Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast
Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast offers news and information for the people who make, store and move things and those who manage and maintain the facilities where that work gets done. Manufacturers can listen for critical insights into the technologies, economic conditions and best practices that can influence how to best run facilities to reach operational excellence.
Episodes
Manufacturing Extension Partnerships, state organizations that help small and medium-sized manufacturers, have been in the news in recent months as some saw their federal funding suspended or delayed. Things are looking better in the latest round of awards, however, as the funds have been delivered on time, and suspended funding was restored to Ohio.
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Carrie Hines of the Am...
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Smart Industry's Sarah Mattalian and Nancy Majure, the head of product for Adaptive ERP at QAD, explore how manufacturers can scale AI without adding headcount by improving real-time visibility, data quality and workflow integration. They discuss the role of ERP as a foundation for governed AI, along with the risks of fragmented data, shadow AI and bolt-on tools. The conve...
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Chuck Orzechowski and Josh Renicker of the COO Forum discuss how operations leaders are navigating AI-driven disruption and workforce change. They explore the importance of human-centric leadership, strong teams, and culture as new technologies reshape manufacturing. The conversation also examines how closing gaps between engineering and production can support operational ...
By focusing on the fundamentals, workplaces can build a safer environment from the ground up, says Kevin Weaver of U.S. Compliance, and author of Building a Strong Safety Culture: The 5 C’s of Workplace Safety, 2nd edition.
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Anna Smith explores the growing skilled labor shortage facing U.S. manufacturing. She examines data on the 1.3 million-worker talent gap, an aging workforce and rising demand driven by reshoring and data centers. Smith also looks at how upskilling, education partnerships, apprenticeships and AI can help manufacturers expand their talent pools. The discussion highlights str...
On this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, New Equipment Digest Editor-in-Chief Laura Davis rounds up four products worth knowing about — a coupling and brake system built for e-mobility test stands, an AI-powered platform for warehouse data capture, a connected AI forklift platform, and a pair of high-output rechargeable flashlights. Whether you're chasing measurement accuracy on the t...
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 podc...
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, EHS Today's Adrienne Selko talk with safety expert Camille Oakes, who says improving emotional intelligence skills for safety managers helps create stronger outcomes in complex workplaces.
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, IndustryWeek technology editor Dennis Scimeca and Smart Industry head of content Scott Achelpohl discuss the evolving cybersecurity challenges facing manufacturers. They examine recent attacks targeting PTC product lifecycle management software and Siemens S7 PLCs, highlighting the complexities of patching vulnerabilities across industrial environments. The conversation al...
IMTS 2026 is just weeks away, and the show floor will be packed with new equipment worth tracking down. In this episode, Laura Davis highlights four machines making their case at McCormick Place this September. Here's where to find each one, and what makes it worth the walk.
- A 5-axis mill-turn center built for aerospace engine components
- A compact CNC turning center for small high-volume parts
- A flexible cylindrical grinder
- A ...
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, chief editor Robert Brooks takes a look at how manufacturers that implement supply-chain management technology frequently face the “go-live gap”. It’s what separates a technically successful implementation from an operation that is truly prepared to use the new platform, follow the new processes, make the right decisions, measure and capture the value tha...
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, McKenna Schutty, safety, health and environmental manager at TDIndustries, a Texas-based facilities services and mechanical construction company, discusses how her company brought AI into its safety organization.
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Ilana Preuss, a champion of small-scale manufacturing and founder of Recast City, discusses the importance of raising the visibility of small-scale manufacturing, whose impact on the larger economy is being overlooked from lack of data and lack of awareness. While large manufacturers attract lots of attention, a strong domestic manufacturing base requires mapping and conne...
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Smart Industry's Sarah Mattalian talks with Mike Fedorov, COO and co-CEO of Applied AI Labs, who discuss why AI implementations often fail to deliver expected results. They explore how manufacturers can work with the muddy waters of imperfect data, establish effective governance, and design AI solutions around measurable business outcomes. The conversation concludes ...
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 podc...
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Nicole Stempak speaks with the current and previous two presidents of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) -- Monique Parker, Linda Tapp and Pam Walaski -- about strategies safety leaders can use to stay energized, the importance of mentorship, and how embracing change and diversity can lead to more effective safety initiatives.
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, IndustryWeek's Laura Putre speaks with Emily Domenech about efforts to streamline federal permitting for large manufacturing and critical minerals projects. They discuss how the Fast-41 program coordinates agencies to reduce project delays, improve transparency, and accelerate approvals while maintaining environmental and safety standards. The conversation also explores cr...
On this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, New Equipment Digest Editor-in-Chief Laura Davis rounds up four new products worth a closer look:
- a passive exoskeleton that eases shoulder strain during overhead work
- an AI-powered device that keeps forklift-based inventory tracking accurate in real time
- a connected ultrasound platform built for multisite reliability programs,
- a new inline coding system designed for ...
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Jennifer Ferdinand-Stong, corporate safety manager at construction firm Gaylor Electric and recently named Health and Safety Professional of the Year by the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) for 2026, shares her thoughts on how to create a realistic and sustainable safety culture.
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, IndustryWeek's Anna Smith speaks with Clay Martin, CEO and founder of Isla Talent, about innovative approaches to solving manufacturing workforce shortages by recruiting skilled workers from Puerto Rico. They discuss strategies for expanding talent pipelines, supporting employee relocation, and improving retention through communication, training, and workplace culture. The...
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