Making Chips Podcast for Manufacturing Leaders Podcast Por MakingChips LLC arte de portada

Making Chips Podcast for Manufacturing Leaders

Making Chips Podcast for Manufacturing Leaders

De: MakingChips LLC
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Manufacturing is tough—but you don't have to go it alone. If you're leading a manufacturing business, you face constant pressure: staying competitive, adopting new tech, managing people, and driving growth. MakingChips helps you tackle those challenges head-on. Since 2014, we've been equipping manufacturing leaders with the knowledge and inspiration they need to succeed. With hundreds of episodes and over a million downloads, MakingChips is a top resource for the metalworking nation—covering leadership, operations, technology, and workforce development. If making chips is part of your daily grind, this is your podcast. Join hosts Nick Goellner, Mike Payne, and Paul Van Metre for real talk on the issues that matter most. Economía Exito Profesional Gestión Gestión y Liderazgo
Episodios
  • Turn It Up to 11: From YouTube Learning to Aerospace Growth with Nick Preece, 516

    Turn It Up to 11: From YouTube Learning to Aerospace Growth with Nick Preece, 516
    Apr 6 2026
    What happens when a college engineering student buys a CNC machine just to experiment… and accidentally builds an aerospace machine shop? That's exactly what Nick Preece did. What started as a curiosity fueled by YouTube videos and garage tinkering quickly evolved into Preece Machining & Assembly, a fast-growing shop focused on complex, high-mix aerospace work. In this Gen CNC episode, Nick shares how he bootstrapped the business from a used mill and a $1,200/month goal into a 10+ machine operation. Alongside his brother Tanner, the two built a company rooted in technical problem-solving, disciplined growth, and a willingness to learn everything the hard way, from customer concentration risk to hiring challenges. The conversation dives into how young shops can compete with larger manufacturers by focusing on complex work, building strong customer relationships, and creating positive sales pressure. Nick also explains how painful lessons around diversification forced them to rethink outreach, refine their quoting strategy, and become more intentional about the work they pursue. Nick also discusses scaling a team, investing in five-axis capability, and even bringing on strategic partners to accelerate growth. With a vision of building a full "PMA campus" and a culture built on kindness and urgency, Nick offers a real-world look at what it takes for the next generation of manufacturing leaders to grow fast without losing focus. His advice for anyone starting a shop? Don't just compete, turn it up to 11 and deliver something exceptional every single time. Segments (0:00) Introduction and welcome to Gen CNC featuring Nick Preece(2:24) Preece Machining & Assembly overview and aerospace focus(4:22) Origin story: learning machining on YouTube and starting in a garage(7:40) Working with family and division of responsibilities with Tanner(12:39) Bootstrapping the first machine to multiple machines and five-axis investments(15:00) Head to DN Solutions Manufacturing Without Limits event(15:59) How they make decisions on capital equipment(17:47) Sales and marketing strategy, customer concentration, and diversification(20:15) Building a sales process and generating positive sales pressure(21:34) First in, First Order: What is your ideal part profile?(27:7) Pricing pressure, margins, and competing during slow periods(30:54) Hiring strategy, workforce challenges, and recruiting experienced talent(33:55) Shop culture: kindness, urgency, and high performance(36:33) Why we love SMW Autoblok for workholding(38:48) Long-term vision and building a "PMA campus"(42:39) Five-axis strategy and thoughts on automation(45:10) Why you need to come see us at IMTS 2026(46:04) Bringing on investment partners and scaling the business(49:24) Nick's advice to young founders: "turn it up to 11" Resources mentioned on this episode NYC CNC/John SaundersJohn GrimsmoHead to DN Solutions Manufacturing Without Limits event: DN-Solutions.comPaperless Parts: What is your ideal part profile?Why we love SMW Autoblok for workholdingHire MFG LeadersWhy you need to come see us at IMTS 2026 Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.comOn FacebookOn LinkedInOn InstagramOn TwitterOn YouTube
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    52 m
  • From Model Trains to Machining: How a 26-Year-Old Founder Turned Passion Into Precision, 515

    From Model Trains to Machining: How a 26-Year-Old Founder Turned Passion Into Precision, 515
    Mar 30 2026

    What happens when a childhood obsession with trains turns into a manufacturing business? In this episode of MakingChips Generation CNC, we sit down with Chris Huffman, a young shop owner who launched Huffman Machining Solutions at just 21 years old. Now 26, Chris is building his business one machine, one customer, and one calculated risk at a time.

    Chris didn't grow up in a machining family, and he didn't follow the traditional path into manufacturing. Instead, his curiosity started with steam locomotives and model trains. That fascination led him to learn how parts were made, which eventually pulled him into machining. Along the way, he realized he didn't just love trains. He loved the process of turning raw material into precision components.

    That passion evolved into opportunity. Requests for custom parts began to pile up, and Chris saw a path forward. With minimal overhead, a steady job at a community college, and a willingness to take calculated risks, he bought his first machine, found a small space, and started building his shop from the ground up.

    In this conversation, Chris shares the realities of starting young. He talks through financing equipment, navigating insurance challenges, buying used machines, and learning business skills on the fly. He also opens up about the mental side of entrepreneurship, including the pressure of hiring a first employee and the responsibility that comes with building something bigger than yourself.

    This episode is a great look at what the next generation of manufacturing founders actually looks like. It's not about overnight success. It's about passion, persistence, and slowly laying the track to build a sustainable machine shop.

    Segments
    • (0:00) Introduction to Chris Huffman and the Generation CNC young founder series
    • (1:06) Starting a machine shop at 21 and the story behind Huffman Machining Solutions
    • (4:30) From model trains to machining and discovering a passion for manufacturing
    • (9:18) Why you need to come see us at IMTS 2026!
    • (11:00) Desire to work on historic locomotives and falling in love with machining itself
    • (14:10) Demand for parts lead to launching the business in 2022
    • (16:16) Transitioning from teaching machining to running a shop full-time
    • (19:30) Financing the first machine and lessons learned about tooling costs
    • (22:02) Buying a used Mazak and costly surprises after purchase
    • (25:54) Adding additional machines and building capability as a one-man shop
    • (28:43) Paperless Parts: CMMC compliant and secure option for estimating and quoting
    • (29:55) The "#ThankAMachinist" mindset and educating others about manufacturing
    • (33:20) Hiring plans, apprenticeships, and outgrowing the current space
    • (37:13) The fear and responsibility of hiring the first employee
    • (38:40) Why we created Hire MFG Leaders (and why you should use it)
    • (39:08) Learning the business side: scheduling, marketing, and sales
    • (41:39) Long-term goals including ISO certification and ERP implementation
    • (43:15) Letting go of machining work to grow the business
    • (45:21) Opportunity to acquire retiring shop owners' businesses
    • (46:50) Hosts' reflections on passion-driven paths into manufacturing
    Resources mentioned on this episode
    • IMTS 2026: https://www.imts.com/
    • Paperless Parts: https://www.paperlessparts.com/
    • Coffey Machining Group: https://coffeymg.com/
    • The E-Myth Revisited: https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280
    • Huffman Machining Solutions: https://huffmanmachining.com/
    • Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-huffman-93b69423b/
    • Chris@HuffmanMachining.com
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    50 m
  • From Engineering Lab to 5-Axis Shop: How Two Founders Under 30 Built Three Rivers Precision, 514

    From Engineering Lab to 5-Axis Shop: How Two Founders Under 30 Built Three Rivers Precision, 514
    Mar 23 2026
    They started a machine shop before turning 30… and doubled their projections in year one. In this episode of MakingChips Generation CNC, we sit down with Sean and Sinjon of Three Rivers Precision to hear how two mechanical engineers turned hands-on curiosity into a high-end machining business focused on five-axis work, titanium, and complex parts. What began in a university machine shop quickly evolved into five years of learning inside a young manufacturing company, where they gained experience across programming, estimating, project management, and customer communication. When that company shifted direction, they made the leap. They mapped out their financial runway, secured startup funding, built out an empty facility, and launched with a clear strategy: focus on difficult materials, deliver fast, and build relationships by exceeding expectations. The result? A fully booked shop, automation plans, and growth without rushing to hire. Sean and Sinjon also share how they structured a 50/50 partnership, why they're prioritizing lights-out machining over headcount, their philosophy on paying skilled machinists well, and the mindset that helped them go all-in and build a modern machine shop from day one. From funding and partnerships to five-axis strategy and customer acquisition, this episode offers a candid look at how the next generation of manufacturing leaders is building modern machine shops from day one. Segments (0:00) Introduction to Sean and Sinjon from Three Rivers Precision and their growth journey(2:21) Meeting at the University of Pittsburgh and early exposure to machining(9:04) Why Sean and Sinjon decided to launch Three Rivers Precision(15:15) Paperless Parts and secure AI-powered quoting for manufacturers(16:27) The emotional and financial risk of leaving secure jobs(17:53) Working with the Small Business Development Center(19:14) SMW Autoblok and the seven habits of highly effective workholding(21:04) Turning an empty shell into a working shop and their early sales strategy(24:02) Why they chose a higher-end machine strategy from the beginning(26:20) Why one-op or two-op efficiency matters more than "fancy" five-axis parts(27:30) Why they intentionally pursued harder materials(32:04) Paperless Parts: How to take the complexity out of running your business(39:53 ) How they're finding work and thinking about future growth(43:11) Their decision to pursue AS9100 early(44:43) What it's like to co-own a 50/50 business(47:04) Building a business around quality of life and flexibility(49:12) Factur and building a more consistent pipeline(53:52) How they're tracking against their original business plan(57:15) What was critical to their successful first year?(1:01:19) Final advice for young founders(1:03:05) Where to find Three Rivers Precision Resources mentioned on this episode SBDCCDFIFactur can help you build a more consistent pipeline: FacturMFG.com/chipsPaperless Parts and secure AI-powered quoting for manufacturersSMW Autoblok and the seven habits of highly effective workholdingThreeRiversPrecision.comConnect on LinkedInHello@ThreeRiversPrevision.com Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.comOn FacebookOn LinkedInOn InstagramOn TwitterOn YouTube
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    1 h y 4 m
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