Join us on this episode of RedTalks as we talk about how deliberately shifting culture is the key to unlocking digital transformation in manufacturing. Matt Townsend, Remus Pop, and Greg Giles join our roundtable to provide their expert intel and experience.

RedViking and McNeilus partnered together to launch one of the first automated production lines for Refuse Vehicle Manufacturing. With the help of RedViking, McNeilus was able to complete their goals and improve employee morale, increase production, and decrease defects per unit.

The helicopter test industry is challenging. Engineers and companies must understand the needs of fixed-wing and rotorcraft manufacturing. Smart manufacturing systems must be in place in order to produce and test aircraft tolerance. So, what goes into these systems, and who are the industry leaders? On this episode of RedTalks, host Tyler Kern talked with Chris Lake, Vice President of Dynamic Test Systems at RedViking. The duo dug into RedViking’s role as a leader in the helicopter testing industry, what goes into testing systems for helicopters and other aerospace manufacturing systems. RedViking and Lake have done $150 million in helicopter testing revenue, and they did it in just 10 years. To get to that sort of revenue is impressive, and the team has accomplished some significant feats to get there. “To get to $150 million in that short span of time has been quite a ride,” Lake said. In the late 1990s, RedViking started to get into testing systems, specifically in the auto industry. They started out testing and updating control systems. A couple of these automotive customers had some old equipment and were looking for ways to modernize the technology. “They came to Superior Controls [now RedViking] because we had a control systems background,” Lake said. “This opened the door to actually getting into some direct projects to design and build some systems from the ground up.” These projects helped build the groundwork as RedViking moved into the helicopter testing industry. Listen to learn more about RedViking’s journey into helicopter testing.

Industry 4.0 isn’t just about manufacturing and technology. It’s about wholly redefining manufacturing operations to achieve a more excellent circular economy and sustainable results. According to Deloitte, 70 percent of manufacturing executives believe their organization’s long-term success requires integrating industry 4.0 technology. But how do businesses get started? Here to give insights on this episode of RedTalks is Greg Giles, Executive Director at RedViking. Along with Host Tyler Kern, they talked about the benefits of industrial IoT, the interconnected network of devices woven together to improve the performance and efficiency of industrial processes. Giles grew up in Michigan, and his family worked in the automotive industry, so it was only natural that he would follow the same line. His parents were product engineers working for “The Big Three” auto companies, and he believed this was his future as well. As an electrical engineering student at the University of Michigan, Giles went on to work for an automotive company before embarking on his own journey at RedViking, where he’s been for roughly 24 years. Things have changed quite a bit over the years, but Industry 4.0 is set to reign in large changes. “Now, the desire to have more information more rapidly and more easily accessible is really a big challenge for a lot of people,” Giles noted.

Over the last half decade, the manufacturing industry has witnessed a slow but decisive shift toward trends such as automation, robotics and Industry 4.0 capabilities. However, the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the adoption of these trends for many companies. What does this mean for business leaders today? Josh McNeely, the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at RedViking, and Lexi Vargo, RedViking’s Director of Marketing, provide some insight into what manufacturing businesses can expect in 2021. “We service different industries,” said McNeely, listing markets like automotive, off-highway, military, aerospace and new energy. “And, depending on the industry, we’ve seen a varying adoption of these trends.” “But I would say the common theme through all manufacturing has really been around simplification, automation, smart connectivity with our devices and limiting risk.” He and Vargo also note the growing importance of Industry 4.0 in recent industry discussions. Essentially, Industry 4.0 is “bridging the physical assets of the industry with digital technologies,” Vargo said. “The more we can do that for a manufacturer and throughout the supply chain, the better they can compete with other companies and gain market share.” This trend in particular is changing how companies operate in areas like hiring and supply chain management, and businesses that want to get ahead would do well to incorporate this trend into their own organization. Of course, it’s important to understand the best way to implement this trend before jumping in headfirst. McNeely observed that most companies right now are taking a “staggered approach, a strategic approach. They’re limiting their investment and testing these technologies… Each industry is figuring that out for themselves.” Subscribe to the RedTalks podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for the latest insights on manufacturing from RedViking leaders and other industry experts.