Hardware Podcasts

Lights Out Lenses: Engineering, Quality & the Leadership Behind Automation (Part 2), Ep #41

Lights Out · 22 May 2026 · 52m · Episode 41

What this episode covers

Forrest Vaught, Director of Engineering & Programming at Advanced Machine & Fabricating, explains how standardization of tooling, fixturing, and programs is critical for successful automation in high-mix, low-volume environments. He details the logic of the FASTEMS 'Pistol Pete' system, which optimizes pallet selection based on tool life and due dates, and discusses the bottlenecks of feeding the system. Owner Scott Shortess reflects on the financial risks, the humility required to admit weak leadership, and how benchmarking in Europe exposed the need for automation to improve both throughput and employee quality of life.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Advanced Machine & Fabricating, FASTEMS, Factor
Products
Pistol Pete, Hennig WorkFlow
Tools
Pro Shop ERP

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