Gary On Manufacturing - Gary Mintchell
Business & Finance
About
Writer/analyst Gary Mintchell shares thoughts on manufacturing and production technology, leadership, and marketing.
Episodes
- Aras Community Event 2026--Rise of the Agents
A first summary of my three days with the Aras community in Miami. These PLM events always return me to the time when I did this sort of work--manually. Then my first taste of computers digitizing the bill of materials as a first step in o…
- Why AI in Manufacturing?
Episode 275. Why AI in Manufacturing? Why not? I explore how new technologies for knowledge work, unlike in manufacturing, create even more busy work distracting us from our real work--thinking, deep work. Looking beyond the hype, AI tools…
- Manufacturing Jobs--Is Investment Enough?
I was intrigued by an item in News Items by John Ellis quoting the Wall Street Journal regarding the continued slide in manufacturing employment in the US and the prolonged slide in manufacturing activity. The first Trump administration el…
- 2025 Automation Fair and Software Market Thoughts
Thoughts on organization structures and Rockwell CEO Blake Moret's experiments with bringing in outsiders and setting his own directions. Thoughts on the industrial software market in general and Rockwell's evolution. What's happening with…
- Asset Data Interoperability
We met in a conference room at an office in Barrington, IL. A place where sometime later a couple guys thought they'd screw me in a business deal. I came out ahead in the end, but the place has mixed memories. This meeting involved thinkin…
- People First—Toward A Humane Workplace
An early essay by Karl Marx writing at the beginning of the industrial revolution argued that humans who were formerly craftspeople were now just cogs in the industrial machine alienated from the products they made and their work. Today's…
- Why Develop AI?
Why pursue AI? As a tool to help entrepreneurs add value to their companies. The appropriate roll out entails organizing small "pirate ships" empowered to experiment and implement with a budget and air cover. Many concerns about AI's impac…
- ICC 2025 Recap
ICC 2025 Recap I recorded this as I was leaving Inductive Automation's Ignition Community Conference 2025 in Sacramento. The event team performed wonderfully moving ICC from the smaller Harris Center in Folsom to the SAFE Credit Union Conv…
- Intelligent Application of Technology
When I set initial editorial direction for Automation World, I was focused on exploring the Intelligent Application of Automation emphasizing the teams that made it happen. Recently I interviewed Mike Payne, co-owner and president of Hill…
- Interview With Travis Cox, Inductive Automation Chief Technology Evangelist
Inductive Automation Chief Technology Evangelist Travis Cox talks with me about the newly expanded Ignition Community Conference and the beta release of Ignition 8.3. This is a major release with many usability and IT-friendly upgrades. We…
- AI Obfuscation
AI has generated more hype and obfuscation than all the words from ChatGPT. OK, maybe I exaggerate, but the amount of scare talk is endless. I try to take a more rational and down-to-earth look at the issue from the point-of-view of manufa…
- Complexity is the Enemy
CEOs in a recent survey complained they were not seeing results from digital transformation. Too much complexity, dashboards too complex, information not clear, silos of data. Maybe we're looking at the wrong part of the problem. Maybe it'…
- A Tale of Two Trends
This podcast is sponsored by Inductive Automation. Two topics dominated my inbox this year--and will probably continue to do so. These are AI Large Language Models and Cybersecurity.
- Apple, Google, Open, Too Large?
Looking at Google v DOJ and Apple v EU, Gary draws lessons for industrial automation.
- Market Dynamics
Many times in my career I have hired into a company during the initial surge of a market. Good jobs. Excitement. Opportunity to work on new things. Then the market matured or collapsed usually due to external forces such as technology chan…
- Boeing and Good Manufacturing Leadership
Gary offers observations on the continuing saga of former GE executives running Boeing changing the culture from engineering-driven to Wall Street-driven. Also thoughts on good manufacturing leadership.
- Descent Into Normal--State of Automation Market
Gary discusses the current state of the automation and control market. Why it seems to be a stable market and why the media in the market are shrinking. He riffs from Seth Godin blog The Drift to Normal. As an organization grows in scale,…
- Slow Productivity
Gary discusses productivity, slow productivity movement, busyness or pseudo-productivity. Sponsors Inductive Automation inductiveautomation.com and Magic Mind, magicmind.com/garym and use code GARYM20.
- Standards, Standards Everywhere
I've seen successes of industry standards. I've also seen industrial standards struggle to break through the logjam of large companies drive to lock customers into their ecosystem. What is the latest of OPAF and what is the meaning of Schn…
- Where Do Profits Come From?
Boeing is a company that has lost its way. I have no idea why the board has not sacked the CEO. The 737MAX program was a fiasco and continues to haunt the company. The 787 program ran way behind schedule costing the company billions. This…
- Leadership: The Art of Listening and Conversing
Gary gives leadership growth tips based on Dan Lyons "The Power of Keeping Your Mouth Shut in an Endlessly Noisy World" and David Brooks "How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen."
- Why Are Industrial Technology Vendors Moving to Software?
After attending several technology supplier user conferences this summer and fall, a colleague asked why suppliers are emphasizing software. I ponder this question in this podcast essay. And ask what the new breed of engineers will bring w…
- Have Digital Productivity Tools Failed Us?
Do digital tools have the effect of adding more things to our plate rather than helping us get things done? Gary looks at how software helped him get productive and then seemed to bog down and still accomplish a lot, but it seems slower ov…
- 252 Technology Market Innovation to Maturity Cycles
My career spans the innovation to maturity cycle of three technology markets--PC, IT, Automation. I wonder what's next.
- 251 HUG 2023
I went to this year's Honeywell User Group with many questions. They were all answered as you will hear. There were many questions begging for answers as I traveled to Florida. What was Honeywell HIVE, and how does it relate to the ExxonMo…
- 250 Siemens Digital Conference 23
Gary talks about the successful integrations of software by Siemens since the 2007 acquisition of UGS. He reflects on early conversations with Siemens executives regarding the Digital Factory and then how far the company has traveled along…
- 249 Industrial Technology What Comes Next
Surveying the past of automation and control tech and the tech media market over the years, then taking a look at future coverage for Gary on Manufacturing and The Manufacturing Connection.
- 248 observations automation and control and media market 2023
Observations, thoughts, questions about automation and control market, the companion media market, and innovation. Thoughts welcome.
- 247 Disruption and Innovation
I presented a Webinar on April 5. You can find it here https://www.manufacturingtechnologytoday.com/frs/23189866/going-beyond-digital-transformation--the-real-innovations-in-manufacturing/email . I talked about how digital data isn't new,…
- 246 Open OT Technology
Why is it that open systems work in IT and not OT. The work of the Open Process Automation Forum.
- 245 Metaverse to AI, Twitter to Mastodon, Video
Update on the industrial metaverse essay and podcast given the Google, Facebook, and Microsoft news to AI, ChatGPT, and search ads. Thoughts on merger and acquisition including new thoughts on Emerson bid for NI. Finally, a new take on vid…
- 244 Industrial Metaverse Reality or Dream
Yes, I'm back after a long hiatus due to some projects that soaked up my time. Metaverse remains the hot topic in industrial technology discussion circles. Are we getting closer to reality than what I spoke of in episode 241? There are som…
- 243 Sustainability
Press releases come to me from a variety of sources. The topics are often in batches. There was 3D printing, then cybersecurity, now sustainability. Check out a new book instigated by Seth Godin (check his podcast out at akimbo.link) calle…
- 242 Hype Curve
Two developers reflecting on Apple's Worldwide Developer's Conference in terms of Gartner's Hype Cycle--about getting enthused at the event and then reality settling in when the amount of work is realized. I reflect on the several trips I…
- 241 Manufacturing Metaverse
Gary discusses 20 years of trying on headsets for manufacturing applications. Is the Metaverse finally upon us? Probably not.
- 240 Leaders are Readers
Perhaps if President Nixon had read 500 books rather than watching 500 movies during his time in office... What happened to all the free time we were supposed to get from increased productivity? Oliver Burkeman discusses time management in…
- 239 Whatever Happened to IIoT?
There was Internet of Things, IoT, then Industrial Internet of Things, IIoT, and companies formed groups to build product and exploit the area. Then they went away. What happened? What's new? Taking a look at data orchestration and data op…
- 238 Build Security In
Gary discusses how to answer why spend the money, how we learned to build safety into machines and processes, and how we'll learn to do the same with cybersecurity.
- 237 It's Too Complicated
Gary recaps the recent ODVA annual general meeting. Keynoter Paul Maurath of P&G corporate engineering discussed laboratory testing of EtherNet/IP with APL. He asked for more configuration and device description help. ODVA tech group engin…
- 236 Sustainability
Gary discusses ideas around corporate sustainability and looks at what three automation companies are doing--ABB, Rockwell Automation, and Schneider Electric.
- 235 Market Musings
Gary ponders the state of the automation and control market riffing off the ARC Advisory Group / Control Global Top 50 by sales. Is this a mature market? New entrants seem to be acquired by incumbents as an innovation strategy by the large…
- 234 Beyond Resolutions
How are your New Years Resolutions coming? Quit already? Try a few tips from Gary about improving life and career this year.
- 233 Irony
I love irony. Like when people click on my consulting link and want to sell me consulting instead of asking me to consult. Also a quick trip around the Fabtech and Additive Manufacturing Trade Show, the size of The Manufacturing Connection…
- 232 The Future of Industrial Software Business
Rick Bullotta posted a provocative comment on LinkedIn predicting a shakeup in the industrial software business with the hyperscaler cloud companies acquiring a chunk of those now owned by OEMs or the few independent ones. I've thought abo…
- 231 Are You Being Served?
231 Are You Being Served? While thinking about the proliferation of as-a-service models of business, thoughts of that 70s and 80s British comedy TV show came to mind. Are you being served? Proved feasible by Salesforce and then adopted by…
- 230 AR and VR
230 AR and VR AR, MR, VR, XR--what R we supposed to make of all this technology. We've been playing with the idea for more than 20 years when I first reported on a new product that promised to connect a line technician with a remote expert…
- 229 Flying in the Clouds
229 Flying in the Clouds A beginning student pilot must only fly on clear days where the ground is always visible. Following much additional training, the student can achieve instrument rating and can "fly in the clouds." Manufacturing and…
- 228 Clear Your Mind
Sometimes we clutter our minds with what we think we know and leave no room for learning new things. In the process, we fixate on an idea and miss the simple and most elegant explanation. I had received a news release from a manufacturing…
- 227 Open and Interoperable
Imagine laying railroad tracks west from the US east coast and meeting up with a crew laying railroad tracks from the west coast only to discover that the width between the rails was different. Standards make a huge difference. Open standa…
- 226 Respect for People in Manufacturing
Get outside. Get outside into nature, a park or something, to refresh your mind and body. Get outside your preconceived ideas and prejudices for better thinking. Mary Donelan came to KMC Systems to use Lean to improve productivity. She had…