Welcome to this week's episode of The Maintainers, where today’s special guest is John Davis, the Vice President at American Wood Fibers (AWF). John, boasting an impressive work history, started working on engines at the age of 10 and later managed an entire campus consisting of more than 40 buildings at Sun Microsystems. Today, he plays a significant role at AWF, the industry leader in wood shavings, wood flour, and pet bedding products.

An important focus of the discussion is John's experience in the implementation and management of automation. He shares valuable insights on how initiating change to automate operations can be met with resistance due to differing perspectives on immediate costs and technical difficulties. However, John asserts that getting everyone on the same page before the project starts is crucial. To do this, an effective communication strategy for different groups, from the CFO to the operations manager, is necessary.

When discussing the maintenance aspect, the conversation delves into the complexities faced in maintaining factories when equipment uptime is paramount. John emphasizes that better utilization of technology -- for tracking, monitoring, and effectively responding to machinery issues -- is crucial. The roles of performance monitoring and predictive analysis in managing maintenance are highlighted. These facets, coupled with an emphasis on safety protocols, can significantly impact the efficiency and productivity of factory operations.

John's advice for listeners seeking to improve their maintenance and manufacturing processes is clear. Embrace the developments in AI and technology. Keeping up with the latest technologies and integrating them into daily operations can make jobs more appealing and retain employees, which is a common challenge across industries. Additionally, John's experiences underscore the importance of being adaptable in the face of technological advancements and shifting industry landscapes.

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Guest Bio

John Davis, a seasoned professional in the Maintenance industry, has amassed a wealth of knowledge and experience over his illustrious career. Serving as the Vice President at American Wood Fibers, Davis has navigated complex projects and contributed significantly to the company's impressive reputation. Rooted in hands-on experience dating back to his early childhood, Davis has always demonstrated a knack for handling machinery and understanding the mechanics of various devices.

Davis's journey to the VP role at American Wood Fibers has been an exemplary arc of continuous learning and improvement. Beginning his career in the maintenance sector at Sun Microsystems, he dabbled in a variety of roles ranging from HVAC electrical systems to automation projects. His exceptional ability to ramp up quickly in diverse roles got him tasked with automating the entire campus at Sun Microsystems. Davis's time at Sun Microsystems served as a catalyst for future leadership roles, setting him on a path to later join American Wood Fibers as Vice President.

Equally enthusiastic about embracing new technologies as he is about mechanical engineering, John Davis has successfully spearheaded change management in his organization, driven significant automation projects, and, above all, fostered an environment that emphasizes safety and efficiency. Always receptive to new ideas, he is known to integrate innovative solutions such as AI-powered predictive maintenance software into everyday processes, heralding a new era in the maintenance industry.

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Guest Quote

"As we find new technologies, better ways of doing things, better equipment, better monitoring, we take advantage of that. And we try to carry that over to all of our facilities. We try to stay on the cutting edge of what's available out there." – John Davis

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Time Stamps 

*(01:26) Opening Icebreaker

*(01:55) John's background

*(04:13) Starting college at the age of 15

*(07:36) Segment 01: The Maintainer Mashup

*(08:07) How AWF creates their products

*(10:09) Staying safe while scaling your manufacturing

*(12:14) What new technologies AWF has implemented into their operations

*(14:24) Segment 02: What's in Your Toolkit?

*(14:41) Overcoming the challenge of change

*(20:04) Segment 03: The Future of Factories

*(21:16) Attracting younger talent with the latest innovations

*(24:49) Why AWF chose to partner with Tractian

*(28:17) Advice for those new to the industry

*(31:12) Segment 04: Fix It Funnies 

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Links

• Connect with John Davis on LinkedIn 
• Learn more about American Wood Fibers
• Connect with David Lee on LinkedIn
• Connect with Jake Hall on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Tractian

Today on The Maintainers, we have André Bezerra, a Maintenance Technician at  Petersen Precision Engineering. André, who is a mechatronics engineer, shares his background and experiences in the field. He talks about his passion for robotics and emphasizes the importance of mechatronics in today's industry, where automation and IoT sensors are becoming more prevalent. He advises that having a combination of electronics and mechanical knowledge is crucial for understanding and improving maintenance processes.

André also discusses his unique experiences in building various projects, such as a sea turtle submarine and a pizza delivery robot. He highlights the importance of being curious and hands-on when pursuing a career in mechatronics engineering. André encourages aspiring engineers to have a solid foundation in mechanics, electronics, logic programming, and the ability to read schematics. He emphasizes the need to understand how the machine works, beyond what the operators see, to troubleshoot and fix problems effectively.

In terms of improving maintenance and manufacturing processes, André explains how  Petersen Precision Engineering, a company with over 55 years of history, focuses on trust, continuous improvement, and investing in the right tools and resources. He discusses their plans for the future, which include upgrading equipment, modernizing the factory, and improving data acquisition and monitoring systems. André talks about the bottom-up approach, where improvement ideas come from the employees who deal with day-to-day challenges. He emphasizes the importance of recording and tracking maintenance history to create better procedures and minimize downtime.

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Guest Bio

André Bezzera is a Maintenance Technician at  Petersen Precision Engineering. With a background in mechatronics engineering, André brings a unique combination of electrical and mechanical engineering expertise to his role. Born in Brazil, André has always had a passion for science and technology. His curiosity and hands-on approach led him to pursue a career where he could be involved in building and creating robotics and automation systems. André's impressive projects include building a sea turtle-inspired submarine, a pizza delivery robot, and exoskeletons. These projects have not only showcased his technical skills but also his commitment to innovation and problem-solving.

As a Maintenance Technician, André plays a crucial role in ensuring the smooth functioning of  Petersen Precision Engineering’s CNC machines and other equipment. His focus on continuous improvement and his ability to troubleshoot complex issues have made him an invaluable asset to the company. 

Outside of work, André enjoys exploring the outdoors and connecting with nature. Through his work and personal interests, André continues to inspire others to pursue careers in mechatronics and contribute to the advancement of automation and robotics in various industries.

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Guest Quote

"Improving those kind of systems in the company comes from the top to bottom. But actually dealing with the day to day life here, a person comes mostly from the bottom up, because they're always open minded to receive ideas and solutions that might help us improve. Whatever we can do to make the operators work in a more comfortable way, we're always improving that kind of thing.” – André Bezerra

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Time Stamps 

*(02:11) Opening Ice Breaker

*(02:42) Andre's background as a mechatronics engineer

*(05:37) What inspired Andre to build his own submarine

*(07:13) Segment 01: The Maintainer Mashup

*(07:33) What makes Petersen Precisien unique

*(09:07) Why you need to stay up date with technological innovations

*(10:56) Segment 02: What's in Your Toolkit?

*(11:29) Comparing the manufacturing of the US to Brazil 

*(12:22) Reducing downtime at any cost

*(15:44) Advice for others in the industry

*(18:14) Segment 03: The Future of Factories

*(18:48) Why Andre is building a five year plan for Petersen Precision

*(22:36) Identifying opportunities from the bottom up

*(24:30) Segment 04: Fix It Funnies 

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Links

• Connect with André Bezerra on LinkedIn 
• Learn more about Petersen Precision Engineering
• Connect with David Lee on LinkedIn
• Connect with Jake Hall on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Tractian

On this week’s episode, David & Jake sit down with John Weiler, Sales Manager at Boston Dynamics. John brings us a unique perspective to the show - he walks up and down factory floors daily solving maintenance problems - but he doesn’t actually work on the manufacturing side of the equation. That’s because he walks alongside Boston Dynamics’ robotic technology, specifically Spot, to enhance both safety and efficiency in maintenance and manufacturing processes.

You may have heard of Spot as the dancing robot in some music videos or Superbowl commercials. However, companies leverage Spot to perform inspections in areas that are unsafe or inaccessible to humans. As part of the conversation, Weiler clarifies the role of automation and AI in the job industry. Rather than seeing robots as a threat to the workforce, they're highlighted as useful tools that complement human tasks. The ability of these technologies to perform tasks in situations unsafe for humans underlines the pivotal role of technology in both maintaining global relevance and leading innovation.

John discusses the human element of technology integration in workplaces, emphasizing the importance of an inclusive approach toward change management. By involving the workforce in the process, fostering a sense of ownership and inclusion can aid in smooth transitions towards tech-enhanced futures. John's suggestions can equip listeners with practical insights into effectively introducing new technologies in their workplaces.

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Guest Bio

John Weiler, an Industrial Sales Manager at Boston Dynamics, is a distinguished leader in robotics and automation. His remarkable contributions have led to the deployment of robots and automation in a variety of industries around the world. 

At Boston Dynamics, John engages directly with various global manufacturers, addressing key issues such as workforce challenges, demand requirements, throughput constraints, and the integration of legacy systems. Guided by his principle of always maintaining an open mindset in order to learn more effectively, John dynamically translates his learnings into addressing the systemic adoption of robotics within the manufacturing industry. 

Furthermore, his personal life mirrors his passion for technology, including experiences with Spot that extend joy to people of all ages. John believes in the empowering role technology plays in the manufacturing sector, allowing it to grow and excel within the global manufacturing landscape.

Previously at Path Robotics, he played a pivotal role in increasing revenue to over $25 million as one of their founding sales hires. He attended Ohio State University studying Economics and raised an investment round his senior year to launch his first company.

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Guest Quote

“Every factory I talk to, when you move up the strategic ladder, one of the biggest things that they talk to us about is safety. ‘We need to improve the safety of all of our facilities.’ Anytime we have tasks that can remove people from unsafe situations, and they're repeatable and scalable, that's a home run formula for a robot.” – John Weiler

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Time Stamps 

*(02:00) Opening Ice Breaker

*(02:52) John's Background

*(04:36) Why you should follow your passion

*(05:32) Segment 01: The Maintainer Mashup

*(06:58) What Boston Dynamics can offer factory floors

*(08:38) Spot's impact on the industry

*(12:10) Making sure data is not out of sight, out of mind

*(15:37) Increasing worker safety through automation

*(19:33) Segment 02: What's in Your Toolkit?

*(20:48) Why John enters each floor with a "Beginner's Mindset"

*(21:43) How people react to Spot

*(24:35) Inspiring the next generation of technicians

*(25:42) Segment 03: The Future of Factories

*(26:47) Automations are here to help workers

*(27:52) Change is hard but necessary

*(32:24) Segment 04: Fix It Funnies 

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Links

• Connect with John Weiler on LinkedIn 
• Learn more about Boston Dynamics
• Connect with David Lee on LinkedIn
• Connect with Jake Hall on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Tractian

This week’s episode features Christian Olson, a mechanical engineer at Accuride Corporation, a manufacturer of wheels, wheel end, and braking components for commercial and passenger vehicles. Throughout his conversation with Jake & David, Christian shares his background and experiences as a young engineer entering the workforce amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. He discusses his passion for technology and constant learning, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and embracing new ideas in the field of engineering.

During the conversation, Christian emphasizes the importance of predictive maintenance and having a proactive rather than reactive approach to manufacturing processes. Christian shares his experiences and projects he has led, including soundproofing machinery and the inception of predictive maintenance. He shares the ambitious goal of achieving zero unplanned downtime.

Christian also highlights the challenges faced by young engineers, particularly the need to prove oneself and push for opportunities to contribute to their companies. He emphasizes the value of taking on projects that allow for personal growth and professional development. The conversation sheds light on how companies can attract and retain young engineering talent by fostering inclusivity, providing opportunities for impactful work, and supporting continuous learning.

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Guest Bio

Christian Olson is a mechanical engineer at Accuride, a manufacturer of wheels, wheel end, and braking components for commercial and passenger vehicles. His technical knowledge spans CNC programming, fluid system design, and product design. Fresh out of college during the pandemic, Olson showed remarkable resilience in his job search, a testament to his determination and perseverance in a challenging environment.

One of his notable contributions thus far is implementing Tractian into operations at Accuride. This project is aimed at reducing unplanned downtime and improving the company's operational efficiency. His quick mastery of a new discipline and its successful application demonstrates his exceptional ability to learn and implement new solutions.

Also notable is Olson's soundproofing project at InScape, which showcased his capacity to step outside his comfort zone. His tenacity in undertaking unfamiliar tasks and his success in resolving complex issues highlight his innovative nature and problem-solving skills. Even in his early career, Olson has shown an ability to address industry challenges with a blend of technical expertise and adaptive learning.

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Guest Quote

“A motor on top of a CNC, that no one's gonna touch or look at, it's just gonna keep going until it breaks. If it's not showing any outward signs of wear and tear issues, no one's going to do anything about it. They're just going to look at it and go, ‘Yep, that runs.’ And using Predictive Maintenance, you can see ahead of time and get a jump on it.” - Christian Olson

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Time Stamps 

*(01:21) Opening Ice Breaker

*(01:57) Christian's Background

*(05:13) Why it's up to you to prove yourself

*(08:08) Segment 01: The Maintainer Mashup

*(10:50) How Accuride approaches maintenance and reliability

*(12:23 Why Predictive Maintenance adds value to manufacturing operations

*(13:43 ) Identifying which assets matter most 

*(15:38) What solutions Tractian is bringing to Accuride

*(17:20) Segment 02: What's in Your Toolkit?

*(18:05) What you should be doing to attract young talent

*(19:49) The importance of finding opportunities for yourself

*(23:04) Segment 03: The Future of Factories

*(24:58) Proving the case for bringing in new tech

*(26:35) Where the industry can improve culturally 

*(28:38) Segment 04: Fix It Funnies 

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Links

• Connect with Christian Olson on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Accuride Corporation
• Connect with David Lee on LinkedIn
• Connect with Jake Hall on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Tractian

In this episode of "The Maintainers, a Bluecap Community Podcast," David Lee and Jake Hall host Gautam Sane, Senior Reliability Engineer at CP Kelco. CP Kelco, a nature-based ingredient solutions company, has been in the food and beverage industry for 90 years. With his background in chemical engineering, Gautam brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to his role. He shares his journey from the oil and gas industry to the food and beverage industry and discusses the similarities and differences between the two.

David and Jake dive into the importance of reliability in the manufacturing industry and the challenges faced by companies to ensure consistent uptime. Gautam explains how he has implemented an OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) model at CP Kelco, using data analysis to optimize asset performance. By tracking key process parameters and identifying the root causes of delays, Gautam and his team have been able to drive up the quality of their products and eliminate inefficiencies in their manufacturing processes.

Looking to the future, Gautam emphasizes the need for environmentally-friendly manufacturing practices. As climate change becomes a pressing concern, he believes that factories worldwide will need to focus on sustainability and reduce their environmental impact. By investing in environmentally-friendly solutions and being at the forefront of the sustainability movement, companies can not only contribute to a greener future but also enhance their reputation and bottom line.

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Guest Bio

Gautaum Sane is a Senior Reliabilty Engineer at CP Kelco. He’s originally from Texas – growing up in Houston and going to college at the University of Texas at Austin and holding a bachelor’s degree and PE license in chemical engineering and certifications in Maintenance & Reliability and Project Management.

Gautam got his start in the Oil and Gas industry as a Process Design Engineer for Fluor Daniel, which is an Engineering, Design & Construction firm servicing the major refinery and chemical operations along the Gulf Coast. He would work on large-scale expansion projects and his role involved thermodynamic and hydraulic modeling to design the industrial equipment, transfer piping, instrumentation and controls hardware for these operations. Some of the clients he worked with included ExxonMobil, Dow Chemical, and Marathon Oil.

Following oil and gas, Gautam decided to venture into the Food and Beverage industry and joined CP Kelco. He first worked as a typical field engineer who was responsible for both the day-to-day process troubleshooting and managing continuous improvement projects for my process area. He has since worked in Operations, Engineering, and now Maintenance departments, bringing a unique blend of technical knowledge and operations experience to his role. Since taking on the Reliability Engineer role, he have learned the best practices for Predictive Maintenance, Mechanical Integrity, and Bad Actor Elimination programs and processes.

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Guest Quote

“I like to solve problems in a way that they get solved once and for good, once and for all. I don't want to just put a bandaid on a problem just to come back to it, you know, day later, a week later, just to deal with, just to deal with the same problem again. And whenever our operators would bring issues to my attention, I wouldn't just try to solve it there. I would try to figure out, ‘okay, how else can I prevent this from happening in the future?’” – Gautam Sane

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Time Stamps 

*(01:28) Opening Ice Breaker

*(02:35) Gautam's background

*(04:47) Comparing Oil & Gas to Food & Bev

*(06:57) Segment 01: The Maintainer Mashup

*(08:39) Where you'll find a CP Kelco product

*(10:06) What assets you'll find at their plant

*(11:39 ) How to change your team's culture around reliability

*(14:50 ) Ramping up quality in real time

*(19:27) Why CP Kelco chose to partner with Tractian 

*(22:53) Segment 02: What's in Your Toolkit?

*(24:52) Segment 03: The Future of Factories

*(25:10) Advice for acting on data

*(28:25) Getting buy-in from everyone on your team 

*(30:06) Why climate change will impact manufacturing

*(32:31) Segment 04: Fix It Funnies 

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Links

• Connect with Gautam Sane on LinkedIn
• Learn more about CP Kelco 
• Connect with David Lee on LinkedIn
• Connect with Jake Hall on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Tractian

Today, David & Jake are joined by Walt Harrison, Controls & Automations Engineer at Swarco Reflex LLC. Swarco is an industry leading manufacturer of retro-reflective marking systems which guide traffic, keeping road users safe. You probably see their tiny glass beads embedded in road paint each night you drive home as they steer you in the right direction. Having been with the organization for almost two years, Walt is leading the charge on their predictive maintenance practices and commitment to “downtime on their terms.” 

Walt shares a wealth of knowledge today, with topics spanning from how he transitioned into the manufacturing space after starting his career in IT, how he and the team at Swarco think about predictive maintenance, why he believes in always training your replacement, and what industry leaders need to focus on as we pave our way into the future. 

One of the key takeaways you’ll gather from today? It might be how after Walt examined each piece of equipment and graded them based on how critical they are to the entire operation, he learned that every piece is critical. Or it could be that something as simple as transparent communication can increase productivity and allows the people around you to share in the tricks of the trade you use everyday. Regardless, this episode is packed full of tangible advice. 

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Guest Bio

Walt Harrison is a Controls & Automations Technician for Swarco Reflex, LCC. Swarco manufactures reflective glass beads for road markings and has been around since 1969. Their tiny beads (<2mm) are applied directly after road paint and are found worldwide. Having been with the company for nearly two years, Walt has been instrumental in the upkeep of the manufacturing floor. Prior to Swarco, he has been with organizations such as Dematic, the City of Waco, and Kforce Inc.   

Before entering the manufacturing space, Walt’s first passion was computing technology, which began after his time in the military. Graduating from Sam Houstin in Texas with a business systems degree, Walt dove headfirst into IT and managed over 2,000 computers alongisde the entire fiber optic and copper networks for the Mexia School District. Following this role, Walt took a position of Senior Programmer Analyst of IT Automation Systems at XTO Energy. 

Working at XTO for almost a decade, Walt slowly transitioned from the IT world into controls & automations…with absolutely 0 prior experience. Crediting his leadership at XTO for the collaborative, detail-oriented attitude he holds today, he installed and setup SCADA systems for automated well testing and setup Lufkin Well Manager for Talco Oil Field. He also supported the  DeltaV Distributed Control System for three natural gas treating facilities including upgrades, programming and industrial networking. 

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Guest Quote

“When we did an analysis of, 'where are our critical points of failure?' It came up to: It's all critical. So our goal is to stop the devices from failing on their terms. We can detect a device that is out of spec and have a replacement ready. Downtime on our terms is really what we're looking for.” – Walt Harrison

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Time Stamps 

*(01:43) Ice Breaker

*(02:09) Walt's Background

*(06:51) How to navigate career transitions

*(08:06) Segment 01: The Maintainer Mashup

*(10:48) Swarco’s process of manufacturing glass beads

*(12:28) The reliability culture at Swarco

*(15:34 ) Ways Walt ensures consistent uptime

*(19:42) Segment 02: What's in Your Toolkit?

*(22:08 ) Finding a great mentor

*(24:07) The simplicity of strong communication

*(28:27) Segment 03: The Future of Factories

*(30:41) Is the industry ready for new technologies?

*(33:31) Why digital security is critical moving forward

*(36:38) Segment 04: Fix It Funnies 

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Links

• Connect with Walt Harrison on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Swarco Reflex LLC.  
• Connect with David Lee on LinkedIn
• Connect with Jake Hall on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Tractian

On this week’s episode of The Maintainers, join David & Jake as they have the pleasure of speaking with Nikki Gonzales, the Head of Partnerships at Quotebeam and Co-Host of the podcast, Automation Ladies. Quotebeam is a collaborative digital procurement platform for industrial automation and electrical components, partnering with industrial automation distributors and their customers to connect them with the parts they need.

Nikki brings a slightly different perspective to the show, having always been primarily on the business side of operations, citing her long passion for wanting to match problems with solutions at a high level. And, while she might not be running production lines, she still has a keen interest in predictive maintenance as she shares how her father’s business is aimed at providing key monitoring for grocery refrigerators and freezers. 

David & Jake also find out more about the podcast Nikki co-hosts, Automation Ladies. Starting in 2022, Nikki and her Co-Host, Ali G, wanted to provide other women in the industry with content that resonated with them. In an industry that lacks gender parity, one of Nikki’s goals is to empower other women who might be struggling as they start their careers.

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Guest Bio

Nikki Gonzales started her career as a sales engineer for machine vision systems and mechatronics, where she spent 10 years in the field implementing and supporting automation solutions in a variety of industries. She then transitioned to the design side of engineering with multi-physics simulation for virtual prototyping and data analytics in the supply chain such as forecasting and inventory optimization. Today she is building an online marketplace and workflow automation platform for industrial automation distributors and their customers to collaborate and bring some sanity to the procurement process at Quotebeam.

When she’s not helping engineers and their procurement teams with Quotebeam, she’s probably out connecting with someone new on her podcast Automation Ladies or offering up her expertise at a live conference.

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Guest Quote

“It really does help to see someone that you can relate to in a position that you may be interested in. And there are a lot of great women out there in tech industries and manufacturing, but oftentimes, we are more reluctant to put ourselves out there…But through our network, we see that there are girls watching us that want to come into this as a career. And they feel empowered by watching our shows or hearing us talk.” – Nikki Gonzales

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Time Stamps 

*(01:21) Ice Breaker

*(02:03) Nikki's Background

*(06:39) Segment 01: The Maintainer Mashup 

*(07:13) What problems does Quotebeam solve?

*(12:11) Nikki's thoughts on predictive maintenance

*(16:39) Monitoring in grocery stores

*(20:36) Segment 02: What's in Your Toolkit?

*(24:29 ) The Automation Ladies Podcast

*(28:02) Segment 03: The Future of Factories

*(28:34) Advice for bringing more diversity to manufacturing

*(32:40) The importance of role models

*(36:15) Segment 04: Fix It Funnies 

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Links

• Connect with Nikki Gonzales on LinkedIn
• Listen to Automation Ladies
• Learn more about Quotebeam 
• Connect with David Lee on LinkedIn
• Connect with Jake Hall on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Tractian

Welcome to another episode of The Maintainers: A Blue Cap Community Podcast. Today Jake & David are sitting down with Russel Tatro, Maintenance Supervisor at Cadence Inc. Cadence Inc. is a leading full-service contract manufacturer of medical and drug delivery devices that employs over 700 people worldwide and has additional locations in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and Costa Rica. Having been with Cadence Inc. for over a year, Russel offers great insights as he navigates his teams through evolving technical innovations, particularly in relation to maintenance monitoring.

As more software and hardware advances are being made in the manufacturing and maintenance spaces, many people are left wondering how well implementation can be, especially amongst an aging workforce. Russel shares what he looks for in modern software, what strategies he employs to ensure there is buy-in from his team members, and where he thinks there opportunities exist when looking towards the future. 

David & Jake also explore Russel’s almost decade experience with Electric Boat, who he credits for much of the leadership expertise he has today. You’ll hear Russel tell an old story about what happened when he forgot to bring the one fitting he needed for a routine check from the Navy. Let that be a lesson for you!

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Guest Bio

Russel Tatro is a Maintenance Supervisor with Cadence Inc., where he’s been since February of 2022. Cadence is a full-service contract manufacturer and leading supplier of advanced products, technologies, and services to medical, aerospace, automotive, and commercial companies worldwide. Russel has a HUGE CV and began at the age of 18 working on betting machines, which started his passion of electrical control systems. That passion has carried on throughout his career in many sectors of the manufacturing industry. 

As you’ll hear in today’s episode, Russel was a maintenance electrician with Electric Boat for nearly a decade, and he credits much of his leadership skills to his time there. Since then, he’s been with Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., Quikrete, Doncasters Group, and Denison Pharmaceuticals. 

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Guest Quote

“When you try to implement anything new, whether it's something in maintenance or something across the manufacturing floor, even in production, I think you always get a little bit of resistance to change. If you can prove to the key players that there's a value into why they're gonna put a request in, there's a value into why I want you to carry a tablet around, I think that the buy-in's a lot better.” – Russel Tatro

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Time Stamps 

*(01:28) Opening Icebreaker

*(02:35) Russel's Background

*(05:45) Applying skills from different trades to manufacturing

*(08:22) Segment 01: The Maintainer Mashup

*(09:34) Incorporating modern tech into your maintenance routine

*(12:39) Why you need to give your technicians singular, direct tasks 

*(16:48) Section 02: What's in Your Toolkit?

*(19:47) What to look for in your software 

*(22:45) A lesson from the dry dock 

*(24:15) Segment 03: The Future of Factories

*(28:41) Segment 04: Fix It Funnies

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Links

• Connect with Russel Tatro on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Cadence Inc. 
• Connect with David Lee on LinkedIn
• Connect with Jake Hall on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Tractian

On this week's episode of The Maintainers: A Blue Cap Community Podcast, hosts Jake & David are joined by an outstanding guest, Anna Goodman. Anna is the Senior Mechanical Reliability Engineer at Celanese, a global chemical leader in the production of differentiated chemistry solutions and specialty materials used in most major industries and consumer applications. Anna is bringing in her extensive and diverse manufacturing background to the conversation today. 

Some topics that are covered in this episode include: What differences exist between various manufacturing industries, why leadership should be taking a top-down approach towards their predictive maintenance efforts, and how the tides might slowly be shifting to close the gender gap in the industry. Anna also stresses the importance of mentorship in fostering early career development, and the ways in which she works with professional organizations to do her part. 

Additionally, David & Jake poke around the subject of AI, and where the industry might be headed as it is further integrated into the work done everyday. Hear Anna give her thoughts on how she views the future potential available, and if it will be fully replacing humans or working together to enable more intellectual work.

—

Guest Bio

Anna Goodman is a Senior Mechanical Reliability Engineer with Celanese in Houston, Texas.

She began working in the nuclear industry in 2011. She received her bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati in 2010. In the past 12 years, she has worked in various industries including nuclear, food, plastics, petrochemical, and chemicals. 

The primary focus in each being to work with teams of various disciplines at the facilities to improve reliability and mechanical integrity of the equipment. Her work over the past 5 years can be summarized as covering the following subjects:

• Focused on cleanup of Mechanical Integrity programs documentation and follow through on inspection findings.
• Review of MOCs to ensure mechanical integrity and reliability details are addressed as they need to be. 
• The evaluation and optimization of inspection and maintenance programs. 
• Managed and led crews to perform repairs and replacements for equipment that did not have good equipment health or integrity.
• Led and performed FMEAs and RCAs for failed or frequently failing equipment. 
• Trained other maintenance professionals about mechanical integrity and reliability principles. 
• Earned a Certification of Maintenance and Reliability Professional, API 510, API 580, and API 570.

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Guest Quote

“Try to help the user find the failure before it happens. Then you don't have any surprises. The surprises lead to the accidents and possible injuries depending on what the risk is of that particular piece of equipment.” – Anna Goodman

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Time Stamps 

*(01:42) Opening Icebreaker

*(02:27) Anna's Background

*(04:31) Automotive vs. Chemical Manufacturing

*(06:08) Segment 01: The Maintainer Mashup

*(08:30) Why is predictive maintenance important

*(13:38) Section 02: What's in Your Toolkit?

*(17:04) Segment 03: The Future of Factories

*(20:03) Women in manufacturing and maintenance

*(24:26) How professional organizations can help

*(26:21) Mentorship matters

*(29:03) Segment 04: Fix It Funnies

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Links

• Connect with Anna Goodman on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Celanese
• Connect with David Lee on LinkedIn
• Connect with Jake Hall on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Tractian

Welcome to the very first episode of The Maintainers: A Blue Cap Community Podcast, Hosted by David Lee, Enterprise Account Director at Tractian, and Jake Hall, The Manufacturing Millennial. Joining Jake & David for Episode 01 is Longchi Foma, General Manager at Kalera, the global leader in vertical community farms. 

The trio cover a wide range of topics including: What maintenance technology Kalera implements in their day to day, how organizations can do a better job of implementing innovative solutions with aging populations, and advice for veterans looking to break into the industry. Longchi shares data about the impact unplanned downtime can have on operations at Kalera given the amount of precise parameters their equipment needs to operate within. 

Additionally, hear all the ways Kalera is looking to shape the future of farming through their vertical hydroponic systems. With vertical farming techniques; farmers can use 98 percent less water and 99 percent less land. They can produce crop yields of 240 times that of traditional farms through year-round rolling or perpetual harvest.

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Guest Bio

As a General Manager at Kalera, Longchi leads all aspects of a $60M vertical hydroponic farm facility that produces high-quality, fresh, and sustainable greens for customers across Texas and surrounding states. With nearly a decade of experience in the oil and gas industry, he brings a unique perspective and expertise in managing complex, large-scale, innovative operations, logistics, and quality systems.

He is passionate about continuous improvement, learning new skills, and applying them to new challenges. He holds certifications in Project Management Professional (PMP), Six Sigma Green Belt, and Financial Professional, and is always looking for opportunities to expand his knowledge and network. He’s a proud Texas Tech alum, The Society of Petroleum Engineers, The National Society of Leadership and Success, and a former Army mechanic. His mission is to leverage his skills and experience to positively impact the environment, the community, and the industry.

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Guest Quote

“Maintenance is extremely important because you're dealing with such complex things. From sensors to data analytics, to machine learning, algorithms, predictive maintenance, all that is needed. Because one clog could be detrimental to yield, you could go from having a certain amount of yield to a reduction of 30%.  So maintenance is key.” – Longchi Foma

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Time Stamps 

*(01:32) Opening Icebreaker

*(02:21) Longchi’s background

*(03:49) Segment 01: The Future of Factories

*(07:02) What’s trending in the industry

*(09:43) Segment 02: The Maintainer Mashup

*(12:00) How to inspire collaboration amongst teams

*(14:35) Are older generations accepting modern technologies?

*(15:55) Segment 03: What’s in Your Toolkit?

*(18:38) Advice for implementing new tools

*(21:59) What we can do for our Veterans

*(24:39) Segment 04: Fix-It Funnies

*(25:52) The importance of agriculture

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Links

• Connect with Longchi Foma on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Kalera
• Connect with David Lee on LinkedIn
• Connect with Jake Hall on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Tractian