Welcome, to the final course of the digital manufacturing and design technology specialization titled "Roadmap to Success in Digital Manufacturing and Design." As we have heard throughout this specialization and through other channels, technology is evolving faster than ever before and it's having a huge impact on manufacturing. We're seeing it in our everyday communication, purchases, and entertainment. Customers are demanding innovative products with enhanced features. Management is searching for ways to continue to garner competitive edge, evolving technologies are erupting across the globe. As we have learned this new paradigm is known as digital manufacturing and design or DMD. Careers in manufacturing processes are impacted by digital manufacturing and design. This is the era of the next industrial revolution. Industry 4.0. In this era we will develop products virtually bypassing time consuming tasks associated with traditional manufacturing. Examples include virtual experiments can be conducted rather than using physical models for experiments that may result in scrap. Data can be shared digitally resulting in real time collaboration. The most current versions of designs are exchanged reducing waste and enabling more informed decisions. The mantra that describes this 4.0 manufacturing era is having the right information, in the right place, at the right time. Making companies and workers more competitive, agile and productive. Welcome to the roadmap to success in digital manufacturing and design. My name is Amy Moore and I'm a project manager for the State University of New York at Buffalo and will be your guide to help you maximize your potential within advanced manufacturing in integrated enterprises. You might be a young adult anxious to learn about DMD or a business owner currently using traditional manufacturing methods. You may want to learn about digital techniques so that you can further explore the value of transitioning to digital manufacturing. Or finally you may be an operator in a traditional manufacturing plant. Your interests might be to learn about digital approaches to preparing you to an additional career opportunity in your organization or community when Industry 4.0 fully surrounds us. Whichever profile best describes you or whatever your objectives it's important to consider the steps. Your roadmap steps to attain the future you want. This course will help you create a path relevant to who you are. And how you will develop a plan, your roadmap to follow and position yourself for the future. We have created a series of lessons and activities that will guide you through small manageable steps to create a self established goal and gather artifacts and endorsements to further your professional path. Assignments are featured throughout the course and are marked with the icon. If you complete each of the steps you will be well prepared to submit the final project in the final week of the course and be reasonably sure that your 4.0 Roadmap project is customized to serve your personal goals.