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Winner of the 2022 Apex Award of Excellence for Best Podcast. Join me, Theresa Houck, for Automation Chat, where I talk with industrial automation leaders, executives. practitioners and other subject matter experts to get their insights about technologies and trends affecting manufacturing and industrial automation professionals. I’m Executive Editor of The Journal From Rockwell Automation and Our PartnerNetwork magazine (http://rok.auto/thejournal). We chat about digital transformation, analytics and information management, networks & security, motion control, motors & electrical systems, workforce challenges, business challenges and opportunities, and more. And get your family-friendly, silly Joke of the Day.
Episodes

7 days ago
Highlights from Automation Fair 2022
7 days ago
7 days ago
** Winner of the Award of Excellence for Best Podcast from the 2022 APEX Awards of Publication Excellence in Corporate Communications. Learn more,
This episode gives you highlights from the 2022 Automation Fair event hosted by Rockwell Automation in Chicago the week of Nov. 14, which drew a record-setting 15,000+ attendees from around the world. Executive Editor Theresa Houck discusses new technologies at the Expo, the hands-on labs & technical sessions, Industry Forums, keynotes and more.
Also learn about expert industry trends discussions, the popular Process Solutions User Group (PSUG), and the Perspectives Day presentations.
And of course, get your family-friendly, silly Joke of the Day.
Access more resources from today’s episode:
- Process Solutions User Group (PSUG) On Demand
- Automation Fair Virtual Experience On Demand
- Perspectives Day On Demand
- CEO and Chairman Blake Moret Keynote Address
- Automation Fair Show-Floor Videos with Theresa Houck
- Automation Fair e-Show Daily Articles
- Some Products at the Show
- Subscribe to The Journal From Rockwell Automation and Our PartnerNetwork’s digital magazine.
If you like “Automation Chat,” please leave us a 5-star rating and subscribe.

Tuesday Jan 10, 2023
Tuesday Jan 10, 2023
Back by popular demand! We’re republishing our #1 most popular episode from 2022. It continues to get the most downloads every month. We hope you enjoy it and find it useful.
** Winner of the Award of Excellence for Best Podcast from the 2022 APEX Awards of Publication Excellence in Corporate Communications. Learn more.
In this episode from The Journal From Rockwell Automation and Our PartnerNetwork magazine, Executive Editor Theresa Houck details the steps some manufacturers are taking to successfully build resilience and agility into their supply chain so they can recover from a shortage of people, products or capacity. You’ll learn the common thread in all of them is the use of digital solutions, data analytics and IT/OT convergence.
It’s useful to understand how and why the supply chain disruptions happen so you can evaluate your processes and technologies to minimize the impact. Theresa reviews the domino effect that started when COVID-19 hit in 2020, then examines ongoing factors that continue to resonate.
She examines catastrophic effects on the food and beverage industry, including the price and availability of bread, meat and eggs, and how food security is threatened in many parts of the world. Also learn about the semiconductor chip & other electronics and automobile industries.
Learn the real reasons behind The Great Resignation cited by MIT data and other research, and the strategies some manufacturers are using to streamline work and improve productivity and worker satisfaction.
And of course, get your family-friendly, silly Joke of the Day.
If you like “Automation Chat,” please subscribe and leave us a 5-star rating.
Subscribe to The Journal From Rockwell Automation and Our PartnerNetwork’s digital magazine.

Friday Oct 28, 2022
6 Cool Things to Look Forward to at Automation Fair 2022
Friday Oct 28, 2022
Friday Oct 28, 2022
** Winner of the Award of Excellence for Best Podcast from the 2022 APEX Awards of Publication Excellence in Corporate Communications. Learn more,
The popular 2022 Automation Fair event is the week of November 14 in Chicago. Learn about the wealth of educational sessions and technology demonstrations as Executive Editor Theresa Houck chats with Andi Stelpflug, Rockwell Automation Events, Experiences, Travel Industry Leader, who provides a sneak peek at the event and talks about 6 awesome things to look forward to during the event.
And of course, get your family-friendly, silly Joke of the Day.
Access more resources from today’s episode:
• 2022 Automation Fair Event Info & Registration.
• Subscribe to The Journal From Rockwell Automation and Our PartnerNetwork’s digital magazine.
If you like “Automation Chat,” please leave us a 5-star rating and subscribe.
Video of this special podcast conversation is available on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/DZibYZkxbe0.

Tuesday Oct 25, 2022
Proper Termination & Grounding of VFD Cable Shields in the Field
Tuesday Oct 25, 2022
Tuesday Oct 25, 2022
** Award of Excellence Winner for Best Podcast, 2022 APEX Awards of Publication Excellence in Corporate Communications. Learn more.
Variable-frequency (VFD) cable shielding protects the cable, machinery and workers by reducing electrical noise’s effects on signals, lowering electromagnetic radiation and preventing crosstalk between cables. In this episode, learn best practices for terminating and grounding the shield of a VFD cable in the field.
Executive Editor Theresa Houck chats with Brad Pollard, Vice President of Sales for Automation Products and Steve Wetzel, Senior Product Engineer at Southwire Co. Also discover the common questions they get from electrical contractors in the field. See if you should do anything special for grounding cables at intermediate termination boxes. And find out what Rockwell Automation recommends for terminating VFD cables.
And of course, get your family-friendly, silly Joke of the Day.
Access more resources from today’s episode:
• Visit Southwire Co. at Booth #627 at the 2022 Automation Fair Event.
• White Paper: Terminating Variable-Frequency Drive (VFD) Cables.
• Video: Proper Termination of VFD Cables.
• White Paper: Begin with the End in Mind: Proper VFD Cable Termination.
• Video: VFD Termination Kit Installation.
If you like “Automation Chat,” please leave us a 5-star rating and subscribe.
Video of this special podcast conversation is available on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/jLPqLVvwMRg.

Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork: Power of Collaboration for Customers
Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
** Winner of the Award of Excellence for Best Podcast from the 2022 APEX Awards of Publication Excellence in Corporate Communications. Learn more,
Did you know Rockwell Automation has a global network of prominent companies that provide products and services compatible with Rockwell Automation solutions? It's called the Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork, and these technology suppliers, system integrators, OEMs and distributors collaborate to provide the right automation and manufacturing solution for customers.
In this episode, Executive Editor Theresa Houck talks with Johannes zu Eltz, Vice President of Global Market Access with Rockwell Automation. He explains how and why the company has built this powerful ecosystem of collaborating companies. Here’s a hint: It’s all about the customer.
And of course, get your family-friendly, silly Joke of the Day.
Access more resources from today’s episode:
• Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork Program.
• 2022 Automation Fair Event Info & Registration.
• Subscribe to The Journal From Rockwell Automation and Our PartnerNetwork’s digital magazine.
If you like “Automation Chat,” please leave us a 5-star rating and subscribe.
Video of this special podcast conversation is available on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/cuva3Cge9tg.

Thursday Aug 11, 2022
Understand Single Pair Ethernet & Ethernet-APL Like You Never Have Before
Thursday Aug 11, 2022
Thursday Aug 11, 2022
** Winner of the 2022 Award of Excellence for Best Podcast from the 2022 APEX Awards of Publication Excellence in Corporate Communications. Learn more.
In this episode of award-winning “Automation Chat,” Executive Editor Theresa Houck talks with Dr. Al Beydoun, President and Executive Director of ODVA, a leading standards development organization and membership association. After listening to this podcast, you’ll walk away understanding what Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) and Ethernet-APL are and what implementation looks like.
Find out what makes them unique, technical benefits and trends motivating manufacturers to increase their adoption, and their impact on smart manufacturing.
Also learn 5 major ways SPE and Ethernet-APL help engineers, how they affect cabling and network topologies, and how ODVA works with industry suppliers and associations on standards development.
And of course, get your family-friendly, silly Joke of the Day.
Access more resources from today’s episode:
- ODVA website
- EtherNet/IP Network Specification for Ethernet-APL Physical Layer for Process Automation
- EtherNet/IP Network Extended to In-Cabinet Resource Constrained Devices
- CIP Security Enhanced to Support Resource-Constrained EtherNet/IP Devices
- ODVA EtherNet/IP Information
- Subscribe to The Journal From Rockwell Automation and Our PartnerNetwork’s digital magazine.
If you like “Automation Chat,” please leave us a 5-star rating, and subscribe.
Video of this special podcast conversation is available on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/thoFPzIwno0.

Tuesday Jul 19, 2022
Trends in Smart Water & Sustainability, and What it Means to You
Tuesday Jul 19, 2022
Tuesday Jul 19, 2022
If you like “Automation Chat,” please leave us a 5-star rating and subscribe.
It’s vital for industrial firms and municipalities that use water in their processes to maintain regulatory compliance while helping to mitigate the global water shortage. In this episode, Executive Editor Theresa Houck discusses the role of digital technologies in helping organization achieve their water sustainability goals, including trends supporting their activities. She’s joined by Damon Sepe, Rockwell Automation Business Development Manager.
In their eye-opening chat, you’ll learn:
- Why water sustainability has become a top priority for many companies.
- What types of water organizations there are besides municipalities, and why they’re motivated to improve water sustainability.
- The challenges they face achieving sustainability goals.
- Trends in water wastewater and digital technologies, also called smart water, and how the trends influence how they achieve their goals.
- Why we don’t see greater global adoption of desalination treatment.
And of course, get your family-friendly, silly Joke of the Day.
Access more resources from today’s episode:
- Rockwell Automation 2021 Sustainability Report
- Rockwell Automation Sustainable Solutions
- Smart Water Solutions from Rockwell Automation
- Subscribe to The Journal From Rockwell Automation and Our PartnerNetwork’s digital magazine.
Video of this podcast conversation is available on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/pORjisLS03k.

Tuesday Jul 12, 2022
How to Use Process Instrumentation IIoT Data
Tuesday Jul 12, 2022
Tuesday Jul 12, 2022
Process instrumentation is critical to process management. In this insightful Q&A, Ryan Williams, Strategic Business Manager for Digital Solutions at Endress+Hauser, talks with Executive Editor Theresa Houck about how to integrate IIoT data into your process operations to drive collaboration and optimize analytics. Also learn about strategies to organize, secure and share data gathered from sensors, control systems and monitoring systems, and what data visualization tools operators can use to help improve decision-making.
And of course, get your family-friendly, silly Joke of the Day.
Access more resources from this episode:
- Case Study: Smart Monitoring System for IIoT Improves City’s Water Treatment & Storage.
- Industry Perspective Q&A with Theresa Houck (pdf).
- Video of this special podcast conversation on our YouTube channel.
- Endress+Hauser Website.
- Subscribe to The Journal From Rockwell Automation and Our PartnerNetwork’s digital magazine.
If you like “Automation Chat,” please leave us a 5-star rating and subscribe.

Wednesday May 11, 2022
How Industrial Analytics Work & What’s Coming Next
Wednesday May 11, 2022
Wednesday May 11, 2022
If you like “Automation Chat,” please leave us a 5-star rating, and subscribe.
In this episode of “Automation Chat,” Executive Editor Theresa Houck discusses advanced analytics in industrial automation and their role in improving business results for any size company. She is joined by Chirayu Shah, Rockwell Automation Product Head of Edge to Cloud & Analytics.
Learn about descriptive, diagnostic, predictive and cognitive analytics and why they're important to your organization as well as your specific job role.
Find out how to understand the context of your data; how edge and cloud technologies are processing data at much higher rates, supporting AI and machine learning to improve efficiency and business results. Get real-world examples of how manufacturers are using analytics.
And find out key trends and why they matter to you.
And of course, get your family-friendly, silly Joke of the Day.
Access more resources from today’s episode:
- FactoryTalk®Analytics™ software platform.
- ROKLive event, June 13-16, 2022, Orlando.
- Subscribe to The Journal From Rockwell Automation and Our PartnerNetwork’s digital magazine.
Video of this special podcast conversation is available on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/s9KcmUlXqR4.

Tuesday Apr 12, 2022
12 Industrial Automation Trends in 2022
Tuesday Apr 12, 2022
Tuesday Apr 12, 2022
In this episode from The Journal From Rockwell Automation and Our PartnerNetwork magazine, Executive Editor Theresa Houck discusses 2022 industrial automation trends affecting manufacturers and producers on their digital transformation journey.
Learn about the strategies and smart technologies companies are using to improve agility, productivity and performance — especially to help deal with the challenges of COVID-19, supply chain disruptions and skilled labor shortages that have arisen in recent years.
And of course, get your family-friendly, silly Joke of the Day.
If you like “Automation Chat,” please leave us a 5-star rating, and subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode.
Access more resources from today’s episode:
- Case Study: Kraft Heinz, AB-InBev Share Their DX Journeys, from The Journal’s April 2022 print magazine.
- Special Report: How to Keep Up with — and Contribute to — SPE Standards.
- 2022 Supply Chain Reliability eBook, from The Journal From Rockwell Automation and Our PartnerNetwork magazine.
- 2022 Automation Fair Event, Nov . 16-17, Chicago.
- Sign up for the e-newsletter from The Journal From Rockwell Automation and Our PartnerNetwork.