Industry Tech Solutions builds tools that help manufacturers work smarter with SPEDA mini-grant

Editor’s note: This is the third part in a four-part series highlighting the 2025 recipients of SPEDA’s mini-grant program. The program awards four $2,500 grants annually to businesses that aspire to innovate and grow.

When Jacob Miller looks at a manufacturing problem, he doesn’t just see machinery — he sees possibilities.

Miller grew up in Nancy, Kentucky, and attended Southwestern High School before studying at the University of Kentucky (UK) and graduating in 2017 with a degree in mechanical engineering. After college, he worked in industrial automation for a few years, gaining experience with systems that help manufacturers produce goods more efficiently and accurately. One specific mentor, Tim Nissen, was instrumental in establishing his foundation in programming and understanding the electrical specifications of equipment. This network, mentorship, and “well-rounded skillset…allows me to see the project from mechanical, electrical, and programming aspects,” Miller said.

“I’ve always been a technical person,” Miller explained. “I was a small engine mechanic and shop hand for Maximum RPM — a company focused on high-performance ATV builds, maintenance, and custom modifications — when I was younger and helped my dad with electrical work. I just like to try to figure out things — how they operate, how they go together, and how I can make them better.”

That natural curiosity led him to begin Industry Tech Solutions (ITS), a Somerset-based business he launched in 2021. Through the company, Miller designs and builds specialized equipment and automation systems for manufacturers throughout Central Kentucky.

Automation, he explained, is simply using technology to handle tasks that humans would otherwise be required to perform manually.

“If you’ve ever watched a video of a car being built, that’s automation,” he said. “Machines tighten bolts, move parts, check measurements — it’s all about consistency and efficiency.”

Recently, Miller has turned his attention to something even more advanced: machine vision. Using specialized cameras and software, machine vision systems can “see” parts on an assembly line, detect color or shape differences, and make decisions about whether something is manufactured correctly.

“The niche in machine vision that ITS has built has come after years of hands-on experience,” Miller said. “Machine vision is something that doesn’t always get implemented well in an industrial setting because the job is rushed, requirements are not fully defined, and/or capabilities of the installed equipment ultimately do not suit the project scope. I try to slow down, fully define the problem or need, and then implement a solution that works well and is reliably robust the first time.

“Knowing how to define the problem, choosing the proper equipment and light techniques to achieve results and then programming it all to work seamlessly is really only a skillset that is honed through hands-on experience,” Miller continued. “Every situation is unique and there is no off-the-shelf solution that fits every case.”

To bring the technology to more local manufacturers, Miller developed a portable demonstration unit that he can use to show how machine vision can help their organizations. The compact system enables manufacturers to test machine vision on their own products.

The uniqueness of each situation is why the demo unit is a useful tool, he said. “It (the demo unit) allows me to demonstrate my expertise and trial it onsite with a customer. This could be in a short office demonstration or an extended on-site trial program in line on their production floor to really show capability.”

The portable machine vision system was, in part, facilitated with the help of the Somerset-Pulaski Economic Development Authority (SPEDA) mini-grant program, which provided funds to partially cover some of the development costs.

“The SPEDA mini-grant gave me the push I needed to launch the idea,” Miller said. “As a small business, it’s hard to justify spending this amount of money on something that won’t pay off immediately. This grant encouraged me to go ahead and build it.”

And now, when a company wants to automate, Miller can bring the equipment on-site and demonstrate exactly how it would work for the company. It shows hands-on what can be done — and is the first step toward a long-term solution.

“Our area has a lot of manufacturers who would be a good fit for automation, especially for machine vision,” he said. “Sometimes people just need to see it implemented to understand how it can be of value.”

ITS does it all — from mechanical design to programming and systems integration, Miller said. He spends most of his time designing and programming from his home office, with the remainder spent traveling to customers and building equipment.

Outside of his work, Miller enjoys spending weekends at the lake, camping, and fall football with his wife, Hannah, and 4-year-old son, Reid. Miller also serves as an advisor to UK’s Triangle Fraternity, a men’s social organization composed of engineering, architecture, and science majors. He also has an interest in hobby photography, which complements his understanding of industrial machine vision.

“I enjoy embracing innovation,” he said. “At the end of the day, I just like to solve problems. That’s truly what engineering is all about — getting things to work a little better than they did yesterday.”

Learn more about Industry Tech Solutions at industrytechsolutions.com.