What if the real sign of a thriving machine shop isn’t how hard the lights are on—but how confidently you can turn them off?

In this episode of Lights Out, we sit back down with Ryan Bankel of Imago Manufacturing to get into the guts of how a high-performing shop can run with minimal human presence and still crank out quality parts. This isn't about overnight success—it’s about obsessing, intelligently and intentionally, over what "lights out" actually takes, from tooling considerations to culture, chip control to checklists.

Ryan pulls back the curtain on how he reengineered not just his machines but his mindset. He breaks down the daily “Lights Out Checklist” laminated on every machine, the unsexy decisions that fuel unattended machining, and the radical belief that automation isn’t just about more parts—it’s about more life. With bourbon in hand and clarity on tap, we get real about boundaries, freedom, and the juice-to-squeeze ratio that drives modern manufacturing forward.

Whether you’re still tied to the spindle or just starting to imagine what your shop could look like without you in it, this episode offers a blueprint for rethinking everything—from how you spend your hours to how you scale your value. Automation isn’t just for the big guys. It’s for anyone ready to lead with intention, accountability, and maybe a little help from Bon Jovi.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• (00:00) Bourbon, broken phones, and kicking off part two
• (00:38) Why you should complete the Modern Machine Shop Top Shops Survey
• (03:10) Why “lights out” isn’t just for large shops
• (04:40) The role of positive constraints in Ryan’s business philosophy
• (08:09) Designing schedules for freedom—not burnout
• (11:55) Trust and autonomy: the cultural foundation of unattended machining
• (13:42) The case for decoupling the owner from the day-to-day
• (15:51) Live tooling, bar feeders, and why Okuma gets the job done
• (20:05) The Imago Manufacturing Daily Lights Out Checklist
• (21:38) The must-run-unattended mindset and its ripple effect
• (25:44) Ryan’s “three-day rule” for qualifying lights-out jobs
• (30:33) Real-world risks: scrap, tool failure, and power loss
• (33:48) Chip control, part ejection, and machine limitations
• (36:57) Checklist development from real pain points
• (41:27) Defining the juice-to-squeeze ratio and scoring process viability
• (44:09) How to access the Daily Lights Out Checklist + wrap-up
• (46:15) Check out the Buy the Numbers podcast!

Resources & People Mentioned

• Complete the Modern Machine Shop Top Shops Survey
• How Ryan named Imago 

Connect with Ryan Bankel

• The Imago Manufacturing Daily Lights Out Checklist
• Imago Manufacturing 
• Connect on LinkedIn

Connect With Lights Out

• LinkedIn
• MakingChips.com

Subscribe to Lights Out

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Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK