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

- Show: [The Manufacturing Executive](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive)
- Published: 2025-03-11
- Length: 30m
- Episode: 248
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-03-11-from-bottleneck-to-advantage-rethinking-manufacturing-testing-strategies-w-garre
- Listen: https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-manufacturing-executive#episode-2b454b68-f78f-450c-aa6a-2628d9f0d174

## Summary

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.

## Chapters

- [0:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-03-11-from-bottleneck-to-advantage-rethinking-manufacturing-testing-strategies-w-garre#t=34) Introduction and the Testing Afterthought Problem
- [7:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-03-11-from-bottleneck-to-advantage-rethinking-manufacturing-testing-strategies-w-garre#t=440) Modular Testing and Lean Manufacturing
- [13:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-03-11-from-bottleneck-to-advantage-rethinking-manufacturing-testing-strategies-w-garre#t=784) Insourcing vs. Outsourcing Testing
- [19:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-03-11-from-bottleneck-to-advantage-rethinking-manufacturing-testing-strategies-w-garre#t=1178) Reshoring and Automation
- [23:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-03-11-from-bottleneck-to-advantage-rethinking-manufacturing-testing-strategies-w-garre#t=1380) Workforce and Generational Shifts
- [27:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-03-11-from-bottleneck-to-advantage-rethinking-manufacturing-testing-strategies-w-garre#t=1640) Sustainment and Budgeting for Test Systems

## Topics

- [Quality & yield](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/quality-and-yield)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- ARC Technology Solutions (company)
- Guerrilla 76 (company)
- GE (company)
- TI 89 (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [AI's Role in Manufacturing Efficiency and NPI Success with Instrumental CEO Anna-Katrina Shedletsky](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-05-23-ais-role-in-manufacturing-efficiency-and-npi-success-with-instrumental-ceo-anna) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [From China to Mexico, Adapting to Manufacturing Trends and Harnessing Data for Decision-Making, with IMI's Philip Reyes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2023-10-17-from-china-to-mexico-adapting-to-manufacturing-trends-and-harnessing-data-for-de) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [DeepDive 1-on-1 Series: EXECUTION READINESS - Verifying the Factory Before the Climb (30m42s)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/npi-sherpa/2026-03-10-deepdive-1-on-1-series-execution-readiness-verifying-the-factory-before-the-clim) (NPI Sherpa)
- [EMS@C-LEVEL Season #2021 Episode #8 with Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, Instrumental](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2021-08-09-ems-c-level-season-2021-episode-8-with-anna-katrina-shedletsky-instrumental) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [How Reshoring, Sustainability, and Customer Success are Helping Manufacturers Win with Bright Machines' Sean Murray](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2023-03-07-how-reshoring-sustainability-and-customer-success-are-helping-manufacturers-win) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)

## Citing this page

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