Training Machinists with an Automation Mindset with Titan Gilroy, Ep #1
Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips
Release Date: 11/20/2024
How to Calculate Automation ROI — The Right Way, Ep #31
Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips
Automation is exploding across the manufacturing world, but the real differentiator isn’t the robot, pallet pool, or software you buy—it’s whether you know how to calculate ROI the right way. In this episode of Lights Out, we break down the financial side of automation in plain language so every shop owner, operator, and leader can make smarter investment decisions with confidence. This is the follow-up to our baseline episode, where we had listeners identify their current spindle utilization, setup times, labor load, and cost per part. Now we take the next step: turning...
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The Automation Adoption Boom: Why ROI is the 2026 Metric That Matters, Ep #30
Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips
Before a shop can automate confidently, it has to understand one thing clearly: ROI drives every great automation decision. In this episode of Lights Out, David Vuyk and Eric Nekich kick off a multi-part series on Automation ROI—focusing not on hype or shiny tech, but on the real metrics and methods that determine whether automation will pay off or become an expensive paperweight. With “Jolly St. Nick Goellner” out preparing for the holiday season, David and Eric take the mic to break down a critical truth: you cannot automate an unreliable process, and far too many shops are buying...
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Facing the Future: Automation Truths from 40 Years on the Shop Floor with Mike Gamache, Ep #29
Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips
As we dive into this episode of Lights Out, we sit down with someone who’s seen automation evolve from pencil drawings and flame-cut templates to fully integrated robotic systems: our friend and longtime industry leader, Mike Gamache. For decades, Mike has lived at the intersection of machining, fabrication, automation, and continuous improvement, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring his experience to our listeners. We reflect on how we first met Mike—a mix of Germany trips, delayed flights, Delta drink tickets, and a little tough love that eventually turned into friendship and...
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From SWAT to Spindles: How Johnny Goode Led MSP Manufacturing’s Lights-Out Transformation, Ep #28
Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips
What do law enforcement, SWAT operations, and CNC machining have in common? More than you’d think. In this episode of Lights Out, hosts Nick Goellner, Eric Nekich, and Dave Vuyk welcome Johnny Goode, President and Co-owner of MSP Manufacturing in Bloomington, Indiana—a precision aerospace manufacturer that’s rapidly transforming its operations with automation and digital processes. Johnny’s journey is anything but typical. From police officer and SWAT team member to Army National Guard sergeant, his story is packed with grit, discipline, and leadership under pressure....
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The Real Takeaways from EMO: Monitoring, AI, and the Changing Face of Automation, Ep #27
Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips
In this episode of Lights Out, we debrief from one of the largest manufacturing technology shows in the world—EMO Hannover. From automation and adaptive controls to AI-driven machining and the evolving economics of shop ownership, the team unpacks what’s really changing in manufacturing and what’s just noise. As the hosts reflect on trends like the shift from horizontal to 5-axis machining centers, the rise of machine monitoring and IoT integrations, and the reality of underused OEM technology, they dig into what these patterns mean for modern shops aiming to run smarter—not...
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Coached—Not Just Monitored: How the Best Shops Turn Data into Action, Ep #26
Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips
You can collect data all day—but if you’re not using it to coach your team, you’re missing the point. In this episode of Lights Out, hosts Nick Goellner and Dave Vuyk wrap up their “Mindset Shifts for Lights Out Legends” series with one final transformation: moving from a monitored shop to a coached one. Drawing on lessons from Nick’s recent talk at the Automated Shop Conference, the hosts unpack how to turn dashboards into decisions and metrics into motivation. They explain why dashboards don’t make chips, how to turn OEE...
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Adaptive Over Aggressive: Redefining Lights-Out Manufacturing with Camoren Schley, Ep #25
Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips
Lights-out manufacturing isn’t just about adding robots or running machines overnight — it’s about creating a culture and a system where your shop can perform at its peak without constant human intervention. In this episode of Lights Out, hosts Nick Goellner, Eric Nekich, and David Vuyk sit down with innovator and entrepreneur Camoren Schley of Slytek to explore the technologies and mindsets making true lights-out operations possible. Camoren’s story begins in his grandfather’s Denver manufacturing shop and evolves into a journey of building and selling high-pressure...
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From Fixed to Mixed: Mindset Shifts That Power Lights-Out Manufacturing, Ep #24
Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips
In this episode of Lights Out, Nick Goellner, Eric Nekich, and Dave Vuyk take listeners inside the mindset shifts powering the next wave of lights-out manufacturing. Forget just “working harder” — this conversation is about working smarter, breaking out of fixed thinking, and unlocking massive gains without adding headcount or square footage. The trio opens by sharing the personal routines and disciplines that keep them at peak performance, then pivots to the real topic: transforming machine shops from fixed to mixed mindsets. By rethinking workholding, machine real estate, and...
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Carrying the Legacy Forward: Yuto Matsuura on Family, Precision, and the Future of Automation, Ep #23
Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips
In this episode of Lights Out, we sit down with a special guest who embodies both tradition and innovation: Yuto Matsuura, fourth-generation leader of Matsuura Machinery. His story is one of legacy, expectation, and transformation—from the weight of inheriting a century-old family business to finding his own passion for manufacturing and automation. We talk openly about the realities of stepping into leadership at a young age. Yuto shares how making a life-changing decision at just fifteen felt more like an obligation than a choice—and how, over time, he turned that responsibility...
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The Automation Trap: Turning Struggle into a Lean Legacy, Ep #22
Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips
After three episodes of grit, missteps, and breakthroughs, the story of Iron Clunk Machining comes to its conclusion—and its rebirth as Iron Wheel Manufacturing. This isn’t just the end of a narrative—it’s proof that the right combination of lean principles, selective automation, and engaged leadership can completely transform a struggling shop into a thriving, joyful workplace. Twelve months after hitting rock bottom, Gary’s shop is unrecognizable. A fresh coat of paint and spotless windows signal more than cosmetic changes—they reflect a culture rebuilt from the inside out....
info_outlineLights out manufacturing isn’t only a large topic of conversation but it’s also the way of the future. Shops around the world are embracing automation. Are you? If you haven’t become part of the automation conversation, don’t miss our first lights-out-focused episode with Special guest Titan Gilroy. He shares how automation has progressed, the mindset you need to embrace to be successful, and how to mitigate the risks. Because if you’re not automating, you’re not MakingChips. And if you’re not MakingChips, you’re not making money. BAM!
– Jason
Segments
- [0:10] The Lean Setup Guide from ProShop
- [2:08] Manufacturing news: OK, Mexico, Save Me
- [7:09] How automation technology has progressed
- [9:49] The use of robots in automation
- [11:38] Will robots replace machinists?
- [15:51] The Industrial Buying Engine with Thomasnet™
- [16:23] Check out the Oracle NetSuite ERP
- [22:57] How to mitigate the risks of lights-out manufacturing
- [27:20] If you don’t automate, you’ll get left behind
- [28:30] What’s next for Titans of CNC and automation?
- [31:53] How automation is different around the world
- [36:00] There is a place for everyone in manufacturing
Resources mentioned on this episode
- Lights Out: Training Machinists with an Automation Mindset with Titan Gilroy
- How Defeat and Success Has Shaped Titan Gilroy, #286
- TITANS of CNC
- Connect with Titan on LinkedIn
- Get 25% off an annual Thomas™ subscription with code CHIPS25
- The Lean Setup Guide from ProShop