Industry40.tv

Kudzai Manditereza

Each episode of Industry40.tv Podcast will treat you to an in-depth interview with leading AI practitioners, exploring the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing and offering practical guidance for successful implementation.

  1. 3 FEB

    Building a Data Foundation for AI-Native Industrial Intelligence: Craig Scott - Founder & CEO , Fuuz

    1. EPISODE SUMMARY This episode explores why most manufacturing AI initiatives fail and what companies must do to build a foundation for AI-native industrial intelligence. Craig Scott, Founder and CEO of Fuuz, an industrial intelligence platform, shares insights from nearly a decade of bridging the gap between shop floor data and enterprise systems. The conversation reveals why the missing "shim" between operational technology and enterprise systems is the root cause of unreliable data in manufacturing, and why model-driven approaches are essential for scaling AI across industrial operations. Craig explains how organizations can achieve a single source of truth by implementing a persistent contextualization layer that governs data before AI ever touches it. Whether you're struggling with fragmented point solutions, evaluating industrial data platforms, or preparing your data infrastructure for AI, this episode provides a practical framework for building scalable industrial intelligence. 2. KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN THIS EPISODE What is fundamentally broken with current manufacturing data infrastructure and how does it impact AI initiatives? Why do most AI pilots fail to scale in manufacturing environments? What is a model-driven approach to industrial data, and why is it superior to in-line data transformation? How do you balance enterprise governance with plant-level flexibility in industrial data architectures? Should manufacturers adopt industry-standard data models like ISA-95 or build custom models? What is the difference between a data lake and an operational intelligence platform? How can manufacturers prepare their data foundation before investing in AI technologies? 3. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS WITH TIMESTAMPS [0:00] - Introduction — Craig Scott's background from hands-on manufacturing at age 15 to founding Fuuz, and why the company's purple branding represents the merger of "red" (OT) and "blue" (IT) data. [6:56] - What's Fundamentally Broken — Discussion of how critical manufacturing knowledge is leaving the business as the workforce ages, and why data-driven approaches are essential to capture and retain institutional knowledge. [8:09] - The Missing Shim Problem — Craig explains the gap between real-time shop floor data (SCADA/historians) and enterprise systems (ERP/PLM), and why neither system alone provides a single source of truth. [16:20] - MCP and I3x Integration — How Fuuz is implementing Model Context Protocol and aligning with the I3x initiative for standardized GraphQL APIs to enable AI connectivity. [18:52] - Model-Driven vs. In-Line Transformation — Why data transformation tools that reshape data in motion create scaling challenges, and how persistent data models solve enterprise-wide consistency. [24:06] - AI Governance and Hallucination Prevention — Why deterministic data models are essential for trustworthy AI—Claude can't "make up" OEE numbers when the data graph dictates values. [28:41] - Custom vs. Standard Data Models — Discussion of when to use ISA-95 accelerators versus custom models, using an automotive OEM wall-to-wall deployment as an example. [33:46] - Red and Blue Namespace Architecture — How Fuuz balances enterprise governance with plant-level flexibility through extensible tenant-based data models. [37:28] - What Category is Fuuz? — Craig explains how the platform spans MES, WMS, data ops, and application development—an operational intelligence layer, not a data lake. [47:13] - Technical Architecture Deep Dive — Overview of Kubernetes backend, Node.js framework, RabbitMQ messaging, MongoDB with custom ORM, and the hybrid gateway for edge connectivity. [51:16] - Real-World Deployments — Case studies including an automotive OEM running an entire car plant on Fuuz, Highbar Steel's solar-powered green steel mill, and PepsiCo co-packer integrations. [53:52] - Advice for Getting Started — Craig's recommendation to define the problem first, assemble cross-functional IT/OT teams, and start small with the understanding that small problems often expose bigger ones. 4. KEY TAKEAWAYS The "shim" between shop floor and enterprise is the missing piece: ERP and PLM systems are only accurate for the first 15 minutes after data entry. Without a real-time contextualization layer synchronizing shop floor and enterprise data, there is no true single source of truth. Model-driven persistence beats in-line transformation for scale: While edge tools that transform data in motion work for one or two sites, they require re-implementation across every site and system. A persistent data model is defined once and becomes the consistent interface for all enterprise systems. AI governance requires deterministic data models: LLMs cannot reliably do math and will hallucinate if given unstructured data. By forcing AI to read from governed data graphs, organizations can move toward semi-autonomous and eventually autonomous operations with trustworthy outputs. Extensible models balance governance and flexibility: Enterprise IT can define governed core models while individual plants extend them with additional metadata—they can add context but cannot change underlying structures, preserving data integrity while enabling local adaptation. Operational intelligence is not the same as a data lake: Data lakes are good for reporting and analytics but don't help run real-time operations. An operational intelligence platform provides both persistent contextualized state and real-time event streaming for actual operational execution. Start with the problem, not the technology: Many companies approach vendors saying they "need an MES" without understanding why. Defining value drivers first allows solutions to start small and expand as bigger problems reveal themselves. Build tools that enable AI, don't rely on AI as the platform: LLMs are evolving rapidly and may be replaced by new model architectures. Building platforms around deterministic data foundations protects against technical debt from betting on novel technologies. 5. NOTABLE QUOTES "There's a reason why our color is purple, because if you mix red and blue together, it makes purple. We are the part that's in between—the highly structured enterprise data like ERP and PLM and the really unstructured data that's happening on the plant floor." — Craig Scott, CEO at Fuuz "The ERP is a good source of truth for like the first 15 minutes that the data goes into the system, and then immediately, when you start generating real time data from the shop floor, it's out of date. Nothing is in sync anymore." — Craig Scott, CEO at Fuuz "When I connect Claude to Fuuz, Claude can't make anything up. It can't imagine an OEE for my line or my machine because it's being dictated by our data graph." — Craig Scott, CEO at Fuuz "I still look at AI as a tool, and I don't know that we're ready to acknowledge AI as the platform yet. We want to build tools and platforms that enable the technology, not rely on the new technology to be our platform." — Craig Scott, CEO at Fuuz "Data is money, and if we can turn that data into actionable insights, now we can make more money for your business." — Craig Scott, CEO at Fuuz 6. KEY CONCEPTS EXPLAINED Industrial Intelligence Platform Definition: A software layer that sits between operational technology (SCADA, historians, PLCs) and enterprise systems (ERP, PLM, CRM) to provide real-time data contextualization, persistence, and governance. Why it matters: Traditional architectures leave a gap between shop floor data and business systems, causing data inconsistency and preventing AI from accessing trustworthy operational information. Episode context: Craig describes Fuuz as the "shim" or "purple" layer that bridges red (OT) and blue (IT) data, enabling real-time synchronization and a true single source of truth. Model-Driven Architecture Definition: An approach where data models are defined first as persistent, governed structures, and all systems read from and write to this single canonical model rather than transforming data in-line during transit. Why it matters: In-line transformation tools work for small deployments but require re-implementation at every site. Model-driven persistence enables "once and done" enterprise-wide data consistency. Episode context: Craig contrasted this with edge tools that reshape data in motion, explaining that persistent models scale across global enterprises with multiple ERPs and systems. Unified Namespace (UNS) Definition: An architectural pattern that provides a single, hierarchical structure for all operational data, making it accessible to any system that needs it. Why it matters: UNS is gaining adoption as a way to democratize data access, but without persistent contextualized state, it only provides current values—not the historical context needed for operations and AI. Episode context: Craig acknowledged UNS as a great concept but emphasized that operational intelligence requires persistent state of contextualized data, not just real-time streaming. Model Context Protocol (MCP) Definition: A protocol that enables AI systems to connect to and understand data from external platforms through standardized interfaces. Why it matters: MCP allows AI tools like Claude to access governed industrial data without requiring custom integrations or exposing companies to AI hallucination risks. Episode context: Fuuz added MCP capability to expose their data graph to AI systems, ensuring AI outputs are governed by deterministic data rather than generating unreliable information. I3x Initiative Definition: An industry initiative working on standardized GraphQL APIs for industrial data exchange, enabling interoperability between industrial systems. Why it matters: Standardized APIs reduce integration complexity and allow best-of-breed systems to share data through common interfaces. Episode context: Craig mentioned Fuuz has be

    57 min
  2. 22 JAN

    Driving Operational Excellence in Manufacturing with Practical AI: Mickey Shaposhnik - Founder & CEO , Next Plus

    Traditional MES platforms were built for a manufacturing world that no longer exists. They assume stable product lines. They assume you have time for lengthy implementations, tolerance for complexity, and operators who can navigate digital forms while running production.   But here's the challenge. Today's manufacturing reality is different: ⇨ Markets demand the flexibility to shift from 1.5-liter bottles to 1-liter bottles overnight ⇨ Low volume, high mix production is now the norm ⇨ Tribal knowledge is retiring faster than it's being captured ⇨ Workers stay 2-3 years, not 20, making traditional training models obsolete   The cost of this disconnect? ❌ Frontline workforce unable to contribute operational intelligence at scale ❌ ROI delayed by complexity, not capability ❌ Two-year deployment cycles for basic systems ❌ Digital initiatives stuck in pilot purgatory   That's why leading manufacturers are rethinking execution from the ground up, shifting from monolithic systems to AI-native, human-centric platforms built for today's workforce reality.   This new approach is effective because it’s built with an AI-native mindset, not a digitized version of paper-based processes   ✅ AI-generated SOPs from video, cutting engineering time by 80% ✅ Learning systems that surface troubleshooting guidance from historical fault data ✅ Human-centric design that captures operational intelligence without disrupting workflows ✅ AI-powered interfaces that enable natural interaction; think voice, not dropdowns ✅ Rapid deployment measured in weeks ✅ Scalable without complexity; connect thousands of machines without lengthy integrations   The companies winning today aren’t planning more; they’re executing faster and adapting continuously.   In this episode of the AI in Manufacturing podcast, I speak with Mickey Shaposhnik, Founder and CEO of Next Plus, about how practical, AI-powered frontline execution is redefining operational excellence.   Watch/Listen now

    44 min
  3. 22/10/2025

    Agentic AI Framework for Manufacturing Operations: Gilad Langer - Head of Digital Manufacturing Practice, Tulip Interfaces

    Agentic AI Framework for Manufacturing Operations AI in Manufacturing Podcast Show Notes Episode Guest: Gilad Langer, Head of Digital Transformation Practice at Tulip Interfaces Host: Kudzai Manditereza Publication Date: [Insert Date] Episode Summary Manufacturing systems are complex adaptive systems that require a fundamentally different approach to AI implementation than traditional monolithic architectures. In this episode, Gilad Langer draws on 30 years of manufacturing experience—including PhD research that laid the groundwork for Industry 4.0—to introduce a composable agentic framework specifically designed for frontline operations. He explains why adaptability has become a competitive necessity in today's disrupted markets and how multi-agent systems can transform innate factory equipment into intelligent, communicating entities. The conversation covers practical implementation strategies, the artifact model for structuring manufacturing data, and why cultural change remains the biggest obstacle to agentic AI adoption. Key Questions Answered in This Episode What is an agentic AI framework for manufacturing and why do factories need one? How do complex adaptive systems apply to manufacturing operations? What are the five pillars of composability in manufacturing? How should manufacturers structure their data for AI agents using the artifact model? What is the difference between staff agents, builder agents, and artifact agents? How do you implement agentic AI in a brownfield manufacturing facility? Why do traditional MES systems fail to deliver the adaptability modern manufacturing requires? Episode Highlights with Timestamps [0:00] — Introduction — Kudzai introduces Gilad Langer and previews the discussion on composable agentic frameworks for frontline operations. [1:19] — Gilad's Background — Gilad shares his 30-year manufacturing journey, including PhD research in the 1990s that anticipated Industry 4.0 concepts like IIoT and multi-agent systems. [6:58] — The Vision Realized — Discussion of how today's technology finally enables the adaptive manufacturing concepts envisioned decades ago. [7:49] — Why Adaptability is Now Essential — Gilad explains how tariffs, supply chain disruptions, and COVID have made manufacturing adaptability a competitive necessity, not just an aspiration. [14:10] — Complex Adaptive Systems Explained — Deep dive into how manufacturing systems share characteristics with traffic and weather patterns, including the concept of attractors and emergence. [15:38] — The Toyota System Connection — Gilad explains how Toyota understood complex adaptive systems and used lean methods to keep manufacturing in the "orderly space." [26:21] — The Danger of Uncontrolled Agents — Discussion of how agents without proper frameworks can cause catastrophic "butterfly effects" in manufacturing operations. [28:19] — Agent Taxonomy Introduction — Gilad walks through the four types of agents: staff helpers, builder agents, operational agents, and artifact agents. [35:06] — Agents as Digital Twins — Why each discrete item should have its own agent rather than one agent controlling multiple machines. [40:20] — The Artifact Model Explained — Comprehensive breakdown of how to structure manufacturing data using physical and operational artifacts. [51:07] — Implementation Strategy — Practical guidance on starting small with agentic AI, beginning with a single machine and growing from there. [57:15] — Tulip Platform Overview — How Tulip's no-code frontline operations platform enables composable agentic manufacturing. [1:00:46] — The Composability Test — How to determine if your implementation is truly composable: can you solve a problem within an hour? Key Takeaways Manufacturing systems are complex adaptive systems that require emergent, bottoms-up approaches. Traditional blueprint-based implementations lock organizations into rigid structures. Truly adaptive manufacturing systems mimic natural phenomena—like plants growing toward sunlight—by solving problems iteratively and adapting to obstacles without predetermined plans. The five pillars of composability provide a framework for evaluating any manufacturing technology. Ask whether a platform supports bottoms-up development, lean improvement, democratized access, human-centric design, and compliance requirements. If a technology fails any of these tests, it cannot deliver true composability. Agents can either help humans or bring innate objects to life. Staff agents assist workers with tasks like monitoring and scheduling. Artifact agents wrap physical equipment with intelligence, enabling machines, materials, and systems to communicate with each other and with humans. The artifact model simplifies manufacturing data into physical and operational categories. Physical artifacts include machines, tools, areas, and materials. Operational artifacts include orders, tasks, defects, and events. Most manufacturing plants have no more than ten distinct physical artifact types, making the data model inherently human-comprehensible. Per-artifact agents deliver true adaptability that hierarchical approaches cannot match. When one agent fails in a distributed system, the others adapt and continue operating. A single controlling agent creates a single point of failure that can bring down entire operations. Start small with agentic AI implementation. Pick one critical piece of equipment, add sensors, create a simple agent, and let operators interact with it. Scale gradually while building governance frameworks alongside the technology. Cultural change is the biggest obstacle to agentic manufacturing adoption. Engineers trained in monolithic thinking will naturally gravitate toward building rigid systems even when given composable tools. Organizations need change agents who maintain discipline around composable principles. Notable Quotes "It's not the most intelligent of the species that survives. It's the species that is most adaptable to change that survives—that thrives." — Gilad Langer, referencing Darwin's principle as applied to manufacturing "If you push the system, if you take out the slack, highly likely there's going to be a traffic jam. And it's the same thing in manufacturing." — Gilad Langer, on why pull-based systems outperform push-based systems "If it takes months or more to connect a machine and create an agent, you don't have a composable system. The answer should be hours." — Gilad Langer, on the composability test "We run manufacturing like that. As soon as an event we didn't expect happens, we just sit there and burn alive. Essentially, that's what we do." — Gilad Langer, on the limitations of blueprint-based manufacturing systems Key Concepts Explained Complex Adaptive Systems Definition: A class of systems composed of discrete entities that exhibit emergent behavior and patterns without centralized control—including traffic, weather, and manufacturing operations. Why it matters: Understanding manufacturing as a complex adaptive system reveals why traditional rigid architectures fail and why multi-agent approaches succeed. Episode context: Gilad uses examples of traffic patterns and weather prediction to illustrate how patterns emerge in chaotic systems and how Toyota's lean methods leverage these dynamics. Composability Definition: An architectural approach built on five pillars—bottoms-up development, lean thinking, democratization, human-centricity, and compliance—that enables systems to adapt continuously rather than requiring upfront blueprints. Why it matters: Composable systems can respond to market disruptions, supply chain changes, and unexpected events without costly re-engineering. Episode context: Gilad contrasts composable platforms with traditional MES implementations that "lock you in a prison" through rigid blueprints and design reviews. Artifact Model Definition: A simplified data structure that categorizes manufacturing elements into physical artifacts (machines, tools, materials, areas) and operational artifacts (orders, tasks, defects, events), typically resulting in no more than ten distinct artifact types per facility. Why it matters: The artifact model makes manufacturing data human-comprehensible and AI-ready by reflecting the actual reality of the shop floor rather than abstract database schemas. Episode context: Gilad explains how this model emerged from 1990s research and enables both knowledge graphs and agent-based systems to operate effectively. Emergence Definition: A phenomenon where complex system behaviors arise from simple rules followed by individual entities, without centralized planning or blueprints. Why it matters: Emergent systems achieve adaptability that hierarchical control structures cannot match. Episode context: Gilad uses the example of a plant growing toward sunlight—adapting around obstacles without any blueprint—to illustrate how manufacturing systems should evolve. Attractor (Chaos Theory) Definition: A state toward which a system naturally tends to evolve; attractors can lead to either stable operations or catastrophic failures. Why it matters: Agentic frameworks must include mechanisms to keep systems away from bad attractors that could cause plant shutdowns or quality disasters. Episode context: Gilad emphasizes that without proper governance, multi-agent systems can rapidly cascade toward destructive states—the "butterfly effect" in manufacturing. Resources & References Technologies & Platforms: Tulip Interfaces — No-code frontline operations platform Unified Namespace (UNS) — Real-time data communication architecture Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) — Distributed AI architecture Concepts & Frameworks: ISA-95 — Manufacturing operations standard Complex Adaptive Systems theory Chaos theory and attractors Toyota Production System / Lean Manufacturing Kaizen and G

    1h 2m
  4. 27/08/2025

    Time-Series Data Quality and Reliability for Manufacturing AI: Bert Baeck - Co-Founder and CEO, Timeseer.AI

    Most data-quality initiatives focus on things like freshness or schema. That works for IT data, but not for sensor data. Sensor data is different. It reflects physics. To trust it, you need contextual, physics-aware checks. That means spotting: → Impossible jumps → Flatlines (long quiet periods) → Oscillations → Broken causal patterns (e.g., valve opens → flow should increase) It’s no surprise that poor data quality is one of the biggest reasons manufacturers struggle to scale AI initiatives. This isn’t just data science, it’s operations science. Think of data quality as infrastructure: a trust layer between your OT data sources and your AI tools. Making that real requires four building blocks: 1. 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 – Physics-aware anomaly rules, baselines 2. 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 – Continuous validation at the right cadence (real-time or daily) 3. 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 – Auto-fix what you can; escalate what you can’t 4. 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐬 – Define “good enough” and enforce it before data is consumed Why it matters: ✅ Data teams – Less cleansing, faster delivery ✅ AI models – Reliable inputs = repeatable results ✅ Ops teams – Catch failing sensors before downtime ✅ Business – Avoid safety incidents, billing errors, bad decisions In the latest episode of the AI in Manufacturing podcast, I sat down with Bert Baeck, Co-Founder of Timeseer.AI, to discuss time-series data quality and reliability strategies for AI in manufacturing applications.

    53 min
  5. 20/08/2025

    Building Effective Data and AI Innovation Teams in Manufacturing: Van Tucker - VP of Harbor Lockers By Luxer One.

    What really makes data and AI innovation teams succeed in manufacturing? In this episode of the AI in Manufacturing Podcast, I speak with Van Tucker, VP of Harbor Lockers by Luxer One, a company that develops and manufactures smart public lockers. We discuss the challenges and strategies for building effective innovation teams in manufacturing. Here are some of the  insights that Van shared: 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Innovation thrives when people, from the boardroom to the factory floor, believe in the mission. Core values must be lived daily, not just written on posters. 𝐀𝐠𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Instead of waiting months for a polished rollout, start simple. Test small ideas quickly, gather feedback, and iterate. Even in hardware manufacturing, lightweight R&D “sandboxes” allow experimentation without disrupting core production. 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐭 Burnout shows up in declining quality and disengagement. The best leaders don’t wait, they stay close to their teams, recognize early warning signs, and act before problems escalate. 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐓 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐓 The old silos are gone. Effective leaders create environments where engineers from IT and OT collaborate, not compete. Quick collaborative wins build trust and momentum across functions.

    37 min

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Each episode of Industry40.tv Podcast will treat you to an in-depth interview with leading AI practitioners, exploring the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing and offering practical guidance for successful implementation.