LIFTLIFT A magazine of the Web Sling & Tie Down Association Fall 2022 Digital Advancements in Rigging Products and Systems RFID as a Maintenance Management System Secure LET’S GET DIGITAL: Manufacturing in the Age of IoTFALL 2022 5 PERSPECTIVE 7 A Message from the President of the Web Sling & Tie Down Association 9 A Message from the Executive Director of the Web Sling & Tie Down Association ON THE COVER 11 Let’s Get Digital: Manufacturing in the Age of IoT FEATURES 15 RFID as a Maintenance Management System 17 IoT Connectivity: Digital Advancements in Rigging Products and Systems MEMBER SPOTLIGHT 19 Tuffy Products: Quality Makes the Difference IN THE KNOW 21 Cyber Security for Small Businesses 22 Automation, Robotics, and the Economy SPECIAL SECTION 23 Save the Dates: WSTDA’s 2023 Meetings YOUR ASSOCIATION 24 WSTDA’s 2022-2023 Scholarship Program: And the Winners Are… 25 Looking Back on WSTDA’s 2022 Annual Meeting 26 INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Lift & Secure is Printed for: The Web Sling & Tie Down Association 2331 Rock Spring Road Forest Hill, MD 21050 (443) 640-1070 info@wstda.com https://www.wstda.com Published by Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Please return all undeliverable addresses to: 5605 Riggins Court, Second Floor PO Box 41270 Reno, NV 89504 Toll-free: (866) 999-1299 Toll-free fax: (866) 244-2544 https://www.matrixgroupinc.net President & CEO Jack Andress Operations Manager Shoshana Weinberg sweinberg@matrixgroupinc.net Senior Publisher Jessica Potter publishing@matrixgroupinc.net Editor-in-Chief Shannon Savory ssavory@matrixgroupinc.net Senior Editor Alexandra Kozub akozub@matrixgroupinc.net Editor / Social Media Manager Jenna Collignon, Paul Adair Finance / Administration Lloyd Weinberg, Nathan Redekop accounting@matrixgroupinc.net Director of Marketing & Circulation Lloyd Weinberg distribution@matrixgroupinc.net Sales Manager - Winnipeg Neil Gottfred Sales Manager - Hamilton Jeff Cash Account Executives Colleen Bell, Rob Gibson, Jim Hamilton, Frank Kenyeres, Sandra Kirby, Cheryl Klassen, Charlie Langsford, Andrew Lee, Brian MacIntyre, Jaime Schroeder Layout & Design Kayti McDonald Advertising Design James Robinson ©2022 Matrix Group Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Matrix Group Publishing Inc. To receive Lift & Secure digitally-only moving forward, email distribution@matrixgroupinc.net. TABLE OF CONTENTS ON THE COVER: Once the realm of science fiction, smart technologies are letting manu- facturers within the web sling and tie down industry use data to identify trends, predict future challenges, and get ahead of equipment issues and inefficiencies before they happen. Flip to page 11 to read this issue’s cover story, Let’s Get Digital: Manufacturing in the Age of IoT.FALL 2022 7 I HOPE 2022 IS BRINGING you some success and happiness in the midst of chaos. To date, this is the year that I am utilizing my mindful breathing techniques the most! Our organization continues to be strong and dedicated to improving the lifting and securement industry. Our focus is all about ‘going digital’ and we continue to explore what that means, and how it can benefit our members. The whole purpose of going digital in any area is to increase efficiency, safety and security, and profitability. Effective implementation of new tech- nology takes time, however, and is often exhausting. Many who have been through a software change or upgrades will know it can require hours and hours of effort but, once complete, the reward is well worth it and opera- tions are easier and more efficient. Any change can be scary, and the fear of change might be holding you back from progressing and utilizing technology to its full advantages. In this fall issue of Lift & Secure we have some interesting articles that speak on the topic of digitalization. The Web Sling & Tie Down Association (WSTDA) has continued to spend both time and money on making sure our website is up to date and accessible. As such, it has become a valuable but easy to use tool for access- ing standards, safety warning tools, WSTDA’s standards review schedule, and to purchase WSTDA products and publications. We are continuing research on offering our members QR codes with access to WSTDA-copyrighted Safety Bulletins electronically, right from the sling tag. This project lies with our Technical Resource Committee to con- firm we will meet all expectations from the standpoint of liability and user friendliness. We are happy to continue with our Scholarship Program, and have just awarded two very deserving students $3,000 grants towards their educa- tion expenses. This program operates partially on donations from our members, so a big thank you goes out to everyone who donated. I would also like to share a heartfelt thank you to all our members for being part of our association. On the Board, we are working hard to bring you even better networking opportunities and relevant industry news and information. Thank you to all our volunteers who are the heart of the association! Most sincerely, Mandy Masters PERSPECTIVE Robert Hancuff Director Meet Your WSTDA Board of Directors (2021-2022) A Message from the President Trevor Waycott Vice President John Ketchum Secretary / Treasurer Della Picken Immediate Past President Ralph Abato Director Preston Bray Director Gary Distler Director Scott Fleming Director Paul Foret Director Mandy Masters President Web Sling & Tie Down Association “Any change can be scary, and the fear of change might be holding you back from progressing and utilizing technology to its full advantages.” The Web Sling & Tie Down Association (WSTDA) is the largest non- profit, technical organization dedicated to the safe operation of all synthetic web slings and tie downs. Comprised mostly of sling and tie down manufacturers, WSTDA membership also includes fiber suppliers, weavers, testing companies, government enforcement agencies and other interested parties from countries around the world. WSTDA is rec- ognized internationally, with members from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Asia. WHO WE AREFALL 2022 9 JUST OVER A DECADE AGO, the Web Sling & Tie Down Association (WSTDA) was delivering on its mission and providing its products, programs, and services in ways that today seem archaic. In 2010, WSTDA Recommended Standards and other publications were sold only in hard copy and had to be ordered via a paper form and paid for with a check before a month went by to get the standards in the mail. Technical Committees met in person only, providing just two opportunities a year to advance their work. The WSTDA website was static and was basically an online ‘brochure’ with no interactivity or ecom- merce functionality whatsoever. Through the past 12 years, the association’s operations have kept up with the demands of an increasingly digitized society and membership. Here’s how the modernization continuum has looked for WSTDA in terms of providing standards and safety warning resources: • 2010 – WSTDA is promoting sales of printed Standards via a static website and paper order forms. Users had to purchase in quantities of 10 of each Standard via mail or fax order forms. It took 30-45 days to get the standards in the mail. • 2014 – WSTDA upgrades to an interactive and more responsive website, with an Online Store and ecommerce func- tionality. Also, the Board approves use of PDF-format “digital” Standards that can be purchased for instant download. • 2018 – WSTDA Standards in PDF format are made FREE for download to the public. A web form begins collecting user contact information, which is then used to notify users about standards publication and revision activity. • 2019 – WSTDA consults with safety warning experts to update its copyrighted Safety Bulletins and Warning Labels, sold by WSTDA in printed versions only. The association has a responsibility to continue to innovate in order to fulfill its mission. Making standards and user safety information as widely available as possible is necessary for a not-for-profit organization focused on improving quality and safety of synthetic web lifting and securement products and devices, as well as providing user bulletins and product warning labeling. Now, in 2022, WSTDA’s Board has laid the framework for the next steps in the organization’s journey to digitization. Looking ahead WSTDA is poised this fall to provide to its member organizations a FREE license to use a WSTDA-provided QR (quick response) digital barcode. This two-dimensional machine-readable code consists of an array of black and white squares, and stores URLs or other information for reading by the camera on a smartphone. QR code licensing will enable producers of synthetic web slings, roundslings, and tie downs to provide customers with 24/7 instant online access to safety warning resources. The QR code image may be included on members’ product labeling, transactional documents, and in other media provided to the customer. This fall, WSTDA member organizations will also be contacted with details, recommendations for use, and a sample licensing agreement. Upon execution of the agreement and continued good standing in WSTDA, licensees may use the QR code on products it brands for the marketplace. WSTDA will maintain the online resources to which the QR code scan will lead, that is access to Safety Bulletin content (warnings, instructions, diagrams/charts) that can be easily viewed on ANY digital device: a smartphone, tablet, PC, etc. With the expanding use of smart devices in the field, as covered in this issue, usefulness, and ease of access to product warnings is key for qualified persons in the field. WSTDA is consulting with ‘human factors’ experts for guidance on best practices in creating, delivering, and maintaining digital safety warnings. In fact, our experts currently serve on American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Committees overseeing the publication of a new national standard for digital presenta- tion of safety warnings, and we are following the developments closely for guidance and best practices. WSTDA plans to continue selling its printed Safety Bulletins via its online store at https://wstda.com as a supplement to providing the QR code. The paper Safety Bulletins are available to both members and non-members. Thanks for joining WSTDA on its continued digital transformation. All the best, Kathleen A. DeMarco PERSPECTIVE A Message from the Executive Director Kathleen A. DeMarco, CAE Executive Director Web Sling & Tie Down Association “Through the past 12 years, the association’s operations have kept up with the demands of an increasingly digitized society and membership.”Next >