The Great Equalizer: How Digitalization is Changing Manufacturing
Raj Batra, President of Digital Industries for Siemens USA, explains how digitalization acts as a 'great equalizer' for small and mid-sized manufacturers by providing scalable access to enterprise-grade technology. He details the shift from physical trial-and-error to virtual simulation using digital twins, which allows companies to perfect processes offline before physical deployment. Batra also discusses how additive manufacturing enables distributed production by treating digital files as a new form of transportation, reducing reliance on complex global supply chains. Finally, he addresses the critical need for digital modernization to attract a tech-savvy workforce and leverage federal incentives like the CHIPS Act.