The Next Byte

Daniel Scott Mitchell, Farbod Moghaddam

We're two engineers on a mission to make interesting technology easy to understand. In each episode, we explore tech that is going to change the world – and keep it entertaining along the way.

  1. Jul 14

    248. Xometry’s Oscar Lovera & How AI Is Rebuilding Manufacturing

    Key takeaways: Manufacturing is becoming faster by bringing design, quoting, manufacturability feedback, and sourcing into one connected workflow.  AI should augment engineers, automating repetitive tasks while leaving complex decisions and relationship-building to people.  The biggest bottlenecks in manufacturing are often information flow and connectivity, not the manufacturing process itself.  Great manufacturing partners don’t always have the newest technology. Strong processes, culture, and operational excellence matter more than flashy equipment.  Global manufacturing networks are becoming more resilient through flexibility, allowing companies to adapt quickly to changing supply chain conditions.  The best engineering careers are built through intentional career choices, strong mentors, and continuous learning, not by following a predetermined path. (00:00) Introduction to Oscar Lovera and Xometry (04:50) The Evolution of Manufacturing and Xometry’s Role (07:53) Challenges in Traditional Manufacturing (10:42) Technological Innovations in Manufacturing (13:47) Supply Chain Dynamics and Xometry’s Approach (16:39) Human vs. AI in Manufacturing (19:39) Benefits for Partners in the Xometry Ecosystem (22:39) The Future of Manufacturing and Xometry’s Vision (33:29) Evolution of Maintenance and Technology (36:20) Technology Adoption in Manufacturing (39:49) The Importance of Fundamentals in Manufacturing (48:37) Hot Takes on Local Sourcing and Data (53:32) Career Advice for Future Engineers Become a founding reader of our newsletter: http://read.thenextbyte.com/   As always, you can find these and other interesting & impactful engineering articles on Wevolver.com.

  2. May 5

    244. The Hidden Power of Engineers as Storytellers (with Mouser’s Matt Campbell & Ricky Flores)

    (00:00) Intro and meet Matt and Ricky (03:00) Backgrounds: Matt's engineering-adjacent path and Ricky's 15 years at TI (04:03) What TMEs actually do, plus the bunny suit story (08:02) Cool projects: STM32N6 and the $22 Synaptics Astra 1680 (14:01) Communication as an engineer's secret weapon (21:03) Favorite verticals: AI, RF, and the Maxwell statue tangent (27:00) Hot takes: hardware is the other half of AI, and the button comeback (34:02) Why they like working at Mouser (36:00) Career advice: GPA, study groups, and what engineering school skips (41:01) What people don't know about Mouser, from same-hour shipping to robotic arms   This episode was brought to you by Mouser, our go-to source for electronics parts for any hobby or prototype.  Want to learn more? Check out the links mentioned by our guests during this episode: Matt mentioned the recent Empowering Innovation Together series covering urban air mobility.                                                                           Ricky highlighted the Mouser team’s library of hardware project walkthroughs -- As always, you can find these and other interesting & impactful engineering articles on Wevolver.com. To learn more about our show, please visit our shows page. By following the page, you will get automatic updates by email when a new show is published. Be sure to give us a follow and review on Apple podcasts, Spotify, and most of your favorite podcast platforms! Become a founding reader of our newsletter: http://read.thenextbyte.com/   As always, you can find these and other interesting & impactful engineering articles on Wevolver.com.

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About

We're two engineers on a mission to make interesting technology easy to understand. In each episode, we explore tech that is going to change the world – and keep it entertaining along the way.