrial topic areas. If workers possess a certification from SACA, employers can feel confident they’ve already proven they have the knowledge and hands-on skills needed for working with advanced smart automation technologies. So be sure to check out SACA and all it has to offer!
- Published in News
AI Driving the Future of Auto Manufacturing
Artificial intelligence (AI): it’s in your smartphone. It’s in your web browser. It seems like it’s a part of nearly everything around us these days. And it’s about to be a big part of your experience every time you get behind the wheel of an automobile.
New technologies like AI are revolutionizing automobile manufacturing. From the surge in the production of electric vehicles (EVs) to the incorporation of advanced electronics into every part of modern vehicles, the future of automobiles is exciting and changing rapidly.
According to a Quartz article by Ece Yildirim, General Motors (GM) has decided to partner with tech giant Nvidia to leverage its AI expertise to build its next generation of self-driving cars. Specifically, “GM will use Nvidia’s Drive AGX platform, an in-vehicle computer that delivers ‘up to 1,000 trillion operations per second of high performance computer,’ and includes hardware and software to develop autonomous driving functions as well as immersive in-cabin experiences.”
Nvidia claims its AI expertise “will speed the development and deployment of safe autonomous vehicles at scale.” A lot of work remains to get to that point, though. For starters, GM will need to focus on “optimizing [its] automotive plant design and operations.”
That process has begun with GM “investing in Nvidia graphics processing units for AI model training.” The two companies are collaborating “to build custom systems to train AI manufacturing models.” For example, “GM will use the Nvidia Omniverse platform to create digital twins of their assembly lines, which will allow for virtual vehicle testing and production simulations.”
GM chair and CEO Mary Barra is excited about AI’s potential: “AI not only optimizes manufacturing processes and accelerates virtual testing but also helps us build smarter vehicles while empowering our workforce to focus on craftsmanship. By merging technology with human ingenuity, we unlock new levels of innovation in vehicle manufacturing and beyond.”
Barra’s view should be some comfort to those workers worried about being replaced by AI or other advanced automation technologies. Humans will always play an important role in the advanced manufacturing process. Unfortunately, GM and nearly every other manufacturer across the country and around the world face the same challenge: finding workers with the advanced skills to thrive in these new smart factory environments.
One solution, of course, is to either upskill current workers or hire new workers with the advanced automation technology skills they require. How can manufacturers be certain prospective workers have the skills they need?
Manufacturers should look for candidates with industry-standard credentials that prove they already possess the skills they need to thrive. For example, if workers possess a certification from the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA), employers can feel confident they’ve already proven they have the knowledge and hands-on skills needed for working with advanced smart automation technologies. SACA has been hard at work collaborating with industry leaders to develop a wide variety of industry-standard certifications that will help employers find workers who possess the advanced connected-systems skills they need to take their businesses to the next level. Be sure to check out SACA and all it has to offer!
- Published in News
Cybersecurity Remains Key Issue for US Manufacturers
In an increasingly digital world, the fear of an online attack is a sad reality that many people must deal with on a regular basis. For many, the worry might be that their personal financial information could be compromised and hard-earned money stolen.
On television and in movies, hackers usually target important government installations or large financial institutions. The sad reality, however, is that their targets are often seemingly innocuous companies that don’t seem like they’re particularly tech-savvy.
According to a Smart Industry article by Farès Sakka, the operational technology (OT) of manufacturers is often the target of hackers: “The U.S. has the highest concentration of OT-targeted cyberattacks anywhere in the world, accounting for a staggering 49% of all such incidents.”
Why are U.S. manufacturers so vulnerable to cyberattacks? Sakka believes the answer lies in the inherent conflicts between OT and information technology (IT) teams at manufacturers: “While IT often pushes for modernization and innovation, OT teams, responsible for the smooth operation of production lines, often resist change for fear of any disruption.”
Sakka notes that “U.S. manufacturing stands as a cornerstone of the American economy, yet it faces a critical internal challenge: the persistent friction between operational technology and information technology. This divide, characterized by differing priorities, technical languages, and even corporate structures, hinders progress and exposes organizations to significant risks.”
For example, “IT often pushes for modernization and innovation,” but “OT teams, responsible for the smooth operation of production lines, often resist change for fear of any disruption. Their reliance on legacy systems, while seemingly safe, has inadvertently created a breeding ground for escalating costs and, most alarmingly, cyberattacks.”
The time for action is now. Sakka points out that half of OT-targeted attacks “aim to seize physical control of industrial equipment, posing a direct threat to safety and operations.” Unfortunately, significant roadblocks remain in the way of effective OT-IT collaboration.
Sakka characterizes the situation as a classic “Catch-22,” noting that OT teams “fear that an embrace of IT will present new vulnerabilities. As OT systems become more interconnected, there are more ways for cybercriminals to get in or attack them. On the flip side, sticking to outdated legacy systems lacking modern security features also paves the way for cyberattacks.”
The way forward is “close collaboration” between OT and IT. According to Sakka, “[e]ducation is paramount. Encouraging collaboration and teamwork will enable a deeper understanding of factory-level challenges and needs. Creating opportunities for IT and OT teams to learn each other’s languages, understand each other’s priorities, and appreciate the interconnectedness of their roles is crucial.”
Effective cybersecurity implementation may require manufacturers to add more technology experts to their teams. Personnel with hands-on experience with advanced automation technologies used in manufacturing will play a key role in helping bridge the OT-IT divide.
It’s critical for manufacturers to hire highly skilled workers that can manage cybersecurity risks, in addition to operating, maintaining, troubleshooting, and repairing the advanced automation systems that are being implemented. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing “skills gap” issue in the manufacturing sector, finding highly skilled workers remains a significant challenge.
How can manufacturers find the workers they need? And how can they be sure that workers have the hands-on skills they need to succeed in the modern workplace? Today, more and more manufacturers are looking for workers with industry-standard certifications that prove they have the skills employers need.
For example, if workers possess a certification from the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA), employers can feel confident they’ve already proven they have the knowledge and hands-on skills needed for working with advanced smart automation technologies. SACA has been hard at work collaborating with industry leaders to develop a wide variety of industry-standard certifications that will help employers find workers who possess the advanced connected-systems skills they need to take their businesses to the next level. Be sure to check out SACA and all it has to offer!
- Published in News
SACA Releases New Micro-Credentials
The Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) is pleased to announce the release of new micro-credentials covering a variety of smart automation technologies into pilot phase. SACA members are encouraged to begin offering these credentials to ensure the workforce is certified in these essential areas:
- C-217 Smart Manufacturing Fundamentals
Prepares individuals to describe the principles, technologies, and applications of Smart Manufacturing, Industry 4.0, and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and how they affect the competitive position of manufacturers. Further, individuals must be able to safely operate basic smart automation systems that use Human Machine Interface (HMI) panels, monitor system operation parameters and energy usage using HMI visualization software, and connect/test to smart devices through point-to-point Ethernet communications.
- C-218 Smart Manufacturing Data Acquisition
Prepares individuals to identify types of manufacturing data and its function, describe how smart manufacturing data is collected and stored, set up and operate a dedicated cloud-based data acquisition system, interface and test analog and discrete sensing devices, configure and test wired and wireless Ethernet communications to sensors, and view data stored in a dedicated data acquisition system.
- C-219 Smart Manufacturing Visualization and Data Analytics
Prepares individuals to organize and interpret data using a variety of visualization methods, set up and operate visualization displays using dedicated and controller-based data acquisition systems, set up programmable controllers to collect data, configure Bluetooth technology to transfer information between devices, use OPC server software to facilitate data exchange between a smart device and a database or another smart device, set up Excel Spreadsheet, and use Excel to analyze data.
- C-220 Smart Manufacturing Data Transmission and Cybersecurity
Prepares individuals to assess potential cyber security threats to an industrial smart manufacturing system and data transmission methods, use best practices to protect stored and transmitted data against cyber security attacks, respond effectively to cyber security attacks, and set up secure industrial local area networks and firewalls.
- C-305 Industrial Electronic Systems 1
Prepares individuals to connect, adjust, operate, and troubleshoot industrial electronic linear DC power supplies, discrete input devices, and analog input devices. Troubleshooting skills include: adhering to electronic troubleshooting safety rules, reading electronic circuit diagrams, systems troubleshooting, component testing, and using digital multimeters, oscilloscopes, and status indicators. Components include: diodes, rectification circuits, Wheatstone bridge circuits, filter circuits, regulators, BJT transistors, PNP and NPN relays, analog temperature sensors, analog pressure sensors, analog proximity sensors, and signal conditioner circuits.
- C-306 Industrial Electronic Systems 2
Prepares individuals to connect, adjust, operate, and troubleshoot industrial electronic switching circuits used for motor control, switching power supplies and heating. Troubleshooting skills include: systems troubleshooting, component testing, and using digital multimeters, oscilloscopes, and status indicators. Components: FET/JFET/MOSFET/IGBT transistors, PWM amplifiers, switching DC power supplies, variable frequency amplifier circuits, operational amplifiers, SCR DC motor control switching circuits, and TRIAC AC motor control and heating switching circuits.
- C-307 Electronic Systems Installation 1
Prepares individuals to install and test/commission industrial electrical control systems that incorporate programmable logic controllers (PLC), human machine interface (HMI) panels, and variable frequency AC drives (VFD). Key skills include: adhering to electronic installation safety rules, using proper PPE, reading wiring installation diagrams with PLCs/HMIs/VFDs; cabinet mounting PLCs/HMIs/VFDs, wire routing and grounding PLCs/HMIs/VFDs, soldering/de-soldering to component terminals and printed circuit boards, installing Modbus and Ethernet communications network, and installing analog input transmitters and analog sensors.
- C-308 Variable Frequency Drive Systems 2
Prepares individuals to connect, configure, adjust, operate, and troubleshoot advanced AC variable frequency motor drives using sensorless vector and flux vector control modes. Key skills include: configuring control mode, connecting a VFD with 3-phase input, wiring/testing a dual channel incremental encoder interface and troubleshooting, configuring external speed control, monitoring and configuring PC-based drive software, configuring USB and Ethernet communications, and configuring/programming VFD communications with programmable logic controller.
- C-309 Programmable Controller Systems 2
Prepares individuals to program, configure, monitor, operate, and troubleshoot Ethernet communications between intelligent industrial automation devices using wired and wireless Ethernet communications. Key skills include: PLC implicit and explicit messaging, PLC distributed I/O, VFD-PLC Ethernet communications, VLAN security, wireless Ethernet networks, and IACS network troubleshooting.
- C-310 Ethernet Communications 2
Prepares individuals to program, configure, monitor, operate, and troubleshoot Ethernet communications between intelligent industrial automation devices using wired and wireless Ethernet communications. Key skills include: PLC implicit and explicit messaging, PLC distributed I/O, VFD-PLC Ethernet communications, VLAN security, wireless Ethernet networks, and IACS network troubleshooting.
- C-311 Data Analytics 1
Prepares individuals to program, configure, monitor, and operate cloud-based data analytics and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software systems in an Industry 4.0 environment. Key skills include: configuring production statistics collection from PLCs and other controllers via Ethernet networks, configuring production statistics and alarm dashboard display, OPC server configuration/interfacing to control devices, configuring maintenance management application, configuring alarm screen, configuring SQL database for storage of data from SCADA software, developing queries to SQL database to display data, and analyzing data to optimize systems.
- C-312 Robot Systems Integration 2
Prepares individuals to program, interface, and troubleshoot industrial robot systems in an Industry 4.0 automation environment. Key skills include: interfacing analog I/O to robot, communicating I/O control data to/from a PLC via Ethernet/IP network, vision guidance, and vision inspection. Programs commands include: group I/O, position offset, position register, analog I/O, Ethernet handshaking, end-effector macro, robot system troubleshooting, and alarm screen interpretation.
Smart automation technologies are vital parts of many major industries. These industries need highly skilled workers to fill thousands of open positions, and employers need to know that potential employees have the skills they need to hit the ground running.
That’s why SACA’s new micro-credentials were developed with input and guidance from a combination of industry experts and representatives from a variety of educational organizations. Thanks to these organizations and their expertise on the skills and competencies needed for today’s smart manufacturing workforce, SACA was able to create these new nationally recognized, occupation-driven micro-credentials.
About SACA
SACA sits at the forefront of the effort to certify students and workers who demonstrate the required knowledge and hands-on smart automation skills employers so desperately need. SACA’s certifications were developed in conjunction with industry partners who could speak from experience about their needs when it comes to workers able to work alongside a variety of advanced automation technologies.
SACA offers a wide variety of certifications in popular industrial skill areas, including certifications at the Associate, Specialist, and Professional level. For those wishing to focus on building a strong foundation of skills employers need, SACA also offers many micro-credentials that allow students and workers to add certifications as they master new areas.
For workers, SACA certifications can help market their smart automation skills to potential employers. For those employers, SACA certifications represent confirmation that a worker has the skills to hit the ground running in the workplace. To learn more about Industry 4.0 certifications and how SACA can help both future workers and industrial employers begin the task of bridging the Industry 4.0 skills gap, contact SACA for more information.
- Published in News
In a Pickle: AI Increases Production Efficiency at Kraft Heinz
In the year 2025, most people have at least a general understanding of the role advanced automation technology plays in their lives, including jobs that used to predominantly involve manual labor. For example, people walking into a modern automobile manufacturing facility would not be surprised to see rows of robots welding vehicle frames together.
Most people would also expect to find advanced automation technologies in facilities manufacturing high-tech products like semiconductors and electric vehicle batteries. But what about condiments? Does the automation technology revolution extend to industries like food and beverage?
The answer to that question is a resounding yes! According to a Food Dive article by Christopher Doering, “Kraft Heinz is using artificial intelligence to produce a better Claussen pickle.” So, the next time you ask for extra pickles on that burger, realize that artificial intelligence (AI) might have played a role in producing what you’re eating.
Those who have made pickles at home know that the basic process of making a pickle looks something like cucumber plus brine plus time equals pickle. While that may be easy enough in your home kitchen, doing so at scale can be quite a challenge.
For example, Doering notes that “Kraft Heinz processes approximately 60 million cucumbers annually to make roughly 42 million jars of Claussen, the country’s top-selling refrigerated pickle brand.” That’s a lot of pickles. Indeed, “[t]he cucumbers that turn into Claussen pickles move from vine to brine in 10 days or fewer, giving Kraft Heinz little room for error.”
What’s the big dill? (Pun totally intended.) According to Doering, “It’s paramount that Kraft Heinz knows what the cucumbers coming into the Claussen plant in Illinois look like so it can prepare — varying circumferences, lengths and bends can wreak havoc on planning and require changes to the production line where the spears are processed.”
Bill Durbin, the head of North America logistics and planning at Kraft Heinz, explains: “With pickles, the circumference matters, the size matters, the length matters, the bend of the cucumber, all of those things, depending on what they are, we will operate differently within the site, as well as quality.”
Durbin claims that “it’s super important that we identify issues as fast as possible and then make sure that we get the sizing correct so we can get the best efficiency as we run those things down the line. This allows us to get the best quality cucumber and the best quality pickles at the end.”
Kraft Heinz now uses AI and machine learning to automate the once-manual process of identifying issues in its cucumber supply. Durbin notes that “by having that level of certainty on what that product is, we can address that right away so we know where to send it within the factory, or if it’s an issue, we can get that real-time feedback to the suppliers to be able to address.”
And the result for Kraft Heinz? According to Durbin, “[o]n pickles, specifically, we’ve seen, since we put this in place, we’ve seen a 12% increase in efficiency from that. By being able to make this process and identify these things, we’ve been able to make sure that the pickles are getting routed to the right place to give us the best efficiency possible, and also to give that feedback to the suppliers.”
Given these impressive results, Durbin notes that Kraft Heinz is considering utilizing AI and machine learning in a similar way with other foods they process, such as tomatoes and potatoes. Perhaps one day your French fries will have been made more efficiently thanks to AI.
Of course, implementing new advanced automation technologies isn’t without its challenges. For example, many manufacturers already can’t find enough workers to fill open positions. Where are they going to find the highly skilled workers to take advantage of these new technologies?
The solution, of course, is to either upskill current workers or hire new workers with the advanced automation technology skills they require. How can manufacturers be certain prospective workers have the skills they need?
Manufacturers should look for candidates with industry-standard credentials that prove they already possess the skills they need to thrive. For example, if workers possess a certification from the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA), employers can feel confident they’ve already proven they have the knowledge and hands-on skills needed for working with advanced smart automation technologies. SACA has been hard at work collaborating with industry leaders to develop a wide variety of industry-standard certifications that will help employers find workers who possess the advanced connected-systems skills they need to take their businesses to the next level. Be sure to check out SACA and all it has to offer!
- Published in News
Could Technology Consolidation Bridge the Manufacturing Skills Gap?
Everyone knows about the manufacturing skills gap, right? In a nutshell, there are hundreds of thousands of open manufacturing positions that companies are having a hard time filling. And they’ve been having a hard time filling positions for years now. Why is that?
Experts began using the term “skills gap” years ago to reflect the fact that manufacturers utilizing new advanced automation technologies needed not only more workers, but workers who possessed more advanced skills than ever before. Simply put, the demand for highly skilled workers far exceeds the current supply. In fact, Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute estimate that 1.9 million manufacturing jobs could remain unfilled by the year 2033 if things don’t change.
In a recent SupplyChainBrain article, author Josh Cranfill discusses the curious role that technology plays in the ongoing manufacturing skills gap problem. Cranfill notes that “[a]utomation…is a double-edge sword, capable of accelerating production and reducing the need for humans on the shop floor, yet also creating new opportunities, especially since many manufacturers have a long way to go on their digital transformation.”
Cranfill highlights some of the struggles that manufacturers face as they implement more and more technology: “the rise of digital transformation in manufacturing has resulted in a glut of digital tools being used alongside paper-based processes. For teams and individuals, digital tools are a great way to streamline and automate what were once time-consuming and redundant tasks. Yet they also create information silos that mask big-picture views of what’s happening throughout the company.”
Why is this an issue? Cranfill elaborates: “When you have information silos and still rely on paper processes, it takes longer than expected for employees to create weekly or quarterly reports. It’s also impossible to quickly generate a snapshot of what’s happening on the shop floor, or gain a greater understanding of how a snag in the supply chain will cause a ripple effect on customers, staff and distributors. A recent productivity survey found that employees are spending 11 or more hours each week reconciling data to get that big-picture view. Imagine the frustration of employees having to regularly track down information and rekey data to create reports.”
What can manufacturers do to improve productivity while also reducing employee frustration? Cranfill believes technology consolidation, especially amongst software solutions, may be the answer. The author is quick to note that “[t]his doesn’t mean they’re ditching their investments in software with the goal of having less on their plate. Instead, they’re taking a hard look at what employees need to run the business, and which tools are duplicative.”
Can this really help bridge the skills gap? Cranfill is hopeful, because he believes that “the strategic use of technology to streamline information sources and digital tools enables manufacturers to close labor gaps by evaluating which systems and processes undermine productivity. When critical information is centralized and easily accessed through a work-management platform, employees are no longer spending valuable time recreating reports. That’s a plus for both productivity and employee retention.”
Such an approach can also facilitate better training. Cranfill points out that “[h]aving consistent sources of digital information on newer platforms makes training easier, especially since 71% of manufacturers report hiring less skilled workers while increasing on-the-job training. This also appeals to generations who want to work with the latest technologies, and acquire skills that make them attractive to a variety of employers, as opposed to mastering legacy technology.”
As companies embrace new technologies, they will often need to either upskill current workers or hire new workers with the advanced automation technology skills they require. If hiring new workers ends up being part of their automation implementation plan, manufacturers should look for candidates with industry-standard credentials that prove they already possess the advanced automation skills needed to thrive.
For example, if workers possess a certification from the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA), employers can feel confident they’ve already proven they have the knowledge and hands-on skills needed for working with advanced smart automation technologies. SACA has been hard at work collaborating with industry leaders to develop a wide variety of industry-standard certifications that will help employers find workers who possess the advanced connected-systems skills they need to take their businesses to the next level. Be sure to check out SACA and all it has to offer!
- Published in News, Technology
