Factory operations & automation
Manufacturing & supply chain
123 episodes across 19 shows cover factory operations & automation. The shows that cover it most are EMS@C-LEVEL, Lights Out and Shop Talk Live. The most recent, from 25 Sept 2026, is “The $5 Automation Project Hiding in Your Shop | Ep. 50” from Lights Out.
Running a factory: operations, ERP/MES, digital transformation, industrial automation, maintenance, lean and continuous improvement.
123 episodes from 19 shows, most relevant and most recent first.
123 episodes
BONUS: Factory Orchestration: The Next Frontier of Manufacturing Operations with Harmoni Co-Founder David Caputo
David Caputo, Co-Founder of Harmoni, explains how his experience acquiring four aerospace and defense manufacturers revealed critical inefficiencies, such as $18,000 in scrap from wrong work instructions and lost tribal knowledge when a…
Bringing Lean Manufacturing to Life Through Visual Workspaces w/ Steve Riley
Steve Riley, COO of Bespoke Tool Traces, explains why 70% of lean initiatives fail due to a lack of sustaining steps and production pressure, advocating for visual workspaces as a solution. He details how Bespoke uses digital workflows to…
Getting Out of Break-Fix Mode: Using Maintenance Data for Better Manufacturing Decisions w/ Paul Ross
Paul Ross, CMO of Limble, discusses findings from Limble’s 2026 Maintenance Benchmark Report, revealing that 72-78% of manufacturers remain in a reactive 'break-fix' mode due to poor data quality. He explains that only 20% of organizations…
The Connected Factory Floor: L2L and Data Management
Eric Whitley, Director of Industrial Transformation at L2L, explains how their connected workforce platform bridges the gap between enterprise ERP systems and shop-floor PLC data to provide real-time visibility into manufacturing…
Lights Out Intro
This is the introductory episode of the 'Lights Out' podcast, hosted by Nick Golner and Jason Zanger. The hosts outline the show's focus on automating machine shops through robotics, pallet systems, and machine monitoring to enable…
Where it comes up0:01
205 - Why Less Than 20% of Companies Have Started Quality 4.0
Larry Mager, Founder of MGMT-CTRL, explains why fewer than 20% of companies have started Quality 4.0 despite 63% believing it will transform operations. He introduces his Quantum Quality Management (QQM) framework, a five-phase roadmap…
When and How to Implement a Warehouse Management System w/ Casey Winans
Casey Winans, CEO of Fullstride, explains that implementing a Warehouse Management System (WMS) requires prioritizing business clarity and process documentation over technology selection. He warns against the 'demo doom loop' and common…
From ROI to Reality — Measuring Success After You Automate, Ep #32
Hosts David Buick and Eric Nekich discuss how machine shop owners can validate the performance of automation systems post-implementation, focusing on measuring ROI through specific KPIs rather than just labor savings. They emphasize…
S7E9 Brad & Aaron | Top 5 Takeaways After Interviewing Over 300 Engineers
Aaron Moncur and Brad Hirayama of Pipeline Design & Engineering distill five key career lessons from over 300 podcast interviews, emphasizing that understanding business context and developing soft skills are more critical for advancement…
The 20-Hour Machine: Automation, Throughput & Smarter Capacity Planning, Ep #42
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…
How Lean, Industry 4.0, and Supply Chain are Interconnected with Antonio Hill
Antonio Hill, Head of Manufacturing Digital Solutions at Stanley Black & Decker, discusses the intersection of lean manufacturing, Industry 4.0, and global supply chain management. He explains how digital transformation must be built on a…
Exploring Mycronic's Bold Innovations and Global Strategies with Clemens Jargon
Clemens Jargon, Senior VP High Flex at Mycronic AB, discusses the company's comprehensive portfolio of SMT solutions, including jet printing, screen printing, SPI, and material handling systems. He highlights the new A40 pick-and-place…
138 - Operations vs. Quality, KPI's, Management Controls, Process Improvement, Balancing Capability/Capacity and Improvement Culture with Larry Mager
Larry Mager, founder of Mgmt-Ctrl and PQMCoach.com, argues that quality management must be integrated into operational business frameworks rather than isolated in compliance silos. He details a top-down management control approach using…
S7E29 Heylands Lowry| Building an Engineering Culture of Continuous Improvement
Heylands Lowry, a Lean Master Black Belt who has held leadership roles at Intuitive, Edwards Lifesciences, and Panasonic Avionics, discusses building engineering cultures of continuous improvement. He explains how Lean principles remove…
BONUS - What's the SCOOP - 2022 Trends with Cogiscan's Michael Ho
Michael Ho, Director of Business Development at Cogiscan (recently acquired by Dürr Group/iTAC Software AG), discusses the acceleration of factory digitalization in the electronics manufacturing industry. He explains how the pandemic…
Focusing on the Constraint to Drive Meaningful Results
Pavel Kuviarzin, a Business Growth Expert at Future State Engineering, explains how manufacturers often fail to improve productivity by focusing on efficiency in non-constraint areas rather than identifying and optimizing the system's…
S7E30 Steve Riley | Small Improvements, Big ROI: Lessons from the Factory Floor
Steve Riley, Chief Organization Officer at Bespoke, discusses how to sustain continuous improvement (CI) and 5S practices in manufacturing environments. He explains Bespoke’s digital process for creating custom shadow boards from photos…
Finding the Root Causes of Success Rather Than Failure w/ George Pesansky
George Pesansky, founder of My Blended Learning and co-founder of Capacity to Care, discusses his approach to operational excellence in his upcoming book, 'Super Performance'. He argues that manufacturers should focus on the root causes of…
Inside The Push For Smarter, Faster PCB Manufacturing In Europe with Adeon Technologies' André Bodegom
André Bodegom of Adeon Technologies discusses the shift in European PCB manufacturing from survival to smart growth, highlighting a new plant opening in Lithuania and expansions by major players. He explains how high-mix, low-volume…
What Manufacturers Truly Need From an MES System w/ Graham Immerman
Graham Immerman, Chief Revenue Officer at Machine Metrics, discusses the evolution of manufacturing software from simple machine monitoring to comprehensive Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES). He explains that while manufacturers often…
242. Mouser’s Matt Bell & The Next Generation of Automated Warehouses
Matt Bell, Vice President of Outbound Operations at Mouser Electronics, explains how the company scaled its 115,000-square-foot warehouse to ship 20,000–25,000 orders daily using a mix of automation and human-centric design. He details the…
152: Three Main Problems When Scaling a Hardware Startup
Brad Pedersen, co-founder of Pila and creator of the Lomi smart waste appliance, shares lessons from his 27-year career in hardware, including a previous failed toy business. He identifies people, systems, and cash as the three critical…
The $5 Automation Project Hiding in Your Shop | Ep. 50
Uriel Eisen, founder of Arda and Austere Manufacturing, explains how he doubled throughput in his 325-square-foot shop by implementing Kanban and lean principles rather than buying robots. He details the transition from index cards to his…
The Future of Manufacturing with Koh Young and Cogiscan: How Collaboration and Data Integration Create Competitive Advantage
Julie Cliche-Dubois of Cogiscan and Ivan of Koh Young discuss their collaboration to integrate inspection data with broader manufacturing systems. They explain how using the CFX standard allows Cogiscan to connect Koh Young’s equipment…
Zero Setup Time: Inside Norbert Kempf CNC-Technik GmbH's 23-Machine Automated Shop | Ep. 49
Stefan Kempf, owner of Norbert Kempf CNC-Technik, explains how he transformed his father's 1970 turning shop into a 23-machine automated facility with zero setup time and over 90% utilization. Risto Niemi of Fastems and Yanick Müller of…
281: How AI-Powered Predictive Maintenance Enhances Operational Reliability with Colin Morris of MaintainX
Colin Morris, Senior Director of Solution Consulting at MaintainX, explains that while many manufacturers have data, it is often unstructured and siloed, creating a barrier to effective AI-driven predictive maintenance. He argues that…
Combating the Decline of Productivity in American Manufacturing w/ John Abplanalp
John Abplanalp, President of Tight Lines Advisors and former CEO of Precision Valve Corporation, argues that US manufacturing productivity is at a 75-year low, driven by rising labor and material costs and a historical shift away from…
S7E10 Daniel Gledhill | How to Win at People-Centered Leadership in Engineering Teams
Daniel Gledhill, a senior engineering leader at Edwards Lifesciences, discusses his transition from heavy industry at Rio Tinto to medical device manufacturing, focusing on transcatheter heart valve delivery systems. He explains how his…
Lights Out Lenses: Engineering, Quality & the Leadership Behind Automation (Part 2), Ep #41
Forrest Vaught, Director of Engineering & Programming at Advanced Machine & Fabricating, explains how standardization of tooling, fixturing, and programs is critical for successful automation in high-mix, low-volume environments. He…
S6E52 Rob Donley | Kaizen, Communication, & the Design Squiggle
Rob Donley, a project manager at Terumo with extensive experience in medical device engineering, discusses the importance of practical education, Kaizen process improvement, and effective communication. He details how his background at the…
Electronica 24: Harnessing AI for Digital Transformation in Electronics and Semiconductors
Augusto Vilarinho from Critical Manufacturing explains that achieving a digital dividend in electronics and semiconductors requires a holistic integration of execution, connectivity, and data analysis rather than siloed investments. He…
How Production-First Leadership Transforms Manufacturing Success at ALL Circuits Guadalajara
Oscar, who leads engineering and production at ALL Circuits Guadalajara, explains how shifting to a production-first mindset transformed the facility's operations and talent strategy. He details their approach to recruiting and retaining…
S6E34 John Lembke | Best Practices for Hiring Engineers
John Lembke, a manufacturing engineering manager at Scythe Robotics and formerly at Phantom Auto, Seagate, and GE, discusses best practices for hiring engineering teams, emphasizing the use of skill histograms and targeted job descriptions…
Modernizing the Traditional Manufacturing Facility w/ Chris Stevens
Chris Stevens, Senior Vice President of Automation for Siemens Digital Industries, explains how manufacturers can modernize facilities by starting with business problems rather than technology. He distinguishes between Brownfield…
438: It Feels Like a Big Boy Saw
Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss their current projects and the social dynamics of interacting with fans at maker events. David Picciuto details the engineering challenges of building a tapered wooden bucket…
Coached—Not Just Monitored: How the Best Shops Turn Data into Action, Ep #26
Hosts Nick Goellner and David Buick of MakingChips discuss the transition from monitored to coached manufacturing shops, emphasizing that data must drive action. They define OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) as availability…
Why Connecting Machines And Companies Unlocks Real Factory Value with Koh Young's Michael Zahn and Joel Scutchfield
Michael Zahn of Koh Young Europe and Joel Scutchfield of Koh Young America discuss market recovery and the shift from raw data to actionable AI insights in electronics manufacturing. They highlight how midsize EMS firms and private…
The Automation Trap: Saving a Shop with Systems, Not Spindles, Ep #21
Hosts Nick Golner, Caleb Mertz, and David Buick narrate the second part of Iron Clunk’s lean transformation, where investor Klaus invests in the shop and brings in Tim Woods and Sarah from Lean Stream to diagnose operational chaos. The…
507: Jimmy is the Weird Uncle
Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss the challenges of winter on their physical projects, including Jimmy's stalled pool house roof installation due to snow and David's complex slatted wall stair railing build using…
Don't Automate Chaos: Running Lights Out with Sarah Wierman of Fastems, Ep #45
Sarah Wierman of Fastems explains why automation is driven by labor shortages and retirements rather than just replacing people, and why shops must standardize processes before automating. She describes Fastems as a production…
221: "Building America" from the Heartland Featuring Nucor Vulcraft
Chris Luecke interviews Nucor Vulcraft Mechanical Engineer Jayden Prauner and Detailing Center Lead Gaby Pena about the company's role in Norfolk, Nebraska, and its commitment to safety and community. They discuss Vulcraft's history as a…
Unlocking The Power of Data in Manufacturing with Critical Manufacturing's Michaela Wagner
Michaela Wagner, Sales Manager for SMT at Critical Manufacturing (an MES sector of ASMPT), discusses the company's integration and data strategy five years after its acquisition. She explains how Critical Manufacturing uses an integrated…
S7E7 Mike Romance | Industry 4.0, Production Transfers, & People-Centric Leadership
Mike Romance, an operations and quality leader with experience at Quantum-Si, Illumina, and Dexcom, discusses scaling life sciences manufacturing from early development to high-volume production. He emphasizes the importance of proactive…
Revolutionizing Supply Chain Management through Digital Transformation with KATEK Group CTRO Petra Becker
Petra Becker, CTRO of KATEK Group (referred to as Cat-Tec in the transcript), explains how the company achieved a 30 million inventory reduction (approx. 50%) and reduced days inventory outstanding to below 110 days through digital…
211: How Vertical Integration Helps Kwik Trip Achieve Manufacturing Excellence with Paul Blank and Scott Schiebel
Paul Blank, Director of Operations, and Scott Schiebel, Automation Manager, explain how Kwik Trip’s vertical integration model—spanning five food production facilities, distribution, and trucking—allows them to control pricing, quality…
You Don't Have a Capacity Problem — You Have a Visibility Problem, Ep #44
Brian Anderson, Solutions Architect at ProShop ERP, explains that machine shops often mistake visibility problems for capacity issues, leading to misguided investments in staff or equipment. He details how ProShop ERP provides end-to-end…
Exploring the Electronics Supply Chain: Challenges, Solutions, and Future Trends with BMK Group's Michael Knöferle
Michael Knöferle, CEO of BMK Group, discusses the company's strategy for navigating the electronics supply chain crisis through collaboration and digital visibility. He explains how BMK manages record-level inventory and diverse customer…
Where it comes up9:25
Cameron Schiller (CEO/Founder, Rangeview)
Cameron Schiller, Founder and CEO of Rangeview, explains how his background in competitive VEX robotics and a formative, unsettling stint in Chinese factories led him to build an automated investment casting foundry in America. He details…
How to Prioritize Flexibility when You Invest in Automation, Ep #4
Tom Schroeder, Executive Vice President at PBC Linear, explains how the company replaced an aging Hitachi Seiki flexible manufacturing system (FMS) with a new MCM system to prioritize flexibility and solve high-mix, low-volume production…
The Automation Adoption Boom: Why ROI is the 2026 Metric That Matters, Ep #30
Hosts David Buick and Eric Nekich launch a multi-part series on automation ROI, arguing that shops must quantify return on investment before investing in hardware. They emphasize that automation cannot fix unreliable processes…