Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

ForgePuls Inc. ("ForgePuls," "we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals who visit our website, use our platform, and interact with our services. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit forgepulsx.com or use the ForgePuls inspection and process analytics platform.

This policy applies to all users of our website and platform, including visitors, prospective customers, current customers, and individuals whose information we may receive in the course of providing our services to business customers. We encourage you to read this policy carefully to understand our practices.

By accessing our website or using our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the practices described in this policy, please do not use our website or services.

ForgePuls is a technology company providing AI-driven defect detection and process optimization software for metal casting and forging operations. Our platform collects and processes manufacturing data from industrial inspection systems deployed in customer facilities. This policy covers both our customer-facing web presence and our platform data handling practices.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

We collect information that you voluntarily provide to us when you interact with our website or services:

• Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, job title, and company name when you submit a contact form, request a demonstration, or subscribe to our newsletter.
• Account Registration Information: Username, password (stored in hashed form), company name, billing address, and contact details when you register for a ForgePuls platform account.
• Payment Information: Billing address, credit card information, or bank account details for subscription payments. Payment card data is processed by our PCI-compliant payment processor (Stripe, Inc.) and is not stored on ForgePuls servers.
• Communications: The content of emails, support requests, and other communications you send to us, including any attachments.
• Demo and Evaluation Requests: Technical requirements, facility information, and process details you share when requesting a product demonstration or pilot evaluation.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain technical information:

• Log Data: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, referring URLs, pages visited, time and date of visits, and session duration.
• Device Information: Hardware model, operating system version, unique device identifiers, and mobile network information.
• Cookie Data: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing behavior on our website. See our Cookie Policy for details.
• Analytics Data: We use web analytics services that collect aggregated data about how visitors use our website, including pages viewed, links clicked, and search queries used to find us.

2.3 Platform and Operational Data

When you use the ForgePuls inspection platform deployed at your facility, we collect:

• Inspection Data: Images captured by ForgePuls inspection nodes, defect detection results, dimensional measurements, and quality metrics generated by the platform.
• Process Data: Manufacturing process parameters received via OPC-UA or other integration protocols from connected machine controllers, including shot parameters, die temperatures, and cycle timing data.
• System Performance Data: Inspection node hardware status, software version, network connectivity metrics, and model performance telemetry used for system monitoring and improvement.
• User Activity Logs: Actions taken by platform users, including configuration changes, threshold adjustments, and alert acknowledgments.

The inspection and process data described above constitutes your business data. We treat this data as confidential and do not use it for any purpose other than providing the contracted services to your organization and improving model accuracy in accordance with the Data Processing Agreement.

3. How We Use Your Information

3.1 Providing Services

We use the information we collect to:

• Operate and maintain the ForgePuls platform and website
• Process subscription payments and manage your account
• Respond to your inquiries, requests, and support tickets
• Schedule and conduct product demonstrations and pilot evaluations
• Deliver inspection results, reports, and process analytics to authorized users
• Provide technical support and troubleshoot system issues
• Monitor system health and performance of deployed inspection nodes

3.2 Improving Our Services

We use aggregated and anonymized data to improve our products and services:

• Analyzing usage patterns to improve platform usability and features
• Improving machine learning model accuracy for defect detection, with customer consent, using anonymized inspection image datasets
• Developing new inspection capabilities and process correlation features
• Conducting internal research and development activities

3.3 Communications and Marketing

With your consent, we may use your contact information to:

• Send newsletters and technical articles about casting quality and AI inspection
• Notify you about product updates, new features, and service announcements
• Invite you to webinars, industry events, and demonstrations
• Send account notifications, invoices, and service-related communications

You may opt out of marketing communications at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any marketing email or contacting us at hi@forgepulsx.com. Transactional communications related to your account and service delivery are not subject to opt-out.

3.4 Legal Compliance and Protection

We may use your information to:

• Comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes
• Respond to lawful requests from government authorities
• Enforce our Terms of Service and other agreements
• Protect the rights, property, and safety of ForgePuls, our customers, and others
• Detect, prevent, and address fraud, security incidents, and technical issues

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

4.1 Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website and platform. These providers are contractually required to protect your information and may only use it to perform services on our behalf:

• Cloud Infrastructure: Amazon Web Services (AWS) for platform hosting and data storage
• Payment Processing: Stripe, Inc. for subscription payment processing
• Customer Relationship Management: CRM software used for managing customer interactions and support
• Email Service: Transactional and marketing email delivery services
• Analytics: Web analytics providers for website usage analysis

4.2 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, bankruptcy, or similar corporate transaction, your information may be transferred as part of the transaction. We will notify you via email and a prominent notice on our website prior to your information becoming subject to a different privacy policy.

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to comply with a legal obligation, protect our rights or property, prevent fraud or security threats, or protect the safety of our users or others.

4.4 With Your Consent

We may share your information for other purposes with your explicit consent, such as in customer case studies or testimonials.

5. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes described in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law.

• Account Data: Retained for the duration of your account plus 3 years following account termination, to comply with financial record-keeping requirements and resolve any disputes.
• Website Analytics Data: Typically retained for 26 months in aggregated form.
• Marketing Contact Data: Retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion, plus a brief period to process the request.
• Platform Inspection Data: Retention periods are specified in your service agreement. Default retention is 24 months from data creation, after which data is either deleted or anonymized.
• Support Communications: Retained for 3 years to support ongoing customer relationships and service quality.

When retention periods expire, we securely delete or anonymize personal information in a manner that prevents reconstruction.

6. Your Rights Under GDPR and Applicable Privacy Laws

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or other jurisdictions with comprehensive privacy laws, you have the following rights with respect to your personal information:

• Right to Access: You have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: You have the right to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
• Right to Erasure: You have the right to request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions (such as legal obligations to retain data).
• Right to Restriction: You have the right to request that we restrict processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Right to Data Portability: You have the right to receive your personal information in a structured, machine-readable format and to transmit it to another data controller.
• Right to Object: You have the right to object to processing of your personal information for direct marketing purposes or where processing is based on our legitimate interests.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, you have the right to withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at hi@forgepulsx.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority in your jurisdiction.

For California residents, please note that the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) provides you with specific rights regarding your personal information, including the right to know what personal information we collect, the right to delete personal information, and the right to opt-out of the sale of personal information. We do not sell personal information as defined by CCPA.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies on our website to enhance your experience, analyze usage, and deliver relevant content. Our use of cookies is governed by our Cookie Policy, which provides detailed information about the types of cookies we use, their purposes, and how you can manage your cookie preferences.

You can control cookie settings through your browser settings or through our cookie consent interface. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

8. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit using TLS 1.2 or higher for all web and API communications
• Encryption of stored data at rest using AES-256 encryption
• Access controls and authentication requirements for all systems handling personal data
• Regular security assessments and penetration testing
• Employee security training and background check requirements
• Incident response procedures for security breaches
• Physical security controls for data center facilities operated by our cloud provider (AWS)

No security system is impenetrable. While we work to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. In the event of a security breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you as required by applicable law.

9. International Data Transfers

ForgePuls is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. If you are located outside the United States, your personal information may be transferred to and processed in the United States, which may have different privacy laws than your country of residence.

For transfers of personal information from the EEA, United Kingdom, or Switzerland to the United States, we rely on Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission or other appropriate transfer mechanisms to ensure adequate protection of your personal information.

10. Children's Privacy

Our website and services are not directed to children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information promptly. If you believe we may have information from or about a child, please contact us at hi@forgepulsx.com.

11. Links to Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites and services. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party sites, and we are not responsible for their privacy practices. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. We will post the revised policy on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. For material changes, we will provide additional notice, such as an email notification or a prominent banner on our website, at least 30 days before the changes take effect.

Your continued use of our website or services after the effective date of a revised Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or our data processing practices, please contact us:

ForgePuls Inc.
1100 Superior Ave
Cleveland, OH 44114
United States

Email: hi@forgepulsx.com
Phone: +1 (216) 738-4521

We aim to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 5 business days.