Manufacturing Happy Hour

Manufacturers (not just the guys on the shop floor, but the C-suite behind them) are on a race to the finish line when it comes to automation. Most of us by now are pretty familiar with how AI and automation can play a role in manufacturing. But it looks like we’re heading to the next stage… In this episode, we hear from Chris Stevens, the SVP & GM of US Automation Business at Siemens Digital...

We just can’t stay away from Pittsburgh’s robotics scene! So we’re back, this time turning the spotlight on the business and startup angle with Premier Labs. Premier Labs is a corporate venture studio, a relatively new model that changes how technology comes to market. President Joel Reed joins the episode to give real examples and explanations about how a corporate venture studio works. In short,...

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...

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 s...

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 collabo...

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 spa...

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 ep...

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 h...

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...

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 com...

“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...

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 Mana...

When we talk about building a more productive and competitive manufacturing industry, talk of AI, automation, and other new tech usually crops up. But let’s not forget the basics – the way we power, staff, and build sustainable practices. That stuff’s also important. We’re in an era of transformation right now, but it’s definitely not the first time the US has gone through this. In fact, we get a...

Get ready for a front-row seat to Europe’s biggest automation event! In this bonus episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour , host Chris Luecke and Jake Hall – The Manufacturing Millennial – share their excitement and preview what’s ahead at Automatica 2025 , taking place June 24–27 in Munich, Germany. Chris and Jake discuss: What makes German manufacturing a global powerhouse in automation and vocatio...

We’re seeing a huge leap in potential when it comes to what AI can accomplish in industrial settings. Not only can it catch errors, it can provide intelligent insights to prevent them in the first place, reduce waste, save costs, and improve processes.   Recorded live from Automate 2025, we sat down with Alvin Clark, Senior AI Engineer at NVIDIA, to discuss AI agents in manufacturing and...

Imagine having a tireless teammate watching your back 24/7, never missing a beat when it comes to keeping you safe. That’s exactly what AI agents in manufacturing are capable of today.   Spot AI uses cameras and AI agents to spot safety issues, send alerts, and collect data that can improve safety training in the future. Yes, a human could do all that. But who wants to spend 8 hours a da...

Without customer buy-in, even the most innovative robotics automation products can fall flat. But the approach most manufacturers take with new products is to build them first, then get feedback. In this episode, you’ll hear how one company flipped the script and did robotics product development the other way around.    Joining this episode is Anthony Leo, President of IPR Robotics,...

How does a startup scale? It all starts with a great product that solves a real problem. And sometimes that means taking the slow and steady road to startup success. Recorded at Trillium Brewing in Boston, we sit down with Adi Dalvi, the VP of Sales at OSARO, a company that specializes in robot piece-picking and machine learning solutions to automate warehouse tasks. With minimal marketing in the...

What role does higher ed play in making sure manufacturing thrives? Universities and other higher ed hubs are playing a leading role in shaping the future of this industry. And MIT is a prime example of this, with specialist courses to help graduates and professionals get the skills they need to bring new innovations to life. We’re joined by the Principal Investigator of MIT’s LEAP Group (Learning...

Sometimes indecision costs more than a wrong decision. Making decisions is a leader’s bread and butter, but during times of uncertainty or crisis, they often become more cautious and hesitant. The danger here is getting left behind while more confident, proactive leaders charge ahead. Jason T. Ray, Co-Founder and CEO of Paperless Parts, is a regular on Manufacturing Happy Hour, so we compare some...

What does it take to find the best talent in the manufacturing industry these days? When it comes to automation, you can use location (or lack of location) to your advantage. In this episode, Kyle Mahan of Ohio-based Wauseon Machine takes us through their approach to securing the best automation talent. We'll also hear some history on the organization, learn about Kyle's career, and share strategi...

It’s not every day that a former NFL player joins the podcast. And it’s not every day you see one make such a dramatic career pivot from pro football to craft brewing and small business ownership. But that’s exactly what Brandon Fields did. When he was winding down his football career, he found his passion in brewing, starting out with a home brewing kit. He teamed up with his wife Katie and opene...

Manufacturing and engineering are full of talented, passionate people. Just listen to literally any of these episodes for proof of that. But what is it that keeps people in this space motivated and fulfilled? Ask 10 different people, and you’d likely get 10 very different answers. For this episode, we posed the question to three guests – Steve Ilmrud, VP of Operations for North America at Hexagon...

An AI agent can create. It can predict. It can analyze data. But for it to really drive change and enhance operations, it needs to take action. That’s the next step of machine learning and AI, says Kence Anderson, CEO of Composabl, a company that helps manufacturers create multi-agent AI systems. Our discussion with Kence is probably one of the most important you’ll hear on the podcast lately. AI...

Today's bonus episode is all about MEPs, and actually a very urgent issue related to MEPs. For context, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) is a public-private partnership that delivers comprehensive, proven solutions by helping small and medium-sized manufacturers grow, make operational improvements, and reduce risk. To put it in more simplified terms - MEPs provide resources to small-...