Abstract
This paper describes the NIST Manufacturing Business-to-Business Interoperability Testbed developed at the Manufacturing Systems Integration Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The testbed is geared to advance state of practice and art in interoperable information systems for the extended manufacturing enterprise. We discuss lessons learned while developing a Web-based, distributed architecture in support of piloting and testing interoperability trials in collaboration with manufacturing organisations and software vendors. We make a case that the combination of industry-focused testing activities and bottom-up testing research and development efforts within this testbed offer unique benefits to all stakeholders in advancing interoperable systems for the manufacturing enterprise.