After the COVID-19 pandemic, many manufacturers have talked about reshoring. But is it worth it? In this episode of Manufacturing Matters, TECH B2B Marketing’s Winn Hardin sits down with Dave Spaulding, president and CEO of Smart Vision Lights, to learn about the machine vision lighting manufacturer’s successful shift to in-house production of circuit boards, LED boards, and enclosures. Spaulding shares how this switch has enabled the company to speed up prototyping of custom solutions and bring new products to market quicker. Additionally, they discuss SVL’s Hidden Strobe technology and its new partnership with Japanese company Leimac.

Support the Show.

Labeling a technology as “smart” — like a smart phone, smart watch, or smart toaster — indicates that it can perceive things about its environment, communicate them, and possibly even adapt performance accordingly. Motion control technology has become more accurate and precise over the years. Now it too is becoming smart. Iris Dynamics co-founder and CEO Patrick McFadden joins the latest episode of the Manufacturing Matters podcast to discuss how the humble linear electric motor is gaining intelligence and what that means for industrial automation, aerospace, test and measurement, and other vertical sectors.

Support the Show.

Less than 10 years ago, artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning were being billed as game changing technologies in the industrial automation space. While perhaps overhyped at the time, today these technologies are bringing real value to manufacturing processes. To explore the practical application of AI in manufacturing, Musashi AI’s Frederick Reinink joins TECH B2B Marketing’s Jimmy Carroll and Winn Hardin on the Manufacturing Matters podcast. Reinink explains how AI and deep learning-based vision systems are automating full part inspection for complex parts in a range of applications, including EV battery manufacturing, laser welding, and several others. Reinink also outlines the challenges of implementing robust, adaptable AI solutions, and what potential users should consider.

Support the Show.

Collaborative robots, autonomous mobile robots, humanoid robots, and AI were technologies that stood out at Automate 2024 in terms of the number of demonstrations and presentations on the topic at this year’s show. For NEURA Robotics, who made waves at the event with its cognitive robots, this is the company’s wheelhouse. TECH B2B Marketing’s Winn Hardin and Jimmy Carroll had the opportunity to speak with the company’s founder and CEO David Reger Automate to discuss his company’s first appearance at Automate 2024, along with the product offerings that NEURA Robotics brings to the market.

Reger also explains his vision for smarter, cognitive robots with built-in sensing paired with a robust software platform for safe robots that serve humans. He explains the added benefits cognitive robots bring to the shop floor when compared with traditional robotic counterparts. Additionally, they discuss the potential and limitations of humanoid robots and what it's like to enter the robotics market as a startup today.

Support the Show.

In this episode, TECH B2B Marketing’s Jimmy Carroll and John Lewis sit down with Alexandre Fong of TechnoTeam Vision to discuss imaging photometers and colorimeters. The highly specialized technology is designed and calibrated to accurately measure brightness or luminescence and color, allowing manufacturers to precisely measure whether requirements are met in lighting applications. They discuss use cases including augmented and virtual reality in manufacturing for training, maintenance, and design. Additionally, Fong shares details about the Florida photonics cluster, which aims to foster growth and provide support for small photonics companies and startups in Florida.

Support the Show.

In this episode of Manufacturing Matters, TECH B2B Marketing’s Jimmy Carroll and Winn Hardin are joined by Matt Wicks, Vice President and General Manager of Robotics Automation at Zebra, to discuss some of the advancements that are helping drive growth in autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). They’ll discuss the impact the labor market is having on the need for these technologies in warehouses across the country, and how Zebra is helping warehouses connect their existing handheld systems to AMRs for increased productivity, flexibility, ease of use, and collaboration with human workers. They’ll also discuss Zebra’s investments into other areas within automation, including machine vision.

Support the Show.

Laser triangulation is a great 3D scanning technique for high-speed applications. But what happens when the CMOS chip in your 3D sensor can’t keep pace? In this episode of the Manufacturing Matters podcast, Gretchen Alper of Automation Technology (AT) GmbH joins TECH B2B Marketing’s Jimmy Carroll and Amanda Del Buono to discuss how this challenge led to the development of a CMOS chip with on-sensor intelligence. The technology now enables processing rates as fast as 30 gigapixels per second and is changing the game for applications from logistics to road inspection. Alper also discusses her journey as a woman navigating the automation and manufacturing space, starting from her early career as an applications engineer to her current role as AT’s Business Director for North America.

Support the Show.

Last week’s Automate 2024 event hosted its first ever Women’s Empower Hour, which highlighted the growing number of women working in the automation space. In this episode of Manufacturing Matters, TECH B2B Marketing’s Amanda Del Buono and Morgan Chang, US Business Development Manager at LexxPluss, continue this essential workforce development conversation. They discuss navigating the automation industry as a female and touch on some of the latest news and insights from LexxPluss.

Support the Show.