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

🎙️ 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:Why 25-30% of automation failures are actually user errorWhat buyers should always ask before signing a POHow proprietary software is changing third-party serviceWhy keeping your instrument clean is your best PM strategyWhat "validated" really means when the plate sealer isn't integratedThe real reason robots get fired for cycle time☕ Whether you're running a lab, buying automation, or keeping it alive after warranty — this one's for you.🎧 Subscribe for new episodes →    / @helicalbrew  📩 Want to be a guest? Email us: [email protected]📍 TikTok, Shorts & more: @helicalbrew⏱️ EPISODE CHAPTERS00:00 – Cold Open: When the Robot Wins00:29 – Intro & Dave's Background01:21 – First "Oh No" Moment: Let the Smoke Out02:42 – How Dave Arrived in Lab Automation Service04:50 – What People Don't Understand About Service Engineers06:41 – The Duct Tape Hall of Shame08:32 – What Do People Actually Blame?11:10 – The Robot Defense Attorney13:43 – Craziest Story: 500lb Robot vs. Liquid Handler15:13 – Most Common Causes of Downtime16:13 – Why Nobody Designs for Serviceability17:53 – The Bravo: A Love Story19:10 – DDR & The Benchbot Era21:12 – How Often Is the Robot Actually the Problem?22:56 – The Validation Gap Nobody Talks About24:08 – When Labs Fire Their Robots for Being Too Slow26:31 – How Automation Has Gotten Harder to Service27:43 – Proprietary Software & Locked-Down Systems29:07 – What DCM Bioservices Actually Does33:11 – Proprietary Software: The Real Bottleneck37:18 – Buyer Intelligence: Questions to Ask Before the PO38:53 – What Should Be Non-Negotiable in Service39:29 – Accessibility: The Thing Nobody Plans For42:07 – 3D Printing: The MacGyver of Life Science43:41 – Wrapping Up: How to Have Fewer Emergency Calls46:09 – The Light Curtain & Liquid Problem47:30 – Pick of the Week: Vessel Screwdriver & David Clark Headset55:17 – How to Reach Dave & DCM Bioservices🔗 Connect with Dave MayWebsite: https://dcmbio.comLinkedIn:   / david-may-6650b91  #HelicalBrew #AutomationInTheWild #LabAutomation #LabRobotics #BiotechOps #ServiceEngineering #LiquidHandling #LabLife #BiotechInnovation #ScientificStorytelling #RoboticsEngineering #LifeScience #PodcastClip #sciencepodcast #techpodcast #biotechstartup #viralshorts #podcastshorts #SLAS2026 #LabEquipment #LabManagement #LabTech #automation #robotics