The Zeroed-In Podcast, by Thing-Zero

Thing-Zero

Welcome to the Zeroed-In podcast, by Thing-Zero: the podcast that skips the buzzwords and gets straight to what's working in smart manufacturing and predictive AI. Created by the team at Thing-Zero, each episode pulls you onto the plant floor with operators, data scientists, and manufacturing leaders who have turned raw signals into real profit. If you believe the smallest levers in IT/OT can move the biggest KPIs, the Zeroed In podcast might just your new weekly pit stop. Plug in on your commute, lunch break, or plant walk-through, and get ready to zero in on what matters next.

Episodes

  1. 11/06/2025

    How to Discover Every Device in Your Factory (Without Touching a Thing)

    Before you can secure your OT network, you have to understand it. In this episode of the Zeroed-In Podcast, our host Olivier Bloch sits down with Dan Frechette, OT security expert and former member of the CyberX Labs team (now Microsoft Defender for IoT). Together, they unpack the fundamentals of OT visibility, asset discovery, and passive network monitoring. They also cover how modern tools like Microsoft Defender for IoT help organizations identify risks before attackers exploit them. Topics Include: • Why you can’t secure what you don’t know exists • The critical differences between IT and OT networks • Real-world OT cyberattacks like TRITON • How to passively discover every device in your plant network • Why security may actually bridge IT and OT, not divide them If you work in manufacturing, utilities, or industrial cybersecurity... this is your crash course in understanding what’s really running on your network, and how to defend it. Subscribe for more conversations on Industrial IoT, OT Security, and AI in Manufacturing. ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Intro: Understanding OT Infrastructure 01:42 Dan Frechette’s Background in OT Security 03:30 Why You Can’t Secure What You Don’t Know 06:15 The Old “Air Gap” Myth and Why It’s Failing 09:10 IT vs OT: The Two Worlds Explained 13:25 Real OT Attack Stories (TRITON, Oldsmar, etc.) 18:20 How to Map Your OT Network Passively 22:10 Monitoring and Detecting Anomalies 27:15 Defender for IoT: Setup and First Results 31:40 Bridging the IT/OT Divide with Security 36:00 Final Takeaways 🎧 Brought to you by Thing-Zero: Secure. Predict. Augment. Automate. 📌 Follow Olivier Bloch on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marvin-tansley-a914551/ 📌 Follow Dan Frechette on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-frechette/ Follow Thing-Zero on: - YouTube: YouTube.com/@thing-zero - Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/thing-zero - 𝕏: https://x.com/ThingZ96954 - Web: https://www.Thing-Zero.com #IoT #OT #MicrosoftSecurity #DefenderForIoT #manufacturing

    31 min

  2. 10/16/2025

    The OT–IT Bridge: How MQTT Actually Connects the Factory, with Kudzai Manditereza

    In this episode of The Zeroed-In Podcast by Thing-Zero, we sit down with Kudzai Manditereza from HiveMQ and founder of Industry40tv, to get practical about data in manufacturing. We dig into MQTT’s real job in the stack, how to bridge OT and IT without breaking culture, and why a Unified Namespace is the backbone for reliable analytics and AI at scale. We talk with Kudzai about: • MQTT vs OPC UA vs field-bus protocols, and where each fits • The OT and IT priorities problem, and how to decouple with MQTT • UNS as an event-driven backbone for orchestration, not a silver bullet • Edge-first thinking: push rules to the edge, send only what matters • Governance that scales: RBAC, validation, and killing the “wild west” broker • Standardizing KPIs like OEE across plants without slowing teams downMake sure to subscribe for more real-world OT, data, and AI conversations. ⏱ Chapters:00:00 Intro 01:00 MQTT’s lane vs OPC UA and field buses 06:45 OT-IT culture and security priorities 12:40 MQTT in the DMZ as a data diode 17:10 Governance, RBAC, and broker hygiene 20:40 Edge intelligence and pushing rules down 26:30 Standardizing OEE and data models across sites 33:10 UNS today and where it’s going next 39:20 Wrap up 🎧 Brought to you by Thing-Zero: Secure. Predict. Augment. Automate. 📌 Follow Kudzai Manditereza on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kudzaimanditereza/ 📌 Follow Olivier Bloch on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivierbloch/ 📌 Follow Ryan Kershaw on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankershaw/ Follow Thing-Zero on: - YouTube: YouTube.com/@thing-zero - Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/company/thing-zero - 𝕏: https://x.com/ThingZ96954 - Web: https://www.Thing-Zero.com #IndustrialAutomation #SmartFactory #IntelligentManufacturing #AI #OT

    41 min

  3. 09/13/2025

    Augment + Automate: The Reality of Enterprise AI, with Alec Coughlin

    AI in the real world isn’t a keynote... it’s a factory floor, a power bill, and a risk register. In this episode, Marvin Tansley (Thing-Zero) sits down with Alec Coughlin (AI with Alec) to map the jump from hype to hard results: securing brownfield OT, preparing a data/knowledge-centric estate, and using agents to augment operators—not replace them. We cover the shift from app-centric silos to platforms, prescriptive analytics that drive next-best actions, and the leadership moves that make it stick: psychological safety, exec bootcamps, incentives that reward smart risk, and “hands-in-dirt” adoption. If you’re a CTO/CIO, plant leader, or ops owner wondering how to compete when AI becomes table stakes, this is the playbook you've been looking for. ⏱ Chapters: 0:00 Intros & setup 0:24 Alec’s origin: RPA spark → “AI with Alec” 1:14 Marvin’s path: industrial engineering to AI 2:00 Practical vs hype; LLMs get “evolutionary” + Palantir/data platforms 5:31 Augmentation vs automation (factory story) 9:07 Brownfield OT realities & security-by-design 12:50 From app-centric to data/knowledge-centric (why it’s existential) 16:45 Analytics ladder: descriptive → predictive → prescriptive 19:08 Ransomware lesson ($20M/day) & designing safety in 40:56 Culture, incentives, “make the beer taste better” 42:32 Closing Thoughts → The Zeroed in Podcast is also now available on your favorite podcast platforms: https://linktr.ee/zeroedinpod 📌 Follow Alec Coughlin on LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/in/alecchh/ 📌 Follow Marvin Tansley on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marvin-tansley-a914551/ 🎧 Brought to you by Thing-Zero — Secure. Predict. Augment. Automate. Follow us on: YouTube: YouTube.com/@thing-zero Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thing-zero/ 𝕏: https://x.com/ThingZ96954/ Web: https://www.Thing-Zero.com/ #AIwithAlec #AI #Robotics #MachineLearning #ML

    43 min

  4. 09/11/2025

    Robots and Reshoring vs. the Skills Gap with Jake Hall, the Manufacturing Millennial

    Robots don’t kill jobs, and they might even be able to save them when you use them right. In this episode, Jake Hall: the Manufacturing Millennial, joins Olivier Bloch and Ryan Kershaw of Thing-Zero to dig into the real levers behind U.S. manufacturing: reshoring, automation, brownfield vs. greenfield, AI (yes, generative too), security/trust, and the single biggest constraint of all… people and skills. We cover: • Why many SMEs still run like it’s 2005—and what flips the adoption switch • RaaS, easier software, and proof-you-can-scale examples• Robots creating local jobs (not replacing them) • Practical security/trust moves when connecting OT → cloud • Education pipelines: FIRST Robotics, digital natives, and what Gen Z actually wants at work If this helped, hit Subscribe and share with a manufacturing friend who needs a nudge to modernize. ⏱ Chapters: 00:00 Intros & setup (Olivier, Ryan, Jake) 01:38 Sports icebreaker → manufacturing mindset 02:30 Reshoring & tariffs: can the U.S. staff up? 05:44 “Good enough” risk: closure story & the moving-train analogy 09:50 Post-2020 winners: automation, flexibility, RaaS & easier software 12:45 Brownfield first steps: lighthouse plants & fail-fast culture 16:32 Brownfield vs. Greenfield: culture decides; skills are the bottleneck 20:04 Robots save jobs: U.S. case study + AI parallels 26:07 Security & trust: connecting OT → cloud the right way 32:42 Education pipeline & what Gen Z wants (FIRST Robotics) 37:22 Closing thoughts 🎧 Brought to you by Thing-Zero — Secure. Predict. Augment. Automate. 📌 Follow Jake Hall on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobrhall/ 📌 Follow Olivier Bloch on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivierbloch/ 📌 Follow Ryan Kershaw on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankershaw/ Follow Thing-Zero on: - YouTube: YouTube.com/@Thing-Zero - Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/thing-zero - 𝕏: https://x.com/ThingZ96954 - Web: https://www.Thing-Zero.com #IoT #OT #AI #PredictiveAnalytics #manufacturing

    38 min

  5. 09/11/2025

    Baking Better Data: How OT Insights Drive Manufacturing ROI, with Aaron Pfeifer

    What happens when you combine shift-level insights, OT data, and predictive analytics? You stop burning buns, and start scaling profits. In this episode of the Zeroed In Podcast, Marvin Tansley (Thing-Zero) sits down with Aaron Pfeifer (Atlas OT) to unpack how manufacturers can: • Pull signal from noisy operations data • Spot patterns in downtime, waste, and inefficiency • Use successful shifts as live playbooks for struggling ones • Bridge the gap between OT realities and IT-driven AI models Whether you’re leading a plant, an OT security program, or a digital transformation initiative, this conversation gives you a frontline look at how to turn data into behaviors that improve reliability, safety, and profitability. ⏱ Chapters: 00:00 Start / Framing ROI: Maintenance math, partial valve testing (SIL mindset) 02:45 Real-time + historical data: Compare assets, vendors, and cycles for gains 05:30 Prep the data estate for AI: “You already own the apartment” (cloud) 08:50 Secure democratization: Read-only, one-way flows; exec dashboards that matter 12:10 Crawl → Walk → Run: Models, thresholds, and cost-of-action decisions 16:20 Edge models safely: Optimize offline; push anomalies up, not commands down 19:30 Brownfield realities: Knowledge loss, out-of-date prints, safety interlocks 24:30 The cost of NOT modernizing: Unplanned downtime vs. proactive budgets 28:50 Heterogeneous control stacks: Standardizing without standardizing 33:10 Agile POCs on your cloud: Measure waste first; fast wins prove value 37:10 Close: Better business → better world (and better jobs) 🎧 Brought to you by Thing-Zero — Secure. Predict. Augment. Automate. 📌 Follow Marvin Tansley on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marvin-tansley-a914551/ 📌 Follow Aaron Pfiefer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adpfeifer/ Follow Thing-Zero on: - YouTube: YouTube.com/@Thing-Zero - Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/thing-zero - 𝕏: https://x.com/ThingZ96954 - Web: https://www.Thing-Zero.com #IoT #OT #AI #PredictiveAnalytics #manufacturing

    48 min

  6. 09/10/2025

    Why Smart Tech Doesn't Always Mean Smart Ops, with David Schultz

    Today we’re joined by David Schultz (G5 Consulting) and Ryan Kershaw from Thing-Zero to unpack what smart manufacturing really looks like beyond buzzwords. Chapters: 00:00 Intro: OT vs IT and the "Boring Topics, Interesting People" Premise 00:55 Meet David Schultz: Background in Automation & G5 Consulting 03:40 What Digital Transformation Actually Looks Like 06:10 Why Most Dashboards Don’t Drive Action 08:20 Human-Centered Change Management in Manufacturing 10:00 How ISA-95 Helps Bridge OT and IT 11:50 - The Real Power of Unified Namespace (UNS) 14:20 Cultural Resistance and Adoption: The Real Battle 17:15 How to Lead Through Event Storming and Trust Building 20:40 Why “Secure by Design” Isn’t Optional 23:00 Lessons from the Field: What the Best Teams Do Differently 28:45 Final Thoughts: Advice for Industrial Leaders 30:30 Wrap-Up & What’s Next for Smart Manufacturing 🎧 Brought to you by Thing-Zero — Secure. Predict. Augment. Automate. 📌 Follow Ryan Kershaw: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankershaw/ 📌 Follow David Schultz: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedavidschultz/ Follow Thing-Zero on: - YouTube: YouTube.com/@Thing-Zero - Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thing-zero/ - 𝕏: https://x.com/ThingZ96954 - Web: https://Thing-Zero.com #IoT #OT #AI #PredictiveAnalytics #manufacturing

    34 min

  7. 09/10/2025

    Predictive AI Should Make Sense, with Eric Siegel

    This is Episode 1 of the Zeroed In Podcast. Marvin Tansley from Thing-Zero interviews Eric Siegel from Gooder AI to tackle real-world smart manufacturing challenges using predictive AI. Together, they break down common issues seen on the factory floors into quick-wins, with step-by-step guidance you can use to break into the exciting world of OT and increase ROI with predictive AI. If you're in an IT or OT role in Manufacturing, this episode is for you! Chapters: 00:00 Intro & episode setup (manufacturing + AI) 01:06 What Thing-Zero does: secure predictive analytics 01:30 Guest intro: Eric Siegel (Goodter AI, ex-Columbia) 02:21 The pain: ~30% downtime / quality loss in factories 04:26 Predictive maintenance explained (why it’s the gold standard) 06:12 Decisions by probability: expected cost in plain English 08:08 Why pilots stall: missing business visibility & ROI 10:01 Data you need: historical + real-time (same schema) 12:38 Secure OT→Cloud pipeline (zero-trust, compliant) 13:02 Crawl-Walk-Run roadmap to production value 16:03 Change management: augment operators, don’t replace them 17:52 Beyond binary: process optimization & democratized data 19:12 From data lake to business wins (scrap, shifts, capex) 33:23 Visibility → optimization → financial decisions (playbook) 38:33 Wrap-up, next steps & how to get in touch 🎧 Brought to you by Thing-Zero — Secure. Predict. Augment. Automate. 📌 Follow Marvin Tansley on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marvin-tansley-a914551/ 📌 Follow Eric Siegel on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/predictiveanalytics/ Follow Thing-Zero on: - YouTube: YouTube.com/@Thing-Zero - Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thing-zero/ - 𝕏: https://x.com/ThingZ96954 - Web: https://www.Thing-Zero.com#operationaltechnology #IoT#AI #PredictiveAnalytics #SmartManufacturing

    40 min
  • 7 Episodes

About

Welcome to the Zeroed-In podcast, by Thing-Zero: the podcast that skips the buzzwords and gets straight to what's working in smart manufacturing and predictive AI. Created by the team at Thing-Zero, each episode pulls you onto the plant floor with operators, data scientists, and manufacturing leaders who have turned raw signals into real profit. If you believe the smallest levers in IT/OT can move the biggest KPIs, the Zeroed In podcast might just your new weekly pit stop. Plug in on your commute, lunch break, or plant walk-through, and get ready to zero in on what matters next.

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