Behind the Ops

Increasingly, companies are choosing to bring manufacturing back to the United States for a variety of reasons, including increased labor costs in other countries and supply chain disruptions caused by events like the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chips Act, renewable energy, and geopolitical tensions with China are additional contributors to the reshoring trend. Companies need to carefully consider their reshoring strategies, as it can involve various approaches, such as setting up new facilities in the US, diversifying manufacturing locations, and partnering with local contract manufacturers. It's also necessary to discuss the importance of incorporating digital technology and adaptability into new facilities to avoid repeating past mistakes. In this week's episode, Madi and Natan discuss manufacturing in the United States, with a focus on reshoring and its potential impact on workers and our economy. LINK DUMP: * Axios: "A manufacturing investment supercycle is starting" (https://www.axios.com/2023/06/16/manufacturing-supercycle) * BCG: "Honing US Manufacturing’s Competitive Edge" (https://www.bcg.com/publications/2017/lean-manufacturing-operations-honing-us-manufacturings-competitive-edge) * BCG: "The Shifting Economics of Global Manufacturing" (https://www.bcg.com/publications/2014/lean-manufacturing-globalization-shifting-economics-global-manufacturing) * Reshoring Initiative (https://reshorenow.org/)

Have you come to subconsciously dread the sound of a Slack ping? In a world where you're constantly being bombarded with notifications coming from apps, emails, instant messages, and other channels, it's easy to feel like you're paying for less work with an influx of distractions. In this week's episode, Madi and Natan reflect on the role that a constant stream of alerts has on our cognitive load, discuss how the right technology can empower people to have more problem-solving capacity, and introduce Automations — an exciting new Tulip capability that enables you to run logic in the background of your manufacturing operations. LINK DUMP: -Read "Phone Notifications Are Messing With Your Brain (https://www.discovermagazine.com/technology/phone-notifications-are-messing-with-your-brain)" for insights on how endless notifications can influence important decision-making -Check out Tulip's Automations landing page (https://tulip.co/platform/automations/) to learn more about how Automations empower you to make your people more efficient, accurate, and productive -Follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/behind-the-ops/) to join the conversation and find out when we post new episodes

Have you ever thought about how government espionage is not all that different than corporate sabotage? We have! (Consider tactics along the lines of "let blades go dull so people can't sharpen their saws"...) In this week's episode, Madi and Natan reflect on how the CIA espionage manual relates to the ways in which many big corporations create a bad work environment, discuss Natan's "obsession" with "The Fractal Company," and break down how to build a corporate structure that encourages innovation. LINK DUMP: -Dive into the CIA's "Simple Sabotage Field Manual (https://www.hsdl.org/c/abstract/?docid=750070)" booklet for insights into the ways in which agents instructed civilians to inflict sabotage through ordinary means -Check out "The Fractal Company: A Revolution in Corporate Culture (https://www.amazon.com/Fractal-Company-Revolution-Corporate-Culture/dp/3642781268)" to learn about how to develop an organization that utilizes its strengths and remains competitive -Read "The Organization of the Future Is Fractal (https://www.bcg.com/publications/2022/fractal-companies-are-the-organizations-of-the-future)" for a break down of fractal design principles -Follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/behind-the-ops/) to join the conversation and find out when we post new episodes

Vroom vroom. In this week's episode, Madi and special guest Kyle Oberholtzer, program manager of the Tulip Experience Center, discuss all things Formula 1. Madi quizzes Kyle (a Formula 1 fan, though a bit of a "Netflix newbie") on racing terminology (what in the world is a pole sitter?). And they reflect on the many ways in which the Formula 1 space is relevant to manufacturing. After all, the fact that these cars exist in the first place is a huge manufacturing achievement, right? LINK DUMP: * Check out A beginner's guide to F1 slang (https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.a-beginners-guide-to-f1-slang.1Pg6tvGZ2y7u4KAnc8WXGl.html) for definitions and context around important Formula 1 terms * Read Insider's guide: How is an F1 car made? (https://us.motorsport.com/f1/news/how-is-an-f1-car-made/7626324/) for insights on what is used to construct a Formula 1 car * Follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/behind-the-ops/) to join the conversation and find out when we post new episodes

Are buzzwords a necessary evil, or do their costs outweigh the benefits? In this week’s episode, Madi and Natan dive deep into this question — exploring the difference between useful buzzwords and those that obscure the meaning of evolving concepts. They also discuss how Industry 4.0 and IoT have mutated into new terminologies, and play a fun game to identify popular buzzwords! LINK DUMP: * Check out 15 Frequently Misunderstood and Misused Tech Buzzwords (https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2022/06/07/15-frequently-misunderstood-and-misused-tech-buzzwords/?sh=54d1ca61768b) for insights from a panel of experts on specific tech terms that are often used incorrectly * Read How Industry 4.0 is Transforming Lean Manufacturing (https://tulip.co/blog/how-industry-4-0-is-transforming-lean-manufacturing/) for a breakdown of the new technological developments that are driving Industry 4.0 forward * Follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/behind-the-ops/) to join the conversation and find out when we post new episodes

Hallo from Hannover! In this episode — recorded on-site at Hannover Messe 2023 — Madi and Natan provide a breakdown of everything they saw and heard (and ate!) on the show floor. (P.S. Madi says German hotdogs are just “fine.”) Listen in to hear our co-hosts discuss the history of Hannover Messe, break down trends from this year’s event (in case you were wondering, the cloud has become like “khaki pants and polo shirts for our industry”), and reflect on the surprising lack of physical, interactive demos. As Natan points out, how many flat screens with PowerPoint can we survive? LINK DUMP: * Dive into The Top 5 Manufacturing Trends in 2023 (https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2023/03/29/the-top-5-manufacturing-trends-in-2023/?sh=493685d95875) for insights on what to expect from AI, IoT, and other technology throughout the rest of this year * Read Cloud computing, SaaS, and the ‘new normal’ for manufacturers (https://www.iotinsider.com/industrial/cloud-computing-saas-and-the-new-normal-for-manufacturers/) for an overview of how more and more organizations are adopting a cloud-first stance when it comes to selecting technology * Follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/behind-the-ops/) to join the conversation and find out when we post new episodes

Sources, and data, and insights, oh my! We live in an information era, but how do you know that what you measure actually means anything if you don’t start with a baseline? In this episode, Madi and Natan discuss their love of benchmarks, highlight the challenges of knowledge sharing in the manufacturing industry, and reflect on the growing need to break out of the limitations of a paper-based world. LINK DUMP: * Dig into “Lean Math: Figuring to Improve (https://www.amazon.com/Lean-Math-Figuring-Mark-Hamel/dp/0872638812)” by Mark Hamel and Michael O’Connor for an overview of every lean manufacturing formula you may want to know * Read Indirect manufacturing costs: An overlooked source for clear savings (https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/operations/our-insights/indirect-manufacturing-costs-an-overlooked-source-for-clear-savings) to learn more about the requirements for successful benchmarking * Check out Manufacturing KPIs: 40 Key Production Metrics You Should Know (https://tulip.co/blog/manufacturing-kpis-key-production-metrics-you-should-know/) for insights into the most important metrics you can measure to help transform your operations * Follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/behind-the-ops) to join the conversation and find out when we post new episodes

Happy International Women's Month! Did you know that this holiday is only 36 years old? If it were a person, it would only be a millennial! While we’ve seen some progress for women in the manufacturing and tech sectors, we still have a long way to go. In this episode, Madi and Natan discuss historical challenges for women in these fields, dive into the latest career advancement trends and data, and reflect on the ongoing pipeline and retention concerns in a world where women are over-mentored, but under-sponsored. LINK DUMP: * Read Why Women Leave Tech: It Isn't Because 'Math is Hard' (https://www.entrepreneur.com/business-news/why-women-leave-tech-it-isnt-because-math-is-hard/238036) for real-life stories on why women are unhappy with the tech work environment * Dig into the Career Advancement for Manufacturing Annual Report (https://fs.hubspotusercontent00.net/hubfs/242200/UA%20Assets/Career%20Advancement%20for%20Manufacturing%20Annual%20Report%202022%20-%20Thomas.pdf) for data on the percentage of women in leadership roles and how their recruitment opportunities differ from those of men * Learn more about Women's Roles After WWII (https://vphibbswomensroles.wordpress.com/womens-roles-after-wwii/) * Check out the Women in the Workplace (https://wiw-report.s3.amazonaws.com/Women_in_the_Workplace_2020.pdf) report for insights on how Covid-19 impacted women workers in particular * Follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/behind-the-ops) to join the conversation and find out when we post new episodes

We talk about AI a lot on this podcast. So, who is better to bring into the studio than Head of Artificial Intelligence at Tulip, Dr. Roey Mechrez? In this episode, Dr. Roey brings expert insight into how consumer-focused AI tools like ChatGPT and Dall-E 2 work, examples of industrial use cases of Computer Vision, and plays a game of "Can AI Fix It?" LINK DUMP: * Follow Dr. Roey on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/roey-mechrez/) * Learn more about computer vision capabilities with Tulip (https://tulip.co/platform/vision/) Special Guest: Roey Mechrez, PHD.

Happy New Year! In this episode, Russ and Madi reflect on the past year by presenting categories to each other and having the other choose and justify their favorite winner from a pre-selected list of nominees. Hear why people are the true unsung heroes of manufacturing in 2022, how retargeting algorithms once almost ruined Madi’s engagement proposal, and the predicted frontrunner for Category of the Year in 2023. LINK DUMP: * Try out the best new artist of 2022 (https://openai.com/dall-e-2/), but don’t use it to create your next LinkedIn profile photo * Taylor Swift’s “Midnights” is the first album to sell better on vinyl than CD (https://www.nme.com/news/music/taylor-swifts-midnights-is-the-first-album-to-sell-better-on-vinyl-than-cd-since-the-1980s-3372071) since the 1980’s * Learn more about Augmented Lean (https://www.augmentedlean.com/book) and get a copy of the book

How would Santa produce and deliver presents to all of the good children around the world in a modern manufacturing environment, sans magic? He would face all of the same problems you do – an elf shortage, increasing consumer demands, quality management. In this episode, Russ and Madi propose an elf-centric approach to digitizing Santa's Christmas operations. See ChatGPT's answer to the prompt "How would santa optimize his production processes?": https://cdn.brandfolder.io/GDDASP4K/at/mgjxv7gs2b8t54sfqc65c5gp/Screen_Shot_2022-12-14_at_73735_AM.png

Glitter. It’s everywhere. But since at least 2018 there’s been a semi-dark corner of the Internet turning over a revolving door of conspiracy theories about shortages of the sparkly stuff. Lately, Tik Tok has been awash with armchair detectives trying to find out who the top buyer is. Nevermind that Boston-based podcast “Endless Thread” have already done a full investigation based on a Reddit r/UnsolvedMysteries post back in 2019 claiming to identify the buyer. Assistant Host Russ makes the case that the vagueness and secrecy in Big Glitter might not be as rare (or mysterious) as it seems. Rather, a little manufacturing know-how. LINK DUMP * Watch the TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRCxdW5T/) that made its way to Producer Jasmine's "For You Page" * Read the 2018 New York Times article (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/style/glitter-factory.html) that sparked the widespread conspiracy (https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/a8hrk0/which_mystery_industry_is_the_largest_buyer_of/) around Glitterex's largest buyer * Listen to WBUR's "Endless Thread" podcast (https://www.wbur.org/endlessthread/2019/11/08/the-great-glitter-mystery) Join the conversation on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/behind-the-ops_demystifying-glitter-activity-7009250127689220096-9Rhg?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop) to drop your theories on how glitter is made and where it's all going.

Things go wrong constantly in manufacturing. It’s a competitive environment and a lot of businesses have slim margins. Amazing manufacturing organizations are good at building relationships at scale, which is much easier when you have information close at hand and easily shared. Sometimes, you’re going to get rained on (metaphorically) so prepare the best you can and make your mind up about how you want to face it. Madi coaxes a two-step plan out of Assistant Host Russ on how to accept and plan for everything being mostly broken, most of the time. LINK DUMP * Washington DC gets more rain (https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/move-over-seattle-washington-dc-actually-gets-more-rain-every-year/65-21736366-ca0a-4821-b89b-a0b0342c49bb#) than Seattle. * When you need rain gear commentary, go find (https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/80230/) the (https://www.cleverhiker.com/best-rain-jackets) backpackers (https://sectionhiker.com/best-dwr-treatment/). * From computer bad guys/antiheroes (https://cybersecurityventures.com/movies-about-cybersecurity-and-hacking/) to business (https://play-media.org/guide-to-the-best-growth-hacking-strategies/) buzzword (https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/learn-the-art-of-culture-hacking-for-culture-change)! Where do you stand on self-identifying as a hacker? * A helpful guide (https://safetyfirst.airbus.com/system-reset-use-with-caution/) to turning it off and turning it back on again…for your jet airliner!

Do your non-manufacturing friends think about where things come from? Or when? Or how much? In this episode, Madi and Russ discuss mainstreaming of manufacturing technology problems from supply chain management to skilled worker shortages. Manufacturing has accounted for less than 10% of all US jobs (https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=UZ6B) going back to the 2008 recession, which means limited reach for shop talk at the dinner table. But the 2020s have been weird, and these days you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a manufacturing-related headline. LINK DUMP * Shortages of all (https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/18/health/formula-shortage-census-survey/index.html) kinds (https://www.clickondetroit.com/health/2022/10/17/fda-declares-nationwide-adderall-shortage-what-you-need-to-know/) of (https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/why-is-there-a-chip-shortage-the-semiconductor-supply-chain-explained) things (https://www.freshplaza.com/north-america/article/9469610/weather-and-supply-chain-issues-causing-potato-shortage/) have gone mainstream; also, shortages of people (https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/09/16/worker-shortage-strikes-economy/) * Apple’s AirTag brings consumer-grade track and trace to airline baggage, then gets banned (https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/lufthansa-bans-apples-airtags-5459052/) * UPS was a pioneer (https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2013/11/01/meet-orion-software-that-will-save-ups-millions-by-improving-drivers-routes/?sh=20d463a84fc7) in delivery route planning (https://www.reddit.com/r/UPS/comments/f4btcl/orion_makes_sense_to_me/); the R&D torch may have since passed to Amazon (https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/amazon-deploys-new-delivery-route-algorithm-condor/630747/) * When it comes to the manufacturing labor market in the US, the numbers paint a sobering picture (https://tulip.co/blog/importance-of-education-in-manufacturing/) for what’s yet to come * #supplychaintok (https://www.tiktok.com/@joshuaturek/video/7060300504567418158?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7150307441108944430)

Fresh out of the judge’s panel reviewing the 2022 Tulip Groundbreaker Awards nomination submissions, Russ and Madi could not wait to discuss the who, how, and why of the program. This leads to a discussion of the evolution of problem-solving in the digital era of manufacturing, and how this year’s nominees embody dynamic engineering thinking and the spirit of citizen development. Learn more about the Tulip Groundbreakers Awards Program (https://tulip.co/groundbreakers/) Tune into the Tulip Showcase (https://tulip.co/events/tulip-showcase-2022/) on November 17 to see a virtual showcase of the latest features in the Tulip Platform and livestream of the 2022 Tulip Groundbreaker Awards ceremony Check out last year’s winners (https://community.tulip.co/t/congratulations-to-the-tulip-groundbreakers/2044) Follow Tulip on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/tulip-interfaces/) to see the recording of Tulip Showcase event and announcement of the winners on November 17.

Relationship building and maintenance is multi-faceted in business and in regular life. The hosts take a middle ground stance, but take it firmly. Old ways of selling heavy equipment are applied to a new crop of younger buyers, but hope springs eternal for virtual showrooms. Internet friends become once-a-year friends thanks to experiential selling, and an attempt is made to pry out the “versus” from “digital versus physical” and segue ways to an inadvertent indirect plug for Behind the Ops’ big brother podcast Augmented with Trond Undheim. LINK DUMP Academics making the case for virtual (https://www.aerospacetestinginternational.com/opinion/how-integrating-the-virtual-and-physical-will-make-aerospace-testing-and-certification-smarter.html) airplane and parts testing (https://aerospaceamerica.aiaa.org/departments/the-case-for-more-virtual-testing/) and flight qualification Lengthy how-to on relationship selling that may have been written by a computer says to always “show your authentic self (https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/selling-relationships)” “Tradeshows Aren’t Dead” has been a clickbait headline since at least 2014 (https://www.foodonline.com/doc/tradeshows-aren-t-dead-packexpo-recap-0001); search index volume for “tradeshow” bottomed out exactly when you think it did. Get yourself a new pair of THE tradeshow-goer approved Banana Republic pants (https://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/category.do?cid=35878&style=1077638) (or find them second-hand (https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=banana+republic+traveler+pants&_trksid=p2380057.m4084.l1311&_sacat=0) like Russ) #notsponsored See the Real Life Iron Man from Gravity Industries (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/imtschicago_richard-browning-jet-pack-flight-activity-6975851464992727040-Q0nB) Boston Dynamics x Sam Adams Superbowl Commercial (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUQnduNzsw8) Order a copy of Trond’s new book: Augmented Lean (https://www.augmentedlean.com/book) Follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/tulip-interfaces/) to catch us at our next in-person event.

Part 1: Pop Quiz! Madi and Russ answer difficult questions to prove their personal worth. Failure is an option. Part 2: Community Service From the Tulip forum, Russ presents recent top posts. The hosts discuss the relative merits of Dark Mode, and infinite looping steps in software. Preparations are made for opening an interdimensional portal. LINK DUMP * The Tulip Glossary of Industry Terms (https://tulip.co/glossary/), but make it a nice flashcard game (https://quizlet.com/606876488/tulip-glossary-flash-cards/). * Hubspot’s marketing trivia quiz (https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/marketing-trivia) might break you. * Top posts from Tulip Community are release notes with new features (https://community.tulip.co/top). * Dark mode is sometimes user-configurable, sometimes inherited (https://community.tulip.co/t/dark-mode-for-community-and-knowledge/6088/5) from an OS or browser, and always fertile ground for zealotry (https://gizmodo.com/stop-hating-dark-mode-because-it-s-different-1843550777) and backlash (https://www.reddit.com/r/unpopularopinion/comments/bbpo72/darkmodeisinferiortolightmodeonevery/). (also (https://gizmodo.com/dark-mode-is-for-suckers-1838544708)) Follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/80330559/admin/) to join the conversation and find out when we post new episodes

In this episode, we’re joined by Jean-Paul Moniz, Technical Services Coordinator at Cameco Fuel Manufacturing. JP talks about his 20+ year career in industrial automation, how nuclear fuel is made, and the rise of open source software and interoperability in manufacturing solutions. Links: * How It’s Made - Uranium Part 1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x7DozCqLxU) * How It’s Made - Uranium Part 2 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ehyxRBMbw) * Connect with JP (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jean-paul-moniz-a6605b6/) Special Guest: Jean-Paul Moniz.

In this episode, we’re joined by Continuous Improvement Engineer Sofiya Baran from Stanley Black & Decker. Sofiya talks about how she fell in love with manufacturing despite never learning about it in her mechanical engineering classes, designing transportation carts and tabletops to improve operator safety and efficiency, and the unique challenges of manufacturing custom storage solutions. Now that Sofiya has implemented Tulip apps in the Detail Fabrication department to digitize job scheduling, she plans to expand her digital transformation efforts across all departments and is rethinking her earlier manual process improvement projects. Once you go paperless, you never go back! Connect with Sofiya (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sofiya-baran-2020/) Special Guest: Sofiya Baran.

In this episode, we’re joined by Sam Feller, Product Manager of the Edge team at Tulip. Sam talks about teaching an engineering course with popsicle sticks, designing the Amazon Dash Cart, and his current book recommendations. He’s an eclectic guy. Links: * "Collegiate Level Popsicle Sticks" (https://www.awkwardengineer.com/blogs/awkward-engineer-blog/collegiate-level-popsicle-sticks-with-the-awkeng) * Continuous Discovery Habits (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58046715-continuous-discovery-habits) - Teresa Torres * Decisive (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15798078-decisive) - Chip Heath, Dan Heath * Connect with Sam (https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-feller-0461b736/)