About this episode

Jason Becker interviews Anthony Nighswander about the differences between industrial robots and cobots, and how to integrate automation into educational programs.

In this episode of Weld Wednesday with AWS, host Jason Becker sits down with Anthony Nighswander, founder of APT Manufacturing and one of the top FANUC integrators in the country. Anthony breaks down the real difference between traditional industrial robots and collaborative robots (cobots), why welders — not controls engineers — make the best cobot programmers, and how schools can bring automation into their programs without blowing up an already-packed curriculum. They also dig into FANUC's education grant structure (up to $400,000 in matching software value), what a robotic welding cell actually costs, the difference between a certificate and a certification, and how to build an apprenticeship pipeline that keeps students employed and industry staffed. For more information on how you can get involved with AWS Click Here AWS Automating the Future of Fabrication Webinar Click Here to Register

People in this episode

Host: Jason Becker

Guest: Anthony Nighswander

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: APT Manufacturing, FANUC, AWS

More episodes of Arc Junkies

• Weld Wednesday w/ AWSThe $100K Myth: What It Actually Takes to Hit Six Figures in Welding — with Dabs Wellington · June 10, 2026 · 1h 1m
• 402. From Welding School to $100K: The KWI Kids Proving Everyone Wrong w/ Landon Earlywine & Jackson Settler · June 2, 2026 · 1h 10m
• Weld Wednesdays w/ AWS| Resistance Welding Demystified with Don DeCorte — The Process Hiding in Plain Sight · May 13, 2026 · 1h 25m
• 401. Data Centers, Nuclear, and the Steel Boom Coming for Welders w/ Stephanie Hoffman · May 5, 2026 · 1h 25m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Arc Junkies podcast page.