MESA Knows Smart Manufacturing

"MESA Knows" is a semi-regular discussion lead by the MESA International Knowledge Committee Working Group. Group chair, Chris Monchinski, leads a panel of regular experts from the working group and invited guests to discuss topics that are relevant to the application of Analytics and Data Science to Industrial Digital Transformation.

MESA Knows Smart Manufacturing is a technology podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 29 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts MESA Knows Smart Manufacturing, a technology show with 29 episodes published.

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  Episode #4

  Forming Your IT/OT Dream Team

  May 27, 202655 minS4

  <p>Smart manufacturing initiatives often fail for reasons that have little to do with technology. The real challenge is organizational: bringing together IT, OT, engineering, operations, cybersecurity, data, and business teams into a cohesive digital transformation force.</p><p>In this episode of MESA Knows Smart Manufacturing, we explore what it takes to build the modern IT/OT “dream team.” As manufacturers pursue AI, industrial data platforms, cloud integration, cybersecurity modernization, and digital transformation at scale, the traditional boundaries between enterprise IT and operational technology are rapidly disappearing.</p><p>Our discussion examines the organizational models, leadership strategies, technical skill sets...

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  Episode #3

  How to Gain Value from Manufacturing Operations Software

  Apr 21, 202656 minS4

  <p>In this episode of MESA Knows Smart Manufacturing, ChrisMonchinski sits down with Julie Fraser of Tech-Clarity and key sponsors to discuss an important new industry initiative: the 2026 Business Value and Evolution of Manufacturing Operations Software (MOS) Study. </p><p>The conversation explores how the definition of manufacturing operations software has expanded beyond traditional MES to include a broader Level 3 ecosystem—encompassingquality, scheduling, inventory and warehouse management, EHS, maintenance (CMMS), connected worker technologies, and increasingly, AI-driven capabilities. </p><p>Julie, Glynn, Ryan and Rick share the origins of the research and explains why now is a pivotal moment for manufacturers to...

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  Episode #2

  Quantify and Measure Your Return on Data

  Mar 27, 202648 minS4

  <p>We’ve spent decades in the OT space measuring return on assets, return on capital… But what about return on data?</p><p>For this MESA “Knows” Podcast, we sat down with Joanne Friedman to tackle a question most organizations still can’t answer: What are we actually getting from our data?</p><p>Every enterprise can tell you what they spend on data—platforms, lakes, AI initiatives…<br />Very few can quantify the value it returns.</p><p>Joanne who is a long-time contributor to MESA has championed ways to quantitatively measure Return on Data (RoD) and demonstrate why data reuse...

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  Episode #1

  The SaaSpocolypse: Hype, Reality & the Future of MES

  Feb 25, 202655 minS4

  <p>What a wild ride in the past week for the software vendors of the S&P 500 and beyond! </p><p>In this episode, we sit down with Francisco Almada Lobo, CEO and co-founder of Critical Manufacturing, who used the term “SaaSpocolypse” to describe the growing tension between SaaS business models, AI "vibe-coding" and the operational realities of manufacturing software — particularly MES.</p><p>This conversation goes beyond hype. It challenges assumptions about deployment models, vendor lock-in, data ownership, and the future architecture of smart manufacturing systems.</p><p>If you care about the future of MES, interoperability, lifecycle thinking, and bu...

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  MESA Knows Smart Manufacturing

  The importance of Maturity Models in Digital Transformation

  Dec 18, 202536 minS3

  <p>A good maturity model doesn’t tell you how advanced you are—it tells you what risks you’re carrying and what you should do next. There maybe some skepticism out there on the value of maturity models and assessments; however, this is not just consultant-speak. A maturity model is a structured way to answer one of the hardest questions in digital transformation:</p><p>What are we ready for—and what are we not ready foryet?</p><p><br></p>

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