#industrial-automation
51 episodes · Page 2 of 3
#2972: How Pallets Make Global Trade Work
The humble pallet is the unsung hero of global trade. Here’s how consolidation works from factory floor to container ship.
#2970: The $300,000 Paint Job: Inside Airliner Coating Science
Why painting a 737 costs more than a house and involves self-healing chemicals, thermal stress math, and 1,100 square meters of precision.
#2966: When Did We Stop Making Our Own Clothes?
Mass-produced clothing is only about 150 years old. Your great-great-grandparents likely wore handmade clothes.
#2953: Marker Ink vs. Synthetic Fabric: The Real Test
Oil-based vs. water-based markers on neoprene and nylon — which ink actually survives rain, flexing, and UV?
#2901: Can Ink Outlast Stone? The 5,000-Year Quest for Permanence
Egyptian lampblack lasts 4,000 years. Iron gall ink eats through paper. Which marking tech actually wins?
#2894: Dishwasher vs Marker: The Chemistry of "Permanent
Why your Sharpie fails in the dishwasher, and what actually works for plastic, fabric, and food safety.
#2887: The Red Dot Design Award: What It Actually Means
What is the Red Dot award on your mouse and vacuum? A 25% win rate, €4,000+ fees, and genuine design expertise.
#2866: What Happens to Jerusalem's Unsorted Trash?
Jerusalem doesn't ask you to sort your trash. The machines do it instead — with hyperspectral cameras and air jets.
#2851: How a Wax Stick Beats Sharpies on Steel
The industrial marking tool that outlasts Sharpies, survives 2000°F, and sticks to oily steel.
#2800: The Two Meanings of Industrial Design
Industrial design is a profession. The "industrial look" is something else entirely. Here's where they split.
#2715: Why Studebaker Owners Are Different
What drives thousands of people to obsess over a car brand that died in 1966? It's more than nostalgia.
#2596: The Hidden World of Industrial Computing
Two parallel tech worlds: industrial systems integrators and IT managed service providers. How they differ, and why one pays $300/hour.
#2399: When Permanent Means Surviving 400°C
Why do industrial markers like the Edding 780 outperform art store Sharpies? It’s all about chemistry, adhesion, and surviving harsh conditions.
#2363: The Chasm Between Breadboard and Pacemaker
How do tiny computers power everything from hobbyist projects to life-saving medical implants? The engineering constraints are worlds apart.
#2295: Why Taiwan's Automation Strategy Leaves the West Behind
Asus has achieved 85% automation in motherboard production—how did they outpace Western competitors?
#2105: The Hidden 2006 Inflection Point of ERP
Before cloud and AI, ERPs were the unglamorous engines running global business. Here's how they worked in 2006.
#2079: The Geopolitics of Grey Boxes
Why factories still run on ladder logic, VxWorks, and rugged grey boxes instead of cloud servers.
#1902: How a Single Blood Vial Becomes Hundreds of Results
A single vial of blood can yield hundreds of results. Here’s the high-tech industrial process that makes it possible.
#1899: Why Japan's Vending Machines Thrive While America's Struggle
From Roman holy water to Japan’s soup-dispensing giants, we explore why vending machines jam—and why America’s are stuck in the past.
#1755: Industrial Targets as Chemical Weapons by Proxy
A missile hit a pesticide plant. Now a toxic plume threatens Beersheba, blurring the line between industry and chemical warfare.
#1468: Life Support at Four Kilometers Deep
Explore the extreme engineering and lethal conditions of Mponeng, the world’s deepest gold mine, where ice and AI keep workers alive.
#968: Breaking the Air Gap: The Truth About Industrial Cyber War
Beyond the "hacker in a hoodie" myth, we explore how state actors breach air-gapped systems to sabotage critical physical infrastructure.
#781: From Monolith to Constellation: Why AI Hubs Are Specializing
Explore how the US AI map is shifting in 2026, from San Francisco’s frontier labs to the specialized industrial hubs of Houston and NYC.
#769: When Manuals Learn to See in 3D
Discover how AI and spatial computing are turning complex hardware repairs into real-time, interactive experiences.