Send us a Text Message. Bridging the Gap: Cybersecurity and Networking in Industrial Automation In this episode of "Industrial Automation - It Doesn't Have To...", we delve into the critical intersection of cybersecurity and networking, essential components in today's industrial landscape.🛡️ Who better to navigate this complex terrain than Siemens'…

Send us a Text Message. Cut through the buzzwords and sales-type fodder in this episode of "Industrial Automation - It Doesn't Have To." Host Brandon Ellis and co-host Beth Elliott are joined by Siemens Digital Industries' expert, Matt Wagner, for an exciting discussion on the game-changing third-generation Siemens drives, highlighting the G220 VFD…

Send us a Text Message. In celebration of National Robotics🤖 Week, we had the pleasure of interviewing Joseph Collett, media lead with Red Nation Robotics Team 4576. Joseph describes what sparked his interest in robotics and the Red Nation Robotics (RNR) team. Joseph walks us through a FIRST Robotics competition match. It's really fun & you don't w…

Send us a Text Message. Let's get a grip on automation and get moving. That's what we're talking about in today's episode. elliTek is excited to announce our new automation partner - SCHUNK. SCHUNK is known for its unique gripping technology. As Brandon says, SCHUNK takes the cake for how hard you can grip something. What some folks, at least in th…

Send us a Text Message. This is an interesting episode that was initiated by a listener's request. If you're thinking of starting your own business, Brandon has been down that road and shares his words of wisdom. If you've listened to any of elliTek's podcasts, you know that Brandon will have a different twist on the topic. So, the other side of th…

Send us a Text Message. We're looking back so we can move forward. Every year predictions are made. During this episode, we review the 2022 major predicted challenges affecting manufacturing, but we don't stop there. You'll hear actionable solutions that elliTek's engineers have put in place, as well as solutions our partners offer. The partners hi…

Send us a Text Message. We've all done it... bought a product that didn't meet our expectations. Were we sold a bill of goods, or did we hear what we wanted to hear? That has been the case with many industrial IoT systems, which doesn't sit well with Brandon. Because the only reason to have an IoT system is to make educated business decisions. If y…

Send us a Text Message. We 💙 automation, but you can't take the human element out of it. The quality of any automated system at the plant floor level is usually made evident through the design of the human machine interface or HMI. HMIs provide a means for the machine and the human to interact - to converse. It is the very conduit by which a human …

Send us a Text Message. From Mars🚀 to your facility -- hear how manufacturers can utilize Siemens's innovative, NASA-type technology to manage the painful issues that we have been going through the past couple of years. Joining us in this episode are three guests from Siemens Drives Group to explain Siemens Drives technology from an interstellar pe…

Send us a Text Message. Are you ready for some GOOD news?!? Unless you've had your head in the sand, you've heard of elliTek's new Automation Partner, so this company shouldn't be unfamiliar to you. Over the past many months, we have been working closely with a fantastic company. It's a huge, behemoth company. It's the largest industrial manufactur…

Send us a Text Message. Everyone is searching for ways to reduce costs and in manufacturing, automation is typically the answer. But some of the parts needed to automate aren't available? What do you do? Join us as we talk about some practical automation alternatives that may not be obvious. If you're wondering WHY the automotive industry is strugg…

Send us a Text Message. Are we getting ready to undergo a new Industrial Revolution or are we already in it? There are many definitions of Industry 5.0. Is it combining human creative and critical thinking with the speed and skill of automation? Is it prioritizing "the wellbeing of the worker?" Is it a wasteless world? Or, is Industry 5.0 a combina…

Send us a Text Message. The increasing costs of raw materials, labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, and cybersecurity are the top business challenges facing manufacturers. How can we overcome these obstacles and prepare for future crises? During this episode, you'll hear our perspective on what's going on in the world today and how manufactur…

Send us a Text Message. With prices rising across the board and historically high inflation rates, how can manufacturers battle inflation? In this episode, we're talking about ways manufacturers can shorten their ROI by getting more bang for their buck. Before we delve into the topic, Brandon quizzes Beth on Fieldbus Protocols discussed in the prev…

Send us a Text Message. It's Season 4 Episode 1 of Industrial Automation - It Doesn't Have To. 🎉🎉🎉 If you're new to Industrial Protocols, you need to check out this episode. During the offseason, elliTek signed with a new automation partner, CKD. CKD provides both Electric and Pneumatic Solutions. Not only does CKD produce high-quality, long lastin…

Send us a Text Message. With cases of cyber-crime occurring at an alarming rate, industrial manufacturing is caught in the crosshairs. What steps should you take to protect your systems? We talk to an industry insider, Keith Moore. Keith has spent the last fourteen years in industrial IoT device development and has immense knowledge of internet pro…

Send us a Text Message. Sometimes your biggest pain point isn't your biggest problem. There are some processes that you may or may not want to automate. Come with us as we explore those processes. Brandon shares his perspectives, Brandspectives, on the types of industrial automation. He explains his two categories of automation, process automation …

Send us a Text Message. It's almost Thanksgiving here in the United States, and we have so much to be thankful for! Join us as we reflect on past guests and episodes for which we are grateful. If you haven't had the opportunity to listen to elliTek's podcasts, this is a rundown of a few of our favorites. We had the opportunity to do a crossover pod…

Send us a Text Message. This is an issue of Global Proportions! We're talking about the supply chain crisis. From aluminum to semiconductor chip shortages, the lack of essential materials is affecting just about everyone and nearly all levels of production. Why is there a chip set crisis, aka Chipageddon? How long will Chipageddon last? Is there a …

Send us a Text Message. Today's topic is definitely not boring! The sparks are flying as we delve into the world of robotic welding.🤖🔥 Why would you use a robot to weld instead of a person? That's were Brandon's Brandoloy for the four reasons to automate come into play. Quality / Consistency Decrease Cycle Time / Increase Production Reclassificatio…

Send us a Text Message. If you're considering the purchase of a collaborative robot, vision system, or industrial IoT system, this episode is for YOU! Before making an investment in the automation of a process, there are some commonly overlooked aspects that can be forgotten, overlooked, or even disregarded. With more than 25 years experience in th…

Send us a Text Message. This is a special crossover episode with CSIA, Control System Integrators Association. Lisa Richter, host of CSIA's podcast "Talking Industrial Automation", sat down for a chat with elliTek's Brandon Ellis. CSIA is a global trade association that strives to advance the control system integration industry. CSIA has more than …

Send us a Text Message. Are you confident your employees have the knowledge and skills to help your business grow and thrive? Knowledge is power! We're starting Season 3 talking about training and leveling up. By providing technical training for your employees, you're fostering a work environment that promotes self-confidence knowing that they have…

Send us a Text Message. Join us as we talk about some new ways to generate money, real money while saving the earth. We're talking about green initiatives, aka Green Manufacturing, and how your manufacturing facility can benefit from sustainability efforts. During the show, we dig into the benefits of green initiatives in manufacturing. We discuss …

Send us a Text Message. ROI - Return on Investment - pre-pandemic vs post-pandemic. How ROI looked before the pandemic is completely different in a post-pandemic world. Does your perspective on ROI need to change as well? Traditionally, the focus for production engineering was to increase production. Automation was trying to increase production whi…

Send us a Text Message. Doom and gloom. Enough of that - this episode is all about successes! Listen to hear how manufacturers can use automation (and sometimes not) to overcome and succeed in a competitive market when labor can be difficult to find. elliTek's Engineers have been asked about some interesting things lately that could benefit you. An…

Send us a Text Message. Labor shortages can be seen in nearly every industry. In manufacturing, frustration is rising because factories are seeing huge demands but are unable to take full advantage. WHY? Join us as we explore some of the reasons. Including why the labor shortages happening today are different than in the past. Why is the demand for…

Send us a Text Message. What happened with Colonial Pipeline and could it have been prevented? This episode isn't a dig at Colonial Pipeline. It's a cautionary tale for businesses, and their cybersecurity preparedness efforts. The reason Colonial shut down their pipeline was they were uncertain. They were unsure what systems were going to be affect…

Send us a Text Message. This is a HOT topic -- Condition Monitoring (CM). Brandon pierces through the sales and marketing fodder to expose some really cool stuff. Sales and marketing would have you monitor just temperature and vibration. But wait, there's more! Remember the refrigerator analogy? What indicators are really enough? Manufacturers are …

Send us a Text Message. When you think of motors, do you think of a spinning shaft for running things like the fan in an air conditioner or an exhaust fan? What happens if something needs to move in a linear fashion? Motors are more than rotation. This episode is about motion control, rotary and linear motion. You'll learn about the types of rotary…

Send us a Text Message. Menial tasks are those repetitive, tedious, or dangerous tasks that a robot is capable of doing freeing up time for associates to focus on high-value-added tasks. The types of robots used to automate applications can be different and sometimes confusing, so we're breaking it all down for in this episode. Please join us as we…

Send us a Text Message. Have you been seeing the phrase Robotic Process Automation lately? Well, you're not alone. This episode we learn about Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and some of the misconceptions surrounding RPA. What are the benefits of RPA? How would one implement RPA? What are the four reasons to automate, according to Brandon's Brand…

Send us a Text Message. To celebrate National Women's History Month, this episode is dedicated to the countless women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math who have blazed a trail for women in STEM today. At elliTek, a couple of women are carrying the Engineering torch today. Julie Shaw is an Applications Engineer with elliTek. Julie earned…

Send us a Text Message. Making Robots ~ Building Leaders, Gracious Professionalism, and Coopetition are just a few terms you'll hear during this episode. Morgan Everett, Lead Mentor with Red Nation Robotics, is our special guest! More than just robots and more than a student run enterprise, FIRST® Robotics & Red Nation Robotics has it all. Listen t…

Send us a Text Message. This episode is dedicated to the Edge - Edge Computing that is. Listen to learn all about Edge Computing. What is the Edge? Where is the Edge? What's the big deal? Brandon gives a down-to-earth explanation of what the edge is outside of manufacturing that nearly everyone can relate to. Find out what lives on the Edge in the …

Send us a Text Message. Safety of employees is a top priority for plant managers. In addition to the countless aspects that represent safety risks throughout a facility, the total cost of serious workplace injures exceeds over $1 billion per week according to the 2020 Workplace Safety Index. This is HUGE, so we brought in a safety expert to get the…

Send us a Text Message. Additive Manufacturing or 3D printing is bringing new perspectives to manufacturing, so we have a special guest, Matthew Stuckey, to bring us his fresh, new perspectives on the subject. Matthew is studying Mechanical Engineering at the Tickle College of Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and is well versed…

Send us a Text Message. In September 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a new proposed rule regarding food traceability. This rule, which would be part of Section 204(d) of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), establishes event tracking requirements for specific foods and ingredients throughout the supply chain. Comment…

Send us a Text Message. This is a fun season wrap up where we're reviewing our previous podcasts and looking ahead to 2021! Industrial Automation - It Doesn't Have To... Be Engineered elliTek's pre-engineered Smart Servo Actuators and Robotic Work cells are designed to help manufacturers save money. You do what you can do and elliTek can fill in th…

Send us a Text Message. This episode of elliTek's Industrial Automation podcast is about Predictive Maintenance. We are talking with a special guest, Keary Donovan. Keary is the owner of Pathways 7. Pathways 7 is a consulting firm helping SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) capitalize on up-to-date information systems so they can become more …

Send us a Text Message. This episode is about thankfulness and gratitude. Industrial Automation can be hopeful and positive. elliTek is thankful for each of our customers, our colleagues, and our families. During this episode, we review some projects that our customer's have told us that they are thankful for and that they have benefited from. Hope…

Send us a Text Message. Join us on the second Tuesday of each month as we talk about Industrial Automation and what it doesn't have to be! elliTek builds custom machines for manufacturing systems, and offers comprehensive turnkey and design/build services, and technical training. Our mission is to empower our clients. That's what this podcast is al…

Send us a Text Message. Myopic is being short-sighted -- unable to clearly see things that are far away. elliTek's mission is one of empowerment. We want manufacturers find a way to better position themselves moving forward. Our hope is that this podcast provides helpful perspectives. This episode is about the tendencies we can have as human beings…

Send us a Text Message. Adding automated robotic systems to a factory can save money, create higher-quality parts, and increase production. There are six types of industrial robots that can be classified according to the typed of movement, the application needs, reach and payload requirements, and manufacturing preference. You will learn about the …

Send us a Text Message. This podcast expands on Brandon's interview with Food Engineering magazine, "Keeping machines and OT networks and IT safe from cyberattacks". We take a deep dive into cybersecurity. Listen to the full episode to learn: Are cyberattacks evolving? Has automation technology opened the door to hackers? Is the Operational Technol…

Send us a Text Message. This episode is full of acronyms. Here's a quick list for reference. A brief explanation of each Industrial Revolution follows the list. CNC: Computer Numerical Control. It's a computer controlled machine that uses pre-programmed software to direct the movement of machining tools and 3D printers. ERP: Enterprise Resource Pla…

Send us a Text Message. Robots - Robotic systems - Servo actuators don't have to... be engineered. During elliTek's first podcast, you'll find out who elliTek is, what elliTek does, and why elliTek is different. More importantly, how manufacturers can benefit. We delve into industrial robots, pre-engineered robotic workcells, and pre-engineered ser…