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Artwork for Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips

Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips

Nick Goellner
Automation
Automation In Manufacturing
Additive Manufacturing
Lean Manufacturing
Machine Tool Monitoring
Five-Axis Machining
Workholding
Machine Monitoring
Lights Out Manufacturing
Industry 4.0
Cobot
Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies
Slytek
Matsuura Machinery
Fastems
Real-Time Location Systems
Advanced Machine and Fabricating
OEE
Automation ROI
Overall Equipment Effectiveness

Inspiring and teaching Manufacturing Leaders in the areas of automation.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes55Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ManagementBusiness

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Artwork for Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips

Latest Episodes

The trade show is the easy part. The hard part is the Monday after, when you've got a pile of brochures, an investment to justify, and a shop that still has to ship parts. How do you turn what you saw into decisions you can defend? We recorded this e... more

AI can write your emails, summarize your shop's performance, and help you make your next big decision. But how do you know when it deserves your confidence—and when it just sounds convincing?

On this episode of Lights Out, Nick and Eric sit down wi... more

YouTube

Most automation conversations stop at the cell. This one keeps going, through a fab shop, a machine shop, a Department of Defense contract, and eventually a coal mine.

Michael McHale runs PSA Systems, an automation integrator in Pennsylvania that a... more

YouTube

When Uriel Eisen needed more capacity in his 325-square-foot shop, his first instinct was to buy a robot. But the machine wasn't the real bottleneck. Production kept getting derailed by missing material, forgotten orders, and inexpensive supplies tha... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Rebecca Bultsma
AI ethicist with a master's degree in data and artificial intelligence ethics
University of Edinburgh
Episode: AI Ethicist Rebecca Bultsma on Trust, Verification, and When NOT to Use AI in Your Shop | Ep. 52
Michael McHale
Industrial Automation Integration Extraordinaire
PSA (Production Systems Automation)
Episode: Automation, Machining, and a Coal Mine: What Vertical Integration Buys You | Ep. 51
Uriel Eisen
Founder/CEO focused on inventory and automation for manufacturing
Arda (and Austere Manufacturing)
Episode: The $5 Automation Project Hiding in Your Shop | Ep. 50
Stefan Kempf
Owner and managing director of Norbert Kempf CNC-Technik GmbH
Norbert Kempf CNC-Technik GmbH
Episode: Zero Setup Time: Inside Norbert Kempf CNC-Technik GmbH's 23-Machine Automated Shop | Ep. 49
Yanick Müller
CEO of Swiss Modular
Swiss Modular
Episode: Zero Setup Time: Inside Norbert Kempf CNC-Technik GmbH's 23-Machine Automated Shop | Ep. 49
Risto Niemi
Representative of Fastems
Fastems
Episode: Zero Setup Time: Inside Norbert Kempf CNC-Technik GmbH's 23-Machine Automated Shop | Ep. 49
Lauren Dunford
CEO and co-founder of Guidewheel
Guidewheel
Episode: Your Machines Have a Heartbeat: Here's What It's Telling You | Ep #48
Mitch Tucker
Senior RTLS professional at HID
HID Global
Episode: You Can't Automate What You Can't Find: RTLS and the Data Foundation for Lights-Out | Ep. 47
Bryce Carpenter
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating and Strategy Officer for Conexus Indiana
Conexus Indiana
Episode: Inside Conexus Indiana: The Industry Network Driving Manufacturing Tech and Talent | Ep. 46

Hosts

David Buick
Co-host and facilitator with deep experience covering automation, manufacturing strategy, and practitioner insights.
Nick Golnar
Host focused on translating shop-floor automation into actionable guidance for manufacturers.
Eric Nekic
Co-host who contributes practical perspectives on automation strategy and implementation.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 9 ratings
  • Nick has a solid goatee

    And it’s about time that there was a podcast dedicated to automation and lights out manufacturing! This is a must listen for EVERY manufacturing leader!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ToolingGuy
    United States2 years ago
  • Thank you!

    Everyone in mfg is looking at the leap to automation if they haven’t already. It’s not always as simple as it seems and Nick is bringing the knowledge to the table to get there!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MP-Hill
    United States2 years ago
  • Must-Listen for ANY Shop Implementing Automation

    With Lights Out, Nick and his expert guests share truly actionable insights anyone can implement immediately to move toward running a shop lights out.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jen Dubose
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A practical take on automation that avoids hype and focuses on ROI and real-world impact.
Hosts blend hands-on case studies with strategic guidance, keeping content grounded and applicable.
Guests offer specific, actionable steps for shops at different scales.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

AI Ethicist Rebecca Bultsma on Trust, Verification, and When NOT to Use AI in Your Shop | Ep. 52
Q: Would you say then, I mean, you're almost in a perpetual state of trust but verify if you're using AI for any form of decision-making?
Bultsma says AI decisions that affect people's lives require careful scrutiny because systems can rely on unintended patterns. She suggests applying human expertise, comparing multiple models, checking for hidden bias, and having more than one person review consequential results.
AI Ethicist Rebecca Bultsma on Trust, Verification, and When NOT to Use AI in Your Shop | Ep. 52
Q: Is AI good or bad?
Bultsma says AI is neither inherently good nor bad: it can help individuals and organizations, but can also cause harm, including unintended consequences.
The $5 Automation Project Hiding in Your Shop | Ep. 50
Q: What are the steps for a shop to get started with this approach on Monday?
Start with a stack of index cards, write down items you consistently run out of, create Kanban cards for them, and begin ordering only when a card triggers. Focus on small, high-impact changes, such as not ordering multiple items at once and gradually digitizing data to back-office systems as comfort and ROI grow.
Your Machines Have a Heartbeat: Here's What It's Telling You | Ep #48
Q: What does a typical customer journey look like with Guidewheel, from recognizing a problem to achieving measurable gains?
Customers typically clip Guidewheel into their machines to test the visibility, then over 24-48 hours they uncover hidden capacity and improvements; early wins often come from basic metrics like utilization and downtime, followed by targeted actions guided by data and team input, leading to faster ROI and broader deployment across plants.
Don't Automate Chaos: Running Lights Out with Sarah Wierman of Fastems, Ep #45
Q: Why is high-mix manufacturing a sweet spot for Fastems?
Fastems supports high-mix environments with features like offline setup and sophisticated queue management, enabling flexible automation that adapts to frequent changeovers without sacrificing throughput or reliability.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on automation-forward manufacturing, with a clear emphasis on lights-out production, shop-floor visibility, ROI-backed decisions, and practical paths to scale automation across facilities of varying sizes. Episodes frequently profile real-world implementations—from RTLS and data foundations to pallet automation, ERP integration, and DIY automation—while unpacking leadership, culture, and cross-functional collaboration needed to sustain transformation. A standout trait is the mix of hands-on shop-floor storytelling with strategic guidance, featuring practitioners, technologists, and industry partners who share actionable steps, procurement considerations, and ROI thinking for adoption at scale.

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Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. Buy the Numbers
2. Machine Shop Growth
3. Machine Shop Mastery
4. Making Chips Podcast for Manufacturing Leaders
5. Manufacturing Transformed: Real Shops, Real Stories

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 2 years ago and published 55 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Rebecca Bultsma
2. Michael McHale
3. Uriel Eisen
4. Stefan Kempf
5. Yanick Müller
6. Risto Niemi
7. Lauren Dunford
8. Mitch Tucker

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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