Industry News, Trends and Technology, and Standards Updates

It's time to meet the folks that keep Cimetrix running - our Front Office team! Meet Emily Wang, a Cimetrix Staff Accountant. Read on to learn a little bit more about Emily.

How long have you worked at Cimetrix?

I’ve been working at Cimetrix for about 2 months.

What is your role at Cimetrix?

I am a staff accountant here at Cimetrix.

What drew you to Cimetrix originally?

I found the Staff Accountant position posting on LinkedIn. I had a video interview, and that was the first time I met people from Cimetrix. All of them were very nice and friendly even though they knew almost nothing about me at that time. Among all the companies I have interviewed with, Cimetrix was the first one that had a focus on a personality test. The company’s care about an employee’s personality surprised me and that’s the time I realized this company was looking for someone who really fit the company culture.

What do you enjoy most about the work you do?

This is my first full-time job after college. I find it interesting that the accounting knowledge I learned from books exists in the real world and this knowledge can actually help the growth of a company. It feels amazing knowing that my knowledge can help. Moreover, I am not just doing repetitive daily work at Cimetrix. There are always new challenges and tasks assigned to me. The company always says they want to set me up for success, which encourages me a lot.

What do you find to be most challenging about your job?

I am still learning, and I knew little about practical accounting work when I started working here. It can feel confusing when the real-world scenarios are so different from the theoretical. But the more exposure I get to the practical world, the more I realize that accounting is not just about numbers, but about helping the company be sucessful. 

What are your top 3 favorite books and/or movies?

I don’t watch a lot of movies, but I watch millions of TV series. My top favorite three are: Doctor X, Person of Interest, and Modern Family. The actress in Doctor X, Ryoko Yonekura, is a part of the reason I came to US.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I liked to train my cat when he lived with me, although he never understood. I like video games. My favorite two are League of Legend and Overcooked.

It's time to meet the folks that keep Cimetrix running - our Front Office team! Meet Joshua Castro,  a Cimetrix Staff Accountant. Read on to learn a little bit more about Joshua.

How long have you worked at Cimetrix?

I have worked at Cimetrix for over a year. This is my first job after graduating from the Masters Program at the University of Utah, and I hope to work here for much longer.

What is your role at Cimetrix?

I am a staff accountant here at Cimetrix. For the most part, I process purchase orders from customers and ship Cimetrix software to them. I am also in charge of the company’s payables and employee expense reimbursements using Mineral Tree and Certify. We have a small accounting team here at Cimetrix, so I also help with various accounting projects for the executives.

What drew you to Cimetrix originally?

I found out about the staff accountant position through the University of Utah career website. What drew me in the most was how much they are devoted to finding the right people for the company by conducting a very thorough interview process. It shows that they care for the employees, and want to make sure they find people who are the right fit for the company’s culture. The people are also very friendly, and I could tell that it feels like a family here.

What do you enjoy most about the work you do?

I like being challenged so it is always invigorating when I'm assigned to do new accounting projects. I am not being trained just to perform simple accounting tasks. Rather, the leadership are sculpting me to become a well-rounded accountant. I have been the lead as I've taken on different accounting projects, which allows me to use my accounting skills and knowledge. I feel like the company cares about my growth which encourages me to work even harder.

What do you find to be most challenging about your job?

The most challenging part about my job is juggling between the different accounting functions I am in charge of. This is especially hard during the period of the year when clients tend to send the most puchase orders. It would be easy to get overwhelmed by this, on top of my other accounting duties and deadlines. However, this has taught me to organize and prioritize my tasks so that I can complete them all on time. I keep a checklist of things I need to do for the day and the week. This helps me keep track of things I need to do, and it feels good as I check off each task from my list. These challenges have also taught me to just take a break from my work when I am feeling stressed. I take short walks outside to clear my mind, so that I am reenergized when I return back to my duties.

What are your top 3 favorite books and/or movies?

I don't have a favorite book, but I watch a lot of movies. My top 3 movies are:

1. Thank You For Your Service – This is a well-executed movie about what it is like for our military service members who have just returned home from their service. I have two family members who served in the military, and I have gained so much more respect and understanding about what they have done for our country. The movie captures a large range of emotions, and I feel for the characters in the movie.
2. A Star is Born – The directing of this movie is so well-done. I have not seen the previous versions of this movie, but this was a great storytelling of Hollywood. The soundtrack is also amazing.
3. Four Sisters & A Wedding – This is a Filipino comedy movie about four sisters who are trying to stop their younger brother from marrying a girl they do not like. I like this movie because it has a lot of my Filipino culture in it, and I have dealt with similar things with my own sisters.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I like to spend time with my 6-month old Dalmatian Radar. He used to be in a military bomb-sniffing program before we got him, but the owners decided that that was not the right route for him. We bought him from the military and are training him to become a service dog specifically for PTSD. He is currently in puppy school, and I’m also training him to do different tricks and commands. I also like to hike and travel so we usually do trips in our trailer to different hiking spots. The most recent hike is at Zion National Park where we did Angels Landing. It was a long hike but I safely crawled my way up to the top. Lastly, I play video games on my free time. I enjoy the game Overwatch, which is a fun team-based game with different characters and abilities.

For the last couple of years, we have published a number of beneficial series in this forum to help contribute to the understanding of many of the standards in the manufacturing industry. In case you missed some of them, we are going to re-cap and link to the most popular today.

GEM Features and Benefits

This series features 15 separate posts with videos and information on some of the most important aspects of the GEM (SECS/GEM) standard. This series is one of our most popular ever and was written by a number of the Cimetrix engineering team who have studied and practiced GEM for many years.

EDA Application and Benefits in Smart Manufacturing

With the adoption of the latest SEMI EDA (Equipment Data Acquisition, also known as Interface A) standards accelerating significantly over the past 2 years, we felt it was time to highlight the applications across the industry that make the best use of these standards, and the specific manufacturing benefits that result. 

Models in Smart Manufacturing

In this series, we highlighted the importance of explicit and standardized models in the context of equipment communications interfaces and some of the “smart” factory applications they support. 

EDA Testing

Since the EDA/Interface A adoption process has now clearly reached critical mass, we must seriously address the question “How are we going to test the equipment and systems that incorporate these standards?” This is an excellent question, and one that has a multi-part answer, which is addressed in this 6-part series.

These, and many others including a the Cimetrix Book Club and Meet-the-Team series are some of what you can find on our blog. Be sure to subscribe today!

It's time to meet the folks that keep Cimetrix running - our Front Office team! Meet Jake Strong,  Cimetrix Controller. Read on to learn a little bit more about Jake.

How long have you worked at Cimetrix?

I've been at Cimetrix for 4 years and 4 months.

What is your role at Cimetrix?

Controller

What drew you to Cimetrix originally?

I was coming from a company where my role was highly specialized and I was looking to work for a company where I could have a more involved and comprehensive role in the accounting department. Cimetrix provided me with that opportunity. In addition, once I had my first interview, I was immediately drawn in by the friendliness of the admin team and impressiveness of the executive team.

What do you enjoy most about the work you do?

I really enjoy the people with whom I work. I also enjoy that my position enables me to work with all of the other departments within Cimetrix; that gives me the opportunity to work with nearly every employee and to be involved with all aspects of the company.

What do you find to be most challenging about your job?

A result of working in a role that touches so many other parts of the company is that I frequently come up against projects that are unrelated to any of my previous work experience. However, this has enabled me to gain a lot of valuable exposure to areas beyond just accounting and to develop critical thinking and research skills that will serve me in all of my professional life.  

What are your top 3 favorite books and/or movies?

Ever since streaming TV took off I have been watching fewer and fewer movies. So, I’ll give you my top 3 TV series: Seinfeld, Game of Thrones and VEEP.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I like to be outdoors as much as possible. During the summer I spend a lot of time at the pool or paddle boarding at the lake with my wife and 3 kids. We also like to camp, hike and explore all of the amazing state and national parks that Utah has to offer; in the winter I snowboard while I wait for summer to start again. I also like to gather around good food and sporting events with my family and friends.

Cimetrix team members from around the world gathered in Japan for our annual Global Sales Meeting. The entire Cimetrix sales team was in attendance, as well as all of our Asian based Solutions Engineering team members, representatives from product management and our Smart Factory Business unit. The meetings were held at our new Cimetrix Japan office located in Yokohama, outside of Tokyo. Our hosts from Cimetrix Japan made sure everyone’s time in Japan was very comfortable and the cherry blossoms were still in bloom. We also took advantage to visit key customers in Korea and Japan both before and after the sales meeting.

The sales meetings included updates on the Company’s long term strategy and product roadmaps. Team members reviewed local trends in their regions, which included North America, Europe, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, China and Southeast Asia. In addition, team members reviewed the record number of new customers gained over the past several years, customer trends and plans to ensure customer satisfaction.

Everyone was in agreement the Cimetrix strategy to open local offices with sales and technical support has been working very well as customers greatly appreciate dealing with local people that share the same language and culture. As the leading provider of software solutions for equipment connectivity and control in the smart factory, this strategy allows Cimetrix to provide the highest levels of passionate customer support to ensure our customer’s success, as well as develop direct relationships with major customers to help drive product roadmaps.

In the past, many companies in Asia used competitive solutions from small regional suppliers. However, now that most companies do business worldwide, they prefer to deal with a larger company that is truly global and an expert not only in their native country, but everywhere their products are sold. Cimetrix is uniquely positioned to fill these needs.

It was very exciting to see the great team members that have joined Cimetrix and are working hard for our success around the world!

To contact us around the globe, visit our Contact page and select your local office.

It's time to meet the folks that keep Cimetrix running - our Front Office team! Meet Kelli Freshman, a Cimetrix Administrative Assistant. Read on to learn a little bit more about Kelli.

How long have you been working at Cimetrix? 

I have worked at Cimetrix since June of 2018, though it feels like I’ve been a part of this team for much longer.

What is your role at Cimetrix?

My official position is Administrative Assistant, providing support to all of the employees of Cimetrix. My day to day tasks vary greatly from all things big and small. I enjoy arranging the details of travel, gatherings and client visits, ensuring things go smoothly. I am responsible for maintaining the calendar for the office, tracking our employees near and far as they visit clients, tradeshows, or work remotely all over the globe. Annually, Cimetrix holds an “All Company Gathering” which is a week where all of our employees, regardless of where they work/live, meet in Salt Lake City for training, team building and a lot of fun! This event includes many moving parts and I love making sure it all goes off without a hitch.  

What drew you to Cimetrix originally?

The first things that attracted me to Cimetrix was the thoroughness and precision that comes behind every decision. From the smallest details to the largest decisions, they place the utmost importance in making sure whatever they decide will move the company forward. Having worked here, I value the team atmosphere more than anything. Regardless of your position, opinions are heard and valued. I also appreciate the attitude of getting the people that are best suited for any position and letting them shine at that, rather than trying to stretch employees thin doing everything.

What do you enjoy most about the work you do?

I find it incredibly rewarding to be a part of things going smoothly, according to plan. I love helping people and making them feel welcome and happy at work. 

What do you find to be most challenging about your job?

There are definitely a lot of different aspects of my job. Keeping track of the different tasks and varied responsibilities takes a focus and ability to multi-task to a level at which I haven’t had to reach before. I’ve enjoyed the challenges of this position, and excited to continue to help other departments in the areas I have experience in. 

What are your top 3 favorite books and/or movies?

As for books, I really enjoy checking thrillers and self-help books out from the library and setting them on my nightstand until they are due and I have to take them back unread.

The first half of movies are usually pretty good, then I fall asleep because my husband’s shoulder is incredibly comfortable. I notoriously fell asleep in the theater before the beginning credits started when the new Star Wars movie came out.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I’m a somewhat newlywed, and love spending time with my husband and our six kids. We enjoy the crazy and the not crazy times equally, whether we’re exploring Utah or enjoying quiet nights at home.

It's time to meet the folks that keep Cimetrix running - our Front Office team! Meet Brice Laris, Human Resources Manager at Cimetrix.

Read on to learn a little bit more about Brice

How long have you been working at Cimetrix? 

I've been at Cimetrix a little under a year.

What is your role at Cimetrix?

I am the Human Resources Manager.

What drew you to Cimetrix originally?

The opportunity to create a Human Resources organization for a company that had never needed one, but now did because of its growth. 

What do you enjoy most about the work you do?

The opportunity to train employees on the “soft skills” that help them to be successful. 

What do you find to be most challenging about your job?

Finding candidates that are a great fit for our specialized positions. At Cimetrix, we want talented people, who want a long term career, and who can exemplify our company’s core values of Integrity, Team, Growth and Clients. Finding one of those attributes is easy, two is challenging and three is down right difficult. But when you do find that great candidate and there is alignment between what we want and what the candidate wants, it is a great day!

What are your top 3 favorite movies and/or books?

Movies: 1. Independence Day, 2. all of the Star Trek movies JJ Abrams didn’t do, and 3. Hamlet 2.
Books: 1. Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn, 2. World War Z by Max Brooks, 3. Red Rising by Pierce Brown

What do you like to do in your free time?

Travel, especially to places where there is a beach or a Disney park. I also read about 24 books a year, play video games and take care of my three cats. 

It's time to meet the folks that keep Cimetrix running - our Front Office team! Meet Devin Stone, a Cimetrix Sales & Marketing Administrator. Read on to learn a little bit more about Devin.

How long have you been working at Cimetrix? 

I've been working at Cimetrix for just shy of two years.

What is your role at Cimetrix?

I provide administrative support to our global sales team as well as our marketing department. A large part of my role at Cimetrix is working on the development and maintenance of our new CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system and integrating it with our marketing automation and accounting systems. 

What drew you to Cimetrix originally?

I was looking for a job where I could put my Dynamics CRM background to good use when I found the opening at Cimetrix. After my first day of interviewing and meeting the team, I was really impressed with the people and the positive company culture. 

What do you enjoy most about the work you do?

The team is full of amazing people who are fun to work with each day.

What do you find to be most challenging about your job?

Developing the CRM has presented tons of puzzling obstacles that require a lot of creative thinking. Sometimes the intuitive solution just won't work for whatever reason and you have to try something outside-the-box. It's challenging but very rewarding once you find a solution and see it working in action.

What are your top 3 favorite movies?

My top 3 favorite movies right now are Don't Look Now (1973), Last Tango in Paris (1972), and Santa Sangre (1989), in no particular order.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I spend most of my free time playing guitar, collecting / listening to records, trying my hand at new recipes, and spending time with my girlfriend.

Meet Morgan Kap, one of our QE Software Engineers. Read on to learn a little bit more about Morgan.

How long have you been working at Cimetrix? I have been working at Cimetrix for about 9 months.

Where did you go to school and what did you get your degree in?

I attended Brigham Young University and studied Information Systems.

What brought you to Cimetrix originally?

I came to Cimetrix after finishing school and was excited about joining a company that is an industry leader and has a great company culture.

What do you like most about your job?

My favorite part so far has been being able to contribute to product releases and finding features that can be improved before a release.

What do you think it means to provide great Quality Engineering?

I think that great Quality Engineering is working together as a team to ensure that every release that leaves our doors are of the best quality. Also continue to grow professionally as a team so that we can always be improving the work we are doing.

What’s the biggest accomplishment you’ve had at Cimetrix?

I am still new to the team so being able to make a contribution and help with release testing has been a really exciting experience.

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

I rely on the expertise around me. If I am struggling with something everyone is so willing to help me understand how our products work.

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

I have learned so much! I have learned about how all our products function and the value they bring to the industry we operate in.

What’s your favorite vacation spot?

I love going to Bear Lake and spending time boating.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I spend time teaching horseback riding lessons and reading.

Meet Bryce Ostler, one of our QE Software Engineers. Read on to learn a little bit more about Bryce.

How long have you worked at Cimetrix?

I have been working here at Cimetrix for just over a year now.

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

I earned my B.A. in Accounting and an MBA from the University of Utah. I also earned a B.S. in Computer Science from Utah Valley University

What brought you to Cimetrix originally?

A friend of mine who already worked at Cimetrix mentioned that there was an opening here and I was graduating with my B.S. in Computer Science.  I liked the people I interviewed with and the friendly, positive atmosphere here.

What do you like most about your job?

People here at Cimetrix are helpful when I have questions, and I get to learn more about Software Development through my work.

What do you think it means to provide great Quality Engineering?

Solving problems and learning from them to prevent problems in the future, as well as researching good industry practices that can be implemented to help prevent problems.  Emphasis on incremental enhancements to build a resilient engineering environment.  Identifying and solving problems before they occur.

What’s the biggest accomplishment you’ve had at Cimetrix?

Integrating with the team and contributing along with the team.

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

• Identify the details related to the challenges
• Identify potential solutions
• Do/prepare what I can do to address it on my own
• Work with teammates to complete a solution
• Verify solution works/is working
• Identify lessons learned from the challenge
• Do periodic follow-ups to verify long term endurance

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

I've learned to develop in Micrososft Visual Studio.  I've also learned more about the factory automation industry and processes.

What’s your favorite vacation spot?

Right here in the mountains of Utah!

What do you like to do in your free time?

I like bouldering, running, mountain biking, programming, and reading.