loader from loading.io

The Automation Trap: Turning Struggle into a Lean Legacy, Ep #22

Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips

Release Date: 08/15/2025

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...

info_outline From ROI to Reality — Measuring Success After You Automate, Ep #32 show art From ROI to Reality — Measuring Success After You Automate, Ep #32

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...

info_outline The Automation Adoption Boom: Why ROI is the 2026 Metric That Matters, Ep #30 show art 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...

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...

info_outline From SWAT to Spindles: How Johnny Goode Led MSP Manufacturing’s Lights-Out Transformation, Ep #28 show art 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....

info_outline The Real Takeaways from EMO: Monitoring, AI, and the Changing Face of Automation, Ep #27 show art 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...

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...

info_outline Adaptive Over Aggressive: Redefining Lights-Out Manufacturing with Camoren Schley, Ep #25 show art 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...

info_outline From Fixed to Mixed: Mindset Shifts That Power Lights-Out Manufacturing, Ep #24 show art 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...

info_outline
 
More Episodes

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. Palletized automation, in-process probing, and zero-point clamping now hum alongside a new metric: Overall Employee Engagement (OEEg), tracking continuous improvement efforts and idea adoption. Machines are running at world-class efficiency, but more importantly, people are empowered to innovate every day.

With new aerospace and defense certifications in hand, Iron Wheel is no longer chasing low-margin scraps. Selective customer partnerships, a marquee rocket component contract, and lights-out production have created both profitability and peace of mind. Gary can finally take a vacation—confident the team has everything under control.

The transformation comes full circle when Iron Wheel is featured as a Top Shop Turnaround, hosting tours to show others the path from chaos to control. As Klaus tells Gary, “Automation isn’t a trap—it’s freedom.” And in this shop, that freedom now fuels not just productivity, but careers, creativity, and culture.

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

  • (0:16) The real-life ROI of ProShop ERP
  • (2:46) Intro to the final episode of The Automation Trap series
  • (3:37) Recap—value stream mapping, bottlenecks, and early 5S changes
  • (6:06) Iron Clunk reborn as Iron Wheel Manufacturing
  • (6:40) Introduction of Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) metric
  • (9:25) How OEE measures availability, performance, and quality of improvement ideas
  • (10:47) Why tracking engagement and continuous improvement matters
  • (12:34) Pairing lean systems with people-driven problem solving
  • (14:00) Lean-first automation that supports flow, not chaos
  • (18:21) From low-margin work to a joyful, profitable workplace
  • (18:49) Grow your top and bottom-line with CLA
  • (19:27) Leadership without micromanagement—ERP, QMS, and machine monitoring
  • (21:27) Building quality into every function of the business
  • (22:58) Eric explains the “Vision, founder, fit” model
  • (24:14) Balancing shop success with personal life and vision
  • (26:34) The role of people in shop transformations—staffing and recruitment
  • (27:31) Full-circle moment—Iron Wheel hosts a Top Shop Turnaround tour
  • (29:15) How long does it take to turn a shop around? 
  • (33:07) Lean Principles + Smart Automation + Engaged People = Your Legacy
  • (35:05) Future Lights Out episodes—practical implementation and tech focus
  • (36:19) Teaser: Yuto Matsuura on automation and lights-out machining
  • (38:50) Why you need to listen to Machine Shop Mastery

Resources & People Mentioned

Connect With Lights Out

Subscribe to Lights Out

On Apple and Spotify


Audio Production by - PODCAST FAST TRACK