Manufacturing Happy Hour

We probably all remember where we were when news started to break about COVID-19 shutting down the world around us. Dan Stutterheim was at the NCAA Big 12 Tournament when he got word that sports – and everything else – were going on hiatus. As it became clear that life as we know was about to change, he quickly doubled-down on protecting his team and his business.Dan is the CEO of Kasa, a Salina, KS-based controls and automation company that is known just as much for their resilient culture as they are for their engineering expertise. In this episode, Dan walks us through the steps he took to keep his people and his business healthy at the start of COVID-19. This includes activities Kasa had been focused on long before the pandemic, including courageous culture dialogues and narrowing focus to a few key success metrics. Dan also shares lessons he’s learned from his team as they navigate these uncharted waters, and new business practices they plan to maintain moving forward.Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty. 

We just finished discussing what manufacturers can learn about operations and customer experience from the amusement park industry, so now let’s have some fun. Josh Liebman from the AttractionPros podcast is back for another episode, only this time, it’s all about roller coasters.Josh and I have each ridden our fair share of coasters around the world and it’s a wonder that we kept this episode to less than an hour. We’ll be sharing some of our favorite rides, trips, and stories about some of the craziest coasters on the planet. While we might not be talking about industry best practices in this episode, there’s no better topic to give us a short “vacation” from our typical content.Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty. 

Do you love roller coasters? Great! Then you’ll love this episode! Once you look behind the curtain, amusement parks are basically one giant industrial operation. Today, we’re going to be pulling some manufacturing lessons from the world of attractions and entertainment.From ride operations to consulting, Josh Liebman has made a career out of having a fun. He’s the co-host of the AttractionPros podcast and has worked in the amusement industry for over a decade. Having picked up a thing or two about keeping a park running and creating an unforgettable customer experience, Josh shares what he’s learned through stories from his days operating roller coasters and leading guest service communications at some of the world’s most renowned theme parks. From Universal Islands of Adventure to Cedar Point, this episode covers some thrilling ground while providing cross-industry advice for leaders in fast-paced environments.Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Asset inventory. Anti-malware strategy. Risk assessments to look at your overall OT readiness. There are more than a few investments that need to be made to have a robust industrial cybersecurity program. But it doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing, let alone a massive capex investment.In this episode, Rockwell Automation’s Global Services Portfolio Commercial Team Lead Kamil Karmali returns to Manufacturing Happy Hour for the 3rd installment of our cybersecurity mini-series. Kamil first takes us through Defense in Depth, a multifaceted layering approach to security including policies, physical requirements, and even device-level requirements. Then, we define the NIST Framework and its 5 functional topics: identifying, protecting against, detecting, respond to, and recovering from cyber threats.Kamil gives some great detail on “good, better, and best” approaches to cybersecurity that any manufacturing leader can act on regardless of the time and capital they have available. We even provide the perfect starting point along with some great case studies so that you know there’s more than one way to run a successful cybersecurity program.After you listen, forward this podcast to your company’s IT Manager or Chief Information & Security Officer. Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com/Cybersecurity for a full list of industrial security resources from Rockwell Automation. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty. 

Tim Shope and his team at Avid Solutions are redefining what it means to be a systems integrator. While they specialize in process control and integrated solutions, they’re taking their craft a step further and offering true industrial IoT solutions, from wearables to remote access.In this episode, Tim and I discuss smart manufacturing in the context of the collaborative work Avid has been doing with CESMII: The Smart Manufacturing Institute. We’ll discuss the impacts of AI on controls programming, the democratization of application libraries, as well as some cool examples of smart manufacturing projects that Avid Solutions is doing in conjunction with CESMII and the University of North Carolina.Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty. 

“Shiny Object Syndrome” is a big issue when it comes to cybersecurity investments. That last thing you want to do is invest a lot of money into cybersecurity solutions before having a grasp on the fundamentals.In this second installment of our cybersecurity mini-series, we’ll cover the basic steps all enterprises should take to improve cybersecurity. Umair Masud – Rockwell’s Director of Technical Security Oversight to the CISO – will walk us through the the fundamentals of cybersecurity, focusing on 3 essential pieces of a good security program: Processes, People, and Technology.We’ll explore these fundamentals, or “cyber hygiene” as they’re often called, in the context of security programs & risk assessments, specialized cybersecutiry jobs, and a deep-dive discussion around patch management.After you listen, forward this podcast to your company’s IT Manager or Chief Information & Security Officer. Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com/Cybersecurity for a full list of industrial security resources from Rockwell Automation. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty. 

Welcome to the first ever Manufacturing Happy Hour mini-series. For the course of this 4-part series, we’ll be teaming up with Rockwell Automation’s cybersecurity team to bring you actionable security advice for industrial manufacturers.Steve Ludwig – Program Manager for Safety & Security at Rockwell Automation – joins us for our first episode. We start off with the basics as Steve shares why cybersecurity matters and why it’s a vital piece of a digital transformation journey; security isn’t just about protecting data and intellectual property, but assets, workers, and the environment as well.We’ll cover security in the context IT and OT integration, discuss the inherent link between safety and cybersecurity, and wrap up with some discussion on where these cyber threats are actually coming from.After you listen, forward this podcast to your company’s IT Manager or Chief Information & Security Officer. Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com/Cybersecurity for a full list of industrial security resources from Rockwell Automation. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty. 

Bottom Line Concepts is helping companies save jobs and protect employee benefits. How do they do this? They partner with companies – from manufacturers to retailers to professional sports organizations – to reduce their costs by auditing for refunds and negotiating for future savings.CEO Josh Fox jumps on the show today to share his story and walk us through Bottom Line’s performance-based business model. Josh shares stories and great examples from inside and outside of the manufacturing industry, as well as ways for both companies big and small to partner with Bottom Line. We’ll also get to know Josh a bit more as he shares why he’s been driven to keep at this business for over a decade.We traveled down to Beverly Hills for this conversation, and it was actually the last in-person interview we did before shelter-in-place took effect in March 2020. Honestly, when it comes to identifying cost savings to protect jobs and benefits, the timing couldn’t be better.Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty. 

Matthew Putman is a Renaissance Man for the 21st century. He’s a scientist, author, teacher, and jazz pianist, as well as the CEO of Nanotronics, a science technology company that brings together robotics, automation, 3D imaging, and artificial intelligence for powering factories. They’re on a mission to redefine manufacturing for the future.In this dynamic interview, Matthew provides an overview of Nanotronics’ Brooklyn Navy Yard Smart Factory, manufacturing supply chains and leadership in the face of a wartime situation like COVID-19, as well as the intersections of art and science as it relates to his work in AI. From examples of their technology in practice to actionable tips for leading through uncertainty, few guests are able to cover such a range of topics as thoroughly as Matthew Putman.Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty. 

In our last full-length episode, Chuck Swoboda joined us for a discussion about innovation at Milwaukee Brewing Company. Since we recorded the show in front of a live audience, in this bonus episode, we’re answering your questions about innovation, covering everything from risk-taking to getting organizational buy-in on your innovative ideas.Make sure to check out our full interview in Episode 13, and subscribe to Chuck’s podcast Innovators On Tap.