Podcast for the Automation, Robotics and Manufacturing Industries by host, Jim Beretta. The podcast is partnered with A3 | RIA Robotics Industry Association. We discuss trends, innovation, and important tech for advanced manufacturing.
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Reducing Risk in Automation with BOS Innovations’ Ben Huigenbois
Season 4 · Episode 136
Wednesday, April 2, 2025 • Duration 25:13
Welcome to the podcast (#136) My guest today is Ben Huigenbois, he is president of BOS Innovations in London, Ontario, my home town. From Ben's LinkedIn: Experienced President with a demonstrated history of working in the industrial automation industry. Experienced and skilled in leadership, organizational development, ERP system development, skills development, project management, strategic planning, technology deployment, sales and marketing.
Ben, welcome to the podcast, thanks for joining us. How did you get interested in automation? Give us a bit of your background.
Tell our audience about BOS Innovations? What is it that you do, that is what type of automation are you building?
What have you seen change recently in automation systems?
What are your customers asking for that they may not have in previous years?
Our podcast today is going to be about reducing RISK in automation systems. This is an important conversation because reducing risk for both an integrator and an end customer is critical, can you comment?
What are some of the risks that manufacturers face? How about the integrator or machine builder?
How can manufacturers reduce their risk?
Abating risk takes time and money, correct?
Where do you start when it comes to identifying risk areas?
Let’s talk about remote support, something that I know is very important to you and your customers.
What are some of the challenges for remote support?
You have recently moved your entire operations, and thank you for the tour, it is a beautiful facility.
You are also launching a subsidiary but separate business called TrueLight [TrueLight Machine Vision Integration]. Can you tell our audience about the need and the focus on TrueLight? They are a separate business, correct.
Did we forget to talk about anything?
When you are not automating, innovating, building systems and vision, what do you like to do, hobbies?
How can people get a hold of you and find out more about BOS Innovation?
If you would like to get in touch with us at THE robot industry podcast, you can find me, jim beretta on LinkedIn.
Today’s podcast was produced by Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing and I would like to thank my team: Chris Gray for the music, Geoffy Bremner for audio production, my business partner Janet.
RoboHQ's Powerhouse Pittsburgh Robotics Network PRN with Jennifer Apicella
Episode 135
Wednesday, March 19, 2025 • Duration 31:41
Welcome to the podcast (#135), Jennifer. I am glad to have you. Can you tell me about Jennifer Apicella?
The Pittsburgh robo-ecosystem is a globally recognized powerhouse of more than 125 advanced technology companies, offering 7,300+ high-impact jobs across 18 industry verticals.
How did you get involved in robotics?
Pittsburgh, it seems both likely and unlikely to be a robotics hub. Tell us about the city.
Is there a synergy between members and / or board members?
How did the city turn into a robotics HUB? How long did it take?
Let’s talk about some (of your) numbers: members, money, sponsors, etc.
Funding, where do you get your funding?
What is the main reason that startups join PRN?
What is the profile of a perfect member?
Who are some of your new and hot robot companies? Do you see any patterns or areas of interest (humanoid vs mobile robots)
What are some of your challenges in being in charge of PRN?
What kind of facilities do you have?
Tell us about some of the programs that you run?
How important are events to your members?
Do you charge for membership?
Are there other robot or automation hubs in the world that you like? Amsterdam? Waterloo? California?
Transforming the Manufacturing Industry with Formic's CEO Saman Farid
Season 3 · Episode 126
Wednesday, July 24, 2024 • Duration 34:30
For episode #126 of #TheRobotIndustryPodcast, I have invited Saman Farid from Formic. I have been watching Formic for a long time and am excited for them and their approach and thrilled to have Saman join me for this edition.
Saman welcome to the podcast.
How did you get involved in automation and building a very cool, disruptive model for manufacturers?
What is going on in manufacturing ?
What is your customer’s pain?
What are some of the secondary motivations?
Can you give me some examples of applications that you are doing for your customers?
What is the process if I have an application in my factory that I think might be a good fit for Formic.
What kind of applications do you tend to stay away from?
Are you turnkey, do you provide design of the robot end of arm tool for example?
How long does this take from initial visit or virtual visit to getting a machine on my shop floor?
How do you charge for this service? How do you get paid? Are there any soft costs?
Can you describe the process ~ Let’s say I want you to help me automate a machine tending application.
What about uptime and OEE?
Who services the equipment?
How long will the machine last?
What happens when the program ends as a manufacturer?
Can I upgrade the automation?
Food, Robotics and AI with Chef Robotics' CEO Rajat Bhageria
Season 3 · Episode 125
Thursday, July 11, 2024 • Duration 57:51
For this edition of #TheRobotIndustryPodcast (#125) I have invited Rajat Bhageria from CHEF Robotics for a conversation. We met recently at Automate show in Chicago and got reintroduced through Vention.
Chef Robotics: Empowering Humans to do what they do Best
Tell us about Chef Robotics and how you had this idea.
Where are you located and tell us about the team.
We talked in the warm up that you have been in stealth mode. Why stealth?
how bad is the labor shortage in the food serving industry?
You have food broken up food prep into three main areas, starting with preparation….
Why is AI, artificial intelligence so critical to the mission and your competitive advantage in food?
How does AI help your customers?
What does a food automation system look like at Chef Robotics?
Typical questions from your customers?
Lets talk about food safety and cleanliness: how do you approach this?
What food has given you the most challenges?
What about spices?
Tell us about your robot and your code.
How does a customer add new foods. Maybe Sticky Rice?
Who are your first customers?
Are there any bulls eye customers that you are looking for?
How do you charge for an automation system?
What do you need from our community?
Did we forget to talk about anything?
Challenges with Scaling this business?
When you are not automating, innovating, building food robots and AI, what do you like to do, hobbies?
How can people get a hold of you and find out more about CHEF Robotics?
Enjoy the podcast. Thanks for subscribing.
Regards
Jim
Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing & The Robot Industry Podcast
If you would like to get involved with The Robot Industry Podcast, would like to become a guest or nominate someone, send me an email to therobotindustrypodcast at gmail dot com, no spaces or find me on LinkedIn.
Ehrhardt Automation is our key sponsor. Ehrhardt builds and commissions robot and custom turnkey automated solutions for their worldwide clients. With over 80 years of precision manufacturing they understand the complex world of automated manufacturing, project management, supply chain and delivering world-class custom automation on-time and on-budget. Contact one of their sales engineers to see what Ehrhardt can build for you at info@ehrhardtautomation.com
Underground Robots with Pipedream's Canon Reeves
Season 3 · Episode 124
Friday, June 28, 2024 • Duration 19:35
Hello Gentle Readers and welcome to edition #124 of #therobotindustry podcast. Forgive my reference to Bridgerton, my partner is addicted. I also need to correct the title of this podcast edition, Canon Reeves company is actually called Pipedream Labs.
Pipedream is an autonomous underground rail system that offers near-instantaneous delivery of objects to and from homes and businesses.
This episode is about unprecedented convenience and a really big idea. Its a mash up of instant super convenience, getting trucks off the road making life better and disrupting...well everything.
Canon, tell us about yourself.
Tell us about Pipedream and how you had the idea.
What do you mean by hyperlogistics?
We talked in the warm up but give us some examples of how this works, today in fast food, near a parking lot.
What about some other examples of real life applications that you are working on?
Tell us about your new robot.
How is this a greener, cheaper, and more accessible solution?
Who are your first customers?
How do you demo your system to potential clients?
Who are your partners?
Are there any bulls eye customers that you are looking for?
Tell me about your big news…..$13 Million
What do you need?
When you are not automating innovating, building robots, what do you like to do, hobbies?
Palletizing and End of Line Automation with Motion Controls Robotics' Scott Lang
Season 3 · Episode 123
Tuesday, June 4, 2024 • Duration 19:05
Welcome to edition #123 of The Robot Industry Podcast. I had the opportunity recently to travel to Fremont, Ohio and get a tour of the Motion Controls Robotics facility and meet with Scott Lang, president and CEO.
Scott, Tell me a bit about Motion Controls Robotics.
What is on your customer’s minds when they are looking for an automation solution? What is most important?
You have done work in building materials, food and bev, what other industries?
What do you mean by end-of-line robotics systems?
What is happening in palletizing?
What does Induction mean?
What is a modular palletizing system?
Are you finding that you are doing more work with smaller companies or larger companies?
What is more important, cycle time or uptime?
What does the ROI conversation look like - is it still 24 months?
You are Fanuc partner ~ what does that mean to you, Fanuc and your end customer?
Let’s talk about end of arm tools, are you seeing any trends?
How long does it take to purchase, design and build a system?
Do you find more engineers in the building (ie in your customer's buildings)or less?
How are you attracting skilled trades?
How do you stay on target for machine deliveries?
Did we forget to talk about anything?
When you are not automating, integrating automation, what do you like to do, hobbies?
Automation, Instrumentation and Test Engineering with Drew Wilson
Season 3 · Episode 122
Tuesday, May 21, 2024 • Duration 34:38
Today for The Robot Industry Podcast (#122) I welcome Drew Wilson. Drew has been a leader in all things electrical and mechanical test and he is a friend. Drew is a brilliant engineer and is not afraid to speak his mind especially about all things automation and testing. He has helped educate hundreds of engineers and customers about common sense testing in the automation industry.
You have had a very interesting jobs and projects in your life. You have worked on the people mover in Detroit and in automotive, medical device, pharma machines and there are lots that we cannot talk about too.
Drew, Test is a challenge for manufacturers and machine builders, because I feel that they just want to buy something and move on and they, the machine builder and maybe even the end customer don’t really know why and what they are testing. They just want a Pass or a Fail…a simple answer to a complex problem. Would you agree?
Can you tell our listeners what a gauge R & R is?
Why would you recommend a test company and not an automation company or machine builder to do the test part of an automated system?
What are some trends that you have noticed in automated testing over the last few years?
What are some of the best practices for test/testing?
Do you have some favourite test equipment companies, hardware and software?
Testing is a huge challenge to both the manufacturer and the automator, how would your recommend to some of our listeners who might be thinking ~ how can I specialize (or maybe how can my kid) specialize in test and test instrumentation, how do I learn about this?
Maybe I want to start a test instrumentation company? How do I do that?
Machine vision is sometimes confused with testing…what are your thoughts?
A question about expensive test equipment.
If I am installing test equipment in an automated system, am I best to distribute the test equipment throughout the machine or put it at the end of the line, what is your thoughts on this?
What are the big mistakes that automation integrators, even very big and capable ones make when it comes to test?
What do you like doing when you are not selling robots?
How can people get a hold of you?
Enjoy the podcast. Thanks for subscribing, thanks for listening.
Flexible Feeding with Ars Automation's Chris Round and Andrea Mazzini
Season 3 · Episode 121
Wednesday, May 1, 2024 • Duration 24:21
I welcome Andrea Mazzini and Chris Round to this edition (#121) of The Robot Industry Podcast. If you know me, you might have also met Chris, one of the best marketers and salesperson in our industry. We had this call while Chris was at HQ in Arezzo, Tuscany in Italy.
Some of my questions to Chris and Andrea:
Chris you have just ARS, can I excited you about the company and the opportunity?
Andrea There is a lot going on in Italy right now when it comes to automation?
What’s happening out there from your perspective?
What is Flexibowl? Are there any other major components?
How does it work?
What makes it innovative? What kind of parts are in its sweet spot?
Where are you having success? What is the typical cycle time?
Tell me about the vision system?
Success Stories / Case stories?
Does it compete with traditional bowl feeders or other feeding technologies?
Where is it made? What about service and support?
Tell us about Automate show. What is your booth number at Automate Show?
how do I find out more information about ARS and Flexibowl?
Enjoy the podcast. Thanks for subscribing, thanks for listening.
Building Solutions for the Packaging Industry with David McCharles from Pineberry Manufacturing
Season 3 · Episode 120
Wednesday, April 10, 2024 • Duration 15:01
For this edition of #Therobotindustrypodcast (#120) I caught up with an old friend, David McCharles from Pineberry Manufacturing during Informa's ATX and PackEx Toronto show. David is an entrepreneur business owner and golfer.
David manufactures very specific machinery to the automation and packaging market: Friction feeders, pick and place dispensers, plastic card material handling equipment, card affixers, conveyors, leaflet dispensers, custom automation, labelling systems, inkjet, collation systems and more.
We talk about what's happening in packaging automation and his changes from 2009.
Automation integration, robotics integration.
One point of contact for end packaging companies.
Automation projects > What's Happening?
Pokey Man Cards
Personalization of letters inserted into boxes
Printing on envelopes, bubble mailers, paper bags, etc.
Enjoy the podcast. Thanks for subscribing, thanks for listening.
To find out more about Pineberry click here and you can check out David McCharles, here.
Industrial Safety with Pilz Canada's Andreas Sobotta and Guillame Lavoie
Season 3 · Episode 119
Friday, March 22, 2024 • Duration 15:56
Hello Automation Fans! I recorded this podcast at the ADM Toronto show in November. The team from Pilz Canada joined me to talk about something that we don't talk about very much on the podcast, and that is factory safety.
To find out more about Pilz check them out https://www.pilz.com/en-CA
If you would like to get involved with A3 | The Robot Industry Podcast, would like to become a guest or nominate someone, you can find me, Jim Beretta on LinkedIn or send me an email to therobotindustrypodcast at gmail dot com, no spaces.
Ehrhardt Automation is a sponsor. Ehrhardt builds and commissions robot and custom turnkey automated solutions for their worldwide clients. With over 80 years of precision manufacturing they understand the complex world of automated manufacturing, project management, supply chain and delivering world-class custom automation on-time and on-budget. Contact one of their sales engineers to see what Ehrhardt can build for you at info@ehrhardtautomation.com
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Our sponsor for this episode is Ehrhardt Automation Systems. Ehrhardt builds and commissions turnkey solutions for their worldwide clients. With over 80 years of precision manufacturing they understand the complex world of robotics, automated manufacturing, and project management, delivering world-class custom automation on-time and on-budget. Contact one of their sales engineers to see what Ehrhardt can build for you info@ehrhardtautomation.com eh rh ar dt automation dot com
If you would like to get in touch with us at THE robot industry podcast, you can find me jim beretta on LinkedIn.
Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing produced today’s podcast and I would like to thank my team: Chris Gray for the music, Geoffrey Bremner for audio production, my business partner Janet and our sponsor, Ehrhardt Automation.
Who are your favorite robot brands and controls technologies?
You have got a couple of success stories…?
Granola Business in California.
Cameron Coffee in MN.
What is Formic CORE?
Everyone is talking about AI, are you using AI?
Who is your key customer, is it a plant manager or CEO or CFO?
How do you find new customers and prospects?
What are some of the challenges that you are facing at Formic in this growing business?
When you are not automating, innovating, building food robots and AI, what do you like to do, hobbies?
How can people get a hold of you and find out more about Formic?
Our sponsor for this episode is Ehrhardt Automation Systems. Ehrhardt builds and commissions turnkey solutions for their worldwide clients. With over 80 years of precision manufacturing they understand the complex world of robotics, automated manufacturing, and project management, delivering world-class custom automation on-time and on-budget. Contact one of their sales engineers to see what Ehrhardt can build for you info@ehrhardtautomation.com eh rh ar dt automation dot com
Our co sponsor is Anchor Danly. They are the leading manufacturer and distributor of robot and automation bases, high quality die sets, components, Blanchard Ground steel plates, and metal fabrications used in the production of tools, dies, and molds for metal working and plastics injection molding, mining and construction equipment, and general fabrications.
I would like to acknowledge A3: the Association for Advancing Automation. They are the leading automation trade association for robotics, vision and imaging, motion control and motors and the industrial artificial intelligence technologies. Visit Automate dot org to learn more.
If you would like to get in touch with us at THE robot industry podcast, you can find me jim beretta on LinkedIn.
Today’s podcast was produced by Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing and I would like to thank my team: Chris Gray for the music, Geoffy Bremner for audio production, my business partner Janet and our sponsors, Ehrhardt Automation and Anchor Danly.
Best Regards!
Jim
J...
Our co-sponsor is Anchor Danly
They are the leading manufacturer and distributor of robot and automation bases, high quality die sets, components, Blanchard Ground steel plates, and metal fabrications used in the production of tools, dies, and molds for metal working and plastics injection molding, mining and construction equipment, and general fabrications.
How can people get a hold of you?
Enjoy the podcast. Thanks for subscribing.
Regards,
Jim
Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing & The Robot Industry Podcast
If you would like to get involved with A3 | The Robot Industry Podcast, would like to become a guest or nominate someone, send me an email to therobotindustrypodcast at gmail dot com, no spaces or find me on LinkedIn.
Ehrhardt Automation is our key sponsor. Ehrhardt builds and commissions robot and custom turnkey automated solutions for their worldwide clients. With over 80 years of precision manufacturing they understand the complex world of automated manufacturing, project management, supply chain and delivering world-class custom automation on-time and on-budget. Contact one of their sales engineers to see what Ehrhardt can build for you at info@ehrhardtautomation.com
Our co-sponsor is Anchor Danly. They are the leading manufacturer and distributor of robot and automation bases, high quality die sets, components, Blanchard Ground steel plates, and metal fabrications used in the production of tools, dies, and molds for metal working and plastics injection molding, mining and construction equipment, and general fabrications.
How can people get a hold of you?
Enjoy the podcast. Thanks for subscribing. Thanks too to the team at Motion Controls Robotics for putting this visit together, especially Nicole Busenbark.
Regards,
Jim
Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing & The Robot Industry Podcast
If you would like to get involved with A3 | The Robot Industry Podcast, would like to become a guest or nominate someone, send me an email to therobotindustrypodcast at gmail dot com, no spaces or find me on LinkedIn.
If you would like to get in touch with Scott, LinkedIn is the best place or you can get in touch with me.
Ehrhardt Automation is our key sponsor. Ehrhardt builds and commissions robot and custom turnkey automated solutions for their worldwide clients. With over 80 years of precision manufacturing they understand the complex world of automated manufacturing, project management, supply chain and delivering world-class custom automation on-time and on-budget. Contact one of their sales engineers to see what Ehrhardt can build for you at info@ehrhardtautomation.com
Our co-sponsor is Anchor Danly. They are the leading manufacturer and distributor of robot and automation bases, high quality die sets, components, Blanchard Ground steel plates, and metal fabrications used in the production of tools, dies, and molds for metal working and plastics injection molding, mining and construction equipment, and general fabrications.
Regards,
Jim
Jim Beretta Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing & The Robot Industry Podcast
If you would like to get involved with A3 | The Robot Industry Podcast, would like to become a guest or nominate someone, you can find me, Jim Beretta on LinkedIn or send me an email to therobotindustrypodcast at gmail dot com, no spaces.
If you would like to get in touch with Drew, LinkedIn is the best place:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drew-wilson-8206b43 or you can get in touch with me.
Ehrhardt Automation is our key sponsor. Ehrhardt builds and commissions robot and custom turnkey automated solutions for their worldwide clients. With over 80 years of precision manufacturing they understand the complex world of automated manufacturing, project management, supply chain and delivering world-class custom automation on-time and on-budget. Contact one of their sales engineers to see what Ehrhardt can build for you at info@ehrhardtautomation.com
Our co-sponsor is Anchor Danly. They are the leading manufacturer and distributor of robot and automation bases, high quality die sets, components, Blanchard Ground steel plates, and metal fabrications used in the production of tools, dies, and molds for metal working and plastics injection molding, mining and construction equipment, and general fabrications.
To find out more about Ars Automation click here and you can check out Chris Round and Andrea Mazzini, via their LinkedIn profiles.
If you would like to get involved with A3 | The Robot Industry Podcast, would like to become a guest or nominate someone, you can find me, Jim Beretta on LinkedIn or send me an email to therobotindustrypodcast at gmail dot com, no spaces.
Ehrhardt Automation is our key sponsor. Ehrhardt builds and commissions robot and custom turnkey automated solutions for their worldwide clients. With over 80 years of precision manufacturing they understand the complex world of automated manufacturing, project management, supply chain and delivering world-class custom automation on-time and on-budget. Contact one of their sales engineers to see what Ehrhardt can build for you at info@ehrhardtautomation.com
Our co-sponsor for this episode is Anchor Danly. They are the leading manufacturer and distributor of robot and automation bases, high quality die sets, components, steel plates, and metal fabrications used in the production of tools, dies, and molds for metal working and plastics injection molding, mining and construction equipment, and general fabrications.
Keywords and terms for this podcast: Ars Automation, Chris Round, Andrea Mazzini, Flexibowl, The Robot Industry Podcast, Ehrhardt Automation Systems #TheRobotIndustryPodcast Anchor Danly
If you would like to get involved with A3 | The Robot Industry Podcast, would like to become a guest or nominate someone, you can find me, Jim Beretta on LinkedIn or send me an email to therobotindustrypodcast at gmail dot com, no spaces.
Ehrhardt Automation is our key sponsor. Ehrhardt builds and commissions robot and custom turnkey automated solutions for their worldwide clients. With over 80 years of precision manufacturing they understand the complex world of automated manufacturing, project management, supply chain and delivering world-class custom automation on-time and on-budget. Contact one of their sales engineers to see what Ehrhardt can build for you at info@ehrhardtautomation.com
Our co-sponsor for this episode is Anchor Danly. They are the leading manufacturer and distributor of robot and automation bases, high quality die sets, components, steel plates, and metal fabrications used in the production of tools, dies, and molds for metal working and plastics injection molding, mining and construction equipment, and general fabrications.
Keywords and terms for this podcast: David McCharles, Pineberry Manufacturing, Contract Manufacturing, Friction Feeders, Card Feeders, The Robot Industry Podcast, Ehrhardt Automation Systems #TheRobotIndustryPodcast Anchor Danly
Our co-sponsor for this episode is Anchor Danly. They are the leading manufacturer and distributor of machine and automation bases, high quality die sets, components, steel plates, and metal fabrications used in the production of tools, dies, and molds for metal working, plastics injection molding, mining and construction equipment, and general fabrications.
