From high school technology classes and engineering professors to manufacturing professionals trying to solve a production problem or plant managers wanting to train their workers, reliable information is a necessity. As manufacturing professionals increasingly turn to Web content for fast answers to their questions, Tooling U-SME releases Knowledge Edge, an online resource with industry-validated content and information, available at the touch of a button and click of a mouse. “While Web searches yield a wealth of information, there is little standard as to what’s posted and what can be trusted,” said Jeannine Kunz, SME, director, professional development. “Knowledge Edge relies on SME members, longstanding industry professionals and SME’s trusted manufacturer customer base to provide a reliable source of manufacturing information online.

A Tooling U-SME initiative, the Web-based, multi-media Knowledge Edge is the culmination of two-years of development and content migration of SME’s rich manufacturing resources to a digital format.  Knowledge Edge features more than 1,200 e-books and chapters, 700 videos and video clips, and 16,000 technical papers. It also makes available the first-ever Manufacturing Knowledge Base Wiki, with more than 10,000 entries, peer-reviewed by subject matter experts; bringing online SME’s long-standing, highly-regarded, nine-volume Tool & Manufacturing Engineers Handbook, continuously updated and  readily accessible to subscribers.

The expansive breadth and flexibility of Knowledge Edge allows any organization greater oversight and control of existing informal learning resources. As such, the learning process is formalized – with desired content utilized as needed and pace of learning set according to exact learning requirements and competencies. And, with access to validated content available across a range of media – including video – training or research can be done virtually anywhere, anytime.

“Knowledge Edge was borne out of SME’s 80-year tradition of accumulating, validating and sharing vital manufacturing knowledge,” said Kunz. “This represents the latest evolution in learning and development for manufacturing and academia and includes all the benefits of self-paced learning.”

Innovative Knowledge Edge features include:

• Around the clock content availability: Access what you need when you need it, 24/7
• Expansive Search Engine: Hone in on most relevant content based on keywords and/or robust filtering by product type
• Content Filtering: Choose full publications or videos; or select chapters or clips
• Content Organization: Formalize informal resources into “playlists” and push them out to learners. Additionally, learners can tag their own favorite materials through “My Playlists” and “My Favorites”
• Content Review: Designate content for future review, cued up via such designations as “My Reading, “My Watch” and “What’s Hot” lists

Knowledge Edge also helps manufacturing professionals avoid “information overload” by providing content specific to their questions, backed by research and real-world manufacturing practices. According to a nationwide 2012 study by Bersin & Associates entitled, “Becoming a High-Impact Learning Organization,” with an overwhelming amount of information available today, finding the right information at the right time is a real challenge.

Added Kunz: “Knowledge Edge is a new and innovative learning system. A powerful addition to our industry-leading training and development solutions, Knowledge Edge helps manufacturers and academia build a talented workforce for today and tomorrow.”

Knowledge Edge is a subscription-based service.  Register for a demonstration at www.toolingu.com/knowledge.