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Beyond the Concept: Managing the Risk of Using Out-of-Date Parts and Products in a Facility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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Radar
Physical Retail’s Next Infrastructure Layer: Item-Level Intelligence with Radar
June 4, 2026

Physical retail is under pressure to become as measurable and responsive as e-commerce. While retailers have spent years optimizing digital channels with real-time data, store teams have often had to make decisions with incomplete inventory visibility and delayed operational signals. That gap matters because stores still account for 80% of U.S. retail sales, making…

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Healthcare in Pakistan
From Institutional Excellence to Population-Level Access: How Pakistan Can Bridge Its Healthcare Divide
June 1, 2026

Healthcare systems are under pressure almost everywhere, but the strain is especially visible in lower-resource settings where demand is rising faster than infrastructure. In Pakistan, that pressure is playing out across a system that has to serve more than 250 million people with limited public investment. Public health spending remains below 1% of GDP,…

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Engineering
Scaling Experiential Learning in the Curriculum: How Iron Range Engineering Transformed Engineering Education
June 1, 2026

Engineering has transformed nearly every part of modern life, from the phones in our pockets to the systems powering global industry. But the way engineers are educated has often moved far more slowly than the profession itself. Employers are asking for graduates who can navigate ambiguity, communicate across teams, and contribute meaningfully from the…

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vascular surgeon
When Geography Meets Purpose: How One Move Reshaped a Vascular Surgeon’s Career
May 28, 2026

Medicine isn’t what it used to be—not for the people practicing it. Independent physicians are becoming the exception, not the norm, as more doctors move into hospital systems, corporate groups, and academic networks. At the same time, the pipeline of specialists isn’t keeping pace with growing patient needs, particularly in complex fields like vascular…

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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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