Enabling Automation

Welcome to Enabling Automation! The fourth episode of season 5 is "From Classroom to Career: featuring Women in Skilled Trades​". Join our season 5 host for this episode, Sarita Dankner, and special guests Harley Shea and Soveigh Brasseur. Listen to all episodes on the following platforms: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CWIpi4Ph4CNWtqn8TILMZ?si=e2ca02387b554f20 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enabling-automation/id1703651289 iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-enabling-automation-327022512/ Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.ca/podcasts/63e2da85-de40-447e-aaaf-6fca18358cec/enabling-automation YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@atscorporation/podcasts  For more information, visit: https://atsautomation.com/podcast/ Contact us: https://atsautomation.com/ In this monthly podcast series, join industry leaders from across ATS as they share and discuss the latest industry trends, new innovations, and more! ATS is an industry-leading automation solutions provider to many of the world's most successful companies. Timestamps 00:04 – Introduction 00:40 – What first attracted you to skilled trades, and how did you end up pursuing the path you’re in today? 01:59 – When did this type of work first spark your interest, and how did you translate that into a career path? 03:09 – As an apprentice, what’s been the biggest adjustment from learning in a classroom to learning in a workplace? 04:11 – What would you tell your younger self about the realities of the workplace? 05:29 – What would you tell your younger self about starting out in the workplace? 06:30 – How do you gain experience when employers are looking for experience? 07:42 – What helped you stand out in your role? 09:23 – What was your experience like finding your first role? 11:32 – How important are grades and technical training compared to networking and relationships? 14:13 – What role have mentors played in your career so far? 15:45 – How have mentors supported your career so far? 17:14 – Recognition, encouragement, and being nominated for an award 18:36 – What was the award nomination for? 19:22 – What has your journey through different industries and apprenticeships looked like? 22:20 – How have you built confidence as you grow in your role? 27:07 – What advice would you give someone considering a career in the trades? 28:36 – How can students explore whether skilled trades are right for them? 30:36 – Final thoughts 30:57 – Closing #enablingautomation #automation #podcast

Welcome to Enabling Automation! The third episode of season 5 is "Smarter Robots, Better Automation​". Join our season 5 host for this episode, Ben Hope, and special guest Nathan Snider, Applications Engineer with ATS Life Sciences Systems. Listen to all episodes on the following platforms: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CWIpi4Ph4CNWtqn8TILMZ?si=e2ca02387b554f20 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enabling-automation/id1703651289 iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-enabling-automation-327022512/ Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.ca/podcasts/63e2da85-de40-447e-aaaf-6fca18358cec/enabling-automation YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@atscorporation/podcasts  For more information, visit: https://atsautomation.com/podcasts Contact us: https://atsautomation.com/ In this monthly podcast series, join industry leaders from across ATS as they share and discuss the latest industry trends, new innovations, and more! ATS is an industry-leading automation solutions provider to many of the world's most successful companies. Timestamps 00:04 – Introduction 00:30 – Meet Nathan Snider: A look at his role as an ATS Applications Engineer and his experience with medical device assembly, life sciences, and automation projects. 01:07 – Why is assembly still one of the hardest things to automate? 01:52 – What can people do instinctively in assembly processes that robots still struggle to replicate? 02:31 – What types of assembly applications look simple but become surprisingly difficult to automate? 03:13 – Where does the complexity in assembly automation usually come from: the robot, the process, the product, or the surrounding system? 03:50 – What can manufacturers automate today that would have been difficult or impossible ten years ago? 04:20 – Is the robot still the most innovative part of an automation system? 05:23 – Has the focus shifted from repeatability to adaptability in modern automation? 06:20 – Is it better to engineer variability out of a process or teach robots to adapt? 06:49 – What was the biggest innovation behind collaborative robotics? 07:38 – Did collaborative robots change automation more through usability and deployment than through human-robot collaboration? 08:40 – When do collaborative robots make sense, and when are traditional robotic systems a better fit? 09:14 – Where does the engineering effort really go when commissioning an automation system? 09:58 – Why are customer requirements, communication, and alignment so critical to project success? 10:33 – How much of an automation system’s cost is actually tied to robotics and tooling? 11:09 – What are some of the biggest integration challenges automation teams face today? 11:41 – Why aren’t automation systems easier to build despite advances in technology? 12:35 – How can automation companies improve the way automation is deployed? 13:05 – How do standard platforms, reusable assets, and proven technologies help teams deliver automation faster? 13:54 – What parts of an automation system are the best candidates for standardization? 14:52 – Can you standardize the way automation teams solve applications and engineering challenges? 15:14 – Why isn’t platform adoption more common across...

Welcome to Enabling Automation! The second episode of season 5 is another Careers in Focus highlight "From Controls Engineer to Product Leader ​". Join our season 5 host for this episode, Ben Hope, and special guest Javan Taylor, Staff Specialist - Technical Sales Support for SuperTrak CONVEYANCE. Listen to all episodes on the following platforms: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CWIpi4Ph4CNWtqn8TILMZ?si=e2ca02387b554f20 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enabling-automation/id1703651289 iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-enabling-automation-327022512/ Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.ca/podcasts/63e2da85-de40-447e-aaaf-6fca18358cec/enabling-automation YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@atscorporation/podcasts  For more information, visit: https://atsautomation.com/podcasts Contact us: https://atsautomation.com/ In this monthly podcast series, join industry leaders from across ATS as they share and discuss the latest industry trends, new innovations, and more! ATS is an industry-leading automation solutions provider to many of the world's most successful companies. Timestamps 00:04 - Introduction 00:53 - Joining ATS in 1995 01:55 - What ATS was like in the early days 02:58 - Starting as a Controls Engineer 04:50 - Discovering the power of standardization 08:03 - The early days of SuperTrak 09:18 - Solving the challenges of a new technology 11:56 - When SuperTrak almost seemed impossible 13:03 - The moment SuperTrak proved it could work 14:11 - From software development to product management 16:18 - The difference between engineering and product thinking 17:26 - What separates a successful project from a successful product 18:30 - Commercialization and learning to listen to customers 18:52 - Moving into technical sales 20:00 - Why listening matters more than technical expertise 21:13 - How automation has changed over 30 years 21:33 - How experience becomes perspective 22:42 - Mistakes the industry continues to repeat 23:15 - When to push an idea—and when to let it go 23:55 - How risk changes throughout your career 24:40 - What younger engineers tend to underestimate 25:02 - What experienced engineers can learn from younger engineers 25:31 - One company, many careers 26:28 - Advice for the next generation of engineers 26:49 - Closing reflections #enablingautomation #automation #podcast

Welcome to Enabling Automation! The first episode of season 5 is "ATS Spotlight: SuperTrak 30th Anniversary ​". Join our season 5 host for this episode, Ben Hope, as he discusses the SuperTrak anniversary, a story to inspire the next generation of innovators. Listen to all episodes on the following platforms: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CWIpi4Ph4CNWtqn8TILMZ?si=e2ca02387b554f20 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enabling-automation/id1703651289 iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-enabling-automation-327022512/ Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.ca/podcasts/63e2da85-de40-447e-aaaf-6fca18358cec/enabling-automation YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@atscorporation/podcasts  For more information, visit: https://atsautomation.com/podcast/ Contact us: https://atsautomation.com/ In this monthly podcast series, join industry leaders from across ATS as they share and discuss the latest industry trends, new innovations, and more! ATS is an industry-leading automation solutions provider to many of the world's most successful companies. Timestamps 00:04 – Introduction 00:32 – The importance of conveyance 01:31 – Lesson #1 01:48 – The start of SuperTrak 02:52 – SuperTrak team members highlight 05:13 – Cycle timing and shuttle performance 06:16 – The first version of TrakMaster 06:48 – First systems launched 07:29 – Static brush 08:11 – Lesson #2 08:17 – Lesson #3 08:25 – Gen 2 09:03 – Gen 3 13:38 – Lesson #4 14:19 – Thank you & Closing #enablingautomation #automation #podcast

Welcome to Enabling Automation! The tenth episode of season 4 is "Working with Partners​". Join our season 4 host for this episode, Ben Hope, as he discusses the SuperTrak CONVEYANCE™ and Siemens partnership with special guest, Christian Gehrhardt, Head of Business Development - Robotics and Flexible Conveyance Solutions (FCS) for Production Machines at Siemens. Read the press release about the partnership here: https://press.siemens.com/global/en/pressrelease/siemens-and-supertrak-conveyancetm-partner-expand-smart-conveyance-offering Listen to all episodes on the following platforms: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CWIpi4Ph4CNWtqn8TILMZ?si=e2ca02387b554f20 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enabling-automation/id1703651289 iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-enabling-automation-327022512/ Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.ca/podcasts/63e2da85-de40-447e-aaaf-6fca18358cec/enabling-automation YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@atscorporation/podcasts  For more information, visit: https://atsautomation.com/podcast/ Contact us: https://atsautomation.com/ In this monthly podcast series, join industry leaders from across ATS as they share and discuss the latest industry trends, new innovations, and more! ATS is an industry-leading automation solutions provider to many of the world's most successful companies. Timestamps 00:04 – Introduction 01:30 – Why are partnerships becoming more important in manufacturing today compared to the past? 03:04 – Do you think these kinds of partnerships help machine builders reduce risk when adopting new technologies? 03:50 – Do you think these partnerships will allow companies to stay focused on what they do best while still delivering complete machine solutions? 05:29 – From Siemens’ perspective, what made SuperTrak a strong fit for deeper integration into Simens automation environment? 06:13 – When we look at machine builders and when we talk about integration and real integration, what does that mean in practical terms from their perspective? Is it engineering, commissioning, long-term support? What is it and how does this partnership help? 09:05 – From the machine builder’s point of view, what kinds of everyday challenges does this kind of integration help remove? 09:57 – How does a company know when partnering makes more sense than trying to build something internally? 11:01 – What kind of misalignment causes partnerships to struggle or fail? 12:49 – How important is it that both partners are hearing the same feedback from machine builders and end users? 13:46 – What must happen behind the scenes for partnerships to work, day to day? 16:25 – How does this help with joint problem solving and helping the customers? 16:43 – How do partnerships help companies reach machine builders and markets they might not reach on their own? 18:13 – Is there an influence on how machine builders are picking the kinds of technologies that they’re going to use it in kind of long-term thinking? 19:32 – Does this help innovation happen more easily? 21:56 – How will partnerships evolve? 23:22 – What advice would you give a mac...