Podcast
Manufacturing Happy Hour
Hosted by Chris Luecke · EN
Welcome to Manufacturing Happy Hour, the podcast where we get real about the latest trends and technologies impacting modern manufacturers.
Hosted by industry veteran Chris Luecke, each week, we interview makers, founders, and other manufacturing leaders that are at the top of their game and give you the tools, tactics, and strategies you need to take your career and your business to the next level. We go beyond the buzzwords and dissect real-life applications and success stories so that you can tackle your biggest manufacturing challenges and turn them into profitable opportunities.
Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.
43episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
297: Defense Spending, Contract Manufacturing, and Navigating Regulated Industries with Fathom CEO Rush LaSelle
1w ago00:49:08Tap to summarizeFine tuning manufacturing like a guitar - that's the kind of parallel you can expect from this episode. This week Chris sits down with Rush LaSelle, CEO at Fathom, recorded on site at their Hartland, Wisconsin facility over a Spotted Cow beer. Rush's path into manufacturing started at Fanuc, moved through the early and unproven days of mobile robotics, and later took him into the highly regulated world of healthcare automation. They get into digital manufacturing today, how the Kiva and Amazon story changed the way people think about robotics and logistics, and why more defense spending doesn't automatically mean more manufacturing capacity. Rush also breaks down what this week's news around CMMC Phase 2 means for manufacturers who have already put in months of work preparing for it. Along the way, Rush makes one of the more memorable comparisons we've heard on the show, describing the people on his shop floor as creatives, and manufacturing itself as something closer to art than you might expect. In this episode, find out: How an early mobile robotics deal turned out to be worth $775 million, and what it taught the industry How digital manufacturing evolved from CAD drawings to full supply chain integration Why additive manufacturing has moved way past its prototyping only reputation What manufacturers need before they can scale up to meet rising defense demand Why the pause on CMMC Phase 2 has left some manufacturers in a tricky spot How Rush sees manufacturing as a form of art, and why he calls his machinists creatives What's driving the ongoing talent war in manufacturing, and why skilled machinists take years to develop Why Rush believes physical AI is the most exciting shift happening in the industry right now 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: “There is a talent war going on where everybody's trying to get the right level of folks on the floor. Despite all the automation and the augmentation, you still need talented people out there. The curve to get to a level three machinist is about seven years on the job.” - Rush LaSelle, CEO at Fathom “You take all the data that's available in these monstrous data farms and you start applying them to physical AI. Physical AI, in our case, could be getting better control over our machines, instead of 80% of our programming done on CNCs, making it 98%.” - Rush LaSelle, CEO at Fathom “We've had an erosion of our industrial base. You need to have 20, 30, 50 years' worth of visibility to revenue to put hundreds of millions of dollars in place. And the government doesn't always give you that level of visibility.” - Rush LaSelle, CEO at Fathom Links & mentions: Fathom Manufacturing helps companies simplify part sourcing with 25+ advanced manufacturing technologies and support services, all built around the way real programs actually move. Core capabilities include additive manufacturing, injection molding, CNC machining and sheet metal fabrication, with support across engineering, finishing, inspection, assembly and production. New Glarus Brewing Company philosophy is based on individuality, cooperation, and the employment of 100% natural ingredients to produce world-class, handcrafted beers like Spotted Cow, for our friends in Wisconsin. 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.
Transcribe →BONUS: Software-Defined Automation: The Future of Industrial Control (sponsored by Siemens)
2w ago00:29:18Tap to summarizeTwo worlds that have never previously spoken the same language are now building the same machine.This week Chris sits down with David Nichols, CEO, Co-Founder and Engineer at Loupe, an alum of the show making his return. We are also joined by Kristen Quasey, Architecture & Portfolio Sales Manager, and Jan Bajorat, Senior Director of Software-Defined Automation, both at Siemens, for this special bonus episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, live from Automate 2026.Together they get into software-defined automation, what that looks like on the shop floor, and why it's picking up momentum right now.David shares the story behind SASE, the Society of Automation Software Engineers, and what it felt like building a community around an idea before most of the industry had caught on. Kristen and Jan bring the perspective of a company adapting to a new generation of engineers and a shifting global workforce.In this episode, find out:What David means when he compares software-defined automation to a "chocolate and peanut butter" combination.Why David describes SASE as starting from a place of desperation rather than strategy.How Kristen and Jan see a new generation of engineers changing what companies need from automation.How building the software of a machine before its mechanics has changed what David's team was able to deliver.How a distributed team can fix a production issue without setting foot on the plant floor.Why Jan believes software-defined automation is what makes industrial AI possible at scale.Why global workforce shortages are pushing manufacturers toward a software-defined approach.Why software-defined automation is not the same thing as software automation.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 can make it through this phase where we're kind of out in the wilderness, it's great. We're excited about what the next 10 years are going to look like, and I hope a lot of it looks like this.” - David Nichols, CEO, Co-Founder and Engineer at Loupe “When you have certain devices that are typically on the hardware side and you have a software-defined approach, you can now scale much quicker and be a lot more flexible.” - Kristen Quasey, Architecture & Portfolio Sales Manager at Siemens“With so many unfilled jobs that you need, you need a huge step. You need to drastically change, and this is what SCA is about. It's a big step up. It's not a small incremental thing.” - Jan Bajorat, Senior Director of Software-Defined Automation at SiemensLinks & mentions:Loupe is an engineering organization serving machine builders by providing control systems and developing software for automated equipment.Siemens is a leading technology company focused on industry, infrastructure, mobility, and healthcare. The company’s purpose is to create technology to transform the everyday, for everyone.SASE is a community of engineers who are converging and completely revolutionizing software practices and automation.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.
Transcribe →296: The Art of Building in the Age of AI with Baukunst Co-Founder Tyler Mincey
3w ago00:46:58Tap to summarizeWhat does it take to build something well, on purpose, in a world that keeps pushing you to move faster?This week Chris sits down with Tyler Mincey, Co-Founder and General Partner at Baukunst, a San Francisco and Boston based collective of creative technologists that also runs an early-stage venture fund. Tyler opens up about where the name Baukunst comes from and what building with intention means to him, drawing on a path that started with the touchscreen on the original iPhone at Apple.Tyler breaks down research Baukunst has been running on AI adoption on the factory floor, talking through the different stages companies move through as they bring it into their operations. He gets into where the hype lines up with what he's seeing and where it doesn't, and challenges the idea that manufacturing is behind on technology.The chat also turns to what AI could mean for the people doing the work day to day, not just the businesses putting it in place.In this episode, find out:How Tyler's work on the original iPhone influenced his approach to building physical products.The meaning behind the name Baukunst and what "artful building" means to Tyler.What it took to build deep, trusted manufacturing partnerships during his time at Apple.Tyler's non-linear career path from engineering into digital design and venture capital.Why Baukunst formed research organizations/study groups to research AI and manufacturing.The stages companies move through as they bring AI into their operations.Where AI is already delivering results on the factory floor, and where the hype outpaces reality.Why the human side of AI adoption matters, and what the shift from bank tellers to ATMs can teach us.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:“Part of the reason I'm hungry for artful building is that there’s a whole lot of coulda but not a lot of shoulda in how we develop technology these days, where we feel like we're just rushing and accelerating towards an inevitable future that feels dystopian.” - Tyler Mincey, Co-Founder and General Partner at Baukunst“I love people talking about how much of a will gap versus a skill gap we have in manufacturing these days. It's really an attractive place to work for the future and its inspiring for the next generation of engineers, of industrial labor and of operations professionals.” - Tyler Mincey, Co-Founder and General Partner at Baukunst“Getting back to the human face, I think it's within our power to build different things too. And I think really holding our feet to the fire, asking ‘do we want to live in a world where things work this way’ is another gut check that I'm very passionate about.” - Tyler Mincey, Co-Founder and General Partner at BaukunstLinks & mentions:Baukunst is a collective of creative technologists advancing the art of building. Our inaugural $100M venture fund is dedicated to leading pre-seed investments in companies at the frontiers of technology and design.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.
Transcribe →295: Reindustrialization, AI Agents, and the Future of Manufacturing with First Resonance CEO Karan Talati
3w ago00:47:29Tap to summarizeWhat happens when a former SpaceX engineer decides manufacturing software needs to be completely reimagined?In this special live episode of the podcast, recorded at Arts District Brewing in Los Angeles as the final stop on the Golden State Takeover Tour, Chris sits down with Karan Talati, CEO and Co-Founder of First Resonance, to explore one of manufacturing's biggest transformations: the convergence of AI, software, and reindustrialization.Karan shares the story of growing up around manufacturing in Chicago, his experience during SpaceX's explosive growth, why he founded First Resonance, and how AI agents are poised to automate some of manufacturing's most tedious work while enabling the next generation of advanced manufacturing companies.Along the way, they discuss why Southern California has quietly become one of the world's most exciting manufacturing startup ecosystems, and why we're only at the beginning of manufacturing's next chapter.
Transcribe →BONUS: AI in Manufacturing: What’s Broken, What’s Working, and How Manufacturers Can Succeed with AI featuring PTC's Joseph June
4w ago00:23:24Tap to summarizeWhat if your AI strategy doesn't need more agents, just a better plan?This week Chris sits down with Joseph June, who leads AI strategy at PTC to talk about what companies are getting wrong with AI - going too broad too fast.Joseph goes into why picking one problem and really solving it is the way to go when onboarding AI. He shares a great example of what a strong AI use case looks like on the shop floor and unpacks the concept of ‘production data foundation’.The conversation turns to where agents are headed. There's also some good, grounded discussion here on building trust with AI and how the process mirrors onboarding any new employee.In this episode, find out:How AI experience helped Joseph make the leap from ServiceMax into leading AI strategy at PTCThe most common mistake manufacturers make when rolling out AIWhat separates companies making AI progress from those stuck in pilot purgatoryWhat ‘production data foundation’ means, and why simply having more data shouldn’t be the goalHow AI agents are being used in manufacturing today, and where that's headed nextWhy the plan behind your agents matters more than the agents themselvesHow to build trust in AI gradually, using the advise, assist and automate frameworkEnjoying 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:“A lot of the hesitation and a lot of the concerns people have about AI are probably real, but a lot of them are sentiment, and it takes time to be able to build that trust.” - Joseph June, Head of AI Strategy at PTC“What's unique about AI that is different from a person - it is capable of processing a very large amount of data in a faithful and ruthless way to be able to accomplish a particular outcome.” - Joseph June, Head of AI Strategy at PTC“The type of data matters. Data that represents individual decisions that people or groups of people have made in efforts to accomplish a specific goal. That's really valuable data.” - Joseph June, Head of AI Strategy at PTCLinks & mentions:PTC enables companies to differentiate their products and services, improve operational excellence, and increase workforce productivity. Manufacturers can capitalize on the promise of today’s new technology to drive digital transformation.ServiceMax helps customers keep the world running with asset-centric field service management software. Their cloud-based software and mobile apps provide a complete view of assets to field service teams.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.
Transcribe →BONUS: From a Sabbatical to Building the First Full-Stack Industrial AI Company with Andres Naranjo, CEO of Software Toolbox
Jul 701:06:41Tap to summarizeAndres Naranjo sailed a race around the world, wrote Japan's digital agenda, and spent his sabbatical teaching himself AI from scratch.This week Chris sits down with Andres, CEO of Software Toolbox, to hear some incredible life stories and dig into what bringing AI into the industrial world looks like right now.Andres has lived a lot of lives as a consultant, entrepreneur, ocean racer and AI builder. He's pretty direct about why he walked away from consulting to pursue his current endeavors - the AI wave was moving far too fast to be on the side-lines of it.There's also practical conversation here for anyone thinking about how to deploy AI on the plant floor, and Andres' breakdown of how to effectively train an agent.In this episode, find out:Why Andres left one of the most prestigious consulting firms in the world to go build things himselfWhat sailing a race around the world taught him about data, analytics and machine learningWhat the industrial tech stack of the future actually looks like and why it's simpler than anyone is making it soundThe difference between machine learning, generative AI and agentic AI and why confusing them is holding the industry backWhy the era of the dashboard is over and what should replace itWhat an AI agent actually is, how you train one, and where on the plant floor you should be deploying it firstWhy Andres bought Software Toolbox instead of building from scratch and the simple framework behind that decisionWhy Andres moved back to Silicon Valley after Japan and what he saw happening in AI that made him think it was time to stop advising and start buildingEnjoying 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:“AI is a salad bowl of technologies and almost always people conflate one with the other in really strange ways.” - Andres Naranjo, CEO of Software Toolbox“ It is a wonderful time to build. It's probably the best time ever. I want it to be in it. I didn't want to be on the side-lines for it.” - Andres Naranjo, CEO of Software Toolbox“There are many ways to lean in, and it's okay if there is some failure. Everything is a normal distribution. You’ve got to blow up rockets to land rockets on the moon.” - Andres Naranjo, CEO of Software ToolboxLinks & mentions:Software Toolbox is a full-stack industrial AI company, delivering industrial connectivity software, data platforms, and AI agents that augment the people working in manufacturing and process industries.Allie integrates intelligence into factory operations: learning from machines, sensors and systems to detect problems, recommend actions and coordinate responses in real time.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.
Transcribe →293: Manufacturing Leadership That Works with Author and Geislinger CEO Jason Woodard
Jun 2300:36:03Tap to summarizeYour frontline team can only perform as well as the processes they're handed. So why are so many leaders still blaming the wrong people instead of listening to the ones closest to the problem? In this weeks’ episode Chris sits down with Jason Woodard, a 35-year manufacturing veteran, CEO of Geislinger Corporation, and author of Manufacturing Leadership That Works. Jason gets pretty candid about what he's seen over the course of his career. We're talking a plant manager leaving nasty notes on dry-erase boards for exhausted frontline workers, and Jason himself rolling up his sleeves and coming in on a holiday weekend when the rest of the leadership team had plans. Getting into the valuable stuff, Jason talks about what it takes to build trust with your team, holding the right people accountable, and why leading yourself should come before leading anyone else. In this episode, find out: Why blame culture in manufacturing is almost always directed at the wrong people What Jason witnessed early in his career that shaped everything about how he leads today What Jason's time as a journeyman maintenance mechanic on the night shift taught him about leadership that no management role ever could What Geislinger Corporation actually makes and why it matters to critical infrastructure in the US Why the higher you climb, the less you actually know about what's happening on your floor How to build genuine trust with frontline workers without it feeling forced What to do when an employee raises a problem you can't immediately fix Why being great at the job you have today is the only path to the job you want tomorrow 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 higher I grow in my career, the more I realize that what I'm hearing as a leader is a little bit of the truth. And it's not because you're being lied to, it's just that it's being filtered up to you.” - Jason Woodard, Author and Geislinger CEO I think most people understand that every single thing they want to be changed or fixed isn't going to be. But if they feel like they were at least heard and listened to, I think that's the most important part.” - Jason Woodard, Author and Geislinger CEO ”Rarely does politics come up, rarely does any of the divisive stuff come up. We're just showing up every day to solve problems together. In a good culture, the collaboration, no matter the background of the people, is there. - Jason Woodard, Author and Geislinger CEO Links & mentions: Geislinger Corporation develops and produces torsional vibration dampers, torsional elastic high damping couplings, composite couplings, composite shaftlines, and torsional vibration monitoring systems for engines and wind turbines Manufacturing Leadership That Works: Proven Principles for Building Engaged Teams, Improving Performance, and Driving Results by Jason Woodard Handmap Brewing, Battle Creek-based brewery, perfectly named for the state of 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.
Transcribe →292: What Manufacturers Can Learn from Silicon Valley: Mechatronics, Startups, and More (LIVE from San Jose, CA)
Jun 1600:56:44Tap to summarizeGrowing your own machinists and orchestrating robots across four continents, is this what the future of manufacturing looks like? This live episode from Hapa's Brewing in the Bay Area features two panels of people who have built careers at the intersection of mechatronics, automation, and industrial innovation. First up, Vinod, Kevin, and Adam get into what it takes to build a skilled workforce from the ground up, talking about apprenticeships, college partnerships, and growing your own talent in-house. Then we get into the bigger picture with our founder panel Kim, Glenn, Nick, and Florian on what Silicon Valley gets wrong about manufacturing, and what manufacturers are missing by not paying closer attention to what's being built there. In this episode, find out: How Vinod bootstrapped an automation company in the Bay Area while raising a family and why his wife had something to do with it What Kevin learned from a 3-year German apprenticeship that he thinks more US manufacturers should be paying attention to How Adam solved his machinist shortage by bringing the training programme in-house and partnering with a local college How Kim thinks about leading companies through inflection points when there are no guardrails or safety nets Why Glenn believes manufacturers who aren't paying attention to what's being built around them won't even know when it's too late How Nick's B2C background completely changed the way he thinks about building software for frontline manufacturing workers Why Florian ignored his investors and opened a public-facing robotics storefront on the main street of Mountain View 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 don't have that mechanical job anymore that's done by one person. You need support, whether it's software support or you need a robot at your side.” – Kevin Toomer, Product Manager at Sumitomo Drive Technologies “In automation, you don't need a master's or a PhD to be successful. Just getting creative and having that experience in mechanical engineering really helped me in my career.” – Vinod Anandarajah, Co-Founder and CEO at Kanavu Automation ”In Silicon Valley, we tend to love disruption because to us it represents something new and something better. But when you get on a manufacturing floor, they tend to want predictability.” - Kim Losey, Founder and CEO at NextLine Group Links & mentions: Kanavu Automation, bringing value to manufacturing clients via a strategic focus on machine automation and robotics MaintainX, empowering maintenance professionals to reduce unplanned equipment downtime and boost production capacity NextLine Group, architecting what is next in robotics engineering Sumitomo Drive Technologies, providing engineered solutions to industrial power transmission customers Beluga Navigation Systems, building deep tech navigation solutions for vehicle and vessel navigation InOrbit.AI, leading AI-powered robot orchestration platform, driving software-defined operations at scale Hapa’s Brewing Company, craft brewery and taproom located in San Jose, CA 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.
Transcribe →BONUS: Factory Orchestration: The Next Frontier of Manufacturing Operations with Harmoni Co-Founder David Caputo
Jun 1201:00:03Tap to summarizeWhat if the biggest efficiency problem in your factory isn't your machines, it's the dead time you waste before you even get to one.Workers queuing at ADP and ERP terminals every morning. A wing rib scrapped at the cost of $18,000 because the wrong work instruction was on screen. A program gone forever when the machinist who maintained it quietly for a decade retired to Poland. David witnessed all of these problems within his manufacturing acquisitions despite them having advanced tech for the time period.Chris sits down with David Caputo, Co-Founder of Harmoni, to get into how his intelligent factory orchestration system connects machines, people, and data for true control across the shop floor.Harmoni fills the gap in the renowned ISA-95 stack that most manufacturers never knew they were missing, supplementing human-intensive operations that make up 99% of the market.Harmoni operates within three buckets with the aim of wasting less time and making less mistakes. The system is designed to cover all bases without interfering with the essential human input needed to fulfil complex tasks. David talks to Chris about the labor automation, process control, and observability that Harmoni brings to the factory floor.In this episode, find out:What factory orchestration is and why David sees it as a distinct category from existing toolsHow David's experience acquiring and running four aerospace and defense manufacturers drove the creation of HarmoniWhy Harmoni's three pillars (labor automation, process control, and observability) address the ISA-95 gap that leaves most human-intensive factories underservedHow the no-titles, pods-based structure at Harmoni works and why David recommends it for companies under around 200 employeesWhat the Harmoni AI Lieutenant (HAL) does on the shop floor versus in the office, and why shop floor AI requires both context and a delivery mechanism to be usefulWhere David sees the 297,000 US manufacturers under 500 employees needing to compete in a world of autonomous factories and vertically integrated supply chainsWhy David advises manufacturers to ask one question before any software investment: how will this tool change what happens on my shop floorEnjoying 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:"What Harmoni's built is a new category of technology. We call this factory orchestration, and there's a very simple goal: waste less time and make fewer mistakes." - David Caputo“Simply having indicator lights to say whether a machine's running is not telling you the full picture. A machine could be running but running very inefficiently. We're giving you the information you need and allowing you to manage your factory in real time.” - David Caputo“Somehow you have to produce more with less, all in the face of autonomous competition and vertically integrated supply chains. Pretty tough position for the 300,000 manufacturers in this country.” - David CaputoLinks & mentions:Harmoni.io, bringing together data from operators, machines, and your shop floor software, all in real-time, to help managers make decisions and spot trends quicklyGreenwich Street Tavern, a different tavern experience that takes a traditional American pub fare menu to the next level located in Tribeca in NYCMake sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.
Transcribe →BONUS: What Manufacturers Can Learn from Central Wisconsin's Workforce Strategy (LIVE from Wausau, WI)
Jun 500:43:45Tap to summarizeWhat happens when manufacturers stop competing for talent and start working together to develop it?In this special LIVE episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, Chris travels to Wausau, Wisconsin for a collaboration with the Central Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance (CWIMA) to explore how manufacturers across the region are working together to strengthen workforce development, accelerate innovation, and build a thriving manufacturing ecosystem.The discussion features five manufacturing leaders representing a wide range of industries:Jim Waldron, President of Wausau TileJohn Peterson, Owner & CEO of Schuette MetalsScott Mattmiller, Greenheck GroupLaura Strek, President of Imperial IndustriesTom Felch, J&D Tube BendersTogether, they discuss everything from workforce shortages and apprenticeship programs to automation, mentorship, community engagement, and why collaboration may be the biggest competitive advantage a manufacturing region can have.Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.
Transcribe →