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At Sustema, the health and well-being of our employees, clients, and partners are at the forefront of our minds today as we all navigate the challenges of COVID-19. Preventive Measures Following the recommendations of the competent health authorities, our plan is to maintain work arrangements at our plant, to deliver and install products as planned. Some of our employees whose responsibilities permit them to work remotely from home are currently doing so and we have asked them to limit in-person meetings. During this period, we will continue to address your emails, answer your phone call and meet your requests for product information, pricing and design assistance. What We're Doing to Help You In order to achieve this, we are using new ways to help you remotely by phone, email, text messages, telephone conference calls, and video conferences. Keeping You Informed We will be monitoring the situation closely to determine if these arrangements need to be modified. We may take further steps to preserve the health of our team and help curtail the spread of the virus while upholding our commitment to you. If you have any questions regarding a meeting with us or the coordination of a project, please contact us by email at info@sustema.com, by phone at 1-800-455-8450 or chat through our website. The entire Sustema team would like to thank you for your understanding and support during this challenging time and we wish you and your family continued good health. Sustema Team COVID-19 : Sustema Maintient Ses Opérations Chez Sustema nous considérons la santé et la sécurité de nos employés, clients et partenaires cruciales dans le défi que pose le COVID-19. Mesures Préventives À ce moment-ci, nous maintenons nos opérations telles que planifiées, ceci inclut la production, la livraison et l’installation de nos produits. Bien qu’une partie du personnel de Sustema travaille de la maison, tous demeurent disponible pour répondre à vos demandes d’information, de prix ou d’assistance à la conception de configurations personnalisées. Nous Sommes Là Pour Vous Afin de continuer à soutenir nos clients, nous faisons appel à de nouveaux moyens pour vous aider à distance par téléphone, courrier électronique, messages texte, conférences téléphoniques et vidéo conférences. Nous suivons la situation au quotidien et vous aviserons si des changements sont à prévoir. Si vous avez des questions à propos d'une rencontre avec nous ou pour faire un suivi sur un projet veuillez s'il vous plaît nous contacter par email à info@sustema.com, par téléphone au 1-800-455-8450 ou à partir de notre outil de clavardage en ligne sur notre site web. Au nom de tous chez Sustema, nous voulons vous remercier pour votre support dans cette période critique. Nous vous souhaitons à vous ainsi qu’à vos familles, la meilleure santé. L'Équipe Sustema

Watch the live update on COVID-19 cases on mobile version here Source: Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU)

Designing a floor layout for your mission-critical environment is not a simple formula. No two applications are the same. Thus, you must take into account many factors when looking at maximizing the efficiency of the workflow of the people and processes of the room. Tangible factors like electrical, ventilation and data are obviously important when planning your control room layout. On the other hand, intangible elements such as noise, lighting, colors in the room, the grouping of people, overall feel and atmosphere of the room are often overlooked during this process. In this article, we will go over the essential elements to consider to maximize the floor layout in the control room. 1) First, you must keep in mind the main purpose of the control room. Is it a dispatch communication center, a security control room, an industrial plant control room? How does the console help the overall work of the user? If something happens, is there anything in the room or on the console working against the user in their immediate personal space? As an example, in industrial applications, safety is the most important factor. You have to eliminate tripping hazards, wide walk areas, reduced clutter on the surface on the consoles so that items are not blocking and controls of the console or IT equipment. 2) Secondly, you want to know if there is anything working against team collaboration and assistance in the control room. Does the layout and console design encourage verbal communication with co-workers? Can a supervisor see all operators in the control room? Can they walk to them in the most realistically direct path? As an example, in an EMS communications room, 5-6 seconds of walk time matter, when a supervisor needs to assist a new call taker with an emergency on the line. Separating the console placement to allow walkaround gives flexibility as well. It can save walking around two or 3 consoles just to get to one. Learn More About Our 911 Dispatch Consoles 3) Lastly, how does the control room contribute to or remove stress? In emergency and high-stress situations, color, lighting, background noise, monitor placement, console angles, and physical comfort all play a role in how well the users in the room are functioning. Ask yourself, how does the console feel like “theirs”? Can the user get/see all the information they need to with minimal strain and head movement? Is it quiet enough that one user in the corner can hear a user on the complete opposite side of the room if needed? Does the lighting strain the eyes over a 12 hour period? Does the console completely adjust to the user, or does the user need to slightly adjust to the console? Answering these questions will help you integrate intangible factors that have a direct impact on the productivity of the control room. Mission-critical rooms need to be arranged it the most optimal way based on the organization’s priorities, not the console manufacturer. Whether that be safety, internal communication, ability to access information or comfort. Discussion and collaboration is the best way to arrive at the best design. Happy Planning! Browse Our Control Room Console Catalog > Connect with a local Sustema expert to help guide or answer any questions that you may have. Sustema Inc. 1-800-455-8450 info@sustema.com

In an intensive work environment like Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), the ambient room temperature can greatly affect the performance and focus of 911 dispatchers. The reality is that we all respond differently to the temperature in a work environment. As external temperatures fluctuate, our internal body heat will also naturally react and adjust. Most often, the temperature in a facility is centrally controlled and cannot be regulated by individual dispatchers. Consideration could be the use of space heaters underneath the operator console. However, the main drawback of this solution in an already crowded IT-intensive workstation is the allocation of space and power within the console cable management solution. The equipment found in height adjustable dispatch consoles such as CPUs, multiple monitors, and radio comm. already draws a good amount of power. Therefore, electrical components need to be taken into consideration to avoid blowing a circuit. A power outage in one single workstation could have a large impact on the productivity of the emergency communications center. Factoring in power requirements and personal comfort, one might ask if there’s a right solution to adjust room temperature? Problem: How do you solve for the “too hot and too cold” complaint issue in the PSAP? Solution: PES 360: Personal Environmental System. Sustema’s personal environment system (PES 360) allows for optimum operator comfort. With easy to use finger-tip controls at the workstation the dispatcher can choose cool air or a steady flow of heat distributed either above or below the work surface adapting to the preferences of each operator. Benefits of the Personal Environmental System: Increased comfort and concentration Optimized distribution of power using lower wattage Personal work experience Intuitive touch-screen Add-ons: Controlling task lights & surface height Want to learn more about PES 360? Contact us About Sustema Inc. Over the last 20 years, Sustema has successfully helped thousands of customers in North America to organize and manage their mission-critical control room consoles, 911 dispatch centers, war rooms, IT labs, data centers, and collaborative environments.

The Project Faced with both an ageing emergency communications center (PSAP) and increasing demand for quicker response times, a leading medical response organization decided to retire an old communications center and build a next-generation techsavvy replacement. The 911 communications center is responsible for handling 24/7 emergency telephone responses, telephone support and offering medical assistance to callers. Sustema was selected to undertake the project as the preferred supplier following a tendering process among major manufacturers. The Solution For this project, Sustema installed 13 Transit Series C-300 dispatch console systems. The consoles are configured in different clusters to group emergency call takers, first respondent dispatchers, and call center supervisors. The highly flexible two-tiered consoles can support multiple LCD monitors and include large storage areas. The consoles are equipped with retractable socket outlets within the work surface to allow for easy access to the network and power supply. The wall structure is used for cable management storing both power and network cables to reduce clutter underneath the console. The cockpit shaped console is supported by four (4) heavy-duty actuators providing the workstation with superior stability. PSAP users working with the new, state-of-the-art consoles now receive more consistent and better results due to the advantages of the ergonomic workstations. About Sustema With over 20 years of experience designing and manufacturing technical furniture for critical environments, Sustema offers tailored solutions for the specific needs of PSAP work environments.

The furniture found in a 911 dispatch center is probably one of the most used equipment due to the constant physical contact. Since this type of application requires the emergency dispatcher to work with multiple LCD screens (5–6 monitors), radios, and computers a question that comes up very often from customers is, how much weight can the console handle? The answer to this question can be found in the lifting capacity of the actuators found underneath the worksurface. However, consoles designed for 911 dispatch centers often require multiple actuators due to the large work surface and equipment that must be carried making it difficult to give an exact answer. In other words, the carrying capacity of a console will vary for each project depending on the specific needs of the client. In this article, we will give you an estimate of the lifting capacity you should expect from specialized furniture vendors. We will do so by listing the common items that the console will support on a daily basis and work our way backwards. Actuators To start off, let’s consider the lifting capacity of actuators. The industry standard for this type of application is the LINAK DL Series lift columns. The maximum thrust from these actuators varies anywhere from 700–1200N depending on how vendors manufacture their consoles. Interestingly, the lifting capacity per actuator is directly linked to the quality of the workstation structure. For instance, if the console is built with high-pressure laminate work surfaces supported by a heavy-duty steel frame, the console will require more powerful actuators (1200N). This will also translate into benefits for end-users as they will have more room to store their equipment but also avoid surface deflections over time. If you take into account that consoles have between 3 to 6 actuators, this gives the system an overall carrying capacity of 3600–7200N or 810–1600 pounds (Note that this number is divided between the number of surfaces). On the other hand, while 700N actuators can still perform the job, it is an indicator that the console frame is made of lighter and cheaper materials (wood, plastic) which is not an ideal solution in the long term for a 24/7 application. Furthermore, systems using control boxes for their actuators decrease the console performance as their lifting capacity is limited by the amount of power going through the transformer. Weight Breakdown In order to give you an accurate idea of the lifting capacity of a working console, we will use Sustema’s Transit M Series C-300 console as an example. This console is composed of two height-adjustable surfaces supported by 6 x 1200N actuators. The laminated work surfaces found on most professional consoles can weigh between 50 to 100 pounds alone depending on the dimensions. Monitor arms weigh around 10 pounds which multiplied by the number of screens, in this case, is 6, gives us a total of 60 pounds. If we include the weight of monitors, we have an extra 60–100 pounds depending on the size and model. Finally, we can add 20 pounds on each surface for the cables and accessories such as radio, laptop, and more. Work Surface: (2 Actuators x 1200N = 2400N or 540 pounds) – Laminated Surface with Steel Frame: 50–100 pounds – Accessories (Radio, Laptop, Keyboard, etc): 20–50 pounds Total: Approximately 350 pounds left Monitor Surface: (4 actuators x 1200N = 4800N or 944 pounds) – Laminated Surface with Steel Frame: 100 pounds – Monitor Arms: 60–100 pounds – LCD Monitors: 60–100 pounds – Accessories (Cables, Lights, Controllers, Switches): 20–50 pounds Total: Approximately 650 pounds left Therefore, in real terms, the lifting capacity is divided between each surface at around 350 pounds for the work desk and 650 pounds for the surface holding the monitors and equipment. After removing the weight off the surface and accessories this gives the dispatch plenty of room to grow without having to replace the furniture in order to accommodate new equipment or more monitors. Furthermore, users can rest assured that the system will not breakdown easily as it is not used at its full capacity like it would for less powerful actuators. Considerations Aside from the lifting capacity, it is also important to consider if the console comes equipped with collision sensors in order to avoid breaking down the workstation but most importantly avoid accidents in the workplace. The speed of the lifting column to move up or down also deserves some consideration as slower actuators result in employees using the standing features less often. In our case, Sustema’s consoles are built with actuators reaching a max. speed of 38 mm/s unloaded. Another element to take into account is to ensure the stability of the console after adding weight into it as it can tilt over if not designed properly. Finally, as these types of purchases happen every 5–10 years, it is essential to get covered by the manufacturer’s warranty if issues were to happen. Talk With An Expert! If you have any questions regarding consoles for your project don’t hesitate to contact us at info@sustema.com. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, we can build customized solutions to meet your specific organization needs. #psap #911callcenter #dispatchconsole #emergencycallcenter #psapconsolidation #emergencydispatcher

And The Winner Is! We are pleased to announce that the official winner of our trade show contest at the APCO 2019 Halifax Conference is …(drumroll) Beverly Bakker!! Congratulations, you will receive a $50 Amazon gift card from Sustema! Please contact us at info@sustema to claim your prize. We also want to thank all of the participants who entered our contest and everybody who stopped by our booth. Recent PSAP Installation: Faced with both an aging emergency communications center (PSAP) and an increasing demand for quicker response times, a leading medical response organization decided to retire an old communications center and build a next-generation tech-savvy replacement. The 911 communications center is responsible for handling 24/7 emergency telephone responses and offering medical assistance to callers. Sustema was selected to undertake the project as the preferred supplier following a tendering process among major manufacturers. Obtain A Free Quote In 3 Easy Steps 1) Floor Plan Send us a top view of your room and your project requirements at info@sustema.com. 2) Web Meeting Discussion about your needs and presentation of our furniture solution. 3) Drawings & Budgetary Quote You will receive customized drawings and pricing for your project.

Maximum VGA Cable Length Despite having a similar appearance and functionality, VGA cables often vary in terms of their benefits and limitations, especially when it comes to the maximum distance that they can transmit information accurately. So, what is it that makes some VGA cables better than others when it comes to their length? The answer varies depending on the following factors. Factors Affecting The VGA Signal The strength of the source The product architecture (gauge, shielding, quality of copper wire) The levels of electrical interference. Since VGA cables use analog technology, it can technically travel dozens of meters without affecting the quality of its signal. It is a fairly simple technology with no data packets to decipher from one end to the other (digital technology). However, as distance increases the quality of the signal decreases which brings us the next question, what is the maximum length of a VGA cable without affecting the signal? The following list describes the recommended cable lengths depending on the desired resolution. Recommended VGA Cable Lengths 100 feet: 800×600 50–100 feet: 1280×1024 & 1024×768 25 feet: 1600×1200 & 1920×1200 However, every cable configuration and application is unique making it hard to provide an accurate length estimate. For instance, VGA cables could still function at up to 150 feet if properly shielded. Shielding protects the VGA cable signal from the electrical interference created by other devices. In order to counter the effects of electrical interference, organizations or professionals in mission-critical applications use boosters and equalizers to send VGA signals over long distances. VGA Boosters A popular type of booster is the Cat5 wire (aka Ethernet wire) or Cat6 for even longer distances. The system is fairly affordable, simple to install, and has built-in equalizers and boosters. It can be plugged into the wall adding power to the signal further extending its reach. VGA over CAT: The VGA over CAT5/6 extender kit can allow the transmission of 1024×768 up to 75 meters, and 640×480 up to 300 meters. About Sustema Sustema was born out of a cable integration company to become a manufacturer of specialized furniture including consoles for mission-critical environments (911 call center, command center, security operations center). Contact us if you require assistance in the design of your operations center.

How Far Can HDMI Cables Be Run While Still Maintaining High-Quality Images? This is a question we often get from our clients at Sustema when conducting a needs analysis for their operations center furniture. It can get tricky to connect your devices to your home TV, now imagine doing so for an operations center working 24/7 using a large format CCTV video wall display and multiple workstations each handling 4 to 6 LCD monitors. In this article, we will go over the best practices when running cables in the communications center and offer some alternatives in case you need your HDMI cable signal to reach further distances. HDMI HDMI, short for high definition multimedia interface has become today’s standard for transferring high-quality audio and video between devices. Its low price point and data transfer speeds between 2.25-10.2 Gbps depending on the brand makes it a preferred choice among consumers to run multiple television displays from a computer, streaming, and playing video games online. However, a major drawback is that whenever longer cables are used, users experience a considerable loss of the image quality and speed. This is mainly due to a power loss with longer cables resulting in lower definitions. Now the question remains, at what length does one get affected by lower image resolutions when using HDMI? According to the test conducted by the HDMI Authorized Testing Center (ATC Tests), HDMI cables of up to 45 feet long are considered reliable in terms of speed and image quality. Note that you can still buy 50, 100, and even 200-foot cables, however, these do not comply with industry quality standards and do not support all video size formats required by mission-critical communication centers. Therefore, whenever you need to use HDMI at distances greater than 50 ft there are other more reliable solutions to avoid the drawbacks mentioned previously. For instance, using amplifiers to compensate for high-frequency data losses over the increased length of the cable or ultra-high-performance cables with RedMere Technology utilizing chips in the cable heads to cut down thicker high-speed cables and maintain high-quality data transfer. The following list describes the different products available depending on the signal reach you need. Standard HDMI (20 Metres): Cables meeting the HDMI certification standard contain the required 19 cores of high-grade copper, plus varying degrees of shielding depending on the price point. More expensive cables can transfer higher resolutions over longer lengths and also work better with splitters and switches. HDMI cables in this category work better in a small distance and when routed from powered sources to displays. Boosted HDMI (40 Metres): The integrated HDMI booster functions using a 5v power rail from the HDMI signal to extend the reach of the signal without losing quality. This technology allows manufacturers to design longer and thinner cable runs offering more flexibility. However, while HDMI boosted cables are more expensive than their basic counterparts they are limited to delivering 1080p content due to the loss of bandwidth over longer distances. HDMI using Fibre Optics (45 Metres): Fibre Optic kits for HDMI are the most expensive solution but with good reason. The added benefit to this cable system is the flexibility it offers due to the smaller optical core when compared to Boosted HDMI cables while sill reaching similar distances. HDMI using CAT (50 Metres): HDMI can be integrated with Cat5/6 cables to extend an AV source for longer distances. However, due to bandwidth limitations, most CAT extenders support up to 1080p. Pricier versions can also transmit 3D images. A major drawback is the signal interference in heavily equipped IT applications. Another drawback is the complexity of installation compared to standard cable management systems. Note that some systems can use Ethernet-based LANs as a video and audio extension from a PC. HDMI over Wireless: While wireless HDMI technologies are widely available, they are known for reaching smaller distances. For instance, in an environment with the best conditions, it can reach up to 10 to 15 meters. However, if there are walls which are often the case, the signal distance falls to 5 to 8 meters. Note that most wireless technologies are limited in terms of bandwidth to 1080p. Therefore, running physical cables remains the best alternative when possible. In conclusion, HDMI cables measuring 50 feet or less in length will work efficiently. More affordable cables can still deliver 780p to 1080i, however, premium versions under 50 ft will effectively transmit 1080p without any interference. Note that even cables with high built quality can present lower definitions when including a larger distance variable. For simpler applications. HDMI cables between 3 and 6 feet in length will suffice to accommodate most situations. Contact us here if you wish to talk with a professional when designing your operations center. Sustema Inc.

The Project: Faced with both an aging emergency communications center (PSAP) and increasing demand for quicker response times, a leading medical response organization decided to retire an old communications center and build a next-generation tech-savvy replacement. The 911 communications center is responsible for handling 24/7 emergency telephone responses and offering medical assistance to callers. Sustema was selected to undertake the project as the preferred supplier following a tendering process among major manufacturers. Installation: To assure maximum coordination, Sustema’s certified installers synchronized their work with a cabling company, electricians and IT technicians to optimize the time required to install the consoles. The modular design of the Transit Series facilitates access to the console components. The integration of IT equipment, cabling, storage units, and power distribution was done efficiently and rapidly. Solution: Sustema provided the client with design drawings based on specific requirements and delivered the customized consoles for the complex 24/7 communications center. For this PSAP project, Sustema installed the Transit Series C-300 console system with dual height adjustable surfaces and additional storage cabinets under the console. The consoles were configured in different clusters to group emergency call takers, first respondent dispatchers, and call center, supervisors. The wall structure is used for cable management storing both power and network cables to reduce clutter underneath the console. The cockpit shaped console is supported by four (4) heavy-duty actuators providing the workstation with superior stability. For this project, the client selected waterfall edges on the worksurfaces. Benefits: PSAP users working with the new, state-of-the-art consoles now receive more consistent and better results due to the advantages of the ergonomic workstations. Employees saw an improvement in acoustics which offered a more comfortable work environment. Each console is equipped with retractable outlets within the work surface to allow for easy access to the network and power supply. Churn rate has reduced considerably since the installation of ergonomic consoles making the Transit Series a valuable asset for employee retention. The consoles all come with a limited lifetime warranty. Obtain A Free Quote In 3 Easy Steps 1) Floor Plan Send us a top view of your room and your project requirements at info@sustema.com. 2) Web Meeting Discussion about your needs and presentation of our furniture solutions. 3) Drawings & Budgetary Quote You will receive customized drawings and pricing for your project.

And The Winner Is! We are pleased to announce that the official winner of our trade show contest at the APCO 2019 Baltimore Conference is …(drumroll) Brian Short!! Congratulations Brian, you will receive a $250 Amazon gift card from Sustema! Please contact us at info@sustema to claim your prize. We also want to thank all of the participants who entered our contest and everybody who stopped by our booth. Are You Planning To Renovate Your PSAP? Whether you are planning to invest in acquiring new consoles, technology conference tables, training workstations, or workbenches for your PSAP, contact us to request a free quote and preliminary design rendering. We have over 20 years of experience designing, manufacturing, and installing technical furniture for mission-critical 24/7 applications across North America. Get A Free Quote In 3 Easy Steps: 1) Floor Plan Send us a top view of your room and your project requirements at info@sustema.com. 2) Web Meeting Discussion about your needs and presentation of our furniture solutions. 3) Drawings & Budgetary Quote You will receive customized drawings and pricing for your project. In Case You Missed Our Booth At The APCO 2019: Learn why the Transit Series console is the ultimate workstation for 24/7 applications. Specifically designed for the needs of PSAP call takers and dispatcher, Derek Dugas, account manager at Sustema presents the features of the Transit Series and unveils the all-new ConsoleALERT® management software for PSAP.

Download the brochure here. Antimicrobial High-Pressure Laminate: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a new set of challenges to organizations around the world, but it has also increased the awareness of issues concerning the spread of germs and hygiene in the workplace. While properly cleaning and disinfecting high touch areas such as worksurfaces can help minimize the spread of viruses, anti-bacterial surfaces are an effective way to provide additional protection for the health and safety of employees and visitors. A reduction of up to 99.5% of microbes found on surfaces. To respond to this issue, Sustema developed a line of antibacterial high-pressure laminate surfaces and powder coated paint treatments for its products including control room consoles, 911 dispatch furniture, workbenches, and conference tables. So, how exactly do antimicrobial surfaces help prevent the spread of germs? Antimicrobials help reduce up to 99.5% of microbes found in high touch areas by avoiding the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, and fungi. The result is a cleaner and safer work environment. If properly maintained, the antimicrobial agents can remain effective for the entire life of the product. In order to be made available to the public, antimicrobial work surfaces went through multiple tests such as the ISO22196:2011, JIS Z2801, and ASTM G21 to prove their effectiveness. Advantages of Antimicrobial Surfaces: Kills and inhibits the growth of 99.5% of surface microbes, bacteria, mold, mildew, and fungi. The antimicrobial solution is built into the surface itself and cannot be washed away, retaining its anti-microbial properties even after washing it. In combination with proper maintenance, the silver ions additives are an effective barrier for most species of bacteria. The antimicrobial agent does not change the look of the product, with many colors and finishes available. Conclusion While the console surface represents a higher risk in terms of hosting germs and bacteria, Sustema can also provide fully-coated solutions to protect the entirety of the console to include the metallic structure. Sustema has over 20+ years of experience designing and manufacturing custom control room and dispatch furniture across North-America. For any questions or inquiries please contact us by phone at 1-800-455-8450 or by email at info@sustema.com.