307: Building the Factory of the Future - LIVE from Revere Electric's Executive Forum at UWM's Connected Systems Institute (Milwaukee, WI)

Manufacturing has been collecting skills for centuries, and the list keeps growing.

Chris takes Manufacturing Happy Hour to Revere Electric’s Executive Forum at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) for a live conversation about what the factory of the future needs in the plant and in the workforce. Joining him are Michael Cvelbar and Phil Bush of Rockwell Automation, Joe Hamann of the Connected Systems Institute (CSI), and Ryan Schneeberger of Revere Electric Supply.

Joe and Phil look at how new people get job-ready through student hackathons and a veteran training program. Ryan and Michael cover the other side, keeping people on the floor and giving operators more to do once they’re there. Students learn where AI adds value, while manufacturers want to see the return before they invest. And a room full of manufacturers toasts every time they say “digital twin.”

In this episode, find out:

• Why Michael says manufacturers need backup plans when disruption hits
• How Rockwell is preparing operators to troubleshoot their own equipment
• Why manufacturers say new engineering graduates can take years to reach full productivity
• How Rockwell’s Academy of Advanced Manufacturing trains military veterans as controls technicians
• What flexible automation can do for a customer and why manufacturers stay cautious on AI until the ROI is clear
• How Phil, Joe, Ryan and Michael describe their factory of the future when the audience asks

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Tweetable Quotes:

• “We want to hire on attitude and aptitude and culture fit, and we want to train on skills and capabilities.” - Phil Bush, Global Competency Programs Manager at Rockwell Automation
• “Get started. Try something, right? Start small, learn from it. It’s probably not going to be perfect, but you’ll be better the next time.” - Joe Hamann, Executive Director at Connected Systems Institute
• “The digitization that’s required, it’s business critical. It’s mission critical now. It’s no longer, ‘Hey, we’re going to go pilot this and see if this works.’ You need it, and it needs to be scaled across the enterprise.” - Michael Cvelbar, Director of Operations at Rockwell Automation

Links & mentions:

• Rockwell Automation is a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation, headquartered in Milwaukee.
• Revere Electric Supply is a fourth-generation, family-owned electrical distributor serving industrial and construction customers across Illinois and southern Wisconsin, and a presenting partner of this live event.
• Connected Systems Institute is a center of excellence at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, hosting this episode and developing manufacturing specialists through education, lab facilities, and research with industry partners.
• Husco is a Waukesha, Wisconsin manufacturer of hydraulic and electro-hydraulic controls for off-highway and automotive equipment.
• Fathom Digital Manufacturing offers more than 25 advanced manufacturing technologies under one roof, from CNC machining to injection molding.

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.