Hardware Podcasts

The 20-Hour Machine: Automation, Throughput & Smarter Capacity Planning, Ep #42

Lights Out · 5 Jun 2026 · 53m · Episode 42

What this episode covers

Mike Padilla, founder of Hill Manufacturing, and Nick Golner of Making Chips discuss how Hill is using automation and strategic capital expenditure planning to scale capacity without simply adding headcount. They detail the concept of the '20-hour machine,' explaining that realistic unattended runtime targets must account for tooling and setups, and how integrating machine monitoring with tool life optimization prevents costly crashes during lights-out operations. The conversation highlights how automation frees skilled machinists from 'doorman' tasks to focus on higher-value work, while also emphasizing the critical importance of vendor service support and calculating the true cost of downtime when making equipment investments.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
DN Solutions, Hill Manufacturing, Making Chips, SMW Autoblok, Hemach
Also
Buy the Numbers, Lights Out, IMTS, Takasawa, Heller, Dusan

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 28m

    The New ROI of Automation w/ Scot Lindemann

    Scot Lindemann, CEO of Mission Design & Automation, explains that the ROI of automation must extend beyond simple labor replacement to include quality, consistency, and labor availability. He argues that automation should be treated as a continuous improvement journey rather than an all-or-nothing investment, citing examples like a football manufacturer who found value in smaller, targeted automations instead of a full line overhaul. Lindemann highlights how automating expensive capital equipment, such as in injection molding, can unlock hidden capacity without necessarily replacing the human operator. He advises manufacturers to start small, partner with integrators for long-term support, and focus on reducing process fragility caused by labor shortages.

    Scaling productionPricing, margins & unit economics
    6 chapters

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 12m

    BONUS: Top 5 Manufacturing Solutions in 2020

    Host Chris Luecke presents a bonus episode highlighting five key manufacturing solutions featured on Manufacturing Happy Hour in 2020. The list includes Steam Chain's machine-as-a-service model, PTC's Vuforia Expert Capture for workforce knowledge retention, Bottom Line Concepts for cost reduction, Emulate3D's digital twin simulations, and Variable's on-demand labor marketplace. Each solution addresses critical industry challenges such as the skills gap, capital expenditure constraints, and labor flexibility.

    Scaling productionHiring & workforce
    7 chapters

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 1h 09m

    276: 2026 Automation Industry Outlook, Live from the A3 Business Forum

    Host Chris Luecke interviews economists and industry leaders at the A3 Business Forum about the 2026 automation outlook. Economist Alex Chausovsky argues that manufacturing is transitioning from uncertainty to complexity, urging companies to rely on hard CapEx data rather than sentiment. Bob Little of Novanta and Alex Shikany of A3 discuss the $1+ trillion investment boom in US manufacturing and the critical role of smart automation in addressing labor shortages. Faye Goldstein of Barden and Stu Shepherd of Shepherd Solutions explore practical AI implementation in sales and the rigorous safety standards developed through theme park robotics.

    Scaling productionAI & machine learning
    7 chapters

  • EMS@C-LEVEL · 11m

    Exploring Facility Scale, Automation, and Supplier Partnerships with IMI's Oscar Valdivia

    Oscar Valdivia, Manager of Engineering at IMI Guadalajara, discusses the scale and automation of his facility, which manages 1.2K employees across 10 SMT lines with plans for two more. He explains how automation mitigates talent shortages by reducing operator training time from weeks to days, allowing IMI to maintain 24/7 production. Valdivia details the rigorous process of re-qualifying suppliers like Koh Young, emphasizing the critical role of global vision, technical support, and integrated inspection software in equipment selection. He highlights the industry-wide challenge of retaining key engineers and the strategic necessity of training local talent to meet increasing quality requirements.

    Manufacturing partners & offshoringScaling production
    6 chapters

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 29m

    How to Solve the Technology Hesitancy Issue in Manufacturing w/ Erik Nieves

    Erik Nieves, co-founder and CEO of PlusOne Robotics, discusses the 'technology hesitancy' that prevents small and mid-sized manufacturers from adopting automation. He argues that the perceived labor shortage is often a retention and churn issue, and that ROI calculations frequently fail to capture hidden costs like onboarding and facility overhead. Nieves advocates for 'supervised autonomy'—segregating tasks so robots handle the 80% of work they can do reliably while humans manage exceptions—and urges manufacturers to stay in the US by making their plants attractive workplaces.

    Scaling productionPricing, margins & unit economics
    5 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Lights Out. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.