Are You Ready to Comply with the New PCWP MACT Requirements?

On June 8, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized amendments to the 2004 National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Plywood and Composite Wood Products (PCWP).

The EPA then published the final residual risk and technology review (RTR) conducted for the PCWP on August 13, 2020.  The EPA determined that PCWP facility air emissions risk is acceptable and that the NESHAP standards continue to provide an ample margin of safety to protect public health. However, the EPA made several revisions and clarifications to the PCWP NESHAP requirements to enhance the rule’s effectiveness by improving compliance and implementation and increasing the efficiency of data submissions.Read more »

Version 6.2.140.9 of CEMLink6 Now Available

Version 6.2.140.9 of CEMLink6 is now available. Updates are available to those with an active maintenance contract.

If you would like more information, or to update your CEMLink6 system to this version, please contact VIM Support at 410-859-5455.

Just a reminder, VIM requires all DAHS server and Client computers to be running Microsoft .NET 4.8. If your server or client computers were deployed prior to September 2019 OR if you have had Windows updates deactivated, it’s likely that your systems will need to have this update installed. More information and documentation on determining your version of .NET, how to access an update, and when this needs to be completed is available here.Read more »

Version 6.2.100 of CEMLink6 Now Available

Version 6.2.100 of CEMLink6 is now available. Updates are available to those with an active maintenance contract.

If you would like more information, or to update your CEMLink6 system to this version, please contact VIM Support at 410-859-5455.

Beginning with this version, VIM requires all DAHS server and Client computers to be running Microsoft .NET 4.8. If your server or client computers were deployed prior to September 2019 OR if you have had Windows updates deactivated, it’s likely that your systems will need to have this update installed. More information and documentation on determining your version of .NET, how to access an update, and when this needs to be completed is available here.

For more information on our maintenance and support services, please contact Eva Fewster at 410-859-5455 or eva.fewster@vimtechnologies.com.

CEMLink 6 Excel Add-In Released

VIM Technologies has released our latest version of the CEMLink 6 Excel Add-In – a CEMLink 6 tool designed to reduce the challenges associated with assembling and populating CEDRI reporting templates, state-specific reporting, and corporate fleet-wide data aggregation spreadsheets. This latest CEMLink 6 Excel Add-In is now available in the latest release (6.2.100), released on March 1, 2021.

Populate Excel Reports with the Click of a Mouse

The CEMLink 6 Excel Add-In will allow users to retrieve their compliance data directly, reliably, safely, and repeatedly from the CEMLink 6 server and use it to populate Excel reports with the click of a mouse. Users can manage and maintain connections to multiple servers, making it easy to run reports across an entire fleet.

Once licensed, users will be prompted to download the Excel Add-In from the DAHS server and can load the CEMLink6 plugin directly into Microsoft Excel. There are no limits on the number of workstations, users, or spreadsheets that can interface with a CEMLink6 DAS.

The first step in retrieving data is to configure and manage each of the CEMLink6 server connections. Users have the ability to collect and combine data from one or more servers across their fleet, all being tied into a single spreadsheet.

The next step involves the configuration of lists. “Lists” define the type of data that is being retrieved and contain details on the location where data is to be placed in each spreadsheet. Typically these steps are only done once, unless the reporting requirement or CEDRI template changes.

The final step entails running the report by using the “Get Data” feature and passing through a date range. With a few clicks of a mouse, it populates the Excel spreadsheet.

How to Get the CEMLink 6 Excel Add-In

To gain access to this feature in CEMLink 6, users will need to purchase a license. Complete configuration of your report(s) by VIM is also available, but not required. Please send an e-mail to support@vimtechnologies.com with the following information:

  • Desired delivery date
  • Number of DAS(s) the Excel add-in will communicate with
  • Type(s) of data needed (raw, calculated, other)
  • How are you planning to use the Excel Add-in? (provide sample files)
    • Ad-hoc query
    • Custom dashboards
    • Title V / Emission inventory / CEDRI / Other Sample Reports

Our Support Team will review your requirements and issue a proposal for the license and any configuration needed.


Want to know more about CEMLink6 Excel Add-In and CEDRI reporting requirements? Read VIM’s article in December’s World Cement Magazine

New Year Resolutions: 5 Tips to Improve Your Air Compliance

It’s a New Year, and one that we couldn’t be happier to see arrive. The new year is the perfect time to take stock and set goals for the year ahead. It’s time to consider New Year’s Resolutions for improving your air compliance programs. We’ve compiled our Top 5 great ideas to consider when planning for the year ahead:

1. Perform Checks on your CEMLink 6 System

Clean up unwanted files off your CEMLink 6 hard drives and check your system’s available storage space, CPU usage, and SQL Server memory usage. Exported files that are no longer needed should be removed. Be sure you have good backups of your PLC and Database files on an external device, and make sure you have a useable backup of CEMLink 6. Make sure that all alarms are acknowledged with proper reason codes and action codes and check that automatic backups are included in your scheduler and are working properly. Check PC/VM storage space. Verify your QA Test Plan/Plan ahead of this year’s CGAs/Linearities and use the Compliance Calendar to help plan for these events. As always, if you have questions or wish for VIM to help, contact VIM Support.Read more »

Preparing for the Upcoming CEMLink6 Upgrade

Beginning with the next release of CEMLink6 (Version 6.2.100), scheduled for late February 2021, VIM will require all DAHS server and Client computers to be running Microsoft .NET 4.8. Up until this release, CEMLink6 required .NET 4.5. If your server or client computers were deployed prior to September 2019 OR if you have had Windows updates deactivated, it’s likely that your systems will need to have this update installed.

Please view documentation here for help determining the version of .NET, how to access an update, and when this needs to be completed. If you have any questions or would like to talk with someone about this further, please reach out to our support group at support@vimtechnologies.com.

CEMLink6 Excel Add-In: CEDRI Reports Are Just a Few Clicks Away

VIM Technologies is in high gear and getting ready to release the CEMLink6 Excel Add-In – a CEMLink6 tool designed to reduce the challenges associated with assembling and populating CEDRI reporting.

Over the last four years, PC MACT affected facility managers have witnessed the EPA change its demand regarding CEDRI reporting formats and requirements numerous times. The most recent change took effect on September 24, 2020, discontinuing the web format and replacing it with a new, consolidated, Excel spreadsheet template. The change effectively mandates all PC MACT sources to use the latest Excel template in the upcoming reporting period.
Read more »

What’s New In CEMLink 6 — October 2020

Wondering what our developers have been building into CEMLink 6?

At VIM Technologies, we understand how today’s technology trends are rapidly evolving and how important it is to build a high-quality, data-intensive, and user-friendly software system. To meet these challenges, we employ a dedicated and highly skilled development team. We solicit feedback from customers and our Steering Committee to design and deliver customer-focused and market-relevant enhancements to CEMLink 6. It is our commitment to building an intelligent software system for our customers.

In this blog, we will discuss some of the recent CEMLink 6 improvements that all our customers should know about.  If you wish to provide input towards future enhancements, please contact the Steering Committee at steeringcommittee@vimtechnologies.com.Read more »