The New Industrial Revolution: Part 1

From water and steam power, to interchangeable parts, to the assembly line, to computer-based production, manufacturers have always adapted to the opportunities presented by technological change. Now, the industry is at the cusp of yet another new era, one marked by pervasive connectivity and communications, powerful advances in simulation and design tools, and production technologies that hold the promise of changing the paradigm of manufacturing itself.How should manufacturers think about, evaluate and take advantage of the possibilities with technologies such as additive manufacturing, crowd sourcing, and distributed models of production?