Episode 61: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark! Implementing Lights-Out Automation

Imagine walking into your shop and turning on the lights – only to find machines still running from the day before, and pallets of finished parts ready to ship. This is the reality with lights-out automation, and today we’ll be diving into everything involved with getting it going.

On this special episode of MACHINE SHOP TALK, Ian Sandusky from Lakewood Machine & Tool is joined by Greg Harris from Alicat Scientific who recently implemented automation with Methods Machine Tools. We’ll be discussing the practical benefits, the challenges, and the hurdles that had to be overcome to make it all happen.
With more shops experiencing difficulty finding employees and production bouncing back into full swing – Chris Campbell from Methods Machine Tools joins us next to give some guidance to shops looking to increase their output and keep spindles turning more hours in a day. Find out whether your shop is a good candidate for lights-out automation and some first steps you can take in this journey.

This special episode of Machine Shop Talk was brought to you by Methods Machine Tools.
Methods Machine Tools supplies high-quality, high-precision machine tools and automation solutions and designs integrated custom machining processes and systems. Headquartered in Sudbury, Mass., and in operation since 1958, Methods provides an end-to-end portfolio of best-in-class products, engineering, service, parts, training, and integration. With 11 technical centers and a precision center, Methods has installed more than 40,000 machine tools throughout North America. For more information, call 877-668-4262 or visit www.methodsmachine.com.