Digital Model Factory Launches at LIFT in Detroit

Kearney, a global consulting firm headquartered in Chicago and a strategic partner of the LIFT Manufacturing Institute, today announced the official launch of the Digital Model Factory at LIFT’s Detroit Corktown facility.
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the front of LIFT Manufacturing Institute in Detroit
Kearney has launched a Digital Model Factory inside LIFT’s Detroit Corktown facility to demonstrate Industry 4.0 technologies in action. // Courtesy of LIFT Manufacturing Institute

Kearney, a global consulting firm headquartered in Chicago and a strategic partner of the LIFT Manufacturing Institute, today announced the official launch of the Digital Model Factory at LIFT’s Detroit Corktown facility.

The hands-on facility will allow industrial companies to explore how best to apply Industry 4.0 technologies to their operations. The DMF features a manufacturing and assembly line equipped with advanced manufacturing analytics and augmented reality solutions that let visitors experience the power of digitally enhanced operations.

“Together, Kearney and LIFT will help companies across the United States take the critical next step toward making digital manufacturing a reality on their factory floors,” says Doug Mehl, partner and global lead for Industry 4.0 strategy at Kearney. “Our shared mission is to drive a step change business performance.”

The network spans a range of companies, including:

Kinexon, which provides sensor networks and computing solutions to manufacturing, logistics, sports, and media organizations. This includes wearables that track employee movement in manufacturing locations for safety and social distancing, material flow management for optimizing operations, and Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) navigation.

Drishti Technologies provides AI-powered video analytics technology that offers visibility and insights that accelerate the pace and impact of manual assembly lines improvement.

“Kearney’s DMF moves beyond envisioning Industry 4.0 to experiencing what it actually means to implement this remarkable range of emerging technologies,” says Azaz Faruki, a principal at Kearney who directs daily operations at the DMF. “This unique facility makes it easy for clients to explore smart manufacturing firsthand via workshops, joint research and demonstrations.”

Contextere, which develops industrial AI software focused on improving human and machine performance via a combination of data extraction, machine learning, and natural language interfaces. The company’s insight engine increases situational awareness, builds semantic understanding of dynamic data environments, and reduces cognitive overload.

“We’re excited to bring Kearney’s deep Industry 4.0 expertise to our ecosystem of innovative OEMs, industrial suppliers, research institutes, workforce development organizations, educational institutions, and professional societies,” says Nigel Francis, CEO and executive director of LIFT.

LIFT is a public-private partnership between the Department of Defense, industry, and academia committed to the development a deployment of advanced manufacturing technologies, and the implementation of talent development initiatives to better prepare the workforce today and in the future. It is operated by the American Lightweight Materials Manufacturing Innovation Institute.

“Launching the DMF is an important next step in the journey from concept to reality, as we lay out a roadmap for the full realization of digital manufacturing and the adoption of automation technologies,” says Harris Ng, partner at Kearney.