Manufacturing Happy Hour

As manufacturers are under pressure to do more with less and somehow fill roles in an increasingly smaller talent pool, unlocking your “hidden factory” could be the solution.

To celebrate episode 250, Chris Luecke returns home to St. Louis to meet with some of his early career mentors from Rockwell Automation – now heading up Tri Tech Automation.

Ryan Williams, Director of Innovation and Solution Sales, Adam Ruebsam, President, and Luke Manier, Managing Director, sit down at Urban Chestnut Brewing Company for a trip down memory lane and a look forward to the future of manufacturing.

The hidden factory concept is simple – how do we uncover the untapped potential in our existing resources? We talk about what that looks like for Tri Tech Automation and how they help customers find those new opportunities. Mentorship is a big theme in this conversation, so we discuss the importance of reaching out to the right people, whether you’re new in your career or want to try something different.

Plus, we look at what we can learn from the Savannah Bananas baseball team (believe it or not, we could learn a thing or two from their customer-first approach).

Cheers to 250 episodes and counting!

In this episode, find out:

• We start with the most important question – what beer did everyone pick?
• Ryan, Adam, and Luke introduce themselves and Tri Tech Automation, and Chris reminisces with his mentors from his Rockwell Automation days
• How Tri Tech Automation focuses on helping customers right-size their tech and find new solutions from their existing resources
• What is a hidden factory and how do you unlock more potential from what you already have?
• The most common issues that manufacturers struggle with
• Real stories about what unlocking a hidden factory really looks like
• How Tri Tech Automation is focused on a three-year plan to unlock its own hidden factories within the workforce, tech, and processes 
• How they’ve unlocked potential across two different locations
• What manufacturers can learn from the Savannah Bananas
• Advice for young people getting into the industry and for those already in manufacturing
• Why mentors are the biggest bonus to your manufacturing career

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 “hidden factory” represents the untapped potential to do more in their operations with the resources that they have. It represents the invisible inefficiencies and unutilized capacity." - Luke
• "It's business value first and technology second. We have to right-size the technology... but we really need to start with the business outcomes." - Adam
• “Customers know they've got inefficiencies, but they can't quantify it without the data. So it starts with gathering on the front end and then analyzing the low-hanging fruit, where the biggest improvements are.” - Ryan

Links & mentions:

• Tri Tech Automation, a full-service control systems integrator providing R&D, controls design, programming, fabrication, start-up, and commissioning based in St. Louis and Tulsa
• EOS - Entrepreneurial Operating System, a complete set of real-world tools that help entrepreneurs get what they want from their business
• Urban Chestnut Brewing Company, a St. Louis brew pub specializing in German beer and lagers with a variety of beer styles from IPAs to weissbiers

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 happens when you put five podcasters in a room together at one of the biggest events of the year for innovative industrial tech? A super broad view of what’s happening in the industry and what we’ve got to look forward to.

Recorded live from Hexagon’s 2025 event, we welcomed four friends of Manufacturing Happy Hour, returning to the show to talk about the innovations we were most excited to see at the event. But for the main part of our conversation, we do a mid-year check-in on the industry to hear their thoughts of what we have in store in the future.

Say hello to our panel:

Jim Mayer – Founder of The Manufacturing Connector and Host of the Manufacturing Culture Podcast

Nikki Gonzalez – Director of Business Development at Weintek USA plus Co-Founder and Host of the Automation Ladies podcast

Mike Payne - President & Owner of Hill Manufacturing & Fabrication and Co-Host of MakingChips

Nick Goellner - VP of Sales & Marketing at Hennig, and Co-Host of MakingChips

Tune in to hear about 3D printed body parts, how scientists are turning ocean trash into surfboards, and how new mentor programs are revolutionizing how we train the next generation.

We each take stock of what we’ve been seeing in the industry lately and why uncertainty isn’t dampening our optimism. While investing in new tech is naturally a big part of our conversation, we also widen the topic to investing in ourselves and our teams, highlighting the importance of relationships and staying true to company values.

In this episode, find out:

• The tech that stood out the most to us at Hexagon’s 2025 event
• A mid-year check-in: Jim, Nikki, Mike and Nick share their thoughts on manufacturing in 2025
• Why Jim’s optimistic about the industry and how technology adoption is fueling that
• How Mike’s balancing his optimism with concern over the access to capital challenge
• How manufacturers can weather the storm in uncertain times (some lessons from COVID)
• What it means to invest in yourself as a manufacturer and company leader and why it’s about more than just adopting new tech
• Why you should overlook working on relationships and partnerships in the industry
• Jim explains why we all need to reassess company values and make sure we’re staying true to what we believe in

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:

• “Make sure everybody's looking at the same scoreboard. Train and coach your team to think like a business owner.” - Nick
• “Build the foundation on values and relationships. When one of those numbers changes, you work it out together.” – Nikki
• “The shops that adopt the new technologies will be the ones who really start to expand their capacity and workforce.”- Jim
• “All these solutions that are coming to market, whether it's hardware or software, help to fill that productivity gap. The concern that I have relates back to the current funding crisis with the MEP networks because if those grant dollars are going away, how do we adopt this stuff?” - Mike 

Links & mentions:

• Manufacturing Culture Podcast, hosted by Jim Mayer, this podcast explores the culture of manufacturing with different manufacturing leaders 
• The Manufacturing Connector, connecting manufacturers through training and storytelling, founded by Jim
• Automation Ladies, Nikki’s podcast for women in industrial automation
• Hill Manufacturing & Fabrication, high-precision CNC machining and advanced fabrication services 
• MakingChips, a podcast hosted by Mike and Nick that aims to bridge the gap between the shop floor and the online world
• Hexagon Live, an event bringing visionaries, industry disruptors and technical pros to explore the latest in AI, robotics, and digital twins

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.

Pittsburgh’s success in the robotics space didn’t happen overnight. It’s been over 40 years in the making, with education, business, and new innovations all coming together to make the city one of the big robotics hubs alongside Boston and San Francisco.

The Pittsburgh Robotics Network has been a key player in that success, giving individuals, companies, and universities the opportunity to collaborate on projects and business opportunities. Executive Director, Jennifer Apicella, joins us on the podcast to give us a background on Pittsburgh’s industry and to share her take on the commercialization of robotics and automation.

A key theme in this episode is how you don’t have to replicate the success of the big cities. Every place is different, and part of Pittsburgh’s success has been to lean into its unique strengths and industry challenges. In other words, you don’t need your city to become the next Silicon Valley to be successful. 

In this episode, find out:

• A recap of the great bars, restaurants and bowling alleys we explored around Pittsburgh
• Jennifer explains what the Pittsburgh Robotics Network does and how it’s helping to support new technology and industry growth
• Some background on why the Pittsburgh Robotics Network was started and built by the community it now represents
• How the group measures success and why commercialization is key to developing technologies that solve real problems
• How other cities and regions can learn from what Pittsburgh has done without needing to copy the same formula
• The challenges of working in a non-profit in a for-profit industry and how Jennifer balances different priorities
• Jennifer’s advice for becoming a better part of the local technology community
• Why the key to commercialization is about looking beyond the tech and focusing instead on problems
• Plans and predictions for Pittsburgh’s industry in the next five years 

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 think it's just really important that you stop being obsessed with the technology... rather than being inspired by the technology, be inspired by the problem that it's solving."
• “Like any kind of industrial revolution, this is going to be largely highly disruptive to all humans. Society is going to change. People are going to change, businesses are going to change. Are you on the right side of that change?”
• “Commercialization is key. The world is sitting by waiting to see what robotics and autonomy look like at scale. How do you take something and not need it to be custom-built?”

Links & mentions:

• Pittsburgh Robotics Network, a community that connects more than 125 advanced technology companies across multiple industries
• Industrial Solutions Network, an interconnected group of manufacturing technology companies working on a common mission
• Grapperia Pittsburgh, a cocktail bar with a huge selection of speciality cocktails, grappa and amari
• Umami Izakaya, a Japanese restaurant and bar serving modern Asian cuisine in Pittsburgh
• Arsenal Bowl, originally Arsenal Lanes, this bowling alley combines unique décor with live music and bowling

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 will it take to get humanoid robots out of the experimental phase and into our daily lives? A lot of us always dreamed of having our own C-3PO at the ready, but how close are we really?

Well, it’s a little more complicated than simply getting them on a production line. If we want robots to make an appearance not just in the manufacturing space, but also in healthcare, construction, public spaces, and even at home, there’s a whole lot more work to do.

In this episode, we bring you a two-part conversation, recorded live at the Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston. First up, Aaron Prather, Director of Robotics & Autonomous Systems Program at ASTM, sits down with Jake Hall, the Manufacturing Millennial, to talk about the number one important thing shaping robotics – safety standards. We talk about how safety standards have a long way to go and will need to look a bit different in different industries.

Next, we speak to Spencer Krause, the President and CEO of SKA Robotics, about the best use cases for robots right now and where they could end up in the future. We look at healthcare and hospitals, mining and construction, and break down what will need to happen to increase robotics use and make it a buyer’s market one day.

In this episode, find out:

• Aaron explains his work at ASTM and the importance of pairing standards with new technology
• The biggest hurdles to improving standards for humanoid robots
• Why we’ll need different standards for different scenarios if we want robots in the home, in healthcare, and industry
• The most exciting use cases for humanoids and why there’s still a lot of work to do to make it feasible 
• How interest in robotics is growing, as shown by increased talk outside of technical fields in social science, law, and more
• Spencer explains his work at SKA Robotics and how robotics is evolving
• Where the biggest current use cases for robotics are now
• How robotics is branching out into industries like mining and construction
• What will it take to push robot use in areas like healthcare from the current 3% in the US
• Why safety, use, and productivity are the keys to making robotics a buyer’s market

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:

• “More people will embrace the idea of robotics and look for those solutions, and ultimately that's what we need. We need more problem solvers at the table because not all of these are technical.” – Aaron Prather
• “In the last five years, what we've been able to see with the ability to run perception on the edge and some of these AI algorithms has been incredible.” – Spencer Krause
• ”We're going to see more and more different types of niche surgical robots coming out in the hospital logistics space. That's a market that's only penetrated 3% of hospitals so far in the US. I think we'll see more of that.” – Spencer Krause

Links & mentions:

• Robotics Summit & Expo, robotics convention that brings together over 5,000 developers focused on building robots for various industries including aerospace, defense, healthcare, and logistics
• SKA Robotics, robotics hardware, software, and systems engineering developer
• MassRobotics, the largest independent robotics hub representing entrepreneurs and innovators around the world
• Tatum Robotics, a robotic system that translates English into tactile fingerspelling for great accessibility
• LiftLabs, fast and user-friendly ropeless gear for local lobstermen
• Nexterity, faster, safer, and better flange bolting
• P!ng, a fast drive-through experience powered by automation and AI
• Haystack, cost-effective and accurate soil carbon measurement
• Redifine Surgery, surgical training with AI and immersive 3D technology
• Revolute Robotics, autonomous ground and aerial robots for challenging environments  
• ReviMo, smart devices to help people with limited mobility
• ASTM, Advancing Standards Transforming Markets – one of the world’s largest standards creating organizations

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 reindustrialization movement is fully underway, and cities like Detroit are leading the charge. But how do we accelerate the timescale it takes to get America back to the ‘golden days’ of manufacturing?

The key, as you’ll hear in this episode, isn’t to keep looking back at the past. It’s to use the tools and resources we have today with a healthy dose of industry collaboration.

Joining this episode is Chris Nolte, Co-Founder of Bloom, an operations-as-a-service platform created in Detroit to help companies build, ship, and service products through a vetted network of service partners. You’ll hear a bit about Chris’ unique story as an Iraq war veteran who originally started in the business of selling electric bikes. But he noticed, as we all saw during COVID, that global supply chains are more delicate than we imagined. And that’s why reshoring and reindustrialization in the US is gaining more traction.

Chris shares his thoughts on how the US can accelerate manufacturing by saying “yes” more often, taking advantage of new technology, and collaborating across industries. You’ll also hear about how Detroit’s industrial background is making a comeback and even drawing in talent from the coasts to bolster American manufacturing.

In this episode, find out:

• A little history lesson of Detroit and how reindustrialization has revitalized the area
• How COVID changed the public’s perception of global supply chains and the need for a stronger industry in the US
• Why Chris co-founded Bloom to help fill in some of the gaps needed for US manufacturers to thrive
• Chris’ take on how “custom at scale” can become more feasible in the US
• How Chris went from serving in the military to starting an e-bike company before starting Bloom
• What’s holding back the US from becoming a manufacturing powerhouse like it was in the past
• What the US can learn from China’s approach to manufacturing and why the US needs to say “yes” more
• The culture change that’s needed and why the next generation of workers is key to making that happen
• Why we need to be open-minded and stop looking back at the past if we want to accelerate reindustrialization
• The secrets behind Detroit’s resurgence in manufacturing and why the Midwest needs to shout out about its successes 

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:

• “It's amazing that we're doing electric vehicles and solar panels and all these sorts of things, but if we're not making that stuff here, we're really missing the boat. We're missing so much of an opportunity.”
• “Don't get caught up in the past because the ingredients are very different today.”
• “Try to be open-minded because it's a very different world today and what we couldn't do yesterday, we potentially can do today and tomorrow because we have different resources.”

Links & mentions:

• Bloom, an operations-as-a-service platform for hard tech innovators
• Newlab Detroit, a hub with state-of-the-art prototyping equipment, work spaces, and specially pitted pilot sites
• Episode 237 with Dr. John Liu of MIT, Manufacturing Happy Hour episode on how higher education is shaping the future of manufacturing
• Future in the Making, Chris’ YouTube channel
• Reindustrialize, a conference produced by Designing America that took place in July 2025 

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 if accepting failure was the key to entrepreneurial success? Mark DeSantis has built and sold multiple companies over the years and like any entrepreneurial journey, it’s been a mixture of ups and downs, failures and successes. But in this episode, we hear that acknowledging the possibility of failure is what gave him the courage to keep on going.

Mark shares his entrepreneurial story – why he began it, how he stays motivated, and some of the best lessons he’s picked up over the years. One of the top points he makes in this episode is to be problem-focused, not solutions-focused. When building tech solutions, it’s easy to get lost in the tech itself and lose sight of the real problems you want it to solve. But to make anything commercially viable, especially something as “new” as robotics, it needs to solve real problems.

Mark also sings the praises of Pittsburgh, which he says is one of the best cities for robotics innovation today. He’s seen the city decline and grow over the years into what’s now a college town that’s thriving in the tech space.

In this episode, find out:

• Mark shares what he’s been up to recently, after seeing Bloomfield Robotics acquired by Kubota Corporation
• The challenge of living with uncertainty as an entrepreneur and the story that inspired him to embrace fear
• Why entrepreneurship is like climbing Mount Everest in that you should look in front of you, not at the summit
• Mark’s secret to enjoying the journey of entrepreneurship and the moment he decided he wanted to do this for the rest of his life
• Why AI and robotics are perfect for the “big and boring” problems in our lives
• Why we might need a Henry Ford-style revolution to take robotics to the next level
• How Pittsburgh is growing in the tech and robotics space
• Why asking if someone wants to buy your solution is the wrong question for an entrepreneur to ask

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:

• “Where technology, particularly AI, can make a difference is in the big and boring problems. The places where nobody thinks to take an advanced technology."
• “Go where everyone else isn't with advanced solutions and make sure the problem's big enough where you can make a difference.  
• “If you’re frozen with fear because you're worried about the failure of the company, or your personal failure and the humiliation that that might bring, you're not going to make good decisions. You're gonna fail. It's like playing not to lose in sports. Entrepreneurship’s all offense, no defense.”

Links & mentions:

• Mark DeSantis, his bio is stacked
• Bloomfield Robotics, combining plant-level imaging and deep learning to assess the health and performance of every plant, at any scale continuously
• Kubota, manufacturing and assembling Kubota lawn tractors
• Pittsburgh Robotics Network, facilitating commercial business growth and economic development opportunities for the Greater Pittsburgh region's robotics, autonomy, and AI cluster
• Watch this episode on YouTube

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.

You’ll want to grab yourself a pilsner for this episode. Manufacturing Happy Hour heads overseas to sample some fine German beer in the city of Munich…and we also headed to automatica 2025 while we were there.

Europe’s biggest AI and automation event is a must-visit if you can get over there. But if not, this episode has you covered.

Between event talks, demos, and trips to the beer garden, we met some amazing people behind robotics and AI companies in Germany and beyond. Chris Luecke and Jake Hall (The Manufacturing Millennial) speak to company founders, innovators, and robotics pioneers, including:

• Wendy Tan White, CEO, Intrinsic
• Dayana Ramirez Gutierrez, Chief of Innovation, TUM
• Nicole Ebner, Head of Robotics/AI Startup Incubator, TUM
• Dr. Martina Kohlhuber, Scientific Director TUM Campus
• Alwin Heerklotz, CEO, Innok Robotics
• Nikolas Roessler, CCO/CFO, Innok Robotics
• Dr. Christian Liedtke, Principal Consultant, KUKA
• Patrick Schwarzkopf, Managing Director, VDMA

You’ll hear what makes Germany, specifically Bavaria, a rising star in robotics innovation, how AI is powering robotics’ evolution (and vice versa), and how European businesses approach innovation.

 In this episode, find out:

• Wendy gives us background on Intrinsic and explains what AI adds to robotics’ potential today
• Why we’re at an inflection point with AI and robotics and the top trends that are driving the demand
• Why hardware and software are both equally important and why we need to think about the physical world as much as the digital
• The importance of hybrid skills and how a “confluence of knowledge” will drive more creativity and breakthroughs in tech  
• What we can learn about the innovation ecosystem in Munich
• How we can empower startups to bring tech from academia into the working world
• Why collaboration is the key thing that the world can learn from Bavaria and German manufacturing
• A background on Innok Robotics and why the founders decided to focus on AMRs in outdoor applications
• Why a niche market focus makes Innok Robotics stand out in their field
• Why growth in new markets depends on the customers’ approach to risk too
• What Germany brings to innovation – smart engineers
• Why AI is the push that robotics needs (and vice versa) so we can start doing more with physical AI
• Why more people should come to Automatica and see the reflection of European entrepreneurship and innovation
• The challenges facing innovative startups in Europe, and why investors should be more open to risk

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 thing AI can do for traditional robotics is add vision, touch, dexterity in a way we've never been able to provide with sensors before or at least in a cost effective way.” – Wendy Tan White
• “Our customers in Germany are forward-thinking and they take not only the risk but also the pain to start with a product that’s not finished yet. I think that’s been an important part of getting to where we are now.” – Alwin Heerklotz
• “We come from a world that we describe as a deterministic world... now we move into a different paradigm with AI...the robots become skilled, like humans have skills." – Patrick Schwarzkopf

Links & mentions:

• automatica, the world's leading trade fair for smart automation and robotics, automatica brings together all key technologies in the technology hub of Munich
• Intrinsic AI, a platform for the next generation of intelligent automation, making it easier for developers and businesses to unlock the value of robotics
• TUM – Technical University of Munich, a university that brings talent from around the world to create innovations together
• munich_i, a top-level event in AI and robotics, presented at automatica 2025
• UnternehmerTUM, Europe’s largest center for startups and innovation
• robo.innovate, Bavaria’s deep-tech incubator for start-up projects in the field of intelligent robotics & AI
• Innok Robotics, providing an autonomous platform for outdoor applications, including AMRs
• KUKA, German manufacturer of industrial robots and factory automation systems
• VDMA, German Engineering Federation, one of the largest and most important industrial associations in Europe representing 3,600 German and European mechanical and plant engineering companies

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.

You might be surprised to learn what the biggest challenge manufacturers say they’re facing right now. The talent gap comes up a lot on this podcast, but early survey findings from the New American Industrial Alliance (NAIA), show that “access to capital” is really what holds most mid-market manufacturers back.

In this episode, we sit down with the CEO and Co-Founder of Sustainment, a software company that helps manufacturers manage supplier data, sourcing, and procurement in one centralized platform. As someone partnered with NAIA, Bret takes us through what the findings reveal about procurement and supplier challenges, technology adoption, and plans for the future.

In a previous life, Bret was an Army infantry officer and served four tours in Iraq, which taught him a surprising amount about leadership and business. He shares his unique perspective on running a mission-oriented business that aims to support the resurgence of American manufacturing.

In this episode, find out:

• Bret shares a little background on his military career and why he eventually wound up in the technology and defense manufacturing space
• The biggest lessons Bret learned in the military about business leadership, creativity, initiative, and problem-solving
• What led Bret to build Sustainment and how it solves wider problems facing American manufacturers
• Why manufacturing and supplier relationship management is a team sport between procurement, suppliers, supply chains, and manufacturers
• Bret explains why he partnered with the New American Industrial Alliance (NAIA) to help support a community of manufacturers
• Why mid-market manufacturers are the backbone of the industry – plus how the industry is facing a resurgence
• What the early findings of NAIA’s survey reveal and why the workforce may not be the number one challenge we thought it was
• How manufacturing’s success ties into the capacity and availability of materials and equipment, with a story of how COVID affected manufacturing
• What the survey tells us about manufacturing and new technology adoption
• How manufacturing leaders can tell their story and change the general public’s view on what this industry is like today
• What the survey shows about manufacturing’s procurement outlook on tariffs, supply chains, and reshoring
• What manufacturers can do to prepare for the next 20-30 years and the tools they need to succeed

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 combat power in American manufacturing is in entrepreneurial, small businesses spread throughout middle America... 70% of manufacturing employees work in the small business segment."
• "Manufacturing in this day and age is a high-tech industry... these are super high- paying jobs, working in high tech that allow you to build a great depth of knowledge and great skills."
• "Manufacturing gets done in a community. Every single OEM relies upon a trusted network of contract manufacturers and suppliers and people that are essential to what they sell to their customers."

Links & mentions:

• Sustainment, an SRM for improving your sourcing and procurement efforts with tools built specifically for managing suppliers within manufacturing
• NAIA, New American Industrial Alliance
• Mid-Market Manufacturers Survey
• Broken Spoke, live music & boot-scootin' in Austin, TX, plus beer & chicken-fried steak since 1964

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 hardest part of robotics isn't actually doing robotics. It's providing a solution that solves a real customer problem.” Melonee Wise’s quote from this episode is a good summary of what we talk about in this episode – practical, real-world applications of the technology we see hyped.

Robotics, AMRs, humanoid robots, automation, AI – all of these things are hot topics in manufacturing. But the truth is that these solutions may not always result in the most exciting or sexiest applications. But when they’re eliminating boring, laborious tasks, it’s a huge opportunity across the industry.

For part two of our Automate 2025 special episode, we hear from five incredible people, all from different areas of manufacturing, automation and robotics.

We kick things off with Melonee Wise from Agility Robotics who you may have heard on the show before. She talks about the practical applications of using humanoid robots and where the industry is headed, while also talking through the biggest concern of adopting this new tech – safety.

We kick things off with Melonee Wise from Agility Robotics who you may have heard on the show before. She talks about the practical applications of using humanoid robots and where the industry is headed, while also talking through the biggest concern of adopting this new tech – safety.

Glen Guernsey from JR Automation talks about the biggest changes in warehouse automation today – including the ability to handle random SKU palletization. We chat with Zoie Rittling of OnLogic and Michael Maxey from ZEDEDA, about how right sizing AI at the edge is about eliminating boring work. And finally, Robert Ponsonby from Arduino talks about the interoperability and open-source solutions that drive innovation. All are slightly different takes on automation’s new capabilities but offer truly great insights for anyone working in manufacturing thinking about the future. 

In this episode, find out:

• Melonee talks through Agility Robotics’ humanoid demo and the practical applications of this tech
• Why Agility Robotics focused on bulk material handling at the beginning and takes a tiered approach to complexity  
• Why robots performing individual tasks isn’t what’s important – it’s how this connects to other systems and solves overall problems
• Where the humanoid market is likely headed compared to AMRs
• What the new safety standard means for humanoid implementation and how we could realistically see cooperatively safe humanoids working alongside humans
• Glen talks about the biggest changes we’re seeing in warehouse automation, including the ability to handle random SKU palletization
• Why the labor shortage will need to be supplemented with automation
• Practical applications of AGVs and AMRs in warehouse operations
• What the warehouse of the future will look like
• Zoie and Michael describe edge architecture and how it applies to managing applications
• How the industry can right-size AI at the edge and how this will look different from using cloud applications
• Why you need to prioritize integration when looking for the best AI partners
• Robert defines interoperability and Arduino’s approach to open-source software
• How interoperability in open source allows for innovation, empowering teams, and rapid deployment

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 most innovative thing that's out there has to do with random SKU palletization... up until recently with the advances in AI and advances in vision systems, this was not something that was easily done." – Glen Guernsey
• "We've seen on average for rollouts on projects, a 70% reduction in timeline. Instead of a six-month project, all of a sudden, you guys are done in a month and a half.” Robert Ponsonby
• "The hard part is not actually doing robotics. It's providing a solution that solves a customer problem." Melonee Wise 

Links & mentions:

• Arduino, a leader in open-source hardware and software
• Agility Robotics, a leading manufacturer of humanoid robots and automation solutions
• JR Automation, intelligent automated manufacturing and distribution technology solutions
• OnLogic, industrial computers engineered for IoT edge
• Automate, the biggest automation trade show, this year held in Detroit, Michigan 

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.

Welcome to Part 1 of our two-part Automate 2025 recap series. In this episode, we dive into current trends in automation and robotics, including cobots, open operating systems, and more. The interviews were recorded as part of A3's Automate LIVE series of interviews and include insights from the following industry leaders:

• Jerry Perez, FANUC America Corporation
• Bernd Raithel, Director Product Management & Marketing, Siemens Factory Automation
• Shawn Donahue and Brian Darling, Raymond Corp
• Ken Crawford, Sr. Director of Automation, Weidmueller

Stay tuned for Part 2 covering the latest trends in warehouse automation, AI at the edge, and more coming out later this week.