Modern Industrialist Xchange

Hosted by TXI

Episodes

Language

EN-US

About the show

The Modern Industrialist Xchange (MIX) Podcast is for industrial leaders navigating the shift toward smarter, more connected operations. Host Jason Hehman sits down each month with the people actually doing the work, sharing what is working, what is not, and where the industry is headed.

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33 recent

33 min

32. Build builders, not projects: what Helpful Engineering learned about innovation and open source

Helpful Engineering started with 19 strangers on a Reddit thread trying to solve a shortage of face masks and ventilators. Six years later, the nonprofit has mobilized more than 20,000 volunteer engineers, scientists, and makers around open source hardware.Amish Chadha, the organization’s Chief Risk Officer, joins our host, Jason Hehman to talk about what happened next: a self described funnel of failure, a shipment of oxygen concentrators that exposed a hard lesson about supply chain visibility, and why the real goal was never building products. It was building builders, a distinction Amish comes back to near the end of the conversation and the one this episode is named for.If you lead operations, manage supply chain risk, or want a different way to think about how organizations actually get better at solving hard problems, this one delivers.Resources:Connect with Jason Hehman on LinkedInConnect with Amish Chadha on LinkedInLearn more about the Modern Industrialist Xchange podcast at https://txidigital.com/mix-podcast

32 min

31. Go see, ask why: modernizing railcar maintenance without losing the human side

What does it actually take to run continuous improvement across a fleet of 115,000 rail cars?James Chapman spent nearly a decade at GATX, one of North America's largest railcar leasing companies, moving from Director of Continuous Improvement all the way to leading all of the company's owned North American operations. His approach was simple in concept and hard in practice: get on the floor, ask questions you don't know the answers to, and build a culture that wants to solve problems rather than explain them away.In this conversation, Jason Hehman and James get into what daily management actually looks like at scale, the surprising parallels between rail car maintenance and traditional manufacturing, how GATX thought about building custom software versus buying off the shelf, and what happened when the TXI team showed up at one of their maintenance facilities and started asking why.If you lead operations, manage a distributed team, or are trying to figure out how to move from isolated fixes to a real platform approach, this one will give you something to think about.Keep this conversation going in person. The MIX community is gathering in Chicago on June 4th for drinks, food, and candid conversation with leaders across transportation, logistics, and industrial.Reserve your spot at the June MIXer Resources:Connect with Jason Hehman on LinkedInConnect with James Chapman on LinkedInLearn more about the Modern Industrialist Xchange podcast at https://txidigital.com/mix-podcast

35 min

30. Bend without breaking: Building resilience in modern manufacturing.

What does it actually take to keep a small or mid-size manufacturer competitive right now? Jason Hehman sits down with David Boulay, President of IMEC, the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center, to find out.David and his team work with thousands of Illinois manufacturers every year. His read on the industry is grounded, honest, and a little different from what you usually hear. In this conversation, they get into why the process has to come before technology, what the workforce challenge actually looks like beyond the "skills gap" talking point, and why David is genuinely optimistic about the next 10 years of domestic manufacturing.If you are running a plant, managing operations, or making decisions about where to invest right now, this one is worth your time.Resources:Connect with Jason Hehman on LinkedInConnect with David Boulay on LinkedInLearn more about TXI at https://txidigital.com/

38 min

29. Beyond the rails: how freight transportation has been quietly leading the AI revolution

In this episode Jason Hehman, Industry 4.0 Vertical Lead at TXI, sits down with Jim Pang, a senior technology executive and product innovator with decades of experience in freight transportation. Together, they uncover the surprising truth about rail's quiet leadership in AI and machine learning applications—innovations that have been transforming the industry for over two decades. From acoustic monitoring systems detecting anomalies across millions of wheels in real-time to computer vision applications in massive rail depots, the rail industry has been pioneering AI solutions long before they became mainstream. The conversation explores how rail's unique challenges—multiple handoff points, legacy systems, and complex stakeholder ecosystems—actually create profound opportunities for innovation. Jim shares his own evolution from operations skeptic to technology bridge-builder, offering insights on scaling AI from proof of concept to production, the critical role of product teams in bridging business and technology, and how cooperative competition models from the software industry could revolutionize rail logistics. This episode reveals how logistics digitization and data standardization are essential enablers for America's manufacturing renaissance.Resources:Connect with Jason Hehman on LinkedInConnect with Jim Pang on LinkedIn

51 min

28. The Future of Manufacturing Workforce Development with AR / VR

Immersive technology is revolutionizing workforce training, and augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are leading the way. From reducing downtime in manufacturing to enhancing hands-on learning without real-world risks, AR/VR is shaping the future of industrial operations.In this live episode of the Modern Industrialist Podcast, Jason Hehman is joined by Ed LaFoy, Lead Engineer specializing in spatial computing and XR, and Patrick DeMichael, TXI’s Strategy Practice Lead.The conversation dives into real-world case studies, including how DHL increased efficiency with AR-enabled logistics and how HABCO Industries leveraged AR to streamline a time-consuming aerospace manufacturing process. The team also examines the role of Apple Vision Pro in industrial settings and what it will take for AR/VR hardware to reach mainstream adoption.Whether you're curious about the potential of AR/VR or actively considering it for workforce training, this episode unpacks the opportunities, challenges, and strategies that will define its role in Industry 4.0.Resources:Connect with Jason Hehman on LinkedInProduced by NOVA

37 min

27. From simulation to optimization: the real-world impact of digital twin solutions

What if you could optimize your manufacturing processes in real time, anticipate failures before they happen, and optimize processes with just a few key data points? That’s the power of digital twin solutions—an evolving technology that’s reshaping industries from smart manufacturing to logistics.Host Jason Hehman, Industry 4.0 Vertical Lead at TXI, is joined by Andrew Horner and Alan Gardner, principal engineers at TXI, for a deep dive into what digital twins iiot solutions really are and how companies can start using them today.We break down the common misconceptions surrounding digital twins, moving beyond simple simulations to explore how they function as assistive tools for data-driven decision-making. Along the way, we uncover unexpected insights digital twins can generate, from reducing downtime on offshore oil rigs to solving taxi shortages through data-driven visibility. We also discuss the future of AR and AI-powered digital twins, the role of shared data ecosystems, and why starting small with simple data collection can unlock massive value.Whether you’re an industrial leader looking to implement digital transformation or just curious about the technology driving Industry 4.0, this conversation offers a practical, engaging look at how digital twins are transforming the way we see, predict, and optimize our world.Resources:Connect with Jason Hehman on LinkedInConnect with Andrew Horner on LinkedInConnect with Alan Gardner on LinkedInProduced by NOVA

51 min

26. Balancing compliance, AI, and customer care with Mindr COO Melissa Robbins

What does it take to lead a company at the forefront of innovation in highly regulated industries? Melissa Robbins, Chief Operating Officer at Mindr, joins the Modern Industrialist Podcast to share her approach to balancing cutting-edge technology with a people-first mindset. Mindr, a leader in substance detection and monitoring solutions, is reshaping public safety with products like Intoxalock and Keeper while maintaining a deep commitment to customer care.Melissa reveals how her values-based leadership philosophy, developed at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, drives Mindr's success. From automating compliance processes to building trust with regulators and customers alike, Melissa's strategies offer actionable insights for leaders navigating complex industries.The conversation also uncovers how Mindr leverages AI and data to enhance both employee efficiency and customer experience, all while maintaining a strong focus on innovation and public safety. We hope you find Melissa's journey and insights as inspiring and thought-provoking as we did.Resources:Learn more at mindrglobal.comConnect with Melissa on LinkedInRead Churchill on Leadership: Executive Success in the Face of Adversity by Steven F. HaywardHarry Kramer: harrykraemer.orgMel Robbins: melrobbins.comRead: How Netflix Reinvented HRProduced by NOVA

48 min

25. High-mix, low-volume manufacturing and AR technology with Brian Montanari

When you’re in high-mix, low-volume manufacturing, you have a unique perspective on efficiency and improvement processes. There aren’t a lot of iterations where you can implement improvements or amortize suboptimization. Brian Montanari is the President & CEO of HABCO Industries, a leader in high-mix, low-volume manufacturing. He joins us on the show today to bring his unique perspective to the conversation.We explore his fascinating case study of how his company identified and solved a critical business challenge using Microsoft's HoloLens technology. We also discuss how he has incorporated AI into his business-side processes. As Brian describes these change processes, he weaves in wisdom about leadership and team development. His take on workforce development should be heard across industries. We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did.Resources:Learn more about the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technologies: www.ccat.usProduced by NOVA

56 min

24. Inside a global giant’s digital transformation process

If you had a bird’s-eye view of digital transformation projects in manufacturing plants across the world, what would you see? No need to guess: Today, our guest is a man who has that exact view.Tim O’Neal is the Global Operations Director for Operational Excellence and Leveraged Services for Dow Chemical. He oversees digital transformation projects at over 300 plants in 31 different countries. We have a fascinating conversation about how Tim’s team decides where to pilot new initiatives, how they evaluate success, and what he sees as the future of Industry 4.0.Stick around for the end segment, where we briefly cover the latest in GenAI, digital twins, and 3D printing. Resources:Read the DORA State of DevOp’s ReportRead Abi Noda’s “Three methods for measuring GenAI adoption and impact”Check out the summary of the Aerospace Components Manufacturing tradeshowProduced by NOVA

34 min

23. NVIDIA’s role in industrial digital transformation

What’s all the buzz about NVIDIA? And what does it have to do with manufacturing and logistics? In today’s episode, Jason Hehman and Patrick Turley break down everything you need to know.Jason and Patrick explain the technological difference between traditional computer chips (CPUs) and NVIDIA’s GPUs. Then they explain how these NVIDIA GPUs are making GenAI, machine learning, and edge computing possible. Jason and Patrick also get into NVIDIA’s valuation and future, including geopolitical concerns around their supply chain.This episode will give you the knowledge you need to better understand the AI market and how it may affect your business.Resources:Listen to the Acquired Podcast episode “NVIDIA Part I: The GPU Company (1993-2006)”Listen to the Acquired Podcast episode “NVIDIA Part II: The Machine Learning Company (2006-2022)”Listen to the Acquired Podcast episode “NVIDIA Part III: The Dawn of the AI Era (2022-2023)”Listen to the Acquired Podcast episode “NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang”Produced by NOVA Media