How many nameless modern facilities have you driven by and wondered, "What is it exactly that they do there?" When it comes to advanced manufacturing, it may take several professional degrees to fully understand the answer to that question.
      Ask anyone about the topic, and even the veterans will smirk at the mere attempt at a definition. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation defines it loosely as "the marriage between manufacturing, information technology, design and engineering."

      "For Siemens, advanced manufacturing is the creation of custom-tailored solutions that meet the needs of our clients' customers," says Siemens Director of Corporate Real Estate Steven J. Kaufman, CCIM, from his office in Iselin, N.J. "It's a complex combination of innovation, information, communication, design, engineering and creativity all applied to the manufacturing process."
      To all of these partial definitions one must add a liberal dose of that loaded term: "automation."
      Automation changes what we do, and where and when we do it. In fact, in the 1960s the specter of automation was so thrilling to some and so ominous to others that the U.S. government established a Committee of Eight on Automation, Economics and Employment to consider whether U.S. society should be geared for employment or unemployment. The august body voted six to two in favor of employment.
      "Most people in the manufacturing sector in the UK are now aware that you have to innovate and develop advanced techniques (implying an increased level of automation) just to compete and survive in an ever-competitive marketplace," says Whitefield Consulting director Mike Harling from his London office. "Most also realize that this does not necessarily mean fewer jobs but that, in many cases, it will mean more, higher quality jobs with -- providing enlightened management exists -- the work force having an opportunity to upskill through intensive and ongoing training. Potentially, more 'interesting' jobs should be developed."