DMDII Launches Cyber Hub for Manufacturing

The Digital Manufacturing Design and Innovation Institute (DMDII) has launched a “Cyber Hub for Manufacturing” with $750,000 in seed funding from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). The hub will serve as a testbed for the creation and adoption of new cybersecurity technologies to secure manufacturing shop floors across the United States and complements DMDII’s public-private partnership as one of the Manufacturing USA institutes sponsored by DOD to advance digital manufacturing in America.

“The launch of the Cyber Hub for Manufacturing embodies why DMDII exists,” DMDII Executive Director Thomas McDermott says. “We need to think about securing our manufacturing equipment the way we secure our laptops, and the complexity of this issue means our partners will get there much faster by working together.”

“As the manufacturing sector becomes more intertwined with advanced technology, data and robotics, it is increasingly important that our manufacturers are prepared to face cybersecurity threats,” says Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). “This new cyber hub will be an extension of DMDII’s innovative work of making America’s manufacturing industry more competitive and secure. I was an early advocate of DMDII, I have fought for a steady stream of federal funding, and I am proud to support DMDII’s focus on cybersecurity.”

“With the launch of a Cyber Hub for Manufacturing at DMDII, Chicago is strengthening our position as a global leader in cybersecurity,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “The hub will further enhance our regional manufacturing innovation ecosystem that combines our legacy industries, strong base of small manufacturers, community and research universities, and exceptional talent.”

DMDII will leverage its more than 300 partners across industry, academia and government, as well as its 24,000 square-foot manufacturing floor with wide-ranging capabilities, to test cybersecurity use cases in a real-world manufacturing environment. It will develop hands-on cybersecurity training programs and create online, on-demand learning modules to reach manufacturers outside of the region.

“Applying the best ideas from the research and startup sectors to the real-world problems of industry–from component manufacturers to prime system integrators–helps secure the supply chain and ultimately, the warfighters who rely on these capabilities to achieve their missions,” says Tracy Frost, director of DOD Manufacturing Institutes and acting director of DOD Manufacturing Technology.

The launch of the Cyber Hub for Manufacturing is the result of recommendations developed through DMDII workshops with government, industry and academic partners since the institute’s establishment in 2014.

For more info, visit DMDII.

Sources: Press materials received from the company.