Imagine a world without connectors… If we didn’t have connectors, technology and products would simply be cool ideas without that all-important functionality we need. In this episode, we speak to two of HARTING Americas’ team about the importance of connectors in manufacturing and engineering processes.

Casey Spitz, the Vice President of Development and Innovation, and Cory Jenkins, Senior Director of Business Development, weigh in on why connectors should be a part of design processes from the very start, rather than left to the end.

Casey and Cory share insights on the technical details of connectors, the trend toward miniaturization, and the evolution of things like Ethernet over the past few years. We also chat about the project management side of engineering, how HARTING balances growth with everyday processes, and how engineers should think about localization. As industry leaders, they have some great actionable advice on leadership, growth, and the importance of team collaboration. We hear what it takes to build an efficient engineering process that welcomes new ideas to boost innovation.

In this episode, find out:

• What are connectors and why are they so important for engineers
• Why Europe appears to be ahead in the connectors world compared to North America
• How Ethernet has evolved and the lessons we can take from that
• How Cory has successfully led HARTING through a number of technology shifts, including a branch out into semiconductors
• Actionable advice for engineers and manufacturers to execute quickly and adapt to the market
• How Casey created processes that HARTING needed to grow to the next level
• How Casey balanced creating processes for growth with working on the day-to-day priorities
• Advice for building efficient processes into your own business as a manufacturer
• The role of localization in HARTING’s growth, plus advice for others
• Why collaboration is a huge priority for HARTING and how it directly drives innovation
• What engineers should know about connectors and how they should integrate them early in the process

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “The world of connectors is actually pretty niche. There's not a lot of people that have done this before, so we're looking for people that are top notch collaborators, that are very humble and respectful of other people's ideas.”
• “Don't confuse busyness with productivity. And the difference between those two is really being connected to your company's goals.”
• “If you go in every direction, that's not a right answer. But you've got to be listening to every direction.”

Links & mentions:

• HARTING, a connectivity solutions provider that operates worldwide to design connectivity for challenging environments
• Ernst Barre Private Brewery, located in the East Westphalian town of Lübbecke in the north-western German district of Minden-Lübbecke

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

The difficulties manufacturers face when it comes to finding and retaining top talent is something we often discuss on this podcast, so it’s great to welcome a guest who has an excellent solution. In this episode, we speak with Retired Lieutenant Colonel (USAF), Kathy Lowrey Gallowitz.

Kathy shares her story with us about how she got into the military and eventually the industrial space. She explains what it means to be a veteran champion if you’re hoping to recruit veterans to your manufacturing team, and how you can ensure your organization is veteran-ready. She also provides an enlightening look at the broad skill sets that veterans bring to the table, from nursing to project management to sales, and gives us some tips on tangible ways to become an advocate for veterans in everyday life.

In this episode, find out:

• Kathy shares her favorite type of grilled cheese!
• We hear about what it means to be veteran-ready vs veteran-friendly
• Kathy takes a deep dive into her journey in the military
• Why her adaptability and problem-solving skills drew Kathy to the military
• The diversity of experiences that come out of being in the military
• Kathy shares why she wrote her book, Beyond “Thank You For Your Service:” The Veteran Champion Handbook for Civilians
• What can manufacturing leaders do to increase retention of veterans and improve mentorship?
• Why it’s so important to develop a veteran hiring program
• Kathy tells us about the Veteran Hiring Academy courses in April and September each year

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “My appreciation for the technical aptitudes that service members bring to the workplace is particularly relevant in the manufacturing industry.”
• “I invite you to join the veteran champion movement and be a part of the win because it really is a win when you get to know a veteran, understand their life story, their experiences. So I contend that it improves your quality of life.”
• “’Thank you for wearing the uniform.’ That is super special because it implies that you have some appreciation for what it means to me to take the oath of office, to make that commitment, and the pride and professionalism we feel when we wear the uniform”.

Links & mentions:

• Vanguard Veteran, equipping civilians to become veteran champions
• Beyond "Thank You For Your Service:" The Veteran Champion Handbook for Civilians
• Invite Vanguard Veteran to Speak
• Vanguard Veteran's Employer Consulting and Training
• Complimentary Veteran-Ready Assessment
• O*Net OnLine Military Crosswalk Search
• Women Who Lead, monthly free hybrid Leadership Discussion Forum for women Veterans and non-Veterans to empower women leaders and foster mutual support

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

What are some of the results of integrating cobots into your production processes and how do you help your employees push past any initial apprehension they feel to fully embrace the benefits?

In this special case study-style episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, we welcome Rob Goldiez, CEO of Hirebotics, a company that makes welding cobots for welders, and Justin Montes, CEO of DeAngelo Marine Exhaust, onto the show to talk about the intersection of automation, technology, and human craftsmanship.

We take a deep dive into real-world scenarios of what it looks like when a company adopts robotics, specifically collaborative robots. What factors into the decision making? What are some of the hiccups that happen along the way and what does success look like after a robot is installed?

The conversation also covers leadership, robotics, and trends in the collaborative robot space. Plus, if you like welding, fabrication (or boats!) then you’re going to love this episode!

In this episode, find out:

• The world of DeAngelo Marine Exhaust
• Explore Hirebotics’ revolutionary robotic solutions
• The journey to automation – overcoming challenges with cobots
• Some of the impacts of cobots in the workplace
• How embracing cobots is a game changer in production
• The impact of cobots on efficiency and innovation
• Industry perspectives – reactions to cobots
• Cobots as creative tools
• Ongoing support and results

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “We paid off the cobot within an order. One order! So that was done. Now it's just icing!”
• “The consistent thing is companies are struggling to hire and retain key welders. They’re an aging workforce. You see that all over. Can't find welders, can't meet production, struggle to grow the business.”
• “There is a general fear of automation. It's going to replace my job versus it's going to take the dull, dirty, dangerous stuff away so I can be more creative.”

Links & mentions:

• Hirebotics, fabrication cobot solutions for welders
• DeAngelo Marine Exhaust, marine engine exhaust systems
• YOT Bar & Kitchen, voted Fort Lauderdale best for brunch and outdoor dining
• Edley's Bar-B-Que, Nashville style Bar-B-Que
• Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, hot Chicken Sandwich
• Tootsie’s, live musical performances daily and delicious food
• Connect with Rob on LinkedIn
• Connect with Justin on LinkedIn

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Additive manufacturing isn’t exactly a new kid on the block, but are manufacturers using it as much as they could? And are we using it in the right way by teaming it up with automation?

According to Liz Stortstrom, 3D Printing Product Manager at HP, manufacturers are starting to lean into using additive manufacturing with automation – but we could do more to fully realize its potential!

In this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, Liz gives us a quick overview of her varied career – from engineering to operations, to her Spain-based product management role. She shares her take on why additive manufacturing and automation make the perfect pairing and her predictions for how the industry will develop in the future.

We also hear a little about which industries are leading the way, and how companies can get buy-in from their team and leadership to join in with the success.

In this episode, find out:

• Liz explains her role as a product manager in additive manufacturing
• Liz’s career story and how it began in engineering, moved into operations, and then additive manufacturing
• How she realized that working in operations wasn’t for her and she needed to make a change
• Lessons Liz learned from previous roles that tie into additive manufacturing
• How 3D printing and automation go hand in hand
• Industries that are leading the way in additive manufacturing
• Liz shares her predictions on the future of additive manufacturing
• The best people in a company to talk about 3D printing
• Liz shares her experience of moving her career to Spain and what she’s learned

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “Every 3D printing process has some sort of automation inherently involved. Whether that be automating the movement of parts, the digital workflow, or around the quality control process.”
• “A lot of companies need this higher level of agility, right? This higher level of flexibility. And how do you do that with the same old manufacturing methods?”
• “You need a champion, usually an engineer, who is near the design and understands the benefits of additive manufacturing. At the same time, especially if you're a big company, you need someone higher up to say, 'we're going to start using additive manufacturing more.'”

Links & mentions:

• Victoria Bar, a great cocktail bar in Portland, Oregon
• Connect with Liz on LinkedIn

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Now, who doesn’t love a good chat about robots? In this episode, we speak with Ryan Gariepy, the CTO of Clearpath Robotics & OTTO Motors, about the future of robotics and how leadership can effectively integrate autonomous equipment and robots into existing operations.

We hear about Ryan’s career in robotics, from his early days to building his two companies, which were recently acquired by Rockwell Automation. Ryan explains how companies, big or small, can start working with robots in different ways to find the best possible applications for them.

Aside from the practical application of robots, we also dig into the ethical considerations that leaders should be aware of – most importantly, the safety of human workers on site. Plus, we also hear how R2-D2 was the inspiration behind Ryan’s love of robots.

In this episode, find out:

• Ryan gives us a brief overview of what Clearpath Robotics does
• We hear the story of how Ryan first developed his love for robots (plus his favorite movie robot)
• Ryan explains why he decided to build his two companies
• The top lesson Ryan learned from his time in the industry
• Ryan’s thoughts on industry adoption of robotics for both small and larger businesses
• How smaller companies can minimize the risks of adopting robotics
• How bigger companies can build robotics adoption into digital transformation plans
• The ethical considerations of deploying robots in existing teams
• How robots have affected the economy in manufacturing in Canada

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “If we're going to put our time and money and all sorts of other resources into building new technology, let's do it in areas like agriculture or the basics of healthcare or construction. Let's try not to put robots in the creative spaces.”
• “Robots are one of the few components which are both necessary and sufficient to drive value. Just on their own.”
• “I think it's important for people to learn from existing successful deployments and not try to reinvent the wheel because reinventing the wheel is costly, but when it comes to people's health or wellbeing generally, it opens up corner cases.”

Links & mentions:

• Robotics Summit & Expo, the world's leading robotics development event, taking place in Boston, MA on May 1-2, 2024
• Clearpath Robotics by Rockwell Automation, mobile robots for research & development, enabling researchers and corporations to accelerate their robotics research and development
• OTTO Motors by Rockwell Automation, the most experienced autonomous material handlers in the industry
• Canadian Robotics Council, robotics-fuelled economic development is within Canada's reach, uniting innovation stakeholders from across the country

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

This episode is all about ‘Made in Missouri’ and was recorded live at the 2024 Midwest Manufacturers Trade Show & Conference. It’s a special episode for host Chris Luecke, because not only did he grow up in Missouri, but also because he is a big fan of the Missouri Association of Manufacturers, which is a group that’s constantly advocating for manufacturing and building a great community of manufacturers in their area.

This episode is a compilation of three different interviews with three very interesting manufacturers from three different parts of Missouri, focusing on what it’s like to manufacture in the Midwest.

Chris speaks to Pavel Bosovik, founder and CEO of 27North, where they make expedition vans and adventure vehicles, Josh Shelton the owner of Etched Nameplate Company as well as Kevin Thompson, CFO turned Leadership Coach at Cambridge Air Solutions, who talks about how to create a culture that makes you the talk of the industry.

For loads of insights, invaluable advice, and an in-depth look at how to leverage others in your manufacturing ecosystem, don’t miss this episode.

In this episode, find out:

• How Pavel industrialized the process of making adventure vans
• His big recommendation for anyone launching a new product or company
• The importance of real-time user feedback and how it sets 27North apart
• The part of their vans that Pavel most loves to tell people about
• Pavel’s vision and dream for the company when he was just starting out
• Why it’s so important to surround yourself with the right people when building a business
• How getting fired was the springboard Josh Shelton needed to start Etched
• What characteristics make someone the right co-founder for your business
• What it’s like being a part of the Midwest manufacturing community
• Why Etched has acquired a new company every year since 2020
• What it means when Cambridge Air Solutions says they’re in the business of enriching lives
• How their morning meetings have made them the talk of the industry
• How manufacturing ambassadors are working to build relationships and enrich the community
• Transitioning from CFO to Leadership Coach and why the company was so ready for it
• What the manufacturing scene is like in St. Louis currently

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “I wish there was a secret sauce or I could say, ‘hey, my bachelor's degree helped’. It definitely accelerated the process. It helped me lay the foundation and know the vocabulary. But in any new business or new product that you launch, the processes is the hardest part.”
• “If you want to scale your company from $20 million to $100 million, find $100 million companies. Forget Elon Musk. Find people that are the next step of where you want to be in your journey.”
• “We don't exist to make HVAC equipment. We exist to enrich lives. We happen to enrich lives by making and distributing HVAC equipment.”

Links & mentions:

• Missouri Association of Manufacturers, the only organization dedicated solely to representing the interests of manufacturers in Missouri 
• 27North, helping people experience adventure through custom-built expedition vehicles 
• Etched - The Nameplate Company, leading provider of metal nameplates and tags for the manufacturing, rigging, and transportation industries 
• Cambridge Air Solutions, helping manufacturing and warehousing leaders create healthy working environments through industrial HVAC solutions    
• Missouri Ridge Distillery, Branson's only grain-to-bottle distillery and its first brewery 

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Does personal branding have a place in the manufacturing space? It might be something you associate more with marketing or creative industries, but this week’s guest has seen her personal branding efforts open doors to new and exciting opportunities.

Nikki Gonzales, the Head of Partnerships at Quotebeam and Co-Host of the Automation Ladies podcast (amongst many other projects) joins this episode to talk about personal branding and the importance of trust. Trust is a key theme in this episode, and personal branding can go a long way in building it within your network. But it also comes up when we chat about why companies are sometimes hesitant for employees to work on their personal brands. For Nikki, it’s important that companies trust their employees, like Quotebeam did for her.

We dive into how Nikki has built her brand and network and the benefits she and Quotebeam have experienced as a result. We also talk about Nikki’s background, having moved from Iceland to the UK to Texas, where she learned about the world of tech sales and the importance of networking.

In this episode, find out:

• What Nikki learned growing up in Iceland, moving to the UK and eventually to Houston
• Nikki shares the story of her first sale at her dad’s company
• Why Nikki made the jump to software based on the kind of lifestyle she wanted
• How a long networking relationship led to Nikki getting her role at Quotebeam
• Why Nikki decided to focus more on her personal branding
• How Nikki’s personal branding efforts are also benefitting Quotebeam
• Why companies are hesitant to trust employees working on a personal brand
• Nikki shares how she came to start and co-host the Automation Ladies podcast
• Nikki explains the work Quotebeam does and teases some new developments in the future

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “Network effects are real, and we are a technology business, yes, but the backbone of that is the people."
• “The owner or the leadership team at that organization needs to take a look in the mirror and say, are we fostering the type of culture that's going to result in a positive perception of our company from the folks that work here?
• [On personal branding] “I think getting buy-in is really important. You can go out on your own and do all kinds of stuff. But if you do it completely without discussing it with your employer at all, then you're probably setting yourself up for some sort of conflict down the road.”

Links & mentions:

• Quotebeam, a platform that brings products from many supply chain sources to one place to help customers source their parts without endless searching
• Automation Ladies, join Nikki Gonzales, Ali G, and Courtney Fernandez as they chat with people from all walks of life and all corners of the industrial automation industry
• Process & Controls Engineering, LLC, the Northwest's leading woman-owned control systems integration firm
• Saint Arnold Brewing Company, established craft brewery featuring facility tours and a beer hall that’s basically a beer cathedral, plus a beer garden with amazing skyline views of Houston, TX

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Innovation is 3M’s bread and butter. As a leading science-based technology company, we wanted to hear more about the stories from people who make all that innovation happen. 

This episode was recorded at 3M’s headquarters in St. Paul Minnesota, where we spoke with three brilliant women from 3M about innovation in STEM, how 3M encourages new ideas and projects and diversity in STEM. Joining this episode are Jayshree Seth, Corporate Scientist, Brittany Moren, Robotic Application Engineer, and Michelle Frumkin, Global Marketing Manager.

They explain how they first entered the world of STEM and what we can do to encourage more from diverse backgrounds to pick STEM as a career path. We also hear about 3M’s 15%-time policy which allows team members to dedicate 15% of their time to work on innovative new projects and experiments. 

In this episode, find out:

• We hear from Brittany what a project engineer at 3M does
• How Michelle, Brittany and Jayshree first got involved in STEM
• How 3M works in the robotics and automation spaces
• Jayshree explains how 3M builds uncommon connections between problems and solutions
• What innovation means and how 3M’s culture of empowerment helps to grow it
• Exciting projects that 3M’s 15%-time policy has helped empower employees to work on
• What we need to do to get more women and girls interested in STEM careers 
• Why lack of diversity is a systemic problem and requires real intentionality to solve it

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “If you're leadership, if you're one of the CEOs, if you're able to continue showcasing the women and everyone in your workforce and the hard work that they do, it really says, okay, I feel like I'm valued here and it makes sense for me to stay and continue.” Michelle
• “I strongly believe in bringing awareness much sooner into people's lives. So I've done a lot of outreach with middle school and high school. A lot of times when I have talked to high schoolers that are maybe like junior seniors, it actually a lot of times feels too late.” Brittany
• “I think role models are important. People want to see representation and that makes them want to aspire to those roles.”

Links & mentions:

• 3M, a science-based technology company that seeks to improve lives with innovative technology. 
• Not the Science Type, a short film showcasing four women who break down the boundaries in STEM.
• Skilled, a docuseries created to showcase diverse and meaningful trade careers.

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Well, this episode is certainly a trip down memory lane! 

Host Chris Luecke is joined by former college classmate Marcease Warren, the VP of Manufacturing at Sentry Equipment. Chris and Marcease catch up on what’s changed since they were pulling all-nighters trying to finish projects at Marquette’s College of Engineering.  

In this episode, we hear about the trick to scaling a manufacturing department, leading a team of engineers, and the importance of a good company culture where everyone’s on the same page. Marcease shares his take on Industry 4.0 in the engineering space and some examples of how automation is changing things at Sentry Equipment.  

We also talk a bit about Sentry Equipment’s employee ownership program. Marcease busts some myths about this type of program and explains some of the benefits of employees having a stake in the company.  

In this episode, find out: 

• We reminisce on college days spent designing Mars rovers at Marquette’s College of Engineering 
• Marcease explains a little about what Sentry Equipment does  
• How Marcease’s role has evolved in the engineering and manufacturing space 
• How you can scale a manufacturing department  
• What industry 4.0 really means for manufacturing and engineering 
• Examples of how tech is changing things at Sentry Equipment 
• Tips for smaller businesses who want to evolve but are hesitant because of the cost/time 
• Why company culture is key in building a competitive team 
• What people get wrong about employee ownership and the benefits of running a program 

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going! 

Tweetable Quotes: 

• “You can throw out the buzzwords, industry 4.0, IoT, whatever you want to call it. But automation is automation at the end of the day. So it's just a matter of incorporating those various tools to automate something that is manual right now.” 
• “We had a project where we incorporated a laser into the shop, and not only did we pull in the individuals that we thought were going to be directly responsible for the equipment, we pulled in any and everybody that wanted to be an ally.” 
• [On employee ownership] “A lot of people think that they're putting their own money on the line and that's not the case at all. You're literally getting something for free. Your trade into the organization is your time and your commitment, not necessarily your financial contribution to the company.” 

Links & mentions: 

• Sentry Equipment, delivering true representative sampling and analysis techniques and equipment to customers around the globe 
• Marquette University Co-Op Program, Marquette’s College of Engineering works with more than 200 leading engineering and technology companies across 25 states that hire our students for co-ops and internships, helping our students to build skills, gain invaluable professional experience and make key connections that will help them successfully launch their careers 
• Rosati’s, Oconomowoc, WI location of the pizza joint where real engineering work gets done… 

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty. 

What’s new in the forklift and logistics industry? According to Nick Malewicki, the General Manager of the Autonomous Vehicle Division at Big Joe Forklifts, we’re seeing smart forklifts, more automation, and better safety features in equipment. 

Nick joins Manufacturing Happy Hour to talk about his role and career and shares some insights into his own passion for solving problems, which has been a major theme throughout his career.  

We hear how Big Joe Forklifts provides safer ways of managing and picking goods in warehouses and the differences between autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs). 

We also chat about some excellent beer at Eagle Park Brewing in Milwaukee, Nick’s favorite Pulp Fiction character, and what a “joey” is in the forklift world.  

In this episode, find out: 

• What the future holds for the forklift industry and how technology is propelling change 
• What the manufacturing and logistics scene is like in Wisconsin  
• How Wisconsin’s proximity to the Great Lakes is a major plus for the industry 
• How Nick first entered the world of logistics  
• The benefits of entering the working world before deciding on a college degree 
• Why Nick is always keen to pick roles and industries with challenges and a need for problem-solving 
• How Nick grew his career by volunteering for and jumping on new opportunities 
• What brought him to work for Big Joe 
• How Nick’s logistics experience came in handy in his current role 
• The difference between AMRs and AGVs and the challenges of integrating them 
• How Big Joe’s equipment helps to avoid injuries and makes work easier for employees 

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going! 

Tweetable Quotes: 

• “The number one mindset is to make ergonomic equipment that prevents injuries but also makes employees’ jobs easier. We want to empower workers. We don't want to make their job harder.” 
• “Automation is super important. The percentage of companies that are increasing their investments into automation continues to grow. But a big obstacle of that is the financial impact and as well as the training.” 
• “Forklifts are getting smarter. They're becoming autonomous. There's telematics now. And all of these innovations enhance safety and operator comforts.” 

Links & mentions: 

• Eagle Park Brewing, a great Milwaukee brewery, which Nick and his wife have been members of for years 
• Big Joe Forklifts, for over 70 years, Big Joe has supplied electric forklifts to factories, warehouses, and storerooms across the U.S. 
• Connect with Nick on LinkedIn 

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.