MakingChips 12 - MakingChips Podcast

The podcast that navigates the ups and downs of all things manufacturing.

Meet the Hosts

Brewing Success for Manufacturing Leaders with ShopFloor Coffee, 426

The two biggest complaints in any business are always the quality of the toilet paper and the coffee. Joking aside—coffee is a crucial part of any shop’s function. You need to have good coffee on the shop floor.

The Past, Present, and Future of IMTS with the “Show Boss” Peter Eelman, 422

“Inspiring the extraordinary” is the theme for this year’s IMTS and that’s exactly what they’re doing. The Emerging Technology Center will showcase extraordinary advances in technology (including an exhibit by BlueForge Alliance and Apptronik’s AI-Powered General Purpose Humanoid Robot).

If You Don’t Plan Machine Tool Maintenance, Your Machines Will Do it for You, 421

Maintenance is something that’s essential to protect the longevity of your machines but rarely something regularly implemented in shops. It’s often a huge and costly mistake. Don’t know where to start?

Is Work-Life Balance a Fallacy? Part 2, 417

What if your life has little distinction between work and play? What if you’re so passionate about what you do that the time you spend on it is inconsequential? We began to explore the idea of work-life integration in part 1 of this series.

Is Work-Life Balance a Fallacy? Part 1, 416

Work-life balance. It’s a phrase that’s often thrown around. Many of us struggle feeling like we’ll never achieve some sort of balance. Work usually fills a greater space than we think it should. But what if that’s okay?

How to Adapt CNC Training for the Next Generation of Manufacturing Leaders – Part 2, 413

Gamification. Gamification is a highly successful strategy in the world of marketing. It’s used all the time to enhance engagement in children’s education. How can we apply gamification concepts to manufacturing education?

How to Adapt CNC Training for the Next Generation of Manufacturing Leaders – Part 1, 412

How do we train the next generation of manufacturing leaders so employers are ready to hire them immediately? Do students still need to learn manual machinery? Or do employers only want skilled CNC machinists?

MFG News Special: Where are We at with the Reshoring Initiative? 410

Where is the United States with reshoring initiatives? Do we still have huge vulnerabilities in our supply chain(s) that need to be addressed? If we continue to reshore manufacturing, will companies remain competitive?

How Can Manufacturing Leaders Measure Their Customer Relationships? 408

Whether you’re a small business or a growing enterprise, you need to seek out new customers and build relationships with them while pushing them through your sales pipeline. The reality is that you have to make more sales to grow your business.

Should You Use a Recruiter to Find Your Next Manufacturing Leader? 405

Are you the type of manufacturing leader who prefers to do everything yourself? You learn and innovate as you go, right? We’ve learned from experience: There is an art and a science to recruiting. I’ve muddled through using LinkedIn Recruiter to make some hires. And while it’s a great tool, it can only do so much.