Category Archives: Automation

A Jack in the Box store opening in San Diego. Photo by Ken Stone

San Diegos favorite burger business, Jack in the Box, recently announced financial results for the second quarter, which, in reality, werent all that good, but the company was upbeat for the future, despite soaring operating costs due to current turbulent economic conditions.

The results included both Jack in the Box units, as well as the recently acquired Del Taco Mexican fast-food chain. That acquisition was completed in March.

According to a earnings release, Jacks system-wide sales for the quarter increased a tiny 0.1%, in large part driven by growth in average restaurant volumes, but offset by a slight decline in the number of restaurants.

While challenged by continued inflationary pressure facing our industry, we are pleased to have delivered strong same-store sales on a two-year basis. This performance has allowed our franchisees, operators and corporate team members to provide our guests with innovative and craveable food they have come to expect from Jack, said Darin Harris, the companys chief executive officer.

Like other competitors in the fast-food sector, Jack faces rising labor costs in its efforts to offset labor shortages as the economy emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Industry publication Restaurant Business said that Harris has found at least a partial solution in terms of combating inflation.

The solution, wrote the magazine, is self-cleaning shake machines.

Specifically, automated shake machine cleaning, along with simplifying burger builds and new cheese pumps, are among a handful of efforts that over time could improve profitability by 200 basis points, the magazine wrote.

In its earnings announcement, Jack in the Box said its overall restaurant level margin is now expected to be less than 17%, down from the previous 20% to 21%, which includes high single-digit price increases, compared to previous estimates in the mid-to-high single digit range.

It reported $1.16 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts estimates of $1.36, according to online financial news site MarketWatch. The firm posted $322.29 million in sales for the quarter, compared to a consensus estimate of $341 million.

The company declared a quarterly dividend on May 27, according to the Wall Street Journal. Stockholders of record June 7 will receive a dividend of 44 cents per share on June 22.

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Speaking of burgers, Irvines The Habit Burger Grill, is opening another San Diego location here inPacific Beach.

TheSan Diegoarea is home to over 15 Habit Burger Grill restaurants, and we are so excited to be opening a drive-thru inPacific Beach! Guests can look forward to great handcrafted food and our signature Habit Hospitality, saidIwona Alter, an executive for the company in a news release.

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San Diego private investment firm Copley Equity Partners, which focuses on making deals in the lower middle-market companies with strong growth opportunities, said that it has made an investment in industry-leading advisory firm FMG Leading. The amount of the investment was not disclosed, according to a news release.

FMG Capital is a national service provider that offers lending and financing solutions to small to medium sized businesses, according to its website. The firm provides working capital in amounts ranging from $5,000 to $5 million.

Established in 2012, Copley has offices in Denver and Boston. And according to its website, the firm partners with growing, lower-middle market private companies.

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MG Properties, a local real estate owner and operator, has acquired the 275-unit Verona Apartments inHenderson, Nevada. MG Properties said owns five other properties in theLas Vegassubmarket, according to a release.

MG Properties says it has acquired 11 communities in 2022 so far, totaling more than 2,800 units exceeding$990 millionin value. The company says it is looking for more acquisitions inthe West.

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At a recent annual awards dinner, the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce recognized the 331-bed Tri-City Medical Center as Business of the Year in the large company category at recent awards festivities.

The chamber cited the Oceanside-based hospital for its innovations in robotic surgery, its response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its outreach initiatives as well as future projects, including a new emergency room, a new 3T magnetic resonance imaging system and construction of a 16-bed, adult inpatient psychiatric facility in partnership with San Diego county.

Other finalists in the large company category included healthcare equipment maker Quidel and theme park Legoland California Resort.

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Business travelers heading to San Diego International Airports Terminal 1 can expect to encounter major changes starting June 5 and extending through all 12 months of 2024. The terminal is undergoing a massive five-year, $3.4 billion re-do, and numerous changes are underway to accommodate the rebuild.

Officials said that parking will be significantly reduced this summer, with the terminal lot closed on June 5. All cars parked at the lot need to exit by June 14. The terminal parking lot permanently closes the next day.

One June 15, the pedestrian bridge to the parking lot and to the ground transportation island will be shuttered and replaced with a crosswalk.

Officials said the construction is an important piece of the new project that will replace the currentfacility and make way for a new parking plaza to open at the end of 2024.

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Construction company Webcor has hired veteran construction executive Cecilia Kucharski to rejoin the prominent general contracting firm, as vice president and regional manager, to lead its San Diego office.

Cecilia brings to Webcor an established presence, once again in San Diego, with a deep understanding of the markets were interested here, and complete knowledge of the community, its subcontractors, elected officials and the way things get done in the region, said Matt Rossie, Webcors top executive.

What I love about San Diego is that its more recession-proof than other markets, Kucharski said. Obviously, we have defense contractors, a very robust health care market, life science and higher education market. Those are stable markets, which positions San Diego as very attractive for long-term growth.

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The Board of the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy said that long-time local environmental specialist Cheryl Goddard has been named as its new executive director.

According to a news release from the conservancy, Goddard brings more than 20 years of local government experience to the position, including more than 15 years of County of San Diego land-use and environmental-planning experience.

Goddard has a masters in public administration from San Diego State University, and bachelor of arts degrees in ethnic studies as well as urban studies and planning from UC San Diego.

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And finallyMira Costa College student John Siebelink, a military veteran who is afirst-generation college attendee, was recently awarded theJack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship that pays up to $55,000for tuition, books, and housing for up to three years at a four-year school.

Mira Costa said Siebelink was selected asone of 1,200 applicants across 332 community colleges.Siebelink said he hopes to transfer to the University of California, Los Angeles. He is the president of the Creative Writing Club on campus.

Tom York is a Carlsbad-based independent journalist who specializes in writing about business and the economy. If you have news tips youd like to share, send them totom.york@gmail.com.

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Tom York on Business: Jack in the Box Sees Automation Improving Profitability - Times of San Diego

This report studies theTreasury Automation Marketwith many aspects of the industry like the market size, market status, market trends and forecast, the report also provides brief information of the competitors and the specific growth opportunities with key market drivers. Find the complete Treasury Automation Market analysis segmented by companies, region, type and applications in the report.

The report offers valuable insight into the Treasury Automation market progress and approaches related to the Treasury Automation market with an analysis of each region. The report goes on to talk about the dominant aspects of the market and examine each segment.

Top Key Players:Cashforce,Citi,Coupa,Deliveroo,Financial Data Exchange,Finastra,FIS,Fiserv,FISPAN,GTreasury,HighRadius,HSBC,Infosys,ISO,IT2,Kyriba,Planixs,Serrala,SmartBear,SWIFT,TCS,Temenos,TIS,Treasury4,Trovata,Wells Fargo,Wipro.

Get a Samplecopy:https://www.reportsandmarkets.com/sample-request/global-treasury-automation-market-4451184?utm_source=dj&utm_medium=46

The global Treasury Automation market segmented by company, region (country), by Type, and by Application. Players, stakeholders, and other participants in the global Treasury Automation market will be able to gain the upper hand as they use the report as a powerful resource. The segmental analysis focuses on revenue and forecast by region (country), by Type, and by Application for the period 2022-2028.

The report titled, Treasury Automation Market boons an in-depth synopsis of the competitive landscape of the market globally, thus helping establishments understand the primary threats and prospects that vendors in the market are dealt with. It also incorporates thorough business profiles of some of the prime vendors in the market.

Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers

Research objectives:

The report lists the major players in the regions and their respective market share on the basis of global revenue. It also explains their strategic moves in the past few years, investments in product innovation, and changes in leadership to stay ahead in the competition. This will give the reader an edge over others as a well-informed decision can be made looking at the holistic picture of the market

Key question answered in this report

Table of Contents: Treasury Automation Market

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Treasury Automation Market is booming Globally with Top key players -Cashforce,Citi,Coupa,Deliveroo - Digital Journal

ANN ARBOR, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Daymond John, the star of ABCs Shark Tank and founder and CEO of American hip hop apparel company FUBU, will share tips to success in business and life as the first keynote speaker at Automate 2022 in Detroit this June. His presentation, Daymond Johns 5 Shark Points: Fundamentals for Success in Business and Life, will highlight his unique goal setting and achievement strategies to help empower attendees to make positive changes in every aspect of their lives. Automate is North Americas largest automation tradeshow, running June 6-9 at Huntington Place in Detroit. Registration is free.

Johns keynote is June 6 at 8:45 a.m. Additional featured keynotes include:

Every keynote speaker and industry leader presenting at Automate brings unique insights that will empower attendees to advance their own careers while taking their businesses to the next level, said Jeff Burnstein, president of the Association for Advancing Automation, the organizer of the event.

Whether youre a small business owner looking to automate for the first time or the plant manager for a Fortune 500 enterprise ready to find the next innovation that will help you overcome labor shortages or decreasing productivity hitting everyone lately, we have no doubt youll find something to help reach your professional and personal goals during these sessions.

Dozens of Industry Innovators Set to Present at Automates Conference

Automate returns to Detroit after two decades in Chicago. Held at the citys Huntington Place Center, the event offers more than 550 exhibitors showcasing the latest in robotics, machine vision, artificial intelligence (AI), motion control, and smart automation.

Alongside the keynotes and panels associated with the trade show, Automate hosts a four-day educational conference (admission fee required). Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with over 100 industry experts on industrial robotics, collaborative robotics (cobots), autonomous mobile robotics (AMRs), AI, machine and computer vision solutions, and motion control technologiesalong with the latest innovations on automation applications.

Sessions include business-focused topics such as Why Automate? Manufacturing Consideration in Today's 'New Normal,' Getting Started with Robotics and Connecting Automation to Business Challenges as well as more technical sessions like:

Explore the Automate conference agenda here. The conference also includes sessions specifically designed for achieving Certified Vision Professional (CVP) and Certified Motion Control Professional certifications, programs to help strengthen knowledge and stand out in the industry with specialized and technical expertise.

Reminders:

About Association for Advancing Automation (A3)

The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) is the leading global advocate for the benefits of automating. A3 promotes automation technologies and ideas that transform the way business is done. Members of A3 represent nearly 1,100 automation manufacturers, component suppliers, system integrators, end users, academic institutions, research groups and consulting firms from throughout the world that drive automation forward.

A3 hosts a number of industry-leading events, including Automate Preview Series (Ongoing), the Automate Show & Conference (June 6-9, 2022, in Detroit, MI), The Autonomous Mobile Robot & Logistics Week (October 10-13, 2022, in Boston, MA), The Vision Show (October 11-13, 2022, in Boston, MA) and A3 Business Forum (January 16-18, 2023, in Orlando, FL).

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Shark Tank's Daymond John to Open Automate 2022 in Detroit Next Monday - Business Wire

PORSGRUNN, Norway--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Emerson (NYSE: EMR), a global provider of industrial automation technology and software, has announced a framework agreement with paint manufacturer Jotun to automate and digitalize its global manufacturing facilities. The five-year agreement will enable Jotun to implement Emersons digital technologies to enhance all aspects of manufacturing automation in new factories, and for selected upgrades in some of its 39 existing factories around the world.

Jotun is one of the worlds leading manufacturers of decorative paints and marine, protective and powder coatings. Through its agreement with Emerson, Jotun will increase process automation and create a standardized digital technology solution for new factory projects, which will help the company achieve increased throughput, uptime and product quality, while reducing operating costs.

In securing a long-term automation partner with the expertise required to support our journey, we will have access to systems, competence and support serving our needs when constructing and operating technically advanced and efficient paint factories around the world, said Fredrik Urdahl, Jotuns group technical director - operations. Emersons advanced automation technologies and focus on providing standardized project methodologies, as well as global and local support, were critical factors in our selection for collaboration.

Jotun will initially focus on standardizing on Emersons modular, scalable and easy-to-use DeltaV distributed control system in new factory projects. The intelligent control will ensure consistent, integrated batch processes, minimizing risk to product quality and enhancing productivity.

The agreement also enables Emerson to deliver a wide range of automation solutions to improve Jotuns manufacturing operations. These could include advanced sensor technologies, data management and analytics platforms, software applications, predictive maintenance and remote monitoring techniques and asset management tools.

We have a long track record of helping companies introduce technologies and processes that lead to game-changing enhancements, and Emerson is committed to helping Jotun realize significant ongoing production efficiency improvements, said Mark Bulanda, executive president of Emersons Automation Solutions business. We will help support Jotuns transformation efforts not only through our industry-leading portfolio of digital technologies and solutions, but also from our Project Certainty methodologies.

For more information on Emersons DeltaV automation solutions, visit Emerson.com/DeltaV.

Additional resources:

About Emerson

Emerson (NYSE: EMR), headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), is a global technology and engineering company providing innovative solutions for customers in industrial, commercial and residential markets. Our Automation Solutions business helps process, hybrid and discrete manufacturers maximize production, protect personnel and the environment while optimizing their energy and operating costs. Our Commercial & Residential Solutions business helps ensure human comfort and health, protect food quality and safety, advance energy efficiency and create sustainable infrastructure. For more information visit Emerson.com.

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Emerson Selected by Jotun to Automate Global Manufacturing Plants to Optimize Production Efficiency - Business Wire

London, United Kingdom, Thu, 02 Jun 2022 16:18:43 / PhantMedia. / Network Automation Software market to surpass USD XX billion by 2030 from USD XX billion in 2021 at a CAGR of XX.X% in the coming years, i.e., 2021-31.

Fatpos Global added new report into their database named Network Automation Software MarketNetwork Automation Software SegmentsBy Product Type Cloud-Based Web-Based By End-User Large Enterprises SMEs 20212031 Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, and Forecast. The study offers historical data from 2016 to 2021, as well as a forecast for 2022 to 2031 based on revenue (USD Million).

Network Automation Software market to surpass USD XX.XX billion by 2030 from USD XX.XX billion in 2021 at a CAGR of XX.X% in the coming years, i.e., 2021-31.

Network Automation Software Market Summary:

Complete reportSample PDFCopy is ready: (Including List of Tables, Charts, Figures, TOC)published by Fatpos Global.

Global Network Automation Software Market: Drivers and Restrains

Global Network Automation Software Market: Segment Breakdown

The research report divides the market into segments based on region (country), manufacturer, product type, and application. During the forecast period of 2021 to 2031, each product type gives information on production. Consumption is also provided for the Application sector for the predicted period of 2021 to 2031. Understanding the segments aids in determining the importance of various market growth variables.

The Key Players mentioned in the Network Automation Software Market Research Report include:

Competitive Landscape:

Due to the vast number of players in this industry, the Global Network Automation Software Market is highly consolidated. The research goes into great detail on these companies' present market position, previous performance, production and consumption trends, demand and supply graphs, sales networks, growth potential, and distribution methods. The study examines prominent market participants' strategic approaches to growing their product offerings and strengthening their market position.

Request a Discounton the Network Automation Software Report (with COVID-19 Impact Study)

Exploring a Few Radical Features of the Network Automation Software Market Report:

Directly Get a Copy of the Report Network Automation Software Market

Network Automation Software MarketReport Scope and Segmentation

Report Attribute

Details

The market size value in 2021

The revenue forecast in 2031

Growth Rate

The base year for estimation

Quantitative units

Report coverage

Segments covered

Regional scope

Key companies profiled

Some of the key questions answered in this report:

About Us

Fatpos Global is a leading management consulting, advisory and market research organization that serves its clients globally through its team of experts and industry veterans that have years of expertise in management consulting, advisory and market research analysis. The organization functions across business consulting, strategy consulting, market research, operations consulting, financial advisory, human resources, risk & compliance, environmental consulting, software consulting, and sales consulting amongst others, and aims to aid businesses with bold decisions that help them embrace change for their sustainable growth.

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Network Automation Software Report 2021: Global Size, Industry Shares, Revenue, Innovative Technologies, Recent and Future Demand, Growth Statistics,...

Materials characterization, failure analysis and service laboratories are under increasing pressure to provide robust, reliable, and statistically relevant results while offering higher throughput and maximum process efficiencies.

Automation offers a means of addressing these pressures and challenges. It provides a reliable means of optimizing instrument use, improves the accessibility of instruments, and can reduce the barriers to entry in terms of experience and specialist knowledge.

One of the most important benefits of automation in todays results-driven, highly competitive application environments, is the ability to process more samples and conduct more measurements to improve data density and therefore the overall quality of the data.

More results per sample, or more samples per batch are crucial to improving overall statistical reliability and affording manufacturers, and quality assurance teams increased confidence in their measurements. The ability to acquire more data is also essential for fundamental materials research and development and failure analysis, where increases in available data can be central to achieving vital insights into the performance or failure of a component or product.

This article explores the benefits of automation by using several specific materials characterization applications. It provides practical examples of how we have implemeted automation of these processes and outlines some of the tools and approaches which laboratories can employ in automating their own imaging processes, helping to streamline their instruments workflows.

The article also looks at how automation tools can provide users with added insights into their processes, ultimately empowering them to evaluate, refine and customize these to meet their specific application needs.

Image Credit: Automation can greatly accelerate nanoparticle characterization. Here, a grid covered with mixed nanoparticles (Si, Ni) was chemically analyzed using a Thermo Scientific Talos F200X G2 TEM with a Thermo Scientific Super-X G2 Detector and the Automated Nanoparticle Workflow (APW). An area with a total width of 1.01mm was analyzed by acquiring 53 16 (848) tiles with a total of 138M+ pixels. Overall, 3,937 nickel and 4,546 silicon nanoparticles were analyzed. Total acquisition time was 18 hours and was performed fully unattended using Thermo Scientific Maps and Velox Software. Processing was done on the fly with Thermo Scientific Avizo2D Software during tile acquisition.

Analyzed on a Thermo Scientific TalosF200X G2 with Super-XTM G2 and automated nanoparticle workflow pack (APW)

The most widely recognized and common outcome of automation is improved process efficiency.

Manual processes, irrespective of the application or analysis type in question, are typically more time-consuming than their automated counterparts.

For example, SEM technology has evolved a great deal since its inception. It is no longer always necessary to manually adjust or align the column prior to acquiring an image, but the process of acquiring an image is often performed manually by an operator.

This issue is compounded by the requirements of many quality assurance processes that require multiple images of the same sample to be collected, often from randomized locations, to gain a truly representative, statistically robust set of data.

Each of these images may require its brightness, contrast, or other characteristics to be adjusted before analysis can occur, and images must be stored in a coherent, logical manner for later retrieval or further processing.

Automating this process through the use of scripting, a proprietary or third-party instrument interface, or a software tool can transform this labor-intensive, time-consuming process into one where an operator can simply run a recipe. Allowing operators to step away from the instrument to focus on other tasks and then return later to collect the results or move onto the next stage of the experiment.

A key benefit of automation is its potential to improve the accessibility of instruments. accessibility in this context carries several different meanings.

For example, some advanced instruments feature automated data acquisition processes that can be triggered remotely, allowing operators to begin a task while physically distanced from an instrument.

This capability has been key to many laboratories in allowing them to continue operating within the new normal of remote working and social distancing that many industries have found themselves working within.

Once the data acquisition or analysis task has been completed, operators can retrieve results via online portals, cloud-based databases, or remote mirrored versions of instrument interfaces.

Automation has the potential to lower the barrier to use for several instruments. With complicated, multi-stage experimental and analysis procedures accessible via a user-friendly interface within a few clicks, it is possible to quickly acclimatize new operators to a laboratories most advanced data acquisition processes.

It is also possible to ensure that new processes are up and running rapidly by leveraging automation tools such as calibration wizards.

In sectors where laboratories must be responsive and adaptable, the ability to quickly implement new analysis processes and leverage consistently optimized instruments is key.

Image Credit:Aluminum sample, where a 5x6 array of S/TEM lamellas has been prepared with AutoTEM software fully unattended, undercut and ready for lift-out in 6 hours. The software allows automatically defining the array and shifting individual locations, to more precisely position the lamella.

Human error is widely regarded as a key factor in diminishing the reliability of data and negatively impacting the repeatability of results, with even the most experienced operators likely introducing a degree of bias when processing tens or hundreds of samples.

Automating processes and minimizing user intervention make it possible to improve repeatability and reliability vastly.

Precise results require optimized, consistent experimental procedures and analysis techniques. The use of automated recipes with carefully planned, certified, and industry-standard steps can ensure that results are consistent between batches of samples and between laboratories or between different manufacturing sites.

Applications where manual analysis may be subjective, for example, image analysis of TEM samples or the manual interpretation of XPS spectra, can benefit significantly from the use of software-based algorithms that can objectively analyze, label, and categorize images based on predefined factors.

This degree of consistency is key to many research and development and quality assurance processes. This is particularly important when seeking to analyze components or products in line with ISO, ASTM standards.

These regulated standards require transparent, demonstrable approaches that precisely adhere to prescribed steps throughout every analysis. In research and development applications, consistency is essential in ensuring confident, repeatable results that can be used as the basis for future development and decision-making.

Users wanting to move beyond commercially available automation tools and those built into their instruments can benefit from using an array of scripting tools, depending on their specific equipment.

Scripting offers users a direct, programmable interface to control their instruments hardware and mode of operation. Most instruments will use either a standard or proprietary scripting language.

For example, the Thermo Scientific PhenomTM desktop SEM employs the Phenom Program Interface (PPI) platform, which can be programmed via the popular languages Python or C#, depending on the users preference and expertise.

A script can be understood as an automation recipe a series of commands that users create (either themselves or using existing modules or open-source tools) to perform a specific task or series of tasks.

For example, a user could write a script to program the Phenom SEM to acquire a series of 100 images of a sample from different, randomized locations using a series of scripted commands, a random number generator, and a loop function.

Using automation tools or third-party applications, or even taking the time to work with scripting languages like Python or C# can significantly improve the level of control and process customization available to any process.

Artificial intelligence represents the next shift towards increasingly automated, intelligent processes.

Many artificial intelligence-based applications are based on the concept of the neural network or machine learning, tools that have been trained by the developer or user to make decisions based on specific inputs.

For example, a neural network may be trained to analyze grayscale SEM images to detect particles with a specific orientation or composition, highlighting these in the image to enable more straightforward quantification or further analysis. The neural network will apply a number of filters to the image based on what it understands the particles of interest to look like, applying these filters until it has completed its analysis.

As well as offering a more objective analysis with no notable operator bias and repeatable results, the use of artificial intelligence as a means of advanced automation allows processes and analyses to be completed in vastly shorter timescales than would be possible manually.

Image Credit:The Thermo Scientific Spectra 200 scanning transmission electron microscope (S/TEM) is the high-throughput, aberration-corrected, scanning transmission electron microscope for all materials science applications.

Automation should never be implemented for automations sake, and it is important to consider the tangible benefits of automating a process before committing to this.

Much of the criticism of automation stems from the misguided belief that it deskills users by obscuring the inner workings of a process and removing the need to learn its fundamentals. When implemented in the right way, however, automation can empower and educate users.

For example, completing an advanced task using a wizard interface that displays each individual step on screen and keeps the user informed at every stage will allow a novice user to complete an advanced task while gaining valuable insight into the process.

In instances where users spend the time using scripting tools or neural networks to devise their own automated processes, they are prompted to consider their approach and methodology in more detail than perhaps ever before.

While it should be as user-friendly as possible, a well-designed automated system should offer more than just simple push-button operation. Users must be provided the option to customize parameters at each stage of the process, and they must receive clear, timely feedback throughout to enable troubleshooting and customization as required.

Thermo Fisher Scientific instruments fulfill these requirements, empowering users to complete complex tasks, helping to alleviate backlogs, and minimizing the risk of bottlenecks. Automated recipes can also provide a valuable foundation for the development of more sophisticated, customized methods.

Overall, automation improves productivity by optimizing the utilization of the instruments in a lab, increasing engagement in these processes, and minimizing idle time. Automation makes complex processes more accessible, allowing labs to be flexible and adaptable enough to accommodate complex, shifting analysis requirements in ever-evolving markets and sectors. Automation is also a key tool in ensuring confidence in results, helping to remove human error from processes and ensuring that experiments and analyses are high-throughput, repeatable and consistently performed.

Thermo Fisher Scientific has extensive experience in supporting customers in automating and streamlining their workflows across research and development, quality control, failure analysis, and related tasks. The companys team is on hand to provide more information and product demos as required.

In his 25 years with Thermo Fisher Scientific, Richard has held diverse roles covering applications, product development, marketing and commercial management. During this time his focus has primarily been on the companys surface science, microscopy and microanalysis portfolios for materials characterisation.

Richard attained his PhD in Surface Physics from the University of Liverpool in the UK. His studies were related to the study of the electronic and magnetic structure of ultra thin film rare earth films using synchrotron radiation.

Thermo Fisher Scientific is the world leader in serving science. Through our Thermo Scientific brand, we provide innovative solutions for electron microscopy and microanalysis. We offer SEMs, TEMs and DualBeam FIB/SEMs in combination with software suites to take customers from questions to actionable data by combining high-resolution imaging with physical, elemental, chemical and electrical analysis across scales and modes - through the broadest sample types.

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The Advantages of Automation: Improving Accessibility, Delivering Productivity, and Ensuring Confidence - AZoM

We are excited to bring Transform 2022 back in-person July 19 and virtually July 20 - 28. Join AI and data leaders for insightful talks and exciting networking opportunities. Register today!

As a longtime supply chain technology professional and head of a software company focused on enterprise (B2B) cloud integration, Ive been watching several key trends that are shaping the fortunes for ecommerce and digital transformation as organizations push through the business impacts of the ongoing pandemic. These include the need for more IoT deployments and the rise of collaboration platforms to cope with increasingly remote and hybrid work environments. Were also seeing enterprise end-to-end visibility across the business ecosystem emerge as a top C-suite priority.

These factors will help define the level of success organizations can expect in transforming data into value and impact. Ecosystem Integration, which is an advanced approach to multi-enterprise B2B/EDI integration that creates seamless end-to-end integrations that connect partners, applications, systems, and marketplaces, enables organizations to leverage collaborative platforms and increase end-to-end visibility. Its a multilayered approach with various technologies that, when combined, amount to more than the sum of its parts. For the sake of this article, lets zero in on automation as the common underlying capability that will best serve in the months and years ahead as an increasingly critical lynchpin for successful ecosystem integration adoption.

As we continue to adjust to the new normal of pandemic-induced pressures on supply chain and business processes overall, automation and no-code are becoming more central as a foundation for digital transformation. Thats because COVID-19 showcased the fragility of manual processes. Recall how organizations struggled under the pressure of workforce lockdowns and the virus hindered efforts to become more agile in supply chain and other operations that were disrupted by the pandemic.

The pandemic is not yet over, but far enough along that we can see how companies like Amazon and others that invested in automation succeeded in growing both revenue and profitability despite the shutdowns. These success stories are sinking in, and thats driving consensus and C-suite buy-in at more companies to automate core business processes. Further accelerating adoption is the increasing availability of tools and techniques that lower the barriers to entry for companies that may have thought automation solutions were out of reach.

Automation tools and the low-code technologies that support them are fueling an expanded list of use cases and applications. Low-code automation simplifies the complexities of traditional back-end programming through more user-friendly interfaces and apps. This can shorten development cycles and allow organizations to automate more of the core processes that most impact operations and revenue.

Automation can help businesses in the process areas hit hardest by the pandemic.Consider the realm of transportation, a key part of the supply chain equation in a time when supply chain logistics have been hammered by COVID-19.

Developer experience (DX) teams can automate order processing and customs documentation with new electronic data interchange (EDI) capabilities, complete with rules engines for validating load tenders, invoices and shipment-status messages.Trucking providers can also enhance their application programming interface (API) integration to achieve more accurate load-tender processing and eliminate errors between the various transportation management systems (TMSs) of freight customers. With the right automation, these efficiencies can hold up even at the scale of large fleets.

Transportation logistics may be near the epicenter of pandemic impacts, but those impacts ripple far and wide through the spectrum of business operations. Thats why the opportunities and benefits of automation extend across the broader spectrum of business process automation.

For instance, companies hoping to excel in ecommerce and direct-to-consumer (D2C) operations can leverage automation to gain visibility and control across revenue-critical business processes like order-to-cash and procure-to-pay. This can be done by automating end-to-end processes that streamline the integration of internal applications with the external ecosystem of business partners, ecommerce sites, marketplaces and even consumers directly.

Automation allows for more efficient, scalable and agile control over a wide range of integration use cases that deliver more valuable insights and smoother operations. Along with this comes better visibility and more steady and secure innovation as organizations evolve their operations, even in the face of pandemic disruptions and other business headwinds. Thats why, as we forge further ahead into 2022, automation and no-code are cementing their place as vital components for any digital transformation.

Mahesh Rajasekharan is CEO of Cleo.

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COVID-19 makes automation more important than ever for enterprise integration - VentureBeat

The newly released Studio 5000 Logix Designer version 34 industrial automation software release allows for support of the latest hardware, while giving customers an improved download and online experience that helps to enhance the export of project-simultaneous activity. Key enhancements include:

Portfolio alignment with FactoryTalk Linx and CIP Security showcases the combined developments and applications in the latest version. Developments in the FactoryTalk Linx platform provide an opportunity to help reduce unproductive time and improve system efficiency. CIP Security is now supported in standard and safety platforms, including ControlLogix 5580 controllers, GuardLogix 5580 controllers, CompactLogix 5380 controllers and Compact GuardLogix 5380 controllers.

Productivity enhancementssuch as improved download performance are the biggest value to the Studio 5000 Logix Designer V34 experience. In coordination between Logix Designer application development and FactoryTalk, Linx, users should notice that the reduction of download times is significant. These online enhancements are delivered by combined advances in Studio 5000 Logix Designer V34 and FactoryTalk Linx 6.30. Additionally, online import and export of project activity, including comments and documentation made by others without first going offline with the controller are now available.

V34 also adds new data types configured as Time types. Created Time data types helps to reduce the manual formatting of integers or Add-On Instructions to represent time and allow for more rapid and repeatable formats for time in projects.

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Rockwell Automation Industrial Automation Software Offers New Online Capabilities and Improved Download Experience - ARC Advisory Group

With new breakthroughs happening in electronic prior authorization technology, industry stakeholders are curious what CMS may ultimately mandate in its forthcoming final rule and what types of solutions will help facilitate the changes.

A resident expert from MCG Health answered questions about potential approaches the federal government might take as well as new technologies that could support the evolution of authorizations. Rajesh Godavarthi, the Associate Vice President of Technology and Interoperability at MCG Health, who also serves on the WEDI Board of Directors and the ONC HITAC, discusses these important topics below.

Question: With regard to the healthcare industrys efforts to automate prior authorization decisions and pending rules from CMS, are there any new updates on that front?

Rajesh Godavarthi: As it pertains to the federal government, I feel that the establishment of electronic standards around prior authorization is among their highest priorities. It ranks up there with efforts to promote health equity and a couple of other initiatives. They know the burden of prior auth is real, and they understand how it can impact patient outcomes.

Earlier this year, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) put out a request for information (RFI) to gather data from a wide array of healthcare stakeholders, like the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Hospital Association (AHA), and the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare (CAQH) a lot of prominent organizations to look at ways to develop a criteria for the best ways to approach EMRs (electronic medical records). And by that, I mean how can they enable the EMRs to support the necessary data elements and workflows that can be expose to the payers (or the technology partners) to automate the process. Theyre currently looking at the best ways to start a certification process. However, they do acknowledge that the HL7 Da Vinci Project standards are not fully matured to impose as a strict criteria. They will probably take a more measured approach that allows the industry to mature a little bit and have some pilot studies or connectathons. I think once they start seeing more industry progress, they will start creating specific certification criteria around the question, Does this require prior auth? And then theyll look at the next piece. So, instead of saying health plans and health systems need to have an end-to-end automation in place (according to the specs), I think theyll take a more modular approach.

Q: There was a lot of buzz at HIMSS 2022 in Orlando about MCG Healths advances in interoperability and automating authorization decisions. Your company appears to be ahead of the curve in this area. Can you tell us a little about that?

RG: Yes. MCG has been working with a large payer and two hospital systems based in Ohio. Weve started automating their inpatient workflows which are pretty complex when compared to elective procedures and prior auth. The work that MCG has done with all sides to facilitate the communication between the payer and provider systems helps enable a clean exchange of data for authorizations. What we have learned since we rolled out our Cite for Collaborative Care solution last year, is that you need to make the statuses of the authorization transparent at every point of communication so that providers know (1) their auth request has been delivered successfully to the payer, (2) it has been reviewed by the payer, and then (3) the determination is transmitted back. We have seen a tremendous success and rapid adoption as these hospitals asked us to add more facilities and end users. Today, 70% of the authorization decisions from these hospitals to the payer are being automated through this platform.

Q: Integrating a solution like this into the hospital EHR platforms and the payers utilization management (UM) system sounds challenging. What were some of the top learning moments for this type of project?

RG: On the EMR side, we have worked with CarePort and Allscripts for this project. They control the actual provider workflow, so we collaborated with them to make sure the APIs (application programming interfaces) are implemented properly so that the hospital staff can know their request has been submitted and they can seamlessly receive the status. The MCG team worked very closely with CarePort to make sure everything worked, and this dovetails into everything MCG is also doing with the HL7 Da Vinci Project. We are working with other industry leaders to develop the standards such as How do you create a CDS hook? so that things can be initiated from the provider. Much of the work weve done as a part of the HL7 Da Vinci Project is to make the providers workflow much more seamless so that they dont have to do any additional actions to get complete the authorization request. With the payers medical management system (MMS), we learned that there is a lot of information on their side, but not everything is exposed. At least to the point where we can take it and communicate it to the provider. In those cases, we initiated certain extensions to get the information about the status whether it is approved, denied, or pended and relay that back to the provider. We just had to work with the different systems to learn what information needed to be shared and then we built the pipes that could deliver it between the payer and provider.

Q: What has the feedback been from these hospitals systems using the platform?

RG: As of today, one of the hospital systems is sending all emergent cases to the payer via this platform which is anywhere from 45-70 cases per day. Since they are receiving authorization determinations via their EHR, this has reduced the faxes they receive from the payer by about 800 per month. This is a 57% reduction in faxes for their hospital system, and it has saved about 20 hours per week of manual, administrative burden. They also reported significant increase in employee satisfaction (especially around auto approvals), and their UM staff felt the streamlined workflow. We are currently in discussions with them to expand the use of the platform in other use cases.

Learn more about what is being done to reduce the burdens of prior authorization for both providers and payers.

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Breakthroughs in Prior Authorization Automation: An Expert Offers Insights - Becker's Hospital Review

Automation has been perceived both as a useful tool and a source of anxiety. Tasks that have been automated take a lot of legwork from workers, but they have also made some jobs obsolete.

Because of automation, the world is changing. Elevator operators (AKA liftboys) may not be there anymore to push buttons that lead to your floor and telephone switchboard operators that connect your calls seem like a relic of the past.

The IT sector has also transformed over the years due to automation introducing faster and more sophisticated technology to consumers and businesses.

New advancements in automation have also changed cybersecurity, the world in which robots hold an important place due to machine learning and artificial intelligence.

How can security automation technology help to grow your businesses by saving your IT teams time and cutting costs?

Some possibilities of security automation include:

Detailed forensic reports cover the state of security of your systems. These reports continually compare the attack surface, summarize the methods of attacks and possible vulnerabilities following the attack, and highlight high-risk threats.

They will summarize the top priorities and suggest the next step in security save hours of manual work on similar reports for your teams.

Additionally, they aid in recognizing different threats and flaws in the system because they contain a lot of data that compares attacks surface before and after a possible incident.

Automated tools that recognize and mitigate possible threats can defend your systems from known dangers and prevent unauthorized access from a third party.

For new threats or more complex attacks, your IT team will take over as soon as they get a report that indicated a high-risk flaw or suspicious activity in your systems.

Most businesses already have a lot of tools that can defend the system, but they might not know if they work at least until cybercriminals find the flaw within their system.

Simulation of attacks in a safe environment confirms whether your protection software and your teams are ready for a possible data breach.

Replacing manual and expensive annual penetration testing for automated attack simulation that tests your tools 24/7 helps your teams discover possible vulnerabilities on time.

For your IT teams, automation can make their workflow smoother and their workload less overwhelming. Automation makes teams more efficient, without making them feel as if theyre facing seemingly impossible and never-ending tasks.

Since repetitive tasks get automated, they free up time and mental space for other more important jobs that require more sophisticated solutions.

Therefore, IT teams can be more productive because automation reduces the number of time-consuming manual and repetitive tasks.

IT teams work by taking care of top-priority tasks and move on to the less pressing tasks. If they dont have time to take care of the manual tasks, they are always left at the bottom of their unmanageable to-do lists taking up their mental space.

Also, automated reports can highlight only the high-level threats that require your teams attention. Alert fatigue is an issue that many teams are facing due to the large number of notifications they get.

When it comes to these alerts, members of your team might decide that theyre false and accidentally discard high-risk issues.

Burnout is becoming increasingly common in the cybersecurity industry. Heavy workloads and added pressure contribute to the continuous and prolonged exposure to stress. This has unfortunately resulted in burnout has already caused many talented specialists to switch their profession.

Any tool that can outsource part of the workload from your teams and turn their workplace into a more manageable one is a worthy investment.

Automation is a cost-effective way to help your IT teams, even if your business doesnt have sufficient funds to employ new members that take care of your cybersecurity.

Considering that a lot of the tasks get automated, teams arent overwhelmed with multiple manual tasks. With the less important tasks outsourced to robots, they can focus on high-priority tasks and meet deadlines.

Therefore, instead of employing more IT members, you can cut costs by having fewer experts that work efficiently.

Also, automation and generated reports can warn your IT team of high-risk threats before they turn into expensive incidents.

With false alerts that disrupt their workflow out of the way and reports that summarize only the high-risk issues they should pay attention to; theyll use the proper tools and software to mitigate the threat in the early stages of the attack.

The long reaction time it might otherwise take to respond to the attack can be financially damaging to businesses. Cyberattacks take a major financial toll on businesses during the recovery phase following the attack.

In cybersecurity, robots have a special place in the hearts of IT teams because automated security takes over when it matters the most.

Cybersecurity experts are tackling attack surfaces that are constantly in a state of ebb and flow. As everything changes within the systems that your teams try to keep safe, it seems as if they are up against an endless to-do list.

New tools and software are being added to protect your attack surface, new employees are logging in and out of your systems, and cybercriminals are finding new ways to attack.

Any of these changes can result in new vulnerabilities that need patching up before hackers discover and exploit them to get into your systems. All that can be overwhelming for your cybersecurity teams.

Automated solutions are the key to managing ever-changing attack surfaces without sacrificing your IT teams mental health or causing them to rethink their profession.

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Security Automation Cuts Down Expenses and Saves Time for IT Teams - TechSpective