From Bottleneck to Advantage: Rethinking Manufacturing Testing Strategies w/ Garrett Partridge and Dan Wyatt

The Manufacturing Executive · 11 Mar 2025 · 30m · Episode 248

What this episode covers

Garrett Partridge, CEO of ARC Technology Solutions, and Dan Wyatt, an innovation consultant, discuss why manufacturers often treat testing as an afterthought rather than a strategic lever for quality and efficiency. They argue for shifting from monolithic end-of-line testing to modular, in-process testing to catch defects early and improve first-pass yield. The conversation also covers the impact of reshoring, the need for flexible test systems that integrate with MES, and the generational shift in manufacturing workforce skills.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • 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.

  • EMS@C-LEVEL · 7m

    From China to Mexico, Adapting to Manufacturing Trends and Harnessing Data for Decision-Making, with IMI's Philip Reyes

    Philip Reyes, Head of Regional Engineering at IMI, discusses his 25-year journey from China to Mexico and the company's strategic shift toward the automotive and EV sectors in Guadalajara. He explains how IMI balances automation with manual processes based on customer requirements for quality and traceability, emphasizing the importance of treating suppliers like Panasonic and Koh Young as technical partners. Reyes highlights the critical role of real-time data from inspection tools like AOI and SPI in driving decision-making and improving first-pass yield.

  • NPI Sherpa · 30m

    DeepDive 1-on-1 Series: EXECUTION READINESS - Verifying the Factory Before the Climb (30m42s)

    Rob Carl, Founder & CEO of Global NPI Solvers, explains how to verify factory execution readiness before mass production, warning against the 'golden road' tours that hide cultural and process gaps. He details the risks of 'perfect execution dependency,' citing the 'Moroccas' incident where uncalibrated torque drivers caused latent plastic boss failures, and discusses the importance of ESD audits and descaling assembly processes to avoid the 'golden hand' bottleneck. The conversation covers Section E (Manufacturing Execution) and Section F (Quality, Test, and Traceability), emphasizing CTQ metrics, ICT vs. functional testing, and using CPK data to prove process capability before authorizing a ramp.

  • EMS@C-LEVEL · 37m

    EMS@C-LEVEL Season #2021 Episode #8 with Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, Instrumental

    Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, CEO and founder of Instrumental, discusses how the pandemic accelerated digital transformation in electronics manufacturing, validating her prediction of five years of innovation in 18 months. She explains Instrumental’s cloud-based platform that collects engineering data from across the supply chain to identify defects and improve first-pass yield, moving away from opaque, just-in-time models toward resilient, data-driven collaboration. Shedletsky highlights the shift from Capex to Opex for manufacturing technology and the critical need for transparency between brands and Contract Manufacturers (CMs) to solve problems faster.

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 51m

    How Reshoring, Sustainability, and Customer Success are Helping Manufacturers Win with Bright Machines' Sean Murray

    Sean Murray, VP of Customer Success at Bright Machines, explains the shift from hardware-first to software-defined manufacturing, arguing that data-first approaches enable the flexibility required for reshoring. He details how flexible automation mitigates higher US labor costs by allowing rapid changeovers between high-margin products, while also enhancing supply chain sustainability and resilience. Murray further advises manufacturers to adopt customer success models to bridge the gap in tribal knowledge and ensure their investments in advanced automation deliver tangible value.

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.