Manufacturing Transformed: Real Shops, Real Stories

We know what precision looks like on the shop floor. A part either meets the print or it doesn't. But when I look at the business surrounding that part—quoting, scheduling, purchasing, job costing—I see opportunities to bring that same level of discipline to how a shop runs. That's the idea behind my new book, Precision Manufacturing, Precision Business. I didn't arrive at that idea by getting everything right. I started Pro CNC with five friends, one machine, and very little experience running a business. When our aerospace work dried up after 9/11, we came close to losing the shop. Getting through it forced us to become more deliberate about sales, processes, and the information our team needed to do its work. Since then, I've had hundreds of conversations with shop owners through this podcast, Machine Shop Mastery, and MakingChips. They've shared what worked, what failed, and what they wish they'd understood sooner. I wrote the book to bring those lessons together with my own; more than 50 people I've spoken with are quoted in it. In this episode, I'll share how the book came together and take you through some of its big themes, from knowing your numbers and building a sales process to developing your team and creating a business that can thrive beyond your day-to-day involvement.  Resources Mentioned Precision Manufacturing, Precision Business: https://disciplinetoprofit.com/ Get the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HGNLFB2C ProShop ERP: https://proshoperp.com/ The E-Myth Revisited: https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280  

I sat down with Kody Guidry of Coastal Machine & Supply for a conversation that was both fun and really meaningful. I've known Kody and the Coastal team for years now, and it has been incredible to watch their transformation from a 30-person oil and gas machine shop into a 60-person precision manufacturing company serving oil and gas, space, aerospace, and defense. In this episode, Kody shares how Coastal made the decision to diversify after the oil and gas downturn, pursued AS9100 and ITAR, and slowly but persistently built its way into new markets. We talk about how ProShop helped free up the team's time, improve visibility, support customer audits, and give Coastal the digital backbone it needed to execute at a higher level. Kody also shares the story of how one aerospace opportunity started with a supplier referral, then turned into a year of persistent follow-up before finally becoming real work. This is a conversation about preparation, execution, and persistence. Coastal didn't stumble into aerospace and defense by accident. They built the foundation, showed customers they were a lower-risk supplier, and kept showing up until the opportunity came. Now, with new partners, major growth plans, and a renewed focus on hard-metal manufacturing, Coastal is aiming to become one of the premier space and defense manufacturing companies in the country. Resources Mentioned Coastal Machine & Supply: https://coastalmachinesupply.com/ Kody Guidry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kodyguidry Coastal Machine & Supply on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/coastal-machine-%26-supply-inc- ProShop ERP: https://proshoperp.com/ Medora Manufacturing's investment in Coastal Machine & Supply: https://coastalmachinesupply.com/medora-manufacturing-makes-long-term-majority-investment-in-coastal-machine-and-supply-inc/ SpaceX Starbase Louisiana announcement: https://www.opportunitylouisiana.gov/news/spacex-launches-new-era-of-commercial-spaceflight-with-100-billion-louisiana-campus AS9100 standard: https://www.sae.org/standards/content/as9100d/ ITAR / DDTC: https://www.pmddtc.state.gov/ddtc_public

I sat down with Jason Davis of D&D Enterprises for a conversation about what happens when a shop replaces constant schedule chasing with real visibility. D&D is a 50-year family-owned CNC machining business in central North Carolina that started with a manual mill and lathe in a small building behind Jason's family home.  Today, they have around 50 employees, more than 30 machines, 50,000 square feet, and a strong mix of machining, assembly, and value-added manufacturing work. In this episode, Jason shares how D&D moved from an older ERP system and a magnetic scheduling board to a more connected, digital workflow with ProShop. We talk about how better scheduling visibility helped improve on-time delivery, reduce firefighting, and give the team more flexibility to drop in hot orders without throwing the whole shop into chaos.  Jason also shares how tablets helped with shop floor adoption, how customer service can now answer status questions faster, and why traceability, in-process checks, and an integrated QMS have become powerful tools for customers, audits, and new employees. Resources Mentioned D&D Enterprises of Greensboro: https://www.ddent-usa.com/ Jason Davis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-davis-42100144 D&D Enterprises on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/d-d-enterprises-of-greensboro-inc The Manufacturing Blueprint: https://makingchips.com/show/the-manufacturing-blueprint/ The Manufacturing Blueprint on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-manufacturing-blueprint/id1890538328 The Manufacturing Blueprint on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/33AYsvEacof5EuGgyUJz3L ProShop ERP: https://proshoperp.com/

I sat down with Phil Miller of Star Machine for a conversation that really captures what makes this industry so special. Phil's story starts long before CNC machining, back when he was a kid standing on a five-gallon bucket in his dad's shop, running a drill press and learning the feel, smell, and satisfaction of making things. Growing up Amish, technology wasn't a normal part of daily life for him, but once he found machining, he dove all the way in. In this episode, Phil shares how he went from working in a local machine shop to starting Star Machine on his family property, originally running CNC machines on generator power. We talk about building a business around core values, hiring for attitude and training for skill, giving young people opportunities to grow, and why ProShop became such an important part of documenting tribal knowledge, managing repeat work, and helping the shop scale. It's a thoughtful, honest conversation about entrepreneurship, faith, culture, people, and building a shop that stands for more than just making parts. Resources Mentioned Star Machine LLC: https://www.starmachinellc.com/ Phil Miller on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-miller-979158288 Star Machine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/star-machine-llc ProShop ERP: https://proshoperp.com/ IMTS: https://www.imts.com/ DN Solutions: https://www.dn-solutions.com/ Autodesk Fusion: https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/overview First State Bank of Middlebury: https://www.bfirst.bank/ Adult & Teen Challenge: https://teenchallengeusa.org/

I've known the team at Flying S for close to nine years now, and every time I reconnect with them, I'm amazed by how much they've grown. What started in a farm hangar in rural Illinois has turned into a 285,000-square-foot aerospace manufacturing operation with around 170 people, about 50 CNC machines, advanced composites, machining, assembly, and some seriously impressive work happening under one roof. In this episode, I sit down with Cody Yager to talk about the systems behind that growth. We dig into their move from paper travelers and Excel-based scheduling to a more connected, paperless operation with ProShop. We cover how they manage drawing revisions and traceability, how they use training records to support AS9100 and CMMC readiness, and how time tracking notes help improve quoting and future jobs.  We also talk about lights-out machining, workforce development, interns, community outreach, and what it looks like to build an aerospace company in the middle of cornfields. Resources Mentioned Flying S: https://www.flying-s.com/ Cody Yager on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cody-yager-3b9a6066 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: https://illinois.edu/ Vincennes University CNC Machining Program: https://www.vinu.edu/