Digital Thread: Implementation (Coursera)

Digital Thread: Implementation (Coursera)

There are opportunities throughout the design process of any product to make significant changes, and ultimately impact the future of manufacturing, by embracing the digital thread. In this course, you will dig into the transformation taking place in how products are designed and manufactured throughout the world. It is the second of two courses that focuses on the "digital thread" – the stream that starts at the creation of a product concept and continues to accumulate information and data throughout the product life cycle.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Hear about the realities of implementing the digital thread, directly from someone responsible for making it happen at a company. Learn how the digital thread can fit into product development processes in an office, on a shop floor, and even across an enterprise. Be prepared to talk about the benefits, and limitations, of enacting it.
Main concepts of this course will be delivered through lectures, readings, discussions and various videos.
This is the third course in the Digital Manufacturing & Design Technology specialization that explores the many facets of manufacturing’s “Fourth Revolution,” and features a culminating project involving creation of a roadmap to achieve a self-established DMD-related professional goal.
Course 3 of 9 in the Digital Manufacturing & Design Technology Specialization.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Strategic issues in implementing the digital thread
The purpose of this module is to outline the strategies, barriers, and business factors related to the implementation of a digital thread approach. Details of individual lessons in this module are provided below.

WEEK 2
Cyberinfrastructure Components of the Digital Thread
The purpose of this module is to introduce students to the Information Technology components supporting the digital thread. Details of individual lessons in this module are provided below.

WEEK 3
Technologies used in the Design Process
The purpose of this module is to discuss individual digital analysis tools used in the design process. Details of individual lessons in this module are provided below.

WEEK 4
Digital Thread on the Shop Floor
The purpose of this module is to introduce the growing number of digital tools available to support manufacturing operations. Details of individual lessons in this module are provided below.

WEEK 5
Digital Thread and the Manufacturing Enterprise
The purpose of this module is to introduce how a digital thread implementation impacts the design and manufacturing enterprise. Details of individual lessons in this module are provided below.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Digitalisation in the Aerospace Industry (Coursera) Coursera
Technische Universität München - TUM

Digitalisation in the Aerospace Industry (Coursera)

The online course Digitalisation in Aerospace aims at making you aware of special production requirements connected with digitalisation. You will learn about the role of robotics and automation in manufacturing and gain a better understanding of differing perspectives on research and manufacturing as well as the points where these intersect.

Nov 2nd 2026
3 Weeks
Image and video processing: From Mars to Hollywood with a stop at the hospital (Coursera) Coursera
Duke University

Image and video processing: From Mars to Hollywood with a stop at the hospital (Coursera)

In this course, you will learn the science behind how digital images and video are made, altered, stored, and used. We will look at the vast world of digital imaging, from how computers and digital cameras form images to how digital special effects are used in Hollywood movies to how the Mars Rover was able to send photographs across millions of miles of space.

Nov 2nd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Digital Manufacturing (openSAP) OpenSAP
SAP

Digital Manufacturing (openSAP)

Join this free online course to get an introduction to SAP Digital Manufacturing Cloud and learn about its key functionalities. SAP Digital Manufacturing Cloud is a manufacturing execution system (MES) of near real-time data and analytics. It helps you connect your top-floor business systems to your shop-floor equipment for global visibility across all plants, while orchestrating execution and monitoring production operations down to the individual work center.

Jun 21st 2022
4 Weeks
Compilers (edX) EdX
StanfordOnline

Compilers (edX)

This self-paced course will discuss the major ideas used today in the implementation of programming language compilers, including lexical analysis, parsing, syntax-directed translation, abstract syntax trees, types and type checking, intermediate languages, dataflow analysis, program optimization, code generation, and runtime systems.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Marketing in an Analog World (Coursera) Coursera
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Marketing in an Analog World (Coursera)

Our new Digital World is dramatically changing the way in products are created, promoted, distributed, and consumed. Although these changes have been revolutionary, we still live in an Analog (or physical) World. For example, even today, over 90% of all sales are still conducted in Analog stores. Thus, both marketers and consumers must simultaneously navigate both the Analog and Digital Worlds on a daily basis.

Jul 6th 2026
4 Weeks
Intelligent Machining (Coursera) Coursera
University at Buffalo,The State University of New York

Intelligent Machining (Coursera)

Manufacturers are increasingly utilizing machine tools that are self-aware – they perceive their own states and the state of the surrounding environment – and are able to make decisions related to machine activity processes. This is called intelligent machining, and through this course students will receive a primer on its background, tools and related terminology.

Nov 2nd 2026
4 Weeks
Programming Mobile Applications for Android Handheld Systems: Part 2 (Coursera) Coursera
University of Maryland, College Park

Programming Mobile Applications for Android Handheld Systems: Part 2 (Coursera)

This course introduces you to the design and implementation of Android applications for mobile devices. You will build upon concepts from the prior course, including handling notifications, using multimedia and graphics and incorporating touch and gestures into your apps.

Oct 26th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Digital Manufacturing: Introduction and Smart Design (Coursera) Coursera
L&T EduTech

Digital Manufacturing: Introduction and Smart Design (Coursera)

This course has been created for Mechanical, Manufacturing, and Mechatronics Engineers. The "Digital Manufacturing and Industry 4.0" course is intended for those who want to comprehend and navigate the transformative concepts and technologies that shape modern Industry. Throughout this course, participants will learn about the fundamental principles of digital manufacturing, the path to Industry 4.0, and the emerging technology that drives smart design and production processes through three modules.

Oct 26th 2026
3 Weeks
Digitalisation in Space Research (Coursera) Coursera
Technische Universität München - TUM

Digitalisation in Space Research (Coursera)

This course provides an overview of the most important digital applications in the field of aerospace research. The course instructors discuss how digitalisation is impacting and changing both satellite-based and manned spaceflight research. One unit is specifically devoted to exploring the use of artificial intelligence in the evaluation of satellite data.

Nov 2nd 2026
3 Weeks