Making Chips Podcast for Manufacturing Leaders MakingChips LLC

My shop has been restoring a 1959 Ford F10. When we decided to recreate a digital dash for the truck, we decided to ask the LinkedIn world for help. That’s when I met Ira Laughy with rapid3D. 
Rapid3D exists to solve complex measurement challenges to empower confident decision-making. We scanned the space and current dash and Ira and his team helped us reverse-engineer the process to design a CAD model to ultimately create the part we need.
Ira shares how you can use a 3D scanner to reverse engineer a part in this fascinating forward-thinking episode of MakingChips. Because if you can’t make the part you need, you won’t be MakingChips, and you won’t be making money. BAM! 
— Mike Payne
Segments [2:28] Manufacturing Leadership Spotlight: Robin Moore [5:37] Introducing Ira Laughy with Rapid3D [9:44] What inspired Ira to launch Rapid3D [12:18] The cost associated with a 3D scanner [16:51] From scan to CAD to part [20:50] Make the move to Netsuite by Oracle [22:10] Ira’s experience bringing designs to life  [24:22] Working through a real-life scenario [28:41] The future of 3D scanning technology Resources mentioned on this episode Rapid3D.ca  Email Ira at Ira@Rapid3D.ca Connect with Ira on LinkedIn Creaform 3D scanners Geomagic Design X Autodesk Inventor SOLIDWORKS Netsuite by Oracle Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube

How important is building relationships and trust with your vendors? When you do have established relationships, are you placing too much trust in them? How do you balance being business savvy and trusting? 
Mark McCormack is known for saying “All things being equal, people will do business with a friend; all things being unequal, people will still do business with a friend.” How much does this matter in the supply chain? Let’s see if we have an answer. We dissect the topic in this episode of MakingChips.
– Nick
Segments [0:22] Join the AMT Community at AMTOnline.org [5:21] The Chip on Mike’s Shoulder: Managing vendor relationships [7:48] “All things being equal, people will do business with friends” [13:53] When good intentions get in the way of business [16:21] Are you providing value to your vendors? [18:44] How much transparency should you provide? [27:03] Navigating price increases with your vendors [32:18] Tracking quality, price, delivery, and more Resources mentioned on this episode Join the AMT Community ProShop ERP What They Don't Teach You at Harvard Business School Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube

What are the benefits of working closely with a local career & technical education center? You can have a huge impact on the local community, education system, and businesses. If you partner with a local technical center, it could have a far-reaching impact—and it just might help you recruit the next generation. 
Nix Partners with a local career & technical education center in Southwest Indiana. David St. Clair and Hannah Lang join us in this episode of MakingSparks to share how collaboration can benefit the students, the community, and your business. 
Segments [2:58] Learn more about David St. Clair [5:00] Casey’s dad joke [5:42] Learn more about Hannah Lang [7:36] Spark of Knowledge: Judging ability  [8:52] The impact of our welding competition  [15:41] Trends in the CTE system  [20:54] NetSuite by Oracle [22:11] Why you should partner with a CTE [27:20] More details about the tech center [31:10] What’s next for David’s CTE?  [32:53] How to work with a local tech center  Resources mentioned on this episode Get a product tour of NetSuite by Oracle Connect with Hannah Lang on LinkedIn Connect with David St. Clair on LinkedIn Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube

POV: You’re a woman with an entrepreneurial edge. You want to start a business. Why not consider the manufacturing industry? There are only 6,431 women-owned manufacturing businesses in the United States (representing just 2% of all manufacturing companies). 20% of them are minority-owned. This industry needs a woman’s perspective and expertise.
So what does it take to get into the industry? Nicole Wolter—the President & CEO at HM Manufacturing—shares her advice for budding female entrepreneurs in this episode of MakingChips. 
Segments [1:22] Join the AMT Community!  [3:03] Manufacturing News: U.S. Women-Owned Manufacturers [7:04] Becoming a certified woman-owned business [15:11] Get NetSuite’s KPI Checklist for Free [16:43] The manufacturing industry is changing  [21:52] What Nick tells his daughter about manufacturing [25:20] Hiring more women in manufacturing  [30:53] Nicole’s advice for budding female entrepreneurs Resources mentioned on this episode Join the AMT Community!  What is a Woman Manufacturing Leader? Connect with Nicole on LinkedIn U.S. Women-Owned Manufacturers Infographic  Benefits of Becoming a Certified Women-Owned Business Get NetSuite’s KPI Checklist for Free Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube

POV: You’ve decided to start the process of implementing automation in your machine shop—but it isn’t as easy as flipping a switch. It’s a process that consists of failing forward and learning from every mistake. Tom Schroeder—the Executive Vice President at PBC Linear—joins us in this episode of Lights Out to share how to prioritize flexibility when you invest in and begin to implement automation in your shop. Because if you’re not making the right chips, you’re not making money.
– Nick
Segments [1:28] Learn more about Kaleb Mertz [4:04] Today’s guest: Tom Schroeder  [5:16] What's the Chip on Your Shoulder?  [11:44] PBC Linear’s investment in an MCM  [16:52] Get NetSuite’s KPI Checklist  [19:31] Managing high mix low volume  [23:40] Steps to take before automating  [27:11] Why automation is necessary  [30:00] Innovation = learning to think differently  [32:30] Automation doesn’t take away jobs  Resources mentioned on this episode Get your free KPI checklist from NetSuite by Oracle!  Kaleb Mertz on LinkedIn Tom Schroeder on LinkedIn Episode #399: Do We Need More Manufacturing Entrepreneurs? Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube

There are around 17,000 contract manufacturing job shops in the US. That sounds pretty great, right? The truth is that growth is down 16% since 2008. Now, more than ever, we need new entrepreneurs in the manufacturing industry. Matthew Nix, Paul Van Metre, Drew Crowe, and Mike Payne join me in this roundtable discussion to talk about the vast opportunities available, how to take advantage of them, and why manufacturing leaders should encourage and grow entrepreneurs from within their businesses. Because if manufacturing isn’t growing, we aren’t MakingChips, and we aren’t making money. BAM!
– Nick Goellner
Segments [1:41] Matthew Nix, Paul Van Metre, Drew Crowe, Mike Payne [2:33] Manufacturing News: Leverage AMT’s custom research [11:07] Our reaction to the declining number of job shops [18:02] What Mike looks for in an acquisition [23:55] Join the AMT community! [24:48] Why every shop can leverage an ERP [28:00] There are vast opportunities available [33:55] Why you should grow future entrepreneurs  Resources mentioned on this episode The benefits of joining the AMT community  ProFab Alliance Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube