2021: A Year in Review

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If 2020 was the year that COVID-19 hit us like a tsunami wave, 2021 seems like it was the year we all tried to figure out how to respond to it. In the news, companies would roll out back-to-office plans only to have them postponed or modified. In-person events would get scheduled and then change to virtual or be cancelled, or in some cases, held in person but with restrictions or mitigations. If nothing else, the COVID-19 pandemic has at least improved our knowledge of the Greek alphabet.

Functional Safety Training

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Every good software developer in the off-highway industry codes with safety in mind, right? So, what’s all this functional safety stuff about and why do we need to know it? DISTek continuously strives to stay on top of things like this, and recently DISTek engineers were lucky enough to get answers to all their functional safety questions in a 3-day training session. We received training on Functional Safety Standards ISO 13849 and ISO 25119 by the experts at UL. Being familiar with these standards will help us add structure and consistency to our software engineering work on safety-critical systems.

Our Team Based Approach

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Here at DISTek, we value collaboration, teambuilding, and delivering unmatched value. We provide our clients with dedicated engineering teams that provide unparalleled value by freeing our clients’ time up so they can focus on broader business challenges. Our proven approach is not only extremely beneficial to our clients but brings significant value and meaning to our employee-owners, as well.

Happy Halloween from DISTek

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If you’ve read any of our Halloween blogs from the past, you already know that Halloween is my favorite.  While this year’s annual parade of costumes was hosted as a virtual event again this year, we certainly didn’t let that discourage our fun!  Please enjoy a look at this year’s costumes!

ESOP: Owning vs. Renting

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What does it mean to own a car versus renting a car? For me, there is a huge difference between the two. Admittedly, I am not the type of individual that returns a rental car clean and washed, as I know the rental company (who actually owns the car) will take care of that. However, with the car I own, I make it a priority to wash it at least once a week to keep the paint maintained and the car looking nice. I make sure when I fill up with gas to clean the interior a bit. I do monthly check-ins to make sure everything is operating efficiently. I also check my tires regularly for wear and tear. In other words, I am inclined to take more care of something I own versus something I am renting.

DISTek Participates in COMVEC 2021

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I had the opportunity once again this year to attend COMVEC 2021 with fellow DISTekians Nick Elliott and Benjamin Jefferson. COMVEC, (Commercial Vehicle Engineering Congress), is a conference sponsored by the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers). It is dedicated to discussing the latest and future trends pertinent to commercial vehicles in the on-highway, agricultural, construction, industrial, military and mining sectors. The theme of this year’s conference was “Energy, Sustainability, and the Future of Commercial Vehicle Transportation”.

Robotics Challenges in the Time of COVID – Part 2

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In Part 1, we discussed the challenges of virtual collaboration and fundraising for the past season of FIRST robotics. In this Part 2, lets discuss the challenges of competition and community outreach.

Participating in competitions themselves has been very different. The main draw of robotics for students each season is to compete, of course. Our competitions are always a fun and exciting time. The energy is infectious. It’s where all our hard work pays off.

COMVEC 2021 – Back in Person

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You would have to be living under a pretty big rock to not realize that the in-person-conference scenario has changed quite a bit in the last 18 months.  I know of a few in-person events that have happened since most everything shut down in March 2020, but they are few and far between.  So,  needless to say, I am looking forward to a chance to get back together with some fellow industry professionals at SAE COMVEC in mid-September.  Of course, I expect there to be some differences from the last time we did in-person COMVEC, but as engineers, we live in a constant state of change anyway.

Robotics Challenges in the Time of COVID – Part 1

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Most people who know me know I have a passion for FIRST Robotics. During the school year, much of my free time is spent volunteering in one way or another, from planning to coaching to mentoring to judging and beyond. I spend a good portion of my vacation hours traveling to competitions in places such as Missouri, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Michigan. I feel that the values and skills young people learn as a part of these programs are invaluable and lessons that they will carry with them through high school, college and life beyond. I am so honored to be a part of this program.

Vehicle System Network (CAN) Database History

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There are some things in life that we take for granted. Food, clothes, cars, homes, the Vehicle System Network Database… OK, well maybe not the Vehicle System Network Database, but it got your attention, didn’t it? So let me tell you a little bit about the Vehicle System Network database, something we work with here at DISTek on a daily basis.

DISTek U 110: Breaking the Mold for Technical Trainings

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How to develop a habit and make it stick. How to start a conversation and keep it going. How to identify a lead and pass along the pertinent information. Not content which is traditionally associated with technical trainings. Rather, skills that can help anyone wanting to advance his or her career and the content taught in DISTek U 110: Engineering 1 Fundamentals Track.

Recognizing that the internet is full of trainings teaching engineers the technical skills that they need to do their daily work, in 2018 we took a different approach in creating our internal training program, DISTek U. Our trainings leverage off-the shelf resources to help employees develop foundations upon which they can build their careers. We focus upon the soft skills that allow employees to grow and develop their careers beyond their daily workflow.

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