Articles

Must do or Could do?

I get stressed sometimes choosing what tasks to prioritize in my day.

Tough For Ford

I wish I hadn’t bought the story.

Ford, the pickup truck gorilla, was going to take over the electric pick up market which was going to crush the gas and diesel portion over the next few years.

Ford knows the pickup business like nobody else. The Japanese and Koreans know new cars, but trucks are a mystery for them. The Germans can spell BMW, but for hauling a boat or a jalopy, “nein.”

Machining in Mexico, with Rogério Mezadri–EP 167

Our guest on the podcast today is Rogério Mezadri, Director of SAMOT Mexico, a 200-employee automotive machining company in Guanajuato, Mexico.

Rogério and I discussed the challenges running a machining company in Mexico. We talked about Mexican manufacturers upgrading technology. We also talked about the difficulty to find enough skilled manufacturing workers in Mexico. Yes, they have that problem too.

Valuing a Business

When does a theoretical value become really valuable?

When do you decide to buy or sell a business, particularly a precision machining business? How do you assess its value? How do you determine whether a business is a collection of machinery, tooling, and real estate, or if it is something of significantly more monetary value?

Manufacturing Rockets in College, with Anirudh Pal and Xander Wells—EP 166

At IMTS 2022, I stumbled upon a booth with an impressive 28 foot rocket on display, constructed by students from the Purdue University Bechtel Innovation Design Center.

Anirudh Pal, an operations manager at Bechtel, and Xander Wells, an undergraduate teaching assistant at Bechtel, told me the story behind the rocket’s creation when I interviewed them for today’s podcast.

Manufacturing Recession?

In the financial world of banks and funds, stupid follows stupid, which then follows stupid.

How to Save Money on Cutting Tools, with Bryan Stusak and Steve Vanderink–EP 165

Steve Vanderink and Bryan Stusak of Iscar Metals Interviewed by Noah Graff at IMTS 2022

At IMTS 2022, I had the privilege of interviewing Bryan Stusak and Steve Vanderink, two product specialists from Iscar Metals, world renown seller of cutting tools for machining. We talked about the latest developments in cutting tool technology that enable faster changeover, and how to save money by using inserts properly when removing small amounts of material.

Stuff I Learned at IMTS 2022

I was pumped for IMTS 2022! I went there to listen to the heartbeat of the machining world. I set out to learn about the newest technology, interview people for Swarfcast, and stumble upon as much serendipity as possible.

How Many IMTSs Do You Get?

For me, the initials stood for I am Missing That Show.

But as I started thinking more deeply about this piece, I began to change my mind.

Defending Your Manufacturing Company From Cyber Attacks, with Drew Phillips–EP 162

Drew Phillips, senior systems integration engineer at MxD (Manufacturing x Digital)

Are you vaccinated against the Virus?

Is your computer system prepared for the inevitable attack?

Today’s podcast discusses the scary reality that manufacturers are the number one target of cyber attacks around the globe. Manufacturing companies are at risk for ransomware and intellectual property theft. It’s even possible for hackers to take control of a factory’s machine tools remotely.

Graff-Pinkert - Screw Machines, Hydromats, CNCs