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PODCAST

Manufacturing Happy Hour

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

technology careers

All Episodes

52:01

264: Inside Automated: Asking the Right Questions...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/12/02

Two podcast hosts walk into a recording studio and explore what it actually takes to get real stories out of robotics pioneers, why humanoids might not need to do everything to be useful, and where the real optimism in automation lies.Brian Heater, Managing Editor at A3 and host of the Automated podcast, joins the show to share what he's learned from candid conversations with industry pioneers like Rodney Brooks and Brad Porter. We discuss why robots don't need to be fully general purpose to be

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35:41

263: Change Management and Making Robotics More...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/11/25

Robots are becoming more and more mainstream in manufacturing, but most organizations still think of them with sci-fi imagery rather than everyday tools. The gap isn't in the technology, it's in how we prepare people to work alongside it.Jason Gryszkowiec from St. Onge Company and Ben Perlson from ABB Robotics join us to discuss why successful automation deployments focus on making robotics more digestible for everyday workers.Jason emphasizes that the biggest challenge isn't the technology, it's

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24:33

BONUS: How Manufacturers Should Prepare for an AI...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/11/21

Many manufacturers are taking the wrong approach to artificial intelligence, picking the wrong implementation partners, and in general, not preparing their data effectively.In this interview, Aaron Lober - VP of Marketing at CADDi - is going to share what AI can realistically do for a manufacturing company and how to properly prepare for an AI implementation.

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56:30

262: Reimagining Manufacturing: How a Return to First...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/11/18

It’s rare to find someone whose career spans 18 years in automotive manufacturing and venture capital, but Charly Mwangi, Partner at Eclipse Ventures, has done exactly that. His journey from the factory floor at Toyota, Nissan, Tesla and Rivian to backing hard tech companies gives him a perspective many VCs don’t have.We sit down with Charly to explore how first principles thinking (questioning assumptions and getting back to root causes) drives real innovation in manufacturing.He walks us through

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52:52

261: Energy Transition Explained: How Manufacturers...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/11/11

Sustainability goals are everywhere in manufacturing; net-zero by 2030, carbon neutral by 2035. While many manufacturers have set ambitious targets, the gap between goals and execution remains a challenge, especially when sustainability projects compete with production priorities for capital.Eric Spink and Shiva Subramanya from Veregy join the show to talk about energy transition and what it looks like in practice. Energy used to be just another line item and the cost of doing business, now it's

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42:06

BONUS: Gaps in the Manufacturing Industry (and what...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/11/07

What's better than a live podcast? I live podcast AND a factory tour. For today's episode, we dove into Fathom Digital Manufacturing's Hartland, WI facility before a discussion with industry experts.

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50:12

260: Innovations Transforming Automotive...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/11/04

The automotive industry has come a long way from three-piece suits and mechanical production lines. Twenty-five years ago, manufacturers weren't thinking about EVs, tool changers, or the complexity we see today. Those who weathered 2008 will tell you: when the next downturn comes, it won't be your sales pitch that saves you, it'll be whether you were a true partner to your customers.This episode was recorded Oktoberfest-style at RAM Solutions, featuring eight industry leaders discussing what's

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36:18

259: Data Centers, Modularity, and Mission Critical...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/10/28

Data centers are popping up all over the country, and for good reason. Capacity is doubling every three to four years, equipment is booked years out, and the race for AI computing power is creating opportunities that didn't exist five years ago.Keith Hutchens from Barry-Wehmiller Design Group joins us to discuss how data centers are driving manufacturing activity across the entire supply chain. He compares this moment to building railroads in the 1800s or the oil boom of the 1970s and how we're

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01:04:37

258: Mentorship, Mid-Career Entrepreneurship, and...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/10/21

Patti Nowak is a business leader in tech with stories so inspiring you’ll want to take notes. In this episode of the Manufacturing Happy Hour, we grab a beer with Patti, Owner of Control+M Solutions, to talk about mid-life entrepreneurship, mentoring women in manufacturing, and what it takes to build a thriving tech business.Patti started her career in accounting but quickly found her passion in IT and software, where she discovered a talent for turning complex technology into real business results

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01:05:42

257: Thinking Differently About Access to Capital in...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/10/14

What does it really take to help manufacturers grow? It’s not just about cutting costs or chasing margins. It’s about understanding how capital really moves through your business. In this episode, we’re sitting down with Erik Skie, Jon Hughes, and Aaron Traut from CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) for a roundtable chat over beers (in spirit, if not literally).We talk about why profitability is a decision, how to tell your story through your financials, and what manufacturers can do to attract capital and

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53:17

256: Timeless Industrial Marketing Strategies and New...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/10/07

It's been five years since Wendy Covey, CEO and Co-Founder of TREW Marketing, and Joe Sullivan, Founder of Gorilla 76, first joined Manufacturing Happy Hour, back when everyone was scrambling to figure out digital marketing during the pandemic.We sit down with them to explore which marketing fundamentals still deliver results and what new tactics manufacturers can't afford to ignore. The core truth hasn't changed: your best content still comes from extracting knowledge from industry experts. But

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21:39

BONUS: The State of Robotics in 2025: Investing in...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/10/03

This episode is brought to you by RoboBusiness 2025, the preeminent show for learning about the business of robotics and catching up on the latest engineering advancements in the field.Robotics has moved beyond pilots. it’s scaling for real. In this bonus episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, host Chris Luecke sits down with Sanjay Aggarwal, Partner at F-Prime Capital, to explore the State of Robotics from an investor’s perspective.Sanjay shares where venture capital is flowing in robotics and

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43:54

255: How AI is Reshaping Security and OT Network...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/09/30

It’s been over a year since we’ve talked about cybersecurity on Manufacturing Happy Hour, and with AI changing the game completely, we’re overdue for a refresh. Around 80-85% of the global industry doesn’t have basic defense at the edge of their networks; that’s a sobering statistic.Felipe Sabino Costa, Senior Product Manager for Networking and Cybersecurity at Moxa, joins the show to break down why Operational Technology (OT) security matters more than ever. Manufacturers need to transmit massive

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37:42

254: From Steel City to Robotics Powerhouse:...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/09/23

Before Silicon Valley, there was Pittsburgh in the early 1900s. Young entrepreneurs with serious capital flocked to the city, creating industries from the ground up. Plate glass. Oil drilling. Vulcanized rubber. Steel processes that would literally build America's skyline.But today, something incredible is happening in the Steel City again. The same superstructures tower overhead, but below, you’ll find robots solving automation challenges that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago.We

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35:48

253: Rapid Execution in Industrial Automation: From...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/09/16

Manufacturers know that automation is table stakes in 2025, and yet it’s still a bit of an afterthought for some. You'd think something that can make or break a facility would be everyone’s number one priority. And as you'll hear in this episode, overlooking automation can sometimes have disastrous consequences. In this episode, we sit down with Cassy Gardner and Chris Schleich from E Tech Group over virtual Pellegrinos to unpack a real-world case study. They were called in to revive a mothballed

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46:18

252: Adaptive Production, Resilient Manufacturing,...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/09/09

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 Industries. We grab a virtual drink and kick the episode off with an interesting paradox – twenty years

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33:11

251: What is a Corporate Venture Studio? An Interview...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/09/02

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, Premier Labs starts with real problems and works backward to create solutions that actually fit.Finding

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51:15

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/08/26

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

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28:05

BONUS: How is the Manufacturing Industry Doing...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/08/19

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

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49:23

249: Why Pittsburgh has been Successful...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/08/12

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

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318 results

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