Mike Cromheecke has quite a story and opens up about his amazing journey through industry.  He began his career at Rockwell and had the opportunity to travel the world supporting some of the most technical problems in industry.  Mike had several great opportunities at Rockwell before he founded Steamchain.io  As the CEO he is constantly searching for ways to create value for the clients he serves.  He loves focusing on helping others achieve their desired results and creating clarity between everyone involved.

Mike does a great job of describing manufacturing and completely debunks the idea that it's a dirty industry.  He lives in high-tech and advanced world of automation and can speak with authority on how bright the future truly is.  To him engineering is the greatest profession and he's advocating that it gets the recognition it deserves. 

Mike enjoys doing construction projects outside of work at his home.  He's also a new dad and is loving every minute he gets with his son, Albert.  Mike's learning guitar as well and is trying to add that skillset to his list of talents.  As you hear Mike talk about his journey you'll quickly pick up on his passion.  He's a phenomenal leader and is hands down an amazing hero of industry! 

Guest: Mike Cromheecke, Co-Founder and CEO of SteamChain.io

Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Editor: Andi Thrower

Steamchain.io Website

If you ever get the chance to start up a variable frequency drive (VFD) it could be intimidating.  They are complex devices and with high voltage and current comes risk if you aren't familiar with the technology. Chase Boehlke does a great job explaining what you should know if you are ever in this position.  He breaks down how to start this process and why verifying wiring is critical to success.  From power to control to grounding all bases should be covered before applying power. 

Having the right equipment is key to any job and Chase explains the must have items that anyone needs to get through the startup.  From there he explains the basic parameters that must be known to begin the process of commissioning and reviews the process tuning that can be an area that trips people up.  Chase also covers what steps should be taken whenever a motor has to be changed out that is on a VFD.  Re-tuning the drive to the new motor is critical and ensures the system is set up for maximum efficiency and reliability. 

Chase also covers common faults that may be seen by those working with VFD's and what to do when they occur.  Faults are opportunities to learn and he sheds tons of light on areas to consider when walking through the troubleshooting.  This episode is full of practical advice that can help anyone advance in their core skillset around VFD technology. 

Guest: Chase Boehlke - Motion Controls Specialist at Siemens

Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Audio/Video Editor: Andi Thrower

Resource:
What to consider with a VFD startup - EECO Inspire Blog 

Find your passion and make it your purpose! That's Tim Wilborne's advice to those that want to make an impact in the world.  In this hero conversation Tim walks us through his amazing journey from working in his dads machine shop to now owning one of the most successful UL 508A shops in the country. Tim is quick to point out that his path wasn't always easy.  When he and his wife Amber decided to start TW Controls they both walked away from their steady jobs and went all in on their dream.  That's a bold step to take and even more bold since Amber was 7 months pregnant with their first child.  That in itself shows the passion they have for industry. 

Many people know Tim from his work on YouTube and social media.  He focuses on teaching others about automation related topics and has grown their following to over 26K on YouTube alone.  He is intentional about creating consistent, top-notch content and hence the following grows daily.  While this isn't tied to a direct revenue stream he has such a heart for helping others he keeps this a priority and listens to viewer feedback for new ideas.

Tim also shares about his family and how he's challenged his kids with a project to teach them life skills during the pandemic.  That project - restoring a 1947 Plymouth on their own.  For a 12 and 14 year old this is the type of project that will make a huge impact on them as individuals and at the end they'll have a cool finished product to be proud of.

Simply put Tim Wilborne has a passion for life and is helping people find their own passions through the material he is creating.  Both he and Amber have amazing hearts and they both are heroes of industry.  This conversation was fun, exciting and no doubt will bless those that listen to his advice and choose to make their own path! 

Guest: Tim Wilborne - Industrial Sorcerer at TW Controls

Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Audio/Video Editor: Andi Thrower

Resources:

• http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/forumdisplay.php?f=2
• https://www.reddit.com/r/PLC/
• twcontrols.com
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_YccYdH0DBFp2ah0QuJ1lQ
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/twcontrols/

Is your industrial network reliable? Have you considered how it may be affecting your bottom line?  Do you know where to start looking to identify risk areas?  These are very common situations for many manufacturers and in this episode K Sorsenginh walks us through items to consider within the industrial network to improve performance, enhance reliability and consistently move process critical data.  K breaks down the different components that exist in an industrial network and items to consider for improvements.  There are small items that he points out which make a huge impact such as ensure the communication cabling is being routed properly.

K explains the differences in media and breaks down Cat 5, Cat6 and even Cat 7.  Switches and hubs are explained as well and for those in industrial settings going to Best Buy is not the right choice.  All of the items working in concert with each other affect the network performance.  If latency, speed or data loss is affecting your process the first step is evaluating the network from the beginning. 

Finally, K covers fundamental areas of security and explains how a network assessment can be a great way to understand the current layout and potential areas of risk.  This episode is packed full of wisdom and insight that will help anyone wanting to learn more about industrial networks.

Guest: K. Sorsenginh - Solution Architect at Electrical Equipment Company (EECO)

Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Audio/Video Editor: Andi Thrower

Resources:
What to Consider with Industrial Networks - EECO Inspire Blog
Industrial Networks 101 - EECO Inspire Blog
Quick Guide to Network Media - EECO Inspire Blog

From his first job in injection molding to being the Manufacturing Unicorn he is today Ray Ziganto is making a huge impact in industry.  He is a huge advocate for building up the next generation and educating them to the exciting opportunities that exist in manufacturing.  Ray points out the opportunity that exists to start inspiring grade school age kids and their parents about the fabulous careers possible in the manufacturing sector.  The days of dull, dirty and dangerous are over and it is time to start speaking truth about the changing landscape.

Ray loves getting on the shop floor and encourages others to be intentional about getting the truth from those making the direct impact.  He helps manufacturing leaders regularly improve their processes and it usually starts with invaluable time directly on the floor and listening to operations. 

He has a passion for learning, applying and sharing with others.  In this episode he gave so much insight and wisdom that can impact many with their personal journeys.  You'll quickly hear why Ray Ziganto is our HERO!   

Guest: Ray Ziganto - Manufacturing Unicorn at Linara International

Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Audio/Video Editor: Andi Thrower

Resources:

Podcasts
EECO Ask Why
The Happiness Lab
Revisionist History
Akimbo
Making Chips
MFG OutLoud!

Books
Emotional Agility:  Dr. Susan David
Creativity Inc.:  Edwin Catmull
Freedom's Forge:  Arthur Herman
American Icon:  Bryce G. Hoffman
The Fifth Discipline:  Peter Senge

Linara International Website 

Stop selling and start solving problems! It is a simple philosophy that has great returns for those that make the connection.  For Jake Hall, the subject matter experts (SME) that support manufacturing are the ones best positioned to help industry grow in the future.  In this conversation Jake unpacks what a SME is and how that has evolved over time.  The days of knowing part numbers and catalogs are being replaced with experts that understand processes and what end users are trying to accomplish.  End users want to partner with those that understand the headwinds they face and can bring solutions to the table.

Jake also expands the concept of SME's to supporting businesses for manufacturing like distributors.  He advises those business models to focus on the problems they are best suited to address and go at those areas with full force.  Be the expert in your area everywhere your clients are and the rewards will follow.

Finally, Jake gives great advice to the next generation of SME's to begin their journey's on the right foot.  Developing skillsets that bring value to manufacturing can set someone up for a lucrative and fulfilling career.  Imagine no student loan debt, significant cash flow from a new employer because of the skills you developed and security knowing that the value you bring can transfer to many areas in the future.  Sound too good to be true?  That reality exists and Jake shares tons of inspiration and wisdom to start moving forward.

This is an action packed episode and has too many nuggets of gold to miss.  Hats off to the Manufacturing Millennial for knocking this out the park and painting such an impactful path for others to consider.

Guest: Jake Hall
The Manufacturing Millennial and Business Development Manager at Feyen Zylstra

Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Audio/Video Editor: Andi Thrower

Resources:
Feyen Zylstra Website

Mike Rathbun's journey has been absolutely amazing.  What began as a seven year old tearing apart the family TV set on the living room floor led him down a path of electrical engineering that was full of excitement.  Mike served his country in the Navy and credits them for molding him into the man he is today. 

Mike started his own integration company supporting the automotive industry and shares insights he learned while on that journey.  During that time of his life he lead a project where at the time was the largest automated stamping system in the country!  It even made it to How It's Made and hearing about this accomplishment was outstanding. 

For those that think engineers can't have fun Mike completely debunks that myth!  He's an avid golfer and plays courses around Pinehurst regularly.  He also is an extremely talented musician and loves to turn up the amplifiers at his home studio and jam with his son Daniel (who by the way is attending the Citadel and is doing a phenomenal job in his young journey). 

Mike has been a hero at EECO for over 9 years and we are blessed to have him on the team.  His story is inspirational and his passion for industry is second to none.  You'll quickly hear why Mike (aka The Crusher) means so much to us and is our hero!

Mike Rathbun -  Power & Control Solution Architecture Manager at EECO

Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Audio Editor: Andi Thrower

Completing a project successfully takes many groups coming together and overcoming hurdles. Claire Stevens digs into this topic and shares areas she's learned along the way to take projects from the design phase to functionality.

Claire is the Utility Distribution Engineer at NC State University and she's had an amazing opportunity to facilitate complex projects and her real-world experience is something we all can learn from.   Claire expresses the importance of getting feedback from as many people as possible and not overlooking operations for ultimate truth. The amount of time she suggests on design review can not be shortchanged and during that process, she finds potential issues and can mitigate them before they hit production. 

Communication is critical and knowing how to coordinate with others is important. Some people like texts, others email and some would rather have a face-to-face conversation. Building trust with those on a project is vitally important and mastering communication can set you on a path to success. 

Before you begin your next project take the time to listen to Claire's advice. This episode full of wisdom and insight that will elevate any engineer from good to great!

Guest: Claire Stevens - Utility Distribution Engineer at North Carolina State University

Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Audio/Video Editor: Andi Thrower

Solving problems that most people find impossible is what drives Preston Hadley.  He's an industry leader and is on the front lines daily making automation come to life all around him.  From his roots in IT at his families business he fell in love with automation and controls and never looked back.  Preston is taking it upon himself to address the skills gap in industry and his Change a Life Giveaway is one of the most impactful stories you'll hear.  It centered around a drawing where the winner would receive a Siemens S7-1200 starter kit.  The story goes from good to great when he shares that the winner was able to land a job in his desired field within a four week span of taking the prize.  Talk about immediate impact!

Preston has a great distinction between control engineers and control technicians and highlights the many opportunities that exist for the technicians to make their way in the automation world.  His vision for the different paths of success for those in automation are insightful.  His immediate advice was to get on LinkedIn and get active.  Search out mentors and tap into the amazing networks that exist online.

Preston likes to have fun on the water and shares about his project boat that he's restoring.  While on the water he loves having his family along side - especially his daughter Lily.  He's hoping this is the summer where she masters the art of tubing!  You'll quickly hear why Preston is our hero and how he's inspiring so many others to join the exciting world of automation and controls.

Guest: Preston Hadley - President/Controls Specialist at Envision Automation & Controls

Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Audio/Video Editing: Andi Thrower

Additional Resources:
LinkedIn
Envision
The Automation Blog
PLC dojo
Solis PLC

So you've been teaching power safety for years and a pandemic hits....what now?? You make a POWER MOVE that's what and you completely change the game.  Tom Domitrovich did just that and as the VP of Technical sales at Eaton he shared some of the new ways he had to begin thinking and acting to stay in front of those wanting to further their journey's in the electrical industry.  He did this by creating virtual means to be "in front" of those individuals and immediately saw that it was making a huge impact by the number of attendees and feedback from the field. Tom takes this discussion to another level and helps others realize that the material matters when you're trying to grow an online presence like this.  Get your subject matter down first and then begin finding ways to engage others. 

He walks us through how he's built his home studio, the equipment that was crucial to success and software to consider to make the production flawless.  He's quite literally a one man band and it's through his open mind thinking that this style of industrial education is making an impact. 

Tom has a story about how one of his students says he saved his life and the story will have you on the edge of your seat.  Helping others stay safe is a passion for Tom and what a power move he made to keep that level of intensity and intentionality around teaching people around the world about the exciting world of power! 

Guest: Thomas Domitrovich - Vice President of Technical Sales at Eaton

Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Audio/Video Editor: Andi Thrower

Additional Resources:
ThomasDomitrovich.com
YouTube