October 2, 2025 | Merriweather Lakehouse Hotel

Join us for a dynamic event designed to empower Maryland manufacturers on their journey toward innovation, operational excellence, and competitive advantage through Smart Manufacturing technologies.

The 2025 Maryland Manufacturing Innovation Summit will be an immersive, action-packed day tailored specifically for small and medium manufacturers (SMEs), technology integrators, and workforce development leaders.

Why Attend?

The Summit will feature…

Expert Presentations & Live Demonstrations: Explore cutting-edge advancements in smart manufacturing, including industry-leading solutions to enhance efficiency and competitiveness.
Interactive Vendor Exhibits: Meet innovative solution providers showcasing technologies that are shaping the future of manufacturing.
The Collaborative Ecosystems for Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CESMII) Smart Manufacturing Roadshow: Don’t miss this national initiative that connects manufacturers, MEPs, and industry leaders across the country. Gain first-hand insights on groundbreaking technologies and real-world applications of smart manufacturing.

Who Should Attend?

This event is designed for:

Manufacturing decision-makers seeking innovation
Technology integrators and solution providers
Workforce development leaders
Anyone passionate about advancing the future of manufacturing

Agenda

8:00 - 8:30AM | Registration & Networking

8:30 - 8:40AM | Welcome & Opening Remarks

8:40 - 9:20 AM | Keynote: Smart Manufacturing Mindset

9:20 - 10:00 AM | Smart Manufacturing & Lean Six Sigma

As manufacturers continue to optimize operations through Lean and Six Sigma methodologies, the emergence of Smart Manufacturing and Industry 4.0 technologies presents a new frontier for improvement. This session is designed for participants with a foundational understanding of Lean and Six Sigma who are looking to take their efforts to the next level.

Through a practical and interactive walkthrough of standard Lean and Six Sigma tools—such as value stream mapping, root cause analysis, and visual management—this session will demonstrate how Smart Manufacturing capabilities such as real-time data analytics, machine learning, IoT, and digital twins can be layered into continuous improvement practices. Attendees will learn how to “connect the dots” between traditional process improvement methods and cutting-edge technology applications to drive faster, data-informed decision-making and unlock greater value from their existing initiatives.

Presented by:

Robert Schoenthaler
Director – CESMII SMIC

10:00 - 10:20 AM | Break & Networking

10:20 - 11:00 AM | Factory Floor Use Case Demonstration

Curious how manufacturers are putting Smart Manufacturing into practice today? Join Sudhi Bangalore and CESMII for an exciting, hands-on look at real-world smart manufacturing solutions that are already delivering results on the shop floor.

This session will showcase live use cases directly from manufacturing environments, demonstrating how companies are leveraging smart technologies to capture critical data from traditionally manual processes—like assembly stations and weld cells—and transform it into actionable insights. Attendees will gain a firsthand view of how these digital tools are enabling better visibility, faster decision-making, and measurable improvements in productivity and quality.

Whether you’re just beginning your smart manufacturing journey or looking to scale existing efforts, this session will offer practical inspiration and proven examples to take back to your facility.

Presented by:

Sudhi Bangalore
CTO & Global VP – FullBore

11:00 - 11:40 AM | Democratizing Smart Manufacturing: AI & ML Wins from the Plant Floor

AI/ML is moving from buzzword to bottom-line impact on the plant floor. In this CESMII session, Bryan Thyken, Chief Revenue Officer at SORBA.ai, shows how no-code industrial AI lets OT teams convert existing plant data into fast wins—cutting unplanned downtime, reducing energy intensity, and improving first-pass quality—without building a data-science department. You’ll see brief case snapshots, practical integration tips for SCADA/MES and edge-cloud deployments, and a simple 90-day roadmap aligned to CESMII smart-manufacturing and sustainability goals. Leave ready to launch (or rescue) your next AI initiative with confidence.

Presented by:

Bryan Thyken
Chief Revenue Officer – SORBA.ai

11:40 - 12:20 AM | Manufacturing Technology: Technology Implementation and the Payoff

Manufacturing is evolving rapidly, and technology is at the heart of this transformation. In this panel, you’ll hear from fellow manufacturers about how emerging tools—from automation to data analytics—are reshaping operations and driving innovation. Attendees will gain valuable insights, success stories, and lessons learned to help them confidently embrace the future of smart manufacturing.

Moderated by: