For many years, U.S. manufacturers have lamented the loss of manufacturing to China. According to an article in Quartz by Vivek Wadhwa, director of research at Duke University’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Research Commercialization, China’s thirty-year dominance may be coming to an end. The article, originally appearing in the Washington Post, lead with the headline, “Sorry China, the future of next-generation manufacturing is in the U.S.” Wadhwa cited various woes for China such as environmental devastation, theft of intellectual property, labor unrest and rising salaries as some of the many reasons the country no longer remains on a prime-manufacturing track.

Fighting Back

Similar to various U.S. initiatives, China is also watching the collective clock tick as it looks for ways to retain and increase its manufacturing prowess. This includes a 10-year plan called Made in China 2025 that looks for ways to include advanced-manufacturing technologies including 3-D or additive printing, advanced robotics and the Industrial Internet. The author argues China is in a losing race because these technologies are new territory and rely little on China’s once-attractive subsidies, cheap labor and look-the-other-way regulations.

A Fighting Chance

Amidst month after month of manufacturing indexes that hover at or near the 50 mark, its likely those in the industry will view the commentary from Wadhwa as a welcome change. This news improves even more when coupled with the many opportunities in progress to establish Ohio as a center for additive manufacturing excellence. As laid out in the Quartz article, Wadhwa shows how China is further falling behind as it works to build a technological infrastructure supported by individuals who have serious gaps in communication and technical skills.

Collective Action

Now more than ever it’s a good time for the industry to work collectively to bridge the remaining gaps in an effort to build the newest vision of today’s manufacturing. One of the best ways to accomplish this is through an understanding of how customers use your business offerings and how the they can be continually tweaked to even better result. The Cleveland Deburring Machine Company (CDMC) provides a strong example for other manufacturers in the industry by working with customers to create the best deburring results.

Located in northeast Ohio, CDMC is dedicated to providing custom-tailored deburring solutions for gears, sprockets, aerospace and defense, power transmission, powdered metals, fluid power and custom applications. CDMC’s no-charge application evaluation includes a detailed report and process description in as little as 3 to 5 business days. Contact CDMC today for a deburring machine that’s right for you.