Developing <a href="http://wizart.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Wizart Home Visualizer</a>, we use complex algorithms based on deep learning models. To keep them high-performing, we rely on a data-centric approach in our work. However, the creation of high-quality datasets leads to more and more complex data pipelines.So today, we'll explain to you how we deal with this challenge using Apache Airflow.<h2>What is Apache Airflow?</h2>Apache Airflow is a tool for automating ETL (a.k.a extract, transform, load) pipelines. The software has an intuitive interface for scheduling and managing workflow dependencies. With its help, you can maintain and manage data pipelines, including AWS S3, RabbitMQ, different DBMS, and load testing tools.&nbsp;In the Airflow, <a href="https://airflow.apache.org/concepts.html#workflows">workflows</a> are defined as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directed_acyclic_graph">directed acyclic graphs</a> ( <a href="https://airflow.apache.org/concepts.html#dags">Airflow DAG</a>). DAG is an ETL where each downstream node depends on the successful completion of the previous (upstream) node.Working with Airflow, you'll need to provide hosts, ports, logins, and passwords to other systems and services, so the system can work correctly.<h2>How do we use the automation solution?</h2>As mentioned, Apache Airflow is our choice of ETL (extract-transform-load) orchestration service. A summary of its advantages is the following:<ol><li>Ease of use when it comes to creating pipelines.</li><li>Automation of the boring stuff: collecting, transforming, and storing large amounts of data is now made with ease.</li><li>Rich admin panel for scheduled jobs and pipelines showing historic job runs and current progress.</li><li>Connectivity with our existing systems.</li></ol>Automated pipelines help us to process dozens of material brands in our PIM system and prepare them for further visualization in digital showrooms. Also, it speeds up the processing of raw data, which is used later for the continuous improvement of our computer vision algorithms.More details about and examples of you can find in our<a href="https://medium.com/@wizart_ai/dockerized-apache-airflow-as-a-single-tool-for-automating-etl-pipelines-for-ml-and-bi-needs-300bb5ab00ab"> article on Medium</a>. For now, we are going to focus on another way to use Apache Airflow - automating metrics reports.<h2>How to get more insights?</h2>The second use case of automation after data processing pipelines is a process of gathering analytical and technical insights for our company. It helps the team to generate reports using BI Engine and periodically track the key metrics of our services.The dashboards we have in the end contain a detailed summary with visualizations of changes in certain metrics, for example, API usage statistics over some time.Currently, we prepare insights for several scheduled and on-demand reports in Wizart:<ol><li>Daily Vision API usage and health-check statistics.</li><li>Quarter report with technical insights and visualization quality checks.</li><li>Automated load tests for performance monitoring.</li></ol>Let’s have a quick look at one of them.<h2>Performance monitoring</h2>Wizart Visualizer is being improved with advanced features, and the number of active users of our APIs and services grows over time. These are the two main reasons why it is so important to control the performance of our services and maintain it on a high level.For this purpose, we have started to run load tests regularly for each standalone service. The tests were developed using Locust - a popular load-testing tool for Python. Even though they were made with a few lines of code - it often took some time to interpret and share test results within a company properly. So we went further towards automation.The<a href="https://airflow.apache.org/docs/apache-airflow/stable/concepts/dags.html"> DAG</a> runs load tests by triggering a locust file (i.e. a Python script) in a virtual environment. Each test run is configured by the set of the following parameters:<ul><li>--run - time to specify test duration.</li><li>--host - target hostname for testing.</li><li>--rps (requests per second) - a custom parameter that controls the load that Locust workers should produce.</li></ul>The intuition behind adding a custom request-per-second parameter is to maintain a stable load over test iterations, which is quite not achievable by Locust’s built-in functionality. To produce concurrent requests, we’ve used a pseudo-thread group available in the gevent library. A short example of defining a locust task is below:&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"><pre style="margin: 0; line-height: 125%">import gevent
from gevent.pool import Group
from locust import FastHttpUser, HttpUser, task, TaskSet, events
<div></div>
...
<div></div>
...
<div></div>
class MyTaskSet(TaskSet):
 user_count = 0
 custom_RPS = CUSTOM_RPS
 custom_timeout = 1.0 # controlls workers spawn rate
 await_response = False # wait for the responce if needed
<div></div>
 def init(self, parent):
 super().init(parent)
 self.user_id = MyTaskSet.user_count
<div></div>
 def on_start(self):
 MyTaskSet.user_count += 1
<div></div>
		@task
		def first_task(self):
		 self.custom_timeout = MyTaskSet.user_count / self.custom_RPS
		 group = Group()
			# maintain constant load with spawning a task and sleeping
		 for _ in range(MyTaskSet.user_count):
		 group.spawn(self.send_request)
		 gevent.sleep(self.custom_timeout)
		<div></div>
		 if self.await_response:
		 group.join()
		<div></div>
		def send_request(self):
				...
</pre></div>When rps is too high - the test safely stops to prevent the denial of service. Then the rps value can be interpreted as the strict amount of requests per second that the service may handle.Assuming that Locust automatically saves request stats in a .csv file - Airflow picks it up, transforms it into a pandas dataframe, and populates the Google Sheets table with it. Thus we automatically received fresh data for our analytical dashboards.&nbsp;A DAG tree represents a sequential set of tasks designed for collecting performance metrics.<figure class="image"><img src="https://d365wxw7pkwfoh.cloudfront.net/production/e2f1739d_9674_490c_8f50_324ab03b9dc1_f843f77132.png" alt="DAG tree"></figure>A DAG tree represents a sequential set of tasks designed for collecting performance metrics.All the job steps are atomic, which means there is an extremely small probability of things not working as expected for the creator, and debugging becomes easy.So, this is how we managed to implement a fully automated process for preparing metrics reports. Some extra features made the pipelines even more advanced, like an ability to run back-dated jobs by simply giving those beginning or ending dates as a parameter. Callbacks were integrated with our in-house Microsoft Teams via a webhook mechanism to send out notifications e.g. if a DAG task fails. By analyzing insights, we improve our products to provide a better user experience, increase service stability and boost sales.As you can see, Apache Airflow is a powerful automatization tool that can be used in many ways and make your daily tasks easier.

Do you agree that Apache Airflow can be the only tool needed to automate ML and BI processes? Read on to see what it may look like

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How to Automate Metrics Reports

Strategy

When starting a new business or entering a new market, it’s critical to do deep research on your competitors and potential partners. What products do they offer? How do they communicate with customers? What tools and strategies do they use?&nbsp;So today, we’ll get through the top 10 USA flooring manufacturers you need to know when working on the US flooring market.&nbsp;Looking for a way to demonstrate the flooring products on your website? Check out the <a href="https://wizart.ai/flooring-visualizer">Wizart flooring visualizer</a> and see how AR technology can help you with this task.&nbsp;<h2 style="margin-left:0px;"><a href="https://shawfloors.com/">#1. Shaw Flooring</a>&nbsp;</h2>Shaw Flooring is one of the world's largest hardwood flooring manufacturers and tile manufacturers, with headquarters in Dalton, Georgia. It was founded in 1946 as a small dye company but quickly became one of America's largest corporations. Today, it employs over 22 000 people globally and has $6 billion in annual revenue.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://d365wxw7pkwfoh.cloudfront.net/production/image_36ea90ac23.png" alt="Shaw Floors"></figure>Taken from the <a href="https://shawfloors.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Shaw Flooring website</a>Shaw Flooring offers a wide range of products:&nbsp;<ul><li>carpets;&nbsp;</li><li>hardwood flooring;&nbsp;</li><li>laminate;&nbsp;</li><li>vinyl flooring;&nbsp;</li><li>tile;&nbsp;</li><li>stone flooring.&nbsp;</li></ul>Shaw's vision is to create a better future for customers, companies, and communities by joining great people, products, and services. They also floor the sustainable and responsible approach in business and production.&nbsp;<h2 style="margin-left:0px;"><a href="https://www.daltile.com/">#2. Daltile</a>&nbsp;</h2>Daltile is one of the largest tile manufacturers in the world. The company has operated in North America for over 75 years, since 1947. Daltile specialization is a versatile tile. They offer:&nbsp;<ul><li>porcelain and ceramic tiles;&nbsp;</li><li>terrazzo tiles;&nbsp;</li><li>natural stone tiles;&nbsp;</li><li>quartz tiles;&nbsp;</li><li>Ahanzu tiles.&nbsp;</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://d365wxw7pkwfoh.cloudfront.net/production/image_21b5f13037.png" alt="Daltile"></figure>Taken from the <a href="https://www.daltile.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Daltile website</a>Daltile stands out from other manufacturers with high-quality products and award-winning designs. In 2022, the company won Best New Tile &amp; Stone Product Award in the Dealers' Choice Award for the 21st time in a row.&nbsp;<h2 style="margin-left:0px;"><a href="https://www.armstrongflooring.com/">#3. Armstrong Flooring</a>&nbsp;</h2>Armstrong Flooring is one of the AHF Products brands established in 2016 as an independent identity from Armstrong World Industries. Now, the company is one of the top vinyl manufacturers and hardwood manufacturers in North America, operating in 15 production facilities in the USA, Australia, and China.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://d365wxw7pkwfoh.cloudfront.net/production/image_38eae3aad5.png"></figure>Taken from <a href="https://www.armstrongflooring.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Armstrong Flooring website</a>Armstrong Flooring offers different types of long-lasting flooring:&nbsp;<ul><li>Vinyl flooring&nbsp;</li><li>Linoleum flooring&nbsp;</li><li>Hardwood flooring&nbsp;</li><li>Laminate.&nbsp;</li></ul>The company also strongly believes in a sustainable approach and has a collection of eco-flooring made from renewable materials.&nbsp;<h2 style="margin-left:0px;"><a href="https://www.bedrosians.com/en/">#4. Bedrosians</a>&nbsp;</h2><figure class="image"><img src="https://d365wxw7pkwfoh.cloudfront.net/production/image_1ce026e22a.png" alt="Bedrosians"></figure>Taken from <a href="https://www.bedrosians.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Bedrosians website</a>Bedrosians Tile &amp; Stone was founded in 1948 in Central California by Ed Bedrosian. And today, 70 years later, the company is one of the largest porcelain tile and stone importers and distributors in the USA. Bedrosians offers a range of flooring options:&nbsp;<ul><li>Porcelain&nbsp;</li><li>Natural Stone&nbsp;</li><li>Decorative &amp; Mosaics&nbsp;</li><li>Ceramic&nbsp;</li><li>Quarry Tile&nbsp;</li></ul>The company is customer-centric and aims to provide its clients with the best possible service and high-quality products.&nbsp;<h2 style="margin-left:0px;"><a href="https://www.pergoflooring.com/">#5. Pergo</a>&nbsp;</h2>Pergo is a flooring company founded in 1977 and well known for the quality and design of its vinyl and hardwood products. Pergo specializes in Laminate, Hardwood, and Luxury Vinyl. They also have unique lines of pet-friendly, waterproof, and antimicrobial-protected floorings.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://d365wxw7pkwfoh.cloudfront.net/production/image_592b370222.png" alt="Pergo"></figure>Taken from <a href="https://www.pergoflooring.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Pergo website</a>Another feature of Pergo floors that stands it out from the crowd is the easy installation process. The company owns a patent on installation technology that allows their customers to DIY floors without any special skills.&nbsp;<h2 style="margin-left:0px;"><a href="https://www.congoleum.com/">#6. Congoleum</a>&nbsp;</h2>Congoleum is a North American company that has run its business for over a century now. With its headquarter in New Jersey, the company is a leader in vinyl flooring and holds several patents for resilient flooring technologies.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://d365wxw7pkwfoh.cloudfront.net/production/image_a5904b21ac.png" alt="Congoleum"></figure>Taken from <a href="https://www.congoleum.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Congoleum website</a>Today, Congoleum focuses on a responsible production approach and invests in Environmental Policy, certifications, resource and waste management, and sustainability.&nbsp;<h2 style="margin-left:0px;"><a href="https://www.mohawkflooring.com/">#7. Mohawk Flooring</a>&nbsp;</h2>Mohawk Flooring started the business back in 1878, producing carpets. Now the company has expanded its product line and, in addition to rugs, also offers tiles, laminate, vinyl, and wood flooring. At the same time, Mohawk keeps prioritizing quality, innovations, and award-winning designs when developing new products.<img src="https://d365wxw7pkwfoh.cloudfront.net/production/image_3a0cffce68.png" alt="Mohawk">Taken from <a href="https://www.mohawkflooring.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Mohawk website</a>The manufacturer is running with eco-friendly practices in mind, which allows the company to incorporate recycled and renewable resources into the production process.<h2 style="margin-left:0px;"><a href="https://tarketthome.com/">#8. Tarkett</a>&nbsp;</h2><figure class="image"><img src="https://d365wxw7pkwfoh.cloudfront.net/production/image_39b33e2c73.png" alt="Tarkett"></figure>Taken from <a href="https://professionals.tarkett.com/en_EU/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Tarkett website</a>Tarkett is a well-known carpet and vinyl flooring manufacturer. It was founded in 1885 as a small woodworking facility for furniture in Malmö, Sweden. However, now, it is one of the leaders in the flooring industry, which sells its products in over 100 countries. The headquarter is now located in La Défense, France, and the product line has extended and includes:&nbsp;<ul><li>modular carpets&nbsp;</li><li>broadloom and woven&nbsp;</li><li>vinyl&nbsp;</li><li>linoleum&nbsp;</li><li>rubber and laminate.&nbsp;</li></ul>With low carbon emissions in mind, the company operates 34 industrial sites all over the globe, including North America.&nbsp;<h2 style="margin-left:0px;"><a href="https://www.mannington.com/">#9. Mannington</a>&nbsp;</h2>Mannington is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of fine flooring, based in Salem, New Jersey. The company was established in 1915 by John Campbel, and since then, Mannington has been committed to quality, customer satisfaction, and innovations. The manufacturer produces vinyl, hardwood floors, laminate, and carpets.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://d365wxw7pkwfoh.cloudfront.net/production/image_fb0be60fde.png" alt="Mannington"></figure>Taken from <a href="https://www.manningtoncommercial.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Mannington website</a>Mannington makes its products using the safety-first approach and pays close attention to environment-friendly practices.&nbsp;<h2 style="margin-left:0px;"><a href="https://www.bruce.com/en-us">#10. Bruce</a>&nbsp;</h2>Last but not least, the company from our top is Bruce Flooring. Bruce Flooring is one of the brands of AHF Products as well as, mentioned earlier, Armstrong Flooring. The company was established in 1884 and now presents the largest amount of hardwood flooring choices and colors in the industry. Besides hardwood, the company offers two waterproof floor types: Rigid Core and TimberTru.&nbsp;<img src="https://d365wxw7pkwfoh.cloudfront.net/production/image_4a2c798151.png"><img> &nbsp;Taken from <a href="https://www.bruce.com/en-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Bruce website</a>The list of popular flooring manufacturers can go on and on, but these 10 include the biggest vinyl flooring manufacturers, tile manufacturers, hardwood flooring manufacturers that managed to stay successful through decades. And if you are about to enter this market, you need to keep an eye on them as they are the ones dictating new trends and demonstrating best practices on how to bond with your client for ages.&nbsp;

Discover the list of top USA flooring manufacturers in 2022 including vinyl flooring manufacturers, tile manufacturers, and hardwood manufacturers.

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Top USA flooring manufacturers in 2022

Over the last two weeks, we were improving&nbsp;the code and working on our Product Information Management System to help you and your customers get what you need in one click. We have developed and published WordPress and Shopify&nbsp;plugins ensuring super-easy integration and implemented a number of code and performance improvements, as well as fixed minor bugs, for&nbsp;Wizart Web Visualiser, Android, Wizart iOS Visualiser. Now our system will inform you if the quality of the photo you are uploading is not sufficient for a good result, specifying the&nbsp;exact cause for a poorer quality (too blurry, too noisy,&nbsp;or too dark photo). Wizart PIM system was enhanced to be even more convenient and helpful enabling secure data sharing with ease.&nbsp;We strive to continuously enhance the Wizart products to ensure our users and their customers have the best possible experiences. Therefore, your ideas&nbsp;and suggestions on how to improve our products&nbsp;are always welcome!Please Get in Touch using our Wizart Help Center button below.

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Wizart presents its latest updates

Our team was refactoring the code and implemented a number of performance improvements for Wizart Web Visualiser, Android, Wizart iOS Visualiser, ensuring even 3x faster load times. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Wizart PIM system was enhanced to be even more convenient and helpful enabling secure data sharing with ease. Now, the imported products are automatically visible in your fitting room after the upload is completed. The import notification is more detailed, providing clear information in the log files about every product being added to your PIM account.We strive to continuously enhance the Wizart products to ensure our users and their customers have the best possible experiences. Therefore, your ideas&nbsp;and suggestions on how to improve our products&nbsp;are always welcome!

Bug fixing and stabilization to help you and your customers get what you need in a moment

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What's up at Wizart: some of our latest updates

Business insights, company updates and hot news. From Wizart with love

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In partnership with <a href="https://www.igiwallcoverings.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">IGI</a>, The Global Wallcoverings Association, Wizart announces the upcoming webinar “Selling wallcoverings online in 2023”. During the webinar, Wizart is going to talk about the biggest trends in selling home improvement products online. They will explain what rich content is, reveal why it is important, and present cutting-edge solutions to drive manufacturers and retailers brand awareness and sales. Wizart webinar will cover the following: - How to sell more wallcoverings: e-commerce trends, time-tested principles, new challenges and opportunities. - Rich content tools as a key to success: 3D models, VR rooms, interactive videos, 360 views, and much more.&nbsp; - Stats and success stories from real customers, industry-proven methodologies, and powerful insights.Among other speakers, there will be presented Russell Deamer, the Founder &amp; Director at <a href="https://www.worldofwallpaper.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">World of Wallpaper</a>. Being on the online retail market from 2004, he will share the best practices on what works for customers the best how to drive their engagement and make the shopping experience seamless. According to Russell, “Images are more important than ever, especially on mobile. Some customers don’t tend to read descriptions too much, so multi-room imagery is very important – particularly including furniture to help customers understand perspective on a wallpaper, pattern repeat, etc.”&nbsp;The <a href="https://wizart.ai/igi-webinar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">webinar</a> will take place on Zoom on November, 29 at 3pm CET. Wizart is happy to meet the biggest players on the wallcoverings market to talk about the industry challenges and offer its support.

In partnership with IGI, Wizart will hold the webinar “Selling wallcoverings online in 2023”. During the webinar, Wizart is going to talk about the biggest trends in selling home improvement products online. 

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Wizart webinar - How to sell more wallcoverings in 2023

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