We transform the way companies design, manufacture, connect to, and service their products.

To fully grasp how we assist and serve our customers, you need to understand our core organizational beliefs:

• We believe the product development process is broken.
• We believe that there is a better way to achieve business initiatives through product development processes and it all starts with learning.

This is exactly why we created the EAC Value Model. We’re a learn first organization. We focus on taking the LAMDA approach.

What is LAMDA?

The LAMDA is a basic learning cycle of lean product and process development. It literally stands for “look, ask, model, discuss, and act.” Ideologically it is a way to learn and optimize within a closed-loop learning cycle that continually looks to improve a situation by defining and improving root-cause issues.

Our LAMDA based EAC Value Model works as follows.

The first phase of the EAC Value Model: Learn

During the learn phase, our specialists take a first-hand approach with your business. This is when we learn about your business initiatives, ask open-ended questions, and gather information so we can truly understand the key drivers of your business’ success, any the root-cause of any potential areas of improvement.

Throughout this phase we take time to learn about your people, your team, your processes, your technology, and the ways of your organization.

We take an in-depth look at your business from front-office to back-office to determine the how your company can extract the most value from its interaction with EAC.

This leads us to the second phase of the EAC Value Model – The Mutually Agreed Upon Plan or M.A.P.  

The second phase of the EAC Value Model: The M.A.P.

Using the knowledge acquired from our learning exercise, our team creates a unique customized M.A.P for your organization. Your M.A.P. is a Mutually Agreed Upon Plan that incorporates a multiple step strategy, with actionable steps and business cases for your organization.

This phase provides an understanding of what needs to be accomplished in order to achieve your desired results.

Throughout this process we evaluate solutions that may address your organizational needs. Wither they may be through engineering services, educational training services, product development consultations, system implementation services, software solutions; we configure a plan to fit your specific needs.

The creation of the M.A.P. provides a clear path to value for your organization. It holds everyone accountable for the actions needed to solve business problems and tackle initiatives.

Once we have created your mutually agreed upon plan, the implementation phase begins.

The third phase of the EAC Value Model: Implementation

During the implementation phase we put the M.A.P. into action. This is where our teams move your solution from the developmental stage into production.

You could also refer to this stage as ‘deployment’, ‘go live’, ‘roll-out, or even ‘installation’.

The tasks performed during this phase might include installing or implementing CAD, Windchill, Industrial Automation, IoT or any number of other systems. Perhaps your M.A.P. incorporated training programs for your current teams or additional services for product information. No matter what your plan includes, our team works with you to provide any service, system, or additional skill necessary to achieve your desired results. 

Throughout this phase our focus remains on helping your organization become a smart, connected enterprise.

The fourth phase of the EAC Value Model: The Score Card

This is the phase that sets EAC apart. Once we have implemented your solution(s), we never lose focus on gathering feedback on how we did, how a solution is working, or whether the desired outcome or return on investment is being realized…

Remember, our overall goal is to build a long-term relationship with your organization. We feel the best way to do this is by making sure you achieve the success your company needs.

Our business is built around the way your company designs, manufactures, services and connects your products and we recognize, its’ happy customers like you who keep us in business!

With the help of our EAC Score card, we obtain your feedback on how we can continue to help your organization grow. 

Our dream for your organization is to create a smart connected enterprise where you have the ability to connect to your products, your shop floor, and know your predictive downtime before it even happens. We make it our priority to help your organization achieve more than you had had imagined. 

We are an Authorized Training Partner of PTC. Our training and mentoring group delivers and sells PTC University Training solutions. This helps ensure you not only get the technology you need to dramatically improve the way you design, manufacture, and service your products and enterprise, but the knowledge to fully take advantage of your software investment.
EAC was one of the first authorized training partners. Why should you care? We have more experience mapping organization’s needs to the perfect PTC Training Course. We have more experienced instructors ready to deliver PTC Training Class content and customized training to create additional value for students and organizations. It also means we know a lot about what people want from a training experience, and what they should ask of their provider.

Many people see professional development, or continuing education, to somehow be exempt from the due diligence one would apply to…say, selecting a college. The truth is, it is important to carefully choose the company and people your organization uses to deliver a comprehensive PTC training course schedule or a single PTC training class.

Here are some questions you should ask a potential training provider:

• Do they have real-world experience using the products?
• Do they understand how various solutions work together?
• Do they offer training on multiple PTC training course segments (PLM, PDM, CAD, AR, IoT, etc.)?
• What delivery methods to they offer? (in center, onsite, remote (EACLive!)
• Do they offer extended access to Instructors for questions after a course ends?
• Do they offer the ability to audit a PTC training class for a year, in case a student needs a refresher?
• What is their cancellation policy? (Things come up, sometime a plan doesn’t work out. Here’s ours)
• Do they offer volume pricing discounts?
• Are there any current promotions?

We are here to help you know all the picks, clicks, and technology tricks to make sure everyone on your team is a power user. You need to complete projects as fast as possible – good training makes that possible. Here is our current training calendar. It displays all of the currently scheduled Creo training, Windchill training, and Arbortext training. Please contact us if you don’t see a specific training course. We may be able to add it to the existing calendar or deliver the training class specifically to your organization.

Why is STEM education so important for today’s workforce? Even though career fields related to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics are responsible for more than half of our sustained economic expansion, only 5.9% of the total U.S. workforce was employed in those fields in 2015 (Household Averages Annual Data, U.S. Department of Labor, Bereau of Labor Statistics.) That means the demand for STEM-educated professionals is at an all time high. Developing these skills is critical to maintaining healthy economic growth in the U.S.

The U.S. Department of Education calls STEM classes the ‘education for global leadership’. STEM careers could be anything from an industrial engineer who creates systems for managing production processes to a microbiologist who studies the growth, structure, and development of small organisms. Take a look at Minnesota State CareerWise Education’s list of top STEM careers that are in high demand.

You’re probably wondering what some of the benefits there are to taking on a career in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics field. Here are 5 great reasons you should consider a career in STEM.

Innovation Leadership

A career in STEM means a career on the cutting edge. It means positioning yourself in front of the next ground-breaking technology. You will be working with leading-edge technology in fields like computer technology, medicine, engineering, design, and robotics. These fields give you the freedom and flexibility in your job to clear a path for new ideas and innovation.

Industry Growth

As technology continues to develop, STEM careers are the fastest-growing careers in the United States – and the world. The number of American STEM careers is projected to grow to more than 9 million between 2012 and 2022.

Having a background in a STEM gives you a competitive advantage when applying for jobs and the flexibility to change jobs easily because your skills are cross-marketable. For example, an engineering student can pursue chemical engineering, computer science, or environmental science and a student with a degree in biological sciences can also pursue opportunities to work in research labs, pharmaceutical companies, medical school, or veterinary schools.

Less Competition

There are 3.2 million jobs in STEM fields that go unfilled every year because there is no one qualified to fill the positions. There is a staggering amount of open STEM positions – pursue a career that secures you a spot in the workforce. The high demand for professionals in these fields means that you won’t have to sweat the interview – because no one else can do the job they’re asking for.

High Pay

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 93 out of 100 STEM jobs had wages above the national average in 2015. Forty-seven percent of people with a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field make more than people with a Ph.D. in other careers. You’re almost guaranteed to make more money than others that choose a different career path.

Take a look at the average salaries for entry-level, post-graduate STEM majors and non-STEM majors from an article written in Business Insider:

STEM major (overall) — $65,000

• Computer and information sciences — $72,600
• Engineering and engineering technology — $73,700
• Biological and physical sciences, science technology, mathematics, and agricultural sciences — $50,400

Non-STEM majors (overall) — $49,500

• General studies — $53,700
• Social sciences — $46,700
• Humanities — $43,100
• Health care fields — $58,900
• Business — $55,500
• Education —$40,500

Job Satisfaction

High paychecks aren’t the only reward in these fields – the real reward is a high level of job satisfaction and paving the way for future generations.

Working in a STEM field requires rigorous work ethic and the ability to communicate ideas clearly, think creatively, and work with a team. To succeed, individuals who pursue STEM careers need to be dedicated, curious, organized, detail-oriented, and have good time management skills. Because innovation doesn’t stop, STEM skills will always be in demand. Couple this with the intrinsic benefits and pride that come from scientific breakthrough, and there is little argument for a career in anything but a STEM field. So, what are you waiting for?

Lakeville South High School’s STEM Academy is encouraging students to problem-solve in a whole new way. Kurt Weber switched his role from a biology and chemistry teacher to teaching STEM classes 4 years ago. He says there is no going back. He loves teaching students the curriculum behind the subjects that drive these classes – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Using STEM Education to Remove Unfavorable Learned Behaviors

Weber says that when he caught one of his students on his phone during class, he confronted him. The student replied that he was ‘done’ with his project. Weber says this gave him an opportunity to bring that student around the lab to show him all of the things he could be doing in addition to the project that he had already finished. He explained to the student that learning doesn’t stop once the task is over.

He explained that the kid wasn’t being snarky by saying he was ‘done’ and he didn’t take it that way either. Weber says that every kid has the ability to problem solve at a very young age but that ability is stripped away so fast with traditional learning methods in the classroom.

Weber goes on to say that most kids are conditioned to only do what they are told and nothing more. Following orders and checking things off lists leaves no room for creativity or innovation. No one has really given the students that kind freedom in their learning until the STEM Academy came along and started changing the way students think and approach problems.

To continue learning outside of the realm of what a student is asked to do is what will help that student in real-world situations as an adult.

STEM principles are teaching students how to lead, not follow

“They learn inherently, by failing,” Weber says. “Being in this class gives them an opportunity to solve a problem on their own – and the worst thing they could do is fail. They’re so scared of failing.”

He explained that when rulers were taken away and students were asked to measure a piece of equipment with which were working – they didn’t know what to do and got frustrated. This frustration comes from the fear of failing. Weber then asks the students what else they could use in the room to measure the object? A student came up with the idea of counting the ceiling tiles or using another frame of reference like a book, or a backpack. This is exactly what Weber is looking for. Out-of-the-box ideas. Critical thinking. Solutions that are derived from limited resources.

“We don’t tell them how to do it. We tell them how to get from point A to point B. It changes the way you look at everything in the world.” At this point, the students wanted to learn. They were excited to accomplish a small win and were motivated to keep on going. Weber says that the fear of failure is the norm and we need to combat it. “Failure, in general, is something they try to steer clear of. We need to tell them to lean into failure.”

What does the STEM curriculum look like?

Other class electives were unintentionally eliminated when the STEM classes became available because registration in other classes dropped. What’s so appealing about these classes and why have they become so popular at Lakeville South?

Weber gives his students the freedom to work at their own pace; an opportunity rarely given to students in other classes. Students have to complete 8 semesters of math, 8 semesters of science, Engineering Your Future 1, Engineering Your Future 2, and then get to choose one of the STEM pathways; Computer Programming, Biomedical, Engineering, or Industrial Technologies. To complete the STEM Academy, students complete a capstone project in which they can work with a local business to solve real problems. Weber says that he’s been able to create his own curriculum for the STEM classes and it’s been evolving every year as additional lab equipment, like 3D printers, and technology are made available to his students.

Weber says that there was no need to convince students to join the class. He says that the students bragged enough about their STEM class that there was no need to make additional efforts to gain students’ attention when it was time to choose electives. As far as keeping students’ attention in the STEM classes, Weber says he frequently has to tell students to go home because the school day had already ended hours ago.

How does the STEM Academy benefit students who don’t end up pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics? Weber says that the classes give them confidence in their ability to solve a problem. “They don’t need someone to tell them what to do. They need a mentor.”

Learn more about Lakeville South High School’s STEM Academy here.

Recently I was asked to share my views on the concept of work-life balance as part of an internal all company meeting. My views have changed over time as I have gone through several life changing events, including starting EAC 21 years ago, buying my first house, marriage, 5 kids, addiction in loved ones, divorce, hiring and firing good friends, and this list goes on. Through it all I have worked hard to be true to several guiding principals that have remained constant and have influenced my view of work-life balance. People may look at the things I have gone through in my life and be tempted to judge me. To say “See? He doesn’t have work-life balance figured out or XXX wouldn’t have happened.” There may be truth in that statement, but I can promise you I have learned from every one of those situations and am much better at managing my life now than I was back then.

Did you catch what I did there?

A quick search on the terms “work life balance” netted 102 million hits. The overwhelming view I see seems to be rooted in the belief work and life are diametrically opposed to each other; that I need to be doing one or the other but I’m a failure at work or at life if I ever mix them or they overlap or I spend “too much time” at one or the other. I lived with the guilt associated with this belief system for many years, and honestly, I believe it lead to many of the issues I experienced earlier in my life with both work and family. You see, I’m wired to work hard to try to be the best at whatever I do. Does that mean I’m always the best?? Absolutely not! It does mean I recognize I can always get better and I work hard to make that happen.

Reconciling that somewhat self-imposed drive with the pressures from societal beliefs and individuals demanding your attention often leads to tremendous amounts of guilt. Guilt for taking PTO. Guilt for working late. Guilt for making a personal call from work. Guilt for making a work call while driving your kids to school. You get the idea. I’m sure many can relate. I know it was a big part of my psyche back then.

But, a simple change in thinking can forever ease the guilt and make you a better parent, spouse, partner, employee, or whatever else you are determined to be. You see, bottom line is work and life are NOT diametrically opposed. It’s all just LIFE. Sometimes your kids, your spouse, your significant other, your partner, your boss, your project, your parents, your teammates, etc. need more attention than at other times. Who am I as an employer to dictate when that needs to be? Who am I to say my employees can’t take some time to go to the dentist on a Wednesday afternoon? or who are we as society to say they can’t take a phone call on a Sunday afternoon? If I’m hiring people with similar belief systems to me then I need to trust they know how to manage their lives in the best way possible; that they will get their job done just like they will manage raising their kids, managing their relationship and taking care of themselves both physically and mentally.

It’s all just life. Manage it.

Communicating product data across an organization has become more complex than ever. Here are 9 reasons it’s time to connect your enterprise systems.

With different departments gathering product data form a variety of systems including Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Systems, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), and Quality Management Systems (QMS) and more, how do we know our organizations are making the most out of all the information we’re collecting?

Just think about it for a second. Our systems and departments speak different languages, while a company likely aims for a single goal. This is why it can pay to connect your systems and provide company-wide access to business and product knowledge

With an estimated 90% of the world’s data created in the last two years alone (Conner, n.d.), it’s no wonder that companies have trouble utilizing it all.  The IDC estimates that just 0.5% of the data we companies produce is ever used. It’s time to change that.

1. Increased Usability

Data experts believe that if Fortune 1,000 companies increased the amount of data they used by just 10%, they could realize over $65 million in additional net income (Marr, 2015). These numbers are huge. Hopefully, they help you understand why I’m writing this blog and pleading my case.

The truth is – our systems are currently too complex for many roles within our organizations to navigate, find, and transfer the right information. This leaves our separate departments accountable for communicating different product data.

So how do we make our product data more usable? By democratizing our product data from all existing sources into one single system.

2. Better Access to Data

The most important reason your product data shouldn’t (internally) be kept a secret is because product data is your company’s most valuable asset. Not everyone who needs access to specific product information hosted in your PLM system is from your engineering department, so why force them through the same vigorous Product Lifecycle system training?

In order to effectively use data, departments must have ready access to it.

After all, the solution to this problem must make rich product information easy to accessible for a broad set of roles. By creating an organized system that connects all of your product data, your organization’s information is easily assessable to users beyond those who have created it. Just think of the possibilities if you connected your data from multiple systems and delivered it to all departments through individualized, role-based views.

3. Complete Data

Imagine an entire enterprise with access to real data, at the right time, when it’s needed. By connecting your product lifecycle management systems with your other enterprise systems, every stakeholder within your organization can leverage product data from multiple systems. They can make accurate decisions based on the latest, most accurate information from EBoM, MBoM, SBoM, ERP, MRP, and QMS data.

4. Better Insights

Better data + better visibility = better insights. Your teams are demanding more at lightning speeds from your PLM processes and solutions. This is another reason why your organization might consider integration technologies and custom front-end solutions.

An enterprise with insights into how current products and processes can be optimized can drastically improve overall productivity. Providing your team with access to up-to-date, accurate product data will allow your organization to have better insight into areas for continuous improvement.

5. Better Decisions

Ready access to information is especially important to any company involved with product development.

Users without access to information often make assumptions and resort to workarounds. This opens the door to  poor decisions and errors, quality problems, and waste. Decisions made from out-of-date, inaccurate data threaten product quality and delay time to market.

By providing everyone in your organization with broad visibility into your organization will drive better, more accurate decisions. This will improve your quality, reduce waste, scrap, rework, and meeting your time-to-market goals. The analytics resulting from connected systems help users across your organization make accurate decisions throughout your entire development process.

6. Better Products

Who doesn’t want to create better products faster? Providing your organization with universal access to data will allow your company to drastically accelerate product development. How so? By connecting disparate systems, you will have access to real-time data allowing you to achieve better product decisions. Because your decisions and actions are now driven by up-to-date information, you will achieve a higher product quality.

7. Increased Productivity

Why waste time manually reading, entering and analyzing data, when it could be automatically collected, filtered, and combined? By linking enterprise systems into one simple interface, any user within your organization can access contextual, up-to-date, real-time product information anytime they need. I guarantee your productivity will grow when your organization is able to plan earlier with manufacturing, order materials sooner with purchasing all while your engineering team is spending less time pulling reports.

8. Increased Collaboration

Using a system that provides role-based access for stakeholders provides every role with the ability to quickly understand the status of a part number, inventory, and the part or assembly’s role in the “big picture.” This will not only help mobilize and inform the work of teams throughout the organization, but it will also help maximize the success of your product development. Giving your team the ability to extend and connect your PLM data into the rest of your enterprise will rapidly increase your overall organization collaboration.

9.  Real Results

The ultimate benefit your organization will achieve by connecting your systems comes from your ability to get to real results faster. It makes the “to” in “Quote-to-Cash” just a little bit faster. What does that mean? Data gives your organization confidence to quickly deliver value. Good decisions, accurate manufacturing, knowledgeable service groups, self-sufficient marketing and sales teams. This all adds up to faster time to market, faster time to revenue — real results.

So.. what now? It’s time to connect your enterprise systems. 

I know what you’re probably thinking, ‘this sounds great, but it’s not that easy to connect and provide role-based access to enterprise systems.’

And you’re right. It would take a tool that connects all of your enterprise systems, right? I’m glad you’ve stuck it out for the long haul — because this is what I’ve been waiting to tell you. There IS a solution. It’s called ThingWorx Navigate. What is it? It is a single role-based app that you can easily access from your smartphone, tablet, or computer where you can literally see all of your product data in one place — no matter what department you’re from. Mind blown? We knew we needed to get our hands on it the moment we found out this solution that everyone has been looking for — which is why PTC has trusted us to be a valued Solutions Provider for their product ThingWorx Navigate.

Watch our video on how easy it is to use ThingWorx Navigate and how it may change the way your company does business.