A bill that would create a National Network for Manufacturing Innovation passed a voice vote in the House this week and is back in the Senate, where a committee approved it in the spring, for a full vote. The Network, which has already received support from senators from both parties as well as Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, would create manufacturing innovation centers funded with both private and public money, including from universities, federal agencies and state and local governments.

A pilot institute centered around additive manufacturing was created in Youngstown, Ohio, in August 2012, and it currently includes 40 companies, 11 non-profits, nine research universities and five community colleges. Three more, focusing on the areas of composite materials, digital manufacturing and next-generation energy sources, have also been approved. The Network is modeled on the German Fraunhofer Society, which already oversees seven institutes in the United States.

As this blog has mentioned, the Midwest region is the nation's manufacturing leader, but officials warn that the entire country needs to work to ensure that the sector continues to move forward. "The reality is if we under-invest in our future, we're going to be left behind," said Pritzker.

And even regions that already have a strong manufacturing sector can benefit from the presence of major innovation centers, as Youngstown has. According to the incubator's COO, the institute has helped local manufacturers implement modern technology to boost their production.

Manufacturing ERP software is one technological solution that can help companies by streamlining every step of their operations, from the planning and inventory stages to distribution.