On this episode of the MarketScale Engineering & Construction Podcast, Alan Nudi, Director of Sales and Marketing at Ergo Robotic Solutions joined host James Kent for a discussion on Ergo's machines, and how they’re not just for lifting large sheets of glass. These machines can be a builder’s best friend for a lot of different types of materials.

Nudi began the episode with a brief overview of his company, Ergo Robotic Solutions, and what these machines are typically used for, and the types of glass materials they lift. But quickly the conversation shifted to the many other types of materials these customizable machines can lift. From large pieces of curved glass, textured glass, sheet metal, concrete walls, plywood, and sheet rock. Nudi described the various uses for the company's machinery, and how they tackle lifting these materials.

Throughout the discussion, Nudi provided examples of building situations where these machines can make the impossible possible and save time which lowers constructions costs. One item people may be surprised to learn these machines can lift, are large pieces of rigid construction foam. This material can be cumbersome to lift, yet Ergo's machines make it easy. One person can operate the machine and lift huge piles of foam, instead of several people manually doing it.

While the majority of these lifting scenarios involve the suction aspects of ergo robotic machines, Nudi explained that the customizable nature of the machines have allowed builders to use them for lifting projects that required different ways of handling the material. An example Nudi mentioned was a project in California that required the lifting of a 3,000 lb piece of curved glass that was 27ft wide. Special brackets were installed on the machine to help lift it.

Due to the customizable nature of these machines, Nudi said many machines are built to order, to handle the specific building needs and challenges of the client.

“Every job has something unique to it,” said Nudi.

With these Ergo Robotic Solutions available to do things that were cumbersome, expensive, or impossible to do in the past, architects have more freedom to make their artistic visions come true.

The fear for many when it comes to robots and automation is losing the human touch and expertise that comes with years of experience. One company has managed to take the expertise of human hands and seamlessly transfer that to robotics.

LestaUSA's new Finishing Robots are programmed using the movements and actions of leading human painters and finishers. It then takes those programmed actions and perfectly repeats them time after time, allowing businesses to scale their operations without losing the effectiveness of an expert painter.

"This allows manufacturers to keep the talent they have," said LestaUSA President Derek Degeest. He also explained that this helps extend the careers of many painters because it reduces the wear and tear that the job can have on the body.

It takes multiple companies to make robot automation come to life in metal forming, fabricating, welding or finishing. At Fabtech 2019, Dan Allford  of Arc Specialties provided a picture of why collaboration and cooperation between companies in different segments of the industry is so important.

"People that come to this show typically come with a problem to solve," Allford said. He went on to explain the role of a robot integrator in the process of creating a robot for a specific purpose.

"A robot integrator takes that robot arm and then adds the tooling, adds the software, and also adds the tooling to hold the part," he said. "As you can see on this Fanuc robot, Fanuc built the robot, we added the seventh axis, we wrote the software. So we work very closely with our partners."

Shows like Fabtech allow companies to stay up to date with what their partners have developed and find new ways to collaborate on putting these creations into practice.

Matt Gresens, Sr. District Manager at FANUC America Corporation, joined MarketScale at Fabtech 2019 to talk about why the show is valuable for robotic integrators.

"We're always making sure we have the best robots out there in the world that have the best options available to make a project successful," Gressens said.

He explained how shows like Fabtech help companies connect and solve problems together, building symbiotic business relationships that move the industry forward.

The distance between perception and reality is farther apart than you think. That's especially true when it comes to management's perception of how employees feel. An anecdotal smile on the way out the door, hearing laughter among your crew... those don't dig into how your employees' job satisfaction, burnout level, or propensity to walk out on the job.

Today on the MarketScale Engineering & Construction Podcast, host Shelby Skrhak sat down with Joe Freud, retired operations manager at Marvin Windows and Doors, and Marco Juarez, a workplace safety and culture expert for Coleman Consulting Group to discuss how shift schedule changes and active listening helped improve productivity and employee satisfaction at Marvin.

When Juarez met Freud, Marvin was running the plant with two weeks on day shift and two weeks on night shift, working six days a week with no predictable time off for vacation. The company was losing employees to burnout and better hours at other companies, and for those who stayed, employees had significant hardship with the demanding schedule.

When Marvin signed on with Coleman Consulting Group to help make things more efficient, Freud saw the impact immediately.

"Throughout your lifetime, you have an opportunity to add value to businesses, but nothing like this had ever crossed my path. To make this much change in an organization and make this much change in the lifestyles of people that work there was incredible," he said.

Construct AEC Education and Expo recently concluded its 2019 event in National Harbor, Maryland after four days of learning and networking. Architects, designers, and construction professionals all had the opportunity to discuss the latest trends in their specific sectors, and the concerns they have as well.

Specifications have always been something architects have had to wrestle with and stay on top of for each individual project. Specs are different from state to state and due to their detail and scope they can be difficult to digest even for experienced professionals.

Paul Doherty, CEO of the Digit Group, and Mark Dorsey, CEO of Construction Specifications Institute (CSI), both work with AEC professionals to help assist with best practices and educate them on the latest technology driving the industry forward.
“That’s really what we’re here for, is for the betterment of the industry, helping people perform at a higher level and enabling them to bring their projects in on time, on budget and successfully for the benefit of society and their ownership,” Dorsey said.

Dorsey addressed CSI members in the organization’s Annual Business Meeting and General Session.
Doherty also led an educational session at the event titled Five Disruptive Technologies that will Change Specifications Forever.

The two sat down at Construct AEC Education and Expo to discuss the changing specification landscape and how professionals in the field can better position themselves for success with specifications.

PVC piping, vent ducting, vinyl fabric, and safety flags: These common everyday products are all around us, but rarely do we think of where they came from, how they were made, and how important they are to daily life. In this episode of The Marking Minute by Presco, we explore the many uses of polymer products and where the industry is innovating with the VP of New Business Development at Presco, John Yianitsas.

“Polymer is really the chemistry that we use,” Yianitsas said simply.

At Presco Polymers, this chemistry creates PVC, vinyl, and flexible vinyl that can be used in a wealth of industries.

“A big part of what we do if you go to any kind of convention or expo you’ll see drapes or table skirts,” Yianitsas said.

He has his eye on innovation for the company, keeping a lookout for where vinyl can disrupt the market.

“We know our vinyl is printable…” Yianitsas said, but as printing technology advances, “I’m really looking to expand and how can we get into these markets that we’ve really never explored.”

Presco products, most importantly, are unique and customized for each task or project at hand.

“Everything we do is specialized and is tailor-made for their requirements and I think that’s where we set ourselves apart,” Yianitsas said.

By listening carefully to the customer's needs, Presco hones in on a specific issue and improves upon the chemistry of their products to deliver customized solutions.

Flintco has been a leader in construction management for 110 years, working on impactful civic projects big and small. In order to keep this long record of service and expertise, Flintco seeks smart and innovative employees to join the team.

On this jobcast episode of Flintco Forward we explore the open role of Project Manager at Flintco and what this job entails. Flintco employees Tony DeStefano, VP of Human Resources, and Cole Butcher, Flintco Senior Project Manager, join the conversation to talk about what a project manager is, and what they can do at Flintco.

Based in Memphis, Tennessee the role of Project Manager is a full-time job requiring five to six years of experience in the field of construction and/or a Bachelors in Construction or Engineering. Butcher lists the benefits of being based in a growing city like Memphis, among them Memphis’ mouth-watering dry rub BBQ.

“There’s big things on the horizon for the city. So that’s exciting to see and also be a part of," Butcher said.

DeStefano elaborates on what Flintco is looking for in a project manager.

“As we evolve and take on bigger projects, the role that we’re looking for...is gonna’ be committed to helping us execute projects that are gonna’ have a significant impact on the community," he said.

Emphasizing community above all, DeStefano said the Project Manager will work on “cornerstone pieces,” that make a difference in the city, “whether it’s healthcare, higher education, or just corporate office space...”

Flintco emphasizes that they are looking for a “hands on” leader.

“We want people who challenge the way we do things to find the best solution,” DeStefano said. With plenty of opportunity for rising up in the ranks, the project manager role at Flintco is just the start of a flourishing career for a critical thinker and strong leader.

If you'd like to apply for this position of Project Manager, click here.

The American dream has long been to own a home with a white picket fence, but the last decade might show that times, and preferences are changing.

From 2010-2019 new apartment unit deliveries totaled 2.34 million, according to data from Yardi Matrix, a commercial real estate data and research firm.

Areas where jobs are created are largely responsible for the increase in new apartments, but other factors are at play says Yardi Senior Research Analyst Tara Jeffcoat. Young people have never been strangers to college but Jeffcoat said there are more millennials staying in apartments as they delay more expensive life milestones due to burdens like student debt.

However, boomers have also turned to apartments for fewer maintenance concerns and increased access to local amenities.

“This is a growing cohort that is doing it not because they have to, but because they want to. They are really driving that discretionary renter segment,” Jeffcoat said.

Apartment deliveries have mirrored the economic expansion since 2010, reaching a peak in 2017 with 331,000 new units. The number has declined in each of the last two years, but Jeffcoat is not ringing any alarm bells.

“I don’t think it’s significant yet,” Jeffcoat said. “I think we would need to see a much sharper decline or slope of the decline before really getting worried.”

As unemployment has decreased and highly skilled labor has become more in-demand, costs of construction have risen, causing a slowdown.

Car doors, boats, pools, aerospace equipment...What do all of these products have in common?—They’re all made of thermosets. However, both thermoset products and thermoset tools were often limited in their production speed and efficiency due to their manufacturing method.

On today’s Engineering & Construction Podcast we explored thermosets, what they are, how they are made, modern-day uses, and the manufacturing process. Joining us on the podcast to unpack the industry of thermosets are Magnum Venus Products experts Mike Kastura, Senior Product Manager, and Hannah Jay, Jr. Marketing Manager.

Thermosets, thermoplastics? What is the difference? Mike and Hannah carefully explain the crucial difference between the composites, and why thermosets make a stronger, more durable product. But, thermosets have lagged behind thermoplastics in their ability to be scaled up in production. This is where Magnum Venus Products has upset the status quo and created something the industry didn’t even know it needed.

“We as consumers don’t know what we want," Kastura said, quoting the famous Henry Ford—“‘If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.’”

Having a way to efficiently and economically produce thermosets can be incredibly useful to a variety of industries. And, as Jay chimed in, there is “substantial energy savings in thermoset processing.”

Magnum Venus Products is changing the narrative of the benefits of thermosets vs additive manufacturing by bring Reactive Additive Manufacturing to life, which will finally allow for the 3D printing of thermoset materials.

“Industry is demanding more efficient solutions,” Jay said. On this podcast we discovered how Magnum Venus Products is leading innovation and altering expectations in the field of temperature tolerant compounds.