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ASSEMBLY Audible

ASSEMBLY Audible

www.assemblymag.com 300 Episodes Oct 15, 2026

The ASSEMBLY Audible podcast explores the people, processes and technologies for assembling parts into finished products. Whether you make large products in small volumes or small products in large volumes, our goal is to provide insights, ideas and inspiration you can put to work. Have a topic you would like to learn more about? Guest suggestions? Email sprovierij@bnpmedia.com.

Episodes

Building a Safety Culture That Goes Beyond Compliance
Building a Safety Culture That Goes Beyond Compliance Oct 15, 2026 19:53 In this special joint episode of ASSEMBLY Audible and Industrial Safety & Hygiene News, Rodney Rodavich, Vice President of Global Health and Safety at TE Connectivity, discusses how leadership, employee engagement and practical training helped reduce workplace injuries across a global manufacturing organization. The conversation explores Mission Zero, safety leadership, workforce trai
Scout Motors Spurs Supplier Growth Across South Carolina
Scout Motors Spurs Supplier Growth Across South Carolina Oct 7, 2026 16:38 When Scout Motors announced plans to build a new electric vehicle plant in South Carolina, the story quickly became bigger than the factory itself. In this episode of ASSEMBLY Audible, Annie Caggiano of the Central South Carolina Alliance explains how OEM investments attract suppliers, drive workforce development and create long-term manufacturing growth across an entire region. The conve
The New Rules of Lean Manufacturing
The New Rules of Lean Manufacturing Sep 30, 2026 16:22 Manufacturers have spent decades optimizing for efficiency, but Steve Ilmrud, vice president of operations at Hexagon, says today's environment demands a greater focus on resilience. In this episode, he discusses practical strategies for preparing for supply chain disruptions, strengthening supplier relationships and building operational flexibility before problems arise. Ilmrud also expl
Why Supplier Trust Takes Decades to Rebuild in Automotive Manufacturing
Why Supplier Trust Takes Decades to Rebuild in Automotive Manufacturing Sep 23, 2026 17:51 Supplier trust in automotive manufacturing can take decades to build — and decades to lose. Dr. Angela Johnson explains why organizational memory, purchasing culture and historical supplier relationships still shape the industry today.
Manufacturing Automation, Cobots and the Future of Industrial Robotics
Manufacturing Automation, Cobots and the Future of Industrial Robotics Sep 17, 2026 20:59 Manufacturing automation is evolving beyond simple robot deployment toward more flexible, intelligent and adaptable production systems. In this second episode of our two-part ASSEMBLY Audible special, you'll hear how collaborative robots equipped with magnetic bases are already welding ships, illustrating how automation is expanding into applications that were once considered impractical.
Designing Manufacturing Automation for Long-Term Success
Designing Manufacturing Automation for Long-Term Success Sep 9, 2026 20:03 Automation projects rarely fail because of the robots themselves. In this special two-part episode of ASSEMBLY Audible, Moises Furlanetto of Flex and Keith Fox of Universal Robots explain why successful automation begins with product design, repeatable manufacturing processes and collaboration between engineering and production teams. The conversation explores design for automation, flexi
Why Simulation Could Unlock the Next Generation of Industrial Robotics
Why Simulation Could Unlock the Next Generation of Industrial Robotics Sep 4, 2026 21:59 Training robots in the real world is slow, expensive and often impractical for modern manufacturing. In this episode of ASSEMBLY Audible, Bill O'Farrell and Yunzhu Li, co-founders of SceniX, explain how simulation-first workflows can dramatically accelerate robot training while improving reliability for warehouse automation, electronics assembly and other industrial applications. The conv
Pallets and Crates Should be Recycled & Create Revenue
Pallets and Crates Should be Recycled & Create Revenue Sep 3, 2026 17:49 Brad and Jake Boulware describe how their company has an alternative solution to the landfill for wooden Pallets and Crates. Details the current problem manufactures and assemblers face when disposing of crates and boxes and how to recover usable wood fiber and metal. Turnkey solution for companies to take ownership of their wood waste, create a new revenue stream, and achieve key environ
Defense Supply Chain Has a Confidence Problem, Not a Capacity Problem
Defense Supply Chain Has a Confidence Problem, Not a Capacity Problem Aug 27, 2026 25:56 Many assume the defense industrial base can't increase production because manufacturers lack capacity, but Boston Consulting Group's Justin Rodriguez argues the real challenge is supplier confidence. Drawing on research from hundreds of suppliers, he explains how inconsistent demand, changing designs and procurement practices discourage companies from hiring workers and investing in produ
AI Helped Cut Lead Times 77% at a Global Lighthouse Factory
AI Helped Cut Lead Times 77% at a Global Lighthouse Factory Aug 19, 2026 15:51 Artificial intelligence is transforming manufacturing, but successful implementation starts with solving real business problems — not deploying technology for its own sake. In this episode, Tena Coppedge, vice president of manufacturing at Hitachi Vantara, explains how her team used AI to eliminate siloed data, improve inventory visibility and reduce order-to-shipment lead time by 77%. Sh
Manufacturers Know When a Machine Fails. They Often Don’t Know What Happened Next
Manufacturers Know When a Machine Fails. They Often Don’t Know What Happened Next Aug 17, 2026 15:32 Manufacturers have become exceptionally good at collecting machine data. But what happens to the human knowledge generated when something goes wrong? In this episode, Nikhil Arora, Director of Business Development at Relay, discusses one of manufacturing's biggest information gaps: the operational context that often exists between a machine failure and its resolution. The conversation exp
What Manufacturers Need to Know About Humanoid Robot Deployment
What Manufacturers Need to Know About Humanoid Robot Deployment Aug 13, 2026 14:41 Humanoid robots are moving closer to real factory deployment, but manufacturers still face major challenges around safety, testing, repeatability and workforce integration. Bruce Richard of Jabil explains what manufacturers need to understand before humanoids can scale across industrial operations.

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