Scaling Smart Manufacturing: The Interoperability Forum
Exploring the Business Value, Architecture Foundations and Demonstrated Capabilities That Enable Scaled Smart Manufacturing and Industrial AI
Presented by the Manufacturing Leadership Council and CESMII, The Smart Manufacturing Institute.
The Challenge
Manufacturers Have a Competitiveness Problem. Which is also a Data Problem.
Manufacturers have invested billions in automation, digitalization, data platforms and AI. Yet many continue to struggle with the same challenges:
- Data trapped in disconnected systems
- Costly, custom integrations
- AI initiatives that fail to scale beyond pilots
- Vendor lock-in that limits flexibility and innovation
- Inconsistent information across plants, systems and supply chains
The issue isn’t a lack of technology. The issue is a lack of interoperability.
Without a common way for systems, applications and data to work together, every new initiative becomes another integration project—another data silo!
Why Attend?
Session 1: Why Interoperability Matters
- The current state of digital transformation in manufacturing
- Why many smart manufacturing and AI initiatives struggle to scale
- The business case for interoperability
- Lessons learned from manufacturers across industries
Session 2: The Architecture Imperatives
- Imperative 1—Smart Information Models (SM Profiles)
- Imperative 2—Smart Manufacturing Interoperability Platforms (SMIP)
- Imperative 3—Smart Interfaces (i3X)
Session 3: Interoperability in Action—a Demonstration Showcase
- Cross-platform interoperability
- Portable manufacturing applications
- AI-enabled workflows
- Shared manufacturing information models
- Ecosystem collaboration
Session 4: A Challenge from Manufacturing Leadership
Interoperability is no longer just a technology concern; it is a business capability that determines how quickly organizations can scale solutions, leverage AI and respond to change.
- Architectural imperatives
- Adoption challenges
- Organizational readiness
Session 5: The Q&A
Bring your questions. The event closes with an open dialogue between the audience, speakers and showcase participants.
David R. Brousell
Founder, Vice President and Executive Director
Manufacturing Leadership Council

John Dyck
Chief Executive Officer
CESMII
Jonathan Wise
Chief Technology Architect
CESMII