Beyond the Concept – Concept Systems

How PNC expedites traditional controls of CNC and PLC

For an episode of “Beyond the Concept” podcast, a show by Concept Systems, host Tyler Kern chatted with John Miller, the principal engineer at Rockwell Automations, and Jerry Flynn, the company’s principal controls engineer. The trio particularly discussed Programmable Numerical Control, mostly known by its initials, PNC, and how Rockwell has been a premier leader…

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Architecture & Design
System Integration Field and CSIA’s Role

Jose Rivera, CEO of Control System Integrators Association (CSIA), joined host Daniel Litwin to explain CSIA’s role in the systems integration field in the latest Beyond the Concept podcast episode. In 2015, Rivera, an electrical engineer, transitioned from serving large automation equipment suppliers to becoming the CEO of CSIA, a 500-member organization. Rivera explained that…

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Beyond the Concept - Concept Systems
Beyond the Concept: Managing the Risk of Using Out-of-Date Parts and Products in a Facility

Facilities can ill afford to have equipment go down with today’s supply chain challenges. Lost hours could quickly become lost days if a replacement is unavailable. Sam Cafferata, Principal Engineer at Concept Systems, spoke with Tyler Kern about this all-too-real issue and what facilities can do to ensure their equipment is up-to-date and in good…

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Beyond the Concept - Concept Systems
Steve Strong’s Vision for Concept Systems Going into 2023

After a momentous twenty-three years, Michael Helm has stepped down in his role as CEO with Concept Systems. Helm passed the torch down to Steve Strong, who chatted with host Tyler Kern about his future-forward visions for Concept Systems.  After spending almost 15 years at the Boeing Company, Strong knows a thing or two about…

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Architecture & Design
Navigating Greenfield Projects with Rick Pruden and Ron Schiedler

Two of the main contributing factors driving the financial success of greenfield projects are budgeting and schedule. On the latest episode of the Beyond the Concept podcast, Rick Pruden, Strategic Solutions Specialist at Concept Systems, and Ron Schiedler, Principal Engineer at Concept Systems, spoke to Beyond the Concept’s Tyler Kern about mitigating these risk factors…

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Beyond the Concept - Concept Systems
Making Complex Robotic Applications Simple with Justin Garski and Evan Gonnerman

We breathe without thinking. Blink without noticing. But when it comes down to it, all of our normal bodily functions are not as easy and effortless as they appear—at least not for complex robotic applications. Justin Garski, the Americas OEM Segment Manager for Packaging, Converting, Print and Web at Rockwell and Evan Gonnerman, Senior Controls…

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Beyond the Concept - Concept Systems
Beyond the Concept: Automation in the Airlines and Aerospace Markets

Steve Strong, Regional Engineering Manager, Seattle, at Concept Systems, spoke with Tyler Kern about some of the automation challenges in the airline and aerospace industries. Something both markets have in common: they each have expensive and complex products to manufacture and automate. Strong said because of these complexities, the proposals Concept Systems does and…

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Jabra
ISE 2026: Jabra Unveils Scalable Room Solutions for the Hybrid Workplace
March 5, 2026

At ISE 2026, Jabra highlighted how meeting technology is evolving to support the realities of hybrid work, where the experience must be equally effective for people inside and outside the room. In a conversation with Craig Durr, Chief Analyst and Founder of The Collab Collective, Jabra’s VP of Video Product Olly Henderson explained that…

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Marketing AI Pulse
The Marketing AI Pulse Brief for Feb 2026: Trust in the World of LLM Ads, OpenClaw, Reddit & More!
March 3, 2026

Starting in 2026, The Marketing AI SparkCast alternates between the Marketing AI Pulse Monthly Brief and in-depth interviews with leading marketing AI innovators. This episode is the February 2026 edition of the Monthly Brief and focuses on trust and authenticity in an AI-driven world. Aby Varma and Matt Cyr explore the emergence of advertising inside…

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student visibility
Why Student Visibility Matters in Today’s Schools
March 3, 2026

School Safety Today podcast, presented by Raptor Technologies. In this episode of School Safety Today by Raptor Technologies, host Dr. Amy Grosso interviews SRO Todd Brendel of Dayton Independent Schools (KY), who shares frontline insights on the importance of knowing where students and staff are throughout the school day. He explains how they manage…

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skilled trades mentorship
Why the Trades Need a Cultural Reset to Attract and Retain the Next Generation
March 3, 2026

The skilled trades are at a critical crossroads. According to an August 2025 report from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), the number of women working in construction and extraction occupations rose to 366,360 in 2024, the highest level ever recorded. Yet despite that growth, women still account for only about 4.3% of construction…

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Other Beyond the Concept - Concept Systems
Beyond the Concept: Crane Retrofits
October 18, 2021

Michael Maas, Senior Engineer, and Sergei Furduy, Principal Engineer at Concept Systems, Inc., joined Beyond the Concept’s Tyler Kern to discuss all things crane retrofits. There are several instances where crane retrofits might come into play. Older cranes with aging parts are one example Maas offered. “Also, if you want to gain more functionality…

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Beyond the Concept: UL 508A Components Selection Considerations
September 22, 2021

Donavan Moore, the Electrical Design Department Manager at Concept Systems, educated host Tyler Kern on the considerations and selection process for UL 508A components. UL 508A is the standard for the construction of industrial control panels with the first edition coming out in 2001. “It’s been the go-to standard for industrial control panel design,” Moore…

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Beyond the Concept: Remote Diagnosis of Problems Helps Optimize Production
August 25, 2020

Whether it’s peeling potatoes or managing a city’s water supply, optimizing production is an important component of any manufacturing business. In the past, automation systems were difficult to fine-tune without a significant disruption, but with things becoming increasingly digital and more and more products being designed with things like Rockwell Automation’s PlantPAx distrusted control…

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Beyond The Concept: The Role Robotics Plays in the Future of Manufacturing
August 10, 2020

It may not be Rosie from the Jetsons, but robots are certainly here to stay in American life. It just turns out robots are a lot better at manufacturing than they are around the house. Advances in robotics in recent years are changing the manufacturing industry, said Eric Potter, Director of Engineering at FANUC America….

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Beyond the Concept: Why Automation Makes Sense from an ROI Perspective
June 15, 2020

Robots and automation may seem like an expensive idea for many business owners, but automation be more within reach than previously thought and can produce excellent return on investment. Whether painting a factory or removing waste in a facility’s process, the ROI for automation can often be measured in months. “Automation in and of…

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