If you had any question wher the future of manufacturing is going, the answer was made clear today during an event held in the Goose Island area of Chicago. Goose Island isnt just home to a brewery of that same name, but also the location of the Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute (DMDII) at UI Labs.

DMDII announced today the U.S. Department of Defense awarded the firm $10 million in funding and pledged at least $20 million more over the next five years. In a release, the group noted the award is part of a multi-year agreement that will allow DMDII to continue its mission of driving the digital future of manufacturing.

Since it was founded in 2014, DMDII reports it has invested approximately $90 million in more than 60 research projects nationwide. According to a release, "These projects facilitate factory worker training using augmented reality, updat legacy machines for the digital age, and reduce error and scrap in high-value parts."

DMDII works with numerous manufacturers, including food and beverage companies, in the past to help digitize their production lines and innovate their supply chains.