MakingChips – Page 2 – MakingChips Podcast

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

Meet the Hosts

Automation Begins Before Machining with Toolpath, Part 1

How does a machinist from Canada end up leading a California tech startup? In Episode #432 of MakingChips, Al Whatmough shares his unique journey—from the shop floor to becoming the CEO of Toolpath, a company dedicated to improving machining through smart software solutions.

Top Technology Takeaways From IMTS 2024, 431

IMTS is where manufacturing's cutting-edge technology takes center stage, and this year was no exception. IMTS 2024 brought the future to the forefront, showcasing the most advanced solutions in the industry.

How the Mexican Manufacturing Industry Can help you Grow Your American Business, 430

Why would an American company want to consider expanding operations to Mexico? With more experienced engineers retiring and a decreasing number of new blood entering the manufacturing workforce, Mexico has become a viable option for operations. But is the process worth the potential hassle?

The State of Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing, 429

In the wake of 9/11, the aerospace and defense industry experienced a dramatic transformation, with new regulations like the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 reshaping how manufacturers handled sensitive data.

How AI Implementation Can Be Transformative with CloudNC Founder Theo Saville, 428

Theo Saville was frustrated by the lack of real-world applications for 3D printing. Then it struck him: Why not make CNC machining as simple as 3D printing? What if we could make machines smarter by installing more sensors? What if we gave the software more inputs to work with?

Practical Use Cases for AI in Your Machine Shop, 427

Wouldn’t it be amazing to come up with a design for anything and turn it into a physical reality as easily as you can create something in Photoshop? What would people build if it were that easy? And what if you had machine monitoring in place for every piece of machinery, regardless of its age?

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.