by Gary Mintchell | Jul 19, 2024 | News, Personal Development, Productivity, Workforce
- • ResumeTemplates.com Survey Finds ChatGPT Helps 4 in 10 Users Get Raises, as Workers’ Fears of AI Fizzle
- Workers report that ChatGPT helps them save time, complete tasks more efficiently, and increase their productivity
Everyone performs surveys these days. This company would not normally hit my radar. ResumeTemplates (think CV, not beginning again) provides a platform for free professional resume templates and examples. It recently surveyed 1,666 employees in the United States in order to determine the extent of usefulness or fear of Large Language Model (LLM) AI. Namely they questioned use of ChatGPT.
600 of the 1,666 reported using ChatGPT at least once a month. The survey is based on results of these 600.
According to the survey, 36 percent of workers use ChatGPT at least once a month at work. Specifically, 22 percent use it daily, 12 percent weekly, and 2 percent monthly. Workers primarily use ChatGPT to summarize documents, summarize topics, and write emails. Other common uses include brainstorming, interpreting data, writing articles or content, and translating text.
These types of results often drive my skepticism meter toward red, but they are interesting. Define saving time…
These ChatGPT users claim the AI tool has helped them save time at work. Notably, 16 percent of workers report saving one to two hours per week, 22 percent save three to four hours, and 30 percent save five to eight hours. Additionally, 11 percent save nine to 10 hours, and 18 percent save more than 10 hours per week. With the time saved, 94 percent of respondents say they reinvest “all” or “some” of that time back into the company.
“Workers report that ChatGPT assists them in completing assignments more quickly and delivering higher quality results,” says ResumeTemplates’ executive resume writer and career coach Andrew Stoner. This combination creates a win-win scenario for employers and workers, and I believe signals an eagerness on the part of workers to learn and adapt to new technology.”
Survey findings also suggest a significant impact of ChatGPT on respondents’ professional careers. In fact, 38 percent report earning a raise as a result of using ChatGPT. Furthermore, workers say ChatGPT has led to faster task completion, increased productivity, reduced stress levels, and enhanced problem-solving capabilities. Looking ahead, workers believe ChatGPT will continue to benefit their careers by helping them secure promotions, raises, more advanced roles, and better job offers.
View the complete report.
by Gary Mintchell | Jul 18, 2024 | Manufacturing IT, News
Aras invited me to their annual customer event this year. Energy and ideas abounded. The next edition will be held in Boston March 31-April 3, 2025.
Aras, a leader in product lifecycle management (PLM) and digital thread solutions, today announced today the date for its annual event, ACE 2025, taking place March 31-April 3, 2025, in Boston at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza.
Celebrating Aras’ 25th anniversary, ACE 2025 marks a milestone year by inviting its community to Boston, where it all began. This special occasion promises to be an unforgettable gathering of industry leaders, innovators, and enthusiasts showcasing how leading organizations are transforming engineering and PLM with Aras.
ACE 2025 spans a total of four days, including both pre- and post-event days that offer training opportunities and technical discussions. The main event takes place on the second and third days with a keynote and sessions focused on the latest in PLM and digital thread innovation. Attendees will gain insight from top leaders and industry experts on technology and industry trends reshaping the business of transformation.
“ACE 2025 offers a unique opportunity for our community to come together and discuss how we leverage digital technologies to design, build, and manage products,” said Roque Martin, CEO, Aras. “As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, hosting ACE in Boston is a special moment for us. The Aras community is a source for inspiration and education for innovative strategies that apply PLM and digital thread solutions to support sustainable growth in an increasingly dynamic world.”
by Gary Mintchell | Jul 17, 2024 | Personal Development
Cal Newport, computer science professor and author (Slow Productivity), noticed a sign while on book promotion tour in England regarding the noxious effects of overly processed food, aka junk food.
The message caused a companion thought—junk food for the mind. He had been thinking about how social media, over reliance on smart phones, and the like have corrupted the minds of many throughout the world.
What foods do you allow to fill your appetite? (In my case despite watching what I eat, I just drank 16 oz. of sugar—fruit juice plus ginger ale—just before a blood test. Really stupid.) Normally, I am careful about what goes in.
Likewise, what do you allow to fill your mind? Social media or quality fiction and poetry? TV or walking in nature?
Let us maintain a healthy body and mind.
by Gary Mintchell | Jul 16, 2024 | News, Organizations
The International Society of Automation (ISA), like all associations, has seen its heyday and then a slump as it found its way in a changed environment. At one time it had great support from corporations until said corporations began pinching pennies. I was a member for years. It still does valuable work in the standards area.
It is heartening to see that new leadership has pushed the organization forward. Glad to see this recognition.
The International Society of Automation (ISA) — the leading professional society for automation — announced it has been named a 2024 Top-Rated Nonprofit by GreatNonprofits, the primary platform for community-sourced reviews about nonprofit organizations.
“We are proud to be named a 2024 Top-Rated Nonprofit,” said Claire Fallon, ISA CEO and executive director. “ISA has just experienced a tremendously successful 2023 with landmark growth across all areas of the organization. It is an honor to see that our success is recognized by our supportive volunteers and members, and that their experience as part of the ISA community has had a positive impact on them. Thank you to GreatNonprofits for highlighting our mission to create a better world through automation.”
The Top-Rated Nonprofit Award is based on the five-star rating and number of reviews that ISA received from its volunteers and members. Review contributors with a wide range of experiences shared the impact ISA has had on their professional lives:
- “In the first few years of my career, ISA was instrumental to my growth and advancement as a young engineer. It gave me access to industry standards, training and credentials that expanded my skillset and credibility with my team. It also helped me build a network of automation industry colleagues and mentors, first in my local area and later internationally. It was particularly inspiring and sustaining to me that many of these connections were with women and young professionals, during a time when I was often the only young woman in my work environment.”
- “My multifaceted journey within ISA, from local leadership to district-level responsibilities and now at the executive board, has been instrumental in my skill development and career.”
- “As an automation professional, ISA’s standards, certifications and training have been crucial for my career. Their conferences and networking events are fantastic for learning and connecting with others in the field. If you’re in the field, ISA is the place to be!”
GreatNonprofits is the leading website where people share stories about their personal experiences on more than 1.6 million charities and nonprofits. The GreatNonprofits Top-Rated Awards are the only awards for nonprofits determined by those who have direct experience with the organizations — as donors, volunteers and recipients of aid.
by Gary Mintchell | Jul 15, 2024 | Manufacturing IT, Operations Management
The CTO and co-founder of a tech company chanced to have lunch with me at a conference several years ago. After I asked about technologies that would become important, I mentioned the series of conference themes that seemed to chase the latest fads. He told me that the company does what it does, and that conference themes reflected both the current conversations and the company’s strengths.
My boss induced me into manufacturing software in the late 70s exploring the benefits of a single repository of manufacturing data. The name of that software space has changed at least four times since then. The technologies have become immensely more powerful. The applications remain just as unwieldy to install and use.
Tim Ferriss has been rerunning past podcasts celebrating 10 years of podcasting. This week he featured venture capitalist Ann Miura-Ko. The conversation initially aired in 2018 (and I probably noted this then) and the comment remains relevant. “Enterprise software sucks.” It’s still complicated without providing useful guidance and assistance for users.
These thoughts came to mind when I saw a blog post attempting to explain the latest software—Namespace. The writer explained it as one unified place for all manufacturing data. Professional LinkedIn commenter and serial entrepreneur Rick Bullota commented, “Isn’t that what Lighthammer did 20 years ago?”
Sort of, yes.
Technology moves on. We collect more data. We store more data. We compute more data faster. We even invent new terms such as artificial intelligence (AI).
But, intelligence? I think not.
Executives often bring in high-priced consultants to make sense of the data. They just do a lot of complicated mumbo-jumbo providing a few answers, collecting their fees, and leaving.
I think we still try to solve the problem I worked on 45 years ago as the “kid in engineering”. And, I think we’ve been actually solving the wrong problem.
by Gary Mintchell | Jul 12, 2024 | Productivity
A longtime media contact wrote that she had a new gig. Unlike most media people who contact me over the past few years, she actually knows what I cover. But this new company had never been on my radar. In fact, the entire category had not been on my radar. The category is document management, in this case specifically eSignatures.
I love eSignatures. The healthcare app uses them when I go through the pre-visit questionnaire. These save time and grief.
This company is called Foxit. It has been cruising under the radar since startup and has decided it’s time for a public unveiling. Especially for a distributed workforce, their plans streamline document workflows, ensuring global compliance, and integrating seamlessly with existing tools like Google Workspace and Salesforce. These plans offer cost-effective, secure, and legally binding solutions, simplifying contract signing, payment collection, and compliance management.
Foxit announced launch of two new eSignature subscription plans: Foxit eSign Essentials and Foxit eSign Business. These new offerings cater to the unique needs of individual users and enterprises, providing comprehensive solutions for efficient and legally binding document workflows.
Both plans include global compliance settings, simplified document tracking, robust automation, integrations with popular platforms, payment collection, notary services, and advanced workflow tools.
“Foxit has introduced a revolutionary new plan for their eSign service, emphasizing unmatched transparency and value,” said Susana De Abrew, CSO at Foxit. “This ‘all-you-can-eat’ plan offers unlimited envelopes and templates, alongside the complete suite of advanced workflows and compliance features, all without hidden costs. This unique approach ensures that users can fully leverage Foxit eSign’s capabilities without worrying about additional charges, setting it apart from other eSign solutions currently available on the market.”
Foxit eSign Essentials includes reusable templates for collecting legally binding signatures and Foxit Pay, allowing signers to complete agreements and make payments seamlessly.
Foxit eSign Business features unlimited envelopes and templates, tracking, reminders, notary services, signature certificates, and Foxit Pay. It also includes global compliance features, API access, and advanced workflows, ensuring a comprehensive and flexible document management experience.
Foxit just published a blog on this subject titled, “Employee Remote Job Seeking Is Going Up: Here’s How PDF and eSign Tools Can Help,” written by Symphony Ragan, Content Planner, Foxit.
The shift toward remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic was unprecedented, and the trend shows little sign of reversing. As organizations transition to a predominantly remote workforce, efficient digital solutions have become indispensable. PDF and eSign tools, in particular, have proven essential for businesses across numerous sectors.
Remote and distributed work contribute to several situations that management may not have planned for. Secure document handling may have been one.
These technologies are crucial in maintaining productivity, ensuring secure document handling, and streamlining workflows. Businesses focused on growth must understand how PDF and eSign tools integrate into the broader context of remote work, recognize their advantages, and examine the options.
A few benefits:
Users may easily generate, edit, and distribute documents thanks to powerful tools such as Foxit PDF Editor. This software provides a comprehensive collection of functionality, such as text editing, annotation, and form filling, all required for any remote work configuration.
For example, remote workers in the manufacturing industry must manage various documents, including contracts, project plans, reports, and presentations. PDF solutions make these files more accessible and customizable, saving time on administrative procedures and allowing staff to focus on their primary responsibilities.
Pick your tools:
With the increased demand for remote and hybrid work solutions, selecting the appropriate PDF and eSign tools is critical. While Adobe has long been popular, rivals such as Foxit PDF Editor and Foxit eSign provide robust capabilities at affordable prices.
Get a free trial of Foxit PDF Editor and eSign today to keep your remote and hybrid work on track.
by Gary Mintchell | Jul 11, 2024 | Automation, Robots
FANUC America has expanded its footprint to over 2 million square feet and has created over 400 jobs since 2019
The amount of news emanating from the traditional robotic companies amazes me. I thought this market was mature. Evidently FANUC doesn’t think so. This news concerns additional investment in its Detroit-area facility. I couldn’t make the trip this week to witness the event, although I would have liked to have been there.
FANUC America, the global leader in robotics and automation systems, today officially unveiled its new 650,000 square foot West Campus facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The West Campus represents a $110 million investment built on 67 acres of land.
“This major expansion represents our growth strategy in the U.S. and our steadfast commitment to the future of the automation and robotics industry,” said Mike Cicco, President and CEO, FANUC America. “
Since 2019, FANUC America has invested over $187 million including a 461,000-square-foot North Campus facility in 2019, and new headquarter facilities in Mexico and Canada in 2023.
FANUC America’s investment will continue with the renovation of a former law school on the site of the company’s West Campus that will soon become the FANUC Academy, an advanced automation customer training center.
The expansion increases the footprint in Michigan to over 2 million square feet and is part of FANUC America’s strategic investment plan to support and advance industrial automation in North America. FANUC America’s industry growth and customer demand has created over 400 jobs in Michigan since 2019. The West Campus provides advanced product manufacturing and customized automation systems and includes warehouse space for over 6,000 quick delivery robots and tens of thousands of parts.
After completion of the new FANUC Academy and other infrastructure projects, FANUC America will have invested over $250 million in North America, fortifying its position as an industry trailblazer.
by Gary Mintchell | Jul 10, 2024 | Automation, Process Control
Just when I realized there had been no news for quite a while from the major automation suppliers this news from Emerson came my way. The news concerns expanding DeltaV Automation Platform with the DeltaV Version 15 Feature Pack 2 update for its distributed control system (DCS). With so few new plants under construction, making upgrades easier becomes an important goal for developers. Especially so for transitioning from legacy competitive systems.
The release empowers users to transition to a DeltaV DCS from more third-party control systems, expands support for Ethernet device networks, and reduces the complexity of state-based control implementations.
“DeltaV Version 15 Feature Pack 2 provides users new functionality, capabilities and enhancements to further expand seamless data and I/O integration as well as applications to more easily modernize their operations, improve connectivity and collaboration, and lock in operational excellence,” said Claudio Fayad, vice president of technology for Emerson’s process systems and solutions business.
One of the most common barriers to control system modernization is the high cost and labor requirements of transitioning I/O. DeltaV IO.Connect, which lets users replace legacy control systems with modern DeltaV software and controllers while leaving legacy I/O infrastructure in place, now supports multiple third-party control systems.
Plants can now transition to a modern DeltaV control system from the most common third-party systems right away—immediately reaping the benefits of modern control—and transition their I/O infrastructure gradually, on their own schedule, to minimize downtime and risks.
Ethernet-based, high speed, data rich device networks continue to gain popularity across the automation landscape and will only accelerate as Advanced Physical Layer extends the application range in process and hybrid industries. With this latest release, the DeltaV control system has increased the types of data as well as the diagnostic capabilities of the wide range of supported Ethernet-based communication protocols including PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, OPC UA, and Modbus TCP. These enhancements advance the solid foundation of DeltaV automation to exchange increasing volume and variety of data from the next generation of field device networks.
State-based control is a key enabler as many plants drive toward autonomous and semi-autonomous operations to reduce downtime and minimize safety risk. With DeltaV Version 15 Feature Pack 2, engineering and operations teams now have more options for how state-based control sequences execute when operations dictate a change in logic. This optional behavior enables safe and reliable operations while improving the flexibility and maintainability of state-based logic. To improve operator situational awareness the watch area capability of DeltaV Live has also been enhanced to persist as operators navigate between displays.
by Gary Mintchell | Jul 9, 2024 | Manufacturing IT, News, Operations Management, Security, Software
Cycles of marketing thought intrigue me. Suddenly PR people are flooding my email inbox with offers to interview CTOs of security companies who wish to comment on how cybersecurity breaches are a major cause of downtime. I chose this one to post for now partly because it’s a new company. I’m also intrigued by how the IT guy from Uber thinks he can disrupt industrial automation.
Oh, and yes, this is yet another survey done by a developer company. It’s the new way to generate media coverage when you don’t have a new product to release. And, yes, I’m an enabler.
In brief:
- Copia Automation Finds $4.2M Per Hour Lost in Manufacturing from Cybersecurity Breaches and Coding Errors
- Survey of 200 U.S. executives on the emergence of Industrial DevOps reveals half of all downtime is caused by programming mistakes
Another point. Copia is taking the IT idea of DevOps (see previous blog post) into industrial settings much as HighByte did with DataOps.
Copia Automation, empowering companies to gain end-to-end visibility and control of their operational technology, released its first annual State of Industrial DevOps Report today, the first survey of its kind on the application of information technology (IT) DevOps principles and practices to the industrial sector. The report reveals that industrial coding errors cause manufacturing shutdowns lasting 30 hours on average, costing $4.2M per hour and $126M per shutdown. Half of all downtime is caused by industrial code changes, code confusion, lack of visibility into industrial code, and issues with programmable logic controllers (PLCs).
The survey highlights significant vulnerabilities in operational technology (OT) — the software and hardware that control industrial equipment. A possible cause for these is ad hoc fixes in industrial programming, with 79% of respondents saying they are commonplace.
“The cost of downtime minimizes or eliminates the margin between profitability and failure for manufacturers,” said Copia Co-founder and CEO Adam Gluck. “With coding errors and cybersecurity breaches shown as significant causes for downtime, manufacturers need to take every technological measure to protect their bottom line and ensure continuous operations with enhanced productivity. Industrial DevOps delivers the technology and the process-change to do this.”
by Gary Mintchell | Jul 8, 2024 | Operations Management, Software
I just posted about collaboration within an organization. Many companies now send news about supplier collaboration and relations. Supply chain has never been my focus in writing. My early career involved procurement and supplier relationships. This is more than a passing interest. Aras invited me to their customer conference this spring. I’ve been impressed with many of its initiatives and technology.
Aras, a leader in product lifecycle management (PLM) and digital thread solutions, announced availability of its new Supplier Management Solutions for Aras Innovator. This suite of applications streamlines collaboration, assessment, and connectivity with suppliers and OEMs by providing secure, remote access to controlled subsets of digital thread and PLM information through configurable mobile-optimized web applications.
Product oriented organizations rely on suppliers and business partners as extensions of their operations. In recent years, the supply chain has experienced increasing pressure from strict compliance regulations, new sustainability initiatives, and an increased focus on transparency. For example, the Digital Product Passport initiative in the European Union strives to promote sustainability and sourcing transparency by mandating tracking and reporting guidelines for a range of industries starting in 2026. Many organizations struggle to meet these demands due to outdated systems, limited visibility into partner information, and inconsistent communication with supply chain partners.
Aras’ Supplier Management Solutions empower organizations to collaborate more effectively with suppliers and OEMs via a unified secured environment, allowing all users access to a single set of processes and data that is up to date. By facilitating communication, data sharing, and connectivity across the full lifecycle of product development, organizations can achieve better visibility, data analytics, and efficiency. They can also reduce inventory and overhead costs, while improving quality control.
Key Features and Benefits
- Controlled Access: Provides secure, remote access to relevant PLM information for suppliers and OEMs. This reduces program delays and ensures timely enhanced communication and trust between all users.
- Streamlined Communication: Facilitates bi-directional communication and threaded discussions between organizations and suppliers, resulting in quicker, better and transparent decision making. Inform suppliers of risks, changes to shipping addresses or company policies by sending Buyer Notices
- Configurable Applications: Customized mobile-optimized web applications to meet specific business needs and support processes, improving flexibility, productivity and performance.
- Document Sharing: Allows sharing of relevant supplier documents such as CAD files and product specifications to all stakeholders trusting in one source of truth. This results in improved pricing, timing and quality from suppliers.
- Platform Security and Compliance: Ensures a secure, traceable bi-directional exchange of information between supply chain partners. With automated processes for supplier quality and risk management, organizations can effectively address compliance issues and regulatory risks, maintaining consistent quality standards across the supply chain.
- Measure Supplier Performance: Monitor supplier performance with supplier scorecards allowing Buyers to compare and make more informed sourcing decisions. Issue suppliers corrective action requests (SCARs) and track progress through collaborative workflows.
