Did You Know? offers a quick look at the broad scope of activities underway within the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Federation of members and partners, highlighting recent accomplishments and new resources related to standardization.
SMACNA Offers Free Web Tools for Engineers and Contractors
The Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA), an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, has two free web tools available to assist engineers, contractors, architects, and designers in making crucial calculations on the job.
The Air Duct Leakage Tool allows professionals to accurately and easily estimate the leakage of air from ductwork, and provides a simple way to determine a pass or fail for properly specified Duct Air Leakage Tests. The Downspout and Gutter Sizing Calculator, a new addition to SMACNA's online tools, assists in determining sizes for downspouts and gutters. The tool assesses rain intensity based on location, combining that information with user-entered information such as design area, to provide its recommendations. Additional tools are available for SMACNA members.
Click here to view the SMACNA web tools.
SHRM Webcast Offers Interviewing Tips
TheSociety for Human Resource Management (SHRM), an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, has a freely available on-demand webcast with suggestions for a successful interview.
The Art of the Interview guides recruiters, hiring managers, and other professionals in developing their interview values and strategy, allowing them to create meaningful questions. Listeners will learn how to foster a great interview experience for their candidates and their organization.
The one-hour webcast will be available through September 2017. Click here to access it.
RIA Publishes White Paper with Insights into Collaborative Robots
The Robotic Industries Association (RIA), an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, has published a free white paper on the field of collaborative robots.
"Collaborative Robots: End User Industry Insights" explores the use of robot employees that work alongside humans in a safe and productive manner. The paper addresses which industries may benefit from collaborative robot operation, what features are most valued in collaborative robots, and whether collaborative robots will replace traditional industrial robots.
The white paper was developed based on interviews with representatives of end user companies in industries including aerospace, automotive, electronics, life sciences, and plastics. Input was also provided by technical experts in robot manufacturing.
Learn more and access the white paper on RIA's website.
PCI Infographic Highlights Password Security Safety
The PCI Security Standards Council (PCI), an ANSI member, has published an infographic on password security that emphasizes the importance of a more complex password.
The infographic provides examples of passwords and how long it would take for each password to be cracked by data thieves. The password "bigmac," for example, would take 0.077 seconds to crack, while adding uppercase letters and a number for "B1gMac" would increase the time to 14 seconds. As the passwords become more complex, they take increasingly longer to crack, culminating in 344,000 years to crack "B1gMac&fries."
Stakeholders are also advised to change default or preset passwords like "password" or "admin" immediately. To view the infographic and learn more about password security, click here.