Hardware Podcasts

265: How SMB Manufacturers Can Leverage AI, Live from Waukesha County Technical College

Manufacturing Happy Hour · 9 Dec 2025 · 55m

AI in practice: 2 real uses of AI described

What this episode covers

Dr. Richard Barnhouse, President of Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC), joins Amanda Payne of the Waukesha County Business Alliance, Guido Mazza of ITER IDEA, and student Caleb Bryant for a live roundtable on applying AI in small-to-medium manufacturing. The panel argues that SMBs should target universal pain points like scheduling and quoting to gain buy-in, rather than chasing headcount reduction. Guido Mazza shares how ITER IDEA helped a plastic manufacturer eliminate internal conflict by using an algorithm to manage dozens of shift-scheduling constraints, while Amanda Payne notes that 50% of local businesses are already adopting AI strategies.

AI in practice

Where this conversation describes AI being used to build or deliver a product. Part of the AI in practice tracker.

Running the companyITER IDEA algorithm

An algorithm was deployed to manage shift scheduling for a plastic manufacturer by resolving dozens of constraints, which eliminated internal conflict among staff.

“So they put just an algorithm to make the job because the algorithm is consistent, repetitively, find the optimal solution of the problem that they got. So this was, you know, a quick wing, let's say, but is always a complex scenario where you apply this kind of technology to make another person to be responsible also just for that work.”

Guido Mazza · Hear it at 24:35

Marketing & sales50% of businesses adopting or strategizing around AI

Manufacturers are using AI to speed up the quoting process and reduce the number of employee touchpoints required for contracts and legal documents.

“There are a lot of examples for manufacturers that are using it as part of the quoting process. So trying to speed up the quoting time, remove the amount of touch points that are needed from employees in the business. several examples from companies that are using it for, you know, anything to do with contracts, with legal documents.”

Amanda Payne · Hear it at 19:16

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Waukesha County Technical College, Waukesha County Business Alliance, ITER IDEA, Intel, Moxa, Gartner
Products
ChatGPT

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • People of Packaging · 20m

    288 - How CERM is making chat and scheduling easier using AI! LIVE at LabelExpo 5 of 5

    Steffen Haaga and Esteban Garcia of CERM, a Belgium-based provider of Management Information Systems (MIS) for labels, flexible packaging, and folding carton, discuss their booth at LabelExpo. They highlight two new AI-driven tools: an automated scheduling assistant that optimizes production plans in minutes, and the Lumi chatbot, which answers customer queries from 2,500 pages of documentation in 45 languages. The guests emphasize that while migrating to CERM’s robust, integrated system is a difficult change management process taking 3-6 months, it is essential for scaling operations and mitigating labor shortages.

    Embedded firmwareAI & machine learning
    6 chapters

  • EMS@C-LEVEL · 25m

    AI's Role in Manufacturing Efficiency and NPI Success with Instrumental CEO Anna-Katrina Shedletsky

    Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, CEO and founder of Instrumental, discusses how her company uses AI to accelerate New Product Introduction (NPI) and improve manufacturing efficiency. She highlights a case study with Meta, where Instrumental's technology saved 900 engineering weeks annually across seven programs by identifying defects earlier in the EVT phase. Shedletsky explains the concept of the 'shadow factory' (rework and bone piles) and how reducing its size frees up capacity. She also advises manufacturers to focus AI adoption on solving specific, high-impact business problems rather than chasing trends, noting Instrumental's nine-year journey from startup to an established player in the contract electronics space.

    AI & machine learningScaling production
    7 chapters

  • EMS@C-LEVEL · 13m

    Down at the Doctor's with Dr. Bill Cardoso and Dr. Eric Miscoll: AI Curiosity, Tariff Turmoil, Economic Uncertainty, and Much More

    Philip Stoten hosts Dr. Bill Cardoso, CEO of Creative Electron, and Dr. Eric Miscoll, Publisher of EMSNOW, for a post-show discussion at APEX 2025. They analyze the industry's shift from broad Industry 4.0 ambitions to pragmatic, small-scale AI projects with clear KPIs to avoid paralysis. The group also examines how tariff volatility is disrupting supply chains, particularly for automotive components crossing USMCA borders, and why business agility is becoming the primary competitive advantage for mid-sized EMS companies.

    AI & machine learningPolicy, trade & tariffs
    6 chapters

  • People of Packaging · 30m

    341 - 2 Kings talk about "people-ing", data, and Compton High

    Adam Peek, founder of Label King, and Esteban Garcia from CERM discuss the implementation of CERM’s MIS software at Label King’s Utah facility. Peek explains that he chose CERM based on testimonials from other successful label companies rather than sales pitches, aiming for a single source of truth for estimating, production, and scheduling. The conversation highlights the heavy lift of implementation, the strategic use of automation to free up staff for complex decision-making, and the value of on-site support from CERM’s Dean. They also explore how AI and integrations with pre-press software like Hybrid can reduce lead times and improve customer transparency.

    Design for manufacturing & NPIScaling production
    9 chapters

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 28m

    The Emerging Role of AI Agents in Manufacturing w/ Naresh Ram

    Naresh Ram, Chief Science Officer at AAXIS, discusses the transition from basic chatbots to autonomous AI agents in manufacturing, highlighting their ability to execute complex workflows like inventory checks and production scheduling. He details specific use cases, including a large automotive company saving $20 million annually on shipping chargebacks and an HVAC manufacturer using agents to navigate complex tariff regulations. Ram emphasizes that AI adoption is becoming affordable for small and medium-sized businesses, drawing parallels to the early adoption of cloud infrastructure, and outlines a four-step implementation strategy focused on vision, data preparation, and upskilling.

    AI & machine learningScaling production
    7 chapters

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