Seifert Technologies Blog

From Configuration to BOM: How Engineering Automation Eliminates Manual Redundancies

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 21:01:06 GMT

At some point, most growing companies run into the same frustration:

You’re not paying engineers to solve new problems anymore.

You’re paying them to repeat old ones.

Customers want variations of something you’ve already built. A size changes. A feature gets added. And soon enough, engineering gets pulled back in… Updating models, adjusting drawings, rebuilding documentation and checking everything before it moves forward.

It’s necessary work. But it’s not where the value is.

When Customization Starts Slowing You Down

Customization is often what wins the job. But without structure behind it, every variation creates more work:

Similar designs get recreated
Drawings are manually updated
BOMs are rebuilt or double-checked
Quotes depend on engineering to validate details

It works. But it doesn’t scale. As demand increases, engineering becomes the checkpoint for everything. And that’s where delays begin.

Automation Is Not About Software—It’s About Strategy

The teams that break out of this cycle don’t eliminate customization. They capture it. Instead of starting over each time, they define how their products work:

What can change
What those changes affect
What the final outputs should include

From there, that logic can be reused automatically to generate the bulk of the work. That’s where tools like DriveWorks (or rule-based systems like iLogic in Autodesk Inventor) come into play. Different platforms, same idea: capture engineering knowledge once and reuse it everywhere.

From Inputs to a Fully Built Design (Without Rework)

With the right structure in place, a configured product can automatically generate CAD models, assemblies and order-

specific drawings, along with supporting documentation and BOMs. Instead of engineers redrawing the same product, the system handles the repeatable portion.

In many cases, designs are already 60–80% complete before engineering even touches them.

That shifts your team’s focus to what actually matters:

Solving new problems
Refining designs
Supporting production

Making Complex Products Easier to Configure

A lot of rework starts before engineering even begins. Unclear requests, misinterpreted options and long back-and-forth email chains slow everything down. Guided configuration changes that.

With a structured, visual configurator:

Users select from valid options
Configurations follow defined rules
Mistakes are prevented before they reach engineering

That clarity removes friction and keeps projects moving.

Quoting Without Waiting on Engineering

Quoting is another common bottleneck. When pricing depends on understanding the design, engineering gets pulled in just to validate quotes.

By connecting configuration to pricing logic:

Quotes are generated from real product rules
Pricing stays aligned with the design
Sales teams respond faster, with confidence

This removes a major dependency on engineering during early project stages.

A BOM That Stays in Sync with the Design

This is where things often break down. And where automation delivers real impact.

In manual workflows, BOM issues are common:

Designs change, but BOMs don’t
Components get missed
Procurement works from outdated information

When the BOM is driven directly from the design logic:

It updates automatically with every change
Material requirements stay accurate
Procurement works from reliable data

That alignment reduces downstream issues and eliminates constant rechecking.

Stop Paying Engineers to Do Repeatable Work

This is the shift. Engineers should not be spending time recreating past work. If a design has been done before—or could be defined with rules—it should be automated.

Because:

Repetition doesn’t require engineering judgment
It introduces risk for inconsistency
It limits your team’s capacity to grow

Automation becomes a force multiplier, allowing the same team to handle more work with better consistency.

Where Seifert Engineering Fits In

The software is only part of the solution. The real value comes from how the process is built.

At Seifert Engineering, we focus on where your team is spending time:

Repeating work
Supporting quotes
Fixing inconsistencies downstream

Then we build systems (using the tools that fit your environment) to remove that burden and keep everything aligned from configuration through BOM.

Whether it’s DriveWorks, Inventor with iLogic, or another platform entirely, the goal is the same: Reduce repeat work. Increase accuracy. Free up engineering capacity.

The Bottom Line

If it feels like your team is solving the same problems over and over, you’re probably right. There’s a better way forward.

The companies that scale effectively aren’t the ones with the best CAD tools. They’re the ones that use them most efficiently. Because the goal isn’t just efficiency.

It’s making sure your engineering effort is spent where it creates the most value

FAQs About Engineering Automation

What is DriveWorks and how does it help?
DriveWorks works with SOLIDWORKS to automate models, drawings and documentation using predefined rules—reducing repetitive engineering work.

Can this be done in other CAD platforms?
Yes. Tools like Autodesk Inventor with iLogic provide similar rule-based automation. The approach is not software-specific. It’s about capturing and reusing design logic.

Does this replace engineers?
No. It removes repetitive tasks so engineers can focus on design, problem-solving and improvement.

Is this only useful for large companies?
No. Any business with repeatable products or frequent variations can benefit.

What types of products benefit most?
Configurable equipment, assemblies with size or feature variations and any product that is repeatedly modified from a base design.

AI-Driven Cyberattacks in 2026: How Businesses Can Stay Secure

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 16:59:11 GMT

In 2026, cyberattacks aren’t just increasing. They’re evolving.

For years, cybersecurity felt dramatic. Hackers in hoodies. Ransom notes on screens. News headlines about massive breaches. But that’s not what most real-world incidents look like anymore. Artificial intelligence has fundamentally reshaped the threat landscape. Cybercriminals now use AI to generate highly convincing phishing campaigns, develop self-learning malware and execute attacks at a speed that overwhelms traditional defenses.

For IT teams, this isn’t a future problem. It’s happening now.

What AI Is Actually Changing

AI isn’t inventing new categories of cyberattacks. Phishing, ransomware and credential theft are still the primary entry points. What AI changes is speed and scale.

Tools now exist that allow attackers to:

Analyze publicly available information about your company in minutes
Generate emails that match your leadership team’s tone and structure
Test thousands of credential combinations automatically
Adjust attack behavior based on how your systems respond

In the past, many of these tactics required manual effort and technical expertise. Now, they can be automated and deployed broadly. The result isn’t necessarily “smarter” attacks. It’s faster execution and more believable entry points.

Why Speed Is the Real Risk

Most organizations don’t collapse because they lack security software. They struggle because response takes time. Someone notices unusual activity. It gets reviewed, a decision is made and action follows. That sequence used to provide a comfortable buffer. AI compresses that buffer.

If a compromised credential is used after hours, how quickly would it be detected? If an internal account begins accessing data it normally doesn’t touch, would that trigger investigation immediately — or later? The gap between compromise and consequence is shrinking. Environments that rely on reactive processes feel that pressure first.

Where Complexity Creates Exposure

This is especially true for growing businesses. Not because they’re careless — but because growth naturally layers technology over time. New platforms are adopted. Remote access expands. Permissions are granted to solve immediate needs. Vendors integrate into systems. Legacy configurations remain in place.

Individually, these decisions make sense. Collectively, they create complexity.

AI-driven attacks don’t need obvious weaknesses. They look for overlooked ones — excessive permissions, inconsistent multi-factor authentication, outdated access policies or limited monitoring outside of business hours.

From a leadership perspective, the concern isn’t “Are we secure?” It’s “Do we have clear visibility into how secure we actually are?”

What Still Works in 2026

The response to AI-driven threats is not panic and it’s not constant tool replacement. It’s disciplined execution of security fundamentals.

Strong identity management remains the foundation. That means:

Enforcing multi-factor authentication consistently
Limiting administrative privileges
Regularly reviewing who has access to what

Continuous monitoring is equally important. Not just collecting logs, but actively reviewing abnormal behavior — especially after hours. Network segmentation and least-privilege access reduce how far an attacker can move if they gain entry.

And perhaps most importantly, a documented and tested incident response plan ensures decisions can be made quickly when needed.

AI may accelerate attacks, but structured environments still limit impact.

The Leadership Conversation

Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical discussion. It’s an operational stability issue.

The real questions for business leaders are practical:

Would we detect abnormal activity quickly?
Could we contain it without widespread disruption?
Are our backups isolated and tested?
Has our response plan been exercised under realistic conditions?

These aren’t fear-based questions. They’re resilience questions. Organizations that ask them proactively tend to navigate incidents calmly. Organizations that avoid them often find themselves reacting under pressure.

From Functional to Predictable

Many businesses have IT systems that function well day to day.

Predictability is different. Predictability means:

Access is controlled intentionally.
Monitoring is consistent.
Recovery plans are realistic.
Security evolves as the business grows.

AI-driven threats raise the baseline, but they don’t change the fundamentals of good governance. They simply reward organizations that are structured — and expose those that are improvising.

At Seifert Technologies, our role isn’t to create alarm. It’s to provide clarity.

We help organizations evaluate their current posture, identify hidden exposures and implement practical improvements that reduce risk without disrupting operations. If you’re unsure how your current environment would hold up against today’s accelerated threat landscape, that uncertainty is normal. The important step is turning it into insight — before an incident forces the conversation.

Call 330.833.2700 ext. 113 or email sales@seifert.com to schedule a security review today.

FAQs About AI-Driven Cyberattacks

What makes AI-driven cyberattacks different from traditional attacks?

They automate reconnaissance, scale quickly and generate highly realistic phishing and credential-based attacks, reducing the time between breach and impact.

Are small and mid-sized businesses really at risk?

Yes. Automated tools allow attackers to target many organizations simultaneously, and growing businesses often have complex environments that create overlooked vulnerabilities.

Is traditional antivirus enough protection?

Antivirus and firewalls are important, but they must be supported by identity controls, proactive monitoring and tested response procedures.

What is the most effective defense strategy today?

A layered approach: strong identity management, consistent multi-factor authentication, limited privileges, continuous monitoring and a realistic disaster recovery plan.

How can Seifert Technologies help?

We assess your security posture, strengthen identity and access controls, implement proactive monitoring and help build response strategies designed for today’s threat environment.

Why Autodesk Vault Is a Game-Changer for Complex Engineering Teams

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 16:54:09 GMT

If you’ve been in engineering long enough, you’ve seen this happen.

A part gets machined from the wrong model.
A drawing revision doesn’t make it to the shop.
A “small change” turns into scrap, rework and a few uncomfortable conversations.

It’s rarely because someone wasn’t paying attention. It’s because the system allowed the wrong information to move forward. As projects grow, engineering problems stop being purely technical. They become version control problems. And once design intent starts slipping as files move from engineer to engineer—or from engineering to the shop floor—things unravel faster than most teams expect.

That’s where Autodesk Vault earns its place. Not as software. As control.

At Seifert Engineering, we don’t value tools because they’re impressive. We value them because they help keep engineering decisions intact all the way through fabrication.

Where Engineering Teams Usually Get Burned

Most teams don’t struggle because they lack skill. They struggle because information gets loose.

Shared folders. Local copies. File names that rely on memory and good habits. That approach works—until complexity increases. Then the margin for error disappears.

When the wrong file gets built, the impact isn’t theoretical:

Material gets scrapped
Machine time is wasted
Weldments need rework
Engineers are pulled back into cleanup instead of design

By the time an issue shows up, the cost is already locked in.

Autodesk Vault addresses a very specific problem: it creates a clear separation between work in progress and released design data . Engineers can iterate freely, while manufacturing sees only what’s approved and ready to build.

That clarity removes a surprising amount of friction.

Protecting Design Intent (Not Just Files)

Good engineering isn’t just geometry. It’s designing with intent. It explains why a rib exists. Why a tolerance is tight. And why one change was made instead of another. Without structure, that context fades. Someone opens a model months later and ends up re-solving decisions that were already made. Vault helps prevent that.

Versions and revisions are tracked automatically. Relationships between parts, assemblies and drawings stay intact. When something changes, it’s visible—and traceable. That matters when designs evolve. And they always do.

Change Management That Reflects Real Engineering

Engineering changes are unavoidable. What usually causes trouble isn’t the change—it’s how casually it spreads.

A quick note, a verbal update, a marked-up print… Everyone’s trying to help, but before long it’s unclear which version is actually in play as the final approved drawing.

Vault’s Engineering Change Order (ECO) workflows introduce a deliberate pause. Not red tape—a moment to check impact before a change moves forward.

Changes get reviewed. Manufacturing knows when a revision is final. Engineers don’t have to wonder whether something is “good enough to build” or still in flux. And speaking from experience, that discipline pays off quickly.

Less Noise, Better Engineering Work

As products scale, engineers spend more time managing files than they realize. Renaming. Revising. Double-checking that the right PDF is circulating. That background noise adds up.

Vault removes much of it. File numbering, revision tracking and release status happen consistently in the background. Engineers stay focused on fit, function, and manufacturability.

It doesn’t make engineers magically faster. It makes them less distracted. That’s usually what teams need.

The Tool Only Works If It Matches Reality

This part gets underestimated. Vault can absolutely create friction if it’s dropped in without understanding how engineering actually works. Rigid workflows. Folder structures that don’t reflect product architecture. Controls that slow iteration. We’ve seen that too.

That’s why we approach Vault as engineers first. We look at how designs move from concept to release, how changes really happen, and where teams tend to lose clarity downstream. Configured in the right way, Vault supports engineering judgment instead of getting in the way of it.

The Bottom Line

Autodesk Vault isn’t valuable because it manages files. It’s valuable because it reduces the chances that unclear or outdated information reaches fabrication.

For teams designing systems that will be built, installed and operated in the real world, that kind of control matters.

At Seifert Engineering, we use tools like Vault because we’ve learned—sometimes the hard way—what happens without structure. If you’re working to keep engineering decisions intact as complexity increases, we’re always open to sharing what’s worked for us. Just give us a call, and let us help you set up a Vault system that can enable you to be more productive.

FAQs About Autodesk Vault for Engineering Teams

What is Autodesk Vault?
Autodesk Vault is a product data management (PDM) system that helps engineering teams manage CAD files, revisions, and released design data.

Who benefits most from Autodesk Vault?
Teams working with multiple revisions, assemblies, or handoffs to manufacturing—especially as products grow more complex.

Does Vault slow engineers down?
When implemented well, it supports iteration while clearly separating in-progress work from released designs.

How does Vault help manufacturing?
It ensures manufacturing works from approved, current files—reducing confusion, rework, and downstream risk.

How does Seifert Engineering approach Vault differently?
We configure Vault around real engineering and fabrication workflows, focusing on manufacturability, clarity, and downstream impact—not just software features.

Speed, Stability and Simplicity: Solving Common IT Pain Points

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 14:09:55 GMT

If you ask business leaders how they feel about their IT systems, the answers are often more emotional than technical.

Frustrated. Overwhelmed. Tired of reacting.

Technology is supposed to make work easier. But when systems are misaligned, outdated or poorly supported, they quietly become obstacles instead of enablers. Small issues add up. Productivity slows. IT becomes something you manage around instead of something you trust.

At Seifert Technologies, we work with organizations facing these challenges every day. While no two environments are exactly alike, the problems below are the most common—and the most impactful when addressed with intention. These issues tend to show up in three specific ways.

1. Disconnected Systems Cause Daily Friction

Many businesses reach a point where their tools technically work—but don’t work well together.

Email lives in one place. Files are spread across servers, cloud storage and personal desktops. Collaboration tools exist, but usage is inconsistent. Teams develop workarounds just to get through the day.

What’s really happening

There’s no single, unified way to work
Information is hard to find and easy to duplicate
New employees struggle to get oriented
Data ends up scattered, increasing security risk

What changes when this is addressed

When systems are unified—often through a well-structured Microsoft environment—work becomes more predictable. Files are easier to locate. Communication happens in shared, consistent spaces. Teams spend less time navigating tools and more time doing actual work.

For business leaders, the payoff is clarity and visibility.
For employees, it’s fewer daily frustrations and smoother collaboration.

2. IT Performance Issues Quietly Drain Productivity

Few things frustrate teams more than slow technology.

Logins lag. Applications hesitate. Video calls falter at the worst possible moment. Nothing is broken enough to trigger an emergency, but underlying limitations add friction to nearly every task.

Over time, these issues become accepted as “normal.”

What’s really happening

Yesterday’s networks weren’t designed for today’s workloads
Systems become overloaded or misconfigured
Aging hardware and software struggle to keep up
Problems are fixed individually, not systemically

What changes when this is addressed

When performance issues are addressed at a system level, the difference is immediate and noticeable. Workflows feel smoother. Meetings run more efficiently. Employees stop compensating for technological delays.

For leaders, better performance isn’t just about speed—it directly impacts productivity, morale and the pace at which the business operates.

3. Reactive IT Prevents Long-Term Stability

One of the most common—and costly—patterns we see is reactive IT.

Something breaks. It gets fixed. Something else breaks. Over time, IT becomes a cycle of interruptions rather than a dependable foundation.

What’s really happening

There’s no long-term IT strategy
Preventative maintenance is minimal
Documentation is incomplete or outdated
Small issues compound into major disruptions

What changes when this is addressed

A stable IT environment doesn’t mean problems never occur. It means systems are monitored, maintained and supported proactively so issues are resolved before they escalate.

When organizations move away from constant firefighting, downtime decreases. Internal teams regain time and focus. Leadership gains confidence that technology will enhance business operations rather than hinder them.

Why Are These Challenges So Common?

These issues aren’t caused by poor leadership or lack of effort.

They’re a natural result of growth. This is why many IT challenges persist even in well-run organizations.

As businesses evolve, technology layers accumulate. Tools are added to solve immediate needs. Older systems remain in place. Over time, complexity increases faster than visibility.

Improvement doesn’t require starting over. It starts with stepping back, understanding the full scope of the IT environment, and making deliberate changes that support its stability, security and long-term use.

From Daily Friction to Dependable IT

When technology works the way it should, it fades into the background. Systems are reliable. Teams trust the tools they use. Leadership can focus on strategy instead of troubleshooting IT.

If parts of this sound familiar, even a short conversation with us can help you clarify where friction exists in your operation and determine which risks are worth addressing and which improvements would deliver the greatest impact.

Seifert Technologies is always happy to serve as a resource, whether that means answering questions, offering a second opinion or helping you plan next steps with confidence. Schedule a call with our team today.

Call 330.833.2700 ext. 113 or email sales@seifert.com .

FAQs About Common IT Pain Points

Why do IT issues keep recurring even when nothing is “broken”?
Because many IT problems develop gradually as systems grow and tools are added without an overall plan. Everything works—but not efficiently—leading to ongoing friction.

Why does our IT feel reactive instead of reliable?
Because issues are addressed after they disrupt operations instead of being prevented through proactive monitoring, maintenance, and planning.

Why do systems feel slow even after upgrades or fixes?
Performance issues are often systemic. Individual fixes help temporarily, but lasting improvement comes from aligning systems with how the business operates today.

How do disconnected systems affect the business?
When systems don’t work together, teams lose time searching for information, duplicating work, and creating manual workarounds—impacting productivity and visibility.

What does a stable IT environment look like?
A stable IT environment delivers predictable performance, fewer disruptions, and proactive support—allowing teams to focus on work instead of troubleshooting technology.

Enhancing Facility Upgrades With Point Cloud-Driven Design

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 17:05:32 GMT

Upgrading or expanding an existing facility is one of the most complex challenges manufacturers face. Every project must fit seamlessly into a real-world environment that’s often full of legacy equipment, tight clearances and unknown obstacles. And when it comes time to expand or modernize a facility, gaps in documentation can make even a straightforward project feel like a maze. Even small inaccuracies in as-built drawings can create costly delays, rework or mismatched designs.

That’s why more manufacturers are turning to point cloud–driven design —a workflow that turns real-world spaces into precise digital environments. Point clouds give teams a clear, accurate picture of what they’re working with—no guesswork, no faded blueprints, no surprises tucked behind a support column.

At Seifert Engineering, we use point cloud data to help customers plan smarter expansions, design workflows with confidence, and move projects forward without the usual headaches that come with upgrading older spaces.

What Makes Point Clouds So Useful?

A point cloud starts with a 3D laser or LiDAR scan. The scanner fires out millions of measurement points, each one recording an exact X-Y-Z location. This creates a highly accurate digital representation of the facility as it exists at that moment—equipment, walls, mezzanines, conduit, pipe runs… everything.

For manufacturers, this precision directly translates into better outcomes. Teams can:

Measure from the digital model instead of making repeated site visits
Identify potential interferences before fabrication
Plan equipment layouts more efficiently
Build new designs that fit right the first time

It’s a way of turning a complex physical space into something engineers and decision makers can use to explore, measure and design within—all from the comfort of their desks.

From Scan to Smart, Usable Data

After a scan is collected, the raw data moves through specialized processing tools that help clean it up, aligning geometry and removing noise and irrelevant details. Multiple scan sets can be merged when a project covers large or segmented areas.

Once prepared, the point cloud is exported to a format that works easily with modern CAD environments. From there, it becomes the foundation for future designs—essentially a digital “as-built” model that informs every decision that follows.

This processing step is one of the biggest reasons point clouds are so powerful. Instead of trying to interpret messy or incomplete data, engineers work from a clean, reliable model that mirrors the real facility inch by inch.

Designing Inside the Real Environment

The moment a point cloud is loaded into CAD, things get interesting. Instead of designing equipment or platforms in a blank workspace, engineers can build directly inside the scanned environment. It's the difference between designing a staircase using a generic wall height… and designing one that you know clears that pipe rack by exactly 2.37 inches.

Working this way makes projects move faster and reduces the friction that normally comes with upgrading older spaces. You can:

Check clearances instantly
Validate equipment fits before fabrication
Build geometry that aligns with existing structures
Catch conflicts while the design is still flexible

And because the model is visual and intuitive, approvals tend to move faster. Stakeholders can “see” the project long before installation day.

Better Planning, Better Workflow, Better Results

Whether you’re relocating a fabrication line, adding automation or expanding a production area, point cloud–driven design gives you the clarity needed to plan effectively. Teams can test different layouts, compare workflows and evaluate how new equipment changes material movement or operator access.

It also reduces two major project stressors: rework and downtime. When the model reflects reality, you’re far less likely to discover an unexpected beam, conduit run or floor variation during installation. That accuracy means fewer on-the-fly adjustments—and a much smoother upgrade process.

A Flexible Tool for Any CAD Workflow

Point cloud data integrates with most widely used design platforms, whether you're working in a mechanical, architectural or layout-focused environment. You don’t have to overhaul your entire workflow to use it; you can simply bring the point cloud in as a reference and design the way you always have—only now, you’re doing it with dramatically better information.

For many manufacturers, that’s a breakthrough: point clouds elevate the quality of the design work without adding friction to the process.

The Bottom Line

Point cloud–driven design gives manufacturers a more accurate, reliable, and efficient way to plan facility upgrades. With a precise digital snapshot of the environment, teams can make confident decisions, reduce installation risk and design solutions that truly fit the space.

At Seifert Engineering, we leverage point cloud data to help customers modernize with fewer surprises and better outcomes. Whether you’re preparing for an expansion, integrating new equipment or rethinking workflow efficiency, this approach creates a clearer path forward from day one.

FAQs About Point Cloud–Driven Design

What is a point cloud?
A point cloud is a collection of millions of measurement points captured by a 3D laser or LiDAR scanner, each one marking an exact X-Y-Z coordinate.

How accurate is point cloud data?
Very. It provides a high-fidelity representation of the real environment, making it ideal for tight clearances, complex layouts and equipment integrations.

Does point cloud data work with my CAD software?
In most cases, yes. Point clouds can be imported into many modern CAD platforms using native tools or common plug-ins.

Does this reduce site visits?
Substantially. With a complete digital model, engineers usually only need one initial scan visit—everything else can be measured virtually.

What types of projects benefit most?
Facility expansions, new equipment installations, layout optimization, automation upgrades and any project involving tight spaces or unclear documentation

Is Your Business Ready for the Cloud? A Practical Migration Checklist

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 12:18:25 GMT

The cloud isn’t a trend anymore—it’s the foundation of modern IT. Yet, many businesses still hesitate to make the move. Maybe it’s uncertainty about cost, complexity, or security. Maybe your current systems “still work fine.” But as software, storage, and infrastructure continue shifting to the cloud, the real question becomes: is your business ready for the cloud—or are you being left behind?

Cloud computing offers clear advantages: flexibility, scalability, resilience, and cost control. But successful cloud adoption requires more than flipping a switch. Without the right plan and preparation, companies can find themselves facing unexpected downtime, runaway costs, or security gaps that outweigh the benefits.

Here’s a practical checklist to help you evaluate readiness, avoid common mistakes, and migrate with confidence.

Step 1: Define the “Why” Before the “How”

Before migrating a single workload, define your purpose. Are you moving to reduce infrastructure costs? Improve reliability? Support remote teams? Or modernize outdated systems?

Your goals will guide every decision—what to migrate, how to structure it, and which provider fits best. Too often, businesses rush into the cloud because “it’s the direction everyone’s going,” only to discover they lack the use cases or ROI justification to sustain it long-term.

Pro Tip: Create measurable success metrics before you start (e.g., reduce downtime by 30%, eliminate on-premises hardware by 2026). These benchmarks help you track progress and prove value later.

Step 2: Audit What You Have

Think of cloud migration like moving to a new house—you need to know what you’re packing, what to leave behind, and what needs upgrading.

Start by cataloging your IT environment: servers, databases, applications, and network dependencies. Identify what’s cloud-ready versus what needs to be reworked. Some legacy systems may not play well in the cloud, while others can move easily with minimal changes.

Don’t overlook data governance. Understand where your data resides, who owns it, and any compliance obligations (HIPAA, PCI, GDPR). These details determine how and where your data can be stored or transferred.

Common Mistake: Skipping dependency mapping. Many migrations fail when teams move one system only to realize another critical app still points to an on-premises database.

Step 3: Choose the Right Cloud Model and Strategy

There’s no “one-size-fits-all” cloud. The right choice depends on your needs:

Public Cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud ): Scalable and cost-efficient, ideal for flexibility.
Private Cloud: Better for sensitive workloads requiring full control and compliance.
Hybrid Cloud: Combines both for balance—keep mission-critical systems on-premises while moving scalable workloads to the cloud.

Also consider your migration strategy :

Lift and Shift (Rehost): Move systems as-is to the cloud.
Re-platform: Make light optimizations (like switching to managed databases).
Refactor: Redesign for cloud-native architecture (ideal for long-term modernization).

Choosing the wrong model can lead to inefficiencies or vendor lock-in later.

Pro Tip: Start with a small pilot project to validate your strategy before scaling.

Step 4: Plan the Move—Down to the Details

Once your roadmap is clear, build a migration plan. This should outline:

A phased migration schedule (by workload priority)
Clear roles and responsibilities
Communication plans for downtime or cutovers
Security and access controls
Backup and rollback strategies

Testing is key. Always test workloads in a staging environment before flipping the switch.

Common Mistake: Moving too much too soon. A phased approach reduces disruption and allows teams to learn as they go.

Step 5: Prioritize Security and Cost Control

Cloud security is a shared responsibility. Your provider secures the infrastructure—but you are responsible for access control, configurations, and data protection.

Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) , enforce strong password policies, and continuously monitor user access. Use encryption both in transit and at rest. And don’t forget to configure security groups and firewalls correctly—misconfigurations remain one of the top causes of cloud breaches.

When it comes to cost, set up monitoring and alerts to track usage. Cloud services make it easy to overspend through underused resources or forgotten test environments.

Pro Tip: Use your provider’s built-in cost management tools or a third-party platform to track usage trends and automate rightsizing recommendations.

Step 6: Train Your Team and Build a Culture of Cloud Readiness

Technology is only half of the equation—your people are the other half. Provide training to help IT staff understand new cloud tools, management consoles, and best practices. Encourage a culture of adaptability and continuous learning.

For many organizations, working with a managed service provider (MSP) like Seifert Technologies can bridge the skills gap. A trusted partner can help your team transition smoothly while providing guidance on architecture, governance, and optimization.

Step 7: Test, Optimize, and Evolve

Migration isn’t a one-and-done event—it’s an ongoing journey. Once workloads are live, monitor performance, review KPIs, and identify opportunities to optimize. Cloud environments evolve quickly; what worked a year ago might not be cost-effective or secure today.

Regularly revisit your cloud architecture to ensure it still aligns with business goals. Continuous improvement is what separates a successful cloud migration from one that simply “moved servers offsite.”

Final Thoughts: Migration as Modernization

Cloud migration isn’t just about moving data—it’s about modernizing how your business operates. When done strategically, it can improve performance, enhance security, and empower innovation across your organization.

At Seifert Technologies , we help businesses modernize their IT environments with customized cloud migration strategies that minimize risk and maximize ROI. From readiness assessments to full-scale deployments, our team guides you every step of the way.

Ready to see if your business is cloud-ready?
Contact our team to schedule a Cloud Readiness Assessment and get your personalized migration roadmap.

Call 330.833.2700 ext. 113 or email sales@seifert.com .

Finite Element Analysis for Weldment Design: How FEA Reduces Weight Without Compromising Strength

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 19:00:24 GMT

In today’s competitive marketplace, manufacturers are constantly challenged to do more with less—less weight, less material, and less cost—without sacrificing performance or safety. Welded assemblies are at the heart of countless products, from machine frames and robotic tooling to heavy-duty enclosures and transportation equipment. Each one must strike the right balance between strength, weight, and durability. That’s where Finite Element Analysis (FEA) comes in.

At Seifert Engineering, we use FEA to help our customers create virtual prototypes of their weldments. This process allows us to simulate how an assembly will perform under real-world conditions, pinpoint stress concentrations, and explore redesign options before the first piece of steel is ever cut. The result? Lighter, stronger, and more efficient designs that save time and reduce costs.

Traditional Weldment Design vs. FEA Optimization

Traditionally, weldments have been designed with large safety factors. While this “better safe than sorry” approach works, it often leads to heavier structures than necessary. Extra weight increases material costs, makes handling and installation more difficult, and can even limit performance in applications where mobility or efficiency is critical.

With FEA, engineers don’t need to rely on rules of thumb or oversizing. Instead, we can simulate exact conditions —stress, vibration, temperature, and more—to see how the weldment will behave. This digital stress test provides valuable insights into where material is truly needed for strength and where it can be safely reduced.

Stress Risers in Weldments: What FEA Reveals

One of the biggest advantages of FEA is its ability to reveal stress risers —the areas where failures are most likely to occur. In welded assemblies, these often include:

Weld geometry and roots, where the shape changes dramatically.
Connection points with bolts, pins, or fasteners.
Transitions in material thickness , where loads aren’t evenly distributed.
Corners and cutouts , which concentrate stresses.

By identifying these critical zones early in the design process, we can reinforce them strategically while trimming away unnecessary weight in low-stress regions.

FEA Meshing Strategies and Boundary Conditions for Weldments

Running an FEA model isn’t just about clicking “analyze.” The quality of the results depends heavily on how the simulation is set up—particularly meshing and boundary conditions .

Meshing strategies : The mesh is the network of small elements used to represent the weldment. Finer meshes in high-stress areas capture detail more accurately, while coarser meshes in low-stress areas speed up calculations. The right balance ensures reliable results without unnecessary computation time.
Boundary conditions : These define how the assembly is constrained and loaded in the real world. Properly applying loads, supports, and connections is critical for making the simulation behave like the actual structure.

At Seifert Engineering, our team’s experience ensures that each simulation is built on solid fundamentals, giving our customers confidence that the results will reflect reality.

Visualizing Stress and Making Better Design Decisions

One of the most powerful aspects of FEA is its ability to visualize stress concentrations through clear, color-coded plots. Instead of guessing, customers can literally see where their design is strongest and where it needs attention. These visual insights help guide collaborative conversations about redesign—whether that means adjusting weld sizes, changing materials, or redistributing loads.

This process doesn’t just reduce weight and improve efficiency; it also builds confidence. Customers know that their design has been tested, validated, and optimized before fabrication begins.

Partnering for Better Weldment Designs

FEA is more than a software tool—it’s a way of thinking about design. At Seifert Engineering, we see it as an opportunity to partner with our customers . By combining simulation with our deep engineering expertise, we help companies bring better products to market faster, with fewer prototypes and lower development costs.

Whether you’re working on a new weldment design or looking to improve an existing assembly, our team can help you optimize for strength, efficiency, and manufacturability. With FEA, you don’t have to choose between lightweight and durable—you can have both.

�� Explore Seifert Engineering’s FEA services to see how simulation can support your next project.

FAQs on Weldment Design and FEA

Why use FEA for weldment design?
FEA allows engineers to simulate stress and loading conditions, optimize material usage, and reduce weight without compromising strength.

What are common stress risers in welded assemblies?
Weld geometry, roots, fastener connections, material transitions, and cutouts are the most common areas where stress concentrates.

Can FEA replace physical prototypes?
Not entirely, but it significantly reduces the number of prototypes needed by identifying issues earlier in the design process.

Ransomware Readiness: A Step-by-Step Guide to Protecting Your Business

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 16:36:59 GMT

“It won’t happen to us.” That’s what many business owners think—until it does.

Ransomware has quickly become one of the most costly and disruptive threats facing businesses of all sizes. Unlike other cyberattacks, ransomware doesn’t just steal information—it locks you out of your own systems until a ransom is paid, often crippling operations for days or weeks.

In June, we discussed how “ Data Backup Is Not Disaster Recovery .” Today, we’re taking that conversation further. Cybercriminals have grown adept at evading old defenses. Many ransomware attacks now target and encrypt backups first , leaving businesses with no safety net if they don’t have a full recovery strategy in place.

So how can you prepare your business before it’s too late?

The Evolution of Ransomware

Ransomware has evolved from crude encryption schemes into complex, multi-stage attacks. The collapse of major groups like Lockbit and BlackCat has fractured the ecosystem, giving rise to lone operators and hybrid threat actors that blur the lines between cybercrime, espionage and hacktivism.

New tactics include:

Phantom scams : Fake ransom notes sent by mail
Living Off the Land (LOTL) : Using legitimate tools to avoid detection
Double extortion : Encrypting data and threatening to leak it
Human-operated ransomware : Attacks rely on social engineering techniques and insider manipulation

Real-World Impact of Ransomware

Colonial Pipeline (2021): A ransomware attack shut down the largest fuel pipeline in the U.S. for nearly a week, causing fuel shortages and panic buying.
City of Baltimore (2019): Attackers demanded $76,000 in ransom. The city refused—but ended up spending over $18 million recovering systems and services.
Ingram Micro (2025): In July, IT distribution giant Ingram Micro suffered a global outage due to a ransomware attack by the SafePay group. The attack disrupted website access, order processing, and internal operations for nearly a week.
Small Businesses (every day): According to the FBI, over 70% of ransomware victims are small and mid-sized businesses. Why? They often lack advanced defenses, making them easier targets.

The message is clear: ransomware doesn’t discriminate . Whether you’re a manufacturer, professional services firm or municipality—if you use technology to run your business, you are at risk.

How Humans Are Used to Execute Attacks

Cybercriminals increasingly rely on human behavior to breach defenses:

Phishing & Impersonation : Attackers impersonate employees and trick help desk staff into provisioning access. Groups like Scattered Spider use native English speakers to convincingly pose as internal staff.
Credential Theft : Employees reuse passwords or fall for fake login pages. These credentials are sold on the dark web and used to infiltrate networks [1] .
Employee Burnout : Tired or disengaged employees are more likely to click suspicious links or ignore security protocols. In one survey, 63% of employees admitted they’d open a suspicious email if it appeared to come from a colleague .
Overconfidence : Despite training, many employees believe they can spot phishing—but attackers now use AI to craft flawless messages.

“Human error is the biggest contributor to any data breach. Nearly three out of four incidents involved a human element like error, privilege misuse, stolen credentials or social engineering.” — Infosec Institute

Ransomware Readiness Checklist

Here’s a step-by-step framework to strengthen your defenses:

Educate Your Team – Human error is still the #1 cause of successful ransomware infections. Regular phishing simulations and awareness training are critical. Teach staff to not click unverified links, avoid unknown USB devices and use VPNs on public networks.
Patch and Update Systems – Cybercriminals exploit known vulnerabilities. Keep servers, applications and endpoints up to date. Use firewalls and endpoint protection.
Segment Your Network – Don’t let attackers move freely inside your systems. Limit access and separate critical infrastructure from general-use networks.
Secure Your Backups – Keep backups encrypted, offsite and inaccessible from the primary network. Test them regularly to confirm they can be restored.
Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) – Passwords alone are not enough. Require MFA for remote access, admin accounts and email.
Monitor and Respond 24/7 – Early detection is everything. Proactive monitoring tools can identify and lock down suspicious activity before it escalates. Keep systems updated, and watch for LOTL tactics, blind spots and unusual activity—especially during nights and weekends.
Develop (and Test) a Response Plan – Conduct regular tabletop exercises. Know who to call, how to isolate infected systems and how to restore operations quickly.

From Readiness to Resilience

Cybersecurity isn’t about eliminating every risk—that’s impossible. It’s about building resilience so your business can withstand attacks and bounce back stronger. Seifert Technologies designs ransomware readiness and recovery strategies with the right combination of prevention, detection and recovery strategies. Don’t wait until you’re locked out. Let’s build your defense plan today.

Contact us to schedule a free consultation. Call 330.833.2700 ext. 113 or email sales@seifert.com .

Maximizing ROI: The Strategic Value of Robotics in Manufacturing

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 18:29:37 GMT

When considering automation, the key question is Return On Investment (ROI): Will this pay off—and how soon?

In today’s competitive manufacturing landscape, efficiency isn’t just a goal—it’s the standard. The push to produce more, faster and with fewer resources is reshaping operations across every sector. That’s where industrial and collaborative robotics shine.

Robotics is no longer a futuristic concept. It’s a strategic investment that drives efficiency and long-term profitability. It provides practical, accessible tools for companies to scale.

When considering automation, the key question is Return On Investment (ROI): Will this pay off—and how soon?

The answer depends on several key factors. Let’s walk through the biggest contributors to the ROI of automation with robots and what that means for your business.

1. Labor Savings That Scale

Labor costs are often one of the most significant—and unpredictable—expenses in manufacturing. Robots operate 24/7 without fatigue. They work reliably and consistently across multiple shifts, allowing companies to maintain output even when staffing is tight .

They can also help stabilize your workforce by taking on repetitive, physically demanding or hard-to-fill roles. Robots also excel at time-consuming tasks like welding, assembling and packaging products. Human team members can be reassigned to more strategic or specialized roles that drive additional value for the organization.

For many operations, a reduction in overtime, turnover and temporary labor is enough to see a return on their automation investment within one to two years.

2. Greater Productivity with Existing Resources

Beyond reducing labor costs, robots enhance throughput by helping you get more out of the equipment and floor space you already have.

They minimize downtime, speed up cycle times and streamline workflows. In some cases, facilities can increase output by 20–30% without expanding their physical footprint by simply integrating automation into the right manufacturing processes.

3. Precision Elevates Quality

Robots are engineered for accuracy. Their ability to perform tasks with exacting precision reduces variability and defects, leading to higher product quality and fewer customer returns. That level of consistency is nearly impossible to achieve with manual processes, especially in high-speed or high-precision applications.

Consistent quality not only strengthens brand reputation but also lowers the cost of quality control and warranty claims. When quality improves, so does customer satisfaction and your bottom line.

4. Minimizing Waste & Rework

Production errors don’t just impact quality—they cost time and materials. Reworking parts or scrapping components can impact profitability and disrupt schedules.

Robots reduce errors by minimizing variability in how a task is performed . Robots help maintain process discipline—whether it’s a pick-and-place operation, welding or a product inspection. That means fewer surprises on the line and a better use of your raw materials.

5. Flexibility In A Dynamic Market

A common misconception is that robots are only worth the investment in high-volume production. That might have been true 15 years ago, but not today.

Modern robotic systems are highly adaptable. With the right programming and tooling, a robot can be reconfigured for different parts, products or processes. Collaborative robots (in particular) offer added flexibility by safely working alongside human operators, making it easier to reassign tasks or adjust workflows without major reprogramming.

This makes them an ideal fit for high-mix, low-volume operations. The flexibility to adapt to product variations and seasonal demand, future-proofs your operations against market shifts. As your production needs evolve, your robots can evolve too—protecting your investment and supporting long-term scalability.

Calculate Your ROI Today

Curious about the potential ROI for your facility? Use the Robotics ROI Calculator from the Association for Advancing Automation. Enter your production data to estimate cost savings and payback period: https://www.automate.org/robotics-roi-calculator.

What’s Next?

Robotic automation isn’t about replacing people—it’s about using your resources more effectively. When implemented strategically, robots enhance the work your team already does, reduce operational costs and position your facility for the future.

At Seifert Engineering, we believe good automation starts with good engineering. We work closely with plant leaders to explore what’s possible, understand where the value is and design systems that make a meaningful impact.

Let’s Start A Conversation.
We’re here to help you think it through and help your facility be more productive. From initial concept and system design to programming, panel building and onsite commissioning— we offer complete Design & Build solutions tailored to your industry.

Reach out to our team to start a conversation about what robotics could look like in your facility today.

Data Backup is NOT Disaster Recovery: Why Your Business Could Be at Risk

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 11:36:29 GMT

Backups protect your files. Disaster recovery protects your business.

Most business owners understand the importance of backing up their data. Few realize that backups alone won’t protect them when disaster strikes. Relying solely on backups is one of the most common (and costly) mistakes business owners can make.

If your organization hasn’t defined a full recovery plan, you could be at risk.

Backup vs. Disaster Recovery: What's the Difference?

Data Backup creates a copy of your files, folders and network systems. These backups can be stored locally or in the cloud, and they are meant to protect against data loss.

Disaster Recovery (DR) is a comprehensive strategy outlining how to restore critical IT systems, applications, and operations after a major disruption. It defines key recovery processes, timelines, failover systems, resources and responsibilities.

Having a backup is like having a spare tire; Disaster Recovery is having the right tools and knowing how to use them to get back on the road.

Why Backups Alone Aren’t Enough

Here are a few ways businesses get blindsided when they rely on backups alone:

Restoration Takes Time: Just because files are saved doesn’t mean your system can be restored instantaneously. Restoring servers, reconfiguring networks and reinstalling applications can take days—or even weeks—without a recovery strategy.
Lack of Prioritization: Not all data is equal. Without a recovery strategy, teams waste hours recovering low-priority files while other critical systems remain offline after a ransomware attack, server failure or natural disaster.
Downtime Is Expensive: According to FEMA, 90% of small businesses fail within a year if they can’t reopen quickly after a disaster. Downtime can lead to thousands of dollars in lost revenue, damaged reputations, compliance violations and lost productivity.
Cybercriminals Target Backups: Modern ransomware attacks often look for and encrypt backups first. If your backup isn’t isolated or secure, it could be compromised before you even know there’s a problem.

What a Resilient Disaster Recovery Strategy Looks Like

Build real-world resilience with a practical, right-sized recovery plan:

Redundant, Automated Backups: Implement multi-layered backup strategies that include local and cloud storage, to ensure that even if one method fails, your data is still recoverable.
Defined RTO and RPO Goals: Define Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO) to determine how quickly your systems must be restored and how much data loss is acceptable. These benchmarks will guide the technology and processes used in your plan.
Disaster Recovery Runbook: Outline the step-by-step process for restoring operations after a disaster. Include system dependencies, key personnel responsibilities and a communications strategy.
Regular Testing and Validation: Conduct routine Disaster Recovery drills and simulations to ensure your systems and people are ready.
Cloud-Based Recovery Options: For businesses that can’t afford extended downtimes, explore Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) options. This allows you to spin up virtual versions of critical systems from the cloud, often within hours or minutes, depending on business needs.

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

Data loss, cyberattacks, power outages and hardware failures are not rare events—they’re part of an everyday business environment in our always-on, always-connected world. The companies that survive and thrive through these events are the ones that plan ahead.

Disaster recovery isn’t just for large enterprises. Small and mid-sized businesses have the most to lose from prolonged downtime. The good news is that with the right IT partner, recovery is more accessible and affordable than ever.

Let’s Build Resilience—Together

At Seifert Technologies, we specialize in right-sized, strategic disaster recovery solutions for growing businesses. Whether you're starting from scratch or want a second opinion on your current backup strategy, we’re here to help. We’ll evaluate your setup, identify vulnerabilities and recommend a path toward true resilience.

The Future of Control: Why PLCs Are Critical to Smarter, Faster Manufacturing

Wed, 28 May 2025 16:38:36 GMT

PLCs are no longer just about control—they’re becoming your gateway to digital transformation.

Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) aren’t just technical tools—they’re the silent workhorses powering the world’s most advanced production lines. Whether you're in automotive, food and beverage, or industrial manufacturing, PLCs sit at the intersection of uptime, throughput, and innovation.

Today, operations leaders are under pressure to do more with less—less downtime, less waste, and less labor. That’s where PLCs shine.

PLCs enable reliable, real-time control of complex machinery and systems. They’re the bedrock of modern automation, ensuring that processes run efficiently, errors are minimized, and systems are monitored continuously. But here’s the shift: PLCs are no longer just about control—they’re becoming your gateway to digital transformation.

Top 5 Thought Starters:

What should operations leaders be thinking about when it comes to PLCs?

1. Are your PLCs just running—or are they driving improvement?

Most existing systems can already gather data on temperature, speed, vibration, and runtime. But are you using that data for predictive maintenance or real-time decision-making?

2. How future-ready is your control infrastructure?

New PLC systems are built to integrate with cloud-based dashboards, mobile alerts, ERP systems, and more. If your current setup can’t connect, you’re losing agility.

3. Could smarter PLC programming improve yield or quality?

Advanced ladder logic can reduce cycle time, detect anomalies faster, and minimize scrap. The right engineering partner can unlock these performance boosts with the right programming logic.

4. Do your control systems talk to each other?

Interoperability between robotics, PLCs, sensors, and enterprise software is key to scaling smart factory initiatives. Siloed systems slow you down.

5. Are you planning for tomorrow’s workforce?

As skilled trades evolve, intuitive PLC systems with remote support, visualization tools, and diagnostics help your teams operate more efficiently—even with leaner crews.

What’s Next?

At Seifert Engineering, we work with plant leaders to rethink how their PLCs and control systems support the future of their operations. From initial concept and system design to programming, panel building, and onsite commissioning— we offer complete Design & Build automation solutions tailored to your industry.

Whether you're upgrading outdated PLCs, expanding production, or starting a smart automation initiative— we’re here to help you think it through.

Let’s start a conversation.

Reach out today to talk with one of our control systems engineers about what’s next for your facility.

How AI is Transforming IT Management (And Why SMBs Need to Pay Attention)

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 13:43:40 GMT

AI isn’t just a buzzword anymore, and it’s not just for Fortune 500 companies. It’s quietly reshaping how businesses—especially small and mid-sized ones—manage their IT, protect their data, and improve productivity.

Yet for many business owners, AI still feels like something out of reach. Maybe you’ve heard of ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot, but you’re not quite sure how it fits into your world. That’s where we come in!

We’re breaking down what AI means for your IT operations today—and how Managed IT Service Providers (MSPs) like us are helping businesses like yours get ahead without getting overwhelmed.

What AI Is Doing for IT Management at SMBs (Right Now)

From cybersecurity to automation, AI is already making IT faster, smarter, and more secure. Here’s how:

1. AI-Powered Cybersecurity

AI tools are becoming essential to detect and stop threats to your business before they become disasters.

24/7 threat detection : Tools like SentinelOne and Microsoft Defender use AI to monitor your systems in real-time and spot suspicious activity—even before a human could.
Phishing protection : AI analyzes emails and links to catch impersonation attempts and scam messages.
Automated response : If a threat is detected, AI tools can automatically isolate infected systems and prevent spread—within seconds. This is key, pairing your 24/7/365 threat detection with 24/7/365 action!

2. Smarter IT Automation

AI isn’t just about fighting cybercrime—it’s helping businesses save time, reduce manual work, and operate more efficiently. Here are some examples of how AI is automating key IT functions behind the scenes:

Predictive maintenance : AI can flag hardware or software issues before they cause downtime.
User behavior analysis for better permissions control : AI tools can monitor how employees use systems and flag risky access patterns—helping prevent accidental data exposure or insider threats.
Intelligent alert prioritization: Instead of flooding your IT dashboard with noise, AI filters and ranks alerts by severity—so real issues don’t get buried under false positives.
Self-healing systems : In some cases, AI can detect and fix common problems (like restarting a frozen service) without any human involvement.

These aren’t hypothetical tools—they’re already in use by MSPs and IT platforms supporting businesses like yours every day.

3. Productivity Gains with Tools You Already Have

If your business uses Microsoft 365, you already have access to AI—and probably aren’t using it fully yet.

Microsoft Copilot (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams):
Draft emails, summarize meetings, or create reports with just a few clicks.
Summarize long threads and documents
Build presentations or clean up Excel data without formulas or formatting headaches.
Outlook Suggestions : AI can suggest meeting times, draft responses, or flag important messages.
Teams AI features: Transcripts, highlights, and action items from meetings—delivered directly after the call.

These tools don’t require a tech degree to use—they just need someone to turn them on, configure them properly, and show you how to use them. That’s where we come in. Our job is to make it easy, secure, and practical for you so you can focus on what you know best…your business.

Why Business Owners Shouldn’t Wait

AI isn’t going away. And for businesses that get ahead of it, there’s a real opportunity to:

Outpace competitors with faster decisions and smarter tools
Protect against modern cyber threats
Reduce costs through automation and efficiency
Empower employees with tools that make work easier, not harder

The good news? You don’t need a full-time IT team or a PhD in machine learning. You just need the right partner to guide you.

Let’s Talk About AI for Your Business

Curious about what AI could do for your business? Overwhelmed by options and don’t know where to start? Let’s fix that. Schedule a call with our team to discuss your business, your systems, and where AI could make the biggest difference—today and in the future.

Design & Build, All in One Place: Why It Matters to You

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 12:58:09 GMT

The Real-World Benefits of Keeping It All In-House

In engineering, every handoff is a risk. When your project moves from design to fabrication to assembly—especially across different vendors—things can get lost in translation. Timelines slip. Details are missed. Costs creep up. The disconnect between what’s designed and what’s built becomes a liability.

At Seifert Engineering, we’ve eliminated that disconnect. By bringing both design and build under one roof, we’ve created a tightly integrated process that keeps your project on track, on spec, and under control—from concept to final delivery.

The Real-World Benefits of Keeping It All In-House

1. Faster Execution

When design and manufacturing live under the same roof or with the same company, decisions are made in real time. Engineers and builders collaborate early and often, which means fewer delays, quicker problem-solving, and accelerated timelines.

2. Greater Accuracy and Quality

With one united team guiding your project from start to finish, nothing gets lost in handoffs. Every design is created with build feasibility in mind, and every component is produced to the same standards that shaped the design. It’s one continuous quality loop—with no weak links.

3. Reduced Risk and Fewer Surprises

Miscommunication between vendors is one of the leading causes of project overruns and change orders. By consolidating responsibility, we eliminate ambiguity. If a challenge arises, we solve it internally—fast and efficiently.

4. Better Cost Control

Designing with manufacturing in mind means smarter material and systems choices, fewer revisions, and less waste. That adds up to a leaner, more predictable budget.

5. More Flexibility, Less Finger-Pointing

Need to pivot mid-project? With everyone under one roof, changes are easier to manage. There’s no blame game—just a single team focused on getting it done right for you the first time.

What Seifert Engineering Has Done and What It Means for You

We have added experienced machining, manufacturing, and fabrication capabilities to our team over the last year, providing you with the end-to-end solutions you have been requesting. Whether you're developing a complex automation system, prototyping a new product, or re-engineering an existing solution, the ability to move seamlessly from design to build within one Seifert team changes everything. You save time. You gain control. You reduce risk. And you get a final result that lives up to your vision.

At Seifert Engineering, we’re not just “designing things”. We’re designing and building solutions…while also building confidence into every project. Let’s talk about how our integrated Design & Build approach can streamline your next initiative.

IT MSP vs. In-House IT: Outsourcing is More Cost Effective Than You Think!

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 16:11:51 GMT

For many businesses with up to 100 employees, in-house IT management is a constant balancing act for leadership. You need reliable technology, strong cybersecurity and fast support, but hiring an in-house IT team can be expensive and difficult to scale. Plus, simply making a quality IT hiring decision can be challenging when you or your team don’t possess excellent IT skills yourself.

The key decision to keep IT in-house vs. outsourcing is often a financial one. Many business owners assume that keeping IT in-house is more affordable than hiring an IT Managed Service Provider (MSP)—but that’s not always the case. In fact, outsourcing IT to an MSP can provide real cost savings while also delivering substantial incremental value.

Let’s break down the numbers of the outsourced MSP vs. in-house IT decision so you can make the best choice for your business.

The True Cost of Hiring an In-House IT Team

If you're considering hiring an internal IT person, it’s essential to understand the full cost of employment, not just the salary. Here's what you can expect to pay for a single IT manager (estimates only, may vary by geographic location):

And that’s just to add one new IT employee! If your business grows, you may need an entire IT staff and new IT solutions to cover specialized skills like cybersecurity, cloud management and compliance.

Even worse? If your single IT person quits, gets sick or goes on vacation, your entire business is left exposed with no support. Just typing that last sentence induced a significant amount of stress! The good news is there’s a better way.

The Cost Savings and Added Value of an IT MSP

Now, let’s compare this to outsourcing your IT services. With an MSP, you gain access to an entire team of experienced IT professionals—at a fraction of the cost of a single in-house IT hire.

For example, a fully managed IT service package for a company with 50 employees using PCs typically costs between $40,000 - $50,000 per year.

That’s savings of $48,000 - $70,000 for an entire team of people compared to the numbers for the one in-house IT person based on the costs listed in the table above. Those savings are REAL dollars you can reallocate to other strategic initiatives within your business to help drive growth.

And don’t forget, while you are saving money you are adding value. An MSP’s fully managed IT service gains you:

24/7 Monitoring & Support (No “sick days” or PTO gaps)
Proactive Maintenance & Patching (Preventing issues before they disrupt business)
Cybersecurity Protection & Compliance (Multi-layered security that’s always up to date, 24/7/365 proactive coverage by a Security Operations Center)
Cloud & Infrastructure Management (Scaling IT with your business)
Access to a Full Team of Experts (Specialists in networking, security, cloud and more)

MSP vs. In-House IT: Which Is Right for Your Business?

When an MSP Is the Better Choice:

If you want 24/7/365 IT support from a team of skilled professionals at a predictable monthly cost without hiring an expensive team.
If you can’t afford downtime and need proactive maintenance instead of a break-fix approach.
If you value security and compliance but don’t have the budget for a dedicated cybersecurity specialist.
If you need easily scalable IT support that flexes with the ever changing needs of your business.

When Hiring In-House IT Makes Sense:

If you’re a large company (100+ employees) that needs dedicated full-time IT personnel on-site.
If you require IT professionals to support specialized in-house applications that an MSP may not manage as effectively.
If your IT budget can comfortably support multiple IT professionals to cover security, helpdesk, compliance and cloud management.

If you do decide to hire your first in-house IT employee, know that an MSP can still play a very valuable role in your success. That one IT employee will have a lot of ground to cover inside your organization, and a lot of things to stay educated on from the outside IT world. Partnering with an MSP to support your in-house IT employee sets both them and your company up for even more success.

The Next Step: Get a Free IT Consultation

If you’re unsure whether hiring in-house IT or outsourcing to an MSP is the right choice, let’s talk. We’ll provide a customized cost comparison based on your business size, industry, and IT needs—so you can make an informed decision about the best IT strategy for your business.

The Top 7 Reasons to Outsource Design and Build Projects

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 17:03:53 GMT

The Top 7 Reasons to Outsource Design and Build Projects

In today's competitive market, efficient design and build processes are crucial for manufacturing and maintenance success. Partnering with an engineering services firm that utilizes the latest technology, software and tools can offer significant advantages.

Access to Expertise and Technology : Engineering services firms bring specialized knowledge and experience to the table. They use cutting-edge CAD and 3D scanning software packages and are regularly exposed to new technologies and techniques. They bring a wealth of experience from working across various industries, which can lead to innovative solutions.
More Cost Effective: Outsourcing can reduce both capital and operational costs. You avoid the need for significant investments in equipment, facilities, software, and specialized staff. Additionally, outsourcing partners often have established supply chains and can procure materials at lower costs.
Focus on What You Do Best: By outsourcing design and build projects, your company can focus on its core activities and strengths, leaving the complex task of machinery design and build to experts. This can lead to better overall efficiency and productivity for both your company and your customers.
Reduce Your Production Losses: Professional engineering service firms can test and evaluate machinery before it is installed in your production environment, minimizing startup problems and installation difficulties. This ensures that the machinery is ready to operate immediately, reducing downtime.
Increased Scalability and Flexibility: Outsourcing allows you to scale production up or down based on demand without the need for significant internal adjustments. This flexibility can be crucial in responding to market changes and customer needs.
Improved Quality and Innovation: Outsourcing allows you to focus on what you do best, because your new partner focuses on what they do best! Partners often have higher quality machinery and innovative solutions that might not be possible in-house.
Increase Your Speed to Market: Outsourcing can accelerate project timelines and reduce time to market. With a dedicated team working on your project, you can achieve faster results and stay ahead of the competition.

Seifert Engineering can deliver for you all seven of the advantages listed above. Contact us today to talk about your next project.

Career Day at Seifert Technologies

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Thu, 23 May 2024 18:35:52 GMT

Seifert Technologies recently partnered with the Stark Education Partnership (SEP), Fairless High School and Perry High School and provided a career day for the students. The objective was to provide an insight to local area high school students on the careers and opportunities available right here in Stark County. Our presentations focused on the services which we provide to our clients related to Engineering, IT, and Staffing.

We featured interactive displays on Robotics, Machine Design, 3D CAD, PLC Motion Control, IT Infrastructure, Power BI, Software Development, and Career Services.

Jaecey Hudson holds the position of Career Champion at Stark Education Partnership (SEP). Her role places her within several local High Schools including Fairless and she counsels the students on their career paths. Jaecey was instrumental in scheduling the day with Fairless High School.

SEP is a catalyst, engaging and collaborating with education, business, civic and community stakeholders to drive sustainable improvement and innovation to provide all students with education and career success.

SEP serves education, business, and community organizations in the Stark County region as a connector and partner. SEP collaborates with local foundations to ensure a continued focus on meeting emerging needs and works in complementary fashion with other nonprofits throughout the region.

Stark Education Partnership’s vision to build generations of successful individuals who fulfill their potential and grow roots in Stark County is brought to life by engaging students in real-world workplace experiences.

We also worked closely with the Robotics / STEM department at Perry High School to plan the day for these students. Stephanie Laskey and her team from Perry were the high school coordinators for the event. The Perry Local Project Lead the Way classes emphasize various engineering aspects, spanning from introduction to engineering design, computer manufacturing, digital electronics, aerospace engineering, to principles of engineering. Students were enthusiastic and actively involved in witnessing engineering principles in action at Seifert Technologies. They gained insight into the structure of engineering firms and the key attributes of successful engineers. They left Seifert Technologies with new information, eager to apply their newfound knowledge in the world of engineering.

To learn more details about the services of Seifert Technologies, contact us at (330) 833-2700 or sales@seifert.com. Please visit www.seifert.com for more information on our full range of capabilities.

For more information related to SEP, please visit www.edpartner.org .

Machine Design – A Travel Through Time

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 19:33:22 GMT

Manufacturing can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution changed the way that manufacturers worked all over the world. There were inventions of new machines and technology. The new production made manufacturing cheaper, faster, and more efficient. The Industrial Revolution changed manufacturing for the modern world.

In the First Industrial Revolution, which began in the late 18 ^th century was a significant change in human history. It transitioned to industrial societies, fueled by innovations in textile manufacturing, steam power, and iron production. This period increased efficiency in the mass production of goods. The invention of the steam engine led to the increase of railways. The First Industrial Revolution was the first step in modernizing the world.

The Second Industrial Revolution is known as the Technological Revolution. This happened in the mid-19th century and was known for the adoption of electric power. This transformed the manufacturing process in steel. It led to the invention of the telegraph, telephone, television, and radio. Advancement in transportation was drastically improved leading to increased urbanization.

The Third Industrial Revolution is known as the Digital Revolution. It happened in the late 20 ^th century with digital technology. This was the rise of the internet and digital computers. This changed the way people interacted with each other. The World Wide Web was developed. This led to the digitalization of every known modern aspect of life.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is referred to as Industry 4.0. This revolution is known for technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), 3D printing, and robotics. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is expected to have impacts on society to increase quality, production, and drive economic growth.

Our firm has seen these “revolutions” firsthand, and we are thrilled to be involved with Industry 4.0. We asked our President Tim Seifert what he has seen at our firm related to the Industrial Revolutions. He said “Some of our retired Engineers and a few current have were designing machines in the 40’s and 50’s. They used to walk in our CAD room with their pocket protector loaded up Pentel leads, a slide rule and drafting triangles and say this is how we used to design machines. After a few clicks our CAD Designer would spin his monitor around to show his current design cross hatched with all of the properties in a table such as density, volume, center of gravity and neutral axis. One more click and he now has high stress points marked in red highlighting VonMises, combined and maximum shear stress points.” Mr. Seifert went on to say, “A good Machine Designer utilizes the techniques that have been developed through all of the Industrial Revolutions. They incorporate the current best in class hydraulic, pneumatic, bearings gears, motors, cylinders, and couple them with the lates machine control software”.

Our team of electrical and mechanical engineers and designers have candid knowledge in industries such as automotive, tire and rubber, steel mill, pulp and paper, utilities, refining, plastics, and food processing. We work with customers every day to help them upgrade their existing processes and deliver improved products more efficiently. Our electrical engineers provide a complete integration service for power and communication networks between control systems and machine components, all while following local codes and standards. We manage the integration process to validate the engineered design. Our project managers focus on keeping the project on schedule and budget, a valuable addition for design and build projects. Once field installation is complete, we check the integration process by testing hardware communication, validating software functionality, and verifying the operational requirements of the equipment. We also provide complete as-built documentation of the finished product. Our electrical engineering department can also assist you with many of your industrial automation challenges. These include designing and building custom in-line vision inspection systems, integrating robots and robotic work cells, and Industrial IoT solutions for data collection and analytics.

· PLC Automation

· PLC Connectivity

· Motion Control

· Batching Systems

· Drive Control System Packages

· Data Acquisition Software

· PID Control

· Software Support and Training

Our project teams in Massillon, Cleveland, and Nashville include Engineers, Designers, Drafters, and IT Specialists. Since 1985, we’ve executed hundreds of successful engineering projects for small manufacturers and large Fortune 500 companies. We are committed to excellence in engineering with a focus on providing our customers with innovative solutions.

Contact our Team

To learn more details about our services contact us at (330) 833-2700 or sales@seifert.com. Please visit www.seifert.com/engineering for more information on our full range capabilities

What is Phishing, Smishing, and Vishing?

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 18:13:24 GMT

Phishing, Smishing, and Vishing are all ways that people try to get sensitive information from other people. They are all done in similar ways, but they have different ways of getting this information. It is important to know the difference between the three and how it looks when someone is getting targeted.

Phishing

Phishing is an online scam that gets sent to email accounts. It consists of getting sent a link or attachment from an unfamiliar email domain. When a user clicks on the link or attachment that is when the sender gets access to data. There are many different types of phishing to watch out for. Some of include spear, email, and whaling. Spear phishing is when someone specifically targets one person. They do this by adding their name, job, or social life. Whale phishing is when someone targets a big target like a manager, owner, or celebrities. They target these people since they have a lot of information on companies or other people.

Smishing

Smishing is a scam that gets sent as a text message (SMS). Scammers send a text to a target. The text that the target receives looks like a text from a trustworthy company. The scammers make the message look like it is the real company, and they send a link that they want the target to click on. There are different ways that these messages look. It can look like you won money or a prize. It can also look like a tax report or bank statement.

Vishing

Vishing is a scam where the target gets called over the phone rather than receiving a text message or email. The target is selected, and they call trying to convince them to download software for their device.

How To Protect Yourself from All Three

There are many ways to prevent these things from happening. Most importantly, do not click on links or attachments from unknown sources. Report suspicious emails, text messages, or calls that you receive. When you report these, you protect yourself and others from getting information taken.

Seifert Technologies’ IT Division is your source for cybersecurity awareness. We are a registered agent of KnowB4 Products ( www.knowbe4.com ). These products implement sate of the art programs which:

Send fully automated simulated phishing attacks, using thousands of customizable templates with unlimited usage
Train your users with access to the world's largest library of always-fresh awareness training content
AI-Driven phishing and training recommendations based on your users' phishing and training history
Use Assessments to gauge proficiency of your users in security knowledge and security culture attitudes
Easy user management using Active Directory Integration

Contact our IT Service Team

To learn more details about cybersecurity training contact us at (330) 833-2700 or sales@seifert.com. Please visit www.seifert.com/itservices for more information on our full range capabilities.

Seifert Elves Busy at Work

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 18:54:24 GMT

Seifert Elves

Two of our Holiday traditions at Seifert Technologies are Toys for Tots and our Christmas Cookie drive.

For over 10 years the team at Seifert Technologies has participated in the Toys for Tots program. Every year, our employees show their support by donating new toys which are then delivered to local area families. It is an awesome way to give back to our Stark County community. We also want to thank all of our employees for their wonderful donations. Way to go team!

About Toys for Tots:

"The Stark County Toys for Tots Campaign serves the underprivileged children of Stark County -- our goal is to ensure that no child in the county goes without toys for Christmas. All donations, both toys and monetary, are used only within Stark County for the benefit of the local campaign.

Our campaign is run by the members of the McKinley Detachment of the Marine Corps League, augmented by our civilian volunteers who also donate their time and effort to ensuring that the children of Stark County receive toys. Whether you are a family that needs help at Christmas, a business that wishes to help us gather the tens of thousands of toys we need or a former Marine or civilian who simply wishes to volunteer to help, this website is where you can get started!"

Click here to learn more about Marine Toys for Tots. https://www.toysfortots.org/

We also have a tradition of packing Christmas cookies for our customers, vendors and friends and delivering them during the Holiday season. It’s a great way to get out and thank our business partners and visit with them. We are very grateful for all of the wonderful connections we have developed over our (38) years in business.

Special thanks to The Boarding House in Massillon for providing the cookies. They are the best! www.eatyourdessertfirst.com

Thank you and Happy Holidays to everyone!

2023 Seifert Technologies Service Awards

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 18:25:32 GMT

Service Awards

Last month we celebrated a very special evening. Leslie Callahan, who has been with our firm since the beginning years, celebrated her 30th year with the organization. Team members from both our offices in Massillon and Nashville gathered to celebrate this well-deserved accomplishment. Not only were employees of Seifert privileged to share in this special evening, but Leslie’s family from around the country were able to celebrate with us as well.

It was an evening full of love, laughter, tears, good food, and fond memories. Tim Seifert, president of Seifert Technologies stated, “Everyone knows that Leslie puts her heart and soul into everything she does. We have seen it here at Seifert too. She has always been there to take on any role we need. She started in the Accounting Department, moved to HR and now to Sales & Staffing. She doesn’t need a title because she is a true team player and just gets whatever job done that needs to be done. She is a great asset to our Nashville Division, and we are very grateful to have her on our team”.

In addition to Leslie, we were honored to offer Service Awards to several other team members as well. Bill Crain is a Senior Designer and has been with us for 20 years. Chris Kreareas is a Sales and Purchasing Specialist and has been with us for 10 years. Lou Berlin is a Network Engineer and has been with us for 10 years. Dan Pearce is a Field Service Engineer who has been with us for 10 years.

We look forward to the years ahead and congratulations to all that received the Service Awards!!

Top Hiring Challenges and Tips to Overcome Them

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 20:16:42 GMT

At Seifert Associates, we have been meeting the challenges of hiring technical talent for decades. Finding the right candidate for the right position can be a challenge. Thus, we have put together a list of the top questions we get from HR and give ideas on how to overcome the challenges we face in today’s job market.

What Are the Top Hiring Challenges Today?

First, we must talk about current hiring challenges. Today, employers encounter new recruitment hurdles as the job market progresses. Employers' obstacles and difficulties arise when it comes to recruiting and hiring qualified candidates. These challenges can come in many forms, such as a shortage of skilled workers, a highly competitive job market, or a lack of diversity and inclusion in the hiring process.

The rapid changes in both technology and the evolving job market also contribute to these hiring challenges. Employers must overcome these hiring challenges to attract and retain top talent, as well as build a thriving workforce to drive organizational growth and success.

Here is a List of the Top Concerns for Hiring:

Finding Quality Candidates

Attracting the right talent for a technical position is an employer's foremost concern. The more skilled the requirements are, the more the employee is sought after. With a limited workforce and intense competition for top-tier candidates, employers struggle when it comes to finding technical talent. Along with that, employers struggle to engage with candidates who are not actively seeking a new position. We spoke about the importance of collaborating with a recruiter who has strong experience with finding technical candidates in a previous blog, which you can review HERE .

Attracting the Right Technical Talent

Another challenge that employers face is attracting the right talent for a technical position. Highly skilled candidates today look for more than just a competitive salary. Candidates want to collaborate with a company that has a quality work culture. But they also want to seek employment with companies who share the same values, as well as have great benefits and a good understanding of work life balance. In fact, 46% of job seekers cite company culture as very important when choosing to apply to a company, and a shocking 47% of employees cite that company culture is the driving factor when looking for a new job.

Skills Gap and Training

Employers must address the skills gap and invest in employee training and development. With rapid technological advances and a constantly evolving job market, it can take time for employees to keep up with the skills needed for their roles. Today, we work in a multi-generational workforce, so you cannot always find a candidate that meets all your job requirements. It is important to understand the value of more seasoned professionals, while leveraging talent from multiple generations. We tackle the subject of the multi-generational workforce in our blog HERE .

According to a survey from McKinsey & Company, “44% of well-known organizations expect a significant talent gap in the next five years.” Employers need to have a plan to tackle skills gaps and ongoing training to be set up for success now and in the future.

Mobility in an Unpredictable Job Market

Providing mobility in an uncertain job market poses a hiring challenge for HR professionals and hiring teams. With employees gravitating towards internal mobility, developing innovative career progression strategies becomes essential to meet the evolving needs and aspirations of the modern workforce. Adaptability and creativity in addressing this challenge will be crucial for attracting and retaining top talent in an ever-changing job landscape. Employees today want to know that there is room for them to grow within the company. Employers today want to develop skills and know that there is room for them to grow within the company.

Michael Timmes stated , “In my experience, the answer lies in internal mobility’s impact on improving retention and engagement, lowering recruitment costs, and encouraging innovation.” - Michael Timmes, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CPC Forbes

In other words, do not lock people into a specific role within the company. For better retention, give them the mobility to learn other skills that can help them grow within your company. This will also help with filling the skills gap that most companies face when looking to hire new employees.

How Can Seifert Associates Help You Find the Right Technical Talent?

With over 30 years of experience finding candidates in technology, engineering, manufacturing, and other technical positions, we know how important it is to find and retain great employees. Our team’s reach in the technical talent pool runs deep. We have access to past and present technical talent that we have vetted and placed over many years. We also have connections with new graduates through their school programs. This makes Seifert Associates a force in technical recruiting that you can leverage as an employer. Put Seifert Associates to work for you, and learn more about our services HERE .

Stark County Manufacturing Workforce Development Partnership (SCMWDP) Event

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 20:36:33 GMT

Seifert Technologies was pleased to host the Stark County Manufacturing Workforce Development Partnership group’s monthly meeting at our office in September 2023. We were proud to showcase our skills related to Automation and Machine Design and to the more than 40 members that came to the event.

Stark County Manufacturing Workforce is a group of dedicated professionals that are committed to the support of manufacturer’s growth and expansion by offering education and career pathways within the manufacturing community. Showing them what local companies are doing in the areas to accelerate excellence in both local and national companies is always wonderful. Stark County has so much to offer.

Seifert Technologies Showcased 7 Different Stations for SCMWDP Member Including:

Electrical Engineering
Machine Design
3D printing
Robot Exhibit
1 Byte at a Time
IT Infrastructure
IIOT / Power BI

We were ecstatic to hear that everyone who attended the Seifert Technologies event, were impressed with our capabilities. Especially our robotic work cell in the Engineering’s Research and Development laboratory. Seifert plans to continue to expand their capabilities within their respective fields of Information Technology and Engineering.

Thank all who attended the event! We look forward to hosting another one soon!

What is the Stark County Manufacturing Workforce Development Partnership?

The Stark County Manufacturing Workforce Development Partnership (SCMWDP) supports Stark County manufacturers’ growth and expansion. They offer seamless career pathways, delivering inclusive training and education, and sharing best practices within the manufacturing workforce development community in Stark County.

Who Should Join SCMWDP?

Anyone in the manufacturing realm in Stark County should join the efforts of the SCMWDP. Together, we build more collaborative solutions and bring in higher caliber manufacturing projects to Stark County. Learn more about membership HERE .

They offer monthly networking, awareness & promotion, and workforce growth initiatives for their members. Learn more HERE .

Are 2D Drawings a Thing of the Past?

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 20:46:11 GMT

Today, 2D drawings are still used in both the engineering and manufacturing arenas. While some may believe that 2D drawings are falling the way of the dinosaur, we still need them to show details in parts, components, and assemblies. They are a fundamental part of engineering documentation. Manufacturers use 2D drawings as their main communication tool. In this blog, we will explore the reasons we believe that 2D drawings will remain an important modeling tool for engineering projects.

The Evolution of 2D Drawings:

Before there were computers, 2D drawings were used to define component specifications. With 2D drawings, engineers were able to navigate the creation of a product, simply by referencing the 2D rendering. The 2D drawing method of production dates to the beginnings of engineering information. Today, this history speaks to the importance of 2D drawings.

As 2D drawings were the sole conveyor of design information for millennia. That all changed with the introduction of computers and 3D software like Autodesk Inventor, and SolidWorks . The choice of CAD software depends on your specific needs and the industry you're working in. You may want to consider factors like your budget, the type of projects you'll be working on, and your familiarity with the software when selecting the right CAD program for your needs.

But before we look at 3D technology, let’s examine the things that are still relevant today with 2D drawings.

2D Drawings Are Better at the Details:

2D Drawings Continue to Serve Critical Purposes:

Clear Documentation: 2D drawings are crucial for creating technical drawings that provide clear and precise instructions for manufacturing and assembly. These drawings convey essential details, dimensions, tolerances, and material specifications required for producing a component or product accurately.
Standard Representation: Many industries and regulatory bodies still rely on traditional 2D engineering drawings as the standard form of representation. These standardized drawings ensure uniformity and ease of interpretation across different stakeholders involved in the manufacturing process.
Legacy Systems and Processes: Numerous manufacturing processes, especially in established industries, are based on legacy systems and workflows that primarily use 2D documentation. Transitioning completely to 3D software may require significant investments in new tools and training, making 2D drawings necessary for maintaining existing processes. Our IT department can help you with legacy system integration. Learn more HERE.
Simplicity and Clarity: In some cases, 2D drawings are simpler and more efficient for representing certain aspects of a design. For straightforward components or for conveying specific details quickly and clearly, a 2D representation can be more effective than a complex 3D model.
Ease of Printing and Distribution: 2D drawings are easy to print, share, and distribute, especially in a paper-based format. They can be shared via email, included in reports, or printed for use in various stages of production, making them highly practical and accessible.
Historical Data and Archives: Many organizations have an extensive archive of 2D drawings and documents that contain valuable historical data. These records are often necessary for maintenance, repairs, or improvements, making 2D drawings indispensable for reference and continuity.
Integration with Existing Processes: 2D drawings are well-integrated into many existing engineering and manufacturing processes, including software systems and tools that are designed around 2D representation. These processes may not easily transition to a completely 3D-centric workflow.

"At this point, 2D drawings will still be relevant and useful in some respects, but the time we spend perfecting them or communicating information through them will be as small as possible. “ - Trevor English, Interesting Engineering

3D Revolutionized Design.

3D modeling has revolutionized the field of engineering in numerous ways, fundamentally changing the way engineers design, analyze, and communicate their ideas. Technology has expanded the capabilities of the way that engineers design and prototype. Seifert Technologies Engineering division embraced the tectonic shift with the emergence of new tools. Today, the engineers at Seifert continue to bring ideas to life through both 2D design and 3D renderings.

Ways 3D Modeling Has Impacted Engineering:

Visualization and Design Iteration: 3D modeling allows engineers to create highly detailed and accurate visual representations of their designs. This enables them to visualize the final product or structure in a realistic manner, aiding in better decision-making and design iteration before physical prototypes are created.
Improved Design Accuracy and Precision:3D modeling provides engineers with precise measurements, angles, and dimensions, enhancing design accuracy. Engineers can create complex geometries with detailed features, ensuring components fit and function as intended.
Rapid Prototyping and Testing: 3D models can be used to create physical prototypes using 3D printing or other rapid prototyping technologies. This accelerates the product development cycle by allowing engineers to quickly test and validate their designs, identify issues, and make necessary improvements.
Simulation and Analysis: 3D models can be integrated with simulation software to analyze and simulate the behavior of a product or structure under various conditions. This helps engineers optimize designs for factors such as stress, heat distribution, fluid flow, and other parameters, ensuring the final product meets performance requirements.
Collaboration and Communication: 3D models facilitate better communication and collaboration among multidisciplinary teams. Engineers can share 3D models with colleagues and clients, making it easier for everyone to understand the design, offer feedback, and make informed decisions collectively.
Cost and Time Savings: By allowing engineers to identify and address design flaws early in the development process, 3D modeling reduces the costs associated with correcting errors during later stages of production. It also accelerates the design process, leading to faster time-to-market for products.
Customization and Personalization: 3D modeling enables engineers to easily customize designs to meet specific client requirements or adapt to unique conditions. This is particularly important in industries where customization or personalization is essential, such as medical devices or automotive components.
Digital Twin Concept: Engineers use 3D models to create digital twins of physical assets or systems. This virtual representation allows real-time monitoring, analysis, and optimization of the physical counterpart, leading to enhanced efficiency, maintenance, and sustainability.
Automation and Artificial Intelligence Integration: With advancements in AI, engineers can use 3D models as input for machine learning algorithms. AI can assist in automating design tasks, generating design options, predicting performance, and optimizing designs based on specified criteria. You can read more about this in our blog HERE .

How Can Seifert Technologies Help?

While 3D modeling has significantly impacted engineering by enhancing visualization, improving accuracy, accelerating the design process, enabling simulations, facilitating collaboration, and ultimately leading to more efficient and effective product development. 2D drawings still play an important role in both engineering and manufacturing. Although now a days 3D is preferred, our engineers at Seifert Technologies have the expertise to tackle a project using 2D or 3D.

Website or Mobile App? What are the Pros and Cons?

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 15:05:13 GMT

What goes into the decision to develop a website or a mobile application? That depends on a variety of factors including who will be using the application or websites. Businesses must establish what the goal of the solution is for the end user, identify the target audience, look at the budget for the final solution of either a website or a mobile application, and finally, understand the features and functions that are needed for the website or mobile application to be successful.

In this blog, the team at Seifert Technologies is going to walk you through the pros and cons of websites and mobile applications.

Pros and Cons of Building a Website:

Websites have long been the go-to solution for providing customers with valuable information about your company. From the early days of the internet, having a company website has been a staple of business. The term website is a general term to describe static websites and dynamic web applications that are accessed through a URL web link. An example of a static website is Wikipedia: the content is displayed and does not change unless someone makes a manual edit to it. An example of a web application would be Facebook.com, which has a ton of dynamic links to other apps and content and is constantly changing. Facebook also has a mobile app, which runs as an application on smart devices.

Pros:

Reach and Accessibility: Websites are accessible through any web browser on desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, making them easily reachable to a broader audience.
Cost-Effectiveness: Developing a website is often more cost-effective compared to building a mobile app, especially if you need a simple online presence or informational platform.
Easy Maintenance and Updates: Updating content and making changes to a website is straightforward and immediate, requiring no approval process from app stores.
SEO and Discoverability: Websites can be optimized for search engines (SEO), making it easier for users to find content through search results.
Cross-Platform Compatibility: Websites can be accessed on any device with a web browser, regardless of the operating system, ensuring a consistent experience for all users.
WCAG & ADA Compliance: Website development has a focus on meeting accessibility requirements. Most web browsers help developers improve their compliance percentage.

Cons:

Limited Performance: Not all website editors offer the same level of performance and responsiveness as a well-optimized mobile application. It is crucial for complex web apps, that a professional web developer or web master does the developing rather than a company just using an out of the box solution ( Wix , WordPress , etc.).
Offline Access: Websites require an internet connection to access content. This can be limiting for users in areas with poor connectivity.
Website Maintenance: As with any technology that is online, a website must be maintained to prevent website hackers from accessing your data, and that of your customers. Read more about the increase in cyber threats in our blog HERE .

Why use a Website or Web Application?

If you want to present your company to the world, a website is a very good way to do that: anyone with an internet connection can connect with you. And if you want to provide a more enthralling and applicable experience to potential customers, web applications can provide specific information that your customers are looking for.

As a business it is important to assess your website's specific requirements and choose applications that align with your goals, audience, and budget. Integration and effective use of these applications can significantly enhance your website's functionality, user experience, and success.

Pros and Cons of Building a Mobile Application:

Mobile Applications are programs that run on a mobile device. Native apps are built for a specific mobile operating system, usually iOS or Android. As an increased number of people use their cell phones to find information that they are looking for in real time, mobile applications have been gaining ground in the past decade. When used well, mobile applications can be a great tool for growing your customer base.

Microsoft believes a good mobile application begins with brilliant design and functionality. We could not agree more.

“A successful mobile app should provide an excellent user experience and help you reach your business goals. It should also be easy to use and give some added value to the user that they wouldn’t get from a standard website, plus bring data together to help you improve customer experiences. “- Microsoft

Pros:

Enhanced User Experience: Mobile apps can provide a more immersive and optimized user experience, utilizing the device's hardware and features.
Performance and Speed: Mobile apps can offer better performance, faster loading times, and smoother interactions compared to websites.
Offline Functionality: Apps can store some data locally, allowing users to access certain features or content even without an internet connection.
Push Notifications: Mobile apps can utilize push notifications to engage users, notify them of updates, or encourage app usage, enhancing user engagement.
Monetization Opportunities: Mobile apps offer various monetization options, such as in-app purchases, advertisements, and subscription models.

Cons:

Applications Must Be Downloaded: End users are not going to have access to your mobile application unless they download it from the App Store or Google Play
Platform-Specific Development: Building a mobile app often requires separate development for iOS and Android platforms, increasing development time and costs.
App Store Approval Process: Getting an app approved on app stores involves a review process, which can introduce delays in launching updates or new features.
Limited Reach: Mobile apps are platform-dependent and may not be accessible to users on other platforms unless separate versions are developed.
Maintaining Mobile Applications: Like website upgrades, mobile applications must be maintained. When there is a iOS or Android update, a mobile application may no longer work or have security vulnerabilities unless it is updated to the newest specs.
WCAG & ADA Compliance: An exuberant amount of programming is involved to make a mobile app meet accessibility standards. There are a smaller number of helpful development tools available to improve compliance.

Why use a Mobile App?:

Mobile applications are great for ecommerce, customer loyalty programs, and more. They are also at your customers or employees’ fingertips without the need for a computer. Think about the kind of apps you use on your mobile phone, and you can understand the use case for a company mobile app.

Good Examples for Mobile Applications:

Spotify , WhatsApp , TikTok , Amazon

Many mobile apps that we use today originally started as websites. Let’s take Facebook for example, in its conception it was a social media website for college students. Years later Facebook announced their mobile app on the Android and Apple app stores. Well, why would they start with a website and then later have to also support web app and mobile app platforms? Websites are cheaper to startup, and if built right, have responsive designs with adaptable content-based screen sizes. Then, when the website has taken off in production, a lot of the same concepts and code can be reused in mobile app development where more time is spent on Android and IOS platform specific programming and mobile app design.

"Mobile apps also have the advantage of the “shortcut effect,”

“Why remember a URL when I can just click the icon on my phone.” – A Seifert Customer.

Going from a mobile app to a website is not as straight forward. In one of our mobile app projects the customer was curious about converting their mobile app to a website. The trouble became that, although the API (Application Programming Interface) that was developed for the mobile app could be recycled for use on the website, the mobile app language code could not easily be converted into a web app which caused the quote to exceed their budget.

In another case we had a customer that wanted to start with a website that was made with the “mobile first” approach (all development had mobile devices in mind – responsive design). What we found with this customer was they had an easier time in the testing/approval phase with their website than the other customer that started with a mobile app. With the website we could deploy changes, and the customer could instantly see our progress. When staging a mobile app, the app would have to be compiled into a single file, transferred to the mobile devices designated for testing, the device settings would have to be modified for development mode, then install the Android Package (APK) update, and then they can evaluate the enhancements. Even if the Android and Apple stores had a “staging” environment, it is not easy to deploy, nor is it easy for the end user to install the staged version of their mobile app.

In conclusion, starting out with a mobile friendly website has proven to provide a great user experience for project development and testing. When the website has had a few months in production, then more web development work can be recycled in mobile app development than the other way around – making the website first approach cheaper overall.

How Can Seifert Technologies Help?:

In many cases, a well-rounded strategy might involve both a website and a mobile app, each playing a specific role in reaching and engaging with your target audience effectively. It is essential to assess your goals, audience, and budget to determine the best approach for your specific needs. Contact Seifert Technologies to get started.

Seifert Technologies, Inc. - Cleveland Technology Symposium

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 13:54:07 GMT

Thank you to everyone who attended our Cleveland Technology Symposium. In case you missed it, here’s a recap of the event.

The Engineering Division Utilizes State-of-the-Art Design Tools

3D Printing Demonstration

Demonstrations with 3D CAD tools SolidWorks and Autodesk Inventor

Our Mechanical Engineering Department utilizes 3D CAD tools such as SolidWorks and Autodesk Inventor. We highlighted several different projects which we have recently performed for our customers. These projects incorporate the latest technology that is utilized in designing state-of-the-art custom equipment. This includes precision bearings, ball screws, servo motors, linear slides, gear boxes, hydraulics, pneumatics, and many other items commercially available. We pride ourselves on creating the most effective design for your requirements that can be manufactured on a cost-effective basis. Our Designers are not only industry experts in solid modeling, but they also understand the manufacturing techniques associated with machining, welding, fits, finishes and machine assembly.

Software Automation is the key piece of process control, and there are several tools for optimizing equipment functionality. Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC’s) and Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI’s) utilize software to create this automation platform. Software replicates human-like tasks for repetitive actions, orchestrating equipment movements and tracking throughput.

The IT Division Displayed Our Capabilities in IT Infrastructure and Power BI

Our software developers presented Microsoft’s Power BI product. This Business Intelligence tool takes accumulated data, analyzes the data, and presents useful information in graphical form to the end user. We use data from IIoT devices in manufacturing environments, time clocks, spreadsheets, and other software applications to help customers make sense of their data. It can also take Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and show clearly how people or machines are performing on the job.

Seifert Technologies is a Microsoft Gold level partner, certified in Microsoft Windows Server and Desktop operating systems, as well as being Cloud Service Providers for both Azure and Microsoft 365.

Our Staffing Division Specializes in Placing Top Technical Talent in our Clients Offices

Autodesk Inventor VS Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 16:30:27 GMT

SolidWorks and Autodesk Inventor are two popular computer-aided design (CAD) software programs used in the field of mechanical engineering and product design. Both programs are powerful and offer a wide range of features, but they have some differences that may make one more suitable than the other depending on your specific needs and preferences. In this article we are going to compare the two solutions.

A Comparison of SolidWorks vs. Autodesk Inventor:

Many businesses might make an assumption that because the two software look similar, they function similarly. In many ways that can be true. However, if you are looking to find the right software for your business footprint you may not want to just flip a coin to decide on one.

Autodesk Inventor

Looking at Autodesk Inventor there is a blend of parametric, direct, freeform, and rules-based design capabilities within the software. It is used for mechanical design, product simulation, and tooling creation.

Here are some of the features of Autodesk Inventor:

Strong Bill of Material (BOM) Features
Can be easily customized.
Utilizes common shortcuts from Microsoft Excel
Project files help enforce standards that can be customized specifically for each project including:
Part, assembly, and drawing templates.
Design standards
Folder structure
Content center
Model States
Assemblies can be partitioned into different model states to separate into groups of features or components and enable partitioning of a project to different end users and creating BOMs specific to their needs.
This can also be used to separate steps taken during fabrication, such as pre-machining, post-machining state, finishing, and more.
iLogic is a coding feature for customization that is a functionality allowing users and administrators to create logic in the form of VB.net to accomplish tasks with iLogic users can:
Automate processes of the design.
Create user interfaces for quicker templates.
Modify properties and parameters.
Drafting/Drawing
Strong drafting capabilities that mimic AutoCAD’s standards, with the help of the 3D parametric model for rapid view creation.
Industry Focus - Inventor is utilized within industries such as machine design and construction.

Pr icing for Autodesk Inventor:

Autodesk Inventor has moved to a user-based licensing system administered through their website, on a subscription basis (typically for a 1–3-year term). Term Licenses are also offered for short-term commitments of 3 months or 1 year. Tokens can also be purchased and used on a per-day basis for most (if not all) their product offerings, with the token price based on the value of the product. Autodesk Inventor is sold on a per user per year basis. However, they offer various ways to save including paying for the full year of use upfront for the yearly subscription. To see the most updating pricing for Autodesk Inventor CLICK HERE .

What is New in Autodesk Inventor 2024?

SolidWorks

SolidWorks was the first software of its kind, initially developed by the company of the same name (SolidWorks Corporation) in 1995. Dassault Systèmes acquired SolidWorks in 1997 for $310 million in stocks. The software retained the SolidWorks name and is offered under the Dassault Systèmes umbrella.

Features of SolidWorks:

User Interface -SolidWorks has a user-friendly interface that is appealing to most users.

"SOLIDWORKS 2023 significantly improves the user experience. Comments have been completely overhauled so that users can communicate their ideas fully, right inside of the SOLIDWORKS user interface. Customizing the user interface is one of the most powerful aspects of SOLIDWORKS, and getting back to the default settings is easier than ever now that each tab features a "Reset to Defaults" button." - SolidWorks

PDM (Product Data Management): SolidWorks offers a PDM system, such as SOLIDWORKS PDM or SOLIDWORKS Manage, which helps organize and manage design data, documents, and revisions. PDM systems improve collaboration by providing a central repository for project information.
Modeling - SolidWorks is known for its advanced surfacing and mold design capabilities. Feature-based minimalist modeling is the driving force behind the SolidWorks software. The intuitive user environment provides a streamlined modeling workflow experience.
3D CAD Viewing - SolidWorks allows users to view 3D CAD models without needing the full software installation. This feature is beneficial for non-design team members who need to review and comment on designs.
Security and Permissions: SolidWorks provides options for setting permissions and access levels to ensure that sensitive design data is protected and only accessible to authorized team members.
Collaboration -Enables a multiuser environment without the use of Vault. Some SolidWorks add-ins and third-party tools offer real-time collaboration features, allowing team members to collaborate in real-time, make changes, and see updates instantly. SolidWorks offers cloud-based collaboration solutions, such as 3DEXPERIENCE, which allows team members to access and collaborate on projects from anywhere with an internet connection.
Compatibility - SolidWorks can integrate with various other software tools, such as project management software, ERP systems, and simulation software, to streamline collaboration across several aspects of product development.
Design Review Meetings - SolidWorks facilitates virtual design review meetings where team members can present and discuss designs using features like eDrawings, which is a free viewer for SolidWorks files.
Industry Focus – SolidWorks is utilized within industries such as aerospace and aviation, consumer products and manufacturing.

Learn About the New User Interface in SolidWorks 2024 in This Video:

SolidWorks offers a range of features and tools to facilitate collaboration among design and engineering teams. The choice of specific methods and tools will depend on the needs of your project and the size of your team, but SolidWorks is designed to support effective collaboration throughout the product development process.

Pricing for SolidWorks:

There are several licensing options for SolidWorks including subscription services, term licenses and named user subscriptions. Learn more about pricing for SolidWorks on their website HERE .

What Do Autodesk Inventor and SolidWorks Have in Common?

When it comes to simulation and analysis, both Autodesk and SolidWorks have a basic Simulation package that comes with the software. In addition, both have higher tier add-on packages for Finite Element Analysis. Both higher-tier packages have study types for nonlinear, dynamics, heat transfer, fatigue, and more. Additional premium packages include computational fluid dynamics simulation, solid body motion analysis, and flow simulation.

Both have a similar modeling environment, allowing a user to easily transition from one product to the other with minimal training, with many training resources available for free through online videos and user forums.

Seifert Technologies Supports both Autodesk Inventor and Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks

Ultimately, the choice between SolidWorks and Inventor depends on your specific needs, your familiarity with the software, and your preferences. Our team of experts at Seifert Technologies can help you determine the best option for your business. It is a clever idea to try both free trials or demos to determine which one aligns better with your workflow and project requirements.

At Seifert Technologies, our experts work with both software options. Both offer impressive Finite Element Analyses and Rendering software. The pricing is comparable, depending on the different add-ins a company needs. Both have extensive material libraries. Both offer free 30-day trials.

Tell us how we can help you get the most out of your next project! Contact us today to get started.

Which is Better? Having Servers On-Premise or in the Cloud?

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 15:26:37 GMT

The decision of whether to have servers on-premises or in the cloud depends on numerous factors, including your specific needs, budget, and technical requirements. Not every solution is right for every client. It is important to evaluate all your options before investing in technology for your business. That is where Seifert Technologies team can help. We have been working in the technology field for decades helping clients choose the right technology solutions for their business models.

What is a Server:

First, let’s look at what a server is. A server is a computer or system providing resources, data, services, or programs to other computers, known as clients, over a network. That server can be either accessed through the internet or accessed by computers on-premise. Servers essentially provide "services", such as sharing data or resources among multiple clients or performing computations for a client.

A server can be a computer, software program, or even a storage device. It can provide one service or several. Typical types of servers include database servers, file servers, mail servers, print servers, web servers, game servers, and application servers.

Physical vs. Virtual Servers:

A physical server is a computer hardware “box” that houses main boards, processors, memory, storage, fans, and power supplies to support the server services. It can run a single instance of a server operating system, or it can function as a hypervisor hosting multiple virtual servers. A virtual server is a single instance of an operating system running server services; it is a program that is running on a physical server. Because a virtual server is reliant on physical server hardware, there are limitations on how many virtual servers can run on a physical server. This is why planning your environment is important, to make sure you have the horsepower required to run your server infrastructure, whether that’s in the cloud or on-premise.

What is the Difference Between a Cloud or On-Premise Server:

A cloud server and an on-premise server refer to two different approaches to hosting and managing computer resources. The difference between a cloud server and an on-premise server is just where the server is located, and how you pay for the hardware that is running the virtual servers. On-premise servers are located within your buildings, on equipment you have purchased or leased. Cloud servers run in a hosting facility somewhere that is accessible via the internet, and you pay monthly for the use of that equipment. You can make your on-premise servers securely accessible from the internet, making your own private cloud servers.

Advantages of On-Premise Servers:

Data Control: On-premise servers give you direct control over your data and infrastructure. This can be crucial if you have strict security or compliance requirements that necessitate maintaining sensitive data within your own premises.
Reduced Latency and Improved Speed: On-premise servers can offer lower latency and faster data transfer speeds, especially when dealing with large datasets or real-time applications that require immediate data processing.
Build to suit: Having servers on-premise allows you to tailor the hardware and software configurations to your specific needs, optimizing performance for your applications.
Reduced Monthly Cost: On-premise servers are a capital expense rather than an ongoing monthly expense for cloud servers. Often the total cost of ownership over 5 years is less with on-premises servers versus cloud servers.

Disadvantages of On-Premise Servers:

Maintenance Costs: Maintaining your equipment is your responsibility. There will be costs associated with setting up an on-premise system, with upfront costs for purchasing and installing IT infrastructure, plus ongoing maintenance, storage, power consumption, and IT support costs.
Scalability: On-premise servers have limited expansion capabilities once purchased, which can limit scalability unless you buy more servers.
Backup and Disaster Recovery: Having a good backup and disaster recovery system is critical; the loss of data can have severe consequences to businesses.
Technical expertise: On-premise hosting requires technical expertise from an IT professional like the team at Seifert Technologies.

Advantages of Cloud Servers:

Scalability: Cloud servers are in a server farm with a lot of hardware. They provide the ability to easily scale resources up or down based on demand. You can quickly add or remove virtual machines, storage, or computing power as needed, allowing for flexibility and cost-efficiency.
Pay as you go: Cloud servers eliminate the need for upfront investments in hardware and infrastructure. Instead, you pay for the resources you consume on a pay-as-you-go basis. This can be particularly beneficial for small businesses or startups with limited budgets.
Reliability and uptime: Cloud servers are typically built on a robust infrastructure with redundant components and multiple data centers. This setup enhances reliability and ensures high availability, minimizing the risk of downtime.
Geographic flexibility: Cloud servers allow you to deploy your infrastructure in different regions around the world. This enables you to serve customers in various locations and comply with data residency regulations.
Easy management: Cloud service providers often offer user-friendly management interfaces and APIs, making it easier to manage and monitor your virtual servers. You can automate tasks, such as provisioning and scaling through APIs or infrastructure-as-code tools.
Maintenance: the maintenance of your servers is typically an included service as part of your subscription

Disadvantages of Cloud Servers:

Internet dependency: Cloud servers rely on Internet connectivity. If your internet connection is unreliable or experiences downtime, it will affect your ability to access and use cloud resources.
Data security and privacy concerns: Storing data on a cloud server means entrusting it to a third-party provider. While most providers have robust security measures in place, there may still be concerns about data breaches, unauthorized access, or compliance with data protection regulations.
Performance variability: The performance of cloud servers can be subject to variability due to factors like shared infrastructure and network congestion. While providers usually guarantee certain levels of performance, it may not always be consistent or predictable.
Vendor lock-in: Moving your infrastructure or applications to the cloud involves adopting specific cloud service providers' technologies and APIs. Switching providers or migrating back to on-premises infrastructure can be complex and time-consuming.
Potential for higher costs: Although cloud servers can be cost-effective, depending on your usage patterns and resource requirements, they may become more expensive in the long term. Unoptimized resource allocation or unexpected spikes in usage can lead to higher bills.

Which Model is Right for Your Business?

Seifert Technologies can help you evaluate both cloud servers and on-premise servers to see which is the right choice for your business needs. Each organization's requirements and priorities may vary, so it is advisable to conduct a thorough analysis before deciding.

Ready for a long-term solution? Contact Us to get started with our team of IT experts.

How to Ace An Interview

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 17:58:59 GMT

Interviewing for a new position requires preparation, confidence, and effective communication. What will they ask you? How much should you research before your interview? What are you bringing? The world has changed dramatically in the past 15 years and the interview you had for your last position may be quite different than the interview process you experience today.

As a staffing and recruiting firm with decades of technical staffing success here are the things that we recommend you do to prepare for your next interview.

Ten Tips for Nailing the Interview:

1. Research the Company:

Gain a thorough understanding of the company's values, culture, and industry. Knowing about the company you are interviewing with will help boost your confidence during the interview. You can speak fluently about the company's achievements and challenges, which makes a strong impression on the interviewers. Research their recent achievements, projects, and challenges. This knowledge will help you tailor your responses and show your genuine interest during the interview.

Consider Researching the following before your interview:

How long has the company been in business?
What products and services do they offer?
Who is the CEO?
What’s the company’s mission?
Are there any up-to-date news or updates about this company?

5. Showcase Your Skills:

Highlight your relevant skills, experiences, and achievements throughout the interview. Explain how these align with the requirements of the position. Use specific examples to demonstrate your expertise and potential contributions to the company.

6. Demonstrate Enthusiasm and Motivation:

Show genuine enthusiasm for the company and the role for which you are applying. Express your passion for the industry and your desire to contribute to the organization's success. A cheerful outlook and eagerness to learn can make an impression.

7. Ask Thoughtful Questions:

For the candidate, interviews provide an opportunity to get better acquainted with prospective colleagues and obtain information to help them decide if that job is the right one for them. Preparing a list of questions to ask the interviewer, shows your interest and engagement in the conversation. Inquire about the company's plans, team dynamics, or any specific projects you find intriguing. It demonstrates your initiative-taking and thoughtful approach.

8. Maintain Good Body Language:

Nonverbal cues play a significant role in creating a positive impression. Maintain eye contact, sit upright, and use open and confident body language. Smile genuinely, listen actively, and respond thoughtfully to the interviewer's questions.

Posture : Good posture shows you are engaged and paying attention
Lean Forward : Conveys genuine interest.
Smile : A warm, genuine smile makes everyone feel more comfortable
Mirroring : When your interviewer mirrors your movements, you can assume things are going well
Eye Contact : If your interviewer stops making eye contact, that can be a warning sign.

9. Show Adaptability and Willingness to Learn:

Emphasize your ability to adapt to new situations, learn quickly, and embrace challenges. Employers value candidates who are flexible, open to growth, and willing to acquire new skills.

10. Follow-up With a Thank-you Note:

After the interview, send a thank-you note or email to say thanks for the opportunity. Reiterate your interest in the role and briefly summarize why you believe you are a good fit. It shows professionalism and helps you stand out.

Things to Remember When Interviewing:

Remember, you are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you. Make sure that you are the right fit for them, and that they are a good fit for you. No one wants a job that they are not going to flourish in. Acing an interview is not just about giving perfect answers; it's also about demonstrating your passion for the role and showing that you would be a valuable addition to the company.

Confidence, preparation, and genuine interest will help you make a strong impression. We can help you understand the role you are applying for and give you great feedback to make a great impression. Collaborating with a team like Seifert Associates Inc . will improve your chances of finding your next career. Together, our team can help you find the right fit. Let us know how we can help you! Contact Us today.

2023 Jackson Community Celebration

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 16:16:57 GMT

Weekend at Jackson Community Celebration

Jackson Township hosted a Community Celebration June 21st -24th. We were a proud sponsor of the event for all four days! It was a great week filled with games, rides, live entertainment, 5K “fun run”, fireworks, and food concessions! We enjoyed being around our community this week!

At the Booth

At our booth we had a game where contestants tried to toss a ball into a cup. If they made it in a cup, they received a ticket and were entered in our “prize of the night” drawing. The prizes included a wireless keyboard, headphones, an Amazon Firestick, and gift cards for local vendors at the Celebration.

Unforgettable Times

We enjoyed talking to individuals, families, and community leaders who attended the celebration. We also enjoyed talking to people about our services that Seifert Technologies has to offer. The best part of the weekend was the team bonding that was built amongst the Seifert Technologies’ Employees!

Thank You Summer Interns

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 14:52:42 GMT

We would like to give a special thank you to our interns doing a great job this year! Once again, we had a great group of interns. Thank you to Hannah, Cody, and Nathan for their hard work. We look forward to watching them develop into their careers.

Hannah Miller

Hannah was very helpful with our Engineering team this summer. She worked on our internal R&D Robotic project. She 3D printed the fixture plates for all the different items that will be handled by the robot. She also performed projects with a local Utility company using AutoCAD 3D Map.

Cody Merrill

Cody assisted our marketing team this summer. He was active with CRM Dynamics within Microsoft, and social media posts. He also completed many other internal projects.

Nathan Smith

Nathan began his internship with us in May of this year. This summer, he has been utilizing Inventor software doing machine design for a variety of projects in our Nashville Division.

Are PLCs Necessary in Today’s Automation Environment?

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 19:39:14 GMT

With technology that is continually evolving what does the future hold for Programable logic controllers? The future is expected to be shaped by several technological trends and advancements in engineering and technology. Today there is a high demand for PLC systems in various industries including the automotive industry, manufacturing, utilities, construction, and food & beverage industries. These areas alone will boost the need for continuous system improvements for decades to come. In this blog, we are going to explain what a PLC is, what it is used for, and the future of technology.

What is a PLC

A Programmable logic controller or PLC is a small, solid-state computer that uses logic functions to control a machine or process. PLCs are used in industrial control systems for many industries, including factory assembly lines, amusement rides, and light fixtures. A PLC will monitor the state of input devices and use the custom program to control the state of the output on each device associated. It is utilized in many modern manufacturing facilities today.

PLCs allow users to access functions like:
From field devices, including discrete and analog inputs and outputs,
Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller
Position control
Motor control
Serial communication
High-speed networking
Different PLC platforms are preferred in different parts of the world.
Originally designed to replace hardwired systems composed of relays, cam timers, drum sequencers, and dedicated closed-loop controllers.

Programming with PLC

PLC programming can become quite complex depending on the application, and it often involves a deep understanding of the processes you are automating. A control system engineer will use PLC programming typically created using ladder logic, which is a graphical programming language that resembles electrical relay logic diagrams. Before a Control Systems Engineer begins programming, they must have a clear understanding of the process or machine they’re controlling. Identify the inputs, outputs, sensors, actuators, and the logic required to achieve the desired automation.

Writing Ladder Logic:

Ladder logic diagrams consist of rungs that represent the control logic. Each rung contains one or more instructions that define the relationships between inputs, outputs, and internal variables. Common instructions include:

Input Contacts: Represent sensors or switches, and they act as conditions for executing logic.
Output Coils: Represent actuators or devices that you want to control.
Relays: Logical elements that allow you to create complex conditions by combining inputs using logical operators (AND, OR, NOT, etc.).
Timers and Counters: Used to introduce time-based delays or to count events.

PLC Performance

Testing PLC performance is crucial to ensure the reliability and efficiency of your automated processes. By following these steps and adapting them to your specific application, you can identify and address any performance-related issues before they impact your operations. Through the PLC, Control Systems Engineers can make a large impact on the automation industry by controlling devices and programming logically. Testing the performance of a PLC involves evaluating its ability to handle automation tasks and processes efficiently and reliably.

Think of PLC as the heart of a control system. Improving the ability to process information quicker than standard mechanical devices. PLC communicates with other supervisory components and the logic remains in the PLC system eliminating writing errors. Through Program logic, the PLC will remain reliable with solid-state components.

What are the Limitations of PLC?

Maintenance

Maintaining a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) system is essential to ensure its reliability, longevity, and consistent performance. Proper maintenance practices can help prevent unexpected downtime, optimize system efficiency, and address potential issues early on.

“A PLC can serve the purpose of predictive maintenance for predicting defects and trouble before they arise and evaluating data patterns for abnormalities and oddities. It monitors and analyze the data in real-time which not only help improve efficiency but also reduce the downtime. So, Programmable logic controllers are widely used in industrial automation, monitoring, and control systems.” ( PDF Supply )

Here are some maintenance tasks to consider for a PLC system:

o Check environmental factors and operating conditions. Humidity, temperature, and other factors play an important role in the longevity and proper operation of components.

o Clear debris, dust, and buildup from your units. A clean working environment for your PLC is a great way to prevent downtime.

o Maintain Battery systems.

o A PLC can detect when a machine or piece of equipment needs to be fixed.

PLC Security/IT Collaborations

Security is a crucial aspect of any industrial automation system, including Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) systems. PLC systems are vulnerable to cyberattacks, unauthorized access, and other security threats, which can have serious consequences for industrial processes. Traditionally, PLCs and IT systems were isolated from one another, with different networks, protocols, and standards.

To properly secure a PLC, it must be a coordinated effort with your managed IT service provider and IT security is an ongoing process that requires planning, execution, and evaluation.
Integrating PLC and IT security can bring about a range of advantages for your industrial automation, such as improving the reliability and availability of systems.
Enhancing the quality and consistency of products, boosting innovation and competitiveness, and strengthening the reputation and trust between the two environments.

The Programmable Logic Controller Future:

Conclusion:

The Control Systems Engineers at Seifert Technologies Engineering Division have decades of experience across multiple industries utilizing programable logic controls as a core automation system. By leveraging PLCs, Control System Engineers can design, implement, and maintain robust and efficient control systems in industrial environments. PLCs provide flexibility, reliability, and real-time control capabilities that enable precise and effective control over various industrial processes. Contact us today to learn more about the future of PLCs.

Mazzella Clam Bucket Assembly Rebuild Project – Seifert Engineering

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 19:58:06 GMT

Seifert Technologies is proud to work with companies like Mazzella on important projects to improve their operations. In this case, we were asked to help mechanically redesign a clam bucket assembly for a 3/4-yard clamshell.

What is a Clam Bucket or Clamshell Bucket?

A clam bucket, or clamshell bucket, is a two-piece bucket with a hinge in the middle. The two clamshell halves open and close like a clam's shell hence the name.

Clam buckets are efficient at loading because the two shells push into the material, unlike a standard bucket that pushes the material outwards. Clam buckets are convenient because they can be operated using an overhead crane.

What are Clam Buckets Used For?

Clamshell buckets are efficient at loading because the two shells force their way into the material, whereas a standard bucket continually pushes the soil outwards. Clamshell buckets also allow trucks to self-load with a crane, freeing up site machinery for other uses. Clam buckets are used to pick up small items and can be attached to a variety of machines. They are often used in construction, landscaping, and agriculture.

Clamshell buckets have a wide jaw that opens to 180 degrees and a thick cutting edge that closes it tightly. They can be used for material loading and dumping, cleaning up dirt and sand, and even use as a grapple to handle refuse.

Clamshell buckets are well suited for larger civic projects or making applications that require moving significant loads. They are also suitable for gardening, landscaping, and agriculture machines.

Who is Mazzella?

Mazzella is one of the largest independently owned companies in the overhead lifting and rigging industry. a company that manufactures and distributes lifting products for industrial, commercial, and specialty applications. Founded in 1954, Mazzella is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, and has over 30 locations throughout North America.

Mazzella provides a wide range of lifting products, including:

Cranes,
Crane service
Wire rope
Engineered lifting devices
Rigging hardware
Slings
Training
Warehousing
Metal roofing.

Mazzella also provides replacement parts for cranes, crane repair, OSHA compliance inspections, and training. Learn more about them on their website HERE

Seifert Technologies Scope of Work:

The team at Mazzella was part of the entire redesign process and met on a bi-weekly basis. Together Seifert’s Engineering team and the team at Mazzella were able to improve operations and update the design of the clamshells. We are always excited to work with a great team like Mazzella and look forward to future projects.

Microsoft Copilot - AI Tool for Business

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 13:31:45 GMT

Microsoft Copilot is an AI-powered coding tool developed by GitHub, which is now owned by Microsoft. It is designed to assist you in writing documents, or even writing code, by providing intelligent suggestions and auto-completion. Copilot uses machine learning algorithms to analyze code patterns from a vast collection of open-source code repositories and generates contextual suggestions based on the code being written.

Microsoft Copilot is an example of how AI tools can be used to augment the coding process, aiding in development tasks.

“Today marks the next major step in the evolution of how we interact with computing, which will fundamentally change the way we work and unlock a new wave of productivity growth. With our new copilot for work, we’re giving people more agency and making technology more accessible through the most universal interface — natural language.” - Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO, of Microsoft

Microsoft Copilot for Word:

You can improve your writing process within Microsoft Word by utilizing AI tools to help you draft copy for your work. Think of Copilot as an editor giving you tips and finding problems with your text. For instance, imagine Copilot being able to proofread your documents for you.

Microsoft Copilot for PowerPoint:

Helps you to create beautiful presentations in Microsoft PowerPoint by giving CoPilot ideas for writing. Imagine you have writer’s block. Copilot can help you draft creative, relevant content from any document.

Microsoft Copilot for Excel:

Analyze trends within Microsoft Excel and create professional-looking data visualizations in seconds.

How Does Microsoft Copilot Work?

By leveraging the power of AI, Copilot aims to enhance developer productivity by reducing the time and effort required to write code. It can suggest entire lines or blocks of code based on the context and intent of the developer. However, it is important to note that Copilot is designed to be a tool that aids developers and should not be seen as a replacement for human coding skills and understanding.

Productivity Enhancement:

According to Git Hub , Microsoft Copilot could unlock productivity for everyone in your office. "Among developers who use GitHub Copilot, 88% say they are more productive, 74% say that they can focus on more satisfying work, and 77% say it helps them spend less time searching for information or examples." (“Introducing Microsoft 365 Copilot – your copilot for work”)

How Does Microsoft Copilot Differ from Chat GPT or from Google AI?

While these technologies are driven by artificial intelligence, Copilot is a more robust tool. It is not simply AI embedded into Microsoft 365. Rather, it is a sophisticated processing and orchestration engine working behind the scenes to combine the power of LLMs, including GPT-4, with the Microsoft 365 apps and your business data in Microsoft Graph. Microsoft Copilot is focused on improving AI through natural language.

Think of it this way: ChatGPT is like a chatbot designed to hold a conversation with you. Microsoft 365 Copilot on the other hand is an AI-powered digital assistant. It can help you with more than simple tasks. It can provide personalized assistance to users for a variety of complex tasks “

“Copilot doesn’t just connect ChatGPT with Microsoft 365; it combines the power of large language models (LLMs) with your data in the Microsoft Graph (including your calendar, emails, chats, documents, meetings, and more, and the Microsoft 365 apps to turn your words into the most powerful productivity tool on the planet.” -Microsoft

What Can I Use Copilot for in Everyday Business?

Copilot is already integrated into Microsoft 365 in several ways. First, it is embedded into your current Microsoft applications that you and your team use every day, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and even Teams.

It can also help with a brand-new function: Business Chat. If you are not familiar with Business Chat, it works across the Logic Learning Machine (LLM) in your Microsoft 365 applications. Think about the possibilities of leveraging Business Chat to quickly navigate your calendars, emails, and documents in one place. It is like having a personal assistant at your fingertips.

How Much Does Microsoft Copilot Cost?

Current pricing for Microsoft CoPilot is $10/seat/month or $100/seat/year. While some of the other tools are free, they do not integrate into your existing Microsoft tools. The advantage of using Copilot over something like ChatGPT is that is integrated into your systems on many different levels. IT is a clear advantage to a stand-alone solution for AI.

When Will Microsoft Copilot Be Available:

The pricing for Microsoft Copilot is now available for $30 per user per month for Microsoft 365 E3, E5, Business Standard, and Business Premium customers when Microsoft Copilot becomes generally available. Read more about the launch HERE .

If you are uncertain if this is a technology solution that is right for you and your team, remember that the team at Seifert is here to help. We can help you navigate all your technology needs. Contact Us today to get started.

SolidWorks PDM VS. Autodesk Vault

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 15:20:31 GMT

Both SolidWorks PDM and Autodesk Vault are popular data management solutions used in the engineering and design industries. SolidWorks PDM and Autodesk Vault are both product data management (PDM) software. PDM software helps teams store and retrieve design files and related data.

SolidWorks PDM is a secure data vault that stores CAD and design process information. It includes version and revision control. Autodesk Vault is designed to integrate into other Autodesk design tools and CAD systems. It can help increase collaboration and streamline workflows. Here are some pros and cons of each.

SolidWorks PDM:

What kind of program is SolidWorks PDM? SOLIDWORKS PDM (Product Data Management) is a data management system that helps design and engineering teams manage their CAD and design process information. SolidWorks PDM stores and organizes engineering CAD data as well as other documents in a central vault. SolidWorks PDM helps teams track and control versions of CAD files, manage revision histories, and collaborate on complex projects.

Pros:

Integration with SolidWorks: SolidWorks PDM integrates with SolidWorks CAD software, providing seamless data management within the design environment.
Version control and revision management: PDM allows for easy version control, tracking changes, and managing revisions of CAD files and related documents.
Workflow automation: PDM offers robust workflow capabilities, enabling automated routing of design files through approval processes, notifications, and tasks.
Secure data management: PDM provides secure data storage, access controls, and permissions, ensuring that only authorized users can access and modify files.
Search and retrieval: PDM will allow users to instantly search and retrieve design files based on various metadata attributes, making it easier to locate and reuse existing designs.

Cons:

Limited integration with non-SolidWorks software: While SolidWorks PDM works well with SolidWorks, integration with other software tools may not be as seamless, requiring additional configuration and customization.
Steep learning curve: Setting up and configuring SolidWorks PDM can be complex, requiring training and expertise, especially for larger deployments.
Cost: SolidWorks PDM is a separate software product and may require additional licensing costs, which can be a consideration for smaller organizations or individuals.

Autodesk Vault:

What is Autodesk Vault? Autodesk Vault is a product data management (PDM) solution. This tool is designed to help teams track work in progress and maintain version control in multi-user environments. Autodesk Vault is designed for manufacturing, architecture, engineering, and construction organizations.

Autodesk Vault integrates with other Autodesk products, including Inventor Professional, AutoCAD Electrical and Mechanical, and Civil 3D products. It automates and streamlines processes has powerful tools to manage data, and provides in-depth reporting for status.

PROS:

Cons:

Limited integration with non-Autodesk software: Like SolidWorks PDM, Autodesk Vault's integration with non-Autodesk software tools may require additional configuration and customization.
User interface: Some users find the Vault user interface less intuitive compared to other data management systems.
Cost: Autodesk Vault is a separate software product and may require additional licensing costs, which can be a consideration for smaller organizations or individuals.
The choice between SolidWorks PDM and Autodesk Vault depends on factors such as the primary CAD software used, specific workflow requirements, integration needs, and budget considerations, and recommended to evaluate both solutions based on your organization's specific needs before deciding.

How can Seifert Technologies help you determine which product is better for your business?

At Seifert Technologies, we believe that finding the right technology can make your team more productive. By using management systems like SolidWorks PDM or AutoCAD Vault you can improve the way your team leverages your projects.

Brent Liebig, Project Engineer for Seifert Technologies Inc. states that “Depending on the CAD software your company uses, either one of these file management systems is vital to organizing your data in a multi-user environment. This kind of software was created to speed up design and keep it organized. Both are packed with similar tools to help you spend your time developing your ideas instead of managing your data.”

Not every solution is going to be right for your business. Contact us today to collaborate with our experts!

Why Use a Technical Recruiter

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 21:37:22 GMT

Using a recruiter can offer advantages in the job search process. At Seifert Associates, Inc. our team has been working on placing talent in technical positions for over 30 years. Here are some of the top reasons to use Seifert Associates, Inc. instead of going it alone in search of your next career.

Top 5 Reasons to Use Seifert Associates for Your Career Search:

Candidates who want a great career in technical staffing need to work with a company known for placing engineering and IT services candidates in great companies. The hiring process is arduous for many candidates. When you don’t have the right connections, the right resume, or the right understanding of the job market you can feel like a needle in a haystack. What you don’t know can hurt your job search. Here are a few things that a technical recruiter like Seifert Associates, Inc. can help you with.

Access to Hidden Opportunities:

Did you know, many jobs are never posted online? Recruiters often have access to job openings that are not publicly advertised. Companies may prefer to work with recruiters to find suitable candidates instead of going through the hassle of advertising the position. By working with a recruiter, you can tap into these hidden opportunities and increase your chances of finding a suitable job.

Candidates that are part of local organizations like an alumni organization, or a professional association are sometimes given “first dibs” on new career opportunities. Often companies do this to try and save time and money to find candidates that they already perceive as “qualified” for their positions. This is often referred to as the “word of mouth” method of recruiting.

Industry Expertise:

Recruiters often specialize in specific industries or job sectors. Seifert Associates, Inc. has in-depth knowledge and understanding of the job market. We are familiar with industry trends, company cultures, and the specific skills and qualifications required for different roles. This expertise can be invaluable in guiding you through the job search process and matching you with the right opportunities.

When you use a recruiter in a niche area, they are more knowledgeable on relevant and extensive requirements for those positions. In addition, they typically work closely with industry HR leadership to develop a good screening process for eliminating candidates who are not a good match for a position. This can save companies money when going through the hiring process. Hiring a technical staffing firm like Seifert Associates, Inc . gives companies an edge in getting quality candidates into the interview process quickly.

Resume and Interview Support:

Negotiation Assistance:

It is always a good idea to have someone knowledgeable help you with negotiations and job offers. Recruiters can act as intermediaries between you and the employer. We have insights into industry salary ranges and market conditions, which can help you negotiate a competitive compensation package. Recruiters can advocate for your best interests and ensure a fair deal is reached.

On the flip side, our team at Seifert Associates, Inc. can help you navigate compensation at any given position with your experience and expertise. If you need help understanding why a position is offering a specified salary range, we can help.

It is in our interest to negotiate a great deal for you. We want you to come to us with your salary requirements and the benefits you are looking for in a position. The last thing anyone wants is to get to the end of the hiring process only to realize that the position doesn’t align with your expectations.

Confidentiality :

If you're currently emplo yed and looking for new opportunities, working with Seifert Associates, Inc. can maintain confidentiality. We can discreetly explore job options on your behalf and ensure that your job search remains confidential, preventing any potential harm to your current employment situation.

Conclusion:

While there are many advantages to using a recruiter, it's important to note that not all recruiters are the same. Seifert Associates, Inc. is known within the industry as a technical recruiting firm specializing in Engineering and IT talent. Leverage our expertise , placing technical talent to your advantage. Contact us today to get started, or if you are a candidate, check out our latest open positions HERE .

What is Power BI

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 18:31:46 GMT

The ability to tell a story through data visualization is just as important as the data itself. Creating interactive and visualized data helps people see and understand the data much more, whether it is simple or complex. The right visualization can get everyone on the same page. Microsoft’s Power BI is a robust SaaS tool able to do exactly that. Let’s explore the latest from Microsoft’s Power BI for business.

What is Power BI

Power BI, according to Microsoft, is a scalable platform for business intelligence. Power BI is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) infrastructure. It connects the important data of your business into visuals for your team to see in the applications that you use for your business. Imagine being able to personalize your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and be able to interact with your business’s data by asking questions. Power BI aims to make data more accessible and easier to understand for the end user.

Who Should Use Power BI?

Power Bi is beneficial to businesses that want to leverage their analytical data throughout the lifecycle of the product or service that they provide. From the dashboard, businesses see multiple systems pulling data together to form a more complete picture of what is happening within the business.

Many business owners are not sure if they would benefit from business intelligence software like Power BI. Software enables businesses to customize the data. Being able to have aggregated data on a business’s most important workflows is vital to strategic business planning.

What Business Sectors Benefit from Power BI

· Energy

· Financial Services

· Government

· Education

· Healthcare

· Manufacturing

· Retail or Consumer Goods

Benefits of Using Power BI

Businesses from many different sectors benefit from using Power BI to enable their businesses to gain more high-level business insight. Companies like Fairlife , T-Mobile , and American Tire Distributors all rely on Power BI to help standardize everything from the planning process to distribution. No matter what footprint your business falls into, powerful BI tools can help you understand your data on a larger scale and make better business decisions based on data and results.

Power BI and How it Helps Business:

At Seifert, our customers rely on us to utilize Power BI for a multitude of reasons. Most recently we’ve noticed manufacturing clients harnessing the power related to IIoT. It is very easy to get lost in a sea of data. Power BI can be a useful tool to help navigate those waters.

Our customers can easily monitor active machines, machine downtime, parts per hour, and scrap rates by implementing sensor technology and tying it back to their shop floor database. When supervisors can monitor real-time data, they are able to adjust on the shop floor much quicker. Power BI can take this data and put it into nice graphs and reports that floor supervisors can view in real-time or see reports per hour/shift/day/week/month/year.

Business intelligence is paramount for success.

When your key business decision-makers can pull the data, they need without sorting through the weeds it is a win for any business. Allowing your team to set up KPIs to identify potential problems with deliverability while also tracking growth. Pulling data from different systems and aggregating it into simple visuals that everyone can understand is paramount for aligning all levels of the business model.

Power BI allows businesses the ability to customize the data pulled from their legacy systems into one platform. Which means that all departments can have the same visibility. Turning complex data into simple data-driven visuals to align all levels of business.

Key Features of Power BI

What are the key features that make Power BI great for business users? Here are some of the key features of Power BI for businesses.

Self-Service tool designed with end users in mind.
User-friendly on desktop and in the cloud
Create deeper insights that are helpful within Microsoft Teams\ Implements the use of Artificial intelligence (AI)
Unparalleled Excel interpretations pulling data directly from your files.
Export data to Excel for more data customization, presentation, and distribution.
Turn Insights into actions with KPIs and dataflows to share information for multiple users in your system.
Integration into more than 75 different systems including QuickBooks, MailChimp, Salesforce, and many other digital applications.
Mobile access to Power BI for users to access information on the go
Security of your data within your systems based on user permissions.

How Does Power BI Help with Security for Businesses?

Power BI is built on the Microsoft Azure platform. Azure is a cloud computing platform designed to house cloud computing components and infrastructures. Users can then gain access to the cloud platform either as front-end users, or backend users.

The front-end user can only access information that is designated to them, or their department specifically. This will help businesses limit the data that is accessed by people who shouldn’t see it.

For instance, if you are in the healthcare industry, you don’t want every employee to be able to access the social security numbers of your patients, but you do want your healthcare providers to have access to all pertinent medical records.

In another example, if you are an e-commerce store, the credit card numbers of the customers who purchase from you should not be visible to all employees.

Limiting who can see what information is in your systems is called governance, risk, and compliance. Seifert Technologies’ engineers can help you determine who has access to what and manage permissions based on user levels. That is the beauty of Power BI: It puts business owners in control of their systems.

How Do You Get Power BI for Your Business?

Power BI is a subscription service that you can sign up for through your Microsoft 365 account. Through the administration access of your Microsoft business portal, your administrator or MSP who is a Tier-1 Could Solutions Provider like Seifert Technologies can help you enable and disable your licenses.

If you already have and Microsoft 365 E5 subscription, your software access level already includes your Power BI licenses, there is no need to purchase additional licenses through the Microsoft 365 account.

If you are not currently a Microsoft 365 subscriber, we highly recommend you reach out to our team of IT experts at Seifert Technologies to help you select the right licensing options for your business. As a Microsoft Gold Partner, it is important to us to make sure our customers have everything they need to grow and maintain successful companies.

Welcome New Team Members to Seifert Technologies!

Tue, 23 May 2023 16:38:46 GMT

Seifert Technologies is pleased to announce several new additions to our team this year. As we continue to grow we hope that you will help us welcome all of these new faces in both our Nashville, TN office, and our Massillon OH Headquarters.

Do You Want to Join Our Team?

Check out our current opportunities on our Careers page HERE .

Understanding the Importance of Stress Analysis: When to FEA and When Not To

Mon, 15 May 2023 14:32:15 GMT

Understanding the stress, strain, and deflection in machined parts is critical to the overall success of a project and operations. It is important for engineers to understand stress analysis and the proper times to conduct a finite element analysis (FEA) and when not to. Let’s take a deeper look into the importance of stress analysis and how finite element analysis is used.

The Importance of Stress Analysis

What is stress analysis? Stress Analysis is the testing of objects against various load conditions. Engineers use stress analysis to determine the strain and stress put onto a material that is subjected to different types of force. We define stress as the force per unit of area. (S=R/A.)

As disciplined engineers, we use stress analysis to test the design of all kinds of structures from tool handles to the structure of a bridge or building. Through testing, engineers hope to discover weaknesses in the design prior to production. Stress analysis is also used for forensic analysis to determine the root cause of equipment failure.

Why would we need to do this kind of discovery testing on designs before they go into production? Simply, preventing structural failure is one of the most important jobs an engineer can have.

What is a Finite Element Analysis (FEA)

Finite element analysis (FEA) is a computer simulation used for stress analysis of solid objects. Through computer simulations, engineers can test solid objects while simulating different loads virtually.

Through FEA software, engineers can help to identify engineering and mathematical problems including structural analysis, fluid flow, heat transfer vibration analysis and fatigue analysis. By conducting FEA testing, engineers can simulate the stress put on a design before producing prototypes. It allows engineers to optimize design components prior to production.

When to Utilize Finite Element Analysis

Let’s say you have a new product we are going to refer to as a “widget.” As the inventor, you created this widget to solve a problem that you did not see a solution for. Think of the screwdriver that can be used in tight spaces or a new design for a can opener that makes opening things faster and easier. So, you want to make sure before you produce millions of these widgets that it stands up to the test of time. The last thing you want as the inventor is for the product to break the first time a consumer uses it.

Things evaluated using FEA:

· Stress

· Vibration

· Buckling

· Creep

· Heat Distribution

This is where FEA comes in handy. You take your idea to Seifert Technologies and our team of engineers uses software to create a 3D model rendering of your widget. We then would run an FEA that relates to a certain loading case to which the widget would be subjected. The team will then recommend design changes based on the analysis of the design through our FEA software. You the inventor of the widget is thrilled to have a digital proof of concept that you can then take to your manufacturer to design to specifications.

Here are some of the components useful for FEA analysis:

Linear vs Non-Linear Analysis:

A linear static analysis is an analysis where a linear relationship remains constant between the applied forces and displacement. A non-linear analysis is where a nonlinear relationship occurs between the applied forces and the displacements. Nonlinear effects can originate from the material, contacts, or large deformations. An example of a nonlinear material would be plastic or rubber. An extremely cantilevered beam is a classic example of a nonlinear analysis due to the large deformations near the end of the beam.

Static vs Dynamic Load:

While static loads are constant, dynamic loads change over time. This is a comparison of the stress a load has on an object. Then look at a bridge for example. There is a static load that makes up the materials of the bridge and a dynamic load of environmental elements like snow, wind, water, and heat. As well as the vibration and weight of the traffic across the bridge that is constantly changing. That changing elements are part of the dynamic load of the bridge. The static load is the element that remains constant.

Comparative vs Absolute:

Understanding the Importance of Stress Analysis:

Simply con ducting an FEA analysis is not enough. The design must be analyzed by engineering experts. Typically, the best FEA confirmation doesn’t just come from the primary design tool but is combined with calculations to confirm critical analysis results. The complexity of the overall assembly should be broken down into parts. For instance, you don’t do a test on a fully functioning car, but rather, you do a study on the frame design for the car model.

You need to have people with experience to analyze the results of your FEA testing. They must have good mechanical aptitude and a solid understanding of the classical solution to confirm the FEA results.

FEA analysis must be reviewed by engineers. The software alone will not give you a full picture of the potential design flaws. You must have verification and validation of a design from qualified engineers. The FEA study alone is not enough.

Conclusion

FEA design services are an essential part of product development. Using FEA to strategically identify potential issues in the initial design process can save you time and money. It is financially and ethically sound to utilize all the technology available to produce the best product on the market.

Seifert Technologies’ FEA Services allow you to create virtual prototypes of your most complicated designs. Simulating real-world conditions on your designs related to stress, temperature, and vibration allows you to bring your products to market faster with better results. This process allows you to optimize your design before fabricating the level one prototype.

If you are looking to outsource your engineering analyses, hire the professionals at Seifert Technologies. Contact us today.

End of Life for Server 2012

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 15:33:51 GMT

With technology advancing every day, it is no surprise to see older servers and other technologies becoming outdated and no longer supported. This is now the case for Windows 2012 / 2012 R2 server. Clients using these servers must take action to stay supported and protected.

End of Server Deadlines and What This Means

If you are currently using Windows 2012 / 2012 R2 server, it is important to know that the End of Support is October 10, 2023. It is recommended to make an update to your servers well before this date arrives, which means beginning this process now.

Options Moving Forward

If your company will be affected by the end of life for these servers, you may be wondering what to do next. Let’s take a look at the options available to you.

Upgrade to Windows Server 2019 or Server 2022

For customers wishing to keep their servers on-site, Seifert Technologies can help you upgrade to Windows Server 2019 or Server 2022. If your servers are old, you may need newer hardware to install Server 2022, as there are hardware requirements that must be met to enable certain features on this operating system. Newer hardware and the newer operating systems provide functionality, efficiency, and performance enhancements well beyond what was available in 2012.

Migrate Your 2012 Servers to Azure

Azure is Microsoft’s cloud platform, allowing you to move your apps and workloads from on-premise windows servers and SQL servers over to Azure Virtual Machines. This will remove the onus of maintaining your own hardware, allowing Microsoft to handle that burden.

Azure allows you to run securely with free Extended Security Updates (ESU) for three more years after the deadline for the Windows and SQL servers. Your old hardware will no longer hold you back, as your servers will run on enterprise-level hardware that Microsoft Azure provides.

This platform is a pay-as-you-go service, charging you only for what you are using. It is not inexpensive, and there are things to consider using an all-online service, which is why it is best to consult with a company like Seifert Technologies to help with making these decisions.

Extend Support for Server 2012

If improving performance and efficiency are not in your wheelhouse, you can stay where you are and purchase Extended Security Updates to get 3 more years of security updates for Windows Servers 2012 and 2012 R2.

In Summary

If you have Server 2012, you need the help of a trusted technology partner to assist you in preparing for Microsoft’s end of support for this product. Whether you choose to go with Azure or stay on-premise, as a Microsoft Gold Partner, Seifert Technologies is here to help.

The Multi-Generational Workforce

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 18:39:53 GMT

The workforce becomes younger and younger every day. This means that new mindsets and worker behavior have to integrate with your current workforce, which may consist of earlier generations. This can come with many challenges; however, it also presents opportunities for growth, new perspectives, and diversity within your workforce.

Navigating the multi-generational workforce is becoming the new norm and businesses across must adapt and accept these changes. Whether you’re in the engineering or IT industry, some young adults are eager and hungry to begin their careers.

The Different Generations

Let’s take a look at the different generations within the workforce and analyze how they differ from one another. This will give you a better understanding of why it is important to know your workforce.

Baby Boomers (1946 - 1964)

While on the verge of retirement, baby boomers are still prominent in the workforce. Baby boomers are described as competitive workaholics, while also being team-oriented and optimistic. Although, as they begin to plan for retirement, these characteristics may start to diminish, and will be less motivated and more focused on retiring. That being said, Baby Boomers set the example for the younger generations who are beginning their careers and can act as mentors to those younger generations.

Motivation Factors

Baby Boomers are thought to be motivated by company loyalty, teamwork, and duty. This can range from incentivizing these employees for achieving set goals, providing them with more collaboration-style projects, and highlighting the importance, impact, and responsibility their duty has for the company.

Generation X (1956 – 1980)

Generation X is the new generation that is beginning to move into those upper management roles and be more relied on by the company they work for. Generation X is described as informal and flexible workers. They prefer to engage in more natural conversation rather than the traditional and formal work environment dialogue. Although not like your traditional baby boomer, Generation X is skeptical and independent within the workforce. They enjoy the independence of being able to explore ventures and see where different paths can take them. This generation is more likely to move on from their employer if their visions cannot be fulfilled.

Motivation Factors

Generation X is thought to be motivated by work-life balance, diversity in their job, and their personal-professional interests rather than the company’s interests. This means that this generation will react negatively if they are working long hours that affect their personal life.

Also, providing this generation with diversity within their tasks will keep them focused and refreshed, decreasing the chance of burnout. Finally, allowing this generation to grow their professional resume, keeps them motivated as they will strive to be more focused on growing their professional skills which reflect positively on your company.

Millennials (1981 - 1996)

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Product Lifecycle Management

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 19:11:12 GMT

Have you heard of product lifecycle management (PLM)?

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is a series of integrated business systems. These business systems include collaborative creation, management, and dissemination of engineering information. This information begins during a product's conception and spans through the end of life. There are many different tools available that are beneficial for product lifecycle management. Here at Seifert, we use Microsoft tools to help manufacturers with PLM. We help them gain visibility about the products that they produce at any point in the lifecycle. Visibility is crucial, especially when it comes to sales and customer service. Let's dive a little bit deeper.

Understanding Product Lifecycle Management

Simplified product lifecycle management is the process of managing a product's lifecycle. PLM follows products through many phases of product life. These include development and introduction, growth, maturity/stability, and decline.

This system focuses on both the manufacturing of the product and its marketing. Companies create products for many reasons, but most have similar goals. They strive to create profitable products that outperform the competition. PLM gives information necessary to know if those goals are being accomplished. It's also beneficial when it comes to managing marketing strategy and engineering challenges. It's a complex process, but it can be simple when you have help. It involves using technology to create, capture, manage, and leverage your products. If utilized, PLM will help your company maximize profits.

The Benefits

The biggest benefit of PLM is simplifying things for manufacturers and businesses. The software makes it easy to track and share data along the product value chain, from initial design through manufacturing, supply chain management and operations, and asset maintenance. There are so many other benefits that product lifecycle management offers alongside simplification. PLM can help companies put out higher quality products and get products out to the market faster. It also improved product safety and increases sales opportunities. A huge benefit is the reduction of errors occurring. This saves both time and money. Computer software is also available to assist with product lifecycle management. Document management, design integration, and process management are possible functions for help.

Other benefits include:

Improved product quality and reliability.
Reduced prototyping costs.
More accurate and timely requests for quote (RFQ), i.e., solicitations from suppliers.
Quick identification of sales opportunities and revenue contributions.
Savings through the reuse of original data.
A framework for product optimization.
Reduced waste.
Improved ability to manage seasonal fluctuation.
Improved forecasting to reduce material costs.
Maximized supply chain collaboration.

Microsoft Tools and PLM

Microsoft has integrated multiple business lines to a new PLM platform, letting companies achieve strategic business objectives faster than with traditional approaches to PLM.

Here are two tools Microsoft offers that can be beneficial when it comes to PLM approaches:

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Dynamics 365 is a portfolio of intelligent business applications that delivers superior operational efficiency and breakthrough customer experiences enabling businesses to become more agile and reduce complexity without increasing costs. Dynamics offers so many benefits to users. It allows you to adapt and thrive with a digital supply chain. This will enhance your supply chain visibility. It allows you to create a digital supply chain twin. You can unify disparate data sources, improve multi-tier supplier collaboration, and remove stockouts. This reduces risks. It helps improve equipment effectiveness and reduce downtime. You're able to innovate with mixed reality and advanced technology. You can also automate order fulfillment with AI. Finally, you're able to predict disruptions. This helps you overcome them before they happen. Doing this will help meet customer demand. It will also help you stay profitable.

Microsoft Intune

Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based endpoint management solution. It manages user access and simplifies app and device management across your many devices, including mobile devices, desktop computers, and virtual endpoints. There are many benefits of using Intune. You're able to protect access and data on both organization-owned and personal devices. You're able to deploy Microsoft 365 apps to users and devices in your organization. You can also deploy these apps when users sign in for the first time. It brings together device visibility. It also brings you endpoint security and data-driven insights. These will help you increase IT efficiency and improve user experiences.

How It Works

We've already stated above that Seifert utilizes these Microsoft tools for manufacturers. What we didn't do is explain how. Here's an example of how it works. Let's say you want to fulfill an order that came in right now on your website for 1000 widgets.

Scenario #1

Supply chain backlogs postpone production for four months. Using Dynamics 365 and other Microsoft tools, you can see the problem and alert the customer. This allows you to address kinks in production as soon as the order comes through. Without this knowledge base, you may promise an order which you can't fill. This can happen when you leave and only have the supply timeline in your head. Visibility is everything. Being able to communicate with customers as soon as possible is important. They're likely going to be understanding and appreciative of the communication.

Scenario #2

There is a recall on a part that you must now send to every customer that bought your product containing that part. Let's give the example of airbags in cars. Through good tracking in your PLM, you will be able to see who bought the product. You'll also be able to see where you sent the products to and how many are still in your inventory. The goal is to address the issue as quickly as possible. Through PLM, you have the visibility to do that. You want to be able to reach the right customers at the right time to keep them around.

To Conclude

To meet customers' needs, companies need to adapt and respond. When there are disruptions to demand and supply, the goal is to do this as quickly as possible. The best way to do this with success is through supply chain and product visibility.

Microsoft offers tools that take a unique approach to product lifestyle management. These tools can make your PLM approach more productive and efficient than others. Microsoft tools allow us here at Seifert to help you with that approach. We're able to give you the visibility you need. We can give manufacturers product visibility throughout a product's lifecycle. These approaches allow for quick adapting and response when things go wrong. This will keep your customers happy and increase your profits. The benefits of using PLM combined with unique software will set you apart. We're here to help you gain visibility and keep your customers satisfied.

Windows 8 Technology Reaching End of Life in 2023

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 19:09:15 GMT

It's official, Microsoft has ended support for Windows 8.1. Windows 8.1 has been one of Microsoft's most prominent operating systems up until now. The extended support to the versions that came before Windows 10 came to an end on January 10th, 2023. What does this mean for Microsoft users?

What Does End of Support Mean?

When a version of Microsoft comes to an end, they state that it has reached "end of support." If you're familiar with Microsoft, you've most likely heard or seen this phrase. You may not know exactly what that means, though. Microsoft launches different versions of Windows for a specific period. During this period, that version receives security updates, technical support, and quality updates. Once the support period ends, that's where it gets complicated. The Windows version will continue working, but it will stop receiving regular updates.

Microsoft provides two kinds of support. They provide Mainstream Support, and Extended Support . Microsoft provides mainstream support for the first five years of a version's lifecycle. As an example, Microsoft launched Windows 8.1 back in November 2013. This means that they offered Windows 8.1 mainstream support until January 2018. It has been on an Extended Support Update since 2018, when mainstream support ended. Now that Windows 8.1 has reached end of support, extended support has come to an end also. So, as of today, if you are using Windows 8.1 on your systems, it will continue to function. It will no longer receive any type of technical support or regular updates.

Why Is This Bad?

Once mainstream and extended support have ended, your system is then at risk. After end of support, your system becomes vulnerable. There's a high potential for viruses, malware, and or security threats. This is bad for obvious reasons. Another issue is the apps on the system. With time, companies will stop developing apps for Windows 8.1, knowing it's a dead platform. Also, Microsoft will not be offering an Extended Security Update (ESU) program for Windows 8.1. They have made this very clear. Using the software after its end of life increases exposure to security risks. It can also impact the ability to meet compliance obligations for companies.

Microsoft 365 Apps is no longer supported on Windows 8.1 after it's reached the end of support date. If you're running Microsoft 365 on Windows 8.1, you'll no longer receive updates for the Office apps. This includes features, security, and other quality updates. It will create performance and reliability issues if you're still using it. This can cause problems for those who rely on these apps for work or personal use.

Staying Supported on Windows- Your Options

Now that we've discussed what end of support means and why it can be dangerous, what should you do? To receive regular updates and technical support from Microsoft, you need to upgrade. You currently have the option of upgrading to Windows 10 or Windows 11. What's the difference?

Windows 10 came out in July 2015. Microsoft will be supporting Windows 10 until October 2025. This means you still have time to upgrade your system to Windows 10. This can be a good option for older devices. Most of the systems using Windows 8.1 right now will support Windows 10. If your system has issues and can't update to Windows 11, try updating to Windows 10 instead. It's a more advanced, safer version of Windows 8.1.

Windows 11 is the latest Windows version, which came out in October 2021. It has the most features since it's the newest version. If you are still using Windows 8.1, there's a possibility that your system might not support Windows 11. If it does, you'll need to follow certain specifications before you're able to update to Windows 11. To update, you need to reinstall all the applications with their latest versions. If you're currently running Windows 8.1 and your system isn't supported, you have a decision to make. Windows 10 is still active and supported, but it too, will reach end of support in a couple years. It might be time for an upgrade if you're still using a system that runs Windows 8.1. If you're PC doesn't support the newest update, it may be time to look at buying a new system. Buying a new device will keep you safe for a longer period of time. You'll have a while before you need to think about replacement again. A new system will be faster and more compatible with the latest Windows version. You'll also get built-in security without any extra costs.

The Next Steps

Windows 11 is the safest and most effective way to ensure you have supported systems. Whether you achieve this through updating or purchasing new, it's something to consider. Windows 11 offers new features alongside the same features you already know and love.

If your system is too old to support Windows 11, Windows 10 is still a better option than Windows 8.1. Anything supported is better than something that no longer is. Regardless of how you upgrade, you need to get away from Windows 8.1 as soon as possible. While it still works, you're putting your system and data at risk. Microsoft's good at maintaining compatibility. I f you have old apps installed on your computer, it will continue to work as it did when it released. Microsoft updates are also free. Windows 10/11 updates will remain free for the lifespan of the operating system.

Going forward, regardless of your choice, here are your next steps:

Back up your files
Make a copy of your BitLocker Recovery Key
Check if your computer will support Windows 10 or 11
Check your App Compatibility with Windows 10 or 11

Productivity Tools for 2023

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 19:48:58 GMT

Deadlines, information overflow, and tasks demanding constant attention can be draining. This often leads to us feeling unfocused, overwhelmed, and or ineffective. Having these feelings can cause productivity issues in both your work and home life. When this happens in a group or team, a ripple effect also occurs. This means your entire team is at risk of feeling and acting in the same way. Luckily, digital productivity tools are available and are becoming easy to access. These can help you and your team overcome the issues that affect your productivity. Using and combining accessible tools will help you get back and or stay on track. Productivity tools make it easier to stay organized. They also make it easier to plan and focus on tasks. They help you stop procrastinating, schedule with more efficiency, and remember things better.

What Do Productivity Tools Do?

A lot of productivity apps take some job you would have otherwise done manually, like copying and pasting info from one app to another or transcribing audio, and they do it for you automatically.
Others improve your quality of life by helping you get organized, so you spend less mental energy trying to remember where you wrote down important details or what you're supposed to do next. They take that weight off your shoulders.
If you have difficulty remembering things until you check your notes, or you forget key points from meetings and have trouble transitioning between topics, digital tools can help you reduce the wasteful cognitive load while providing aids for your working memory.
If you have trouble setting and reaching goals, making decisions about what to focus on now versus later, and just getting started on tasks, digital tools can keep you productive and motivated.
If you’re consistently struggling to keep track of important information and relying on chaotic systems to stay on top of things, productivity tools can help you organize information, thoughts, and ideas.

What Makes Good Productivity Tools Stand Out?

The main features of good productivity tools will focus on collaboration and project management , so that no matter where any individual is, they can remain in contact with the rest of their team and provide the latest updates and information that everyone needs.
Management tools are also important to a good productivity tool. They prioritize schedules and work to deadlines, such as time management and task management. The interface also needs to be simple and easy to use so that managers don’t become bogged down in administrating it all. Additionally, everything needs to be presented in a clear way so that contact management information is easy to find and action.
There are also other good productivity tools that can help improve productivity and efficiency, simply by making complex tasks simpler and easier to do. This could be anything from managing backups to social media monitoring, or customer relationship management.

Top Microsoft Products for Productivity

Microsoft has been voted best productivity tool leader by not only us here at Seifert, but also evidently by others everywhere. Microsoft Office is a game changer for office productivity. Let’s take a closer look at a few of the other standout productivity tools Microsoft offers.
Microsoft Teams- Teams allow you to meet from anywhere. You can schedule online meetings with high-quality audio and video or start one instantly. People inside and outside of your company can join from anywhere. It also allows you to keep everything in one place. You can refer to meeting chats and shared files any time before, during, and after a meeting ends. It lets you get things done together. You can easily work together in real-time or on your own time. With free cloud storage included, shared files are always available across your devices. Finally, with Teams you can work with confidence You can collaborate without worry knowing your sensitive information is protected with data encryption at rest and in transit.

Microsoft SharePoint- SharePoint empowers teamwork with dynamic and productive team sites for every project team, department, and division. You can share files, data, news, and resources. You can also customize your site to streamline your team’s work. SharePoint allows you to collaborate effortlessly and securely with team members inside and outside your organization, across PCs, Macs, and mobile devices.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM- Microsoft Dynamics CRM gathers social insights, provides cloud-based campaign management, and offers business intelligence. The CRM’s real-time customer data platform provides AI-powered insights. These tell you how to get new leads and customers. They also tell you who your audience members are, what they need, how you can make and keep them happy. They provide insights about your customers based on behavioral, demographic, and transactional data. They also provide insight based on engagement and customer feedback. Your company is then able to use these insights to target sales, campaigns, and support.

Microsoft 365 - Microsoft Office is probably the platform most people think of first when it comes to office productivity suites, with the cloud-based Microsoft 365 being the latest incarnation.

What ensured that MS Office became a market leader is the comprehensive way data can be covered by different applications and moved between them, making working more efficient and hassle-free. With Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook forming the core programs, these cover everything from documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and emails - in effect covering most essential office needs. In addition to that, OneDrive offers online saving and backups to keep your files safe.

While there are alternatives to MS Office, most rivals attempt to play catch-up with Microsoft rather than provide innovative new features, and MS Office still remains the office suite with the most comprehensive range of features. And even if you do use one of these alternatives, the chances are you are going to be working with document formats created specifically for MS Office, and handling data from customers and suppliers who are using the MS Office platform.

While MS Office does have its critics, the bottom line is that nobody does office productivity better than Microsoft, and the core applications in Office have yet to be bettered. We stand by this as Microsoft Gold Partners.

Seifert Technologies is a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner.

We trust Microsoft for our productivity tool needs, and you should too. Accessing and using productivity tools might just be what your team needs. Our team of IT professionals is here to help you find the right productivity tools for your team.

Let us help you make your work and home life a little bit easier by finding the right tools for you.

What to Expect from the Job Market in 2023

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 17:51:57 GMT

Hiring staff and maintaining a strong workforce is a challenge for every business. No matter what field of work you're in, hiring and maintaining the right staff is key to your company’s success. This is especially true when it comes to recruiting technical talent. It’s very well known that there’s a worldwide shortage of software developers and engineers. Even though talent was difficult to come by before the Covid-19 pandemic, the job market became even tighter thanks to the technological adoption forced by the outbreak. Players within the tech adoption market see the process accelerating in 2023, as companies see digitalization as a bigger priority and allocate resources accordingly. In the search for technical talent, it’s challenging to find great candidates. It's even more challenging given today's circumstances. Despite the economy woes, these positions are in high demand. So, if you’re searching, what can you do to find and secure great technical talent for your company in 2023?

Today’s Popular Technical Positions

There are many up and coming popular technical job positions today. Before we dive into securing the perfect candidate for your company, let’s break down a few of these. One of them might be exactly what your company is looking for.

Electrical Engineers- They display strong PLC programming skills utilizing software programs. These programs include Controllogix, RSLogix/Studio 5000, Wonderware HMIs, Autocad, DeviceNet & Ethernet. The ability to design 1-phase and 3-Phase AC electrical service up to 480V is key. You must also be able to design and layout DC voltage systems. You also have to have a great understanding of AC/DC Drive Systems. They're skilled in designing and create many things. These include one-line drawings, electrical schematics, and PLC I/O wiring. They also design and create conduit schedules and interconnect drawings.
Mechanical Design Engineers- They lead the design team related to custom equipment. They do this for a variety of industries. Projects can vary from machine improvements and upgrades to new complex automated machinery. The ability to manage many projects and personnel at the same time is key. Skill and experience with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a plus for these workers. The ability to perform calculations for loads, stresses, and component sizing is too. Knowledge of Solid Modelling Software such as AutoCAD Inventor or Solidworks is important.
Network Engineers- Responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining network infrastructure. They have a strong understanding of networking concepts. They also have experience with network administration tools. They configure networking hardware and software. They also troubleshoot network problems. They're skilled in analytics and troubleshooting. They set up or troubleshoot desktops, servers, switches, and routers. They also set up and troubleshoot network printers, wireless access points, and SANs.
Software Engineers- Responsible for developing and maintaining software applications. They have a have a strong understanding of computer science fundamentals. They also have experience with programming languages. They also design and code software programs and troubleshoot code errors. They're skilled in problem solving and logical thinking.
Project Managers- A project manager handles planning, organizing, and overseeing projects. They have excellent communication and problem-solving skills. They also have as well as experience with project management tools. They communicate with stakeholders and solve problems. They're skilled in scheduling and time management.
Machine Learning Engineers- Responsible for developing the algorithms that make machine learning possible. They test and debug code and optimize it for performance. They're skilled in math, statistics, programming languages, and problem solving.

So, how do you go about finding the perfect person to fulfill one of these positions in your own company?

The Solution- Technical Recruiters

What Is a Technical Recruiter?

A technical recruiter is an HR professional whose responsibility is to source, screen, organize interview processes, and extend offers to qualified candidates for technical roles. Technical recruiters must have an in-depth knowledge of the area the recruit for. The first thing they do is create recruiting strategies. A solid strategy is essential for sorting through potential applicants. Technical recruiters spend a lot of time creating methods to find and hire the best tech talent. They then search for potential applicants on special platforms and tech organizations. Applicants come from various backgrounds. Specialized platforms can help technical recruiters find the top candidates. They create the job descriptions. This means they need to have strong communication and writing skills. They assess applicants for the job offers. They pick out qualified applicants to show to a hiring manager. They coordinate with IT to provide solutions for their needs. They then interview and pre-select applicants. After identifying them, they shortlist candidates for roles that match in the organization.

How Can They Help Your Company?

Hiring a technical recruiter can help you and your company in many different ways. Choosing to hire a technical recruiter offers you a vast network of contacts. These recruiters make connections for you. Working with them not only gives you more connections, but also makes connecting easy. Tech recruiters have in-depth expertise in their field. These recruiters are often referred to as the eyes and ears of their particular niche. Technical recruiters are aware of roles that other companies are hiring for. They're also aware of the salaries they’re offering. They can use this to both their and your advantage. Working with a technical recruiter also reduces the risk of losing top candidates. They have the skills and experience to persuade applicants to join your company. They know how to sell them on careers, and they know what they can leverage to do so. Technical recruiters also make the recruiting process quicker. This will ensure that the best candidate won't slip through your fingers. It gives you the best chance of hiring them.

Finding the Right Technical Recruiter

Your company’s workforce directly impacts the success of your business. A good talent acquisition strategy can lead to positive results in the long run and help your company and its workers grow. The best acquisition strategy is to hire a technical recruiter. Technical recruiters are the best suited to hire people for technical jobs. They know the industry and have the skills required to judge and assess candidates. They understand developers, programmers, and engineers. They also understand the industry, position, and terminology associated. Seifert Associates, Inc. is a full-service technical staffing firm. We're dedicated to helping our clients achieve their human resource goals. Our focus is on delivering top quality service. Working with us will make your operation more cost efficient. We can save you money and time. We can stop your time consuming, costly searches for skilled technical people. We are always looking for the best technical talent at all levels. We even have an extensive database of professionals. This allows us to send you the right candidate to meet your staffing needs and maximize your ROI. We're here to be an advocate. We understand technical positions and the need for recruitment.

System Integrations with Seifert Technologies

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 18:32:59 GMT

Customer relationship management systems help businesses manage their relationship with the customer. It helps not only manage it, but also improve it. These systems are gaining attention and evolving at rapid speed, for good reason. CRM integrations make managing your business simple. The new system integration itself can be tricky, which is where we come in.

Customer Relationship Management Systems

“ Customer relationship management (CRM) is a technology for managing all your company’s relationships and interactions with customers and potential customers. ” CRM tools and integration make managing customer relationships easy. They manage things like marketing, sales, digital commerce, and service interactions. A CRM solution can allow you to focus on relationships with individual people. These people include customers, colleagues, suppliers, and or service users. It will focus on your entire lifecycle with these people. It aids in finding and gaining customers and business. It also aids in providing support and services throughout your relationship. CRM integration occurs between CRM software and third-party applications. They automate actions to expand the functionality of your software. This makes it unnecessary to go back and forth between systems. These integrations allow companies to improve operational efficiency. They also cut time spent on generating reports for clients and internal purposes. They store and analyze large data amounts. This data provides insights into customer behavior. It also provides insight into how your company can influence customer behavior.

CRM Solutions

There are many different CRM platforms available for use today. Some common ones are HubSpot , Salesforce , EngageBay , Salesflare , and Microsoft Dynamics. Microsoft Dynamics is our top choice as Microsoft Certified Solutions Engineers. Microsoft Dynamics is a CRM and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. Its main purpose is to improve sales and marketing productivity. "The CRM gathers social insights, provides cloud-based campaign management, and offers business intelligence." The CRM’s real-time customer data platform provides AI powered insights. These tell you how to get new leads and customers. They also tell you who your audience members are, what they need, how you can make and keep them happy. They provide insights about your customers based on behavioral, demographic, and transactional data. They also provide insight based on engagement and customer feedback. Your company is then able to use these insights to target sales, campaigns, and support.

Popular CRM Business Integrations

· Email Integration- Email is often a primary method of communication with customers. People rely on email marketing (drip campaigns, newsletters) to keep customers engaged. Email integration lets you access business contacts and emails without leaving CRM software. It also allows you to use shared templates and behavior-based or timed sequences. Email marketing platforms enable you to create and use web forms. These forms connect to social media or embedded in websites. Once a customer has signed up with their information, it will add them as a contact. It inserts them into your CRM database for future sales and marketing.

Phone & SMS Integration- CRM that connects your phone’s calling and SMS texting. It gives you two channels for engaging customers and leads. It allows you to make calls, record phone conversations, and log calls within your CRM. It enables you to create and send marketing and follow-ups with contacts via text.
Marketing Automation Integration- Allows you to watch the status of leads. Also allows you to manage activities in your sales pipeline. You can even set up triggered marketing actions. These actions trigger based on customer activity recorded in your CRM.
Accounting Integration- Keeps track of bills and invoices for each customer or company. Accountants or bookkeepers can do this with ease thanks to CRM. Users can manage payments and record revenue sources from within the CRM platform. This saves time and eliminates human error in uploading financial data.

The Advantage of CRM Integration

We know companies rely on CRM integration for building customer relationships. This is a huge advantage. CRM lets companies build and improve relationships with their customers. This helps you keep those customers for as long as possible. What other advantages do they offer business owners? They make it easy to automate sales and marketing. This gives your employees extra time to build relationships and talk to customers. It also allows you to spend less time personalizing websites or getting sales info. Another advantage is that it increases productivity. Your employees spend time switching between so many systems without CRM software. With a CRM integration, they could be using this time to do other valuable things. A third advantage would be better security. CRM integration improves data security. You may have more access to security applications through CRM. This will prevent unauthorized users from accessing your data. Second, integrations use APIs to access data. API access allows transmitting data between applications. It does not store the data elsewhere. This reduces the risk of unauthorized access. With CRM integration, it is possible to restrict users from accessing certain pages, fields, objects, and forms, ensuring everyone has an appropriate level of access to customer data.

Benefits of Machine Learning

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 18:31:01 GMT

In our previous blog we talked about AI, machine learning, and Keyence vision systems. We defined artificial intelligence and machine learning in manufacturing. That blog ended with how Keyence can help quality control through AI and Inspections. This is only the beginning, there are so many other benefits to machine learning we need to explore.

The Connection Between Machine Learning and Manufacturing

Machine learning is a branch of artificial intelligence. It's a process of feeding algorithms tons of data. This lets them learn and improve processes all on their own, without the help of humans. They're also not completely programmed by humans. In machine learning, data goes to the model and the model looks for patterns. Humans aren’t responsible for hardcoding these machines. Manufacturers use two types in production processes. These include supervised and unsupervised machine learning. Supervised leverages AI to draw patterns from large data sets with a predefined end. This is useful in determining the remaining useful life of a machine. It's also useful in determining the chances of specific equipment failure. Unsupervised identifies patterns from data sets whose outcome isn’t yet known. This type can detect unknown anomalies and faulty components in the production process. Machine learning is gaining popularity in manufacturing because of its benefits. Machine learning offers manufacturers many advantages.

The Manufacturing Advantage of Machine Learning

Predictive Maintenance: Manufacturers spend too much time fixing breakdowns. They should be finding resources for planned maintenance instead. Machine learning can predict equipment failure with an accuracy of 92%. This helps them to plan maintenance with ease. This improves asset reliability and product quality.
Quality Control: Machine learning computer vision algorithms use historical data. They do this to determine good and bad products. This automates the inspection and supervision process. These algorithms only need good samples in their training set. This makes a library of possible defects unnecessary. Created algorithms can also compare samples to the most common defects. This provides savings in visual quality control in manufacturing.
Logistics and Inventory Management: Machine learning can automate logistics-related tasks. This boosts efficiencies and reduces costs. Businesses lose money every year from logistics and paperwork. Employees will spend countless hours on these tasks. These hours could be beneficial to have to work on and complete other important tasks. Automating these tasks can save time, which also saves money.
Product Development: Making new products or improving existing products need data analysis. Machine learning can help collect and analyze product data. This will help you understand consumer demand, hidden flaws, and new business opportunities. This can help improve existing product designs as well as develop better products. Companies can reduce the risks associated with new product development. Machine learning allows them to make more informed decisions with better insights.
Cybersecurity: Machine learning relies on networks, data, and technology platforms. It relies on both in person and cloud data. The security of these systems and data is critical. Machine learning can regulate access to valuable digital platforms and information. It can streamline how users access data, which applications they use, and how they connect to it. This helps companies protect digital assets by detecting anomalies and triggering corrective action.
Robotics: Modern manufacturing is still reliant on a human workforce. Automation in manufacturing is rising. Robots are now able to perform many complex tasks. Few areas need very high precision which only human specialists can provide. A major part of manufacturing could rely on robots in the future. These robots will be flexible enough to work together with humans. They will be able to operate in diverse and dynamic environments. They will also need minimal human supervision.
Classification: These problems use an algorithm to assign test data into specific categories. Linear classifiers and support vector machines are types of classification algorithms. Decision trees and random forest are also common types.
Regression: Using an algorithm to understand the relationship between dependent and independent variables. Regression models are helpful for predicting numerical values based on different data points. Some popular regression algorithms are linear regression, logistic regression, and polynomial regression.

How Can Seifert Help You Explore Machine Learning?

Ed Barth is a Certified Professional Engineer. He is also the Vice President of Engineering here at Seifert. Ed defines machine learning as “the capability of a machine to imitate intelligent human behavior.” He says Seifert "perceives “intelligent human behavior” as more than simple x-y movements we do with some gantry’s and such.” When asked, here’s what he had to say about Seifert and their connection to machine learning.

Q: How does Seifert determine if machine learning is right for a company? How do you recognize potential benefit opportunities from investing in machine learning?

A: “We could perform a Feasibility Study to determine if Machine Learning is a viable option for their certain application.”

Q: How important is machine learning to the future of manufacturing in America?

A: “Machine Learning is crucial due to the need for personnel to perform certain tasks in manufacturing. With the shortage of workers, implementing machine learning would most likely change that person’s task or duty rather than “cost them their job”.”

Q: Can you tell us about a previous project that Seifert Engineering worked on in this area?

A: “At Seifert, we have been involved with many projects that have relied on Machine Learning. Most recently, we were able to identify a manufacturing defect in a certain part that was traced back to a low-pressure hydraulic fault. Also, with today’s Cobots (Collaborative Robot), it’s very easy to train your system on the complicated motions required to perform a certain task.”

Conclusion

AI and machine learning is growing in the manufacturing industry with rapid speed. The process of machine learning utilizes your data to improve your operations. It makes collection and analysis of data simple. The benefits that come along with machine learning can be useful for your company and daily work. Your applications may be a great fit for implementing machine learning. Investing in machine learning processes can save you both time and money. If you're wondering if it's right for you, we're here to help. Here at Seifert, we have experience needed to tell you if machine learning is right for you. Contact us today to learn more.

Seifert Company teams up with Toys for Tots

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 21:48:41 GMT

The Seifert Team is in Christmas Mode!

For over 10 years the team at Seifert Companies has been active with Toys for Tots. Every year, our employees show their support by donating new toys which are then delivered to local area families. We are grateful for this program. It is a wonderful way to give back to our Stark County community.

We also want to thank all of our employees for all of their wonderful donations. Way to go team!

About Toys for Tots:

"The Stark County Toys for Tots Campaign serves the underprivileged children of Stark County -- our goal is to ensure that no child in the county goes without toys for Christmas. All donations, both toys and monetary, are used only within Stark County for the benefit of the local campaign.

Our campaign is run by the members of the McKinley Detachment of the Marine Corps League, augmented by our civilian volunteers who also donate their time and effort to ensuring that the children of Stark County receive toys. Whether you are a family that needs help at Christmas, a business that wishes to help us gather the tens of thousands of toys we need or a former Marine or civilian who simply wishes to volunteer to help, this website is where you can get started!"

Click here to learn more about Marine Toys for Tots .

The Seifert Annual Cookie Boxing Party

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 21:48:21 GMT

What a sweet surprise!

Our team held our annual cookie boxing party. Together we boxed up 1, 230 cookies to distribute to our friends, customers, and vendors this year. It is our way of showing our thanks for contributing to another great year at Seifert Companies.

Special thanks to The Boarding House in Massillon for providing the cookies. They are the best!

http://www.eatyourdessertfirst.com/

We are thankful for you.

Leveraging Remote Management and Monitoring

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 20:00:45 GMT

How Does Remote Management and Monitoring Work?

Remote Management and Monitoring Systems

A Remote Management and Monitoring (RMM) system, as the name suggests, allows you to manage and monitor devices from a remote location. It’s important that you have a competent RMM software. RMM's make sure you're always aware of the status and the health of your remote equipment. The best monitoring systems have key features:

Smooth Configuration- Good monitoring systems won't need excess training. Your employees will be able to navigate the system with ease. Plug and play alongside a graphical web interface are key features of a good system. You're able to manage your alarm network from any computer by using a web interface.
Live Monitoring- It's impossible to watch environment conditions without proper analog sensor technology. Basic, discrete sensors will only show you "on/off" information. For example, it will only let you know if the temperature is too high. They're limited, so having live analog monitoring for data collection is crucial. Analog sensors provide much more precise information. For example, the battery level has dropped to 12% or the temperature of your server room is 78.4 degrees.
Alert Methods- Some systems only provide internal alerts to your network operations center. Good remote monitoring systems support 24/7 alert capability. These can come through emails, text messages, voice alerts, and more. This ensures you hear about emergencies outside of normal business hours.
Backup Data Transport- Don't rely only on your primary network to report alarms. If there are problems with data transport, you'll lose visibility of your remote sites. If your network is down, this is when visibility of remote sites is the most crucial. Your alarm system should support backup methods of transporting your data. Backup reporting guarantees your network is still monitored. This is true even if your primary data transport goes down.

Managed IT Services

Hiring a managed service provider to provide RMM makes managing monitoring systems simple. Manages service providers get real-time insights into the health of clients’ systems. Information gathered is what they count on to manage and update their clients’ systems. RMM's manage various endpoints, improve customer experience, automate certain tasks, and more. This simplifies things for your IT team. Managed service providers perform services designed to take stress out of your systems. There are many different services they can and do provide for you. Some services include:

Unlimited Remote Support
Routine Maintenance
Remote Network Management
Real-Time Network/Systems Monitoring
Remote Backup - with Optional Disaster Recovery
On-line Case Management
Desktop Optimization
Patch Management
Firewall Management
Consulting Services
Anti-Spyware/Anti-Virus Management
Scheduled On-Site Network Administration
Centralized Management
Cyber Security

The Benefits of Using Remote Management and Monitoring

Having a quality MSP that uses RMM allows you and your IT employees to have more time to focus on other aspects or tasks. It simplifies managing your IT systems, giving you one less thing to worry about. RMM provides you and your company with many benefits

The first of these would be real-time monitoring. This software watches systems 24/7. This alerts you if any issue arises as soon as it does. This can help prevent and stop issues as soon as possible. This process can prevent system downtime, which saves you time. Another benefit would be first-class insights. This software provides finer details about your systems. It allows your MSP to make better decisions due to specific information sent out. Remote monitoring ensures your MSP only comes to your company when necessary. It also extends your devices lives, thanks to constant inspection. A huge benefit of remote monitoring is customer satisfaction. Strong systems guarantee the best customer experience. A good experience offers the best chance of keeping customers around. Finally, routine tasks such as daily backups are very tiring. MSPs perform such tasks without requiring customer resources.

Acquiring Remote Management and Monitoring

If you're contemplating remote monitoring, look no further. We offer remote IT help through our website here at Seifert Technologies. We can take over your computer, with your permission, to assist you with issues you're having. Our self-healing network management software will watch and correct your systems 24/7. This will prevent unscheduled downtime and prevent decreased performance. Our professionals can troubleshoot, diagnose, and fix many computer and server issues. We can do this in the span of minutes by accessing your computer from a remote location. Also, if you use our services, a Network Engineer will visit you monthly. This is a proactive way to address issues. This also ensures the industry’s best practices are working for

you. We're here to offer you unlimited day-to-day remote support. We strive to align your technology to the financial goals of your company.

In Conclusion

Hiring remote management and monitoring can be beneficial for your company. There are many benefits to having a good remote monitoring system. There are even more benefits to reap when you have reputable IT professionals to manage it for you. This software is set in place to prevent and solve issues while improving operations. If you’re thinking about or looking to hire remote management, consider Seifert Technologies. We're ready to assess your current systems and navigate you through the next steps.

Machine Learning (AI) Trends Are Changing Manufacturing

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:24:31 GMT

The Industrial Internet of Things has and continues to help manufacturers. IIoT has made manufacturing efficiency, safety, and productivity better than ever before. Now the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning has joined the party. AI and machine learning simplifies managed data collected during manufacturing.

Machine Learning and AI

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

“ Artificial Intelligence is the field of developing computers and robots that are capable of behaving in ways that both mimic and go beyond human capabilities.” AI-enabled systems can analyze and contextualize data. The data collected provides information and triggers actions without human interference. AI in manufacturing fields uses technology to automate complex tasks. It also seeks out and finds unknown patterns in manufacturing processes and workflows. AI in manufacturing uses data to make faster, more accurate decisions. AI systems are quicker and more reliable than human operations.

What is Machine Learning?

Machine learning and artificial intelligence are often thought to be the same. People use both when referring to the same concept, but they're actually different. AI is a broad concept of using machines or computers to replicate human thinking. Machine learning is more specific, it's an application of AI. Machines and computers are able to learn without the need for human programming. “ Machine learning is a pathway to artificial intelligence. This subcategory of AI uses algorithms to automatically learn insights and recognize patterns from data, applying that learning to make increasingly better decisions. ” It works by big amounts of data to train algorithms. These algorithms are then used on new data to find hidden patterns and predict outcomes. Machine learning allows algorithms to learn and improve processes on their own. This makes them like humans, only without the need for humans. There are two different types of machine learning. These include supervised and unsupervised machine learning .

Types of ML in Manufacturing

Supervised Machine Learning

Supervised machine learning is an approach that’s defined by its use of labeled datasets. These datasets can train or administer algorithms into classifying data or predicting outcomes. Using labeled inputs and outputs, the model can measure its accuracy and learn over time. Two types of problems are possible when supervised data mining occurs. These include:

Classification: These problems use an algorithm to assign test data into specific categories. There are common types of classification algorithms. These include linear classifiers, support vector machines, decision trees and random forests.
Regression: Using an algorithm to understand the relationship between dependent and independent variables. Regression models are helpful for predicting numerical values based on different data points. Some popular regression algorithms are linear regression, logistic regression, and polynomial regression.

Unsupervised Machine Learning

Unsupervised machine learning uses algorithms to analyze and cluster unlabeled data sets. These algorithms discover hidden patterns in data without the need for human intervention. This is why they're labeled as unsupervised. Unsupervised learning models are beneficial for three main tasks:

Clustering: This is a data mining technique for grouping unlabeled data. based on their similarities or differences. This technique is helpful for market segmentation, image compression, etc.
Association: Uses different rules to find relationships between variables in a given dataset. These methods are beneficial for market basket analysis and recommendation engines. For example, “ Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought ” recommendations.
Dimensionality Reduction: When features or dimensions in a given dataset is too high. This reduces the number of data inputs to a manageable size. It does this while also preserving the data integrity. Often, this technique is best in the preprocessing data stage.

Uses of ML in Manufacturing

Predictive Maintenance: Tech draws from machine and equipment data to identify patterns. These patterns point to possible failure. This lets relevant operators and maintenance crews fix machines before they break down. This reduces downtime so that the line continues moving.
Supply Chain Management: Manufacturers rely on their suppliers providing high-quality materials. High quality materials are beneficial for the production process. AI and machine learning can sort through different supply-chain-related tasks. These include warehouse and inventory management, inbound and outbound shipments, and customer demand. This prevents manufacturers from falling behind on order fulfillment and productivity.
Utilizing Digital Twins: Digital twins are virtual representations of physical objects. In manufacturing, this relates to new products, equipment and even shop floor layouts. Manufacturing businesses leverage machine learning to optimize product design. They also use it to customize the production line. These things create more efficient operation.
Utilizing Energy and Prediction: Machine learning analyzes raw data from factory machines. This creates patterns that showcase energy consumption and preventing it. Additionally, manufacturers use the technology to predict future consumption, allowing proper planning.
Predictive Quality and Yield: Machine learning detects causes of yield losses. It also detects causes of quality defects. The tech identifies probable wastage causes, allowing manufacturers to adjust their operations.

Machine Learning with Keyence

" A vision system combines industrial cameras, lenses, and lighting to automate visual inspections of manufactured products. " Here at Seifert, Keyence is a brand of vision system we use. Keyence offers the most complete vision system lineup. The CV-X Series is an innovative easy to use system. It uses high-speed cameras to solve inspection applications across all manufacturing industries. It incorporates cameras and lighting to photograph parts in-line. This process improves efficiency and ensures quality. This system can be beneficial to automotive, electronic, medical, food and packaging manufacturing. You can learn more about their products through their online catalogs . Common applications include:

Defect detection
Surface inspection
Presence of parts and features
Assembly verification
Vision guided robotics
Measurement
Code reading

According to Full Scale , Machine learning and vision systems relate to one another. Machine learning has improved computer vision about recognition and tracking. It offers effective methods for acquisition, image processing, and object focus. Vision systems broaden machine learning. They involve images/videos sensing devices, interpreting devices, and the interpretation stage. Machine learning is useful in both the interpreting device and interpretation stage.

Conclusion

AI and machine learning is gaining popularity in the manufacturing world. These processes simplify data collection and workloads. Increased availability of data and computing power justify this claim. Adopting AI and machine learning processes will lead to optimized machine usage. Investing in a vision system could go hand in hand with machine learning and AI. If you’re thinking about adapting any of these things into your business, get in touch. Let's assess your manufacturing processes and determine what’s best for you. Contact us today to learn more!

Using an MSP To Help Manage Your Business

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 14:14:50 GMT

What Is a Managed Service Provider?

Managed service providers or MSPs manage customers IT infrastructure and end-user systems. Managed service providers perform daily management services for their customers. These services include network and infrastructure management, security, and monitoring. They're categorized by both the customer's business size and the amount of responsibility. There are pure-play MSPSs, staffing legacy MSPs, and high-level MSPs . They're also categorized by the types of services offered.

This process often includes an SLA. A service-level agreement or an SLA is a contract agreement between the MSP and your business. This will lay out performance expectations and services for both parties. It will also include pricing details. Microsoft has launched the Azure Expert MSP program to highlight and promote partners. This is a new global initiative that helps you find top partners for your business to work with. Microsoft expresses that MSPs will help their customers transition through technological shifts. These partners help customers " by guiding them in all aspects of their cloud journey. From consulting to migrations, to operations management, cloud MSPs show customers all the benefits that come with cloud adoption. "

How Can Managed Service Providers Help You?

Managed service providers are there to meet your business objectives. They can fill gaps and roles in your IT system or staff. Your MSP provider can deliver services including network, application, infrastructure, and security. They provide ongoing support and active administration. MSPs work from either your business, their MSP's data center, or in a third-party data center. Hiring an MSP allows you to focus completely on business improvement. You are able to do this without the worry of service interruptions or long system downtimes. Taking the worry off of you and allowing you to focus will help improve your business operations. MSP's can benefit smaller businesses by being an outlet of IT expertise for them. Smaller businesses have more limited in-house IT capabilities, making it a great option.

Potential tasks managed service providers handle can include:

What Are the Benefits of Using an MSP?

Navigating Microsoft Azure- MSPs guide you through planning and migration of Microsoft Azure. They perform cloud-readiness tests and learn your business applications and technology environment. They help you create a custom solution for your business. They build on your initial assessment and provide support providing zero-downtime migration.
Cost Efficiency- Hiring an MSP can actually help you reduce costs and save money. Finding, hiring, training, and keeping Azure experts can be an expensive process. MSPs allow access to certified, experienced experts on demand. MSPs also allow your existing IT team to reduce their daily workload. This gives them time to focus on strategic IT initiatives. Managed service providers can also offer special discounts and simplified billing.
Easy Billing and Management- MSPs offer a single point of contact. This helps to simplify your experience with Microsoft Azure. Whether you have a technical question or a billing one, your team will have a single point of contact. This contact will know the account and understand the products. They will work to resolve issues with efficiency and speed.
Support and Expertise- Expert resources are critical. Unplanned downtime or errors can affect customers and employees. MSP's will use tools to track your system’s performance. This tracking means they can manage issues as they arise. They will simplify your communications. Microsoft Azure MSPs offer 24/7 service and fast response times. A good partner will offer flexible support and access to fixing issues by phone, email, or live chat.
Motivated Monitoring- Cloud ecosystems are complex. Not having the correct tools will make staying on top of your Azure deployment difficult. An MSP will use those needed tools to watch the health and activity of your system. They can watch nodes and devices with an IP address. They will track the health and uptime of your deployment. This ensures that your disk space, CPU application, and other factors are optimal. They will check for configuration changes, restarts, and backups. They will also watch applications for performance, bandwidth, anomalies, and other issues. This will optimize performance at the application level.
Detailed Reporting- Regular reporting is also crucial. MSPs can provide you with monthly reports. The reports focus on account health, key actions, and identifying the need for changes. This process can be time-consuming. Managed Service Providers lessen the time your team spends creating these reports.

In Conclusion

Managed service providers can provide a lot for you and your business. They can also take some stress and worry away from you, allowing you to refocus your energy. Catering to your specific business objectives is key, and a good MSP will do that. If you want to improve your business operations or you're looking to fill in gaps, an MSP might be the right choice. If you've decided you want to search for an MSP that’s right for your business and your needs, look no further! Here at Seifert, we're Microsoft Azure Expert MSP partners. Our company's committed to providing high-quality support and service. We will assess your company and cater to those individual needs. We can ensure you a smooth, worry-free migration. We can offer expertise and provide options best suited for your company. Contact us today to learn more or get started.

Robotics and Manufacturing

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 14:12:32 GMT

Robots in The Workplace

“ Industrial robots are mechanical machines programmed to automatically perform production-related tasks in industrial environments. ” These machines are beneficial in many different industries and applications. These robots come in a wide variety of models. The biggest company in the industrial robotics market is FANUC. They’re headquartered in Japan. Their robot machine selections vary. They have different reach distances and payload capacities. Robots also contain specific numbers of an axis of travel of their jointed arm. FANUC offers many different robot series, all serving different purposes.

These include :

Collaborative robots
Articulated robots
Delta robots
Palletizing robots
Arc welding robots
Top mount robots
Paint robots
SCARA robots

Of these, collaborative robots are the most buzzworthy. They're the latest technology to train and program robots with ease. They have enhanced safety features too.

What Do Industrial Robots Do? What Can They Do?

As already mentioned, different manufacturing robotics have different purposes in the workplace. Robots can perform assembly, pick/place, and testing/inspection. They could also perform dispensing and packaging processes. They can even perform painting and coating applications. What they are capable of depends on which model or models you choose. Manufacturing robots have fast-operating speeds and precision. They come with an accuracy that no human worker can match. This accuracy will reduce cycle times. Reducing cycle times reduces total production time, saving you time and money. These robots are here to enhance the careers of the current workforce. They are here to collaborate with workers, not replace them. Your employees will enjoy working with and managing these machines. Manufacturing robotics help to increase capacity and meet customers' demands. FANUC robots for manufacturing are easy to train and operate. They provide flexibility due to a range of application-specific options. They have straightforward integration and payloads of up to 2,300kg. They also have reached up to 4.7m.

Benefits of Using Robotics in Manufacturing

Cost Savings- Companies begin using automation projects to save money. These minimize the time employees spend on dull and dirty tasks. Savings come from improved efficiencies and reduced risk of injuries. Manufacturers who invest in automation and robotics have higher efficiency rates. They also have better work environments.
Improved Quality- Automated systems come programmed, meaning they usually don’t make mistakes. This eliminates potential human error too. Have your employees manage the robots instead of performing the manufacturing hands-on. This helps improve quality, consistency, and reliability.
Enhanced Insights- Watching and recording jobs performed by the systems can be helpful. Process audits of the data collected from these robots push transformation. Companies with access to data are able to make improvements and reduce costs.
Improved Employee Retention and Satisfaction- Train them to manage the robots. Those who oversee robotics instead of performing manufacturing tasks appear happier. This allows them to focus and work harder on other important tasks.
Common Solutions- This allows manufacturers to use these solutions throughout the company. The same automation solutions can perform similar processes across the company. Common solutions make it easier to upskill the workforce. They also reduce spare parts and speed up deployment compared to customized systems.
Center of Excellence- CoEs use data. They build common structures for all automation projects. This includes selecting the right automation partner. It also includes knowing the system design and how to put it in place it throughout the company. CoEs can also manage how to identify a new automation project. They ensure a quality structured process.

A Conversation with A FANUC Certified Operator

Richard Landals is our Sr. Project manager of Electrical Engineering here at Seifert. He is also a FANUC-certified operator. In a recent interview, Richard had some incredible insight into manufacturing robots. He gives us an inside perspective of how these robots are changing not only the world but also our company. Here's what he had to say:

Q: In your opinion, how are robots changing the manufacturing industry?

"Robots are able to perform repetitive motions, normally accomplished by multiple employees. With the use of Robots, we are able to increase production while reducing overhead expenses associated with today’s labor force. A robot can also operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, without compromising quality."

Q: Seifert is currently setting up an R&D lab to enhance Robotics and IIOT integration. How will this process benefit the company once it's completed? What will you use the lab for? Do you believe it will improve operations?

"The R&D lab Robot will benefit both our internal engineers, as well as our customers, who have unique applications. We can setup and test their application and show them the benefits of using this technology. Once we have their confidence, we can develop our relationship and provide future opportunities to them. We are still developing the first application and specific operation is still in process.”

Q: What sparked your passion for manufacturing robotics? What pushed you to become FANUC certified? What's your favorite part about using this technology?

"I guess my passion for robotics started over 30 years when I became involved in Industrial Automation. For years, I’ve been applying the latest technology to our customer’s applications. Today. while using Robots for high-level operations, we can also capture productivity levels and push that data to IT services. In today’s environment, business is constantly evaluating their production throughput. My favorite part of using robotic technology has evolved over the years. Creating a specialized solution for our customers has always inspired me, providing a solution that few understand. As manufacturing challenges increased, I’m able to apply past success with future technology.

‘A problem is just an opportunity waiting for a solution.'"

Q: If You’re Considering Robotics for The First Time

If you're looking at implementing manufacturing robots, take a tactical approach. Take time to develop a strategy based on the advantages robotics can bring to your company. Look at the different robotic options for your company's needs. FANUC offers robotics brochures to showcase their different robots and their capabilities. Let us help you do these things and decide if robotics integration is the right choice for your company. Our team has knowledge in industries of automotive, tire and rubber, steel mill, pulp and paper, utilities, refining, plastics, and food processing. We will work together to upgrade processes and deliver improved products and efficiency. We strive to build a relationship and provide opportunities for your company.

Job Experience vs. College Degree; Which is More Important?

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 15:22:25 GMT

What if a person with a college degree and another with real-world work experience applied for the same job? Who do you think would be more likely to get that job? What makes each person stand out?

Having a Degree

The Pros

There are many benefits to obtaining a college degree. The first of these being the fact that people with higher levels of education receive more pay. People with higher levels of education are often paid more or offered higher pay rates . Clearly, the salaries vary by industry, job experience, and the regional norms for your field of choice, but those with traditional higher education are typically offered higher salaries. Another benefit of a degree is that you'll have a lower unemployment rate than those without. Statistics prove individuals without degrees often get laid off first.

A third benefit would be the potential positions you can apply for after graduation. Some companies have a policy stating you have to have a completed degree before applying. This means you have the advantage over those without a degree when applying for these jobs. You will have a larger variety of careers to apply for. A final benefit of having a degree is the fact that your degree might also offer field work. Many programs state that you need to do field work alongside classes to graduate. This is the best of both worlds when it comes to applying for a job. You'll have both education and real-world knowledge in your back pocket.

The Cons

So, what are the cons to obtaining a college degree? College is a big commitment both time-wise and financial-wise. Paying for courses and resources associated with college creates a huge financial responsibility. Whether you're paying out of pocket or taking out loans, the money still has to come from somewhere. Getting a degree also takes time. Depending on the type of degree you're after, you'll be there at least a couple years. This means you'll have to hold off on pursuing your full-time career until you're done. You'll have to sacrifice your time to study and go to classes so you can't work. You'll have to balance both or stop working until you're finished with school.

Having Work Experience

The Pros

Having previous job experience has many benefits also. The first benefit is that you may already know and have the skills needed for the job. This can be true especially if your experience relates to the field you're pursuing now. This could also mean might not need as much training when you start, allowing you to start even sooner. Another benefit is that you have real-world skills. You have dealt with real workplace scenarios. You have interacted with customers, bosses, and or co-workers before. You have had to make decisions and work together to problem solve in the workplace. Work experience also allows you to develop professional skills. You have learned critical thinking skills and you understand work ethics. A final benefit of having prior work experience is the potential for growth. A degree can get you a job, but without having or gaining experience, you won't grow. Gaining experience and showcasing your skills will lead to promotions and better opportunities.

The Cons

No, there are no cons to having work experience. Yes, there are cons to having work experience without also having a degree. Especially when applying for a job. The first being that you'll most likely make less than someone who has a college degree. If you're both working the same job, they will most likely make more because of that degree. Another is that you may not be able to apply for every job you want. Employers may not give you the same opportunity. They may not even look over an application if they request a degree and you don't have one. You could have less access to applying for positions in the field you want.

Which Do Employers Value More?

When it comes to which path employers value more, it depends on the employer in question. Look at their posted requirements before applying to see what they're looking for. Each employer values and desires different qualities in employees. You may be a good fit for one employer but a horrible fit for another. Also keep in mind the type of job you're applying for. Different fields often value different attributes. More labor-intensive jobs may value experience more than a marketing position for example.

When debating what an employer values, think about how your history correlates to the job. If you have work experience, does it apply to the type of job you’re applying for? If you have a degree but no experience, does your degree align with the position you want? Do you have examples of skills you've learned from your degree? Employers value relevant experience and knowledge most of all.

Conclusion

“ In the ideal case, you, the job candidate, can show prospective employers that you have both the education and the experience that you need to excel in your chosen line of work. ” Whether you have a degree or work experience, you have skills that will make you stand out. It's your job to use them to your advantage and prove your worth to employers. Remember that it also depends on the type of job you're applying for and who your boss will be. Look into what they request and what they value. Look at your skills and history and what aligns with their desires. We're here to help you find the right path. Contact us today for further advice!

What Should You Do if Your Computer Can’t Upgrade to Windows 11?

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 14:48:06 GMT

Transitioning from Windows 10 to Windows 11

Windows 10 vs. Windows 11

Microsoft created Windows 11 on the same foundation as they created windows 10 on. They're designed to coexist; you can use the same tools and processes to manage both. Microsoft wants this migration process to be easy for users. This means you can manage Windows 11 in the same way you can Windows 10. Windows 11 enhances end-user productivity and is ideal for a hybrid work environment. Many of the same apps, tools, security settings, and policies from Windows 10 are usable in Windows 11. Simplified, Windows 11 is a newer, more secure, improved continuation of Windows 10.

Features Included in Windows 11

New Windows 11 features make the transition and the new desktop experience better. These features are here to simplify your tasks and offer you better accessibility. They work with previous Windows 10 features to create the best user experience yet.

Five new features include:

Staying in Touch Simplified- Chat from Microsoft Teams offers new ways to communicate. You can talk to people from your computer, no matter what tablet, phone, or computer they're using. Microsoft Teams is on the taskbar, you can video or chat with anyone anytime without your phone.
Navigation and Organization- Windows 11 is all about the simplified user experience. It offers a new yet familiar design. You have the ability to search for anything, anywhere is easy and convenient. This is a streamlined software that revolves around you, the user.
Desktop Balance- This gives you the ability to group open windows and bounce between them. This organization happens with Snap Assist. You can drag windows to the edge of the screen for quick activation.
Widgets- You can create and add widgets of photos, weather, news, stocks, and more to your desktop. These provide big pieces of information in small formats always accessible to you.
Devices and Features- Windows 11 includes enhancements to touch, voice, and pen inputs. This allows your desktop to have more phone or tablet-like features. Microsoft's also partnering with trusted brands to offer new varieties of devices. These new devices are more capable, more versatile, and easier to use than previous models.

How to Find Out if Your Computer Can Upgrade

To find out if your computer is capable of upgrading to Windows 11, there are a couple of things you can do. The first of these would be to download Microsoft's PC Health Check app . This app will check your device to see if it meets the requirements for Windows 11. Windows 11 requires an 8th gen processor.

You can also check if your computer will upgrade to Windows 11 from the "Check for Updates" section of "Windows Update" on your computer: if Windows 11 is an option, it will check to make sure your computer is able to be updated to Windows 11 before you begin.

The second option would be to check and compare the requirements to your device yourself. You can do this by going into your computer settings and viewing your system specs against this list.

The requirements needed for Windows 11 are:

Processor- 1 GHz or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or SoC
RAM- 4 GB
Storage- 64 GB or larger
System firmware- UEFI, Secure Boot capable
TPM- Trusted Platform Module
Graphics card- Compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver
Display- 720p display that is greater than 9” diagonally, 8 bits per color channel
Internet connection- Requires internet connection and Microsoft account

What Will Happen if You Can’t Upgrade to Windows 11?

" Microsoft will continue to support Windows 10 until Oct. 14, 2025... That gives you about four years to prepare as Microsoft slowly moves its billion-plus Windows users to Windows 11. " The good news, if you can't upgrade or choose not to, your computer will still work. Bad news, it won't work quite the same. Your device will no longer have security updates, and there will be no new features added to the software. If your device is not compatible, you should consider buying a new device that is compatible. Choosing not to upgrade can harm the security of your device and the personal items on it. “ Your computer is at risk for malware and other vulnerabilities that can expose you to hacks, viruses, and more. ”

Why Should I Start Planning Now?

Change takes time especially if you have legacy systems. These include:

ERP Systems
Real-time data accessibility
Business process improvement
Inventory control and management
Core business process automation
Supply chain visibility

To Conclude

While Microsoft will support Windows 10 until 2025, it's still good to weigh out your options now. If your device has the requirements needed for Windows 11, great go ahead and upgrade! If not, you have options and time. It could be time to look for a new device and start transferring your systems over. We're here to help you make that decision. You can trust Seifert Technologies for all your business technology needs. We're both Microsoft Gold and Dell Partners. We make the perfect combo to help with upgrading your hardware and software. Contact us today to get started!

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 14:34:42 GMT

What is IIoT?

IIoT is an acronym that stands for the Industrial Internet of Things. This is the use of the internet of things in industrial applications and sectors. It's a " Foundational technology... that uses connected smart sensors, actuators, and more to connect your people, products, and processes to power digital transformation.” This technology amplifies industrial processes and manufacturing. It has a strong focus on machine-to-machine communication, machine learning, and big data. It covers things like industrial applications, software-defined production, medical devices, and even robotics. It is a combination of information technology and operational technology. IIoT's transfer data without the need for human-to-computer or human-to-human interaction. The goal of IIoT is to create revenue growth, reduce costs, and improve effectiveness. This occurs by monitoring industrial data and acting on it in new ways.

Benefits of IIoT

Connected devices and machines will watch and analyze performance data. This will show you what's going well, and what's going bad, and even predict when something could go wrong. IIoT will allow you to be as efficient as possible. You can watch while you're away from the workplace and benchmark across sites. It will set you up for maximized work time and improve your operations.

There are many benefits of IIoT, including but not limited to:

Maximized revenue- Gets rid of things like operational failures and unplanned downtime. Allows scaling to new markets, unlocking new business models, and improving throughput.
Reducing time to market- Speedy application development to get to market faster. Allows for extending and wrapping legacy assets to repurpose and create new functionality.
Lower operational costs- Low-cost productivity and efficiency boost. This occurs by unlocking data from connected systems and products. Removes bottlenecks.
Improved quality- Improved reliability, service quality, and customer satisfaction. Allows you to scale and secure your operations.

Challenges of IIoT

" Proliferation of smart devices has given rise to security vulnerabilities and the concern of security accountability. ” Those who adopt IIoT are responsible for securing the setup and use of devices connected. Device manufacturers are responsible for protecting their customers as they release products. They're responsible for promising safety and providing solutions when there's a security breach. Security risks pose a huge challenge to IIoT. A security breach can expose your business or lead to an operational shutdown. Another challenge is initializing and merging industrial operations with IT. The use of old, unaltered legacy systems could also make technology integration difficult.

The security risks associated with IIoT stem from a lack of basic security measures. While cybercrime or hacking is a known risk for business, the blend of OT and IT can be more serious. It can lead to physical threats as well. " Security gaps like exposed ports, inadequate authentication practices, and obsolete applications contribute to the emergence of risks ." Security risks can include:

Exploited software vulnerabilities that attack systems
Hacking, data breaches, and targeted attacks
Internet-connected systems that are public and searchable
OT systems held for extortion
Device damage or physical injury due to system malfunctions
Sabotaged processes or operational disruption from system manipulation

Pursuing IIoT

When do you pursue IIoT?

IIoT implementation is important and beneficial when your business is ready for it. It is crucial for your business to be ready for implementation. One thing to ask yourself is what are the potential uses for IIoT for your business? What about your level of engagement? Is your workforce ready and prepared? Do you have organizational support? Do you have the correct level of digital maturity to proceed? To make it simple, you can take the IIoT Readiness Assessment. This questionnaire will take you through 63 thorough prompts. The questions all relate to your business and scale your readiness. It will give you a concise answer on if you're ready to continue pursuing IIoT or not.

Thank You to Our Summer Interns.

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 14:32:57 GMT

As the school season returns in full swing the team at Seifert Technologies is always sad to see our summer interns return to their educations. This year we have several stand-out students join us and we wanted to take a minute to thank them for their hard work this summer.

Meet the Interns

Thank you to all! We wish you continued success!

The Latest in AutoCAD

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 14:29:50 GMT

AutoCAD 2023 is the latest version of Autodesk's popular computer software.

AutoCAD accelerates productivity and collaboration for users. " New AutoCAD 2023 features are here to further automate processes and collaboration. " The updated version adds and enhances features aligned with consumers' modern workflows. Let’s discuss what’s new and what’s better with this update.

Markup Import and Markup Assist

The Markup Import feature takes imports feedback from printed sources and PDF files. They get imported as trace layers into the application. This allows AutoCAD to recognize the markup and convert it into an object. The Markup Assist feature follows the importation. It will let you add the texts or drawings with the push of a button. It also won't alter your existing design in the process. This addition was to help with time-saving. You will be able to send and add feedback into the drawings as quickly as possible.

My Insights

The My Insights feature is an advisory engine. It uses machine learning algorithms to give curated insights. It will also help you work faster. It provides recommended macros that correlate to your most repeated workflow. These will show up as notifications. You can find them at the bottom of your screen when you're working in the program. If you click on the notification, it will take you to the new Command Macro Palette. This will give you the option to learn more about the macro. It will also let you save a suggested macro, and even let you adapt the macro to better fit your needs.

AutoCAD web APIs

The AutoCAD Lisp API feature added is only available to AutoCAD subscribers. It's found in the web app. With this feature , you are able to manage and load LISP files and type LISP commands in the app. You can create customizations to automate sequences of steps with LISP in the app. This process is the same as it is on the desktop software, but now you can do it from any location. No matter where you are, you can get work done in an instant.

Enhancements

Sheet Set Manager

AutoCAD's Sheet Set Manager organizes drawings in the correct order for you. It allows you to see and collaborate on drawings with your team. It makes the files accessible and easy to find. The enhancement in the 2023 update makes sheet set sending even quicker. It also makes opening sets quicker and makes the sending process safer.

Count Command

The Count feature in AutoCAD keeps track of the number of objects and blocks in a drawing file. The 2023 enhancement allows you to choose a specific area on the drawing to count as opposed to the whole thing. The toolbar also has added functions. You can select the counted objects, move from one object to the next, and even insert a count field to a table or text.

Other features of AutoCAD 2023

2D Drafting, Drawing, and Annotation

Text settings- single or multiline texts, easy formatting
Dimensions- automatic creation and previews
Tables- apply formulas, link to spreadsheets, and use data & symbols
Leaders- variety of content including text and blocks
Centerlines and marks- automatic creation when you move associated objects
Revision clouds- identifies changes and updates in drawings
Views- saves views by name for easy return
Layouts- display many views of model, specify size, and add title blocks to sheets
Fields- displays text that updates when field value changes
Data linking- create a live link between your table and a spreadsheet
Data extraction- extract information from objects, attributes, and blocks
Dynamic blocks- change size, configuration, or shape of block references
Arrays- make or move objects in rectangle or circle patterns
Parametric constraints- add geometric and dimensional constraints
Purge- delete more than one object at once

3D Modeling and Visualization

Solid, surface, and mesh modeling- create realistic 3D models using these
3D navigation- swivel, fly, orbit, or walk around a 3D model
Visual styles- control edges display, lighting, and shading
Section planes- display cross-sectional views
Rendering- give models a realistic appearance
Cloud rendering- render online without using processing power or disk space
Point clouds- can be a starting point for your designs
Model documentation- create 2D drawings from 3D models

Collaboration

Xref Compare- compare two versions of a drawing including xrefs
PDF and DGN files- import, export, or attach as underlays
DWG Compare- compare two versions without leaving your window
sets- access and manage more than one drawing as a set
Model references and import- add Navisworks models as underlays
Geographic location and online maps- add location into drawings and display maps

Installation and Customization

Simplified installer- faster customizable installations
Start tab- access files and content from the home screen
TrustedDWG technology- alerts possible incompatibility
CUI customization- improves accessibility and reduces the number of steps
Secure load- security restrictions to help protect against malicious executable code
Action recorder- records inputs and commands that can be an action macro
System variable watch- watch system variables as compared to a list of values
CAD standards checker- maintain styles for layers, dimensions, line types, and text
API- control drawings using ActiveX, VBS, AutoLisp, Visual LISP, ObjectARX, JavaScript, NET
Autodesk App Store- Autodesk-approved extensions

To Conclude

AutoCAD 2023 features access to industry-specific toolsets. It includes web and mobile apps, integrated workflows, and cloud storage connectivity. This version includes three major additions alongside many enhancements. The new and updated features alongside previous ones make the 2023 edition the best one yet. There are so many things to take advantage of within the software. This update maximizes both collaboration and time management. Contact us today to learn more.

When You Should Outsource Your Business IT ?

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 14:35:07 GMT

Have you been thinking it’s time to add IT to your team of employees?

You can choose to outsource an IT service for your business. You can also choose to hire an internal resource for IT instead. How do you determine which and when? Let’s break it down to determine the right choice and timeline for you.

When you use a manages service provider like Seifert Technologies, you have access to an entire team of professionals to meet your IT service needs. Understanding your needs is the first step in determining if your business is a good fit for outsourcing your IT services. Here are some of the things that you should consider as a business owner.

The Cost Breakdown

Internal IT Resource Cost Breakdown

Recruitment and Hiring - Potential costs when finding or hiring new employees. Things like advertisement fees, background checks, skills tests, and paperwork administration. This also can relate to hiring wages and offering competitive wages. In a local setting, competitive pay ensures you the best chance of securing the best fit employee. If you're looking to hire an IT person, you most likely want the best fit for the job.

Onboarding - " HR professionals state that onboarding should take at least 3 months In the case of full-time employees ." Onsite employees need more orientation and training. This period will allow them to learn your company and the ropes. The longer the onboarding period, the more expensive it will cost. The longer onboarding occurs, the better the employee will understand your company.

Office Supplies and Benefits - Supplies can include computers, phones, and computer software. It can even include things like more office furniture if needed. You are responsible for providing space and materials for inhouse employees. You should budget allocated pay toward sick days and vacation days. Benefits can include insurance, retirement, and or pension. These things are also required for full-time employees.

Outsourced IT Service Cost Breakdown

MSP Value- When it comes to Managed Service Providers, cost equals quality. The more money you put into finding and hiring a trustworthy MSP, the higher quality their work will be. This has been the experience of other employers anyway. You will reap the benefits of an expensive MSP, which could make you more money later on.
Onboarding - " While working with outsourced developers you only need from a few days up to 1 week to onboard them .” Outsourced IT service providers will need less onboarding than internal hires. They won’t need to learn info about your company outside of the project they’re hired for. They won’t need to learn the ropes. This means IT outsourced onboarding will be cheaper.
Surprise Costs - As before mentioned, if you choose an unreliable MSP, you may be losing money in the long run. Cheaper costs upfront are not always the right choice. Think about long term goals when choosing where to spend money. You also need to pay attention to what the contract with an outsourced provider covers. Sometimes there are things that aren't in the contract that classify as extra charges or fees. These things will also lead you to spending more money in the long run as opposed to initial cost.

The Size of Your Company Matters

You will know it’s time to hire full-time IT when your business begins growing and your employee count is up. “ If you have less than 25 employees, you rarely need an in-house IT person .” When you reach around 100 employees you should consider an in-house IT person. Your needs depend on the team you have already equipped. A team between 75-100 employees offers enough to keep your IT person busy. This ensures your money is being used well.

Hiring an IT person before your business is big enough can cause more harm than good. Just think about the additional costs of internal employees. As a business, you have to consider vacation, benefits, sick time and the costs of expertise on implementing technology, monitoring, server maintenance, and cyber security. Often, outsourcing your IT provides

Focus on Your IT Support Needs

Do You Need Someone Onsite to Work on Immediate Issues Often?

If you answered yes, you should consider hiring a full-time internal IT employee. Outsourced IT services will take longer to reach you when you have onsite issues if they can even reach you at all. This is not always possible with remote outsourced IT services. If this happens often, it may be better to have someone onsite all the time to solve problems.

If you answered no, you could consider a hybrid support option. This means having both a full-time IT person and an outsourced IT vendor. This is the most expensive option, but it is also the best option for the quality of your IT support. You get to use the pros of each option to your advantage. Like hiring a full-time IT person, this option won’t make sense until your company is large enough to do so.

Do You Have Tech Savvy Employees?

Tech Savvy employees will be more comfortable with an outsourced provider. This is because they will know how to interact with the outsourced provider online. Those bad with technology would do better with an internal IT person. This is because they won't get confused trying to navigate virtual communication. You may need onsite IT people even sooner than numbers say if your employees are bad with technology.

Do You Have and or Use Legacy Systems?

If you have or use custom systems, an internal full-time IT person is crucial. A full-time IT person will learn the custom system quicker being onsite. They will have more time to perfect the ins and outs of the systems. They are also much more willing to learn. Some outsourced providers will choose not to learn your custom systems. If you're putting time, effort, and money into a custom system, the internal IT person should get to know it. They should learn how to use it completely and well.

To Conclude

Before deciding on a full-time internal IT resource or outsourced IT, look at your company. Make sure you're ready to take that step. Look at your employee count and your support needs. Look at how good your employees are with technology and check your finances. After you're ready to take that next step, look at the pros and cons of internal vs. outsourced IT. Notice where your business is at and decide which choice is best for you. Seifert Technologies IT Service is here to help. Contact us today to get a jumpstart on making the right decision!

Cheers to 30 Years!

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 20:29:34 GMT

Thank you John Callahan and Eric VanKeulen!

I would like to welcome everyone to the 30-year anniversary party for John Callahan and Eric VanKeulen. I want to quickly remind everyone of one thing. This is not a Retirement Party. We still need these guys! We want to say a special thanks to some VIPs that joined us for this celebration Everyone here is a VIP, but I do want to acknowledge a few people.

Of course, I need to start with my parents Jim and Sue Seifert – the founding father and mother of our firm. Mom and Dad, thanks for coming today. I want to thank my wife Diana for all of her support today and always.

We have several Seifert Technologies retirees that joined us, Walt Zimmer, Mike Meredith, Mike Aldridge, Mark Slyer, Grazyna Cupiat, Bob Sausman …. Thank you, guys, for coming to celebrate John and Eric.

We also have some of John and Eric’s friends and family. I would like to introduce them to everyone just so you know who they are. Eric’s son Steven is here all the way from the State of Washington. Eric’s best friends from high school Larry and Deanna. John and Leslie’s family – Nate, Amanda, and Drew came all the way from Erie, PA.

Traveling all the way from our Nashville office, Bill Crain is here today. Many of you have talked to Bill on the phone, now you get to meet him in person. For the record, Bill has been with us for (18) years now. Bill thanks for joining us today.

I apologize if I don’t mention everyone by name because this really has been a group effort to put this all together. I do want to mention Angela Sterling. She’s the glue that keeps us all together. Big thanks to Angela. She planned everything and as usual, it went off without a hitch.

Now onto the Men of the hour:

Both John and Eric were instrumental in ushering us into the CAD era. I broke out some of our old tools out of the archive. When John and Eric first started with us in 1992, we were still using some of these manual drafting tools. I’m sure some of our youngest generations here don’t even know what half of this stuff is.

I’m going to start with John since he was hired first. John’s hire date was 3/24/1992. He worked for many of our clients, but he was our key guy at a rubber industry client. He went back and forth between on-site in Akron and in-house at our office in Massillon. I believe he has over (20) years of experience in tire and rubber building equipment. We still rely on this today as he is our main contact in Nashville for one of our top customers in the tire and rubber industry.

Eric VanKeulen was hired in (3) months after John on 6/8/1992. I believe Eric got his start at the Timken High School Drafting program. He had a few years of experience before he came to us. Like John has been our tire and rubber industry guy, Eric has been our ATM manufacturer and now sporting goods guy. Eric took to 3D early on and really became what I would consider an expert in 3D Modelling. He was one of the first guys we set loose on that technology, and he is still using those skills today designing sports equipment components with complex curves and shapes.

I can’t say enough about how valuable both guys have been to the growth of our team and how much they mean to the company. John and Eric as a small token of our appreciation, we have gifts for each of you.

Thank you, guys, for everything and I can’t wait to see how the next (30) years go for all of us.

How Has COVID Changed Manufacturing?

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 16:06:27 GMT

We are moving past COVID -19, but the impact on manufacturing has been significant. The ability of manufacturers to adapt to new technology and cloud-based solutions has been helpful. in addition, they need to be able to automate processes quickly to adapt to change.

Automation:

There has never been a better time to build better products faster. Automation allows manufacturers to improve collaboration, increase yields, and find problems sooner by automating the manufacturing process.

How do manufacturers identify solutions for automation and how do they know when to invest in the technology? That is a great question. Investing in automation is costly, so identifying the highest priority processes is key to driving innovation forward on the manufacturing floor. Where does the manufacturing process bottleneck? What is the cost of failing at that point in the process? How will technology eliminate the bottleneck in the future?

The pandemic actualized these pain points for many manufacturers all over the world. Entire production lines went down for weeks with workers being isolated by COVID-19. To stay competitive and fill orders, manufacturers turned to investing in automation to improve the stability of the assembly line.

Management in manufacturing development a new mindset focused on flexibility. They looked at the worst-case scenarios of what would happen if, and when it happens how do we overcome that obstacle? Automation has propelled manufacturing forward at lightning speed and through automation, manufacturing will now be more agile to adversity both on the line and with software solutions.

Cloud-Base Software Solutions:

Manufacturing in the United States has radically changed since Henry Ford invented the assembly line. Innovations in technology have gone from using human capital to computer automation. One area where manufacturing had to improve to stay operational during the Covid Pandemic was with cloud-based software.

Today there are several ways that manufacturers can utilize cloud-based software:

Infrastructure as a Service ( IaaS ) Allows manufacturers to access virtual computing resources. This includes technology like cloud servers and cloud storage. Examples include Apex which is offered by Dell Technologies. and Azure offered by Microsoft.
Platform as a Service ( PaaS ) delivers resources that allows you to run apps, not just software development. Examples include Azure which is a cloud based application solution offered by Microsoft. PaaS supports the complete web application lifecycle. From building, testing, deploying, managing, to updating.

With cloud computing or cloud-based infrastructure, new software can be rolled out with little to no time wasted.

“Manufacturing has been notoriously slow to adopt cloud technologies - in part due to outdated concerns about the comparative security of cloud storage vs on-prem.” - Forbes

Connecting management to the manufacturing floor was key during the Covid Pandemic. Cloud-based software helped to ensure visibility through every step of the process while maintaining distance to try and curb the spread of Covid. The last thing manufacturers wanted to happen is to have to shut down a line. Technology helped to move that pain to a long-term solution with flexible cloud-based software that can integrate into legacy systems.

Supply Chain:

In 2022, supply chain challenges continue to impact manufacturing. A shortage of truck drivers and rising consumer demand continue to drive change in the manufacturing world. Raw material and parts from overseas also impact the ability of American manufacturers to maintain optimal manufacturing processes.

“The economic impact of COVID-19 revealed flaws in global manufacturing and supply chain thinking that were already ripe for change.” Glenn Richey, Harbert Eminent Scholar and Chair of the college’s Department of Supply Chain Management

Through automation, manufacturers can anticipate supply chain issues, but overcoming them is another matter entirely. Controlling costs with unstable sourcing has thrown many companies into a tailspin. Manufacturing companies have become increasingly international and often global. While international sourcing is on the rise, the pandemic has shown that access to the sources for your supply can be drastically affected by international interruptions.

“ As a consequence of all this, manufacturers worldwide are going to be under greater political and competitive pressures to increase their domestic production, grow employment in their home countries, reduce or even eliminate their dependence on sources that are perceived as risky, and rethink their use of lean manufacturing strategies that involve minimizing the amount of inventory held in their global supply chains.” HBR.org

As a result, risk management in the supply chain has come into focus over the last few years and will continue to impact manufacturing going forward. Mitigating risks and developing strategic plans to prevent additional bottlenecks are essential to modern manufacturing. Automation and software are helping companies to identify and find possible solutions faster.

Conclusion:

Today, the need for automation and technology to prevent and mitigate problems with software is an essential part of the business. The ability to react quickly to change can mean the difference between surviving adversity and shutting your doors completely. Seifert Technologies specializes in helping manufacturers with innovative software solutions, and automation to ensure our clients with process improvements for the 21 ^st century and beyond. If we have learned anything over the past few years, nothing is guaranteed, and flexibility is essential.

Welcome Eric Norris

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 15:15:42 GMT

Seifert Technologies - Engineering Division

We want to welcome Eric Norris to the Seifert Technologies, Engineering Division . Eric has an Associates Degree from Stark State College of Technology in Mechanical Engineering Technology in 2007. He brings with him 15 years of experience in Mechanical Design and has over a decade of experience working with Machine Trades.

Eric has a ISOO 9001/2000 Auditor Certification and is experienced in:

Solidworks and Inventor Drafter
AutoCAD Drafting ▪ Boiler Operation and Maintenance
CNC Operations and Setup, CNC Programming Trainee Blueprint Reading, Assembly, and Layout

We are excited to have Eric in our Seifert Technologies – Engineering Division here is Massillon, Ohio.

Welcome Alex Cerino

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 14:15:16 GMT

Seifert Technologies - Engineering Division

We want to give a warm welcome to Alex Cerino to the Seifert Technologies- Engineering Division family. Alex is a recent graduate of the University of Akron, with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Business Administration.

He graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2021. He was also awarded the CAST Graduating Associates Degree Student Outstanding Scholastic Achievement Award. He also is the recipient of the CAST Certificate of Excellence “Outstanding Student Award.”

Alex specializes in Mechanical Design. He is working in 2D and 3D CAD with AutoCAD and SolidWorks in our Seifert Technologies Engineering Department in Massillon. We look forward to watching him grow at Seifert.

Welcome Joel Davis

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 13:56:43 GMT

Seifert Technologies - IT Division

Please help us welcome Joel Davis to the Seifert Technologies – IT Division . Joel is a 2018 graduate of Stark State College where he graduated with distinction and acquired his Associate Degree in Computer Science and Engineering. His experience as a full-stack developer and education in engineering makes him a perfect fit for our IT Department.

Joel maintained multiple web-based and Windows-based applications utilizing C#, VB.NET, ASP.NET, .NET Core, Web APIs/Web Services, XML, Entity Framework, SQL Server, MS Azure, BitBucket/GitKraken, etc. He also created complex web services (Rest, etc.) and Web API’s using C#. Joel developed SQL Server stored procedures, tables, functions, indexes, etc. utilizing T-SQL. He also developed and designed changes through Microsoft 365 to enhance infrastructure and scalability, ultimately improving productivity for various vendors.

In his spare time, Joel enjoys spending time with his family, dog, and his girlfriend. Joel and his brother share a common interest in technology and engineering. They recently built a revolving air cannon using an Arduino, Raspberry Pi and PVC piping.

We look forward to Joel’s contributions to our software development team here as Seifert and also look forward to a demonstration of the air cannon at some point!

Welcome Ken Echelberry

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 13:52:45 GMT

Seifert Technologies - Engineering Division

Seifert Technologies – Engineering Division is pleased to announce the addition of Ken Echleberry to the engineering team at Seifert. Ken is a 2016 graduate of Penn Foster, where he received his Associate of Science in Engineering Technology.

Ken is an experienced Control System professional, serving the municipal water and wastewater treatment industry, food manufacturing, and industrial clients. He is EPA Section 608 Certified (#1166256700410.)

In addition, he is proficient in control panel/system design and PLC-HMI-SCADA programming UL Industrial Control Panels UL 508A and Short Circuit Current Ratings (SCCR) (UL508A).

In addition to Ken is trained in:

Trained in Allen Bradley Safety Products; Safety monitoring, Safety PLC, ControlLogix, CompactLogix, MicroLogix, SLC 500, PLC 5, Safety PLCs, Micro 800
PLC Programming – Rockwell Automation Suite of products, Wago, Automation Direct, and Modicon
AutoCAD Electrical software- to design control panels and enclosures
Rockwell Software Products; HMI - Panelbuilder32, FactoryTalk View Studio, Panelview Component HMI design software, Kinetix 300 MotionView, UltraWare Servo, Kinetix 6000,RSLogix 5000/500/5 PLC, RSLinx – Ethernet, DH+, DH485, DeviceNet

In his spare time, he enjoys the role of “Coach” to the Perry Youth Baseball program. We look forward to having Ken in the in-house team of Seifert for many years to come.

What is Ransomware and How Do I Detect It?

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 15:44:54 GMT

Learn about Ransomware and how to protect precious data

As greater proportions of our lives take place online, it is important to take the necessary precautions to protect our precious data. Both individuals and businesses can become victims of a cyberattack.

Ransomware is a type of malware that prevents you from accessing computer files by demanding a ransom payment for their return. It causes costly problems for operations and the loss of valuable information.

Ransomware can strike at any time, whether from home or a professional network. All PCs and networks are at risk of becoming infected. Today, it is important to be vigilant when opening email, clicking things on websites, and always be careful to whom you grant access to your devices.

How does ransomware infect my device?

Always be aware when surfing the internet. Ransomware could be hiding behind unfamiliar, suspicious, or fake websites. Hackers are incredibly sneaky and are becoming increasingly sophisticated with their attacks. Do not think for a minute that they will not care about your small business. Hackers want to gain access to every website regardless of the size.

Never open unexpected file attachments or links from people you do not recognize.

Is it detectable?

You will be able to spot suspicious emails or web pages as they tend to have poor spelling and grammar. Keep an eye out for strange spellings of company names, unusual spacing, or punctuation.

Never open anything suspicious, even if it is from a sender that you may recognize. If the email subject line does not look right to you or is threatening in some way or claims to be time-sensitive, it may be a scam. Scammers increasingly target users with names and websites that you may use like Amazon or your bank. One way to see if something is legitimate is to call the institution directly if you are not sure and have them check to see if there is a problem with your account. Another way is to log in yourself to your online account to see if you have any messages from them there.

How can I avoid a ransomware attack?

The FBI offers tips for avoiding infection:

Keep OS, software, and applications up to date.
Make sure anti-virus software is set to update automatically and run regular scans.
Back up-up data completely and secure them. Make sure they are independent of the networks they are backing up.
Create a contingency plan for if you or your business become a victim of a ransomware attack.

My system is under attack, can I recover?

The short answer is yes, but ransomware attacks can be very costly to a business. Today damages caused by cybercrime like ransomware are projected to double from the onslaught of COVID19. The Official Cybercrime Report published by Cybersecurity Ventures; cybercrime cost the world six trillion dollars in 2021. That number has doubled from 2015.

Cybercrimes like ransomware attacks are not going away. It is important for your business to have clear plans to prevent attacks from happening. You will also need a plan to recover if they do.

Seifert Technologies can help you and your team create the best practices for your business. As Microsoft Gold Partners we want to help you deploy all the safety measures for your technology to protect you from the worst-case scenarios.

You can recover. Here is how:

Cyberattacks are one of the worst-case scenarios that you or your business can face and recovery might seem impossible. Having a recovery plan will be vital for retrieving stolen data.

First, find the corrupt file.

Remove these files from all devices. While this sounds simple, often corrupt files can live in your system for weeks and even months before they are triggered to attack your computer by cybercriminals. It is important to have a professional company like Seifert Technologies scan your systems, identify, and remove the corrupted files, and monitor to make sure that there is nothing that can come back to launch a future attack.

Determine the attack style.

Determine whether the ransomware is screen-locking or encryption-based. Data recovery is possible through web-based software or a ransomware decryption tool. However, we do not recommend that you try to do this yourself. You need to make sure before you begin any countermeasure that you have a recovery plan in place. If you do not have a recovery plan Seifert Technologies team of experts can help.

Disconnect all devices.

Limit the spread of the effects of ransomware by disconnecting any vulnerable device from the network. This includes any cell phones that are using apps to access your systems. As hackers continue to become more sophisticated, they target more than just your desktops and servers, they can also target personal devices such as tablets, phones, and laptops that have access to your mail, website, and software from external sources.

Seek guidance from malware experts.

It is important to report any type of ransomware or cyber-attack to the authorities. It is also important to immediately notify your IT service provider. If you do not have an IT service provider, Seifert Technologies would be happy to meet with you to discuss your options for maintaining your IT support, systems, and software. We can also help you with recovery plans and prevention.

Restore file systems.

Carefully recover lost data using backups but remember that ransomware might have been lurking as long as 6 months before the attack. It is best to run anti-virus on all systems before restoring.

Click here to learn how to recover files using OneDrive.New Paragraph

“Just pay the ransom” and other ransomware myths.

Being well informed is perhaps one of the best protections from ransomware and malware in general.

Read on to learn more about the most common misconceptions about ransomware.

Myth 1: Sometimes, it makes more sense to pay the ransom.

Many individuals and companies reported that their data was never returned. A 2021 report says that only about 8 percent of ransomware victims actually retrieved all their data by paying the ransom. Twenty-nine percent were able to recover over half of their data.

Myth 2: Ransomware attacks are rare.

The truth is, we do not know the exact number of ransomware attacks that occur on a yearly basis. Since it can be so profitable, it is safe to assume that it can happen to anyone. Unlike the breach of personal information, ransomware attacks are not required to be reported. Thus, the number of cyber-attacks is grossly undercounted.

Myth 3: Two-factor authentication stops ransomware in its tracks.

Ransomware can strike in our inbox, or on an unfamiliar website. It is important to be suspicious of emails with improper grammar and spelling as well as fraudulent websites.

Most importantly do not go through this alone. Your business data is too important to risk the outcome. In fact, up to 60 percent of small companies go out of business within six months of a data breach or cyber-attack. You cannot afford to get it wrong. Contact Seifert Technologies today to get started.

How to Protect Your Business Against Cyber Security Threats

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Tue, 31 May 2022 15:38:35 GMT

Cyber security attacks are a huge problem for businesses.

Over the last couple of years, businesses have been working overtime to gain an edge amid rapid technological change. However, businesses are not the only ones working their fingers to the bone. Cybercriminals worldwide are undoubtedly working extra hard to capitalize on this paradigm shift. They are potentially exploiting every technical vulnerability as and when they crop up. The number of cyber-attacks per week on corporate networks has increased 50 percent in 2021 vs 2020, according to Check Point Research (CPR) .

Here’s why cyber security breaches are so rampant today:

The hackers’ toolkit has become more sophisticated and complex than ever before. This is due to several factors such as increased access to technology. Another factor is the availability of sophisticated tools and resources online. Platforms like cloud computing have also made it easier for hackers to carry out cyber-attacks.

This leads us to your next question. As a business what exactly can you do to protect yourself from cyber threats? Here are some recommendations from cyber security experts.

Encrypt and backup data

Data encryption is a most important tool to protect yourself from internet threats. Encryption converts sensitive information into a form that cannot be understood by hackers. Your information is encrypted with an algorithm that only authorized users can decode. If hackers somehow break into your system, they won't be able to access any of your sensitive information.

Due to the increased frequency and sophistication of cyber security attacks, all companies need to have a backup plan in place in case they lose their data. It is recommended that all businesses back up their data to protect against cyber-attacks, computer issues, disaster, or theft. These include periodic daily, end-of-week, etc. backups onto a secure cloud. Backing up data costs very little and is critical in protecting your business. It is important to use multiple methods of back-up, and multiple copies of your data to ensure your data is safe.

By backing up and encrypting data, you can take another step towards ensuring your computers security is safe and sound.

Use firewalls and endpoint protection software

Firewalls and endpoint protection software protect your business assets, customer information, and sensitive internal information from cyber-attacks. Firewalls are gatekeepers between your computer or network and the internet at large. They only allow authorized traffic through while blocking all others from entering. Endpoint protection software is software installed on your devices that provide complex protection, such as: antivirus, antimalware, antispyware, network attack protection, botnet protection, and intrusion detection. They protect your devices free from these attacks and should be monitored by your IT company so they can act if there has been an attack.

Use multi-factor authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) can also protect your business from cyber threats. MFA requires users to provide more than one proof of identity to access their accounts, adding more security. Two-factor authentication ensures that only authorized individuals can get access.

Here are some ways MFA can be implemented:

Something you know: This includes usernames, passwords and PINs that are used only once per session and changed regularly by employees.

Something you have: This includes a token-based MFA system that requires users to input a numeric code displayed on an app on their phone or tablet before being granted access to an account.

Train your employees

Bad actors can bypass a lot of the security your company has put in place by contacting your employees directly and using them as an entrance onto your network. Email is one of the primary vectors that are being used. These are emails that can look completely legitimate but are actually sophisticated social engineering attacks. Things like Phishing , where employees are sent an email and get tricked into giving their user credentials. Or ransomware, where users with elevated permissions click on something that ends up running code that steals company files and encrypts all your company data so you can't access it anymore. These clever attacks are why your employees need to be trained to understand what these are, how they can verify if something is legitimate, and how to report suspect items.

Monitor computer equipment and systems

Technology is a very important part of running any business. Making sure you keep track of all your equipment and software is one of the most important things you can do to protect your data. It's simple: make sure no one has access to this information except active employees, and make sure you have a good IT partner to help you with the ever changing world of IT.

It's important to keep outdated devices safe and secure. You can avoid a major security breach by removing all sensitive information. If you can't do that, you should destroy them. It's also vital to make sure that you have high quality security systems installed on each device in your office. This can protect your business from a wide range of threats, like hackers.

Conclusion from Seifert Technologies

The evolving landscape of cyber threats is why businesses are facing significant challenges with cyber threats. While it seems like a losing battle at times, it’s still possible to steer clear of devastating security breaches. You can take the proper steps to educate your employees and monitor and control access to your devices and data.

If you would like help with any of these items, feel free to contact us to learn more!

How to Attract Top Engineering Candidates

Tue, 31 May 2022 15:38:31 GMT

The tech engineering candidate market is highly competitive. In fact, hiring managers have reported that the most difficult aspect of their job is finding and hiring the right candidates.

This problem has been getting worse over the past few years. This isn’t surprising, as even though there are a lot of positions available in tech, there aren’t enough engineers to fill them. This mismatch between supply and demand has created a developer shortage that is driving up salaries and bonuses for engineers. However, it’s not all bad news for employers—with so many companies competing for talent, you have much more power to attract the best candidates.

Here are some ways to attract top engineering talent.

Give Purpose To The Work

Engineers are creative and analytical problem solvers. They enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that comes from seeing a project through to completion. But they also want to know that the work they’re putting in now will pay off in the future.

After all, working on a project is all well and good, but if it doesn’t lead somewhere down the line, an engineer may feel like they’ve wasted their time. To avoid this situation, let candidates know what they’ll be working on—and why—during their project. If you can show them how their efforts will lead to more, do so!

The Right Benefits on Top of The Right Salary

When it comes to attracting top engineering talent, many companies are stuck in a rut. They offer a competitive salary, but little else. The problem is they don’t realize that benefits are just as important as money. In fact, most engineers would rather have more vacation days than a higher salary.

A competitive salary is a must, but benefits are even more important. Engineers want to be compensated fairly for their work, but they also want benefits that help them live their lives outside of work — especially if they’re working long hours on big projects that require lots of travel or late nights at the office.

A huge plus in today’s job market is flexible work hours. Allowing engineers when they want to work in person or from home to accommodate their busy lives is important. They can also choose when they want to start or end their work day so long as they get their work done before deadlines.

Paid time off is also important. Giving employees paid time off is an incentive that can help them get over any doubts they have about joining your company (as long as it’s not too much). Engineers tend to be very busy people and this can give them some extra time away from work, leaving them happier and more satisfied.

Engineers are in high demand, and companies are fighting to attract the best talent. To get ahead of the competition and ensure that you’re hiring the right people, you should focus on improving your hiring process.

The first step is to make sure you’re attracting the type of engineers you want through your job posting. Do your homework—is it someone who has a strong CS background ? Are they looking to work in a specific industry? Is this a stepping stone job or a long-term career choice?

The next step is to make sure that you’re advertising with the right marketplaces. If your company is small, try getting listed on niche sites or even better, local university sites where students that are graduating can find jobs in their ecosystem. If you’re a larger company, then you need to advertise on popular sites like LinkedIn or Indeed —you also want to make sure that any advertising you do is targeted towards engineers in your local area.

You should also think about how other candidates are applying for jobs at your company. The application process should be user-friendly and simple—don’t require an essay from candidates just to apply for a position. A well-designed application process will get more applicants.

Hire an engineering recruiter can change the game for your hiring process. Recruiting is the most important part of hiring, and it starts with a recruiter. If you're lucky enough to find a great recruiter that knows engineering talent, your hiring process is going to skyrocket.

An engineering recruiter who is plugged into the field can identify candidates before they decide to work with another company, and get them in front of hiring managers as soon as they can. That's why it's important to choose a recruiter who has a handle on everything from the needs of top companies in your area to the demands of individuals looking for work.

Conclusion from Seifert Staffing

By creating an appealing and competitive job offer, you can attract more top engineering candidates and fill your open positions. . Engineers are driven by passion—convince them that they’re part of something special, and they’ll be more willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. If you follow this advice and do your research, you’re likely going to find it easier to attract top development talent. In fact, you may be surprised at how easy you can make the process once you start following these steps. If you want to learn more about hiring engineers, feel free to contact us to learn more !

Seifert making connections at Stark State College

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 12:59:00 GMT

Thank you to Stark State College for providing Seifert Technologies with a recruiting table.

The event was organized to help students connect with local companies and explore opportunities in the job market. We spoke to students who were interested in full-time positions and available internships/co-ops.

We appreciate the hospitality of Stark State College and the opportunity to network with the students.

Do You Know the Benefits of Multi-Factor Authentication?

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 19:12:20 GMT

When you sign into your online accounts, you're proving to the service that you are who you say you are. This process is known as "authentication" and has traditionally been done with a username and password.

Usernames are easy to discover; sometimes they're just your email address. Passwords can be hard to remember, so people tend to pick simple ones, or use the same password for many accounts.

If you’re one of the 54% of consumers who, according to TeleSign , use five or fewer passwords for all of their accounts, you could create a "domino effect" that allows hackers to take down multiple accounts just by cracking one password.

There’s an easy way to better protect your accounts: multi-factor authentication (otherwise known as MFA ).

MFA is an authentication method that requires users to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to online resources. Rather than just asking for a username and password, MFA requires additional verification factors, which decreases the likelihood of a successful cyber-attack.

For this reason, it has become a universal requirement for cybersecurity insurance providers. This means a few things, but the most important one to you is the following:

If your company has Cybersecurity or Technological Insurance, you will see rate hikes or complete policy cancellation without active MFA measures in place.

So, How Does MFA Work?

MFA methodology is based on requesting one of three types of additional information from the user, on top of their standard password:

· Things you know (knowledge).

· Things you have (possession).

· Things you are (inherence).

Let's say you're going to sign into your bank account, and you enter your username and password. If that's all you need then anybody who knows your username and password can sign in as you!

If you have multifactor authentication enabled, there are more steps to access your account. When you sign in you enter your username and password, then you get prompted to enter a second factor to verify your identity.

One of the most common MFA methods used is one-time passwords (OTP). OTPs are 4-8 digit codes that you receive via email, SMS or via a smartphone authentication app. With OTPs, a new code is generated periodically or each time an authentication request is submitted.

Here are Some Other Common Examples:

KNOWLEDGE

Answers to personal security questions
Password
PIN Numbers

POSSESSION

OTPs generated by smartphone apps
Access badges
USB devices, Smart Cards, fobs or security-keys, Software tokens and certificates

INHERENCE

Fingerprints, facial recognition, voice, retina or iris scanning or other Biometrics
Behavioral analysis.

Using MFA is one of the top three things that security experts do to protect their security online. Consumers feel the same way: almost 9 in 10 (86%) say that using MFA makes them feel like their online information is more secure, according to TeleSign .

Compromised passwords are one of the most common ways that bad guys can get at your data, your identity, or your money. Using multifactor authentication is one of the easiest ways to make it a lot harder for them.

Contact the IT Professionals at Seifert Technologies to learn more about Multi-Factor Authentication and securing your accounts.

Jackson Township New Hire

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 14:00:07 GMT

Welcome to Jackson Township, Luke!

Luke Jones has joined Jackson Township as a General Laborer in the Public Works Department.

Luke brings 3 years of experience where he was previously employed by our temp service, Seifert & Associates who staffs all of the seasonal employees within Jackson Township.

He enjoys spending time outdoors with his girlfriend and two dogs, Leila and Darth. Luke grew up in Jackson and graduated from Jackson High School.

Please join me in welcoming Luke to Jackson Township!

These 3 Mistakes May Be Costing You Top Talent

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 15:44:37 GMT

Highly skilled candidates have taken control of the market as companies struggle to address sourcing challenges, while also unknowingly putting themselves at risk of losing those same elite candidates once they've entered their pipeline.

Three, four, five round interviews are quickly becoming a thing of the past as priorities shift and companies work to create a more seamless application process.

Here are the top three things to avoid when it comes to hiring experienced candidates quickly:

1. Remove any unnecessary interview rounds

With top candidates in the driver's seat, it's important to reduce as much friction as possible and maintain a quick but thorough interview process. Opt for panel or group style interviews to ensure key decision makers are still included.

2. Avoid generic interviews: Don't shy away from discussing technical qualifications

It is important for organizations to maintain a strong employer brand throughout the hiring process. Candidates note that it reflects well on the employer when an interviewer has a deeper understanding of the technical skills needed to perform the required duties, compared to a more generic interview that simply checks the boxes. Additionally, an interview where a candidate feels they've made a genuine human connection is more likely to result in an acceptance should an offer be made.

3. Get back to your candidates in a timely manner

It is no secret that time is of the essence during a talent shortage. Keeping a candidate's attention is one of the best ways to ensure your pipeline stays full.

Introducing Windows 11

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 15:41:35 GMT

A new Windows experience bringing you closer to the people and things you love.

3 smart cost savings opportunities afforded by the right IT

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 13:00:06 GMT

Running a company isn’t cheap. And though staying financially healthy may require effort, that doesn’t mean you have to go extremes.

Before you start curtailing staff or reducing their benefits, try a more tech-focused approach. Strategically investing in technology is a simple solution that can streamline costs, despite the initial spend.

This starter pack of ideas shows you how certain IT investments can translate to huge savings – plus how to pick the ones most likely to help you recoup up-front costs.

Equip your staff for hybrid work

Experts like the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), believe hybrid work – a part in-office, part remote work model – is likely the new norm. For businesses who’ve equipped their teams with the right tech, that’s great news.

For starters, a hybrid workplace is a less expensive workplace. With fewer on-site employees, businesses can drastically reduce operational costs including rent, utilities, supplies, food and even janitorial expenses.

Six out of 10 employers identify cost savings as a major benefit of remote work environments.

One Global Workplace Analytics report showed six out of 10 employers identify cost savings as a major benefit of remote work environments. International companies with offices all over the world have saved millions by downsizing their workspaces, while others, like tech giant Nortel, have reportedly saved 30% or more in non-real estate costs after embracing remote work.

One hybrid work investment to prioritize: Updated equipment that can support virtual meeting tools. Unsurprisingly, at least 32% of businesses have implemented new video conferencing solutions since the pandemic began, according to a report by Gartner.

Keep your equipment up-to-date to avoid costly repairs

Speaking of updated equipment: Understanding when to look past the price tag and spring for a new machine or software versus sticking with something that still functions is a smart savings strategy.

Sometimes, businesses can extend the life of their PCs by upgrading upgrading hard drives, adding more memory or installing new graphics cards. Docking stations for external devices like AV equipment can also help you hold out a little longer if money is tight or you can’t afford to replace your entire fleet at once.

A slow-running computer creates such a productivity drag that it no longer makes financial sense.

Still, at a point, a slow-running computer creates such a productivity drag that it no longer makes financial sense. With more mission-critical – and data-intensive – apps and programs coming online, businesses need to carefully evaluate whether updating their machines is the best way to stay competitive and increase their profitability.

When weighing your options, consider the age of the device and the total price of the ad hoc updates. If they’re going to cost more than half of a completely newer model, or the computer is more than four to five years old, investing in a new device is probably a better value, even with the initial cost.

Don’t skip on cybersecurity

When it comes to cybersecurity, prevention is worth every penny. Though it can be difficult to prove the value in deterring an event that never happened, the costs of preventing a cyberattack are a fraction of the alternative.

As TechRepublic reports , that value can be as much as “$396,000 to $1.37 million, depending on the type of attack.” A Deep Instinct report on The Economic Value of Prevention in the Cybersecurity Lifecycle offers this mathematical breakdown : “The average total cost of a phishing attack is $832,500 and of that 82 percent is spent on detection, containment, recovery and remediation. Respondents estimate 18% is spent on prevention. Thus, if the attack is prevented the total cost saved would be $682,650 (82 percent of $832,500).”

The average total cost of a phishing attack is $832,500.

Said another way, containing a cyber breach is costly. By comparison, prevention is a total bargain. However it still requires investment, something about 54% of companies said they plan to prioritize and increase over the next two years.

Though spending money when you’re trying to cut costs may seem counterintuitive, sometimes it’s the most effective way to reach your savings goals. An investment in any of these IT strategies is like putting those funds right back into your business.

Seifert Technologies / OhioMeansJobs - Employer Testimonial

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 15:18:02 GMT

The employer testimonial video from Seifert Technologies in Massillon, Ohio. July 9, 2021

Seifert Engineering White Paper - Static Tire Stiffness Machine

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 20:02:14 GMT

See how Seifert Engineering, Inc. helped our client design and build an innovative new piece of equipment that combined two different test procedures into one unique machine.

Click the button below to download the white paper.

Congratulations to Stark State SME Scholarship Winners

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 21:53:54 GMT

Congratulations to the following Stark State students for winning this year's SME Scholarship!

Eric Hovinga - Mechanical Engineering Tech

When not in class or studying, Eric enjoys hiking, fishing, drawing, and working in his garden.

Eric is a member of the Akron Makerspace where he practices woodworking, electronics repair, computer programming, and metalwork.

Semester of proposed graduation: Spring 2021

He is currently looking for an entry level position in the renewables sector, specifically wind. "I look forward to beginning my journey in clean energy upon graduation."

Curtis Warga - Electrical/Electronic Engineering Tech

Curtis enjoys competing in triathlons, ultramarathons, and crossfit. He also enjoys scuba diving in the summer and working on cars on the weekends.

Curtis started a small business this past year that specializes in ceramic coatings for cars. He also works for his father’s company that specializes in building custom testing equipment for the nuclear and automotive industry.

Semester of proposed graduation: Fall 2021 with two associates degrees in electrical and mechanical engineering.

Pictured: Seifert Technologies, Inc. President Tim Seifert with Stark State Mechanical Engineering Tech, Eric Hovinga.

Ed Barth is now a Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 17:26:34 GMT

Ed Barth is now a certified Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt. This certification is just another example of how Seifert Technologies is committed to expanding and improving our services and capabilities.

"With Lean focusing on efficiency and Six Sigma focusing on quality, I knew this would benefit many of the manufacturing industries we serve." - Ed Barth, Vice President of Engineering

Lean Six Sigma (LSS) is a business management technique designed to systematically increase business productivity by identifying and eliminating waste. The Lean and LSS tools and techniques drive process improvement and achieve measurable, bottom-line results. Implementing LSS helps businesses build a strong organization focused on quality and process improvement.

Some ways that LSS can help improve your manufacturing processes include:

Value Stream and Process Maps
C&E Matrix
Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA)
Waste Identification
Methods to Reduce Waste
Statistics and Graphical Analysis
DMAIC - Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control
DPMO - Defects per million Opportunities
FiveS - sort, set in order, shine, standardize, sustain
MultiVari Charts
Control and Response Plans

Our plan is to pursue Lean Six Sigma Green and Black Belt certifications in the future.

For more information, or to set up an appointment to review your facility, please contact Zachary Glass at zglass@seifert.com, or (330) 833-2700 x142.

10 hidden – but undeniable – benefits of using the cloud

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 18:00:27 GMT

2020 has changed everything about how we live and work, ushering in new trends and accelerating existing ones, not least of all the challenges stemming from remote employees and reduced staff.

The cloud and icebergs have a lot in common. Both are defined by the unexpected. It’s these hidden benefits that make cloud computing the bedrock of doing business digitally. They’re also why some experts predict cloud managed service providers will triple by the end of this year, unleashing a “cloud gold rush” that will boom into a $300 billion business by 2021. Peer below the surface to see the real, unseen reasons cloud computing is the next frontier for digital business.

Click the button below to download the full infographic.

The Advantages of Working With a Staffing Agency

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 15:29:05 GMT

By Denise Brandenberg

Recruiters, hiring managers and human resources managers often work with staffing agencies, or employment services, to fill open seats and positions. Staffing companies provide a wide variety of services and types of employees -- from entry-level workers to management and executive positions. If your small business needs a temporary, temporary-to-permanent or direct-hire placement, there are many benefits of working with a staffing agency for your next job opening.

Save Time

While most employees give at least two weeks' notice when resigning, some workers quit on the spot or have to be terminated quickly. When this occurs, your small organization can lose productivity if the vacant position is not filled in a timely manner. Remaining employees also may feel resentful if they have to take on additional responsibilities for a long period of time. For most positions, staffing agencies already have pre-screened, qualified individuals who can be at your workplace within an hour.

Save Money

Some small business owners hesitate to use staffing agencies because they don't want to pay a markup fee. However, working with an employment agency can actually save you money in many areas that you may not have considered. Rather than paying for an expensive ad on a national job board, as well as the costs associated with pre-screening assessments, such as skills tests, drug screenings and background checks, you can hire a temporary employee who has already completed these prerequisites.

Save Energy

Small businesses usually don't have huge HR departments with dedicated recruiters. Your HR person may have many duties, including payroll, benefits and hiring. Your HR representative may have to spend days going through hundreds of unqualified resumes to seek a handful of appropriate candidates to pre-screen and interview. Staffing agencies take on this role, which can be very useful when you have a specialized position and have to find a candidate with unique skill sets. The staffing agency recruiter will simply send you qualified candidates to interview, so all you have to do is choose the best personality fit for the position.

No Commitment

If your small business has busy seasons, you may want to use a staffing agency to fill the extra personnel needs during the high-volume times. This allows you to save money on unemployment insurance that you're required to pay for permanent employees. If you do have a permanent opening, you can use a staffing agency to fill a temporary-to-permanent job. You can benefit from this feature, as it allows you to "try before you buy," which means you can see the employee in action for several months before making a permanent job offer.

Our IT Division is Microsoft Gold Certified

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Mon, 05 Oct 2020 14:26:43 GMT

Seifert Technologies IT Division has once again maintained its Gold Partner status, Microsoft's highest level of partner distinction. Seifert's team of experts have earned special recognition for extensive knowledge and experience helping clients maximize the value of their Microsoft cloud and on-premises investments.

Our Microsoft Certified Solutions Engineers (MCSE) study your business model and design an IT solution to align your technology with your company's financial goals. Whether you're upgrading your network equipment, switching to a Managed IT Services model, migrating your data to the cloud, or replacing your aging Backup and Disaster Recovery solution, Seifert Technologies is here to help you be more productive.

4 Staffing and Recruiting Trends to Consider in 2020 and 2021

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 18:48:36 GMT

by Bob McHugh on August 31st, 2020

Little could have prepared your staffing business for 2020, but thankfully, this isn’t the case as we look towards the remainder of the year and onto 2021. Bullhorn surveyed hundreds of staffing professionals at the beginning of 2020 and again in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis to discover the outlooks, priorities, challenges, and staffing trends impacting the industry. Are your priorities and challenges aligned with those of your peers? Are there any opportunities to differentiate yourself from the competition or weak spots you need to address?

Here are staffing trends for 2021 (and the rest of 2020) to keep in mind as you make decisions about the future of your business:

Staffing and recruiting pros are optimistic about the future
Clients are priority number one
DEI is a business imperative
Remote work is here to stay

Staffing and recruiting pros are optimistic about the future

2020 has been an incredibly challenging year for staffing firms, leading to layoffs and business closures, but respondents are largely optimistic for the rest of 2020 and for 2021. However, the majority of respondents in the GRID 2020 COVID-19 Staffing Industry Impact Survey reported that they expected the economy and business performance to improve in the second half of 2020.

And it should be noted that while the staffing industry as a whole has struggled in the midst of the pandemic, a full 30 percent of respondents said business performance since the start of the COVID-19 crisis has improved or stayed the same compared to Q2 of 2019.

But even when you account for the fact that many businesses have weathered the storm, there is little correlation between business performance so far this year and expectations for the future. For example, respondents at staffing firms that saw performance improve and respondents at those that saw a downturn by more than 30 percent shared the same opinion on when the economy would improve — slightly more than half said it would happen in the remaining six months of 2020.

The takeaway: staffing firms are expecting big things for 2020 and 2021, so don’t expect competition to soften anytime soon. Invest your resources wisely to deliver the best possible experience to candidates and clients; your competitors certainly will be.

Clients are priority number one

The staffing industry has always been about relationships, but the emphasis on which relationships firms prioritize has shifted this year. Going into 2020, candidate acquisition was the top priority, as it was in 2019 and 2018. This was largely (but not exclusively) connected to the talent shortage, the top challenge for staffing firms.

However, as the unemployment pendulum swung from historic lows to historic highs in the midst of COVID-19, a talent shortage is not the challenge it was heading into the year. Client relationships (the number-two priority heading into 2020) are now firmly the top priority for firms, as businesses struggle to win new clients and maintain existing clients in a shifting landscape.

But that’s not to say, that candidates don’t matter. In fact, candidate engagement and improving the candidate experience are still the second-most important goal for firms since the COVID-19 crisis, ahead of other important priorities like managing cash flow. Ultimately, focusing on relationships is still a winning business strategy in this landscape and any other.

DEI is a business imperative

The staffing industry, like the rest of the workforce, has always faced challenges related to DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and 2020 is no exception. Our 2020 Global Recruitment Insights and Data report revealed that only 28 percent of firms have a person of color in any leadership position (and of those, only 5 percent are women of color). Furthermore, only 16 percent of all leaders in the industry are people of color, despite representing nearly double that in terms of workforce practitioners (30 percent).

One thing that has changed in 2020 is the global spotlight on inequality and inequity. As a result, s taffing and recruiting businesses are taking steps to address DEI challenges in the industry. One important note to keep in mind: incorporating DEI into the workplace isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s better for your business. Two-thirds of staffing professionals say diverse organizations are more effective than their counterparts.

Remote work is here to stay

Before COVID-19, a number of agencies operated remotely, but remote adoption wasn’t widespread throughout the industry. Of course, the pandemic necessitated remote recruiting and the use of remote technology: 91 percent of staffing pros have adopted (or increased use) of video interviewing or video conferencing solutions since the start of the COVID-19 crisis.

But don’t expect remote work or remote technology to go away when it is no longer a pandemic-related neces sity. The majority of staffing professionals expect the increase in remote jobs and remote recruiting to be permanent post-COVID-19.

Join Seifert Technologies at PMA MFG/Suppliers Night

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Mon, 31 Aug 2020 14:55:56 GMT

TENNESSEE DISTRICT: 5TH ANNUAL MFG/SUPPLIERS NIGHT

STOP BY AND SEE US AT BOOTH #48!

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

NASHVILLE, TN

EVENT DETAILS

The PMA Tennessee District is proud to host the 5th Annual Mfg/Suppliers Night. This very successful and much anticipated event is designed to bring together industry suppliers and manufacturers to assist in business growth and the expansion of markets they serve.

The audience for this event includes:

• Shop foremen

• Manufacturing, industrial and quality engineers

• Inspection personnel

• Plant managers

• Purchasing

• Sales

• Business owners and managers

Back again this year!

A dedicated area for students and companies to interact with exhibitors from high schools and colleges to learn more information about their courses and programs to educate the next generation of manufacturers.

View list of exhibitors here.

AGENDA

2:00 p.m. Exhibits and cash bar open

2:30 p.m. Food stations open

8:00 p.m. Exhibits close

LOCATION AND HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS

Nashville Airport Marriott

600 Marriott Drive

Nashville, TN 37214

615-889-9300

There is no fee to attend the exhibit.

For more information, or to register, please visit https://www.pma.org/calendar/event.asp?productID=84836502

Taking Advantage of the Slowdown

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Tue, 25 Aug 2020 12:39:50 GMT

Several of our Engineers and IT Professionals now have new certifications

Throughout this slowdown, our engineers and IT professionals have focused on training and certifications. Several team members have used this time to sharpen their skills and stay on top of their trade.

Dana Anderson, one of our Network Engineers, has passed several tests that qualify him as a Microsoft Certified Solutions Architect (MCSA).

Mechanical engineers Bailey Codispoti, Brent Liebig, David Best, Garrett Brisbin, Marcellus Bertram, and Megan Wackerly have joined Carl Maxfield and Jason Lockhart as Certified SolidWorks Professionals (CSWP).

There are also many others in the process of achieving these and other certifications as well. We know that these credentials will be beneficial to our customers and our engineers as we ramp back up. Seifert Technologies is dedicated to advancing our knowledge in the primary service areas that we offer our clients.

How Much Torque Do These Hinges Need?

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 03:59:43 GMT

When designing applications with doors or enclosures, getting hinges with the right level of torque is essential for safe and reliable operations, as well as good user experiences.

James Stroud

AUG 10, 2020

Hinges are available in a range torques and torque characteristics that can meet most applications' needs.

There are four basic types of hinges: constant torque hinges, detent and bistable hinges, damping hinges and counterbalancing hinges.

The right hinges can almost make opening a 200-lb panel feel like that panels only weighs 10 lb.

Understanding the different levels of torque hinges can exert and which hinges are best suited for an application can help device and systems designers turn out quality products.

Understanding Torque

When it comes to hinges, torque is the amount of energy or effort needed to open or close a door or panel. The energy required depends on the door’s weight; the travel distance or arc of motion from closed to open; and whether the hinge(s) must hold the door or panel partially open or the door will always go from fully open to completely closed.

Today, hinge and position technology manufacturers offer hinges and devices that cover a range of torques and have different torque characteristics. Engineers and designers choose hinges with the torque and options to meet the functional and ergonomic requirements of their applications. These include:

Holding doors open or closed, and moving panels securely into position without secondary supports or additional components.
Creating zero-drift motion so that when the door or cover is opened, it holds a user-defined or predefined position securely, and with one motion
Providing the right tactile feedback to give users a good impression of the enclosure’s quality.
Eliminating additional components (such as gas struts) or routine maintenance (retightening screws to maintain hinge resistance), thereby lowering overall costs.
Providing a smoother, more substantial feel of opening and closing the door or to eliminate vibration.

A hinge’s torque affects the user’s perception about a device. Consider the airplane tray table. Designers must use extremely lightweight plastic components to help airlines reduce aircraft weight and conserve fuel.

However, if the tray table flops loosely down and bounces a bit when opened, passengers might question the quality of the aircraft itself. A properly chosen constant-torque hinge with a factory-set level of resistance, on the other hand, lowers the tray with a level of force that makes the tray seem more substantial, thus creating a good impression of the aircraft and airline. In addition, well-made constant-torque hinges retain the same resistance after thousands of flights, without maintenance or replacing parts.

The Right Hinge

The most common hinge is also the simplest: the free-swinging hinge for opening and closing. It offers no resistance and users must exert all the force needed to open or close the panel or rely on gravity

Beyond this basic device, hinges can be broken down into four major categories based on the torque and controlled motion they supply:

Constant torque hinges securely hold doors or panels at any position along the range of motion.
Detent and bistable hinges automatically go to and hold specific positions, such as 90 deg.
Damping hinges control motion speed.
Counterbalancing hinges make heavier doors and panels feel lighter when opened, or pop open with a simple touch.

Although many applications require only one type of hinge, traits from different categories can be combined into hinges with multi-functional positioning options.

Here are more details on each of the four types of hinges.

Constant torque hinges use friction between the leaf and pin to keep the hinge in the same position. Users, even casual ones, quickly learn that no matter where the hinge is at in its opening/closing arc, it always takes the same amount of force to change the hinge’s position. And it will hold the new position until someone moves it. A good example is the lid on a laptop computer. It opens and closes smoothly if someone pushes it open or closed. And if left partially or completely open, it will stay like that and not close inadvertently.

Some friction hinges are adjustable, letting users raise or lower the friction on the pin and the torque needed to move the hinge. Constant torque hinges, however, always move when a predetermined force is applied. It cannot be changed.

The checkout display installed on constant-torque positioning hinges (such as Southco’s E6 Series) can easily be tilted or turned and will remain in place despite casual touches such as signing your name or choosing a theater seat without moving. The display can be moved with one hand; there is no need to hold a button in or flip a lever.

Another type of constant torque hinges, one-way versions, provide constant torque in only one direction while providing free-swinging motion in the other. This can be useful in applications such as storage cabinets with large doors. By eliminating friction from the hinge in one direction, the door will swing open, but torque prevents it from shutting.

D etent hinges let panels or doors swing open, but at certain preset spots—say halfway open and fully open—they can lock in place with a “click” that can be felt. Users can easily push the door past a locking spot or detent and also push it out of one. These hinges are often used on lightweight cabinet doors that must stay out of the user’s way when opened.

Bistable hinges , a variation on detent hinges, contain a spring mechanism that drives the door or device to a preset angle once the door is opened. This is useful for doors, access panels or covers that must be opened to a minimum angle for easy entry.

Damping hinges let a door or compartment move steadily as it opens or closes rather than popping open or requiring the user to push it all the way closed. This smooth, steady motion is becoming widely preferred in a number of high-end applications, such as car interiors, where the driver expects an intuitive user experience. For eyeglass storage compartments and USB port carriers, for example, damping hinges add to the impression of a high-tech, finely engineered interior—a crucial element many designers seek.

Counterbalanced hinges let heavy doors and panels be easily opened and moved into the desired position. They use spring mechanisms that store energy when the door or panel is closed. When the door is opened, the energy gets channeled to support the door and lower the user force needed to fully open the door. In other words, they lower the amount of effort needed to open a heavy door.

For applications where operators routinely open and close heavy doors such as those on industrial copiers, counterbalance hinges reduce fatigue and improve operator efficiency. For instance, a door with a symmetrical torque hinge may require 60 lb of force to fully open it. A counterbalance hinge, such as one of Southco’s CB Counterbalance Hinge series, could lower that to 3 lb.

In the past, many engineers went with gas struts to provide the counterbalancing force rather than the hinges. But those struts are prone to early failures. Counterbalance hinges provide a more economical, simple alternative. Some of the newer counterbalance hinges have a latch that supports pop-up opening. When first opened, the hinge lifts the door a few degrees, letting the user get a firmer grip on the panel to move it to the desired position.

Some of the most successful counterbalance hinges use torsion bars, cams and rollers to create and distribute the counterbalancing force. They make opening an 80-lb panel feels like a 5-lb panel, and the effort to move the panel remains the same through the entire opening or closing motion.

Key Factors

There are three key factors to consider when selecting the hinge with the right torque profile: weight, center of gravity and direction of movement.

Weight. If a panel is light enough (under a few pounds, for example), a simple hinge with no torque offers the most cost-effective alternative. As the door or panel’s weight increases, constant torque or detent hinges become more effective. The torque level in these hinges requires that users exert some force, but also prevents the door from falling.

If the door panel’s weight is between 15 and 500 lb, counterbalancing becomes a more effective option. Counterbalancing hinges stop doors from falling and make doors feel lighter. This means users are not exerting extra effort to overcome the door’s weight to open or close it.

Center of gravity. The center of gravity of a door or panel is affected by the width and shape of the panel, as well as where other components are attached to the panel. A light door with a center of gravity far from the hinge point can feel the same as a heavier door with a center of gravity close to the hinge point. For example, a tractor hood covering an engine compartment might be narrow and made of lightweight material, but because it’s so long, the center of gravity is farther out. So, it takes more torque to lift it than a box or a panel only 12 or 18 in. deep.

Some newer counterbalanced hinges use torsion bars to supply the counterbalancing force. A cam and roller mechanism distributes that force through the full arc of motion. With this type of hinge, opening a 200-lb engine hood feels like lifting a door weighing just 10 lb, and the effort is balanced through the whole range of opening and closing motions.

D irection of movement. For direction of motion, it’s important to determine whether the panel or door is hinged vertically or horizontally. If it’s hinged vertically and moves side to side, it is not working against gravity the same way as a horizontally hinged panel moving up or down. In some situations, a horizontally hinged door may need to be moved and held in place in a vertical position—for instance, to let a technician get to assemblies inside a machine. The force needed to move the door from horizontal to vertical will be higher, so a constant torque or counterbalance hinge might make more sense, especially if the technician is working underneath a door that needs to be held open.

The Right Feel

Companies that make hinges and are serious about it know that every time a person opens, closes or moves a hinged structure, they are fundamentally exerting a force. But they are also experiencing a distinctive tactile experience. For example, the erratic motion and squeaking vibrations of a rusty, old and out-of-alignment hinge does not give the user a positive opinion of the device’s quality or reliability.

The advent of more hinge technology that incorporates a range of torque options and touch point experiences gives industrial designers a new set of tools to enhance the user experience and, thus, the impression they have of the devices being used.

This torque continuum offers the opportunity to create more sophisticated solutions. Different types of hinges with different torque profiles can be combined to satisfy multiple requirements—for example, detent and damping functionality can be combined in a single hinge, so that a door easily opens to a fixed position and clicks in place, and then moves on its own in a controlled fashion to the closed position when it is pushed shut.

The key is to determine the full usage case for each application: what ergonomic effort should be expended to open, position and close a device; and what user feedback is needed or desired to accomplish this motion effectively and on a repeatable basis. The ability to fully customize the torque level allows the designer to ultimately define what the end-user experience will be. The industry’s leading hinge suppliers have extensive experience working through these usage cases to help define the optimum solution and can provide in-depth expertise to cost-effectively configure the right hinge with the right torque for each application.

Seifert Technologies Vice President of Engineering, Ed Barth, is now a Certified Professional Engineer.

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 18:24:56 GMT

Becoming a P.E. has been a life-long goal for Ed since it runs in his family.

President, Tim Seifert, and Vice President of Engineering, Ed Barth

Vice President of Engineering, Ed Barth, started studying for his Professional Engineering Exam, Machine Design, and Materials, in January 2019. Becoming a P.E. has been a life-long goal for Ed since it runs in his family. His Grandpa and Aunt are both Professional Engineers.

Some additional stress was added to Ed getting his P.E. due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His exam dates were canceled not once but twice (April 6th & May 1st). Finally, on May 15th, Ed was able to take the exam.

If you're unfamiliar, the P.E. exam is an 8-hour exam. Ed finished in 6.5 hours while wearing a face mask the entire time.

This spring was the first Computer-Based Testing exam for the Mechanical Discipline of the P.E. Traditionally, an engineer was allowed to take in as many books as they would like for reference to the written test. Now everything is computer-based, and one reference PDF is provided to use. The only items allowed into the testing center are your driver's license and locker key. No phones are allowed in the testing center or lockers, so Ed was required to take his back out to his car. The room he took the exam in had video and audio surveillance equipment to make sure everything was on the up and up.

The following week Ed received his results and is now a Certified Professional Engineer. "In the end, the countless hours of studying were worth it, and I'm excited about what this certification brings in my profession here at Seifert Technologies. I've always looked up to our President, Tim Seifert, for having those two letters next to his name."

Congratulations from all of us at Seifert Technologies, Ed!

Signs it's time to update your IT infrastructure

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Fri, 10 Jul 2020 15:16:41 GMT

No business wants to stagnate. But treat your IT infrastructure like an afterthought and you could be severely limiting your company’s potential. Let aging systems continue operating as is, and they could quickly turn into a business liability. Download this infographic to see how to keep your business ahead of the curve:

Curbing the Ongoing Spread of COVID-19

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Wed, 13 May 2020 20:11:58 GMT

Seifert Technologies, along with our partner, Hitachi Vantara, offers state of the art technology to help protect your employees and business against the spread of COVID-19. These technologies include thermal imaging, 3D Lidar monitoring, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics, without capturing any personally identifiable information.

Businesses and organizations need to prepare and mobilize solutions now to prevent the second and third waves of Coronavirus, or future infections from affecting their workers, passengers, and customers.

Recommended actions include:

Containment: detect and reduce contact with symptomatic people
Prevention of spread: detection of hand washing, wearing safety equipment, social distancing, elevated temperature alert, etc.
Innovating policy to prevent and prepare: form data-driven policies and measure compliance, while developing response plans for the next outbreak

Thermal Sensing

Containment: Detect and Alert for high temperature

Elevated temperature detection and containment workflow for the first line of defense, with non-invasive or labor-intensive methods that offer privacy protection.

Thermal cameras detect high temperatures in crowds without invasiveness of IR gun to forehead, and allowing of faster throughput and freedom of movement
Automated alerts for temperatures above a preset threshold push to Hitachi Visualization Suite, showing location of detection and real time view, and event is recorded for later analysis
Digital incident footage, PDFs, audio, etc. is stored and managed in HVS Archive, with chain of custody and incident details stored in independent folders
3D lidar or video analytics provide foot traffic information for statistical analysis, with privacy protection

High Accuracy 98,4%* obtained after comparing results of hundreds of individuals manual temperature reading vs. thermal camera automatic temperature reading. Tests were executed on simulated different atmospheric conditions (heat, AC, outdoors)
Critical real-time reporting. Real-time reporting of temperature reading for rapid commissioning and management.
Detects and triggers an alarm per every individual exceeding the fixed temperature.

Lidar Monitoring Solutions

Prevention: Social distancing

3D Lidar AI solution learns and calculates the location of its view
Captures no private information
Alerts and analytics can be created to

Track movement
Count people in an area
3D model to detect specific objects and behaviors
Define alerts based on distance “Social Distancing”.

Privacy Protection: Generating Rich Insights Without Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

Video Privacy Protection:

Detects people and pixelates or color-masks full body
Additional analytics can analyze original images
Transparency:
Original feed can be accessed for investigations, requiring a keycard and passcode; actions are tracked for privacy regulation compliance

3D Lidar:

No personally identifiable information (PII) is captured
Can be used in privacy-sensitive locations
Privacy protected by design

Click the button below to download the full presentation.

6 Key Advantages to Using Managed Services

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 20:42:14 GMT

By giving IT staff more time to focus on innovation and reducing unexpected costs, managed services provide businesses the support and room they need to thrive.
By:

BizTech Staff

Organizations across every industry are discovering how today’s technologies help them achieve their objectives. For example, retailers use beacons to personalize marketing messages to individual customers based on where they are inside a store. Hospitals use technology to track patients and understand their experiences, helping to reduce readmission rates. Airlines use apps to streamline check-in, and sports teams use them to boost stadium attendance.

While new technologies present powerful opportunities for enterprises, they also introduce challenges. The pace of change in IT is unprecedented. No longer can IT departments standardize on one or two computer models, a single operating system, and a short list of approved applications. The mobile devices and cloud-based technologies that have brought so much possibility have also introduced a hodgepodge of devices, platforms and apps for IT departments to manage and secure.

For many organizations, those challenges add up to significant expenses: the cost of hiring and training qualified workers, purchasing the infrastructure to support emerging technologies, and keeping systems up to date and secure. Rather than struggle to keep pace with technology, many organizations turn to managed services providers for help. By trusting a third party such as CDW to handle cloud deployments, data center solutions, mobile initiatives, collaboration tools and security, organizations can focus their time and resources on their core business objectives.

Managed service providers take a holistic approach to IT services, resulting in a higher standard than many organizations are able to achieve in-house. Top service providers also offer ongoing management and maintenance of the underlying infrastructure, along with end-user support and service guarantees.

The benefits are clear: In 2014, only 30 percent of organizations used managed services, but within a year, that figure had nearly doubled. Managed services can cut IT costs by as much as 40 percent while doubling operational efficiency.

Turning to a trusted partner offers several advantages, including:

1. Freeing up IT staff

Most IT departments are stretched thin. By outsourcing back-end functions or complex, rapidly changing technologies, organizations dedicate their in-house technology experts to projects that will further their core objectives and promote innovation.

2. Keeping pace with the demands for IT expertise

Organizations around the world are struggling to fill IT positions, particularly in cybersecurity and mobile app development. Outsourcing these functions to a partner with technically skilled and specialized engineers in new and emerging technologies alleviates these pressures.

3. Greater scalability

IT shops spend months — even years — deploying massive systems. Many organizations are finding it more effective to start small, move fast and expand as needed. CDW’s modular approach to managed services makes it easy for enterprises to scale up or down depending on demand, such as a retailer increasing capacity around the holidays, or a startup experiencing sudden growth.

4. 24/7 AVAILABILITY

The 9-to-5 workday is as outdated today as the phone booth. When users work around the clock, so must the network. With a managed services provider, help is always available — days, nights, weekends or holidays — to support users.

5. Shifting the burden of compliance

In addition to regular audits, many organizations are obligated to meet standards and requirements with their IT initiatives. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act, Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard and Sarbanes–Oxley Act spell out rules regarding privacy, reporting and security in the healthcare, education, financial services and retail industries. CDW understands the regulations that organizations are bound by, and can provide the systems, processes and reports to guarantee that organizations meet their requirements — without placing that burden on in-house staff.

6. Predictable monthly costs

Every IT investment comes with peripheral costs. Organizations need adequate networks, storage, and security. They must train staff, deploy systems and manage equipment. Unexpected costs arise at any time. By outsourcing initiatives to a managed service provider, organizations can break down their costs into fixed monthly payments, as opposed to the large capital expenditures that come with managing systems in-house.

Machine Design - Five Ways AR Increases Manufacturing Workforce Productivity

Fri, 13 Mar 2020 15:24:57 GMT

Technological advancements like greater bandwidth, imaging technologies and digitized databases allow manufacturers to take advantage of augmented reality.
Tim Shinbara

FEB 24, 2020

Over the past three decades, billions of dollars have been spent by companies on technology to increase the productivity of knowledge workers through process automation, communication and other enablers, and these have increased productivity throughout the economy. There has been much less focus on enhancing the productivity of industrial and technical workers through technology investments.

That is, until now. Advancements in technology—specifically, the confluence of greater bandwidth, imaging technologies and digitized information—have led the way in creating a powerful new tool to increase the productivity of the industrial workforce, including assemblers, operators, and technicians in manufacturing.

By augmenting the information, data, images, skills or experience that workers can access in real-time through smartphones, tablets or smart glasses, manufacturers can increase worker productivity by an order of magnitude.

Manufacturing production lines are complex and varied, and a piece of equipment can require dozens of maintenance procedures that involve hundreds of components and complex steps. Augmenting the skills of the workforce with remote expert assistance and equipment diagnostics through augmented reality (AR) brings benefits on many fronts.

“Augmented reality offers the promise of providing every member of the industrial workforce with relevant, contextual and customized information and guidance from across the enterprise into their field of view in a seamless, hands-free, intuitive manner that transforms the way they work,” said Amar Dhaliwal, CEO of Atheer Inc.

With remote support through an AR device, technicians can access engineering data and digital annotations to guide them through a procedure. Vast digital libraries of recorded procedures can be accessed in a real-time site by an AR-equipped technician. Additionally, a repair technician can “broadcast” what they are viewing to an expert off-site who views the video or images and can diagnose an issue; technical experts are no longer needed in every location. AR often pays for itself in saved travel costs alone. It can also help stem the loss of tribal knowledge as experienced, technically skilled workers continue to retire.

The capabilities and benefits of AR-based information and instruction go beyond those of static, hard-copy instruction manuals. AR information can be delivered step-by-step in real-time and in context; it can be presented as any combination of simple 2D and complex 3D digital assets; and it can be viewed without shifting attention away from a workpiece. Digital instructions can be remotely updated a single time to reflect changes in product design or new best practices and distributed widely to a remote workforce.

Maintenance & Repair

These operations benefit from AR for diagnostics, maintenance and repair of production equipment. A common use case is manufacturers with foreign plants where workers are not fluent in English or technically skilled. Any scenario of remotely distributed plants where it is cost-prohibitive to have an on-site technical expert for every possible production stoppage is a strong use case for AR.

Technical Field Support

AR is particularly valuable in servicing complicated pieces of equipment or facilities with few experienced personnel. It can be used to deliver expert support remotely from the OEM without needing to physically bring in specialists. For example, the aviation industry uses AR for maintenance and repair operations given the high level of technical expertise required. Service technicians can tap into databases of knowledge and technical information to access the information when they need it. Volkswagen Group and Porsche are currently large Atheer customers in the automotive industry.

Inspection & Surveying

Remote inspection and surveying reduce transportation costs. Detailed visual information can easily be transmitted directly to technicians who can evaluate it and determine the status or safety of equipment, materials or infrastructure. This is often carried out by exploiting the remote nature of drones and other unattended vehicles and platforms.

Cargo & Warehouse Operations

Cargo workers can be efficiently directed to specific locations and actions through an AR application and headset instead of using paper printouts. An instructive use case is the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents 290 airlines in the air travel and air cargo industries, with member airlines carrying about 82% of the world’s air traffic. In 2018, IATA began to pilot the Atheer AR platform, and reported it achieved greatly increased performance in cargo handling operations—a 30% improvement in the speed of cargo handling and a 90% reduction in errors.

AR can have a major impact on speed and accuracy of moving cargo through air cargo warehouses. The Atheer AR platform delivered digital work instruction that provided air cargo operators instant access to clear, consistent and unambiguous work instructions for key tasks such as accepting cargo as ready for air carriage. The work instructions were delivered directly into the field of view of warehouse cargo handlers though the use of smart glasses, tablets or smartphones and updated quickly and accurately via wireless connections from the mobile devices used by the warehouse.

Training & Compliance

AR can guide a technician remotely through learning a new process with greater levels of learning over classroom instruction. It has been widely demonstrated that guiding someone through a task and showing them how to do it visually—thus experientially—has a greater impact on learning than classroom learning. Training a remote workforce is a strong use case for AR.

Market Prediction

AR is growing in the manufacturing technology ecosystem, although it still faces some challenges. Industrial workers typically have low tolerance for new technology or new processes that appear to get in the way of completing their work or impacting their quotas. They need to get value from it in short order, or they will not use it. Any technology-based addition to the workload of industrial workers will only gain acceptance and traction if it is genuinely easy to use.

“We have found that the manufacturing market still has a few misconceptions about AR, but when customers see that the applications of AR are extremely practical and straightforward, they understand how it can potentially benefit them,” said Dhaliwal. “They often look for opportunities where the technology is likely to provide a step level change in their business, something with a 10 to 20% impact on ROI.”

AR is projected to continue to grow rapidly as use cases become more widely communicated. PwC estimates that more than 14 million workers will wear smart glasses by 2025, up from 400,000 in 2016.

Advancements in technology have led the way in creating AR as a powerful new tool to increase the productivity of the manufacturing workforce. By augmenting the information, data, images, skills or experience that workers can access in real-time through smartphones, tablets or smart glasses, manufacturers can increase worker productivity by an order of magnitude.

AR is also helping stem the loss of tribal knowledge as experienced, technically skilled workers retire. There are five main categories of use cases for AR: maintenance and repair, technical field support, inspection and surveying, cargo and warehouse operations, and training and compliance.

Seifert Technologies Opens New Division Office in Independence

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 15:51:13 GMT

CRAIN'S AKRON BUSINESS

Seifert Technologies of Massillon has opened a new division office in Independence, the company announced this week.

The firm, which employs about 50 people at its Massillon headquarters and an office in Nashville, Tenn., provides engineering, IT and technical staffing services. The majority of its work is in custom machine design and automation for manufacturers, according to Zachary Glass, Seifert Technologies' sales and marketing manager.

The new division, which opened at the start of the year on Oak Tree Boulevard, will better position the company to serve clients in the Cleveland area, Glass said. Currently, a few engineers are floating up from the Massillon office, he added, but the company expects a group of five to staff the site within the next few months. Those positions will be a combination of existing and new employees.

The move also places the company, which was founded in 1985, closer to organizations with which it works, such as the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network (Magnet) and Team NEO's Smart Manufacturing Innovation Cluster, Glass said.

"Seifert Technologies is proud of our long-standing presence in Northeast Ohio, and we are pleased to further our commitment to the Cleveland area with the addition of our new office," president Tim Seifert said in a statement.

Seifert Technologies started as an engineering firm concentrating on the rubber-tire and iron-steel industries, according to its website. As markets changed, the firm expanded to create its IT, design/build and staffing units. Glass said that mechanical and electrical engineering still make up about 70% of Seifert's business.

Machine Design - A Short Introduction to Digital Twins

Wed, 05 Feb 2020 21:30:17 GMT

A common vocabulary and approach to digital twins can elevate our understanding of their value.

New ParShi-Wan, LinSomayeh Malakuti, Pieter van Schalkwyk

Machine Design Magazine

FEB 05, 2020

The Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) defines a digital twin as a digital representation of an entity, including attributes and behaviors, sufficient to meet the requirements of a set of use cases. In this context, the entity in the definition of digital representation is typically an asset, process or system.

Digital twin information includes combinations of the following categories:

Physics-based models and data

Analytical models and data

Time series data and historians

Transactional data

Master data

Visual models

Computations

What follows is an IIC perspective on what digital twins are and some of their technical characteristics

Designing Digital Twins

A digital twin comprises data, computational models (hereafter just “models”) and service interfaces, such as an object in an object-oriented programing language that has member data, methods and interfaces.

Data . A digital twin contains data about its real-world object that are required by the models to represent and understand the states and behaviors of the object. In many cases, it may consist of data in the full lifecycle of the object or—in the case of equipment—consist of data during the design phase (specifications, design models, production process and engineering data); production phase (data about workers, production equipment, material and parts, production methods and quality assurance); operation phase (installation and configuration data, real-time and historical state and status, as well as maintenance records); and even end-of-life procedural data. It may also contain business data, such as transaction records.

Models . A digital twin contains computational or analytic models that are required to describe, understand and predict the real-world object’s operational states and behaviors, as well as models that are used to prescribe actions based on business logic and objectives about the corresponding object. These models may include models based on physics or chemistry, engineering or simulation models, data models based on statistics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). It may also include 3D models and augmented reality models for aiding human understanding of the operational states or behaviors of real-world objects.

Service (interface) . A digital twin contains a set of service interfaces for industrial applications or other digital twins to access its data and invoke its capabilities.

With a common approach, we can construct a digital twin for equipment from its constituent component digital twins; a production line digital twin from the constituent equipment digital twins; and a factory digital twin from its production line constituent digital twins—just like with their counterparts in the real world.

Relying on a digital representation enabled by the digital twin, we can enable a host of smart industrial applications to run operations in the real world, optimally improving these operations.

New Relationships Among Digital Twins in Systems

The level of abstraction of a digital twin is such that it is sufficient for the requirements of a specific application or use case. A discrete digital twin is a single entity that provides value without needing to be broken down further. Assembling discrete digital twins to create a composite digital twin is shown in Fig. 3 as a vertical expansion that describes the increase in composition from a single to many entities.

As the scale and scope of a composite digital twin increase, it may expand horizontally from a composite assembly to a more complex composite system. The coloring in Fig. 3 shows how a composite digital twin system is made up of multiple composite digital twin assemblies.

The relationships between digital twins in an assembly are typically:

Hierarchical: Just like their real-world counterparts, a set of component digital twins can be assembled into an equipment digital twin, a set of equipment digital twins can be assembled into a production line digital twin, a set of production line digital twins can be assembled into a factory digital twin—and so on.

Associational: There are associations between digital twins, similar to their real-world counterparts. A gas pipeline digital twin is associated with its gas production and consumption equipment digital twins.

Peer-to-peer: The peer-to-peer relationship is observed in a group of equipment of same or similar types which perform the same or similar functions. The total effect of all the equipment is the simple sum of the outcome produced by each piece of equipment.

Digital Twin in an Entity Lifecycle

A digital twin is a solution to the information silo problem: The information about an entity is usually scattered across multiple information sources, which are developed and maintained by different organizations.

Figure 5 shows how digital twins can be used to tackle the information silo problem. The digital twin of the product is a means of, and the single interface to, accessing its lifecycle information. There are also semantic relationships between the digital twins just as there are in the real world. Failure to establish these relationships would leave the disconnected digital twin as an information silo to itself. Since the information comes from different sources, at different points in time and in different formats, establishing such relations in an automatic way is one of the major challenges in designing digital twins.

New ParaTechnical Aspects of a Digital Twin

A digital twin consists of a number of technical aspects, and Fig. 6 addresses some of the most common technical considerations when deploying digital twins.

Information modelling: The core part of digital twin is information which is related to different lifecycle phases of the underlying entity.

Information population: Information for digital twins originate from various sources. Some may be maintained inside the digital twins.

Information synchronization: It is necessary to keep digital twins in sync with the original information sources.

APIs: Digital twins interact with other components. To facilitate these interactions, various APIs must be in place.

Connectivity: The key enabler for interactions with and among digital twins is their ability to connect.

Deployment: Digital twins can be deployed on a spectrum from the edge to the cloud based on the requirements of the application.

Interoperability: As different vendors offer their own digital twin solutions, it is necessary for digital twins to interact with each other in an interoperable way toward fulfilling the overall functionality of the target system.

Outlook

There will be a proliferation of digital twins over the next few years according to industry analysts. It is important to have a common understanding of what digital twins are, how they deliver value and how we can create these twins in a trustworthy manner. The IIC provides vendor-agnostic guidance through white papers, frameworks and testbeds on new and emerging technologies, such as digital twins.

Within the IIC, the Digital Twin Interoperability Task Group is actively working on practical guidance on the use and application of digital twins. Current and future work includes frameworks for digital twin architecture, security, interoperability and user experience.

This article was submitted by IIC and prepared by Pieter van Schalkwyk, CEO, XMPro; Dr. Somayeh Malakuti, senior scientist, ABB Corporate Research, Germany; and Shi-Wan Lin, CTO, Yo-i Information Technology, Ltd. For more information, visit www.iiconsortium.org.

Seifert Technologies, Inc. Adds New Cleveland Division

Wed, 05 Feb 2020 18:08:53 GMT

Seifert Technologies, Inc. is excited to announce the opening of our new Cleveland Division, expanding our footprint in Northeast Ohio. This expansion better positions us to serve clients in the entire NEO region. Our new office, located in Independence, OH, is just nine miles from downtown Cleveland.

"Seifert Technologies is proud of our long-standing presence in Northeast Ohio, and we are pleased to further our commitment to the Cleveland area with the addition of our new office."

Tim Seifert, President of Seifert Technologies, Inc.

In addition to our Headquarters in Massillon, OH, and Nashville Division, our new Cleveland Division will be offering the same innovative engineering, IT, and technical staffing services that we have been providing since 1985.

Seifert Technologies, Inc. Engineering Division is a team of engineers, project managers, designers, programmers, and drafters, who can help you in your day-to-day engineering requirements as well as large projects. We work with everyone from large Fortune 500 companies to small manufacturers, including iron and steel, tire and rubber, pulp and paper, general manufacturing, material handling equipment, and R&D test machines. We provide custom machine design, automation controls systems, 3D solid modeling, finite element analysis, plant engineering, Industrial IoT, smart manufacturing solutions, and 3D printing.

Seifert Technologies, Inc. IT Division is a full service, Microsoft Certified IT consulting firm. Our professionals study your business model and design an IT solution to align your technology with the financial goals of your company. We offer complete system evaluation, network design & implementation, back-up and disaster recovery solutions, managed IT services, cloud solutions, SQL database programming, application programming, and web hosting.

Seifert Engineering, Inc. Design/Build Division offers one-stop-shop services – from concept solutions through installation, we provide the total package as a single source to our customers. Our strengths include custom machine design, prototype equipment, turnkey projects, project management, systems integration, and start-up and commissioning.

Seifert Associates, Inc. – Staffing Division is a full-service technical staffing firm, dedicated to helping our clients achieve their human resources goals. We place qualified technical personnel for temporary to permanent positions, contract staffing, and project team staffing. We give our customers the best-qualified candidates for those hard to fill openings such as engineers, project managers, IT professionals, etc. Services such as insurance, payroll, taxes, technical testing, drug screening, and background checks will be taken care of through us so that you can stay focused on your business.

We are incredibly excited about our new Cleveland Division and look forward to the opportunity to support our clients’ ongoing project needs.

What IIoT Means for Stark County

Wed, 18 Dec 2019 20:57:41 GMT

The Future of Manufacturing

We had a great presentation and panel discussion about the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and how it is changing manufacturing in Northeast Ohio and Stark County.

A special thank you to Ray Hexamer and the Stark Economic Development Board, Jay Foran and Team NEO, David Moon from Hitachi Vantara, Eric Ryan from Seifert Technologies, Inc., Joe Work from MAGNET, the Jackson High School Robotics Club and Hoover High School Viking Robotics Team.

For more information on Industrial IoT, Smart Manufacturing, or robotics, please contact us.

Seifert Technologies Employee Spotlight

Mon, 12 Aug 2019 14:20:01 GMT

Backpack for Kids Program

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 17:45:46 GMT

Seifert Technologies was proud to help North Canton’s Madison Gerber collect donations for the Backpack for Kids Program which is sponsored by the Stark County Hunger Task Force. Madison is ten years old, and she raised over $200 and collected five large boxes of non-perishable food for the program. Thanks, Madison and Great Job!

Seifert Technologies Can Program Your Fanuc Robots

Mon, 08 Jul 2019 17:18:20 GMT

Congratulations to Richard Landals on completing the FANUC Robotics CERT 1 training at Kent State University.

Independence Day Cookout

Fri, 05 Jul 2019 19:28:08 GMT

July 4th is synonymous with cookouts and cornhole. Members of Seifert Technologies IT Department fired up the grill and made hamburgers, hot dogs, and grilled veggies. We also set up the cornhole boards and Chippo boards for some fun and games while we ate. What a great way to kick-off our Independence Day. Happy 4th of July!

Testing out the new Seifert Griddle

Tue, 02 Jul 2019 14:29:57 GMT

A new tradition started nearly four years ago after we remodeled our office, Waffle Friday. During the remodel, a gathering area was created in the middle of our office dubbed the Cyber Cafe. Since then, the first Friday of every month, Seifert Technologies smells like fresh waffles and maple syrup thanks to Design Engineer, Gary Harig. His special recipe that he makes the night before is a guaranteed way to bring everyone into the office early.

With the recent addition of a new pavilion and storage building behind our office, Waffle Friday is expanding. Everyone was so excited to try out the new griddle that we couldn't wait for July 5th. Its maiden voyage was Friday, June 28th with bacon, sausage, and eggs. Everything was fantastic, and it was a great trial run. Thanks for getting the new griddle, Tim! And thanks to our cooks, Brent Liebig, Dave Schumacher, and Waffle Meister, Gary Harig!

2019 Shearer's Snacks Chip Chase 5K

Wed, 12 Jun 2019 19:41:26 GMT

Seifert's own Carl Maxfield and Doug Hill both finished in the top 3 in their division!

The 12th Annual Shearer's Snacks Chip Chase 5K was held in downtown Brewster on May 31st. All proceeds benefited the Brewster Fireman Association.

Thank you for 31 years, Grazyna!

Wed, 05 Jun 2019 14:55:02 GMT

Congratulations on your retirement!

For the last 31 years, Grazyna Cupiat has been a valuable team member that you could always count on at Seifert Technologies. As a graduate of the University of Krakow with a BSME, she set a great example within her department and also applied her Machine Design and CAD skills on every project. We wish her the best on her well-deserved retirement.

Company President, Tim Seifert said, “When we initially interviewed Grazyna in 1988, we took a chance. She was new to the area moving from halfway around the globe. In the end, it was one of the best decisions we made at the start of our company. Although she was still mastering the English language, several qualities stuck out immediately, such as dedication, commitment, accuracy, strong ethics, and technical ability. Grazyna has helped to establish our firm with many clients, and she will always be welcome here at Seifert Technologies.”.

Many New Faces at the Canton Regional Chamber Network 2019 Event

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 16:09:32 GMT

There were over 80 local area business people in attendance last Friday, all ready to speed network and make new contacts. A new twist to this year's event was collaborating with the Canal Fulton Area Chamber of Commerce. Bringing the two chambers together led to a lot of new faces and new opportunities to generate more business for the local economy.

Seifert Technologies IT Project Manager, Jason Anderson, and Sales/Marketing Manager, Zachary Glass, were there to promote IT, engineering, and technical staffing services.

Many thanks to the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce for bringing us all together, and a special thanks to Debbie Busby for providing the photos for this post.

Seifert Technologies Meets with Local Seniors at Career Expo

Mon, 08 Apr 2019 13:36:58 GMT

Seifert Technologies' Doug Hill spoke to Hoover seniors and other tech career seniors from across Stark County about careers in engineering and IT at the career expo hosted by GlenOak High School last week.

Hoover students found out about area businesses and colleges by meeting their representatives at the programs held at GlenOak High School and Canton South High School.

Seifert Technologies Joins Team NEO Smart Manufacturing Cluster

Thu, 21 Mar 2019 18:11:53 GMT

Smart Manufacturing Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) for Northeast Ohio

The Internet of Things (IoT) is emerging as a major economic driver in Northeast Ohio that has the potential to increase manufacturing productivity for the region. By 2023, it is estimated that IoT will create $400 trillion in profitability enhancement opportunities, spanning all major industrial sectors.* Through its Smart Manufacturing Cluster, Team NEO is working to accelerate IoT’s impact in the region.

Smart Manufacturing Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) Roadmap for Northeast Ohio

In November 2018, Team NEO, with the help of its Working Group, completed a Smart Manufacturing IIoT Roadmap for Northeast Ohio. The purpose of the Roadmap is to establish a regional IIoT commercialization strategy, tactical framework and plan of action.

To download a copy of the Roadmap, visit: www.clevelandplus.com/smart-manufacturing-roadmap .

*Deloitte: Mapping the Internet of Things (IoT) Economy, March 6, 2017

First Day of Spring Dessert Contest

Thu, 21 Mar 2019 18:04:51 GMT

Congratulations to the Winners of our Dessert Contest!

1st Place - Megan Wackerly
2nd Place - Lou Berlin

Learning more about IIoT

Thu, 21 Mar 2019 17:58:53 GMT

Seifert Technologies attends Team NEO Smart Manufacturing Cluster Event

The Smart Manufacturing cluster focuses on building networks that will advance knowledge and drive adoption of IIoT, identify product innovation gaps as identified by major market segment leaders, and develops programs that create the specialized intellectual capital that enables IIoT implementation and innovation.

Zachary Glass and David Gongwer from Seifert Technologies attended the event on March 7th. The event was targeted at Manufacturers looking to implement IIoT into their operations and companies who provide IIoT solutions. Academic and research institutions that have applicable curriculum. Manufacturing professionals including but not limited to: CTOs, CIOs, Engineers in IT, Operations, and Product Development, R&D, Data Scientists.

The keynote speaker was John Dyck from CESMII, Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute in Los Angeles, CA. www.cesmii.org

There were breakout sessions about IIoT implementation for large and small manufacturers and about product innovation. We learned how to determine if IIoT is valuable for their organization, how to move forward after identifying needs or proof of concept, instrumenting legacy equipment, realizing value in existing data and finding the right KPIs for your business.

Rexroth Bosch Group Factory Automation Road Show Visits Seifert Technologies

Sat, 19 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Rexroth has redefined the Industrial Internet of Things!

Our engineers received a first hand look at some of the amazing new innovations from Rexroth Bosch Group when they visited our office last week.

What we saw:

Adaptive systems technology – Anti-slosh, sway or vibration
Safety technology – practical demonstrations
Networked modular conveyors and pick-n-place systems
Sytronix variable speed pump drive as part of GoPak hydraulic power unit. Compact, efficient power, and quiet!
IndraDrive ML high-power electronic drives
Data Analytic Server for condition of process monitoring
MTX CNC system technology in operation
IndraDrive Mi cabinet-free drive technology
Linear motion elements including integrated measuring
IoT Gateway – shows how any machine can be integrated into an Industry 4.0 concept

TimkenSteel focused on safety

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 14:51:03 GMT

Seifert Technologies employees, along with Mazzella Lifting Technologies, worked with TimkenSteel on several designs for an Elongator Lifting Device at TimkenSteel's Gambrinus plant. The new system limited contact between workers and the equipment as the elongator was moved, improving safety and increasing production speed.

Canton Repository

Seifert Technologies teaching STEM students the latest in 3D Printing technologies

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 14:43:08 GMT

Tim Seifert and Ryan Schlemmer had a great time teaching STEM students the latest in 3D Printing technologies at Holy Cross Academy at St. Barbara Campus's Open House last night. STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – to create our future innovators and pioneers.

All-In-One Bingo Machine

ecommit@seifert.com (Seifert Technologies) — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 15:54:37 GMT

This was a project that began form a sketch on a napkin. Seifert Technologies designed and built this computer-actuated ball blower for use in the international gaming community. It is able to select each number in less than a second. Very fun project we enjoyed working on.