The Aerospace and defense industry is spinning a lot of plates right now, which has been acknowledged by the wider manufacturing world. Speakers at the FABTECH 2018 summit highlighted the challenges facing manufacturers in today’s changing environment. One observation that was repeatedly raised was the disruption of supply chains bringing steel and aluminum into the United States due to tariffs. Across the globe the situation is similar; changing political alliances, tariffs, and a pandemic that continues to disrupt traditional supply chain systems.