Innovation & Entrepreneurship
3D PRINTING B R A N C H T E C H N O LO GY
Denise Rice President & CEO, Peak Performance Inc.
T H E S M A R T FA C TO R Y I N S T I T U T E PEAK PERFORMANCE INC.
The Smart Factory Institute, operated by Peak Performance Inc., helps area manufacturers adopt the newest Industry 4.0 technologies to improve productivity and upskill their workforce to remain competitive. The institute is the nation’s first Deutsche Messe Technology Academy, a joint venture between Deutsche Messe and the Volkswagen Group Academy. “As a former plant manager in the manufacturing industry, I knew that the current technological revolution was rapidly changing the way America manufactured products. At the core of any technical change is people, and how people adapt is crucial. We already have a strained workforce, and the adoption of technology is adding the need for employees to have more skills and a greater span of responsibility. We are passionate about helping manufacturers through this process. As a company, we innovate every day by keeping up with the changing needs of the industry. We have recently implemented an online training portal that has a mobile app so that employers can easily provide training to their employees without disrupting shift schedules or requiring employees to attend large in-person instructor-led training sessions. Employees can complete their required training on an iPad or a mobile phone. This gives employers and employees ultimate flexibility.”
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Branch Technology utilizes 3D printing on a large scale to create commercial building cladding where each panel is bespoke. This innovative approach to manufacturing allows for mass customization, providing architects, designers, and developers unrivaled design freedom within normal construction budgets. “After 15 years as an architect, I was frustrated with normal methods of construction that are prohibitive to true creative freedom. 3D printing offers incredible design freedom as a technology, but it wasn’t available at construction scale. Our innovative approach was to bring 3D printing capabilities to the commercial facade market. By doing so, Branch is able to bridge the chasm between digital design capability and the physical built environment, offering unparalleled design freedom. Of Branch’s six core values, four of them are centered around innovation. In bringing a completely new product to the construction marketplace, innovation is a part of everything we do and almost every conversation we have with clients. Our products serve as the technological platform that allows architects, contractors, and developers to produce truly innovative designs for the built environment.”
R. Platt Boyd CEO & Founder, Branch Technology