How FeedLogic Is Using Machine Learning to Optimize CNC Feeds & Speeds | Radical Job Shop Show

In this episode of The Radical Job Shop Show, Emily Joann Wilkins sits down with Lance Locker and Casey Lambs, co-founders of FeedLogic — a Northwestern University startup using vibration analysis and machine learning to help CNC machinists optimize feeds and speeds, reduce chatter, and extend tool life. What started on a collegiate Formula Racing team has turned into a manufacturing technology venture focused on solving one of the most common frustrations in machining: guessing your way through speeds, feeds, and tool performance. FeedLogic is building a prototype device that captures vibration data during cutting and correlates it to stability, tool wear, and material removal rate — giving machinists clearer insight into what’s actually happening at the spindle. This conversation explores what happens when the next generation of engineers chooses manufacturing. We dig into: How FeedLogic was born on a Formula Racing team Why guessing feeds and speeds still dominates CNC programming Using vibration analysis to reduce chatter Extending tool life through data Machine learning applications in CNC machining Early-stage product development inside a university shop Getting manufacturing tech into the hands of job shops Why young engineers are choosing hard tech over software Workforce challenges in machining Making manufacturing “cool” again for the next generation Thanks to our friends at Creston Industrial Sales who backed our first season live at the Advanced Manufacturing Expo in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 🚀 Want to build a brand that attracts the right customers and talent? Start with The Setup: https://www.marketingmetal.com/how-it-works Explore more Radical Job Shop stories: https://www.marketingmetal.com Timestamps 00:00 – Show intro 00:34 – Meet Lance & Casey of FeedLogic 02:14 – How they got into machining 04:19 – The origin of FeedLogic on a Formula Racing team 05:18 – Where the product is in development 06:59 – Early adopters and shop testing 07:02 – What Marketing Metal does for job shops 09:47 – The workforce gap in manufacturing 10:22 – Why young engineers are choosing machining 10:22 – FeedLogic’s call to action