Industry News, Trends and Technology, and Standards Updates

In December, 2020, Cimetrix Incorporated was honored as a Utah Top Workplace by the Salt Lake Tribune.

The Salt Lake Tribune partnered with Philadephia-based Energage to rank the Top Workplaces in Utah. Energage surveyed workers from over 1,300 Utah companies on a variety of topics to rate their workplace. Out of this pool, just 100 companies were selected as Utah Top Workplaces. Companies were then placed in categories by number of employees. Cimetrix was ranked 12^th out of the 45 finalist companies in the “small business category”.

At Cimetrix, we believe the key to a successful business is having a values based culture that focuses on ensuring our customer’s success and having everyone in alignment. Employees need to be doing a job they love, working on something they are passionate about and being rewarded for contributing to the company’s success.

We are honored that Cimetrix employees feel so passionate about the culture we’ve built that we were selected at a Utah Top Workplace for 2020.

While we were recently acquired and will now operate as the Cimetrix Connectivity Group within PDF Solutions, that doesn’t change our commitment to employees, culture and the core values that have made us successful. Employees drive our success and we look forward to a 2021 filled with new opportunities and potential.

Today’s blog posting highlights the latest and most recent activity with the Cimetrix Book Club. Our employees constantly strive to develop their skills, share information, and keep up to date with the industry. Part of this effort includes an employee book club that involves many of our team members each month, and from time to time we cover some of their favorites here on our blog!

Today's book is titled "The Art of Unit Testing" by Roy Osherove. The book review is by Westley Kirkham, a Quality Engineer based in Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

“The Art of Unit Testing” guides the reader step by step from writing the first simple tests to developing robust test sets that are trustworthy, maintainable and readable.

In the first section, Osherove explains what a unit test is, the properties of good unit tests, and why they are so important. The lion's share is dedicated to the nitty-gritty of writing and maintaining unit tests specifically, and testing suites generally. The first part of the section goes in depth to show how Mocks, Stubs and Isolation frameworks are used to test your code. The last section discusses how to deal with resistance to change from co-workers and management if you're trying to introduce Test-Driven Development or Agile methodologies, as well as how to deal with legacy code. Osherove also shares his insights on what tools he believes are the best aids in unit testing. ReSharper is one of his favorites, but he also reviews Nsubstitute, Moq, CodeRush and others.

One section that stood out to our team was Osherove's three pillars of a good unit test—trustworthiness, maintainability, and readability.

Trustworthy tests are up-to-date, simple and correct. There are no duplicate tests, and they do not test any old functionality or functionality that has been removed. The unit test only tests one item and doesn't conflict with other tests. The bugs the test finds are actual bugs in the code, and not bugs in the test.

Maintainable tests are flexible, and don't break with each minor change to the product. The tests are isolated. They are not over-specified and they are parameterized.

Readable tests are easy to understand and do not require the developer or tester who comes after you to spend extra time understanding what you've written. The test names are descriptive, and the asserts are meaningful. Any failures or issues caught will lead the developer in the right direction.

These three pillars should apply to all that we write, not just tests.

At Cimetrix, much of what Osherove teaches is already integrated into our engineering culture. As part of our implementation of Agile, developers write unit tests to verify that the functionality they have coded is correct. It is then reviewed by another developer and a member of the QE team to ensure that common use cases and important edge cases are covered and that the functionality is complete. All code must follow naming conventions and styles verified through ReSharper. For all of our products, unit tests are run on each build, and integration tests are run nightly.

Osherove's lessons on unit testing implementation, testing suite organization, and test-driven development integration are simple and practical. This book would benefit any team looking to improve the fidelity of its software products and the efficiency of its engineers.

Meet Richard Andrew, CCF Services Software Engineer at Cimetrix. Read on to learn a little bit more about Richard.

How long have you worked at Cimetrix?

I have been working at Cimetrix for just over two years now.

When did you graduate and what degree did you get?

I graduated from Utah Valley University with a Bachelor's of Science in Computer Science.

What drew you to Cimetrix originally?

I wanted to work on fun tools and equipment, and get to control robots!

What is your role at Cimetrix currently?

I am a Software Engineer on the CCF (CIMControlFramework) Services Team.

What do you think it means to a client to have a great CCF services team?

Having a great CCF services team means clients can either have Cimetrix do part or all of a project  and trust that it will accomplish what they need and they won’t have to worry about it. We value being able to give our clients peace of mind.

What do you like best about the work you do at Cimetrix?

I like the fulfillment I get when our customers are happy with our software and the work we do on our Services team.

What is something you’ve learned while working at Cimetrix?

I’ve learned how to be a better developer and how to work on various projects to accomplish unique goals. I’ve learned how to talk with clients, understand their needs and train them on how to best utilize our software.

What is one of the hardest challenges you’ve been faced with at Cimetrix and how did you overcome the challenge?

Becoming Microsoft certified required a lot of dedication and effort both in the office and outside.  It was like going to school full time and working full time at the same time.  I overcame it through dedicated studying, spending the time required, and taking lots of practice tests!

What is your favorite vacation spot?

I like to go fishing up in Alaska.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I like to play softball, play games, and spend times outdoors.

Meet Khoi Ha, CCF Services Software Engineer at Cimetrix. Read on to learn a little bit more about Khoi.

How long have you worked at Cimetrix?

I've been at Cimetrix for almost 10 years now (November 2020)!

When did you graduate and what degree did you get?

I graduated from Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal in Montreal Canada in 1990. My degree was in Electrical Engineering.

What drew you to Cimetrix originally?

One of my previous semiconductor companies which I worked for used the Cimetrix CIM300 product so I knew about Cimetrix before I came here. But I was spotted and hired by a previous Director of Engineering.

What is your role at Cimetrix currently?

I am a Software Engineer in the CCF Services Team. 

What do you think it means to a client to have a great CCF services team?

As an engineer for the Services team, we go through the customer requirements and then we must understand and come up with strategies to tackle them. We break the requirements into work items and implement or resolve them one by one. We go through many scenarios of tests for the implemented features. We then consult back with the customers once the features have been implemented correctly and as intended. We make sure that the customer is satisfied with every implementation, and we make sure to deliver on time. In our spare time, we either enhance our documentation or create product trainings.

What do you like best about the work you do right now?

I enjoy helping our customers to be successful by assisting them in building their systems effeciently and on time. 

During my years at Cimetrix, I have been part of different departments (Services, Engineering and Support).  I was involved with CIMConnect, CIM300 and especially in CCF product development.  This extensive product knowledge has helped me tackle challenges when I'm called on to integrate our software with customers equipment.  

What do you like best about working at Cimetrix?

Cimetrix is like a family company. I always feel that people are here to help each other build great products and offer our clients valuable solutions. Every time I've had a challenge getting something done, I was able to rely on other product experts and engineers to help me with the issue and resolve it in a timely way.

What is your favorite vacation spot?

Hawaii or Bora Bora (Well I've never actually been to Bora Bora, but I'm crossing my fingers that one day the company might send me there!)

What do you like to do in your free time?

I am learning to play my guitar, and I always like to play around with my gadgets.

Meet Harry Aldrich, CCF Services Software Engineer at Cimetrix. Read on to learn a little bit more about Harry.

How long have you worked at Cimetrix?

I've been at Cimetrix for just over a year now and I work from Camden, Maine.

When did you graduate and what degree did you get?

I graduated with a BA in Physics from Gordon College in Massachusetts.

What drew you to Cimetrix originally?

I have actually been a happy customer of Cimetrix for close to 15 years, and I enjoyed working with the products and team. I'm excited to now be a part of this company.

What is your role at Cimetrix currently?

I am a Software Engineer on the CCF Services Team.

What do you think it means to a client to have a great CCF services team?

Cimetrix makes great products that are foundational to the successful implementation of equipment for today's factories. Having robust products to rely on is great, and having a company that stands behind those products is even better. 

I have benefited greatly from the experts at Cimetrix in Services and Solutions who have "been there and done that", both from their knowledge of the standards to their expertise in the products that implement them.

What do you like best about the work you do at Cimetrix?

I value the opportunity to work with a number of different customers on a variety of equipment that present new and interesting challenges.

What is something you’ve learned while working at Cimetrix?

I have learned the importance of continuing to learn all the time.

What is one of the hardest challenges you’ve been faced with at Cimetrix and how did you overcome the challenge?

Learning a new platform (CCF) as part of a new team (CCF Services) with new responsibilities are among the challenges I've faced. I think teamwork and coaching have been the most significant things in dealing with these challenges. 

What is your favorite vacation spot?

Tirol, Austria

What do you like to do in your free time?

I am an avid golfer and a big sports fan.

Meet Anderson, a member of our Solutions Engineering team. Anderson lives and works in South Korea, and is an integral part of our Korea office. Read on to learn a little bit more about Anderson.

How long have you worked at Cimetrix?

I have worked at Cimetrix for for just under a year.

Where did you go to school and what is your degree?

I attended the Korean University of Technology and Education and recieved a Bachelor of Science while I was there. 

What is your role at Cimetrix?

I am a Cimetrix Solutions Engineer located in South Korea.

What drew you to Cimetrix originally?

I wanted to be able to use my skills to support customers, but also to find ways to work on and improve on products. At Cimetrix, I am able to do both of these things on a regular basis.

What do you enjoy most about the work you do?

I enjoy working with and supporting the development of new customers by using my experience and skills in software engineering.

What do you think it means to provide great customer support?

I think we have to make sure our customers are satisfied with their experience with Cimetrix. I like to make sure the customers can grow with us and they know we support them.

How do you deal with challenges that come up at work?

I always like to try to work on problems myself, but I like knowing I have many collegues I can ask for help when needed.

Do you have a favorite quote or saying? Why?

I like "There is no spoon" from The Matrix movie. That thinking has changed me!

What are your top 3 favorite movies?

1. The Matrix
2. The Dark Night Rises
3. Source Code

What’s your favorite vacation spot?

Anywhere that has a beach, and I also enjoy camping in my free time

Meet Rich Kingsford, CCF Services project Manager at Cimetrix. Read on to learn a little bit more about Rich.

How long have you worked at Cimetrix?

I've been at Cimetrix for just under a year.

When did you graduate and what degree did you get?

I finished my graduate work and received my MBA in 2012.

What drew you to Cimetrix originally?

I had never worked on hardware integration before – just software integrating with other software.  I wanted to do something new and round out my experience.

What is your role at Cimetrix currently?

I am the Project Manager for the CCF Services team. I oversee and coordinate various projects with a variety of clients, concentrating on things such as scope, timeline, execution, quality, resources, and finance.

What do you think it means to a client to have a great CCF services team?

It's important that our clients know we are executing successful project after successful project. To me, this means we knock out all the scope in the desired timeline while staying within budget, even if the scope changes or other challenges hit us.

What do you like best about the work you do at Cimetrix?

I like seeing the iterative improvements to our analysis, reporting, and tracking systems. Finding and addressing the vulnerabilities in these is so important. I also enjoy learning about machine risks and mechanisms we can build to prevent the risk events or handle them if they occur (contingency planning).

What is something you’ve learned while working at Cimetrix?

In a status meeting recently, a client asked us for a contingency plan for when a wafer might slip out of place on a FOUP. We designed a solution that would identify the risk event, alert the user, and take damage-prevention metrics. This taught me a valuable risk mitigation tactic and helped the customer to gain a really cool preventative control.

What is one of the hardest challenges you’ve been faced with at Cimetrix and how did you overcome the challenge?

One challenge that comes to mind was when a client wanted payment options that were different from our standard practice. We’d never done things in this new way before, so we responded quickly by designing a solution, getting everyone on the same page, and trying it out. It worked ok and we learned a lot.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
Favorite is a tough one, but Bear Lake comes to mind – I love the KOA campground over there (especially its Pickleball and Shuffleboard courts).

What do you like to do in your free time?

I really enjoy instructing a few courses at some universities. I teach a software development capstone, an agile management, and a finance class. I also like playing Pickleball, Pool, Basketball, and board games when I can persuade my kids to put the screens down and play with me.

Meet Brent Forsgren, the Director of CCF Services at Cimetrix. Read on to learn a little bit more about Brent.

How long have you worked at Cimetrix?

I have been at Cimetrix for over 15 years!

Where did you go to school and what is your degree?

I graduated from Brigham Young University and my degree is in Computer Science.

What drew you to Cimetrix originally?

I wanted to find a smaller company where I could come in and immediately make an impact. Cimetrix fit that perfectly. 

What is your role at Cimetrix currently?

I am the Director of CCF Services, where my team and I provide solution architecture guidance to our client's success. For our customers, this means they should have complete confidence that we will work hard to ensure they are successful. 

What do you like best about the work you do at Cimetrix? 

I love working with our clients and seeing them have successful outcomes.

What’s something you’ve learned while working at Cimetrix?

I knew nothing about the semiconductor industry before I came to work at Cimetrix. Everything I know about semiconductors and the electronics industry, I learned while working here.

What is one of the hardest challenges you've been faced with at Cimetrix, and how did you overcome the challent?

I had not been with Cimetrix for very long when I was asked to help a client implement a GEM300 solution for their tool. As I mentioned above, I was brand new to the semiconductor industry, and that included the SEMI Standards and the GEM300 standards. I had read through the GEM300 standards, but I had not yet had an opportunity to apply them. Fortunately for me, there were GEM300 experts at Cimetrix. With their guidance and help, I was able to successfully deliver a CIM300 solution to the customer and I helped install and test it in the factory. I appreciate the team environment here at Cimetrix.

What’s your favorite vacation spot?

I really like Kauai, Hawaii.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I like to work in my yard and in my vegetable garden. I also enjoy flying my drones and playing with my two dogs (Boxers).

Meet Samson, a member of our Solutions Engineering team. Samson lives in Taiwan and is an integral part of our Taiwan team. Read on to learn a little bit more about Samson.

How long have you worked at Cimetrix?

I have been here about one and a half years

Where did you go to school and what is your degree?

I graduated from Taiwan Tamkang University. My bachelor’s degree is Management Information System (MIS).

What is your role at Cimetrix?

I am an engineer on the Solutions Engineering team, and I am based in Taiwan.

What drew you to Cimetrix originally?

When I interviewed, I liked the Cimetrix working culture very much.

What do you think it means to provide great customer support?

Our customers sometimes have some limitations when they are using our software. We need to understand what the current situation is that they face before we give them any suggestions. We not only provide good software to our customers, but we also try to provide the best service.

What’s something you’ve learned while working at Cimetrix?

Working at Cimetrix is very special. You need to keep learning all the time, because there is so much knowledge we have to pick up.

What are your top 3 favorite books?

The Little Prince
Crime and punishment
Turn left and turn right (向左走向右走)

What’s your favorite vacation spot?

I most enjoy going to my grandfather’s house. It is located in a rural area in the south of Taiwan. We have a very big courtyard in the front of house. On summer nights we roast chicken, corn and sweet potatoes.

What do you like to do in your free time?

Stay with family, cycling, cook a cup of tea.

To our valued clients and partners –

With the ongoing spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), we are in unprecedented times. This situation changes rapidly, and Cimetrix wants to reassure our clients and partners that we are continually adapting our operations and business practices to ensure that we continue to serve your needs and that no client experiences a decline in the quality or responsiveness of our technical support.

Today I want to personally share what we are doing to maintain continuity during this time.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

As always, our technical support capabilities can be accessed around the clock, anywhere in the world. We have offices throughout Asia, the U.S. and Europe to make sure that your needs are taken care of 24 hours a day. While many of these offices are in countries that have asked their residents to self-isolate, we will continue to work remotely to make sure all the needs of our clients are covered.

PRODUCT SUPPLY

Some of our clients have asked if our supply of products could be interrupted during the COVID-19 virus. We currently expect no interruptions whatsoever in our supply of products.

SAFTEY OF OUR CLIENTS AND EMPLOYEES

I have personally requested that the employees of Cimetrix stay home if they show any signs of illness. In addition, I have also issued a statement to all employees saying they should work from home if their local government requests it, or if they feel their health could be compromised. Cimetrix has long been a proponent of the work-from-home option, allowing even employees near a Cimetrix office to work from home several days a week. We are now very experienced at working collaboratively with employees in many different locations, including employees working from home. We do not expect any decline in our ability to serve our clients or continue executing our product roadmaps.

In addition, when and if it might be appropriate for our team members to visit our clients’ facilities, our team members have been coached on appropriate hygiene requirements as well as ensuring they will not visit if they feel unwell. As always, the health and safety of our clients, employees and partners is of paramount concern.

Cimetrix is determined to stay connected and working for you. We will continue to evaluate this evolving situation, and are here to assist all of our clients as needed.