Shows
Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChipsFrom ROI to Reality — Measuring Success After You AutomateAutomation doesn't end when the system is powered on. In fact, that's often where the real work begins. In the third and final episode of this Lights Out series, the conversation shifts from planning and justification to execution, measurement, and long-term performance. After covering market forces driving automation adoption and breaking down ROI math in the first two episodes, this installment tackles the question many shop owners wrestle with once automation is live: Is this actually working? Dave Vuyk and Eric Nekich dig into how to validate performance, track meaningful metrics, and avoid leaving ROI on the...
2026-01-1638 minLights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChipsFrom SWAT to Spindles: How Johnny Goode Led MSP Manufacturing's Lights-Out TransformationWhat do law enforcement, SWAT operations, and CNC machining have in common? More than you'd think. In this episode of Lights Out, hosts Nick Goellner, Eric Nekich, and Dave Vuyk welcome Johnny Goode, President and Co-owner of MSP Manufacturing in Bloomington, Indiana—a precision aerospace manufacturer that's rapidly transforming its operations with automation and digital processes. Johnny's journey is anything but typical. From police officer and SWAT team member to Army National Guard sergeant, his story is packed with grit, discipline, and leadership under pressure. When he traded in his badge for a badge of a different ki...
2025-11-1456 minLights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChipsCoached—Not Just Monitored: How the Best Shops Turn Data into ActionYou can collect data all day—but if you're not using it to coach your team, you're missing the point. In this episode of Lights Out, hosts Nick Goellner and Dave Vuyk wrap up their "Mindset Shifts for Lights Out Legends" series with one final transformation: moving from a monitored shop to a coached one. Drawing on lessons from Nick's recent talk at the Automated Shop Conference, the hosts unpack how to turn dashboards into decisions and metrics into motivation. They explain why dashboards don't make chips, how to turn OEE from a vanity metric into a co...
2025-10-1742 minLights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChipsFrom Fixed to Mixed: Mindset Shifts That Power Lights-Out Manufacturing, Ep #24In this episode of Lights Out, Nick Goellner, Eric Nekich, and Dave Vuyk take listeners inside the mindset shifts powering the next wave of lights-out manufacturing. Forget just "working harder" — this conversation is about working smarter, breaking out of fixed thinking, and unlocking massive gains without adding headcount or square footage. The trio opens by sharing the personal routines and disciplines that keep them at peak performance, then pivots to the real topic: transforming machine shops from fixed to mixed mindsets. By rethinking workholding, machine real estate, and cycle times, they reveal how shops can multiply throughput, fr...
2025-09-1242 min
Neurodiversity PodcastWhy Do We Still Debate Overexcitabilities?Emily Kircher-Morris welcomes Dr. Chris Wells, a writer, researcher, and podcaster who specializes in positive disintegration. They break down the theory of positive disintegration, developed by Kazimierz Dąbrowski, and its relevance to personal growth and neurodiversity. They explore the concept of over-excitability, its implications in the gifted education community, and the controversy surrounding its interpretation. They talk about disintegration as a pathway to self-actualization, and the need for community support for those experiencing intense emotional states. They also discuss the future directions of integrating Dąbrowski's theory with contemporary understandings of neurodiversity. TAKEAWAYS The th...
2025-06-2633 minLights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChipsIs Coaching the Key to Lights-Out Success?What happens when cutting-edge CAM automation meets boots-on-the-ground manufacturing know-how? You get an eye-opening conversation that will challenge the way you think about the future of your shop—and your role in it. In this episode of Lights Out, we sit down with David Vuyk, a guy who's walked every inch of the shop floor and now finds himself at the forefront of digital manufacturing transformation with CloudNC. But don't expect a tech sales pitch—this is a candid, no-holds-barred look at the human side of automation and why real success hinges on more than just software.
2025-04-2553 min
Neurodiversity PodcastDoes Personality Impact Neurodiversity?Today we talk with Dr. Alex Vuyk, a Professor of Psychology at the Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción in Paraguay. We discuss the Big Five Personality Model, the influence of personality on neurodiversity, and much more. Also, join our Facebook group to be part of the conversation, and get even deeper "into the weeds" on this and other subjects. This episode is sponsored by Bridges Academy Online, a high school education for twice-exceptional students. Find them at bridges.edu. ABOUT THE GUEST - Dr. Alex Vuyk is a Pro...
2022-11-1736 min