#57 - It Worked Yesterday: What 20 Yrs of Lab Automation Svc Teaches You About Reality

#57 - It Worked Yesterday: What 20 Yrs of Lab Automation Svc Teaches You About Reality2 Mar58 min

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🎙️ Guest: Dave May | Owner & Lead Service Engineer, DCM Bioservices🎧 Hosts: Mike Ouren & Sura Hadi📺 Series: Automation in the Wild"You can't lie to the robot. It doesn't know." – Dave MayWhen a 500lb robot dumps a $250,000 instrument on the floor, someone has to show up and fix it. That someone is Dave May. In this episode, Dave pulls back the curtain on what lab automation service really looks like — the duct tape on light curtains, the instruments collecting dust in corners, and why the robot is almost never actually the problem.🧠 What You'll Learn:<ul><li>Why 25-30% of automation failures are actually user error</li><li>What buyers should always ask before signing a PO</li><li>How proprietary software is changing third-party service</li><li>Why keeping your instrument clean is your best PM strategy</li><li>What "validated" really means when the plate sealer isn't integrated</li><li>The real reason robots get fired for cycle time</li></ul>☕ Whether you're running a lab, buying automation, or keeping it alive after warranty — this one's for you.🎧 Subscribe for new episodes → <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfXIZEjEPi9sUPOtidc2COg" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"> / @helicalbrew </a>📩 Want to be a guest? Email us: helicalbrew@gmail.com📍 TikTok, Shorts & more: @helicalbrew⏱️ EPISODE CHAPTERS<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MfhwCeIVLk" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">00:00</a> – Cold Open: When the Robot Wins<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MfhwCeIVLk&t=29s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">00:29</a> – Intro & Dave's Background<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MfhwCeIVLk&t=81s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">01:21</a> – First "Oh No" Moment: Let the Smoke Out<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MfhwCeIVLk&t=162s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">02:42</a> – How Dave Arrived in Lab Automation Service<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MfhwCeIVLk&t=290s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">04:50</a> – What People Don't Understand About Service Engineers<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MfhwCeIVLk&t=401s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">06:41</a> – The Duct Tape Hall of Shame<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MfhwCeIVLk&t=512s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">08:32</a> – What Do People Actually Blame?<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MfhwCeIVLk&t=670s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">11:10</a> – The Robot Defense Attorney<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MfhwCeIVLk&t=823s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">13:43</a> – Craziest Story: 500lb Robot vs. Liquid Handler<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MfhwCeIVLk&t=913s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">15:13</a> – Most Common Causes of Downtime<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MfhwCeIVLk&t=973s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">16:13</a> – Why Nobody Designs for Serviceability<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MfhwCeIVLk&t=1073s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">17:53</a> – The Bravo: A Love Story<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MfhwCeIVLk&t=1150s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">19:10</a> – DDR & The Benchbot Era<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MfhwCeIVLk&t=1272s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">21:12</a> – How Often Is the Robot Actually the Problem?<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MfhwCeIVLk&t=1376s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">22:56</a> – The Validation Gap Nobody Talks About<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MfhwCeIVLk&t=1448s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener no