The Robot Industry Podcast Jim Beretta in partnership with A3 Association for Advancing Automation.

Today for The Robot Industry Podcast (#122) I welcome Drew Wilson. Drew has been a leader in all things electrical and mechanical test and he is a friend. Drew is a brilliant engineer and is not afraid to speak his mind especially about all things automation and testing. He has helped educate hundreds of engineers and customers about common sense testing in the automation industry.



You have had a very interesting jobs and projects in your life. You have worked on the people mover in Detroit and in automotive, medical device, pharma machines and there are lots that we cannot talk about too.




Drew, Test is a challenge for manufacturers and machine builders, because I feel that they just want to buy something and move on and they, the machine builder and maybe even the end customer don’t really know why and what they are testing. They just want a Pass or a Fail…a simple answer to a complex problem. Would you agree?




Can you tell our listeners what a gauge R & R is?
Why would you recommend a test company and not an automation company or machine builder to do the test part of an automated system?
What are some trends that you have noticed in automated testing over the last few years?
What are some of the best practices for test/testing?
Do you have some favourite test equipment companies, hardware and software?
Testing is a huge challenge to both the manufacturer and the automator, how would your recommend to some of our listeners who might be thinking ~ how can I specialize (or maybe how can my kid) specialize in test and test instrumentation, how do I learn about this?
Maybe I want to start a test instrumentation company? How do I do that?
Machine vision is sometimes confused with testing…what are your thoughts?
A question about expensive test equipment.
If I am installing test equipment in an automated system, am I best to distribute the test equipment throughout the machine or put it at the end of the line, what is your thoughts on this?
What are the big mistakes that automation integrators, even very big and capable ones make when it comes to test?
What do you like doing when you are not selling robots?
How can people get a hold of you?



Enjoy the podcast. Thanks for subscribing, thanks for listening.



Regards,




Jim



Jim Beretta
 Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing & The Robot Industry Podcast
If you would like to get involved with A3 | The Robot Industry Podcast, would like to become a guest or nominate someone, you can find me, Jim Beretta on LinkedIn or send me an email to therobotindustrypodcast at gmail dot com, no spaces.



If you would like to get in touch with Drew, LinkedIn is the best place:



https://www.linkedin.com/in/drew-wilson-8206b43 or you can get in touch with me.




Ehrhardt Automation is our key sponsor. Ehrhardt builds and commissions robot and custom turnkey automated solutions for their worldwide clients. With over 80 years of precision manufacturing they understand the complex world of automated manufacturing, project management, supply chain and delivering world-class custom automation on-time and on-budget. Contact one of their sales engineers to see what Ehrhardt can build for you at info@ehrhardtautomation.com




Our co-sponsor is Anchor Danly. They are the leading manufacturer and distributor of robot and automation bases, high quality die sets, components, Blanchard Ground steel plates, and metal fabrications used in the production of tools, dies, and molds for metal working and plastics injection molding, mining and construction equipment, and general fabrications.

I welcome Andrea Mazzini and Chris Round to this edition (#121) of The Robot Industry Podcast. If you know me, you might have also met Chris, one of the best marketers and salesperson in our industry. We had this call while Chris was at HQ in Arezzo, Tuscany in Italy.



Some of my questions to Chris and Andrea:



Chris you have just ARS, can I excited you about the company and the opportunity?



Andrea There is a lot going on in Italy right now when it comes to automation?



What’s happening out there from your perspective?



What is Flexibowl? Are there any other major components?



How does it work?



What makes it innovative? What kind of parts are in its sweet spot?



Where are you having success? What is the typical cycle time?



Tell me about the vision system?



Success Stories / Case stories?



Does it compete with traditional bowl feeders or other feeding technologies?



Where is it made? What about service and support?



Tell us about Automate show. What is your booth number at Automate Show?



how do I find out more information about ARS and Flexibowl?



Enjoy the podcast. Thanks for subscribing, thanks for listening.



Regards,



Jim



Jim Beretta
Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing & The Robot Industry Podcast



To find out more about Ars Automation click here and you can check out Chris Round and Andrea Mazzini, via their LinkedIn profiles.



If you would like to get involved with A3 | The Robot Industry Podcast, would like to become a guest or nominate someone, you can find me, Jim Beretta on LinkedIn or send me an email to therobotindustrypodcast at gmail dot com, no spaces.



Ehrhardt Automation is our key sponsor. Ehrhardt builds and commissions robot and custom turnkey automated solutions for their worldwide clients. With over 80 years of precision manufacturing they understand the complex world of automated manufacturing, project management, supply chain and delivering world-class custom automation on-time and on-budget. Contact one of their sales engineers to see what Ehrhardt can build for you at info@ehrhardtautomation.com



Our co-sponsor for this episode is Anchor Danly. They are the leading manufacturer and distributor of robot and automation bases, high quality die sets, components, steel plates, and metal fabrications used in the production of tools, dies, and molds for metal working and plastics injection molding, mining and construction equipment, and general fabrications.



Keywords and terms for this podcast: Ars Automation, Chris Round, Andrea Mazzini, Flexibowl, The Robot Industry Podcast, Ehrhardt Automation Systems #TheRobotIndustryPodcast Anchor Danly

For this edition of #Therobotindustrypodcast (#120) I caught up with an old friend, David McCharles from Pineberry Manufacturing during Informa's ATX and PackEx Toronto show. David is an entrepreneur business owner and golfer.



David manufactures very specific machinery to the automation and packaging market: Friction feeders, pick and place dispensers, plastic card material handling equipment, card affixers, conveyors, leaflet dispensers, custom automation, labelling systems, inkjet, collation systems and more.



We talk about what's happening in packaging automation and his changes from 2009.



Automation integration, robotics integration.



One point of contact for end packaging companies.



Automation projects > What's Happening?



Pokey Man Cards



Personalization of letters inserted into boxes



Printing on envelopes, bubble mailers, paper bags, etc.



Enjoy the podcast. Thanks for subscribing, thanks for listening.



Regards,



Jim



Jim Beretta
Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing & The Robot Industry Podcast



To find out more about Pineberry click here and you can check out David McCharles, here.



If you would like to get involved with A3 | The Robot Industry Podcast, would like to become a guest or nominate someone, you can find me, Jim Beretta on LinkedIn or send me an email to therobotindustrypodcast at gmail dot com, no spaces.



Ehrhardt Automation is our key sponsor. Ehrhardt builds and commissions robot and custom turnkey automated solutions for their worldwide clients. With over 80 years of precision manufacturing they understand the complex world of automated manufacturing, project management, supply chain and delivering world-class custom automation on-time and on-budget. Contact one of their sales engineers to see what Ehrhardt can build for you at info@ehrhardtautomation.com



Our co-sponsor for this episode is Anchor Danly. They are the leading manufacturer and distributor of robot and automation bases, high quality die sets, components, steel plates, and metal fabrications used in the production of tools, dies, and molds for metal working and plastics injection molding, mining and construction equipment, and general fabrications.



Keywords and terms for this podcast: David McCharles, Pineberry Manufacturing, Contract Manufacturing, Friction Feeders, Card Feeders, The Robot Industry Podcast, Ehrhardt Automation Systems #TheRobotIndustryPodcast Anchor Danly

Hello Automation Fans! I recorded this podcast at the ADM Toronto show in November. The team from Pilz Canada joined me to talk about something that we don't talk about very much on the podcast, and that is factory safety.



I am joined by Andreas Sobotta and Guillame Lavoie with background help from my friend Catherine Tran.



Enjoy the podcast. Thanks for subscribing, thanks for listening.



Regards,



Jim



Jim Beretta
Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing & The Robot Industry Podcast



To find out more about Pilz check them out https://www.pilz.com/en-CA



If you would like to get involved with A3 | The Robot Industry Podcast, would like to become a guest or nominate someone, you can find me, Jim Beretta on LinkedIn or send me an email to therobotindustrypodcast at gmail dot com, no spaces.



Ehrhardt Automation is a sponsor. Ehrhardt builds and commissions robot and custom turnkey automated solutions for their worldwide clients. With over 80 years of precision manufacturing they understand the complex world of automated manufacturing, project management, supply chain and delivering world-class custom automation on-time and on-budget. Contact one of their sales engineers to see what Ehrhardt can build for you at info@ehrhardtautomation.com



Our co-sponsor for this episode is Anchor Danly. They are the leading manufacturer and distributor of machine and automation bases, high quality die sets, components, steel plates, and metal fabrications used in the production of tools, dies, and molds for metal working, plastics injection molding, mining and construction equipment, and general fabrications.



Keywords and terms for this podcast: Andreas Sobotta and Guillame Lavoie,  Automation Safety, Ehrhardt Automation Systems , #TheRobotIndustryPodcast, Anchor Danly

Ben Garvey, P.Eng. is the Founder & President of Enginuity Inc. in Halifax NS and he is my guest for podcast #118. I was onsite at his automation facility and we were able to record this podcast session. There is something that I really like about being face to face in an interview, and bonus - I get a tour of the automation facility.



Ben how you got involved in the automation industry and tell me about Enginuity? 



What are some trends and technologies that you are seeing in your business? 



What is keeping your customers up at night?  



Interesting application stories? 



Reducing risk for you and your customers > how is this done? 



Labour crunch for your customers? East coast automation? 



Attracting and retaining staff, is this a challenge? 



Spin off technoloties from Enginuitiy?



Advice for young people trying to get into automation?



When you are not building robots and automation what do you like to do?



 How can people get a hold of you?



Enjoy the podcast. Thanks for subscribing, thanks for listening.



Regards,



Jim



Jim Beretta
Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing & The Robot Industry Podcast



To find out more about Enginuity check them out https://enginuityinc.ca/



Ben Garvey https://www.linkedin.com/in/garvey-ben-76752611/



If you would like to get involved with A3 | The Robot Industry Podcast, would like to become a guest or nominate someone, you can find me, Jim Beretta on LinkedIn or send me an email to therobotindustrypodcast at gmail dot com, no spaces.



Ehrhardt Automation is a sponsor. Ehrhardt builds and commissions robot and custom turnkey automated solutions for their worldwide clients. With over 80 years of precision manufacturing they understand the complex world of automated manufacturing, project management, supply chain and delivering world-class custom automation on-time and on-budget. Contact one of their sales engineers to see what Ehrhardt can build for you at info@ehrhardtautomation.com



Our co-sponsor for this episode is Anchor Danly. They are the leading manufacturer and distributor of machine and automation bases, high quality die sets, components, steel plates, and metal fabrications used in the production of tools, dies, and molds for metal working, plastics injection molding, mining and construction equipment, and general fabrications.



Keywords and terms for this podcast: Machine Builders, Tooling, Robot Integrators, Enginuity Automation, Ben Garvey, Ehrhardt Automation Systems , #TheRobotIndustryPodcast, Anchor Danly

The Automation Road Map



Welcome to The Robot Industry Podcast #117. I am thrilled to introduce you to Ben Whitney from ARMO Tool and Abuma Manufacturing, both located in London, ON. Armo Tool is a long-time machine builder, robot integrator, and tool manufacturer with a specialty in dies and progressive dies. Abuma Manufacturing is a contract manufacturing and build-to-print company with specialties around aluminum, electro-mechanical, and stainless steel fabrication.



This is our title today: Creating an Automation Roadmap with Armo Tool’s Ben Whitney.



I am going to read your bio, Ben and let me know if I have left anything out.



Ben Whitney is the third-generation leader of Armo Tool, founded by George and Ross Whitney in 1969. Soon after graduation from U Of Toronto in 2000, he became a full-time employee at Armo Tool, where he had worked on a casual basis since age 14. Ben worked as a PLC programmer, die designer and project manager before taking on the role of president in 2008. In 2017, he earned a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2013 from Western Engineering.



Ben welcome to the podcast, I am glad you’re here. Here are my questions.



WHAT IS AN AUTOMATION ROAD MAP?



Ben, have you created an Automation Roadmap?



Let's talk about the steps to creating this road map.



Why is this so important? 



Who owns this document?



Have you seen successes in doing this?



Do customers ever share the roadmap with you, an automation supplier?



How is this different from a specification document?



Can you help with an Automation Roadmap?



Who should be involved?



What kinds of things would be on the roadmap? 



What shouldn’t be on the roadmap?



When do you start an automation roadmap?



Have we talked about everything?



How can people get in touch with you?



Fun fact that Ben Whitney and Armo Tool both appear in a film that I helped create called "Robotics in Action, Seeing is Believing" with CFIN, Canadian Food Innovation Network. Armo Tool builds automation in the food and packaging industry and was kind enough to let us shoot video and interview him and his team for this project around food, robotics and automation.



Enjoy the podcast. Thanks for subscribing, thanks for listening.



Regards,



Jim



Jim Beretta
Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing & The Robot Industry Podcast



To find out more about ARMO Tool click here, for Abuma Manufacturing, here and you can check out Ben Whitney on LinkedIn, here.



If you would like to get involved with A3 | The Robot Industry Podcast, would like to become a guest or nominate someone, you can find me, Jim Beretta on LinkedIn or send me an email to therobotindustrypodcast at gmail dot com, no spaces.



Ehrhardt Automation is our key sponsor. Ehrhardt builds and commissions robot and custom turnkey automated sol