As U.S. manufacturing faces a significant workforce shortage, Dr. Jeremy Frank, CEO of KCF Technologies, emphasizes the vital role of AI in addressing this crisis. In the latest episode of the Disruption Interruption podcast, he discusses how integrating cutting-edge technology can help bridge the skills gap, enhance machine health, and foster sustainable, impactful transformation within the industry.

TAMPA BAY, Fla., Nov. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — With U.S. manufacturing facing up to 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030, industry leaders are racing to address this talent shortfall. (1) Dr. Jeremy Frank, CEO & Co-Founder of KCF Technologies, joins Karla Jo Helms (KJ) on the Disruption Interruption podcast to discuss how AI-powered solutions are driving operational efficiency, workforce transformation, and educational initiatives to engage young talent in the manufacturing industry. “We can solve the gap with technology by scaling it quickly and effectively,” says Dr.Frank. “Instead of an apprentice having to go into a paper plant for five years, they can learn more efficiently by interacting with experienced workers by using the latest and greatest technology.”

The Cultural Change Challenge in Industry Jobs
Dr. Frank points out an open secret: younger generations are not entering the industrial workforce at the rate needed to replace those retiring. He reflects on how the same job posting in auto factories that used to attract thousands of applicants, today often goes unanswered.
These roles offer significant financial rewards: companies understand the importance of investing in their workforce and are increasingly willing to provide the necessary support and resources. But not everything is about money.

“When people realize that a job in a critical industry that makes the world go round is much more important than working in some big tech company, we’ll have the cultural change we’re striving for, ” says Dr. Frank.

The Triple Threat to Impact Machine Health
In the world of industrial machinery, understanding the true source of wear and tear is crucial for optimizing performance and preventing costly failures. Dr. Frank breaks down machine health issues into three main categories that go beyond typical wear:

• Care: Maintenance, while critical, is often imperfect due to the challenging environments in which it is conducted.
• Operating Conditions: Machines operate under numerous complex factors that can’t always be anticipated or controlled.
• Configuration: Improper setups, such as incorrect pipe diameters or bends in pump systems, can drastically reduce efficiency.

“We’ve measured pumps that are at like 4% efficiency when they normally run at 40% on average,” points out Dr. Frank.

Supercharging Industry: How AI Empowers Workers and Enhances Efficiency
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the industrial sector by enhancing worker’s capabilities and transforming how operations are conducted. “When it’s used correctly, AI Super charges people’s capability to do their work”, highlights Dr. Frank.

He explains that the main obstacle isn’t just developing advanced technology but ensuring that AI solutions can be implemented effectively, collecting and routing data where it’s needed for impactful decision-making.
“The cool thing is when customers go through that change and realize that our technology makes them safer. They see they saved company money, and that they’re making the world a better place,” concludes Dr. Frank.

Links
Disruption in Industry 4.0: How Dr. Jeremy Frank is Using AI to Revolutionize Machine Health Management
https://omny.fm/shows/disruption-interruption/disruption-in-industry-4-0-how-dr-jeremy-frank-is
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-frank/
Company Website: https://www.kcftech.com/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kcf-technologies/
Disruption Interruption is the podcast where you will hear from today’s biggest Industry Disruptors. Learn what motivated them to bring about innovation and how they overcame opposition to adoption.
Disruption Interruption can be listened to in Apple’s App Store and Spotify.

About Disruption InterruptionTM
Disruption is happening on an unprecedented scale, impacting all manner of industries— MedTech, Finance, IT, eCommerce, shipping, logistics, and more—and COVID has moved their timelines up a full decade or more. But WHO are these disruptors and when did they say, “THAT’S IT! I’VE HAD IT!”? Time to Disrupt and Interrupt with host Karla Jo “KJ” Helms, veteran communications disruptor. KJ interviews badasses who are disrupting their industries and altering economic networks that have become antiquated with an establishment resistant to progress. She delves into uncovering secrets from industry rebels and quiet revolutionaries that uncover common traits—and not-so-common—that are changing our economic markets… and lives. Visit the world’s key pioneers that persist to success, despite arrows in their backs at http://www.disruption-interruption.com.

About Jeremy Frank
Dr. Jeremy Frank is a leader in machine health optimization, leveraging advanced hardware, software, and AI to enhance industrial and military machinery. Driven to eliminate unplanned downtime and improve safety, he has expanded KCF into a global operation, monitoring over 80,000 machines across industries from automotive to power plants. With a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State, Jeremy’s early experiences in workplace safety and mentorship from Dr. Gary Koopmann led to founding KCF in 2000. Initially focused on military sensors, KCF shifted to industrial applications, using “Industry 4.0” innovations for proactive, predictive maintenance.
Today, Jeremy’s vision extends “beyond predictive,” using AI to address root issues before failures occur and assist customers with training and data analysis.

About Karla Jo Helms
Karla Jo Helms is the Chief Evangelist and Anti-PR® Strategist for JOTO PR Disruptors™. Karla Jo learned firsthand how unforgiving business can be when millions of dollars are on the line — and how the control of public opinion often determines whether one company is happily chosen, or another is brutally rejected. Being an alumnus of crisis management, Karla Jo has worked with litigation attorneys, private investigators, and the media to help restore companies of goodwill into the good graces of public opinion — Karla Jo operates on the ethic of getting it right the first time, not relying on second chances and doing what it takes to excel. Helms speaks globally on public relations, how the PR industry itself has lost its way, and how, in the right hands, corporations can harness the power of Anti-PR to drive markets and impact market perception.

References
1. Deloitte. “2018 Manufacturing Skills Gap Study.” Deloitte United States, 13 Nov. 2018, http://www.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/manufacturing/articles/future-of-manufacturing-skills-gap-study.html.

Media Inquiries:
Karla Jo Helms
JOTO PR™
727-777-4629

Media Contact

Karla Jo Helms, JOTO PR™, 727-777-4629, khelms@jotopr.com, jotopr.com

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