What happens to the knowledge that experienced manufacturing workers rely on every day but never document?
Murray Mentor CEO, Paul Boris, recently joined Breaking the Bottleneck, a manufacturing technology newsletter and interview series, to discuss why traditional standard operating procedures (SOPs) often miss the practical knowledge that keeps production running, and how AI can help manufacturers capture that expertise before it walks out the door.
Drawing on his experience running manufacturing facilities and leading industrial technology initiatives, Boris discussed how Murray Mentor captures tacit knowledge through natural conversations with frontline workers, without requiring them to change established workflows.
The interview explores how manufacturers are using AI to:
Capture undocumented expertise: Preserve the judgment calls, troubleshooting experience, and process knowledge that rarely make it into SOPs.
Support existing shop floor workflows: Collect knowledge during everyday activities, including shift changes, maintenance discussions, and problem-solving.
Preserve institutional knowledge: Make the expertise of experienced workers available to the next generation, even as veteran employees approach retirement.
Put workers in control: Use autonomous collaboration to let operators decide when, where, and how they interact with AI.
Boris also shares examples from Murray Mentor's work with manufacturers, including Indiana Furniture, and explains why technology should complement the people who understand manufacturing processes best.
Read the full interview with Paul Boris on Breaking the Bottleneck