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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
Workholding
Five-Axis Machining
Machine Monitoring
Lights Out Manufacturing
Industry 4.0
Cobot
Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies
Slytek
Fastems
Matsuura Machinery
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 monthlyEpisodes51Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ManagementBusiness

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips

Latest Episodes

Eric opens this episode describing a dream he had. A shop with no standalone machines. Three hundred and nine pallets moving 1,600 times a day. A central tool system holding 5,500 tools, five Fanuc robots shuttling up to 800 of them daily, and not a ... more

What if the most powerful sensor on your shop floor isn't a camera or a probe or a vibration puck—but a power cord? That's the premise Lauren Dunford, co-founder and CEO of Guidewheel, brought to the show, and she explained it using a hundred toaster... more

YouTube

Every shop runs on a little tribal knowledge, the person who just knows where that tray of parts is headed and where it tends to get stuck. It works right up until they take a day off and the whole floor is hunting for a job that vanished somewhere b... more

YouTube

Conexus Indiana is an industry-led nonprofit that pulls the state's manufacturers, logistics companies, colleges, and public sector into the same room to tackle the problems they all share: building a workforce pipeline, speeding up tech adoption, an... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

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
Sarah Wierman
Automation expert, Fastems
Fastems
Episode: Don't Automate Chaos: Running Lights Out with Sarah Wierman of Fastems, Ep #45
Brian Anderson
Solutions Architect with ProShop ERP
ProShop ERP
Episode: You Don't Have a Capacity Problem — You Have a Visibility Problem, Ep #44
Walt Swenton
Senior Manager of Advanced Manufacturing at Eaton
Eaton
Episode: Before You Buy Another Spindle, Use the Ones You Have, #43
Scott Ames
Machine tool dealer
Machine Tool Specialty
Episode: The 20-Hour Machine: Automation, Throughput & Smarter Capacity Planning, Ep #42
Randel Hamilton
Director of Operations, Advanced Machine and Fabricating
Advanced Machine and Fabricating
Episode: Lights Out Lenses: Inside an Automation Journey from the Operations & Production Frontlines, Ep #40
Katie Murphy
Automation lead at Arcamed
Arcamed
Episode: DIY Automation That Actually Works: How One 80-Person Shop Cracked High-Mix Lights-Out Manufacturing, Ep #39

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.

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.
Don't Automate Chaos: Running Lights Out with Sarah Wierman of Fastems, Ep #45
Q: How does Fastems' MMS differ from a simple robot-tending solution?
MMS coordinates the entire production ecosystem—palette movement, machine utilization, tooling, and scheduling—turning automation into a holistic production orchestration system instead of a single device; it plans, runs, and monitors operations.
Don't Automate Chaos: Running Lights Out with Sarah Wierman of Fastems, Ep #45
Q: What are three tactics manufacturers can start with today to prepare for automation?
Standardize what you can, document practices and reasons, and begin tracking downtime so you can quantify the gains and identify bottlenecks before moving to full Lights Out automation.
You Don't Have a Capacity Problem — You Have a Visibility Problem, Ep #44
Q: Could you walk us through what your role is with ProShop and what that means?
Brian explains that the role bridges sales and implementation, building a roadmap for each client and identifying metrics to signpost progress from prospect to deployment, ensuring quick, effective adoption of ProShop across the shop.

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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this podcast launched 2 years ago and published 51 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. Lauren Dunford
2. Mitch Tucker
3. Bryce Carpenter
4. Sarah Wierman
5. Brian Anderson
6. Walt Swenton
7. Scott Ames
8. Randel Hamilton

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