With corona treating, the goal is to increase the materials surface energy to provide wet ability and adhesion. But, treating a plastic film or substrate can be ineffective when the system is not properly run and maintained. So you must be aware of how to effectively process the various materials or substrates.

Over or under corona treating can transfer too much energy to a plastic substrate which is where a lot of problems could occur when printing or converting of plastic material. When attempting to obtain satisfactory printing results on under treated material can result in the use of excessive amounts of ink in an effort to try to make up for the low treatment levels. Over treatment can result in damage to the material itself as well as problems with the plastic film or plastic tubing blocking together.

Poor ink adhesion, or low dyne levels can occur. How you can establish a good starting point is with the power level. You begin by working your way u until the anticipated dyne level is achieved this is done through quality assurance checks of the plastic film. Once the power level is established for the given product at the given speed, note the power level so when your next time you run the same material and machine speeds you will have a set standard and can be assured of desired repeatability.

Plastic film converters can achieve proper treat levels through trial and error. Testing protocols which include adhesion and bond strength measurements at a variety of power levels should be used to determine the acceptable power level for each substrate or material type, material thickness, and even material suppliers are all variables which can impact the appropriate power level. Once determined, the appropriate power settings should become a permanent part of the job specification.

Accurate web tension effects plastic film treatment which if not controlled properly can cause variances in surface treatment. With too much tension the material can wrinkle or snap whereas a lack of tension creates air gaps between the material and roll. In both cases the material can become unevenly treated. Also can cause another problem called backside treating.

Materials that do not come in close contact with the treater roll under the electrode or back up roller can affect the treatment process. Wrinkles in the material or air getting trapped under the material can result in some treatment of the back side of the material which will result in reduce treatment level in respect to the top part of the material and may cause the material to stick together or block.

There are ways to ensure proper tension is to consider nip rolls as they will eliminate concerns with developing an air pocket between the back up roll and the plastic film. Also in some cases you may want to have a spreader roll or a crowned roll to help eliminate any wrinkles especially at higher production speeds.

Maintaining the surface treatment equipment is very important to help reduce long production downtimes. Proper cleaning of the equipment will reduce this downtime.

Many materials tend to clog up or coat the electrodes or air take away systems for example materials like slip and other additives during the corona treatment process.

The material acts like dirt and can be deposited on the rollers or electrodes. The dirt build up can contribute to producing backside treating causes high and low spots on the treater roll which allows for air gaps that changes the variance in the levels of treatment.

Over the years, changes have been made in the spray painting industry. New technology, advancements, and improvements, new laws and regulations, and more concern over pollutants are the forces behind the changes.

There are basically three qualities of spray paint equipment in the market:

1. Industrial Usage. Super heavy-duty equipment used daily, spraying an average of 50+ gallons per day.

2. Commercial Use. Heavy-duty equipment for businesses, used to spray houses, apartments, warehouses, etc.

3. Home and Hobby Use. Light duty usage. For occasionally spraying a house, a room, furniture, etc.

It’s possible that the traditional air-atomize spray painting gun often known as a high pressure paint gun that is the root of the industry will be essentially eliminated in the next ten years, to be replaced by spray guns that offer higher transfer efficiency (TE).

Under pressure from environmental authorities to lessen smog-causing volatile organic chemicals (VOC) emissions and from management to lower costs and improve efficiency, spray painters are changing their equipment-buying habits.

For most that purchase new spray painting equipment, TE is an important factor because of cost and environmental reasons.

Higher transfer efficiency (TE) eliminates pollution at its source and is especially important from a health and safety standpoint. Paints and coatings contain many potentially harmful chemicals—including isocyanates, solvents, and pigments. Concern for air quality from releases of volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), like paint thinners, have prompted several state and local governments to take action. Breathing these dangerous chemicals can have negative effects on your health.

Transfer efficiency rates the ability of spray-painting equipment to put paint on the parts being painted rather than allowing it to escape as overspray or in other forms of paint waste.

If conventional air-atomize spray is used, it is possible that only 20 percent of the paint becomes a coating on the surfaces being sprayed, and 80 percent is wasted. That’s wasted paint, wasted money, and more pollutants. The paint isn't the only cost associated with poor transfer efficiency. Spray booth cleanup costs often equal the cost of the paint. Plus the fact that you may end up with waste that is either difficult or very expensive to dispose of.

In short, many are switching spray paint equipment for two important reasons-money and health.

To improve TE and lessen VOC’s people have been switching to:

· HVLP
· Electrostatic Spray
· Air-Assisted Airless Spray
· Powder Coating
· Waterborne Coatings
· High-Solids Coatings

High Volume Low Pressure (HVLP) paint sprayers are light, mobile, and provide a finish far superior to even your nicest paintbrush. They also make the job go faster and are less tiring than painting by hand.

HVLP is a variation of conventional air-atomize spray. The difference is that these guns are designed to atomize paint using a high volume of air delivered at low pressure. The lower pressure results in far less overspray and bounce-back. The HVLP spray gun has advantages over the rest: Better transfer efficiency results in less paint waste and lower cleanup costs. The exact TE depends upon the circumstances in your installation the booth design, spray techniques, the mix of parts, etc. However most experts agree that HVLP offers significant improvement. Operators that are used to conventional guns generally find it easy to learn how to use HVLP. It is much easier than painting by hand. Being light is also a good advantage. It’s easy to carry around, reach up or down, and to change positions.

Painting with an HVLP spray gun significantly reduces over-spray and as a result: Minimize the releases of toxic chemicals, helping protect you, your co-workers, and your shop's neighborhood and reduces the amount of paint you need to refinish a car goes down, saving your shop many dollars in paint costs.

Research has shown that HVLP spray guns can achieve far greater transfer efficiency (over 60% with good technique) than conventional spray guns. Higher transfer efficiency means less of what you don't want: paint overspray, mists that a painter might breathe, emissions to the community—and more of what you do want: savings on paint and an improved bottom line!

Does HVAC Maintenance Pay For Itself?

Most people would not even consider not changing the oil in their vehicle. Maintaining your HVAC system is no different. By getting involved in a quality maintenance program you will reduce energy costs, extend equipment life, optimize comfort conditions and increase system reliability. Just knowing your equipment is operating safely is a peace of mind in itself.

Many businesses use what I call “the breakdown maintenance program.” In other words “I’ll worry about it when it breaks.” We all know this almost always happens at a inconvenient time like when it’s 20 below zero or 95 degrees in the shade. This way of handling things is also very hard on your equipment and may decrease the life of it by as much a half. Maintaining is much cheaper than replacing.

Here are some of the savings you can expect from a quality maintenance program:

Adjusting operating sequence of equipment 25-35%

Cleaning Coils 5-15%

Changing dirty air filters 10-15%

Removing scale from condenser coils 25-30%

Adjusting air/fuel ratio of burner 15%

Cleaning burner assembly 15%

Removing soot from fire side of burner 9%

Eliminating V-belt slippage and pulley alignment 15-20%

Not to mention the money saved in break down service calls.

So if your not already set up with some type of HVAC maintenance program you may want to seriously consider talking to your local HVAC contractor about getting set up with a program to meet your needs.

Automatic doors and good secure access control used to be two totally different types of door entry systems. With modern materials and high-tech design it is possible to combine access control and automatic doors without compromising security, yet still maintaining entry systems that are pleasing to the eye. When we talk of security in the same topic as entrances, it often relates to safety and fire as well as access control.

In many places we almost expect doors to open for us as we approach public and commercial premises. Shopping centres and most high street stores now tend to specify automatically opening doors in one description or another - simply to make life easy for customers to enter the premises. From a commercial point of view they can help determine pedestrian traffic numbers and conserve energy.

Whilst temperature adjustment and door entry systems are usually combined it allows the customer to come in from the British weather and experience an ambient interior, low cost energy automatic doors now allow for this luxury with excellent pay-back results.

Automatic low energy swing doors represent a real innovation for the automatic door industry in the UK, it is the an automatic system for swing doors with dimensions, weight and price closely resembling those of a good manual door closer.

The big difference is that this automatic low energy swing door system has an internal battery, the Push & Go function is useful in situations where sensors and other detection devices are unsuitable, the automatic system is particularly suitable for use where disability access is required or indeed the premises are used by people with mobility problems.

It is designed for a maximum load of 80 kg, with a door leaf of 1000 mm and an opening speed of 3 to 5 s in conditions of heavy duty and for a maximum weight of 90 kg with a 1200 mm leaf in conditions of light duty.

To open the door, simply push the bar - the motor does the rest. advanced electronics using the latest generation of microprocessor controls that have an integral intelligence which automatically performs the necessary adjustments and 'teach-in' during commissioning.

The safety photocell barriers are checked before every closing movement. This regular checking of the door not only ensures that the door is operating efficiently at all times but also means that the door is safer to use.

The automatic folding door has various applications in retail, industrial and commercial areas.

The Automatic folding door is ideal for doorways where there is limited space for a door to slide or swing. It is often called a "space saver" door because it occupies the minimum of the clear opening and extremely little in depth. This makes it especially suitable for narrow door openings, passageways and where space is restricted. The automatic folding door is available in two and four leaf versions, it is made to measure for a perfect fit and offers a range of finishes.

Revolving doors have often been the hub of many situation comedy sketches since the day they were invented. Although they might invite reflections from the lighter side of life, automatic revolving doors really do combine all of the convenience of any traditional style automatic door together with a list of energy conservation advantages.

They can be set to revolve constantly at a slow pace so visitors may enter and leave, without the need to push, perfect for supermarkets. This ' hands free' automatic revolving door is often the favourite choice with supermarket giants like Asda and Tesco.

They can be built made to measure to ensure in any size to suit all types of applications. Take high-traffic locations where added space is required to aid a smoother flow of groups of people with anything from grocery carts to medical emergency equipment. Despite the non-stop appearance, sensors do stop the revolving mechanism if someone stopping or an article causing a blockage obstructs it.

By the very nature of automatic doors, there is a very important decision that must be made, that of which Automatic Door Engineer do you choose to install it. Because automatic doors offer easy access to anyone, they are popular by demand and skill is required to fit them, more than any other type of door.

Take for example disabled people, they experience dreadful problems simply by using manual doors, this situation could be made worse by poor door and access designs and the use of heavy door closers or indeed wrongly adjusted sensors. Some may be set so that they are not triggered by children and pets, yet a person in a wheel chair may also go undetected, or indeed get trapped in an automatic revolving door because of the speed calibration.

There are some 6.4 million disabled people in Britain so replacing your manual doors with new automatic doors or low energy doors will certainly allow the opening and closing of doors without physical effort, thus eliminating an obstacle for disabled people and their carers.

Not only is there growing awareness of the need to improve our access and facilities for disabled people, but also changes in the law, such as The Disability Discrimination Act 1995, has led to new building regulations and the demand for improved standards of access to public buildings.

Heat pumps are part of every day life these days. You might not always recognize a heat pump when you see one, but at this moment, heat pumps are working hard in your home, making life more enjoyable.

While tooling around the house, you may turn on the air conditioner if it's too warm, or during colder seasons, you might turn the temperature up on the thermostat. Something cool and refreshing from the kitchen, or indulging in some tasty baked goods?

All of these are examples of how heat pumps help make a home more comfortable, and life more livable every day. A heat pump is basically any device that moves energy in the form of heat from an area of higher temperature to an area of lower temperature, and vise versa.

How does a heat pump work?

Probably the simplest illustration of how a heat pump works can be found with any home refrigerators.

If you've ever wondered how a refrigerator works, the mechanics inside can vary, but the principals are the same. Refrigerators simply remove heat from the items placed inside - it moves heat from inside the compartment to the outside. The resulting effect is that anything inside the fridge gets cold.

Thermodynamic laws dictate that temperature in any environment tends to normalize amongst each object in that environment. In keeping with this, we can better understand - a warm object placed inside a refrigerator among cold objects will eventually equalize in temperature.

So a thermal heat pump - refrigerator in this case, works by transferring the warmth of objects inside to the outside. This explains why you may have noticed the back and sides of your refrigerator are warmer than the other surroundings in your home.

Air conditioning - another example

Another good example of a heat pump is the air conditioner.

Just like a refrigerator, an air conditioner gets quite warm outside the room, while it pumps cool air inside the room. Window mounted room units give off a warm breeze of air outside as do separate AC condenser units used in central AC installations.

You can also find examples of heat pumps in nature, but to best understand the idea of heat pumps, the simplest understanding can be gained with our two examples above. When thought of in terms of a heat pump, air conditioners and refrigerators make the idea clear.

The thermal heat pump is an invention of great significance for the modern age. You might not think of things like refrigerators and air conditioners as heat pumps before, but it's hard to imagine life before these modern day devices were invented.

Many folks want to build a truck wash and then start making a business plan. They go look at a truck wash and then think to themselves, well I can build something like that cheap enough. Get a steal building, put down some concrete, buy some equipment and suddenly I am in business right? Sure, in theory.

How Much Does it Cost to Build a Truck Wash? Well, down and dirty somewhere between $225K to $400K not including property. I have seen them done cheaper, but generally by the time it is completed it comes out to a heck of a lot more. And once you build a truck wash you want to be sure it makes money to pay off all those loans and the ROI on the property too. But what about the cost of the truck washing services? Well consider about $28.50 to $35.00 average ticket. Now most truck washes get a good $45 to $ 55 for a tractor trailer rig, but due to some local fleet deals, some bobtails and full price combos the average is generally lower. As the Founder of the Truck Wash Guys often new entrants into the market will ask me questions about the industry for instance this recent question;

"The truck wash model appears very compelling. Do you have any rules of thumb as to what I should expect to pay to build one, what ticket average I might look for, and how much I can expect to drop to the bottom line?"

The answer is that these costs vary by region and it is not such a simple answer. Although I do hope you learned a little bit from today’s discussions? I certainly hope this article is of interest and that is has propelled thought. The goal is simple; to help you in your quest to be the best in 2007. I thank you for reading my many articles on diverse subjects, which interest you.

How long should the line be at a truck wash ideally? Well, that depends on your goals and location and the quality level. Most of the Industry would agree that Shorter Lines at Truck Washes Increase Business. Although there is a catch 22 to the line situation, if there are no trucks there then often folks will drive by. Same in a car wash business. No lines ever means that your wash sucks in the minds of many customers or potential customers Long lines mean that it will take too long if you pull into the truck wash and this means the wait could be too long. For a long haul truck driver an hours wait is 65 to 70 miles lost. Two hours is approaching 150 miles in lost distance you see. But with Short lines means it is seen to the Truck Driver as their good fortune and a chance to seize the opportunity. This is how I feel washing my coach;

What is the typical wait these days at a busy truck wash? Well in the middle of the day if the place is really busy could be as much as 1-2 hours. When the lines get too long no other trucks bother to get into the line for a wash. If the Truck Wash is pumping out only one truck per bay every thirty minutes, which is somewhat slow, then 2 hours is only 3 trucks in line and one in the bay being washed per line. All Truck Washes should consider a line strategy. I certainly hope this article is of interest and that is has propelled thought. The goal is simple; to help you in your quest to be the best in 2007. I thank you for reading my many articles on diverse subjects, which interest you.

Operations Management is an area of business that is concerned with the production of goods and services, and involves the responsibility of ensuring that business operations are efficient and effective. It also is the management of resources and the distribution of goods and services to customers.

“Operations” also refers to the production of goods and services, the set of value-added activities that transform inputs into many outputs. Fundamentally, these value-adding creative activities should be aligned with market opportunity for optimal enterprise performance.

Operations Management is the application of the guidelines and tasks set by the company to meet the customers’ standards of satisfaction at the same time upholding the company’s administrative standard of excellent performance.

Basically, Operations Management’s main function is to organize and control the foremost business activity which is supplying goods and services to the customers while maintaining quality products and services.

Organizations

A number of professional organizations have been formed to promote the operations management profession.

Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences [INFORMS] has a subdivision called The Manufacturing and Service Operations Management Society [MSOM]. Whose objective is to promote the enhancement and dissemination of knowledge, and the efficiency of industrial practice, related to the operations function in manufacturing and service enterprises.

Another organization, Production and Operations Management Society (POMS), is an international professional organization representing the interests of POM professionals from around the world.

A third organization, The Association for Operations Management (APICS - the acronym comes from the original name: American Production and Inventory Control Society) defines operations management as "the field of study that focuses on the effective planning, scheduling, use and control of a manufacturing or service organization through the study of concepts from design engineering, industrial engineering, management information systems, quality management, production management, inventory management, accounting, and other functions as they affect the organization" (APICS Dictionary, 11th edition).

Batch Inclusion film or bags derive their name from the fact the bag itself,along with contents,is actually included in the production batch or during rubber compounding. The bag, once melted and dispersed, becomes part of the product being made. Batch inclusion bags typically hold chemical additives for large scale industries, such as synthetic rubber and plastic compounding. Often the additives involved are difficult to handle, weigh to little or are used to hard to dispense automatically. These could include colorants, fillers, resins and even some polymers for large scale mixing. Because the bag and its contents become part of the batch, the user will realize a cleaner environment, along with other benefits such as reduce labor cost, reduce disposal cost and clean up cost, better hygiene. The bags or film has a number of benefits like more efficient use of raw materials and a more consistent mixtures of compounds. Also, you will find the use of material in a sealed bag allows for a reduction in storage space when compared to an open container, such as metal containers or plastic and sometimes paper bags. As sealed bags can pile in a bin, cardboard boxes, tubs, or carts.

Benefits of using Batch Inclusion Bags are they improves quality and batch uniformity insures 100% compound ingredients go into the mixing of the material when doing in house weighing, batch inclusion bags eliminate the risk of cross-contamination due to chemical residue in tubs and weighing containers. Will increases productivity and eliminates the need to weigh ingredients in-house through the use of having the product weighed and ready to be thrown into a batch of rubber also eliminates the need to clean out tubs and weighing containers. Reduces the amount of solid waste disposal going into the land fills. You will have less product loss due to spillage and minimizes the accumulation of costly additives in the dust collectors. The idea is to minimizes worker exposure to hazardous materials.

The power is in the air! Well, I am not talking about aero planes or the military but on something we have taken for granted. It's about the air we breathe. Invisible to the naked eye, you can get a lot of power from it if you know how.

Do you know that the air compressor is a very important piece of machinery on board a diesel operated ship? It is the heart of the starting air system for the diesel electrical generators and the main diesel engine. Without these engines, everything comes to a standstill.

The compressed air that is stored at 25 to 35 bars in air reservoirs has the capacity to start the main engines for at least 13 times before it becomes too weak. The pressure in the compressed air is sufficient to push huge pistons and turn the crankshafts of engines so that enough momentum is created for the engine to start.

Below are some practices that engineers should observe when they are operating and maintaining air compressors:

Grit or dirt must be prevented from entering any part of the unit. As with any machines, these will give rise to numerous problems later. When opening any pipes, the ends need to be covered up to prevent dirt from entering the system. Any oil pipes need to be blown through with air. All air passages must be examined and cleaned, and blown through with high pressure air to remove loose material.

If crankcase oil is changed, clean the crankcase. Do not use waste that may leave lint because they can get trapped in the system. Never use any inflammable liquid to clean the crankcase.

Valves must be cleaned and examined for cracks, marks, or scratches. If found, the valves must be replaced, because if any small pieces from the valve were to break they can cause severe damage to the compressor.

The amount of oil must be checked at intervals. Too little of it will cause wear down of the parts. If too much, carbonizing of valves can occur, resulting in loss of compressor efficiency, and loss of cooler efficiency. Check on the oil condition. If unsuitable oil is used, it may emulsify with the water vapor contained in the air, resulting in loss of lubricating quality and wear down of parts. Unsuitable oil may also evaporate, condense and deposit at the cooler tubes resulting in poor heat transfer, which can lead to carbonizing of valves.

Keep records of the number of working hours so that oil can be changed at the correct intervals.

Engineers must take care of the compressors diligently, especially the cooling system. If the compressor becomes overheated, usually many other problems will occur.

Because of the overheating, carbonization of the valves and even tubes can take place. The latter will result in poor heat transfer and more overheating. The compressed air might become so overheated that even the valve springs may lose their elasticity and fail. In the worst case, the compressor may even explode due to heat, air and fuel present together.

Well folks, bring up your air power!

Buying an Overhead Crane, Gantry Crane, or Jib Crane can be a tough task. Often, buyers know just enough to make themselves dangerous. In other words, decisions can be made to over-buy or under-buy an overhead crane that will cost the buyer either in purchase money or repair costs. Wise buyers of overhead cranes and similar products follow the three-step method to getting a technically-correct overhead crane at the best price commercially available.

STEP ONE: Understand not only what the overhead crane capacity is, but what the duty cycle is. Duty cycle is a measure of how hard the overhead crane is used. In this respect, an overhead crane is just like a internal combustion engine – although redline may be at 7,000 revolutions per minute, the engine will not last if it runs at redline twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. It’s best to find a worksheet or chart that can help better understand the duty cycle the overhead crane should be rated at. Proper duty cycle selection can easily save $20,000 over two years.

STEP TWO: Get an apples-to-apples comparison, and get it in writing. Different crane manufacturers use different standardized and not-so-standardized systems to rate duty cycle of overhead cranes. In the last few years, I’ve seen duty cycle expressed in the following ways: “H-rating”, meaning H1, H2, H3, etc…, “M-rating”, meaning M2, M3, M4…, and a letter-rating, meaning A, B, C… It’s okay to use any of these, but get all three of your potential sellers to put in writing that the whole overhead crane is a certain type of rating. This includes mechanically, electrically, and structurally. Some overhead crane manufacturers will sell a “Class D electrical” overhead crane. This does not mean it is structurally or mechanically Class D, and makes for a significantly mismatched comparison.

STEP THREE: Get competitive proposals for your overhead crane needs. Overhead crane manufacturers are plentiful. If you aren’t currently dealing with one that is completely helpful, timely, and knowledgeable, there is one out there waiting to be all of the above. There’s no need to be taken advantage of because of the frequent changes in management, production schedules, and components used by overhead crane manufacturers.

Most of us use types of industrial lubricants regularly - if you apply some oil to a squeaky hinge, you are using a lubricant. Of course, many industrial uses of lubricants are much more complex than that; many industries can use a large amount of lubricants on a regular basis.

There are several different types of lubricants that are typically used in industry, although the basic purpose of the product is the same – to ensure that moving parts operate more smoothly and to reduce friction. Using the right lubricant can reduce the need for unscheduled maintenance; help to prolong the life of machine components – and ultimately save money.

Industrial lubricants also vary a great deal in terms of chemical composition – some contain silicon-based fluids, some mineral or petroleum oils, while others may contain natural oils. Some contain high water content and are known as HWCF fluids. Typically, this type of fluid has a high level of heat resistance and also accelerates the cooling process.

One of the biggest decisions when it comes to choosing a lubricant is deciding between liquid or solid. Liquid or fluid lubricants would include such things as oils, refrigerants and coolants. An example of this would be the coolant in the radiator in your car bonnet. Some lubricants can also be diluted with differing amounts of water if necessary.

An example of a solid lubricant that’s widely used would be a compound such as hexagonal flake graphite, or boron nitride. Typically, solid lubricants are particularly effective when it comes to keeping out moisture as well as reducing general wear and tear.

Depending on your needs, you may want to choose a lubricant with a specific feature or characteristic. Some industrial lubricants are biodegradable, fire resistant or oxidation inhibiting. Many are also odorless and colorless.

Most synthetic fluids offer excellent cooling properties and fire resistance, making them particularly versatile. Synthetic fluids can be used in a diluted form, with concentrations generally ranging from 3% to 10%.

Certain industries need certain lubricants - lubricants used in the food industry are specifically designed to be safe if they come into contact with food. Food processing plants in particular need a lubricant that offers this feature.

An important feature of lubricants is the kinematic viscosity – the time that it takes for an amount of fluid to flow through a tube of certain size. Viscosity – or flow - is measured at two different temperatures – 100 degrees F and 210 degrees F.

Some lubricants use additives so that they can withstand a heavy weight or a rapid movement. So-called extreme pressure (EP) lubricants use chemical additives which help to provide an effective film layer for heavy-duty work.

The world of lubricants is constantly changing and new advances are made almost daily. The trend is towards lubricants that offer more than one feature – for example, a lubricant that offers protection against corrosion and can also be effective at higher temperatures.

In electronics, printed circuit boards, or PCBs, are used to mechanically support electronic components which have their connection leads soldered onto copper pads in surface mount applications or through rilled holes in the board and copper pads for soldering the component leads in thru-hole applications. A board design may have all thru-hole components on the top or component side, a mix of thru-hole and surface mount on the top side only, a mix of thru-hole and surface mount components on the top side and surface mount components on the bottom or circuit side, or surface mount components on the top and bottom sides of the board.

The boards are also used to electrically connect the required leads for each component using conductive copper traces. The component pads and connection traces are etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. Printed circuit boards are designed as single sided with copper pads and traces on one side of the board only, double sided with copper pads and traces on the top and bottom sides of the board, or multilayer designs with copper pads and traces on top and bottom of board with a variable number of internal copper layers with traces and connections.

Single or double sided boards consist of a core dielectric material, such as FR-4 epoxy fiberglass, with copper plating on one or both sides. This copper plating is etched away to form the actual copper pads and connection traces on the board surfaces as part of the board manufacturing process. A multilayer board consists of a number of layers of dielectric material that has been impregnated with adhesives, and these layers are used to separate the layers of copper plating. All of these layers are aligned and then bonded into a single board structure under heat and pressure. Multilayer boards with 48 or more layers can be produced with today's technologies.

In a typical four layer board design, the internal layers are often used to provide power and ground connections, such as a +5V plane layer and a Ground plane layer as the two internal layers, with all other circuit and component connections made on the top and bottom layers of the board. Very complex board designs may have a large number of layers to make the various connections for different voltage levels, ground connections, or for connecting the many leads on ball grid array devices and other large integrated circuit package formats.

There are usually two types of material used to construct a multilayer board. Pre-preg material is thin layers of fiberglass pre-impregnated with an adhesive, and is in sheet form, usually about .002 inches thick. Core material is similar to a very thin double sided board in that it has a dielectric material, such as epoxy fiberglass, with a copper layer deposited on each side, usually .030 thickness dielectric material with 1 ounce copper layer on each side. In a multilayer board design, there are two methods used to build up the desired number of layers. The core stack-up method, which is an older technology, uses a center layer of pre-preg material with a layer of core material above and another layer of core material below. This combination of one pre-preg layer and two core layers would make a 4 layer board.

The film stack-up method, a newer technology, would have core material as the center layer followed by layers of pre-preg and copper material built up above and below to form the final number of layers required by the board design, sort of like Dagwood building a sandwich. This method allows the manufacturer flexibility in how the board layer thicknesses are combined to meet the finished product thickness requirements by varying the number of sheets of pre-preg in each layer. Once the material layers are completed, the entire stack is subjected to heat and pressure that causes the adhesive in the pre-preg to bond the core and pre-preg layers together into a single entity.

The process of manufacturing printed circuit boards follows the steps below for most applications:

Basic Steps for Manufacturing Printed Circuit Boards:

1. Setup - the process of determining materials, processes, and requirements to meet the customer's specifications for the board design based on the Gerber file information provided with the purchase order.

2. Imaging - the process of transferring the Gerber file data for a layer onto an etch resist film that is placed on the conductive copper layer.

3. Etching - the traditional process of exposing the copper and other areas unprotected by the etch resist film to a chemical that removes the unprotected copper, leaving the protected copper pads and traces in place; newer processes use plasma/laser etching instead of chemicals to remove the copper material, allowing finer line definitions.

4. Multilayer Pressing - the process of aligning the conductive copper and insulating dielectric layers and pressing them under heat to activate the adhesive in the dielectric layers to form a solid board material.

5. Drilling - the process of drilling all of the holes for plated through applications; a second drilling process is used for holes that are not to be plated through. Information on hole location and size is contained in the drill drawing file.

6. Plating - the process of applying copper plating to the pads, traces, and drilled through holes that are to be plated through; boards are placed in an electrically charged bath of copper.

7. Second Drilling - this is required when holes are to be drilled through a copper area but the hole is not to be plated through. Avoid this process if possible because it adds cost to the finished board.

8. Masking - the process of applying a protective masking material, a solder mask, over the bare copper traces or over the copper that has had a thin layer of solder applied; the solder mask protects against environmental damage, provides insulation, protects against solder shorts, and protects traces that run between pads.

9. Finishing - the process of coating the pad areas with a thin layer of solder to prepare the board for the eventual wave soldering or reflow soldering process that will occur at a later date after the components have been placed.

10. Silk Screening - the process of applying the markings for component designations and component outlines to the board. May be applied to just the top side or to both sides if components are mounted on both top and bottom sides.

11. Routing - the process of separating multiple boards from a panel of identical boards; this process also allows cutting notches or slots into the board if required.

12. Quality Control - a visual inspection of the boards; also can be the process of inspecting wall quality for plated through holes in multilayer boards by cross-sectioning or other methods.

13. Electrical Testing - the process of checking for continuity or shorted connections on the boards by means applying a voltage between various points on the board and determining if a current flow occurs. Depending upon the board complexity, this process may require a specially designed test fixture and test program to integrate with the electrical test system used by the board manufacturer.

Contract electronics manufacturing service or EMS providers typically work with customers in a wide range of industries with differing requirements for inventory control, testing, product packaging, and product support. In some applications, the EMS provider simply assembles the printed circuit boards and then ships the boards to the customer. In other applications, the EMS provider will assemble the printed circuit board, load firmware/software into memory, test the board, and then assemble the board and associated cables, enclosures, and documentation into a finished product that is shipped to the customer. Some customers will provide all of the materials, raw boards and electronic components, required for a job and the EMS provider assemblies the printed circuit boards, performs any required testing, and ships the finished boards to the customer. This is generally considered as inventory provided on a consignment basis where the EMS provider basically provides labor and expertise only. Some customers provide some portion on the materials, such as specialty or high cost integrated circuits, proprietary parts such as transformers or coils, raw printed circuit boards, etc. and rely on the EMS provider to purchase the remainder of the components needed to assemble the boards. Most EMS providers prefer to use their own purchasing power, their extensive contacts, and their existing parts inventory where applicable to provide all of the required materials for a customer's particular project. This method is generally considered as inventory provided on a turn-key basis.

But before any of this can happen, the EMS provider must provide an assembled board quote or pricing estimate to the customer for the project. In addition to the quantity commitments, production release quantity and annual usage quantity, this pricing process also requires a detailed bill of material from the customer along with a set of the Gerber files for the printed circuit boards. The BOM should define all of the components along with the approved vendor and vendor's part number for each component. This information allows the Materials Management group to determine availability, packaging, and pricing for each component based on the quantities and vendor information. The BOM information is also needed to allow a technical review to determine the amount of labor and the equipment required to place the parts and to solder the components to the board.

The Gerber files for the printed circuit board design provide Materials Management with the information they need in order to get raw board pricing and lead times from the printed circuit board manufacturing vendors. The Gerber files also provide the Manufacturing Group with the information they need to develop the manufacturing plan, are components on top only or top and bottom of board; surface mount, thru hole, or mixed component types; wave solder or reflow oven processes required, etc. The Manufacturing Group also has to estimate time to program the component placement equipment and to load the components in the placement feeders, set-up costs, costs to order the solder paste stencils, and must also quantify test plans, procedures, and required test equipment. In order to correctly place components on the printed circuit board with each component properly oriented, the EMS provider will need silkscreen files to know the correct orientation of the parts on each side of the board. The screen paste file for surface mount applications will be required to order the stencils for the solder paste application to the board prior to the part placements.

All of this may seem to be a lot of information, but each piece is needed in order to provide the most cost effective pricing for the finished product. Fortunately, the Gerber files are usually readily available from the pcb design system as the Gerber format is the industry standard output format. The BOM is usually in the form of an Excel spreadsheet or formal drawing. Assist your EMS provider by providing the approved vendor's name and part number for each component.

In Summary:

The information required to prepare an accurate quotation for a typical printed circuit board assembly project includes:

-Definition of inventory method, consignment, partial consignment, or turn-key.
-Complete Bill of Material with at least one manufacturer's name and part number for each component along with notes identifying any components to be supplied by the customer.
-Gerber files for the printed circuit board designs.
-Estimated Annual Usage, EAU, quantities and production release quantities.
-Name of technical contact person, along with their telephone number, fax number, and email address.

Additional information that may be helpful if you have it available:

When an electronics design engineer has completed their circuit design for an application, the next step towards completing the product design is to enter the schematic details into a computer based schematic capture program. The schematic capture program, which is usually part of an Electronic Design Automation, EDA or Computer Automated Design, PCB CAD, software design package, will create a net list from the completed schematic that details every electrical connection between each electronic component.

This net list is used by the printed circuit board or PCB designer in the process of designing the printed circuit board with the EDA or PCB CAD software. The finished printed circuit board will provide the physical assembly and interconnection platform for the various electronic components required by the schematic.

The printed circuit board is made up of one or more conductive layers of copper plating that is etched to form the component pads and interconnection traces and one or more layers of insulating material such as epoxy-filled fiberglass to separate the conductive copper layers and to provide the mechanical strength for the board.

A single layer board would have components on the top side of the board and connecting traces on the bottom side of the board. A double layer board could have components on the top side only or have components on both the top and bottom sides of the board along with connecting traces on both sides of the board. A multilayer board would have both top and bottom sides with components and traces along with a number of internal layers used for interconnections and for voltage and ground plane layers.

The EDA or PCB CAD program provides the detailed information about the completed board design in a series of data files for each conductive layer, such as top, bottom, and any internal layers. The Gerber File format, named after the Gerber Scientific Instruments Company, a pioneer in photoplotter manufacturing, is the standard format for these data files.

The original Gerber format conformed to the EIA RS-274D standard and consisted of a command file for each conductive layer and a tool description file. The command file consisted of a series of short commands, each followed by a set of X and Y coordinates, which would provide a photoplotter with the information to create a graphic representation. These command files became known as the Gerber files. The tool description file, or aperture file, defined the trace line widths and dimensional data for all of the pads and geometric shapes on the layer.

These data files of computer generated information for the printed circuit board design are then sent to a printed circuit board fabrication company to have the physical boards manufactured. The Gerber files contain all of the information necessary for the computer controlled machines at the printed circuit board, PCB, fabrication houses to etch the copper layers to create the component pads and connection traces, drill all required holes, and cut the board to the required size.

Since a PCB may have from one to many conductive layers, the older Gerber format EIA RS-274D always assumed a set of command files, one for each PCB layer, and one tool description file, or aperture file. A standard for the aperture files was never established so every EDA or PCB CAD software product had its own version of the aperture file format. If the printed circuit board fabrication house could not read the aperture file format as sent, then the aperture information would have to be re-entered manually.

The newer Gerber format conforms to EIA RS-274X and this format includes the aperture information in the file headers as embedded information for each command or Gerber file. This newer format is often called X-Gerber. With all of the aperture information included within the header fo the file, each X-Gerber file provides all of the information required to fabricate the related portion of a PCB layer.

The file names for the Gerber files should be descriptive enough for the pcb fabricator to understand which board and board layer that each file applies to,such as membdtop.gbr as a file name. The standard process is to include with each set of files for a board design a special readme.txt type text file that defines each file name and its application for the board design. The board vendor will use this readme.txt text file as the starting point for the board manufacturing process.

Gerber file extensions are often .GBR, .GBX, or .ART. Sometimes extensions such as .TOP and .BOT or .SMT and .SMB are used instead of the .GB_ type extensions. Often the file extension for a type of file, top, bottom, silkscreen, paste, inner layer, is controlled by the EDA or PCB CAD software package or is selectable within the package. This variation in the extensions makes the inclusion of the readme.txt file as a requirement in the overall file package for the board vendor.

The list of files for a board design will include the silkscreen for the top and sometimes the bottom layers if components are mounted on both sides, component placements for the top and sometimes the bottom layers, solder screen paste files for surface mount applications, drill drawings, solder mask files, panel drawings, pad master top and pad master bottom, etc.

For instance, for a double sided, 2 layer, pcb, the Gerber files will consist of two positive Gerber layers, top and bottom, aperture file,if not in the RS-274X format, NC Excellon drill file, Drill Tool List file, Silkscreen file for each side with components, solder mask files for top and bottom, and top and bottom screen paste files for surface mount boards where applicable. A four layer board would have all of these files plus two inner layer files and a six layer board would have all of these files plus four inner layer files.

At Innovative Circuits Inc., we interface with PCB fabrication houses for our own board designs as well as board designs provided by our customers for whom we are providing board assembly services. Thus we are very familiar with Gerber files and their purposes and functions. But we also realize that countless other people in other organizations who are involved in ordering raw boards or board assembly services will see or hear the term Gerber files without having any knowledge of the term, and this article if for them.

PVC Windows have many, many different benefits and advantages over other window materials. Some of the main benefits and advantages are listed below:

Low Maintenance - The pristine appearance of plastics windows and doorsets is maintained by an occasional cleaning with mild detergent such as soapy water. Some items of window hardware (e.g. hinges and handles) may need occasional lubrication in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.

No Painting - Unlike timber frames, finished plastics frames never need repainting or re-staining. PVC-U windows can be made in many different colours.

Colour Fast - Plastics frame materials are subjected to rigorous tests to ensure that the appearance of the frames will not deteriorate with time.

No Rotting, Rusting or Corroding - Timber and metal frames are normally subject to rotting, rusting and corroding. This cannot happen to plastics frames.

No Warping or Twisting - Unlike timber, plastics frames do not warp, twist or split. Tough and Durable - Plastics profiles have special additives to make the material both tough and durable, and ideally suited to UK requirements.

Resists Combustion - Plastics frames will only burn when subjected to an intense fire source. The material is classified as self-extinguishing.

Insulation - Plastics frames have inherently high thermal and acoustic performance. This can be further enhanced by the use of gas filled Double Glazed Units and/or different types of glass. Cost Competitive - Plastics windows are long lasting and virtually maintenance free and therefore are the most cost-effective option.

High Performance - When properly manufactured plastics windows will comply with the requirements of BS 6375-1 and -2 and all other relevant British Standards. When installed in accordance with the BPF "Code of Practice for the Survey and Installation of Replacement Plastics Windows and Doorsets" W362, they will give high performance in service.

Design Capabilities - It is possible to produce most styles of window, including tilt & turn, vertical sliding sash, pivot, fully reversible and traditional casement windows in a variety of finishes.

The Environment - The plastics frame materials are recyclable into alternative applications and are also energy efficient in production. And unlike timber, there is no adverse effect on the worlds rain forests. Click here to go to the environment section.

I think PVC windows is really green windows, I bought PVC windows from a Chinese factory which made PVC windows about 20 years and exported to many countries, my many friends are satisfy with PVC windows, i think it have this features:

(1) Keep warming
(2) Sound insulation
(3) not easy aging
(4) Good fireproofing
(5) Resist Impact
(6) Excellent watertightness and artightness
(7) Weight light, easy installation.

Dry ice blasting is:
- the use of solid CO2 (carbon dioxide) pellets accelerated by compressed air to clean or strip industrial equipment, machinery, buildings, floors etc. of unwanted contaminates. Dry ice pellets impact the surface and expand instantly into a gaseous state hundreds of times greater than their original solid volume, creating miniature explosions on the surface being cleaned. Dry ice is -109 F, this thermal shock aids in removing many materials.

- controlled by adjusting the air pressure and the volume of pellets used. In so doing heavy layers of coatings, paint, resins, mold release, plastic, residue build up, adhesives etc. are easily removed. On the delicate side a deflector plate at the end of the nozzle causes the pellets to change to powder on impact, allowing the cleaning of even circuit boards.

- a huge benefit in protecting investments. No longer is there a need to use abrasive media blasting, rotary sanding discs, abrasive pads, scrapers etc. which remove metal and cause expensive tooling repair. If the surface was originally polished, it will still be polished after the dry ice blasting job is done. Dry ice blasting removes no metal, extending equipment and tooling life.

- non abrasive, therefore masking of glass, bearings, moving metal parts etc. is not required. Many types of machines can now be cleaned in place and on line, completely eliminating the need of shutdowns for cleaning. Less downtime equals greater production time.

- safe and environmentally friendly. Dry ice is pure CO2 in its solid state, it is in its gaseous state in the air around us. When we inhale our bodies use the oxygen and we exhale CO2. Green plants take CO2 from the air and give off oxygen.

- non-toxic, non-conductive and there is no employee exposure to hazardous cleaning chemicals or solutions. Dry ice blasting meets the guidelines of the USDA, EPA, and the FDA.

Dry ice blasting greatly reduces disposal costs. Conventional methods for industrial cleaning leave behind a secondary waste stream, such as cleaning solvents, blast media, rags, absorbent pads etc. often contaminated with hazardous chemicals or materials which require special handling and are subject to costly disposal fees. This process leaves no secondary waste stream.

Wood dust or sawdust is a potential problem in virtually all woodworking applications. In any type of woodworking environment, wood dust and wood shavings can lea to serious health and fire hazards. Wood dust is actually classified as a particulate airborne contaminant. A valuable tool used to control wood dust is a duct collection system. Industrial dust collectors are specifically designed to remove particulate airborne contaminants at the source.

Wood dust has been identified by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as both a potential safety and health hazard. Constant exposure to wood dust can cause long-term health problems and can be an irritant to the sinuses, skin and lungs in the short-term. Woodshop owners would be wise to refer to the OSHA standards for wood dust exposure for employees.

There are many good reasons other than health for using a dust collector in woodshops. Wood burns and the dust that is created from cutting it is a serious potential fire hazard. If fine, powdery wood dust is heavily concentrated in the air and exposed to a spark, it can cause an explosion, similar to what can happen in a grain silo. If you are trying to apply smooth finishes with wood dust hanging in the air, the dust will create imperfections on the finished product. Wood dust can also have a negative effect on power tools and machinery, shortening their lifespan.

There are three primary factors to consider when designing a dust collection system for your woodshop. First, you must determine how many CFM (cubic feet per minute) of air movement is needed in your collection system to handle your shops wood dust output. Secondly, it is vital to lay-out a system that insures your shop tools, collector, and ductwork provide maximum efficiency for you requirements. The third factor is to determine whether to use a single or double stage collection system.

A single stage dust collector pulls the wood debris through an impeller and deposits it in a collection bag or bin. A double or dual stage collection system deposits the larger wood pieces and shavings in a bin before they reach the impeller. The fine wood dust passes the impeller and is collected in a storage container. This stops metal objects like nails and screws from hitting the impeller and causing a spark. Dust collection creates a static electrical charge, so all collector systems must be grounded with copper wire to prevent combustion.

Real Time particle monitoring requires placing a single handheld laser particle counter or a particle sensor at a designated location within the cleanroom. The particle counter sensor counts particles and monitors their events at the specified location in the cleanroom. The particles are monitored in particles per cubic foot or per cubic meter. There are no gaps in the particle counting data, making the Real Time system highly effective at critical locations to properly monitor sensitive processes.

Real Time particle monitoring offers a choice between using a remote particle counter or a stand alone handheld laser particle counter with a built-in vacuum pump. The remote particle counter provides a process vacuum for sampling or a separate pump dedicated to particle counting may be used.

Sequential particle monitoring is also known as a Manifold monitoring system or as Pneumatically Multiplexed Particle Counting. In this system, a single handheld laser particle counter is used to monitor multiple location points. To accomplish this, a sequential manifold sampler must be added to connect the particle counter to the various sampling tubes. These individual tubes are then sampled in a sequential order.

The particle counter stops counting until the tube change is complete and allows any air from the previous sample to be purged. The number of monitoring points determines the frequency of each sample.

Real Time Particle Monitoring Benefits:

* Very effective for monitoring low detection limits

* Excellent for equipment monitoring and preventative maintenance

* Provides continuous detection of all particle events

Sequential Particle Monitoring Benefits:

* Fewer particle counters required to cover a specific area

* Particle counters more easily serviced via central location

* Data collection between particle counters not necessary

An industrial adhesive is defined as anything that is used in a fastening or bonding application in any manufacturing industry. There are several different types of adhesive that are used regularly – epoxies, hot melt, sealants, acrylics, thermostat and silicon adhesives. And something many of us are familiar with - cement and mortar are also considered to be industrial adhesives.

Different industrial adhesive types have different properties or features and can be used effectively for different purposes. Some adhesives have particularly good bonding qualities – for example, hot melt adhesives which can be repeatedly softened and hardened by alternate heating and cooling.

Also particularly versatile are so-called pressure-sensitive adhesives, which – as the name suggests – need only very slight pressure to adhere to most surfaces. Pressure sensitive adhesives are available in water, solvent and latex based forms.

UV curing adhesives will give a strong and permanent bond without the use of heat, as they use ultra-violet light, or other sources of radiation. One thing to consider is the bonding time – some UV curing adhesives bond instantly, while others require a longer time.

Some industrial adhesives are defined by their chemical make-up – acrylic, silicone, rubber and polyurethanes, for example. Acrylic adhesives have a faster setting time than most other resins, and also offer excellent resistance to the elements. Polyurethanes offer durability, flexibility and high resistance to impact.

Rubber sealants and adhesives are widely available and have different uses. Rubber adhesives are usually based on compounds such as nitrile or butyl and they also offer a strong yet highly flexible bond between surfaces. Epoxy adhesives are known for their ability to resist chemical and environmental damage, as well as their general versatility in many areas.

Anaerobic adhesives can be used effectively in an environment with no oxygen and are widely used in many industries – military, aerospace and marine. Some anaerobic adhesives are designed to be used in a high voltage setting, or with electronic devices or semiconductors.

Silicon based adhesives are known for their flexibility and also have a high resistance to heat – up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit. Polyurethane sealants and adhesives are available in one or two part adhesive systems and are known for their all-round durability and their high levels of impact resistance.

Some industrial adhesives are designed to provide an electrical path or connection between components. These adhesives help to prevent problems such as radio frequency interference and electrostatic discharge. These adhesives are routinely used in the manufacture of circuit boards, transformers and generators.

Today, the development of industrial adhesives with new – and more effective - properties is continuing constantly. Engineers and scientists explore ways to enhance several different factors such as flexibility, toughness, setting time, temperature and chemical resistance to make industrial adhesives as effective as they can be.

Amazing results from such a simple method. Conjoining two pieces of metal with tremendous strength and making this possible by harnessing the power of electricity. The electricity arc of an arc welder is so hot that it melts metal to a liquid form instantly. Harnessing the power of electricity is what made America what it is today.

The basic operation of an arc welding unit, also known as stick welding, involves electricity directed through a steel rod, known as an electrode, through the material that is being welded. To ensure a clean weld the electrode is coated in a material called flux which keeps contaminates from penetrating the electricity arc or the metal. Contaminates can be wet, dirty, or rusted metal to the atmosphere such as oxygen or carbon dioxide. The only expenses on an arc welder is the electricity and the desired electrodes depending on the task at hand.

Depending on the unit’s size an arc welder can cost anywhere from two hundred to five hundred dollars per unit. Arc welders are known for being able to weld very thick metals. To get a mig welder that welds the same thickness of metal as an arc welder a person would have to buy one of the more expensive higher class mig welders ranging all the way up to two thousand dollars. This cost seems high but is reasonable because a person would then have the same penetration of an arc welder but with a much cleaner weld than arc welder.

Arc welding is great for welding in the outdoors or on dirty and rusted metal. Arc welding is more forgiving if the conditions of the outdoors were to be windy, raining, or snowing. Or if the condition of the metal may be dirty or rusted. As the electricity arc melts the metal electrode, the flux on the steel rod turns into a gas and surrounds the arc from contaminants entering even including oxygen. Although to ensure a good weld one must clean and dry metal to be worked on and have a proper welding environment to work in.

Understanding how an arc welder works is only a small portion to welding. It is the person who understands how to harness the power of electricity who will get great returns on what they create.

Today's high-performance CNC machines operate at extremely high rates of speed, requiring an oil mist eliminator to remove vast amounts of coolant. For example, the Haas MDC-500 Mill DrillCenter features a high-volume coolant pump and a 40-gallon coolant tank. Mist eliminators are designed to remove the oil mist and smoke from cutting fluids in metalworking environments.

The health hazards of oil mist exposure associated with the machine tool industry have been well documented. The websites for OSHA, NIOSH and the CDC provide a wealth of valuable information for both employers and employees regarding safety issues and cutting fluids.

One of the most common afflictions of workers exposed to oil mist is Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (HP). This is an allergic reaction to machine coolant that worsens with continued exposure. HP is caused by microbes in the cutting oil that affect air sacs in the deepest part of the lung. Symptoms include fever, chills, deep coughing and shortness of breath.

A mist eliminator collects and removes the harmful particles and smoke from oil mist. Not only does an oil mist eliminator protect workers health, it can also help increase production and improve your shops overall environment.

Oil Mist Eliminator Benefits:

* Potential health problems and lost man hours are reduced by capturing harmful airborne mist particles

* A good quality mist eliminator will help your shop to be in safety compliance with OSHA and NIOSH airborne oil mist limits

* Using a mist eliminator reduces maintenance costs by keeping exposed areas free from oil

* Your production can be increased by reducing machine downtime. A mist eliminator protects the contacts in electronic equipment from becoming fouled by removing the oil mist from the air

Textile Portal is a marketplace for the common meeting point of Buyers and Suppliers of Textile products and services. It follows the same concept of the traditional market places which are set up for buyers and sellers even today. For e.g.: We visit various markets like vegetable market, fish market, cloth market. Almost always we can see that similar products are sold in such markets with a variety of options available to select from. Textile Portal is a virtual marketplace where traders, buyers and suppliers do their postings for the requirements. In fact traders play an active role in the negotiating of prices and making the business profitable for both buyers and suppliers.

The task is a difficult one for traders since postings are for products spanning geographically across the globe. A supplier wants to sell 100% cotton from India. However there are more than one buyer for 100% cotton more from the Atlantic region. The trader would act prudently and select the best buyer who can also give good commission rates to the trader.

Textile portals are coming up over the web. Since the products involved are in bulk quantities, these portals are not very popular like other portals like ebay.com or amazon.com. Not just popularity but reliability is an important factor determining the choice of textile portal. These portals are also coming with specialized services like News, Trends and Others that can only be subscribed at a yearly subscription depending upon the selection of services of textile updates. Textile Portal can revolutionalize the entire textile business.

The process of producing plastic film by extruding molten resin into continuous tube is extremely simple. The elements of the process include plastic pellets (resin) which feed through the hopper into an opening on the back of an extruder. Here, heat and friction from the screw and barrel inside of the extruder convert the pellets to a melt which are forced through an annular, or ring-shaped, die to form a tube.

The tube is inflated to increase its diameter and decrease the film gauge, and at the same time is drawn away from the die, also to decrease its gauge. The bubble is flattened by collapsing frames, drawn through nip rolls, over idler rolls to a winder which produces the finished rolls of film.

The system is, in fact, one of the most complex and sensitive of all plastics processing technologies and it presents many inherent difficulties. It would be fair to say that few who fully understands those difficulties would ever enter the business except for the fact that there is a positive side to the picture. The tubular blown film process is efficient and economical, and can produce array of products from a light gauge, clear converter film to heavy gauge construction film, which when slit open may be 40 feet or more wide.

Conclusion is that you must maintain uniform roll diameters, weights and appearance that will indicate a consistency of product that can only enhance the film to the customer. Finally a proper roll and or package label will identify your good work so the customer can recognize it.

Manufacturing environments that use oil-based cutting fluids often put workers health at risk. Applications such as CNC machines, screw machines and surface and centerless grinders produce an oil mist from the coolant used to keep cutting tools from overheating. Oil mist, also known as cutting oil or metalworking fluid, is an oily liquid aerosol dispersed in the air. Fine oil mist hangs in the air for long periods, similar to tobacco smoke.

It has been estimated that up to one million workers in the United States are exposed to oil mist. The health effects of exposure to oil mist have been studied for several decades. Many Epidemiological studies have indicated that long-term exposure to oil mist can lead to increased susceptibility to several types of cancer.

The following diseases have been associated with exposure to oil mist: skin – oil acne, contact dermatitis, and photosensitive allergic dermatitis; respiratory system – rhinitis, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, lipoid pneumonia, lung fibrosis and lung cancer; scrotum – benign and malignant tumors. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), potential symptoms of exposure to high concentrations of oil mist include eye and skin irritation, shortness of breath, vomiting, fever, rapid heartbeat and a burning sensation in the mouth, throat and stomach.

Industrial workers are exposed to oil mist by three avenues; skin exposure, aerial exposure and ingestion. The most frequent route of exposure is the skin. Occupational health experts believe that over three-quarters of all occupational diseases are caused by skin contact with oil mist. Oil mist by itself can be dangerous, but it can also quickly become contaminated with foreign material and chemicals which are aerosolized into mist. Many of these contaminants add to the hazards associated with oil mist.

In today’s highly competitive global economy, manufacturers feel pressured to increase productivity. Making machines work harder and faster often produces even more oil mist in the workplace. Even though production schedules may increase, profitability may suffer due to work-related illnesses. Sick employees don’t help the bottom line, they lower productivity and increase overhead costs.

Lubricants, fluids and coolants regularly used in the metal working industry are highly specialised and designed to perform specific tasks. In addition to metal forming, metal working includes a fairly broad range of tasks – including polishing, cutting, embossing and grinding.

Metal working lubricants are used for several reasons. While one of the primary functions is to increase lubrication, they can also reduce thermal deformation, improve the overall finish of a metal surface and help to effectively remove loose metal chips from the cutting area.

Lubricants can be used to carry abrasive powders, when used for polishing or lapping of metals. They are effective in acting as a cooling agent when used in grinding applications and they also prevent certain materials from sticking to surfaces. Lubricants can help reduce the effects of corrosion and rust.

And perhaps most importantly, the correct use of metal working lubricants will help to reduce wear and tear, prolong the life of tools and other moving parts, reduce the time spent on maintenance – and of course ultimately ensure a company’s profitability over the long term.

Different lubricants possess different properties and features. Features that might be important when choosing a lubricant include resistance to heat, oxidation inhibiting ability and biodegradable ability. Flash point is also an important consideration – the flash point is the lowest temperature at which liquid can emit enough vapours to cause an ignition.

Metal working lubricants come in three types: greases, fluids and solid lubricants. Each has different properties and can be used most effectively in different industrial applications. Which lubricant to use will depend on several factors – the characteristics of any die used, the temperature and the overall processing conditions.

Solid lubricants are chemical compounds such as boron nitride and often have such qualities as being able to keep out moisture, reduce friction and generally reduce wear and tear.

Some industries need specialised lubricants – the transportation, aerospace and automotive industries are some of the biggest users. The steel forging industry commonly uses graphite based lubricants which is often graphite immersed in oil or water. This type of lubricant also has the advantage of having no fumes and is able to keep the steel forge and surrounding area clean.

Lubricants used in metalwork vary widely in their chemical composition as well as their uses. Lubricants may contain such varied ingredients as mineral or petroleum oils, natural oils, waxes or paraffin.

Some lubricants contain a high percentage of water and are generally known in the industry as HWCF – high water content fluids. Synthetic fluids generally provide an effective resistance to heat as well as excellent cooling abilities; they don’t contain a petroleum or mineral oil base.

They may not be the most glamorous part of the metal working industry – but without a doubt, the indispensable lubricant is certainly one of the most important.

Trion, a division of Fedders Corporation, has developed an innovative mist collector called the Mini Mist Eliminator (Mini M.E.). Virtually all screw machines, CNC machines, surface and centerless grinders use water-soluble, synthetic and petroleum coolants to protect cutting tools and parts. The mists associated with these coolants can be harmful to the health of the machine operator through inhalation and contact with the skin and eyes. Based on potential health risks, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has established recommended exposure limits for oil mist.

The Mini M.E. removes oil mist from the air by utilizing the principle of electrostatic precipitation. This principle involves drawing the oil mist through an impinger which removes a majority of the mist, especially large droplets. The remaining mist is drawn through an ionizing section, charging the remaining mist particles which then pass through oppositely charged collector plates. The charged mist particles are attracted to the collector plates like a magnet. These particles then drip back down to be recaptured or drained away. The dirty collector plates can be simply washed clean, eliminating costly filter replacements.

The Mini M.E. also eliminates the need for extensive duct work because it can be easily mounted on the machine, platform or ceiling. This also helps to free up floor space. The Mini M.E. can help save on energy costs by being wired directly to the machine tool control, operating only when the machine tool does. It also helps to reduce maintenance costs by protecting equipment from oil mist.

This quality unit not only traps and removes the oil mist, but also the smoke associated with cutting tools and grinders. The Mini M.E. cleans and recirculates indoor air with up to 95% efficiency rate on 0.3 micron particles. It also offers a great advantage in that it can be seamlessly integrated into pre-existing machine tool systems.

Trion is one of the most trusted names in air purification systems. Trion has produced high quality products for industrial, commercial, military and residential markets since 1947.

A manufacturing team was to be charged a flat overhead charge (fee) for corporate Information Technology (IT) services. This overhead charge was to be paid whether they used them or not. The overhead charge was going to be proportional to the operating budget. The accountant suggested a proportional fee because it made accounting of IT projects and maintenance easier, and the IT manager needed to pay for his staff. Any upgrades, maintenance work orders, or other tasks would be taken care of under this overhead charge. There would be no cost or budget tracking needed.

As management debated this, we realized that plumbers or dentists do not proportionally bill us whether we use them or not, but we pay for services rendered. In our personal finances, we carefully weigh the need for spending money on repairs and upgrades. It seemed much better to "pay as you go,” or PAYG, for project and maintenance work performed by service groups. If equipment breaks down, manufacturing can count the cost of repairs, and justify upgrades if the frequency of failure and cost of the repair warrant it. If new upgrades are desired, then it would be evaluated and justified on a case-by-case basis. The return-on-investment would be calculated. There are always exceptions, such as for city services where a flat fee to all residents is adequate since road and sewer maintenance costs are easier to predict.

With an overhead fee approach, the customer calls the service group and the work gets done. Costs do not enter into the equation, nor do they appear to affect the bottom line. New projects are done with little or no incentive to hold costs down. There are no apparent consequences for overspending, misdirecting resources, or for plant mal-investment. Overhead fee-based services can generate a "blank check" mentality.

PAYG leads to responsible use of services by the manufacturing groups, and better ensures an efficient delivery of services. The manufacturing group would have to justify upgrades to the process instead of just calling for help. The service group would have to give a quote and be held accountable for project cost, scope, and schedule. Manufacturing would cost counts against the profit.

Underlying this PAYG concept is a desire to be a good steward of resources entrusted to us. This process should come with accountability, transparency, personal ownership, and rewards of personal gain or punishment of loss. An annual incentive bonus for earnings can be very effective. With PAYG we can better determine profitability and make rational decisions based on need and return-on-investment. Strive to connect rewards for the diligent, and consequences for the irresponsible. Of course, all businesses have some risks that are hard to control, but properly managing controllable expenses gives us an advantage. Succumbing to formulas and fixed overhead charges must therefore be minimized. It is tempting to not PAYG because it is easier, but resist it. Flat fees only give the illusion of stewardship. We should handle our own money, and “other people’s money”, with equal care. This means asking a lot of questions and figuring out what real needs and benefits are for spending that money.

To manage Hazardous Substances a requirement is to conduct Risk Assessments for each of the hazardous substances. The process required to ensure that all risks identified with using a substance is controlled under the Queensland Workplace Health and Safety Regulations is described below. The requirements for other legislation will be quite similar.

When is it a requirement to conduct a risk assessment?

Legislation requires that Hazardous Substances risk assessments are required at the following times:

* As soon as practicable after it is used;
* Within five years after the last assessment;
* When a work practice involving the substance is significantly changed;
* New information about the substance’s hazards is available;
* Health surveillance or monitoring shows control measures need to be reviewed; and
* New or improved control measures are implemented.

Are you asking why you have to complete a risk assessment at all of these times? Let’s have a look at the benefits:

* You will know before using the substance the risks to you employees, therefore, allowing you to put controls in place to reduce the risks.
* Reviewing the assessment every five years allows you to identify if anything has changed, therefore, altering your risk significance. Including, if there is a less hazardous substance that could be used.
* Changes in work practices may impact other areas of risk in conjunction with the use of the substance, for example: changing from fine powder to pelletised form.
* If the manufacturer changes the substance, this may affect your practices or employees differently.
* Health Surveillance and monitoring are tools used to measure your controls. If there is a significant change in the results this is your first indication that your controls are not performing as you had anticipated.
* Regularly employees, suppliers, manufacturers or even visitors will identify new or improved control measures. A risk assessment is required to ensure that no further risk will be introduced.

What needs to be included in the risk assessment? The legislation requires that the following are included in the risk assessment:

* Identification of the hazardous substance;
* If the substance’s MSDS is available; a review of the MSDS;
* If the substance’s MSDS is not available; a review of available equivalent information;
* If the substance is contained in a consumer package; a review of the package’s label;
* A decision whether any workers may be exposed to the substance; and
* A decision about the control measures, health surveillance and monitoring needed for the substance.

MSDS’s and consumer packaging is an invaluable source of information when conducting your risk assessments, they will contain a substantial amount of the information required, for example: Substance Product Name; Chemical and Physical properties; Health Hazards and Safe Use. Generic assessments may be prepared for the workplace where the substance is used in the same or similar circumstances. For example: An assessment prepared by an industry body or trade association about the use of brake fluid at service stations.

Controlling the Risks Identified: Now that the identification of the risks, monitoring / surveillance requirements and control measures have been identified – YOU need to ensure that they are implemented. The effectiveness of your controls can be measured by monitoring / surveillance data; incident / accident trending; training and the review of your risk assessment. What records are required to be maintained? Legislation requires that the following records are maintained for each risk assessment:

* The date the assessment was conducted;
* The substance’s product name or other information;
* Whether the degree of risk is assessed to be significant;
* The control measures for the use of the substance that were in place when the assessment was done; and
* The type of monitoring that is needed and the intervals at which the health surveillance must be done.

Conducting risk assessments for hazardous substances is not difficult and is not a chore. Completing this risk assessments and complementing processes will protect the health of yourself, your friends, your employees and your family.

Bonded life insurance settlements are settlement for insurance policies that are provided by bonding companies. For a premium, these companies promise to buy out the purchaser's interest in the policy at face value, in case the policy does not mature by a particular date.

Bonded policies typically have a low return on investment, as a part of the purchase funds is dedicated towards, paying a lump sum performance bond premium. Bonded viatical life settlements, also known as bonded viaticals, are termed as secondary market life insurance policy contracts. Viatical investment contracts have the option of, emergency or stop loss insurance on the life expectancy, which is called a wrapper.

The insurance company that issues the wrapper offers, an insurance policy or financial guarantee, according to the performance of the underlying life expectancy. This kind of financial guarantee ensures more security and safety to policy owners, who might be interested in purchasing viatical investment contracts. This transfer of the life extension risk from the purchasers to an insurance company increases, the chances of a return on the funds that are invested.

However, there is one major risk associated with viatical purchase contracts or viatical investment. The risk is that the insured, which is also known as the viator, will live beyond their originally anticipated life expectancy. To combat the life extension risk, some viatical companies escrow additional funds to cover for it. In case these funds are exhausted prior to the maturity of the policy, its responsibility lies with the purchaser. It means that the purchaser of the viatical investment contract may have to maintain the account by paying the premiums, until the maturity of the contract. The maturity of the contract in this case is the death of insured.

There is also a possibility that, an escrow agent or trust department, is concerned with making payments for premiums on the life insurance policy. The status of this escrow agent or trust company status must also be looked upon during the determination of the value of the investment.

Robotic welding has come of age in the past few years. In advances in computer technology and robotics, simple, repetitive tasks in manufacturing are often performed by robotic welding devices, with a resulting savings in labor and an improvement in safety, since there is less human interaction and less chance for human error.

Trade shows and conventions for the fabrication industry and welding trades often feature robotic welding devices these days. Demonstrations at the trade shows give examples of robotic welding machines doing graceful and complex maneuvers, demonstrating speed and flexibility possible with robots today that were not possible a generation ago.

Industrial robots are used in welding, painting, ironing, assembly, palletizing, pick and place, inspection, and testing of products. Robots have proven themselves to be valuable resources in manufacturing applications in all of these areas.

Any welding task is suitable for automation if the task is repetitive. From a practical, financial standpoint however the number of pieces that need to be welded must be of sufficient quantity to allow a continuous flow, to justify the initial expense of setting up robotic welding machinery. In such instances an automatic welding gun can be placed in a static position or if needed on a curved track to achieve a circular weld. In this type of situation, a work piece can be rotated past the welding gun.

The major manufacturers in three basic sizes offer robotic welding arms. These include a tabletop size with a six-pound payload, a medium sized model with a 13.2 pound payload and larger machines with a 22.2 pound payload. While these robotic welding machines are available new, many used and reconditioned models are also available and popular.

Where robotic welding machines, and industrial robots in general came from is of interest. The first industrial robot, used for simple tasks, was invented in 1962. In 1969 a Stanford University professor developed the Stanford arm, an articulated robot that widened the potential of robots, making robotic welding possible and feasible. By the 1970’s industrial robots were firmly rooted in most industries and robotic welding’s strong points had become obvious to industry. Soon large companies like General Electric and General Motors were manufacturing robots, and several companies n the U.S. stated specifically to manufacture them and market them to industry, including Automatix and Adept Technology, Inc, while Westinghouse Electric Corporation acquired Animation, the grandmaster of industrial robotics. Many Japanese companies also entered the arena.

Today’s popularity of industrial robots, and in particular of robotic welding devices is due to the fact that these machines save man hours, allowing skilled human technicians, including welders, to concentrate on more complicated tasks worthy of their skills and training. Simple and repetitive tasks that would be a waste of a skilled welder’s time are generally handled by robotic welding machines with cost savings in the millions every year, benefiting the companies and stockholders.

Overall, Robotic welding is one of the most advanced computer technologies and robotic welding devices save in labor and an improvement in safety, by reducing human error and human tragedy.

Welding helmets are one of the most common accessories for someone engaged in welding. Indeed, the popular vision of the welder would not be complete without the helmet. Our national mythology includes the image of Rosie the Riveter and her welding sisters wearing welding helmets and protective face plating. But, what should you know about welding helmets before acquiring and using them? What common questions should you ask concerning welding helmets?

The first question to ask is what is the lens shade, and which one should be used for eye protection? A common misconception is that the lens shade number equates to the amount of protection given to the eyes. These people think that the higher the number, the more protection provided. Not so. The number, much like sunglasses, indicates the darkness provided the shade and should be used to select the most comfortable shade. Most welding experts suggest selecting a shade that lets you see the weld puddle most clearly and the one that helps you the most when welding.

The second common question is, that self-darkening helmets don’t start to darken until the welding arc is fired, giving a split second without apparent protection. Will this brief period lead to eye damage? The answer is that high quality helmets with auto darkening shades provide protection from both ultra violet and infrared radiation, even when the helmet is not yet activated.

The third question is, which type of helmet is better, battery powered or solar powered? The answer to this, as you might expect, is personal preference. Both type of helmets work fine. Most battery-operated helmets have a feature that saves power by turning off the power after the helmet has been sitting idle for a while. So, for this reason a welder using a battery-powered helmet should pay attention and make sure that his helmet remains on to avoid arc burn. Also, some prefer the convenience of solar powered helmets because they are always on.

The fourth common question is should a welder choose a fixed shade or a variable shade? The answer is if a welder is always using the same arc welding process and using the same material each time, then a fixed shade if fine. But most welders use several types of materials and their welding duties entail many different welding applications. In this case, a variable shake will adjust for different conditions and be preferable.

Other features that should be sought in a welding helmet are: lightness of weight; a sensor bar that will limit the field of response to avoid having your helmet triggered by the guy next to you; full adjustability to provide a better fit – especially important for welders who wear glasses; quality and price.

Keep these questions and the corresponding answers in mind when picking out a welding helmet and you’ll have a piece of equipment that will help you professionally for many years to come. A welding helmet is one of the most important pieces of safety equipment, along with safety glasses and boots.

As industrial application become more demanding and more new areas of production processes are subjected to filtration and separation, there is a growing need for suppliers to have on hand highly knowledgeable engineers to analyze and solve problems. With the installation and separation equipment being a major capital expense, it is right to look up to suppliers of these products for service and support and to help come up with effective solutions to filtration and separation problems. Efficiency of use within the manufacturing processes is of prime importance. Filtration and separation equipment is used mainly in the following areas: from textile to pulp and paper industry, from chemical to food processing, from pharmaceutical to steel industry, electronics, artificial snow-makers, surface treatment, air and gas conditioning. A filter is basically a device for separating one substance from another, hence, filtration is basically a process of separation.

The various methods and processes of filtration and/or separation fell broadly into 4 categories: 1) solids/gas separation; 2) solids/liquids separation; 3) liquids/liquids separation; 4) solids/solids separation. Solids/liquids separation is an obvious field for mechanical filtration as such. In the processing industry in general, a well-designed filtration system must remove the contaminants within specified limits and must continue to maintain the quantity of filtered solution over the service life of the filter. Certain type of filters are more or less standard choice for certain applications but in other cases there are several possible alternatives to consider offering comparable performance. The main questions to be answered in fact are: what do you want to do and the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the possible solutions. The perfect filter would have no pressure drop, hold an unlimited amount of dirt, be small enough to fit anywhere in a system, have high capture efficiency and cost nothing. Obviously this combination cannot exist and the pursuit of the perfect compromise has always been the challenge for filters manufacturers.

TECSI S.r.l. provide custom integrated water, waste water and process water filtration/separation solutions for industry offering industrial filters for solid/liquid separation in batch and continuous production. Industrial filters separate solid particles suspended in liquids through the use of filtering element called cartridges and are designed to meet a wide variety of applications. The range include: INDUSTRIAL STATIC LINE filters and SELF CLEANING filters, able to meet all your industrial water treatment needs, such as cooling water filters, sewage water filters, washing machines water filters, preliminary washing fruits water filters, pasteurizing fluid filters, well water filters, stream water filters, backwater filters, spray nozzle protection, industrial water filters, aerotextile plant water filters, artificial ponds water filters and more. Not all solid/liquid separator systems are alike: carbon and sand filters require regular maintenance that can result in downtime and higher labor costs.

SELF CLEANING filter is a valid alternative solution for cleaning of contaminated water and preventing unscheduled downtimes for maintenance and cleaning. Self cleaning is triggered by a pressure differential and is accomplished in a few seconds without interrupting the flow. It is possible to install three types of cartridges and scrapers: micro-stirred cartridge with tangent scraper blades; punched hole cartridges with tangent blades or PTFE; “V” bars cartridges with tangent blades or PTFE. Filters are available in SST (304L or 316), aluminum and plastic construction and are proven capable of 50 to 1500 micron performance, filtering particles as large as 1.5 to 0.005 mm, depending on the type of cartridge used and operate continuously (no fluctuations) at the steady pressure loss of only 0.2/0.3 bar.

They provide the very important efficiencies of contamination control but also have the capacity to give reasonable life for the customer. Of course, even the best filters have a limited lifespan. Therefore it is of extreme importance changing them according to the manufacturer’ s recommendations or more often if you are working in particularly dirty conditions. Letting them go too long renders them useless at best, harmful at worst! You can reliably turn to TECSI for which the important thing is designing a filter so there is value, where value doesn’ t mean cheap. Yes, you can probably save some money by ordering inexpensive elements but remember that you get what you pay for. And don’ t forget how much you pay for your heavy equipment.