Manufacturing Meet Up
Your place for real talk about working efficiently and kicking back on your downtime. Pull up a chair and join manufacturing veterans Ed Ballina and Alvaro Cuba as they break down factory life.
Episodes
AI is transforming manufacturing—and it goes beyond predicting equipment failures. AI is revolutionizing everything from quality control to safety monitoring, training, and inventory management in real time.
But before you fall in love with and roll out the technology, they stress there are five things you need to keep in mind:
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Identifying...
When it comes to success stories about AI in manufacturing, Ric Wojcik (Senior Manufacturing Engineering Manager at Fiberon) has some advice: “Trust the system.” In this episode, Ed and Alvaro explore Ric’s experience with AI-powered predictive maintenance and learn how he implemented Machine Health across his facilities, transforming operations from reactive firefighting to proactive planning.
They discu...
The meet-up is getting a shake-up! In the season 2 premiere, Ed and Alvaro welcome Ellen Feldman Ornato and Jenny Drescher from the"Manufacturing Shake-up" podcast to explore how women are transforming the manufacturing landscape.
Highlights include:
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Smashing the "dark, dirty, dangerous" stereotype of factory work
That’s a wrap on Season 1 of the Manufacturing Meet Up. In this episode, hosts Alvaro Cuba and Ed Ballina share clips of their most popular segments, along with never-before-seen footage from the unaired pilot episode. There are plenty of laughs, surprises, and, most importantly, gratitude for all our listeners and subscribers. We can’t wait to meet up with you in 2025 – we’ll be back on-air with Season 2 in the spring...
With 2024 almost in the rearview mirror, Ed and Alvaro take a look back at the stories and trends that shaped this year in manufacturing. Then, they practice their fortune-telling skills, predicting what they think 2025 will bring to the industry. From AI to plant floor culture, they’ve got an opinion on pretty much everything–and they want to hear your thoughts, too.
To keep the conversation going:
Email ...
In this episode of the Manufacturing Meet Up, Ed Ballina and Alvaro Cuba discuss the evolving role of AI in manufacturing, emphasizing its potential as a collaborative tool rather than a replacement for human workers. They cover creative (or kind of crazy) machine and process fixes on the shop floor and drive home the importance of mentorship in professional growth.
Takeaways include:
<...Digital transformation and artificial intelligence are reshaping the manufacturing industry. In this episode, Ed and Alvaro discuss the current state of AI adoption and the challenges and strategies for successful implementation. Ultimately, it’s about integrating people, processes, and technology and finding new metrics to measure success.
To read the article referenced in this episode, click here:
AI in...
It’s Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15 - Oct 15) in the U.S., and Ed Ballina and Alvaro Cuba are celebrating with two special guests. They welcome Nathalie Hernandez (TECO) and Mike Ortega (PepsiCo) to the show, with a focus on this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month theme: “Pioneers of Change, Shaping the Future Together.” The four discuss:
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Career trajecto...
In this episode of the Manufacturing Meet Up podcast, Ed Ballina and Alvaro Cuba are taking listener questions in an Ask Me Anything format.
They discuss:
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Strategies to avoid pilot purgatory when implementing new technologies
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Crazy stories about the unexpected root causes of m...
Ed and Alvaro welcome their first-ever guest to the show: David Ballina!
David is a 15+ year veteran of manufacturing, and his resume includes roles with PepsiCo, Keurig Dr. Pepper, and PCA. He is currently the general manager of Operational Excellence Consulting.
Ed and Alvaro kick off the episode by covering the creative ways businesses are reducing waste and contributing to the circular ec...
Ed and Alvaro answer listener questions:
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Where should you look for savings when you implement machine health?
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What should I have learned in trade school to help me succeed and grow in my career?
Alvaro also complains to the dean of his university, and Ed discusses how...
Ed and Alvaro wrap up their 3 part series on operational excellence. In this episode, they hone in on AM/PM (autonomous maintenance/predictive maintenance) and FI/CI (focus improvement/continuous improvement).
When it comes to operational excellence, “let’s win together”!
To keep the conversation going:
Email us: mmu@augury.com
Find us on The Endpoint: endpoint.augury.com
Download...
Ed and Alvaro tackle listener questions, including:
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how manufacturers are using GenAI in their plants
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the use of devices similar to Google Glass
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3 tips for avoiding machine health mistakes
To keep the conve...
In this episode, Ed and Alvaro discuss news stories that caught their attention, as well as a deeper dive into two key pillars of operational excellence: people and quality.
Listen in as they discuss:
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Boomers getting hired back into manufacturing
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Engaging folks in continuous...
Ed and Alvaro tackle 3 questions in this Ask Me Anything:
1. How has the average plant floor worker or operator's core skill set (and/or toolbox) changed over the past 10 years?
2. What Industry 4.0 technologies do you consider table stakes for current M&R professionals?
3. What is precision maintenance, and what are its benefits?
To keep the conversation going:
Email us: mmu@...
In this episode, Ed and Alvaro talk about the fundamental building blocks of operational excellence – along with the alphabet soup of acronyms that come with these methods of managing your manufacturing.
Ed also drops a truth bomb: nothing is as silent as yesterday’s applause. (So you have to keep improving!)
Links to news stories mentioned in this episode:
Artificial Intelligence set to tra...
What’s the best training you’ve received in your career? Ed and Alvaro share their favorite courses – plus the real life training they got riding along with delivery drivers.
They also cover the two “must have” tools workers want on the shop floor. Safety equipment/gear tops the list …it’s all about coming home with 10 fingers and 10 toes.
To keep the conversation going:
Email us: mmu@augur...
In this episode, Alvaro and Ed consider the evolution of blue-collar jobs to “new-collar” jobs, recognizing that Gen Z may not want or even need college when they can learn advanced skills that don’t require advanced college degrees.
They also discuss plant tours—what they’re looking for and what they don’t want to see (spoiler alert: Ed really isn’t into wet paint). Additionally, Ed covers the per...
In their first Ask Me Anything episode, Ed and Alvaro answer the burning question: what is the best vibration analysis setup? (Here's a hint: it doesn't involve a broomstick anymore.) They also cover how to convince the boss to adopt new technology.
Let's keep the conversation going:
Email us: mmu@augury.com
Find us on The Endpoint: endpoint.augury.com
Watch us:
YouTube
Learn more:
augury.com/podcasts
It's no secret that manufacturing is experiencing a labor shortage. In this episode, Ed and Alvaro discuss how technology and training can retain talent and attract new people to manufacturing careers.
Let's keep the conversation going:
Email us at mmu@augury.com
Find us on The Endpoint: endpoint.augury.com
Watch us:
YouTube
Learn more:
augury.com/podcasts
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