Ctrl+Listen Podcast

Quantum computing explained from the engineering side: Šimon Marek joins James Sweetlove on the CTRL+Listen Podcast to talk about what it takes to build superconducting quantum hardware. He lays out why a quantum computer needs RF circuitry and cryo cooling that classical chips never touch, and why shrinking the cooling and control electronics matters as much as the physics. The conversation covers cloud access for non-quantum engineers, getting classical fabs ready for superconducting work, and why universities and internships will decide who builds this industry. For students, Šimon gives a concrete order to learn it in: analog and PCB design, then RF and microwave, then chip design, then cryo design. Only after that does superconducting processor design start.Resources from this Episode:- Šimon Marek on LinkedIn#quantumcomputing #semiconductors #octopart

Electronics manufacturing delays usually start long before a machine turns on, in what MetisLogic calls the first mile: the messy middle between design done and production start. On this episode of the CTRL+Listen Podcast, James Sweetlove talks with MetisLogic (formerly PartSnap) founder Ralph Richart and C.O.O. Steve Rubinstein about why procurement, program management, DFM/DFA, and material tracking break down on high-mix, low-volume and NPI builds, and why high-volume fixes like faster machines and automated storage don't solve them. They unpack how the material picture shifts from quote to order to production, why manufacturing is a binary outcome, and the three questions every supplier should be able to answer: what do we have, are we ready to build, and what did we build. Ralph also makes the case for engaging your contract manufacturer early, before a stackup decision costs you weeks of redesign, and explains where AI helps today and where a great manufacturing engineer still wins. If you run prototype, NPI, or pre-production builds, you'll come away with a clearer picture of where your lead time actually goes.Resources from this Episode:- MetisLogic (formerly PartSnap) Website- Ralph Richart on LinkedIn - Rubinstein on LinkedIn#electronicsmanufacturing #supplychain #npi

Your bill of materials decides how much e-waste a product creates long before it ever reaches a recycling plant. On this episode of the CTRL+Listen Podcast, James Sweetlove talks with Ian Levoi, founder of Selectronyx, about why circularity starts at component selection, how unplanned obsolescence and "end-of-life surprises" force costly redesigns, and why repairability should be treated as a design specification. Ian draws on years as a systems engineer and architect in aviation and the semiconductor industry to explain how EU rules like the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and the Digital Product Passport are moving repairability from good practice to expectation. The conversation also covers where AI helps surface lifecycle and wastage patterns buried in BOM data, and where it still calls for caution. If you design, source, or manage electronic components, you'll walk away with a practical way to weigh repairability, reliability, sustainability, and total cost of ownership alongside price and specs.Resources from this Episode:- Selectronyx — FairSpec BOM scoring (free tier)- EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR):- Article: The EU Regulatory Super-Cycle: ESPR, DPP and CSRD for Your BOM- Article: NRND is a warning. End-of-life is when the options close.#circulareconomy #billofmaterials #ewaste

AI in manufacturing gets framed as a headcount question, and Chris Carolan of the Value-First Team argues that is the wrong place to start. In this episode of the CTRL+Listen Podcast, James Sweetlove talks with Chris about designing workflows where AI takes the repetitive work in order management, accounts payable, and supply chain teams so people can show up to the job fully present. They dig into the knowledge walking out the door as engineers with 30 to 40 years of experience retire, and why calling it "tribal knowledge" instead of human domain expertise changes what you actually capture. Chris makes the case that cutting people without adding capability is a trap, that hours saved is the wrong metric, and that an agent resolving a thousand tickets matters less than asking why there are a thousand tickets. If you lead a manufacturing, sourcing, or operations team and need to roll out AI without losing the people who know how things really work, this conversation gives you the question to ask first.Resources from this Episode:- Value-First Team's Website - Chris Carolan on LinkedIn- Browse Octopart for Parts & Tech News: #aiinmanufacturing #supplychain #octopart

AI PCB design is further along than most engineers assume, and further from finished than the hype suggests. In this episode of CTRL+Listen, host James Sweetlove sits down with Daniel Liu, founder of Solderable, and Ashwin Deepak, the company's VP of automation, for a straight answer on where AI circuit board design actually stands today. Their number: roughly 30% of the way there. Models already grasp components and low-level electrical behavior remarkably well; where they still fall apart is at the edges, on large and complex board designs. Solderable's focus right now is AI schematic design, with PCB layout to follow, and Daniel expects the compounding inflection point to land within a year. Resources from this Episode:- Solderable Website- Solderable — Component Search- Solderable — MCP Server - Book a call with Daniel- Daniel Liu on X- Email Daniel#pcbdesign #aihardware #octopart

How do you get custom overmolded cables in weeks instead of months? In this episode of the CTRL+Listen podcast — brought to you by Octopart — host James sits down with Sacha Fabien, co-founder of Fillio, a Quebec-based low-pressure overmolding and cable assembly shop that's modernizing a slow, old-school process. Sacha shares how a hunt for a low-profile M8 connector led him to develop overmolding in-house, why overmolding is the overlooked step behind nearly every cable you own, and how Fillio uses 3D-printed molds to cut tooling cost and iterate fast.They dig into the real challenges of overmolding and cable assembly — the cost of entry, lead times, and the teaching involved for engineers new to the process — plus how Fillio pulls live availability, pricing, and lead-time data through the Octopart API to quote faster. Sacha and James also cover the bigger picture: how COVID and tariffs are pushing hardware teams to reshore and build local supplier resilience, where robotics and physical AI fit into manufacturing, and why a reliable local supplier has gone from a hard sell to something buyers actively want. If you build hardware, source components, or care about supply chain resilience, this one's for you.Resources from this Episode:- Fillio site (newsletter signup at bottom of page)- Contact Fillio- Octopart API — how Fillio sources part data- Sacha's LinkedIn- Company LinkedIn#overmolding #cableassembly #supplychainChapters

Is vibe coding the biggest threat to big companies? In this episode of the CTRL+Listen Podcast, brought to you by Octopart, host James Sweetlove sits down with Len Ward — founder and head of AI at Commexis — to unpack how AI is rewiring the way businesses market, sell, and build. Len argues that the real competition for a 10,000-person company isn't the shop down the street; it's "Jenny and Mike in their garage" who can vibe code a product and flank incumbents from every side. He explains why he believes the billion-dollar companies of the future could have one or two employees, why "speed is the new moat," and how "random acts of AI" are quietly killing business growth.The conversation goes deep on the shift from a "search and retrieve" world to a "solve my problem" world, the real difference between automation and true AI, and why Len thinks B2B is now adopting AI faster than B2C. Along the way they cover AI in supply chain and procurement, automating sales without losing the human touch, when a customer still needs a human on the phone, and what's coming next as AI starts taking actions for you — not just answering questions. Whether you're an engineer, a founder, or on a sourcing team, it's a candid look at where AI-driven business is actually heading.Resources from this Episode:- Commexis (Len Ward's company) - Len Ward on LinkedIn#vibecoding #aiforbusiness

The new rules of cybersecurity are here, and in this episode of the Ctrl+Listen podcast by Octopart, penetration testing expert Matt Toussain — Founder of Open Security — breaks down how ransomware and AI are rewriting the threat landscape for manufacturing and supply chain operations in 2026. Matt explains why the exploitation window has collapsed from 180 days to just 14, how attackers now weaponize tools like Microsoft Copilot to steal intellectual property, and why "empowerment is opportunity" — and every new opportunity is a fresh attack surface.You'll also hear the wild reality of the modern ransomware economy: why cyber criminals assassinate the groups that break the rules, how ransom payments get negotiated down, and what industrial control systems (ICS) reveal about the vulnerabilities hiding in plain sight. Matt shares his journey from the Air Force Academy to founding Open Security, plus his free open-source vulnerability scanner, Sirius Scan. Whether you run a Fortune 500 or a mid-cap manufacturer, this cybersecurity conversation will change how you think about risk, AI, and defense in depth.Resources from this Episode: • Open Security (Matt Toussain's firm)• Sirius Scan — free, open-source vulnerability scanner• SANS Institute• Matthew Toussain on LinkedIn• Matthew Toussain on X#cybersecurity #ransomware #artificialintelligence

India's electronics supply chain is at an inflection point — and in this episode of the CTRL+Listen Podcast, host James Sweetlove sits down with Vishwanath MS, co-founder and director of Source Buddy, to unpack what that shift really means. From a heavy reliance on imported components to the rapid rise of domestic design and manufacturing, Vishwanath explains how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can navigate a fragmented sourcing landscape, close visibility gaps, and build the resilient electronics supply chains the industry now demands.You'll learn how Source Buddy unifies distributor and offline sourcing data into a single traceable workflow, how criteria-based supplier finalization and Smart Volume & Q Consolidation cut response times and costs, and where AI genuinely adds value — from part number matching with confidence levels to vendor risk assessment. Vishwanath also shares his take on the bigger picture: the move from cost arbitrage to resilience, the "just in time" to "just in case" mindset, and how China Plus One is reshaping opportunities for India's EMS and interconnect sectors. Whether you work in electronics procurement, BOM management, or supply chain strategy, this conversation is packed with practical insight.Resources from this episode: - Source Buddy- Connect with Vishwanath MS#ElectronicsSupplyChain #Sourcing #SourceBuddy

What happens to the billions of dollars in perfectly good electronic components that get crushed, buried, or dumped every year? In this episode of the CTRL+Listen Podcast, host James Sweetlove sits down with Kenny McGee, CEO and founder of Component Sense, to unpack the hidden world of excess and obsolete electronics inventory — and why scrapping working parts is one of the most expensive mistakes a manufacturer can make. From the pile of neglected stock that sparked the company to the franchise rules that block redistribution, Kenny explains how surplus components quietly drain profit from the electronics supply chain.Kenny traces his journey from a 1985 apprentice at Ferranti to building a global business focused on reducing waste, breaking down how the circular economy turns dead stock back into cash. He shares what he witnessed firsthand at Agbogbloshie in Ghana — the world's largest e-waste site — walks through the consignment, InPlant, and outright purchase models that help billion-dollar factories recover money tied up in slow-moving inventory, and digs into the Corning case study. He also reveals how AI and tools like Claude are transforming the way his team builds custom solutions. Watch to learn how to stop crushing perfectly good components and start getting your money back.Resources from this Episode: • Get in touch with Kenny• Component Sense Website• Contact Component Sense• Component Sense LinkedIn• Carolina Rapezzi's Website• Kenny's Ghana VlogBrowse Octopart for Parts & Tech News#CircularEconomy #Ewaste #ElectronicsSupplyChain