Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast

Could a dual-layer metallic coating be an innovation in jet-engine design?
There is a line of innovation from product design to metallurgy, to production, and to product performance. For aerospace and defense systems, precision parts that operate under intense heat and high pressure are critical to performance and reliability. In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, American Machinist chief editor Robert Brooks explains how researchers are proposing a new coating process that will make alternative, high-entropy alloys perform at significantly higher temperatures – which could mean greater fuel efficiency and lower maintenance costs for jet engines.

Industrial exoskeletons are gaining traction in manufacturing and logistics, but misconceptions still overshadow what they actually do. New Equipment Digest chief editor Laura Davis breaks down the biggest myths with insights from HeroWear’s Matthew Yandell, PhD, to reveal the truth behind this fast-growing technology. To learn more, visit: https://www.newequipment.com/55325220

Joe Kuhn, CMRP, former plant manager, engineer, and global reliability consultant, is now president of Lean Driven Reliability LLC. He is the author of the book “Zero to Hero: How to Jumpstart Your Reliability Journey Given Today’s Business Challenges” and the creator of the Joe Kuhn YouTube Channel, which offers content on starting your reliability journey and achieving financial independence. In our monthly podcast miniseries, Ask a Plant Manager, Joe considers a commonplace scenario facing the industry and offers his advice, as well as actions that you can take to get on track tomorrow. This episode explores how to celebrate and reflect at the end of the year, while maintaining operations and planning for the next year. Bonus: Is Santa's workshop the ultimate factory?

Caroline Johnson shares some of the lessons she learned about leadership from her time in the U.S. Navy and how her fellow officers continue to inspire her as an executive advisor and coach with DEKRA.

Mike Payne, president and owner of Hill Manufacturing & Fabrication loves data and metrics. If he can pull information from a machine, he's doing it. Mike talked with IndustryWeek's Dennis Scimeca about why he collects all of that data, what he does with it and why, despite all of this technology, succeeding in manufacturing is still all about relationships and performance, not technology.
Payne noted that before data collection, managers would assign tasks to machinists with a time estimate. And, wouldn't you know it, that's how long it turned out they needed to make each part. Was the machine in use that entire time? How much of that time was setup vs. production? Could the company have cut those time allotments by 20% without harming quality? 
Without data collection to monitor what was really happening, nobody knew. 

Ben Wynne of Intrepid Automation helps Smart Industry's Scott Achelpohl veer from the M&A soap opera and get into the weeds about what industrial 3D printing is doing for aerospace, defense, automotive, health care and semiconductor production.

Industrial AI software heavyweight IFS chose its New York show to debut virtual agents equipped with 50 skills that autonomously manage high-volume tasks. For this episode of the Great Question podcast, Smart Industry's Scott Achelpohl and Plant Services' Tom Wilk were there to chat about the product, IFS Loops, with its CEO, Somya Kapoor.
 

Discussion around mental health is still rare among industrial workers. It's a cultural issue that needs to be re-examined and made a workplace priority, says podcast guest Stephen Dummit, founder of Tradewinds Leadership.

Join Matthew Dixon, Swagelok’s global technical lead for grab sampling, as he talks about the complexities of gas grab sampling—a critical, yet often misunderstood process in industrial operations. From the science behind phase changes to the design of safe and accurate sampling systems, Matt will share insights that help demystify the challenges of capturing representative gas samples. Whether you're in operations, engineering, or maintenance, this conversation will offer practical takeaways and a glimpse into the future of sampling in a digitalized world.

In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Plant Services editor in chief Thomas Wilk speaks with ICML CEO Bryan Coggins and ICML Marketing Director Paul Hiller about the evolving culture of reliability and maintenance within industry. The conversation explores how ICML is strengthening its role through training, certification, and real-world case studies that demonstrate measurable ROI in lubrication management. Bryan shares insights from his diverse background in manufacturing and energy, emphasizing the importance of balancing long-term strategy with short-term results, while Paul highlights how ICML’s messaging and outreach are driving cultural and operational improvements across the sector.