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The Automation Trap: Saving a Shop with Systems, Not Spindles, Ep #21

Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips

Release Date: 08/01/2025

Lights Out at 20: Inside a One-Man, Multi-Axis Machine Shop with Michael King, Ep #33 show art Lights Out at 20: Inside a One-Man, Multi-Axis Machine Shop with Michael King, Ep #33

Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips

What does the future of manufacturing look like when it’s built by someone who has never known a world without digital tools, automation, or on-demand learning? In this episode of Lights Out, the hosts sit down with Michael King, founder of Munkworks, whose story feels almost implausible until you hear it unfold. Michael bought his first CNC machine as a teenager, owns a five-axis machining center before he’s old enough to legally drink, and runs a growing shop almost entirely on his own. But this conversation isn’t about novelty. It’s about mindset. From early hands-on building and 3D...

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Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips

Automation doesn’t end when the system is powered on. In fact, that’s often where the real work begins. In the third and final episode of this Lights Out series, the conversation shifts from planning and justification to execution, measurement, and long-term performance. After covering market forces driving automation adoption and breaking down ROI math in the first two episodes, this installment tackles the question many shop owners wrestle with once automation is live: Is this actually working? Dave Vuyk and Eric Nekich dig into how to validate performance, track meaningful metrics, and...

info_outline How to Calculate Automation ROI — The Right Way, Ep #31 show art 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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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...

info_outline Facing the Future: Automation Truths from 40 Years on the Shop Floor with Mike Gamache, Ep #29 show art 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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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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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...

info_outline Coached—Not Just Monitored: How the Best Shops Turn Data into Action, Ep #26 show art 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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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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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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Welcome back to Lights Out, where we’re continuing our deep dive into Iron Clunk’s lean transformation—and this one is a turning point.

After hitting rock bottom, Gary’s found a lifeline in Klaus and the Lean Stream team. But this isn’t a charity case—it’s an investment. With tools like value stream mapping, theory of constraints, and 5S, Gary and his crew begin diagnosing their real problems: lost travelers, inefficient setups, no in-process inspection, and automation that added more chaos than value.

In this episode, you’ll hear how Gary starts to regain control—not just of his machines, but of his culture. Tim, Sarah, and the rest of the Lean Stream crew don’t just swoop in with answers; they bring structure, empowerment, and a systematic approach to finding flow. Gary’s team starts to see themselves not just as operators, but as problem solvers.

We also talk about how the right automation, used in the right way, can unlock real ROI. This isn’t about throwing tech at the problem—it’s about building the systems that help technology thrive. And it all comes back to visibility, strategy, and aligning your team around what truly drives profit.

If you’ve ever felt like your shop was one big mess of potential—this one’s for you.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

  • (0:31) Investing in ProShop is investing in your business
  • (2:55) Post-Europe recap, dad life, and terrible accents
  • (4:23) Recap: Gary’s glimmer of hope and commitment to lean
  • (5:55) Scene #1: Meet the Lean Stream team
  • (7:37) Tim Woods = the 8 wastes explained
  • (9:20) Acquiring messy shops with potential: the Gary investment thesis
  • (10:35) Scene #2: Value Stream Mapping: identifying and solving bottlenecks
  • (15:02) Shift the focus: it’s not just about cycle time
  • (17:00) Deburring in or outside the machine? Depends on your readiness
  • (18:45) Scene #3: Daily standups and 5S in action
  • (20:41) Grow your top and bottom-line with CLA
  • (21:50) Real-world benefits of a clean, organized shop
  • (22:32) Why 5S fails without standardization and sustainability
  • (23:45) Scene #4: Lean automation vision, from inspection to pallets
  • (25:00) In-process inspection integrated into the system
  • (27:25) Flexibility and smarter job switching with pallets
  • (28:07) The tradeoff: spindle utilization vs. quality
  • (29:00) What’s the right OEE target for high-mix shops?
  • (29:43) Dinner scene: Linda’s back, and so is hope
  • (31:40) Klaus’s story reminds Gary he’s not alone
  • (32:36) Final scene: A new future for Iron Clunk takes shape
  • (34:07) Vision → Strategy → Tactics: the right order for shop success
  • (35:30) Personalizing lean: what works for your goals
  • (38:19) What kind of pie? (The real debate of the episode)
  • (39:20) Teaser: next time, Gary takes the lead
  • (39:41) Why you should listen to Machine Shop Mastery

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