Lee Morgan with Fluke
Industrial Talk is onsite at Xcelerate 2026 and talking to Lee Morgan, Sr. Manager, Global Product Marketing at Fluke about “Customer’s are vital to innovative success”.
Overview
The Industrial Talk podcast, hosted by Scott Mackenzie, features Lee Morgan from Fluke discussing the company’s new products and strategies at the Xcelerate event. Morgan highlights the interactive breakout sessions and the importance of customer feedback in product development. He introduces the new Rotaline Core and Rotaline Elite alignment tools, which include a built-in ROI calculator to demonstrate energy savings. The video replay feature allows for more accurate data collection. Fluke has streamlined its portfolio to two main products, offering flexibility and cost-effectiveness. The conversation also touches on the broader benefits of proper shaft alignment in terms of energy savings, reliability, and maintenance costs.
Alex Mecl with Realhand
Industrial Talk is onsite at MD&M West and talking to Alex Mecl, Co-Founder Real Hand, Inc. about “Next level automation with hand dexterity”.
The conversation features Scott MacKenzie from the Industrial Talk podcast discussing the MDNM West event with Alex Mecl, CMO and co-founder of Real Hand. Real Hand offers robotic hands with human-like dexterity to solve the final 10% of automation tasks that require human interaction. They can mimic up to 21 degrees of freedom (DOF) and incorporate pressure and tactile sensors. A use case involves sorting plastic bags, which can be learned by the robotic hand in 3-6 months. The company aims to enhance physical intelligence in robots, potentially revolutionizing fields like sign language translation. Listeners are encouraged to connect with Alex Meckel on LinkedIn.
Dr. Karl Hoffower with Failure Prevention Associates
Industrial Talk is onsite at SMRP 2025 and talking to Dr. Karl Hoffower, Executive Director at Failure Prevention Associates about “Industrial Skills Gaps”.
Scott Mackenzie and Dr. Karl Hoffower discuss the importance of asset management and reliability in industrial settings. Dr. Hoffower, former Chief of Physical Medicine and Rehab, now leads Failure Prevention Associates, which provides diagnostic tools and services for asset condition monitoring. They highlight the parallels between healthcare diagnostics and asset monitoring, emphasizing the need for human expertise to interpret AI-generated data. Dr. Hoffower also addresses the skills gap in the labor force, noting a decline in labor participation rates to 63% from 80%. They stress the importance of education and training to inspire the next generation and ensure the success of IoT and wireless sensor technologies.
Will Ocean with Maintain Reliability
Industrial Talk is onsite at Xcelerate 2026 and talking to Will Ocean, Managing Director with Maintain Reliability about “Operational success starts with reliability”.
The conversation revolves around the Fluke Xcelerate 2026 event, which focused on reliability, predictive maintenance, and AI diagnostics. Scott MacKenzie, the host of the Industrial Talk Podcast, interviews Will Ocean, a Managing Director at Maintain Reliability, about the importance of culture and technology in industrial operations. They discuss the challenges of implementing reliability strategies, the need for mentorship and training, and the difficulty of measuring the ROI of preventive measures. Will emphasizes the importance of a cultural shift towards reliability and the role of thought leaders in inspiring and educating the next generation of industry professionals.
Tyson Robinett and Alex Hawes with Central Power Systems and Services
Industrial Talk is onsite at PowerGen and talking to Tyson Robinett and Alex Hawes with Central Power Systems and Services about “A hungry energy market”.
The conversation features Scott Mackenzie hosting the Industrial Talk podcast at Power Gen in San Antonio, featuring guests Tyson Robinett and Alex Hawes from Central Power Systems and Services. Tyson has been with the company for 27 years, primarily in the generator sector, while Alex has been there for five years, previously in sales for VA Supply. They discuss the company’s role as a solutions provider rather than just a generator manufacturer, emphasizing their ability to provide multi-fuel generators and customized solutions for various industries, including data centers and oil and gas. They highlight the challenges of meeting market demand, particularly due to supply chain issues and the need for fast power solutions. The conversation also touches on the importance of human interaction in business and the role of venture capital in financing projects.