Rowan, an Engineer from TrackMyMachines talks to experts in the field of manufacturing to find out how you can capture, monitor and analyse data in your factory or workshop.
We interview researchers, industry professionals and technology experts to help you increase your productivity with the help of data
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In this episode of Data Driven Manufacturing, I sat down with Rupert Blackstone, Managing Director of Wattcraft, to unpack something a bit different—but just as crucial to the world of manufacturing: carbon impact. We kicked things off with a quiz that really made me stop and think—what actually has a bigger carbon footprint, cycling to work or driving? Rupert challenged some of my assumptions right out of the gate.
From there, we dug into the surprising carbon costs of everyday habits—leaving lights on, sending emails, and even what we eat. One standout moment was a discussion about bananas (yes, bananas). You’d think importing them from across the world would be terrible for the environment—but it turns out the full story is more complex, especially when you compare it to the impact of more intensive, local farming.
That led us into life cycle analysis—the proper, whole-system way to understand the environmental impact of products and processes. Rupert helped break down how this applies not just to consumer choices, but also to sustainable manufacturing. It’s an eye-opening conversation about context, trade-offs, and why the right data matters if we’re serious about sustainability.
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30 Jun 2025
#7 - Tom Smith
Engineer Tom Smith discusses digitizing shop floor knowledge to create scalable manufacturing systems with host Rowan Easter-Robinson, highlighting software's transformative power in reducing waste and improving efficiency in this interview.
28 May 2025
#6 - Steve Thompson
Steve Thompson, Engineering Lead, discusses CNC coolant management's impact on machine shop air quality, highlighting the importance of sensor technology in manufacturing in an interview.
9 Feb 2025
#5 Carl Parry
In this episode of Data Driven Manufacturing, we talk to well-known and excellent Manufacturing Engineer, Carl Parry. He's been working on production optimisation and new projects at Gardner Denver in Bradford for over 11 years. Having successfully lead a huge number of optimisation projects and with an exciting new capital investment for the site on the way, we're really happy to be talking to Carl.
He was also one of the first TrackMyMachines customers, having started using it to measure the site's productivity over 3 years ago.
Today's discussion is around what a Manufacturing Engineer's job really is, how to be a successful one, and how data plays a massive role in bringing plants up to their maximum productivity potential.
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1 Jan 2025
#4 Erdem Ozturk
In this episode of Data Driven Manufacturing, Rowan Robinson speaks with Erdem Öztürk, founder and CEO of Productive Machines. Öztürk shares his journey from building a CNC drilling machine as a student to pioneering advancements in machining dynamics. He discusses the challenges of bridging the gap between academic research and industry applications, his work at the AMRC, and how these experiences led to the creation of his startup Productive Machines.
We explore innovative solutions for optimizing machining processes, minimizing inefficiencies, and leveraging advanced modeling techniques to transform manufacturing.
You can check out the machining optimisation technology from Productive Machines at their website here: https://productivemachines.co.uk/
To find out more about Rowan's company that can help you monitor your CNC machinery cost-effectively check out TrackMyMachines at https://trackmymachines.com
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4 Dec 2024
#3 Gareth Evans
Gareth Evans, a health and safety expert, shares insights on mitigating health risks in machine shops using low-cost sensors and best practices for workplace safety.
15 Oct 2024
#2 - Andrew Sherlock: Custom CAD databases, Model change tracking, CoLab at NMIS
This episode explores how data science, AI, and machine learning are used to improve manufacturing competitiveness, productivity, and sustainability. It highlights ShapeSpace's technology, which optimizes CAD model management and identifies component duplication in sectors such as aerospace and automotive. The discussion also covers the Data Driven Design and Manufacturing CoLab (D3M CoLab), an initiative that equips company staff with skills to bridge the gap between data science and manufacturing. Additionally, the episode addresses the challenges that SMEs face when adopting data-driven technologies, such as deciding between off-the-shelf solutions, customization, or in-house development. Emphasis is placed on the need for educated decision-making and ongoing support to ensure successful technology adoption in manufacturing.
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15 Oct 2024
#1 Conor Mac Fadden: Machine connectivity, making best use of data, Colab
Conor Mac Fadden is a Manufacturing Engineer at the National Manufacturing Institute of Scotland (NMIS). He's been working on manufacturing projects with the Universtity of Strathclyde for over 5 years to date.
Recently he's been interested in connecting CNC machinery up to monitor their productivity. Having organised a Data in Manufacturing event at NMIS, Rowan managed to collar him to discuss in detail about how manufacturers can connect and monitor their machinery, why they'd want to do it and other concerns in this field like security.
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Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Podcast Authority Score: 17 / 100
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Quality
7
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YouTube
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Engagement
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