Manufacturing Matters
Episodes
141 episodes
Episode 140 - Mark Gagas, COO Sensory Robotics
"Engineers can now start thinking about cell design not from the cages, but from the actual work." A significant if not obvious factor that all companies implementing robotic systems must consider is safety. While robotic guarding...
Episode 139 - Erik Reynolds, Founder of Reynolds and Moore
Artificial intelligence is quickly making its way onto the manufacturing floor. But when it comes to safety, the stakes are different. In this episode of Manufacturing Matters, Winn Hardin and Aaron Hand talk with Erik Reynolds, founder of Reyn...
Episode 138 - Aaron Royster, Group Manager – Automation, Schunk
Robots may get most of the attention, but what happens at the end of the arm often determines whether an automation project succeeds or fails. As manufacturers push for greater flexibility, faster changeovers, and more complex handling, the dem...
Episode 137 - Robert Franz, CEO of Allied Vision Technology GmbH
Computer imaging (aka Machine Vision) is having a moment, and Allied Vision CEO Robert Franz explains why. In this episode of Manufacturing Matters, he joins Winn Hardin to talk about Allied Vision’s brand unification, the shift from components...
Episode 136 - Arne Leinse, CEO of LioniX International
In this episode of Manufacturing Matters, host Dan McCarthy of TECH B2B Marketing sits down with Arne Leinse, CEO of LioniX International, to explore the manufacturing realities behind photonic integrated circuits (PICs) — one of the most techn...
Episode 135 - Clint Bundy, Managing Director at The Bundy Group
In this episode of Manufacturing Matters, host Winn Hardin sits down with Clint Bundy, managing director of the Bundy Group, to pull back the curtain on the world of mergers, acquisitions, and capital raising within the industrial automation se...
Episode 134 - Paul Osterhaus, Managing Partner at QOC Innovations
Manufacturers are generating more data than ever — from machines on the production floor to purchasing, inventory, and finance. Yet many companies still struggle to turn that data into clear answers to the questions that matter most: Are ...
Episode 133 - Geoff Dawson, Director of Sales at FANUC
“Technologies like AI, cobots, and digital twins are making automation more accessible and making the deployment of robots more agile and much faster. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to engage with a robot.” In this...
Episode 132 - Jim Anderson, Senior Business Development Manager at SICK
“If we can simulate 70% of a system before it ever hits the factory floor, that reduces time and cost for automation deployment.” Advances in machine vision, AI-enabled software, and simulation technologies continue to reshape the w...
Episode 131 - Stu Shepherd, President of Shepherd Solutions
“We’re at a perfect storm, finally, of being able to see automation really grow again.” Automation is more approachable than ever before, with more experts in the field — even for very specific applications — available to help wal...
Episode 130 – Bryan Powrozek, Partner at Wipfli
“When it comes to the monumental new tax law changes, every company should understand what this means for them. Are there provisions like the R&D tax credit, depreciation for qualified production property or the opportunity zones that your ...
Episode 129 – Alex Shikany, Executive Vice President, Association for Advancing Automation (A3)
“After a year defined by uncertainty — largely from tariffs — automation companies should be entering 2026 with renewed confidence and optimism.” Uncertainty in 2025 created headwinds, but as the tariff hangover lifts and companies...
Episode 128 – Vision Panel Discussion at 2026 A3 Business Forum
“What I’m most excited about right now is what’s new in machine vision. ... This combination of new sensors, advanced processing, and sophisticated algorithms will unlock new spaces for vision.” While robots and AI may steal...
Episode 127 - AI Panel Discussion at 2026 A3 Business Forum
“If AI is overhyped, automation is completely underhyped. As automation advances and becomes more precise and durable and solves new challenges, AI is augmenting these systems by adding flexibility and autonomy.” While we’ve not qu...
Episode 126 – Robotics Panel Discussion at 2026 A3 Business Forum
“The whole dialogue has shifted from what can it do to when it will and how do we scale it?” Humanoid robotics technology is slowly but surely moving into real-world deployment. The excitement behind humanoids is just one o...
Episode 125 - Vaidy Raghavan, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Xometry
The world has seen its fair share of supply chain challenges for several years now. Where historically supply chain management has been all too reactive, artificial intelligence (AI) is enabling a more proactive approach. “AI’s role in supply c...
Episode 124 - Saurabh Chandra, Founder & CEO of Ati Motors
Inspired by self-driving cars, Ati Motors’ autonomous mobile robots not only break free of the magnetic tape of older-generation AGVs but also break free of the straight lines and predictable grids of warehouse work. Combining tires and suspens...
Episode 123 - Hany Fouda, Senior Vice President of Process Automation at Schneider Electric
Discover how decoupling hardware and software is revolutionizing all industries, including manufacturing, and how powerful digital twin technology and AI are playing their parts. Live from the Schneider Electric Innovation Summit, Hany Fouda, S...
Episode 122 - Greg Magdanz, Vice President of OEM and Robotics at Schneider Electric
Dive into the cutting edge of manufacturing with Greg Magdanz, VP of OEM and robotics at Schneider Electric. In a discussion recorded live at the Innovation Summit, Magdanz reveals how the convergence of IT and operational technology is fueling...
Episode 121 – Agustin Lopez Diaz, North American Supply Chain Officer at Schneider Electric
Learn how even small companies can strengthen supply chains through analytics and automation in this talk with Agustin Lopez Diaz, Schneider Electric’s North American supply chain officer. Lopez Diaz illustrates this point by discussing Schneid...
Episode 120 – Jay Timmons, President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers
“AI will be disruptive, but our job, not only as manufacturers but also policymakers, is to make sure that that disruption is good for society, it’s good for our country, it’s good for promoting our values.” For hundreds of years, ...
Episode 119 – Ozgur Tohumcu, General Manager for Automotive and Manufacturing at Amazon Web Services
“We were talking about AI assistants a year ago. Now we are deploying advanced AI agents on the factory floor, and that shift is transforming how manufacturers approach automation, data, and solving some of their biggest challenges.” <...
Episode 118 – Wolfgang Sauter, Senior Distinguished Engineer at Marvell Technology
When you walk into a data center and see thousands of cables connecting endless rows of servers, you're only viewing the tip of the bandwidth iceberg. The real bandwidth revolution is happening inside the semiconductor chip packages driving tho...
Episode 117 – Debra Phillips from NEMA and Tom Lawton of TESCO Metering
In this episode of Manufacturing Matters, podcast host Winn Hardin speaks with Debra Phillips from NEMA and Tom Lawton of TESCO Metering about the impacts of tariffs on American markets. Winn’s guests share how both large and small enterprises ...
Episode 116 – Christelle Keefer, Global Segment Manager for Education, ABB Robotics
The National Association of Manufacturers reports that there were more than 400,000 manufacturing jobs open in June 2025. The labor shortage has been an ongoing challenge, but like many other challenges manufacturers face, some of the best mind...