Privacy Policy

Last Updated: April 19, 2017

Welcome to www.MTConnect.org (such site and all contents included therein, the "Site"), which is operated by MTConnect Institute ("MTConnect") in conjunction with AMT- The Association For Manufacturing Technology ("AMT"). MTConnect is a collaborative effort to develop technical standards and specifications intended to foster greater interoperability between automation/control applications, field systems/devices, and business/office applications in the manufacturing industry ("MTConnect Specifications"), as well as schema, prototype software examples, and related documentation in order to facilitate the implementation of the MTConnect Specifications in compliant applications, drivers, and other services (together with the MTConnect Specifications and any related materials, updates or modifications to any of the foregoing, the "MTConnect Materials").

This Privacy Policy describes the types of information collected through the Site and the ways in which AMT and MTConnect may use, disclose, and protect that information. Please be sure to review this entire Privacy Policy carefully before submitting any information through the Site. If you have any questions about our privacy practices, please refer to the end of this Policy for information on how to contact us.

1. Collection of Personal Information

AMT or MTConnect will receive and store any information you enter on the Site. This includes information that can identify you ("personal information"), such as your name, postal address, e-mail address, and telephone number. You can choose not to provide us with any personal information, but some information about you is required in order for you to become a registered member of the Site, to access and/or comment on the MTConnect Materials, or initiate other transactions on the Site.

In addition, when you visit the Site, your browser transmits certain information, such as the location of your computer on the Internet, that could, in connection with other information, be identified as coming from you. We also may use cookies (small unique identifier text files) and other technologies to facilitate access to the Site and to track Site usage. Most browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies. If you choose to decline cookies, please note that you may not be able to sign in or use some of the features offered on the Site. Please also note that some links found on the Site may contain or result in the use of cookies that are set by third parties. Neither AMT nor MTConnect control or are responsible for such cookies.

2. Use of Personal Information

AMT and MTConnect may use your personal information for purposes reasonably related to operating the Site and furthering the goals of MTConnect, including without limitation the development of standards, specifications, software, schema and other related documentation and information. This includes determining whether you are authorized to access registered user-only areas, providing you with information that you have requested, communicating with you about issues relating to the forum, and improving the content and functioning of the forum and the Site.

3. Disclosure of Personal Information

AMT and MTConnect may disclose your personal information to third-party service providers and content providers that aid in maintaining and operating the Site. We also may disclose your information to our members and their affiliates, our advisory committees, agents, and consultants with whom we work on matters relating to advancing the goals of MTConnect. In addition, AMT and MTConnect may disclose personal information:

• In response to a subpoena or similar investigative demand, a court order, or a request for cooperation from a law enforcement or other government agency; to establish or exercise our legal rights; to defend against legal claims; or as otherwise required by law. In such cases, we may raise or waive any legal objection or right available to us.

• When we believe disclosure is appropriate in connection with efforts to investigate, prevent, or take other action regarding suspected fraud or other wrongdoing; to protect and defend the rights, property or safety of our company, our users, our employees, or others; or to enforce our Site's Terms of Use & License Agreement or other agreements.

• In connection with a substantial corporate transaction, such as a divestiture, merger, consolidation, or asset sale, or in the unlikely event of bankruptcy.

4. Communicating Through the Site

The Site enables registered users to post information about themselves and communicate with others in designated areas of the Site ("Registered User Posts"). Registered User Posts are governed by our Terms of Use & License Agreement. Please note that, whenever you voluntarily disclose personal information through Registered User Posts, that information will be available to other users and can be collected, used, and shared by them. We cannot control who reads the information you submit through Registered User Posts or what other users may do with the information you voluntarily provide through Registered User Posts.

5. Access to Personal Information

If you have provided personal information to become a registered user of the Site or in response to a specific request for personal information from AMT or MTConnect, you may update or correct such personal information by contacting AMT or MTConnect at the addresses listed in Section 10 of this Privacy Policy. If you wish to correct personal information that you have submitted through a Registered User Post, you may do so by submitting an additional Registered User Post.

6. Protection of Personal Information

AMT and MTConnect employ a variety of security measures to help protect personal information from unauthorized access and disclosure. For example, only authorized employees, agents, and consultants of AMT, MTConnect, and their members, affiliates, and advisory committees are permitted to access personal information, and they may do so only for permitted business functions. Although we take steps to protect your personal information, please note that no Internet transmission is 100% secure or error-free. Therefore, we do not promise, and you should not expect, that your personal information or other communications will always remain private.

7. Third-Party Websites

The Site may contain hyperlinks to websites of affiliates, advertisers, or others. Such sites are operated by third parties and are not under the control of AMT or MTConnect. Personal information that you provide to third-party sites is not covered by this Privacy Policy, and neither AMT nor MTConnect have any control over third-party sites' collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information.

8. Changes to this Privacy Polic

We will occasionally update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices and services. When we post changes to this Privacy Policy, we will revise the "last updated" date at the top of this page. If we make any material changes in the way we collect, use, and/or share your personal information, we will notify you by sending an e-mail to the e-mail address you most recently provided us, and/or by prominently posting notice of the changes on our website.

9. Your California Privacy Rights

California Civil Code Section 1798.83 permits California residents to request certain information regarding AMT's and MTConnect's disclosure of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. To make such a request, please contact us at the address listed below.

10. Contact Information

You may contact us by e-mail (tshinbara@amtonline.org) or postal mail as follows:

Tim Shinbara
7901 Jones Branch Drive, Suite 900
McLean, VA 22102-3316