
About
The State of Connecticut is focused on supporting and expanding its significant defense technology research, development, and production capabilities. The State is working to ensure that the Connecticut supply chain is positioned to implement modern manufacturing tools to compete favorably against any manufacturing sector in the world. Adoption of digital manufacturing tools, specifically model-based definition (MBD), will be a future requirement for suppliers to meet cost and performance standards on next generation programs of record.
The State’s Chief Manufacturing Officer, Paul Lavoie, explains the value of the Digital Model Initiative at the state and national level here.
CONNSTEP, Connecticut’s NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), developed the Guide to Digital Transformation (right).
MBD introduction & possibilities

Objective
The main objective of this program is to help Connecticut small and medium sized defense suppliers adopt MBD digital manufacturing technologies through six pilot cases. This includes:
- Working with Connecticut OEMs in the propulsion, vertical lift and submarine sectors (the “sectors”) to select two supply chain partners through an open and competitive process for each sector for MBD adoption
- Facilitate MBD implementation and demonstration between OEMs and selected suppliers
- Document “lessons learned” and disseminate MBD adoption pathways to other Connecticut defense suppliers
MBD Training Videos
Video Resources
This product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation. The grant was awarded to the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development for use during the Digital Model Initiative and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Defense. The U.S. Department of Defense makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership.
