The Fabricator Podcast brings you conversations with people who make things out of metal. We speak with manufacturing leaders, metal fabricators, welders, job shop owners, small business entrepreneurs, artists, marketers, educators, and more. Host Dan Davis, Editor-in-Chief of The Fabricator, and a rotating co-hosts also go beyond discussing just manufacturing and the skilled trades, and chats about pop culture, current events, food, music, movies, comedy, and, of course, robots. Episodes dr ...
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BetaTalk is the recent winner of the British Renewable Energy Awards 2020 communication category “which recognises an organisation who has done most to enhance awareness or championed positive change for renewables or clean technology with key opinion formers: parliament, government or the public”Nathan Gambling known as BetaTeach on Twitter discusses energy and the transition to low carbon technologies such as solar thermal and heat pumps with some of the best renewable engineers. He is uni ...
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Automation improves people's lives. Allowing ‘bots to do the dirty, dangerous and monotonous work lets people be safer, more efficient, and work on more creative endeavors. Find out all the ways how on The Roboticist Chronicles, an ARC Specialties podcast. Listen Notes
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Traveling with the trades and starting a business with Adam Fullerton
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Adam Fullerton is a Toronto-based metal fabricator who specializes in creating railings, doors, and other accent pieces for commercial and residential settings. The wanderlust tradesman talks about his career working in different trades (like car restoration and masonry) around the world, from England to Australia to Canada, and how it all led to h…
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Advocating for the trades and changing lives with Jamie McMillan
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Jamie McMillan, founder of Made in the Trades and Kick Ass Careers, is a Canada-based advocate for the skilled trades industry. She discusses her journey in the trades, her efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in the industry, and her work in schools and communities across Canada. Jamie also talks about her coloring book project that aims to …
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Heat Loss Tools - Heat Pump Ready Projects
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1:10:56
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This is the second episode of the special Heat Pump Ready podcast series, in collaboration with the Carbon Trust with funding from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. In this episode, Nathan talks to 4 Heat Pump Ready projects to discuss ‘How Innovation can improve the heat pump survey and design process’. Key topics discussed include:…
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What do Heat Pump Installers Want? - Live Broadcast at the Installer Show
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Emma Bohan from IMS Heating came up with the idea for surveying heat pump installation companies big and small. She brought me on board with the project and I had Nesta help with the construction of the survey and its analysis. The podcast episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the Installer Show 2024 with some audience questions at th…
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Maintaining and automating Canadian manufacturing with Diane Reko
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45:06
Diane Reko, CEO of Reko International and Concorde Precision Machining, joins us to chat about her father starting the business in 1976, her taking over the company, implementing automation processes, and her thoughts on maintaining a strong manufacturing base in Canada. She also talks about her family's Hungarian roots, the automotive industry, th…
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The new rules in the welding industry with Max Ceron of CWB Group
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51:43
Max Ceron, the director of the CWB Association, discusses his role in supporting the welding and fabricating industry in Canada. He emphasizes the importance of upskilling the current workforce and creating opportunities for the next generation of welders and fabricators. Ceron also talks about the need for better communication between welders and …
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What Does a New Government Mean for Energy and Heat Decarbonisation
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58:02
In the first episode of season 10 which is being sponsored by Ultimate Renewables Supplies Nathan speaks with Madeleine Gabriel the Mission Director for Sustainable Future mission at NESTA and Adam Bell, formerly a civil servant at DECC, BEIS and DESNZ and now policy Director at Stonehaven. Support the Show.…
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Developing careers in welding and a sisterhood with Desirée Guzmán
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Desirée Guzmán, a welding instructor with Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT), joins us to talk about her full-circle career as welder. She talks about how she was inspired by a metal artist she met during a trip to Puerto Rico to start her own jewelry-making business. She also explains how that piqued her interest in learning how to weld. Desirée discu…
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Achieving goals in high-volume metal fabrication with Matt Brunner
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Matt Brunner, co-founder and co-owner of Manitowoc, Wis.-based Brunner Fabrication joins us to talk about how he transformed his family's autobody shop into a successful metal fab shop focused on high-volume production. Brunner talks about launching his fabrication business in 2018, growing the shop footprint to 12,000 sq. ft., finding a niche in h…
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Lessons in laser cutting technology investment with Jeff Cupples
1:01:23
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Jeff Cupples, the president of Jackson, Tenn.-based Cupples J&J Company, discusses his experience with laser cutting machines and the benefits of high-powered lasers. He explains how his job shop has pushed the envelope with laser cutting technology, constantly seeking more power, speed, and acceleration. He emphasizes the importance of consistency…
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Fabric Fifth - has SHDF Mismanagement Wasted Tax Payers Money?
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In this episode I spoke to Nigel Banks, Technical Director at Octopus Energy. Nigel is author of Fabric Fifth which many now see as the common sense approach to retrofitting and decarbonising homes. Nigel spoke in a personal capacity. I was extremely grateful he came on the show. I have been critical of Octopus in certain regards but am also well a…
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Jaxon Baker - Mechanical Engineering Student at Texas A&M
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Calling all future automotive engineers! This episode dives into the world of Baja SAE with Jackson Baker, a sophomore mechanical engineering student at Texas A&M. Jackson recently served as chief engineer for his university's Baja team, leading the design and construction of an off-road vehicle to compete in a grueling endurance race. Tune in to h…
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Evolving with manufacturing and learning lessons with Chaz Schroeder
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Chaz Schroeder of Black River Group joins The Fabricator Podcast this week to talk about evolution of his family's manufacturing business, adapting to change, staying ahead of the industry curve, and more. Chaz explains how Black River Group, a third generation family-owned company in Mansfield, Ohio, evolved over 55 years from a marketing agency t…
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A conversation with Champion Heat Pump Installers
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56:40
Nathan sat down with three regional winners for the 2024 Heating Installer Awards. They explain their winning installs as well as well as discussing the current trends happening in the industry Support the Show.By Nathan Gambling BetaTeach
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Developing a one-stop fabrication shop through community and automation
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Cameron Adams of Laser Precision, a contract metal fabricator in the Chicago area, joins the podcast to talk about how the family-run business has grown from a small 6,000-sq.-ft. shop to a 130,000-sq.-ft facility that serves large OEMs in the heavy equipment industry. Adams describes Laser Precision as a one-stop shop by providing end-to-end proce…
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Heat Pump & Fabric First Debate Featuring the Insulation Manufacturers Association
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58:37
Nathan was grateful the IMA reached out to ask if their CEO, Simon Storer, could come on the podcast to contribute to a very interesting debate. Nigel Banks from Octopus (who wrote this fabric article) was scheduled to appear on the show and will be coming on for a follow up episode. Nathan was very grateful Richard Erskine, who could step in at sh…
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New-school approach to an old-school family manufacturing business
1:07:38
1:07:38
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Patrick Brunken, VP of Addison Machine Engineering, joins The Fabricator Podcast to talk about the tube and pipe industry, running a multi-generational family-owned business, keeping up with tube mill technology, and moving operations from Chicago to Reedsburg, Wis. Brunken discusses the challenges and rewards of running a family-owned mid-sized co…
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Nathan sat down to chat all things heat pumps and training with Clayton Brown from CB Heating. EDF acquired CB Heating back in 2022 which is one of the largest heat pump installation entities in the UK. EDF’s strategic investment and partnership with CB Heating have supported the development of the HPIN Academy. This academy provides free training …
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A Gen Zer's take on the trades and representing the toolbelt generation
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53:00
Seth Feldman of Iowa-based Wertzbaugher Services joins The Fabricator Podcast to offer his take as a Gen Zer working in metal fabrication, why he turned to the skilled trades instead of the traditional college path, and thoughts on representing what's been dubbed the "toolbelt generation." Feldman explains how after high school, he pursued a tradit…
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Transforming automated sheet metal fabrication with Caleb Chamberlain
1:03:29
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In this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, Caleb Chamberlain, co-founder and CEO of OSH Cut, discusses his company’s unique approach to sheet metal fabricating. Chamberlain explains how OSH Cut offers an online platform that allows customers to upload their designs and receive instant quotes for laser cutting and bending services. He also describes…
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Radiator Outputs Could Cause Heat Pump Problems
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51:04
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Heat pumps move energy from and energy source e.g. air, ground water (hence they are called :air source, ground source) to a sink. The sink is the emitter system within a home e.g. radiators, underfloor heating (UFH) and fan coils. Engineers, Installers, designers and the occupants of a home rely on radiators having accurate power output data. Unfo…
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Managing chaos, manufacturing innovation, rolling up with Brian Steel
1:03:55
1:03:55
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In this podcast episode, Brian Steel, CEO of Cadrex Manufacturing, discusses the challenges of acquiring, merging, and integrating multiple metal fabrication businesses under one organization. He emphasizes the importance of aligning technical expertise, managing capacity, and implementing ERP systems. Steel highlights the need for speed and agilit…
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Welding, teaching, podcasting, and business ownership with Jason Becker
1:07:51
1:07:51
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This week on The Fabricator Podcast, Jason Becker, host of the Arc Junkies Podcast and owner of Underground Metal Works, shares his journey into welding and how the trade has opened doors he never would have expected, leading him to become an ironworker, educator, podcaster, and business owner. Becker talks about how he earned his first welding cer…
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The Ideal Experience for a Heat Pump Customer
1:15:46
1:15:46
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In this episode Nathan chats to Paul Eastwood, Head of Energy Systems Planning at OFGEM and the past Senior Climate and Energy Advisor at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Also joining the heat pump conversation is engineer Barry Sharpe from Renewable Heat The discussion focuses on what an ideal customer journey is. Paul has had a h…
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Manufacturing's place in today's political climate with Omar Nashashibi
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43:07
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43:07
Omar Nashashibi, co-founder of The Franklin Partnership and a lobbyist representing manufacturing trade associations, joins The Fabricator Podcast to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing sheet metal fabricators and other manufacturers in the current political climate. He emphasizes the importance of workforce development, stable tax poli…
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Changing company culture and reaping rewards with Todd Ludlow
1:05:35
1:05:35
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After Ludlow Manufacturing Inc. (LMI) received The Fabricator's 2024 Industry Award, Todd Ludlow, founder and president of the Waukegan, Ill.-based metal fabrication business, joined us on the podcast to expound on it all. Ludlow discusses his journey of starting and growing his own fabrication business. He reflects on his early days as a machine o…
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Current Issues at the Heat Pump Coalface
1:01:40
1:01:40
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Nathan chats to Barry Sharpe from Renewable Heat, Emma Bohan from IMS Heat Pumps and Steve Webster from EGE Energy about the MCS hybrid consultation, heat pump training as well as glycol and anti-freeze valves. Support the Show.By Nathan Gambling BetaTeach
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Scrap metal art and overcoming obstacles with Michael Bennett
1:07:09
1:07:09
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In this episode, Michael Bennett, a welder and metal artist based in Wadsworth, Ill., joins The Fabricator Podcast to discuss how an unfortunate car accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down reignited his passion for working with metal, particularly scrap metal. Michael talks about how attending mechanic school helped instill a mindset o…
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Next level software automation and efficiency for fabrication shops
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27:55
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27:55
In this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, sponsored by Salvagnini America and part of the Automation Talk series, Tim Heston interviews Clay Case and Matt Humerick of Salvagnini about the role of software automation in modern precision sheet metal fabrication. They discuss the challenges and bottlenecks in the fabrication process, the importance o…
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The shifting manufacturing landscape with The Partner Companies
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53:47
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In this episode, Christian Streu, CFO of The Partner Companies, and Charles Cohen, President of FotoFab, join The Fabricator Podcast to talk about the growing trend of mergers and acquisitions in manufacturing. They discuss the evolution of Chicago-based The Partner Companies and how smaller manufacturing and fabrication businesses can benefit from…
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How Swedish Company AIRA Will Help the Heating & Energy Transition
1:02:31
1:02:31
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Sweden have had a long tradition with heating technologies and have incredible expertise regarding heat pumps. Nathan talks to the Swedish company AIRA, the new entrant to the UK's heating and home renewables industry. AIRA will be installing heat pump and other technologies across Europe bringing their expertise first to Italy, Germany and the UK.…
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Fabricating Hot Wheels and being a rebel welder with Pa'Trice Frazier
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28:42
On this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, Philadelphia-based welder and trades advocate Pa'Trice Frazier joins host Dan Davis and Josh Welton at SEMA, in partnership with Miller Electric. Pa'Trice chats about how she got her start as a welder and working Atlanta projects like the Mercedes Benz Stadium, Spanx Headquarters, Marta Buckhead Bridge, an…
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You are a Special Group of People - Thank you
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As the title states, you are a very special group of people to me. You listen to me ramble on about heating for a start and I am very grateful for that.. So, thank you. I appreciate that very much. This is the first episode of 2024 and I wanted to do something a bit special. Something for you. As you know, this podcast is called BetaTALK... and the…
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Lincoln Continentals and custom wheels with Emma Sauve of Mobsteel
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49:33
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Emma Sauve of Mobsteel and Detroit Steel Wheel brings the energy as she joins host Dan Davis and Josh Welton on this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, in partnership with Miller Electric at SEMA 2023 in Las Vegas. Emma talks about the history of Mobsteel and how its focus on customizing Lincoln Continentals from the 1960s led to the creation of De…
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A Rolls-Royce and other SEMA builds with Ryan Fielding of Ringbrothers
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58:19
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58:19
Ryan Fielding of Ringbrothers joins hosts Dan Davis and Josh Welton on this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, in partnership with Miller Electric at SEMA 2023 in Las Vegas. Ryan goes into detail about the three builds that Wisconsin-based Ringbrothers displayed at SEMA: a 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible called “Uncaged”, a 1961 Rolls-Royce Silver Cl…
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Season 9 is sponsored by Grundfos and in this episode Nathan speaks to James Twallin about the software and codes behind the heating industry. Support the Show.By Nathan Gambling BetaTeach
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Welding in motorsports with Andy Weyenberg of Miller Electric
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In this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, and in partnership with Miller Electric, Andy Weyenberg from Miller's motorsports division and Real Garage with Andy, joins us live at SEMA 2023 in Las Vegas to discuss the welding industry and its applications in the performance racing industry. Andy talks about his love of motorsports, the science behind…
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In this episode of the Roboticist Chronicles, your host Dan Allford invites Jean Rabatin, a distinguished industry expert from Yaskawa Motoman, to share her wealth of experience in the realm of robotics and automation. Jean recounts stories from her early days in the field and sheds light on the challenges of integration spanning over two decades. …
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In this episode Nathan chats to Paul Spence, a very competent and highly regarded heating engineer. Paul installs a range of heating system types including heat pumps. It's a long but highly interesting episode. If you want to hear Paul's credentials first skip to around the 1hr 05 min mark... and then come back to the beginning of course. Paul als…
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Outsourcing and 3D printing in custom fabrication with iRcustom
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52:39
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Brothers Anthony and Rob DiVito, the founders of custom furniture shop iRcustom, make their return to The Fabricator Podcast to offer more transparent insight into small business ownership in the metal fabrication industry. This time, they brought with them a coffee table for our revamped studio. We chat about the fabrication details of that projec…
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Broadening your mental toolbox in the skilled trades with Joe Clark
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Joe Clark, CEO and founder of Architectural Elements, joins The Fabricator Podcast to talk custom fabrication, business ownership, video production, and more. He discusses the early days of his career and how he took his Seattle-area business from a garage shop to what Clark calls a multi disciplined organization that focuses design, production and…
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Making art and helping inspire future welders with Staci Martinez
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44:35
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Staci Martinez joins The Fabricator Podcast to talk about starting her own small business in Sioux Falls, S.D. called 605 Shield Maiden, which focuses on creating metal art sculptures, fabricating handrails, and combing wood and metal to make furniture. She discusses how working briefly as a production welder and seeing all the potential in the scr…
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Look at the Best Performing Heat Pump Systems in Real Time
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57:48
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Here is the link to the heat pump installer survey (lot's of prizes to be won) In this episode Nathan speaks with Glyn Hudson and Trystan Lea who along with open source enthusiasts have created open energy monitor and heat pump monitor. Heat pump installers and consumers are installing monitoring equipment such as heat meters onto their heat pump s…
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Winning and fabricating trophies with Tom Patsis of Cold Hard Art
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Tom Patsis of Cold Hard Art joins the podcast to talk about the never-ending business of designing, fabricating, and building trophies for motorsports events. Tom sits down with hosts Josh Welton and Dan Davis at FABTECH 2023 in Chicago, and opens up about how he left his job at Don Schumacher Racing as a fabricator to start his own business, as we…
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Charles Young with A3 Association for Advancing Automation
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26:31
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By ARC Specialties
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The rapid pace of automation and robotics with Aaron Prather of ASTM
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47:08
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47:08
Aaron Prather, the director for the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Program at ASTM International, joins The Fabricator Podcast to talk about the importance of robotics and automation standards in manufacturing and the metal fabrication sector. Prather emphasizes the need for input from small and medium-sized businesses in order to address their sp…
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How Do We Get Flexible Demand on the Electric Grid
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49:00
Nathan speaks with Sandra Trittin, co-founder of tiko Energy Solutions and co-host of the podcast Talking New Energy from LCP Delta. Joining Sandra is Talking New Energy's other host Jon Slow partner at LCP Delta. The discussion centres around how we may be able to heat pumps, batteries and EVs as as virtual power plants to increase the flexibility…
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Go-kart fabrication, Fast & Furious, and SEMA with Red Beard's Garage
1:08:16
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Greg Davis of Red Beard's Garage joins hosts Josh Welton and Rafael Guerrero to talk about his wildly popular YouTube channel, which he uses to teach people how to build and fabricate small engine vehicles like go-karts, minibikes, and side-by-sides. He shares how he started this venture by wanting to build his daughter a go-kart without any prior …
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How hydroforming works and serves metal manufacturing with Schuler
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20:44
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In this episode of The Fabricator podcast, sponsored by Schuler Group, host Dan Davis interviews Chris McMahon of Schuler North America about tubular hydroforming and how it serves the manufacturing industry. McMahon explains that the metal forming process involves loading a tube into a die, closing the die, and using water pressure to shape the tu…
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In the first episode of a new season Nathan chats to James Macnaghten, CEO of Caldera. Caldera manufacture and supply thermal storage solutions for industrial heat processes. Get early access to their investment opportunity here Thank you to season sponsors Grundfos Support the Show.By Nathan Gambling BetaTeach
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