Chips and Tips #11 — Automation, Variability, and the Tyranny of Now (with Miguel Pinilla)
Toolpath CTO Justin Gray is joined by Miguel Pinilla, CTO of Arda Systems and a veteran in supply chain and manufacturing systems, for a nerd-level exploration of what truly drives productivity in modern shops.Together, they unpack:Why maximizing spindle utilization (or OEE) is a trap—and how it leads to instability.The surprising connection between queue theory, control systems, and your mental bandwidth as a CTO.How to identify your shop’s true bottlenecks and optimize by managing work-in-progress (WIP), not chasing 100% machine usage.What robots really change: from increasing capacity to shifting accounting models and workforce dynamics.How to avoid the “Model 3 mistake” of over-automation by understanding the trade-off between smart systems and controlled environments.Why Kanban isn’t just a lean buzzword, but a feedback loop that keeps your operations sane.The concept of “stupid things, on purpose”—and how deliberate choices beat accidental chaos every time.Whether you’re a job shop owner, manufacturing engineer, or just trying to make sense of lead times, automation, and capacity planning, this conversation is packed with hard-earned insights, practical metaphors, and just the right amount of systems theory.
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#10 Chips and Tips — Can Kanban Ban Me From Ordering Wrong?
In this episode of Chips and Tips, Justin Gray (CTO of Toolpath) sits down with Uriel Eisen of Arda and Austere Manufacturing, for a deep-dive into the nitty-gritty of Kanban systems in modern machine shops.What begins with a frantic scramble to replace broken end mills evolves into a rich discussion on lean manufacturing, real-world shop workflows, and the surprising power of a well-placed index card. Uriel shares practical strategies for getting started with Kanban—even if your shop isn’t perfectly organized—and breaks down how Arda helps teams eliminate ambiguity, save time, and stay ahead of inventory failures.Why Kanban is simpler than you think—and how to “start dirty”Laminating, folding, and “conbagging” cards for tool drawersThe difference between being organized vs. being effectiveOwnership models: Should one person handle ordering?The mental toll of running out of simple items (and how to stop)Kanban and Toolpath: How smart inventory meets smart CAMEmbracing exceptions without abandoning structureUriel’s dream of time-sensitive Kanban cardsHow janitorial supplies and soft jaws both deserve a cardWhether you’re an R&D machinist, a lean geek, or just someone tired of forgetting where your parts come from, this episode is packed with real tips and the tools to take your shop one step leaner.
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#9 Chips and Tips – No Prints, No Problem w/ Jim Belosic of SendCutSend
In this jam-packed episode of Chips and Tips, Justin from Toolpath sits down with Jim Belosic, founder of SendCutSend, for a wide-ranging conversation on their ambitious leap from sheet metal to CNC machining. What started as a quest for custom car parts has grown into a thriving, family-run manufacturing business that’s now aiming to shake up the world of machining—one “part-shaped object” at a time.Jim shares how SendCutSend plans to eliminate the long-standing tension between designers and machinists by rejecting traditional prints, embracing fixed tolerances, and leveraging Toolpath’s software to close the design-for-manufacture loop. They talk about why 3D printing spoiled a generation of designers, how standardization can actually expand accessibility, and how transparency, speed, and education are at the heart of the SendCutSend machining philosophy.From avoiding “Tennessee floor finishes” to training the next wave of hardware entrepreneurs, this episode is a candid look at manufacturing innovation, community impact, and the grind behind bringing fast, affordable, good-enough machining to the masses.
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#8 Chips and Tips - To Quote Or Not To Quote?
In this episode, Justin Gray (CTO at Toolpath) sits down with James Dyer (Accurate Dial and Nameplate) and Jon Rabinowitz (The Shop Inc.) to talk about the painful, confusing, and occasionally hilarious world of quoting CNC jobs.This one’s for the machinists who:Feel like every quote they write is a shot in the darkHave been burned by material costs, missed features, or surprise inspection demandsUse slitting saws, glue and tape, or even manual mills to solve wild quoting puzzlesAre trying to raise prices without losing customers (or their minds)We get real about:Quoting mistakes (and the weird lessons learned)Setup strategies for weird parts—including a $2,000 block of PEEKExpediting nightmares, tooling tricks, and the soft jaw rabbit holeWhether automation, zero-point systems, or tape-and-glue workholding actually change how you price jobsWhen to send a “go away” quote—and when it backfiresPlus: the story behind Toolpath’s “question mark bracket,” how to keep a part flat with a spider crane and rollers, and the surprising math behind quoting scrap.
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#7 Chips and Tips - Product Roadmap and Team Retreat
Ben sits down with Pete, Toolpath’s Head of Product, for a wide-ranging conversation on what it really takes to build great CAM software. Recorded after a rare in-person team meetup in Ohio, this episode blends thoughtful reflection with on-the-ground anecdotes—from bowling alley mechanics and surprise chip welds to shipping deadlines and tap-related disasters.They break down the three major internal product initiatives—Project Golden, Project Otter, and Project Armadillo—and how each is shaping the future of CAM automation. Expect behind-the-scenes insights, Red Bull-fueled roadmap rewrites, the value of empathy for machinists, and a full demo of Toolpath’s new Tool Recommendation Engine.
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