The Tool Belt

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) at Work for Manufacturing, launched by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, is a series of four courses designed to improve mental health literacy among employees and leaders in the manufacturing industry. Lynn Burke Hennighausen and Rob Vallentine, national trainers for the program, joined IndustryWeek during Mental Health Awareness Month to discuss mental health challenges in manufacturing and how the MHFA training program can lead to a safer and more productive work environment.

For this episode, Tobii's director of products and solutions, Keith Bartels joins Smart Industry's Scott Achelpohl for a conversation about how visual data is helping teams streamline onboarding of employees, reduce errors, and strengthen standard operating procedures—all without adding complexity to day-to-day work.

In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Thomas Wilk, chief editor of Plant Services, is joined by Christine Nishimoto, director of asset management software at IBM, for an insightful discussion on how AI agents are reshaping data-driven asset management. Together, they explore the evolving role of artificial intelligence in improving productivity, sustainability, and safety across manufacturing sectors. From tackling long-standing data challenges to envisioning multi-agent systems that can automate complex workflows, the conversation highlights the transformative potential of AI tools in industrial environments. Christine also emphasizes the importance of transparency, data integrity, and regulatory compliance as organizations adopt these technologies. Key takeaways Clean, accessible, and accurate data is critical for effective AI-driven asset management. AI agents can automate multistep tasks like work order creation, boosting efficiency. Tailored AI tools must respect industry-specific privacy and compliance standards. Adoption of AI across sectors is accelerating, revealing untapped optimization potential.

Suketu Gandhi, partner and chair of strategic operations with Kearney, offers advice on how to deal with supply chain disruptions in this new era of tariffs.

Hey, have you heard that this AI thing is a big deal? That companies are slapping AI labels on every product they sell? That our benevolent robot overlords will favor those humans who speak highly of them now before they take over?  There was a lot of talk about that at Automate in Detroit this week, the annual trade show for industrial automation in which we imperfect biological organisms really do sit in awe of our technological superiors. Really, this is love, not fear. Sharing their observations on how much they look forward to this utopian future in which we'll be sure the keep the machines oiled and the software patched were: Mike Bacidore, Editor-in-Chief of Control Design Rehana Begg, Editor-in-Chief of Machine Design Robert Schoenberger, Editor-in-Chief of IndustryWeek and Editorial Director of Endeavor Business Media's Manufacturing Group Sharon Spielman, Technical Editor for Machine Design Linda Wilson, Editor-in-Chief of Vision Systems Design

Glen Powell is a senior engineering analyst with Hydro, Inc.'s Global Engineering division. He has nine years of experience in centrifugal pumps, vibration analysis, machinery reliability, and 3D simulation and design. Glen recently spoke with Thomas Wilk, chief editor of Plant Services, about the evolving challenges of workforce development in the maintenance and reliability space. The conversation also touches on the role of emerging technologies like AI in reliability workflows and dives deep into vibration analysis, including its limitations and advanced applications for diagnosing issues like resonance. Key takeaways Formal training alone isn't enough—intentional, hands-on experience accelerates workforce readiness. Bridging generational gaps requires clear career paths and trust in leadership follow-through. AI tools should support, not replace, critical thinking and field expertise on the plant floor. Modal analysis and motion amplification are powerful tools to diagnose and fix elusive resonance issues in aging equipment.  

In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Laura Davis explores how automation can help manufacturers navigate economic downturns, labor shortages, and rising operational costs. Based on insights from Wauseon Machine's Scott Anair, this episode covers the real-world benefits of automation—from labor cost reductions to consistent product quality and scalable systems that grow with your business. About the Article How to Use Automation to Recession-Proof Your Business Discover how automation isn't just about cutting costs—it's becoming a vital strategy for businesses to survive and thrive during economic downturns. Written by Scott Anair Read by Laura Davis Read the article

Joe Kuhn, CMRP, former plant manager, engineer, and global reliability consultant, is now president of Lean Driven Reliability LLC. He is the author of the book “Zero to Hero: How to Jumpstart Your Reliability Journey Given Today's Business Challenges” and the creator of the Joe Kuhn YouTube Channel, which offers content on starting your reliability journey and achieving financial independence. In our monthly podcast miniseries, Ask a Plant Manager, Joe considers a commonplace scenario facing the industry and offers his advice, as well as actions that you can take to get on track tomorrow. This episode offers tips on how to create a safe space for spirited debate in industrial operations. Key takeaways Superficial harmony in meetings delays critical decisions—candor leads to better outcomes. Leaders should hold back opinions to foster open, fact-based team input. Clear decision-making processes prevent debates from becoming unproductive conflicts. Professional disagreement is vital—silence in meetings and complaints in hallways hurt reliability.

The clock is running toward 2035 – the deadline for businesses to neutralize their carbon liabilities, whether or not the technology or resources are available to do that.  In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Robert Brooks, editor in chief of Foundry Management & Technology and American Machinist, explores the evolving pressures on the manufacturing supply chain as carbon neutrality and net-zero emissions targets accelerate industry-wide. With a focus on the metal casting and machining sectors, he highlights the emerging concept of carbon liability and its implications for manufacturers. A notable case study features Mazda's development of carbon-neutral cupola melting using biomass fuels, underscoring how environmental goals are reshaping production strategies.

The size and scope of upcoming and existing tariffs on imported goods and components is changing rapidly as President Donald Trump's administration makes bold announcements followed by pauses and policy changes as it negotiates with targeted countries. While administration officials say the rapid changes should benefit manufacturers in the long term by making it cheaper to produce things internally instead of importing them from overseas, the constant upheavals make planning difficult for manufacturers in the U.S. that rely on materials and components from foreign suppliers. Discussing how companies can manage their supply chains during the back-and-forth of changing policies from Washington and abroad are: Darrell Edwards, a University of Tennessee System supply chain professor and a former chief supply chain officer and chief operating officer at La-Z-Boy Incorporated Ji Li, a supply chain advisor for J&J Investment and Consulting and a former supply chain director for Boeing Laura Putre, IndustryWeek's senior editor for leadership topics

Mahdi Jamshid, director of market intelligence for leading AM observer Wohlers Associates, joins Smart Industry's Scott Achelpohl to detail Wohlers' brand-new annual report on the additive landscape and chat up the latest maneuvers of industry player Nano Dimension.

In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Tom Wilk, the chief editor of Plant Services, talks with Jose Rivera, the CEO of the Control System Integrators Association (CSIA). In December, Jose announced he would be stepping down after a decade of dedicated leadership and strategic vision. Under Jose's guidance, the CSIA has seen significant modernization, increased resilience, and a strong financial position. We spoke with Jose when he joined the CSIA 10 years ago and it's my privilege to talk with him one more time to look back over the past 10 years, and then look ahead at next steps for both Jose and the CSIA, including the launch of the the CSIA Learning Hub.

This sponsored episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast focuses on building AI that works for manufacturing teams, and features two key thought leaders with MaintainX, a maintenance and asset management platform purpose-built to help frontline industrial teams run more efficient, resilient, and safer operations. Nick Hasse is the co-founder of MaintainX, and has spent thousands of hours on the factory floor helping manufacturing and industrial leaders transform their operations with frontline-friendly software and AI. Roshan Satish is the lead product manager for applied AI at MaintainX, who is leading the development of AI-powered maintenance tools including MaintainX Copilot. 

IndustryWeek Editor-in-Chief Robert Schoenberger and Senior Technology Editor Dennis Scimeca talk 5G in this episode, taken from our Production Pulse livestream series. IndustryWeek recently launched a documentary-style video series, looking at how large manufacturers tackle significant technology challenges. For the first episode, we feature John Deere's work in Waterloo, Iowa -- using private wireless networking systems to manage massive data flows needed to build tractors. 

Maria DeLorenzis Reyes, CEO of Training Innovations/MDR Brands, explains why a workplace culture is most successful when it encourages interactive feedback and takes a long-term view for safety training.

In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Plant Services chief editor Tom Wilk is joined by Maureen Gribble, the sales enablement leader for North America at UE Systems, to preview the upcoming Leading Reliability conference. The event takes place May 12-15 in Clearwater Beach, Florida, with four days of workshops, practitioner sessions, and networking in a gorgeous venue. Anyone interested in attending a conference with like-minded professionals from all kinds of verticals will find people at this event who have lived your experience and have something to say about how they solve problems.

Joe Kuhn, CMRP, former plant manager, engineer, and global reliability consultant, is now president of Lean Driven Reliability LLC. He is the author of the book “Zero to Hero: How to Jumpstart Your Reliability Journey Given Today's Business Challenges” and the creator of the Joe Kuhn YouTube Channel, which offers content on starting your reliability journey and achieving financial independence. In our monthly podcast miniseries, Ask a Plant Manager, Joe considers a commonplace scenario facing the industry and offers his advice, as well as actions that you can take to get on track tomorrow. This episode offers how to use observation to be a better manager, why you should have a mentor and how to be a better mentor yourself.

Discover the differences between AI types, explore real-world applications, understand the challenges around adoption, and get actionable insight on strategic implementation to boost efficiency on your factory floor.

President Donald Trump's 10% tariffs on all imports to the United States, rising to as high as 49% for some countries, promise to upend the manufacturing landscape, forcing many producers to look for new suppliers and creating dramatic opportunities for companies that already have their production here.  It's too soon the know all of the impacts, but a few things are clear: Costs will go up on manfacturers that rely on foreign suppliers for key components Companies will continue facing labor shortages, especially for skilled positions Good management principles won't offset all of the changes, but they'll be more important than ever And technology could provide some relief, but it's not going to be a cure all Discussing these topics are InudstryWeek's editors. Below are some written thoughts that each of them had on the topic.

Falling from heights is a recurring safety problem at workplaces. Mike Van Bree, president of the American Ladder Institute, explains why training, education and efforts like National Ladder Safety month are helping to reduce the number of reported ladder accidents.

In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Francisco Almada Lobo, CEO of Critical Manufacturing and an Industry 4.0 evangelist, educator, and author, joins Smart Industry's Scott Achelpohl to chat about what real transformation looks like, which steps to use, and how not to leave outdated processes still in place.

James Lane is a plant manager with Trivium Packaging. He works out of their Youngstown plant, which is the largest of many plants that Trivium operates, and he's skilled in operations management, continuous improvement, and business process improvement. James is also a strong media and communications professional, having earned a J.D. degree focused on corporate law from Capital University Law School, which has informed his leadership in union environments and contract negotiations. James recently spoke with Plant Services editor in chief Thomas Wilk about his journey from military service to manufacturing leadership in the packaging industry.

This podcast discusses the opportunity around digital commerce for mid-market manufacturers. It explores how digital commerce can drive growth, how AI-powered solutions reduce barriers to entry, and how companies can scale their approach strategically. Businesses that invest in digital now can position themselves ahead of the competition, creating seamless buying experiences that meet customer expectations and drive efficiency through the automation of operations.

ProMat 2025 continues this week, bringing tens of thousands and supply chain and material handling professionals to Chicago to see what's new and innovative. Several major themes were apparent in talking to exhibitors and show attendees: Labor reduction. Most distribution center operators say they're struggling to find enough people to do the daily work, and finding seasonal help when they want twice as many people. Exhibitors presented dozens of technologies that minimize training, simplify work or automate functions. Going up. Vertical systems are everywhere at the show. New facilities are building higher and higher roofs to be able to stack material vertically and minimize real estate costs. OEM-backed startups. IndustryWeek's Dennis Scimeca has been writing about this trend for a few years—major companies starting in-house incubators or venture capital operations to capture new ideas and product innovations. At ProMat, I talked to companies backed by Toyota, Nokia, Piaggio and several others.  Cool technology. Well, not exactly a trend, but something I definitely noticed. Whether it was robots that charge themselves while moving through a facility, AI-driven picking systems that automatically re-sorted misplaced goods or drones running inspection, there were just a bunch of cool, nifty ideas on display.

Christie Smith, former VP of Diversity & Inclusion with Apple and founder of The Humanity Studio, explains why US companies will lose their competitive advantage if they don't build DEI into their culture.

Joe Kuhn, CMRP, former plant manager, engineer, and global reliability consultant, is now president of Lean Driven Reliability LLC. He is the author of the book “Zero to Hero: How to Jumpstart Your Reliability Journey Given Today's Business Challenges” and the creator of the Joe Kuhn YouTube Channel, which offers content on starting your reliability journey and achieving financial independence. In our monthly podcast miniseries, Ask a Plant Manager, Joe considers a commonplace scenario facing the industry and offers his advice, as well as actions that you can take to get on track tomorrow. This episode offers insight into understanding the difference between maintenance and reliability engineers and how to best use their strengths.

Facing network challenges in dusty or wet conditions Explore the importance of IP67 ratings for industrial networking, gaining practical guidance for choosing the right devices to prevent failures. About the Article Understanding the IP67 Rating for Industrial Networking Devices Learn how IP67-rated enclosures protect your critical industrial networking devices from dust and water damage, ensuring reliable performance in harsh manufacturing environments. Written by Henry Martel Read by Laura Davis Read the article

Stop pretending to know it all if you want to be a great manufacturing leader, and AI tools could help you do that. Those were a few of the insights from an experts panel discussion on the proper uses of kaizen, lean and other continuous improvement strategies in the modern factory. Responding to an audience question, AI took center stage and some of the brightest minds in operational excellence detailed how these tools could improve managers' abilities to empower workforces and drive improvements. The panel for the livestream was: Katie Anderson, leadership consultant, speaker, and learning enthusiast, author of "Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn" as well as a regular IndustryWeek contributor John Dyer, author of "The Façade of Excellence: Defining a New Normal of Leadership," as well as a frequent speaker on topics of leadership, continuous improvement, teamwork and culture change Michael Bremer, author of "How to Do a Gemba Walk" and "Learn to See the Invisible" Jill Jusko, executive editor and continuous improvement guru at IndustryWeek

Steve Strong of Concept Systems and Benjamin Kurth of Applied Manufacturing Technologies join the podcast and Smart Industry's Scott Achelpohl to talk automation and why “easier” doesn't always mean inexpensive and why plug-and-play isn't always your answer.

The number one concern for US manufacturers continues to be the shortage of available labor – which has prompted their steady progress toward automation, and then to digitalization, and lately to Artificial Intelligence, to fill in the missing resources. All that progress is creating a significant volume of data that is vulnerable to attack. A cloud-based software developer assesses the problem and offers some tips for addressing the risk. About the Article How Manufacturers Can Effectively and Securely Manage Data As cyber threats escalate, embrace cloud-based systems and adhere to best practices for data security. Written by Matt Heerey  Read by Robert Brooks Read the article

In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, chief editor Thomas Wilk talkes with Mike Holloway, president of 5th Order Industry, about the intersection of artificial intelligence and oil analysis. Mike has more than 40 years experience in industry and holds 16 professional certifications, a patent, an MS in polymer engineering, a BS in Chemistry, and a BA in philosophy. Mike is a subject matter expert in tribology, oil and failure analysis, reliability engineering, and designed experiments for science and engineering. He is currently publishing a blog series with Plant Services on AI and oil analysis, and previously published an article on tribology certifications with this magazine.

From their (R)Evolutionizing Manufacturing program, Smart Industry's Scott Achelpohl and Industry 4.0 enthusiast Jeff Winter get back into what's practical in your factory floor tech transformations. An intriguing discussion about mindset in manufacturing today and tomorrow.

America is hungry for electricity. Between the rising number of data centers that power AI chatbots and cloud computing systems to electric vehicles to new home construction to trends in manufacturing, we need more electricity going into the system and upgrades to the distribution grid to safely deliver that power to users. Early Thursday, electronics manufacturing Flex announced plans to build a new facility near Dallas, Texas, to make switchgear and other components necessary to support data centers. The so-called power pods include all of the major components needed to add adequate power for electric-hungry data processing facilities.  And the Flex news follows recent announcements from Eaton Corp. and Schneider Electric on similar investments in grid-supporting components. ArcelorMittal recently announced a $1.2 billion plant in Alabama to make speciality steel for electrical applications as well. Major electrical equipment manufacturers are boosting production of transformers and switches to make that happen. Our editors roundtable from Endeavor Business Media (owner of IndustryWeek) include: Chris Butler, president of Embedded and Critical Power at Flex Nikki Chandler, group editorial director for T&D World, EnergyTech and Microgrid Knowledge Sara Jensen, executive editor of Power & Motion Robert Schoenberger, editor-in-chief of IndustryWeek Matt Vincent, editor-in-chief of Data Center Frontier

Benchmark Gensuite's Natasha Porter explains creative applications for AI in the workplace and how AI-based tools can help move the needle on occupational health and safety.

Joe Kuhn, CMRP, former plant manager, engineer, and global reliability consultant, is now president of Lean Driven Reliability LLC. He is the author of the book “Zero to Hero: How to Jumpstart Your Reliability Journey Given Today's Business Challenges” and the creator of the Joe Kuhn YouTube Channel, which offers content on starting your reliability journey and achieving financial independence. In our monthly podcast miniseries, Ask a Plant Manager, Joe considers a commonplace scenario facing the industry and offers his advice, as well as actions that you can take to get on track tomorrow. This episode offers insight into training the maintenance and reliability team and building credibility.

The scarcity of labor and the need to remain competitive means that producers of cast parts must embrace automated grinding. Jeff Antonic of Stratecasts explains why that decision leads to more choices.

Time-sensitive networking (TSN) has emerged in the industry, promising to change industrial communication networks for the better through guaranteed data delivery with minimal latency and jitter. In this episode of the Great Question: A Manufacturing podcast, New Equipment Digest editor-in-chief Laura Davis discusses the challenges that arise from implementing time-sensitive networking and how to overcome them for successful integration. About the Article Time-Sensitive Networking: The Benefits, the Challenges, and How to Integrate Successfully Learn about Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN)—an advanced ethernet technology—along with its benefits, its main challenges, and tips to help you integrate it successfully. Written by Moxa Read by Laura Davis Read the article

Education and training remain the best ways for manufacturers to protect themselves against hackers, but that can be a challenge when you're talking about hundreds or thousands of employees on shop floors instead of a handful of people in offices. IT managers often don't understand how the shop floor works or comprehend the difficulties of the tasks that manufacturing workers perform daily.  That's a key takeaway from IndustryWeek Senior Editor for Technology Dennis Scimeca's recent interview with Rob Larsen, security advisor for Silverfort and former chief security architect for General Motors.  In this episode from the regular Production Pulse livestream series, Scimeca and Larsen discuss why hackers love to target manufacturers (hint: it's where the money is), how not to shame employees for possible breaches and how to set up basic protections. 

From AI, to cybersecurity, to decentralizing utility grids, Smart Industry's Scott Achelpohl breaks down highlights from the monthlong web series that SI debuted to start the new year.

Rosemary Coates is the executive director of the Reshoring Institute, as well as the President of Blue Silk Consulting. She has more than 30 years of experience in supply chain, reshoring, and nearshoring, and is the author of several books including 42 Rules for Sourcing and Manufacturing in China, and the Reshoring Guidebook. Rosemary appeared on the podcast in 2024 to talk about the general impact that reshoring initiatives were having in North America, and in this new episode she unpacks some of the ripple effects on reshoring that might occur as a result of new 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico curretly being proposed by the Trump administration.

U.S. troops are not likely to invade Panama to retake the Panama Canal, but U.S. influence over the trade zone could expand greatly in the next few years, says Andrew Thomas, a professor at the University of Akron and author of books about the Canal and the shale gas boom making the canal more influential.  In a wide-ranging interview with IndustryWeek Editor-in-Chief Robert Schoenberger, Thomas explains why the Canal is relevant again after decades of being something that the United States wanted to divest, how China became a dominant player in the region and how Trump's new insistence that the U.S. retake control of the canal could play out.  The conversation builds on a series of stories that Thomas wrote for the publication: China Saw Opportunity in the Panama Canal as US Interest Dwindled Trump, China and Shale: What's Next for the Panama Canal?

Many modern manufacturing plants generate some amount of electricity, either from solar panels on the roof or diesel generators or natural gas turbines. Some are trying to meet sustainability goals, others are working to ensure they'll have the power they need to run production. Great power not only comes with great responsibility (my apologies to Stan Lee), it comes with managment challenges. Making use of on-site power typically demands a microgrid to cycle betwen power from utilities and the electricity generated by other resources. As part of IndustryWeek's regular Production Pulse livestream series, we invited several experts to discuss what microgrids are, why they're growing and what to expect in the near term. Speakers were: Jana Gerber, president of Schneider Electric's North American microgrid business Rod Walton, managing editor of Microgrid Knowledge, part of IndustryWeek's parent company Endeavor Business Media  David Paganie, content director for the upcoming Microgrid Knowledge Conference

Phillip Russell, a partner with Ogletree Deakins, offers his insights into what OSHA under a new Trump administration will be like, and offers suggestions on how companies can best work with OSHA. About the Article What Will OSHA Look Like Under New Administration? “I think we will see innovation from Trump 47 like we've never seen before,” says Phillip Russell, Ogletree Deakins.  Read the article

Joe Kuhn, CMRP, former plant manager, engineer, and global reliability consultant, is now president of Lean Driven Reliability LLC. He is the author of the book “Zero to Hero: How to Jumpstart Your Reliability Journey Given Today's Business Challenges” and the creator of the Joe Kuhn YouTube Channel, which offers content on starting your reliability journey and achieving financial independence. In our monthly podcast miniseries, Ask a Plant Manager, Joe considers a commonplace scenario facing the industry and offers his advice, as well as actions that you can take to get on track tomorrow. This episode offers insight into process management and avoiding the drift away from standards.

Get an inside look at four game-changing technological developments poised to change multiple industries.

2024 was been a year of remarkable growth and innovation for the manufacturing sector, with global supply chain challenges and innovations in smart manufacturing pushing companies to adapt and rethink their strategies. But what's in store for 2025? In this podcast, the editors from Endeavor Business Media's Manufacturing Group look forward at the trends they will be keeping their eyes on in the new year.

Interest rates help determine when and how much manufacturers and machine shops invest in new machinery, systems, and consumables. Now that the Federal Reserve Bank has cut interest rates for a third time – should manufacturers be ready to invest? What other factors are shaping their choices in 2025? Chris Chidzik, chief economist for AMT – the Association for Manufacturing Technology, explains it all.

2024 has been a year of remarkable growth and innovation for the manufacturing sector, with key trends making lasting impressions on the industry. Automation, AI, and advanced robotics have gained traction, while sustainability initiatives have become a central focus for many manufacturers. Additionally, global supply chain challenges and innovations in smart manufacturing have pushed companies to adapt and rethink their strategies. In this year's end wrap-up, the editors from Endeavor Business Media's Manufacturing Group look back at the most important trends that impacted manufacturing in 2024 and offer insights into the direction the industry is heading.

Anna Townshend is managing editor of Plant Services and has been a journalist and editor for almost 20 years. In addition to writing and editing thousands of articles in her career, she has been an active speaker on industry panels and presentations. In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, she reads her latest Maintenance Mindset article, where each week one of the Plant Services editors highlights important and interesting nuggets in the news about manufacturing and asset management. About the Article Maintenance Mindset: The future of emissions monitoring — Exploring NIST's game-changing spectroscopy technology New laser technology from NIST researchers to measure greenhouse gas emissions could bring better methods to the plant floor.   Written and read by Anna Townshend Read the article

IndustryWeek Senior Technology Editor Dennis Scimeca discusses which plant technologies are cool and fun to discuss, and which ones offered the best, measurable real-world results for manufacturers in 2024. Joining him are: Paul Miller, VP and principal analyst, Smart Manufacturing & Future Mobility, Forrester Research Ryan Martin, senior research director for Digital Transformation, ABI Research

Learn everything you need to know about machine vision, its components, and its use in industrial applications.  About the Article What Is Machine Vision? Learn the difference between computer and machine vision, the four types of machine vision systems, and the importance of lighting in imaging applications. Written by John D. Thrailkill Read by Laura Davis Read the article