The Manufacturing Executive · 4 Oct 2022 · 34m · Episode 122
Will Healy III, a founding board member of the Advance Manufacturing Industry Partnership (AMIP) and recent hire at Universal Robots, discusses strategies for retaining Baby Boomers and attracting Gen Z in manufacturing. Healy argues for 'people-centric technology' investments—such as cobots, exoskeletons, and traceability systems—to reduce physical strain and leverage Boomer expertise. He also highlights the critical need for diversity and immediate feedback loops to meet the expectations of younger workers and bridge the skills gap.
Where this conversation describes AI being used to build or deliver a product. Part of the AI in practice tracker.
Engineering & simulation
Machine learning applications are used to analyze traceability data from wearable sensors to capture and learn from the efficient hand and body movements of experienced workers.
“There are systems where you can track their hand movements and their body movements … We can we can learn from their movements how they're doing it different. Oh, they moved one of the bins over 2 inches, and it saved us 2 seconds to attack time.”
Speaker 1 · Hear it at 13:01
large enterprises
Other shows on the same ground, closest first.
Dr. Marc Achhammer of KATEK Group and Xaver Feiner of Zollner discuss the talent constraints facing European manufacturing and strategies to attract younger, diverse workers. They highlight the need to promote the industry's appeal by showcasing complex projects in aerospace and medical fields, while also addressing gender diversity and retaining older workers. The panelists emphasize that automation and AI are essential for growth, requiring EMS providers to bridge the gap between equipment suppliers and customers to drive digital transformation.
Host Chris Luecke outlines three key manufacturing trends for 2025, highlighting Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), humanoid robots, and collaborative robots (cobots) as critical automation tools. He emphasizes workforce strategies, including building local talent ecosystems through community engagement and using cobots to create career pathways, citing D'Angelo Marine Exhaust and Hire Botics. Finally, he discusses AI applications for capturing tribal knowledge and troubleshooting, referencing Rockwell Automation and Agility Robotics to illustrate practical implementations.
Chris Luecke moderates a live panel at Fathom Digital Manufacturing's Hartland, WI facility, featuring Matt Weinheimer of Milwaukee Tool, Tim Fredericks of Rockwell Automation, Christine Vandergeist of AMI Metal Fabrication, and Carl Held of New Berlin Plastics. The discussion addresses critical gaps in manufacturing, including technology adoption barriers, talent retention strategies, and supply chain resilience. The panelists emphasize starting with specific problems rather than solutions, engaging shop-floor employees in change management, and building robust data strategies to support AI and automation initiatives.
Jake Hall, Business Development Manager at Feyen Zylstra and creator of the personal brand 'The Manufacturing Millennial,' explains how he uses LinkedIn to highlight modern manufacturing processes and attract younger talent to the industry. He discusses the critical need to replace an aging workforce with millennials and skilled tradespeople, emphasizing that companies must shift from selling data sheets to solving problems through engaging content. Hall shares his strategy for building a personal brand by condensing long technical videos into 60-second clips and networking aggressively on LinkedIn to create long-term professional relationships.
Ann Wyatt of Ann Wyatt Recruiting, Ryan Lillibridge of Mission Design & Automation, and Willemijn Schneyder, CEO of SwipeGuide, discuss strategies to close the manufacturing skills gap. They argue that companies must lower barriers to entry by prioritizing attitude and aptitude over rigid degree requirements and extensive experience. The panel emphasizes that technology, such as SwipeGuide, acts as a catalyst to capture frontline knowledge and facilitate upskilling, but only when paired with a supportive culture that values the existing workforce.
The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Manufacturing Executive. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.