Advanced Manufacturing Now

Today's industrial workforce has been underserved by technology. This is a paradox given that five decades of industrialization have been focused on scaling production using machines. All industrial managers are familiar with lean, a way of thinking (and acting) that focuses on eliminating waste and streamlining processes to save time, space, materials, and money. For years now, we have sought to achieve this through machine efficiency. However, that has not worked so well, because machines don't (yet) innovate and are not at the center of the production process. In addition, manufacturing is still full of paper-based processes, and even if companies are investing in expensive machines and even robots, in many cases their workers are not communicating optimally electronically. Instead, when you empower your frontline workers by giving them easy access to the tools and technology they need to do their jobs, you are investing in their growth, productivity, and loyalty. It's when people thrive that they innovate. Enter: The Augmented Lean Framework, which entails significantly more than lean plus digital. In this podcast, SME Media Senior Editor Steve Plumb and Trond Undheim, Lead Ecosystem Evangelist for Tulip, discuss the concept of Augmented Lean, and how we chart a new management framework for the important challenge of moving from industrial automation to worker augmentation. Trond's most recent book is Augmented Lean: A Human-Centric Framework for Managing Frontline Operations, co-authored with Tulip CEO Natan Linder.

When it comes to digital transformation, SMBs need to go from reactive to proactive. In this podcast, Mustafa Ozturk, COO of ProManage, outlines three easy steps SMBs can take for successful digital transformation, where the right enterprise-grade tools can give small and nimble manufacturers a competitive advantage.

In this podcast, Greg Farrar, Head of R&D and Plant Manager at CpK Interior Products and Graham Synott, Process Engineer – IT Systems at Linamar, will share their experiences in successfully getting pilot programs off the ground and quickly demonstrating ROI to stakeholders. They will be joined by Praemo's President and COO Paul Boris and Vice President of Strategic Accounts Mike McFarlin to discuss the challenges and opportunities with machine learning in manufacturing.

Foam, rust, skin irritation and odor—these are all potential problems that job shops face from not using and maintaining the right metalworking fluids. In this podcast, Joe Bennick and John Frauenhoffer from Castrol's Industrial business talk with SME Media Senior Editor Steve Plumb about the importance of proper fluid management to boost the efficiency and performance of factory machinery and equipment.

Manufacturers everywhere are looking to improve their operational efficiency and profitability. In this podcast, Rob Longfellow, CTO of Juxtum, shares his perspective on how companies, from small and mid-sized manufacturers to OEMs, can harness accurate, real-time, and actionable data to drive efficiencies, boost the bottom line, and manage the evolving cybersecurity threat landscape.

This special Voices AMplified podcast features guest host John Barnes, CEO and founder of Barnes Global Advisors Group and Metal Powderworks. In addition, he is the vice-chair of SME's AM Technical Leadership Committee. Barnes talks with championship race car driver Brad Keselowski, owner of Keselowski Advanced Manufacturing, about how he got involved with additive manufacturing and the potential—and challenges—for the technology.

Analysts at Gartner predict that organizations that employ "composable" software tools will outpace competition by 80% in the speed of new initiative implementation by 2023. In this podcast, SME Media Senior Editor Steve Plumb and Russ Waddell, Community Lead for Tulip, discuss how manufacturers are using composability systems to empower workers and achieve quantifiable results.

Staying cool on the plant floor can be challenging—but it doesn't have to be. In this podcast, SME Media Senior Editor Steve Plumb and Alex Risen, marketing manager for Big Ass Fans, discuss how manufacturers can optimize the use of industrial fans to improve operating efficiencies while creating a more comfortable environment for workers.

Flexible manufacturing offers a way to future-proof production operations. In this podcast, Paolo Avagliano, senior vice president of delivery and customer success at Bright Machines, shares his perspective on how to adapt to changing consumer demands and withstand unexpected market shifts with a full-stack, automated assembly solution.

IIoT (The Industrial Internet of Things) was a popular catchphrase five years ago, but is it still "a thing" today? In this podcast, SME Media Senior Editor Steve Plumb and Dave Eifert, a senior business development manager for Phoenix Contact, explore the latest advances in IIoT, digitalization, Industry 4.0, and other smart technologies.

Some 97% of manufacturers reported suffering delays or errors due to the lack of collaboration and poor documentation related to new products according to a recent survey. In this podcast, Pat Hume, CEO of Canvas GFX, and SME Media Senior Editor Steve Plumb discuss the growing problem of "Product Communication Disorder," and how to prevent it.

Industry 4.0 uses a host of new technologies to optimize manufacturing efficiency. In this podcast, SME Media Senior Editor Steve Plumb talks with Per Treven, director of business development-manufacturing for Ericsson, about how advanced 5G networks and "limitless" connectivity enable next-generation systems and maximize ROI.

Manufacturers are beginning to use mixed-reality technology for everything from training and remote inspections to aiding complex assembly, repair and maintenance, safety, and quality assurance. In this podcast, Yan Simard, CEO of Kognitiv Spark, and SME Media Senior Editor Steve Plumb discuss the various applications and benefits of the emerging technology.

In this podcast, SME contributing Editor Michael Anderson talks with Rein Torm, co-founder and CTO of Fractory, a decentralized "online manufacturing service" that offers instant price quotes and pairs customers with an optimal supplier. Rein discusses the need for the service, how it got started and the company's recent expansion from Europe to North America.

Business in Tampa Bay is booming. In this podcast, Steve Morey, senior vice president of the economic development for the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council, and Jamie Harden, president and CEO of Creative Sign Designs, share their insights with SME Media senior editor Steve Plumb about the region's resources and opportunities for creating and sustaining successful manufacturing operations in the heart of the Sunshine State.

In this podcast, Kevin Jones, CEO of Ectobox, talks to SME Media contributing editor Michael Anderson about what manufacturers need to know about getting started with data collection and analytics. "Smart manufacturing" is still a nebulous concept for many suppliers, all of whom need to keep a sharp eye on their bottom line. In this discussion, Kevin Jones shares some of their most common questions and concerns—and offers useful, accessible answers.

In this episode, SME Senior Editor Bruce Morey sat down with Ande Hazard, VP of Manufacturing Solutions at AT&T Business to discuss how manufacturing is poised to begin experiencing significant benefits from 5G and how 5G will spur manufacturing of the future.

In this podcast, John Derry, senior application engineer at Promess, talks to SME Media contributing editor Michael Anderson about reducing complexity in assembly equipment. Derry discusses how assembly systems may become unnecessarily complex--and how that complexity can reduce quality and increase costs. Derry goes on to describe effective ways of addressing these issues and to reduce and even eliminate unnecessary complexity.

This special Voices AMplified podcast features guest host Bryan Crutchfield, vice-president and general manager at Materialise and an advisor for SME's AM Technical Community Leadership Committee, and Andy Christensen, adjunct faculty in the radiology department at the University of Cincinnati, as well as the 2022 chair of the Radiological Society of North America's 3D Printing Special Interest Group for Medical Devices, a Fellow of the SME and AMUG, and recipient of SME's AM Achievement Award in 2009. Crutchfield and Christensen discuss in-depth the promise and challenges AM for medical.

This special Voices AMplified podcast features guest host John Barnes, CEO and founder of Barnes Global Advisors Group and Metal Powderworks. In addition, he is the vice-chair of SME's AM Technical Leadership Committee. Barnes talks with Jon Meyer, CEO of APWorks, about their personal experiences in the growth and future of additive manufacturing.

This special Voices AMplified podcast features guest host Bryan Crutchfield, vice-president and general manager at Materialise and an advisor for SME's AM Technical Community Leadership Committee, and Fried Vancraen, founder and CEO of Materialise. Bryan and Fried explore the beginnings of Materialise and some of the decisions—good and bad—that have led to the success of the company today.

This special Voices AMplified podcast features guest host Bryan Crutchfield, vice-president and general manager at Materialise and an advisor for SME's AM Technical Community Leadership Committee, and industry legend Greg Morris. Bryan and Greg discuss the emergence of metal AM, predict how it will evolve into the future and what potential impact it might have on your business. Exploring how AM is an important, emerging technology but that it doesn't and sometimes cannot cost effectively replace traditional manufacturing.

In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses with Greg McHale of Datanomix about what he views as the Fatal Flaws of First Generation Monitoring Systems. This podcast is sponsored by our guest.

In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses with Mike Harris of Acieta how the myth of robots "stealing" jobs is not true, but how robots can actually help manufacturers retain their employees.

In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses some of the issues faced by mid-market manufacturing firms when it comes to securing the talent they need. While the COVID pandemic has highlighted many problems, others existed before the pandemic and are still a problem that need addressing.

In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses some of the core concepts around successful milling with Chuck Somerville of Ceratizit.

In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses how best to implement cobots in your machining or manufacturing environment with Jason McCurdy, the Vice President of Automation and Applications for Phillips Corporation.

The role of engineers needs to evolve as new tools in data analysis becomes available to them to solve the more challenging problems of today. Big data analysis, the set of mathematical tools for analyzing problems called Artificial Intelligence, and the growing ability to capture more data easily and cheaply means today's engineers need to evolve.

Additive manufacturing is evolving rapidly, and some might say we should be expecting a "next wave" in manufacturing driven by this evolution. This will impact the industry, but how? In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses this Desktop Metal's CTO Jonah Myerberg.

In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses AI in manufacturing with Bobby Uhlenbrock VP of Product for Xometry.

In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses with guests Jush Danielson and Bindu Sundaresan of AT&T how manufacturers are investing in digital technologies like IoT and 5G to gain visibility into their operations, improve efficiencies in their processes and enable new revenue opportunities. However, these digital transformation initiatives expand the attack surface and risk for a breach in their network. A sound cybersecurity strategy is important to help protect critical infrastructure.

In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses how data is best analyzed and manipulated to achieve smarter, if not smart, manufacturing.

In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses with Jason Spera, CEO for Aegis Software how to make Manufacturing 4.0 a reality in your company.

In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses Techniques for Problem Solving for Engineers with Melisa Buie Corporate Director for Operational Excellence at Coherent. Melisa describes her work in simple terms: she makes lasers and solves problems. Today we'll hear how she tackles complex engineering and business problems as the Corporate Director for Operational Excellence at Coherent. Melisa is also the author of Problem Solving for New Engineers.

In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses with Jeff Huerta, VP of Sales at Vecna Robotics about how to deal with difficulties with hiring and high staff turnover rates. These are two of the top problems manufacturing facilities are facing today. To effectively address these challenges, leading facilities are increasingly turning to self-driving equipment like Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) to extend the staff they already have and increase growth opportunity.

In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses with Glenn Nausley of Promess how four intersecting trends in Manufacturing are changing the role of the technology supplier and how technology suppliers need to respond.

In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses how companies can order up to thousands of metal parts from additive manufacturing using Xometry's online ordering service. Joining on the podcast is Greg Paulsen, Director of Application Engineering from Xometry and Rick Lucas, CTO from ExOne.

In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses with Bryan Stusak – National Product Manager – Milling Tooling for small CNC's

In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses with Clay East of Iscar some innovative tooling the company has developed for swiss turn machines.

In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses the challenges of running a manufacturing company with Guest Karla Trotman, CEO of Electro Soft, Inc. Challenges she and her company has successfully navigated is not only COVID, but also the challenges of taking on a company her father founded, finding skilled talent and diversity, equity, and inclusion in a time when these issues are becoming more important.

In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses how a new company is changing the paradigm in delivering prosthetics, especially pediatric patients. Easton LaChappelle, founder and CEO of Unlimited Tomorrow discusses how advances in 3D printing and software design tools from Siemens NX allowed him to offer mass customization affordably, and speedily.

Integrate lasers onto PICs? Use silicon to make PICs? Co-package optics with electronics? This institute is tackling it all. Listen to the story from our June 2021 Smart Manufacturing magazine issue.

In this podcast, Scott Walker chairman of Mitsui Seki USA and Bruce Morey Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering magazine discuss the most important technical trend affecting machining and manufacturing today—the rapid advance of computing.

Military, government, and civil protection agencies across the globe are investigating and adopting additive manufacturing for a wide range of applications and use cases. Forecast 3D has worked with countless defense contractors around the country and is positioned to assist engineers, designers, and procurement teams in navigating the next generation of industrialization. In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses additive manufacturing with Guest John Sutterfield, Director of Project Management for Forecast 3D.

In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discusses how the pandemic may, or may not, change manufacturing in the future. He is joined by guest Russ Fadel, CEO & Co-Founder at Augmentir.

Additive manufacturing is growing rapidly, as are the digital tools that are used to manage the AM production process. In this episode, Alan Rooks, Editor in Chief of Manufacturing Engineering magazine, talks with Mathieu Pérennou, Global Business Development Director, Additive Manufacturing for Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, about design and engineering software solutions for metal and polymer AM; solutions for post-processing operations; metrology solutions in AM; and all of how these solutions tie together.

Listen to this Smart Manufacturing magazine cover story: 25 leaders transforming manufacturing.

Vision systems offer new ways to measure and inspect parts. In this episode, Alan Rooks, Editor in Chief of Manufacturing Engineering magazine talks with Brad Bartmess, Sales Director—Vision Group for Nikon Metrology about key features that video measuring systems offer; the differences between a vision system and a multi-sensor vision system; various sensors that can be added to a vision system or a traditional CMM; key capabilities that a video measuring system can achieve that a traditional CMM cannot; and what applications and industries are the most appropriate for vision systems.