Yearly Archives: 2014
Posted on October 31, 2014 at 9:21 am
Aluminium panels continue to be the most preferred material for use in control systems and a wide range of other devices. Manufacturers of these panels are well aware of the fact that the requirements of different persona vary considerably and so they are machined in a way that suits the specific needs of every client. The aluminium panel’s offer well designed enclosures that work well for display and control purposes. The varied user friendly products can be assembled as well as dissembled in the front control panel. It’s also possible for the control panels to be equipped with excellent membranes in order to guarantee that it is able to operate well.
High level of scratch and solvent resistance has endeared panels made from aluminium to those who want to use them for control purposes. The technology used to manufacture the panels is the best and there are various thickness levels which users can choose from. Other than the small sized, you can still be able to choose one that measures 2m by 1m. During the manufacture stage, the skilled team of manufacturers ensures that the metal is properly dyed. This makes it easier to place your prints, logos, legends and texts 20 microns below the surface of the panel. (more…)
Posted in Manufacturing
Posted on July 30, 2014 at 4:21 pm
Fibre lasers are unlike any other cutting machine and that’s because they use a laser to target an area of metal and melt it, while gas is then used to drive away the molten metal. This machine is suited to metallic materials and that’s because it needs to conduct heat, which is easy to do with aluminium and stainless steel.
These machines are not the most expensive on the market but they’re certainly not the cheapest, and some of the large industrial pipe cutting fibre laser machines are high end and extremely high in price. They’re an innovative invention and they do not require a great deal of maintenance either. This is because optical adjustments do not need to be made and there are no lights that need replacing.
You have to be skilled to use this type of machine though, and it’s certainly one that’s built for the engineering and industrial sectors. It definately takes a lot to break through metal accurately, but these machines will easily cut through hefty chunks.
Posted in Engineering, Manufacturing
Posted on July 29, 2014 at 9:16 am
A laser is one of the latest technologies being implemented by most industries due to its cost effectiveness and versatility. Presently, lasers are very essential for Industrial laser marking applications. It is mostly preferred for marking due to its high speeds, flexibility as it is computer controlled and its permanence. It is important to understand the various types of lasers used in the marking processes.
Types of Lasers used for Marking
The CO2 lasers are mostly used to create codes that are permanent and can be traced in their lifetime. They reduce the manufacturing costs and they are able to be integrated with the automated systems. On the other hand, excimer lasers are used for marking process using various UV wavelengths of a laser. The wavelengths include 193 nm,157 nm, 248 nm and 308 nm. This type of a laser is mainly used for inkjet nozzle drilling and making the markings on eye glasses. There are also the YAG lasers that are able to produce different wavelengths and its most versatile is the Infrared that is 1064 nm. It is used to mark various materials like plastics, ceramics, metals and composites.
Processes
Each material requires a different process to be laser-marked. The various processes involved in marking are differentiated with the way they leave the surface of the material they are used to mark. There are some materials that do not need to have their surfaces altered and hence use different processes for marking than other materials whose surface needs to be altered.
The following are some of the processes used in laser marking:
1. Surface Annealing
This process draws carbon and oxides from the base of the materials being marked in order to get a mark that contrasts with the rest of the material. The beam used to mark the material produces a contrasting line that is sharp to the surrounding area. This creates a minimal or no penetration at all. This process is best used for applications that require having a surface that is undamaged, smooth and with a contrast. It is mainly used for tooling, bearings and medical implanting.
2. Surface Etching
It refers to the ability of altering the reflectivity and enhancing the contrast of most metals by changing their surface finish. It is a common technique for applications that have a penetration depth of 0.0001” deep.
3. Ablating
It is another technique of industrial laser marking by creating a contrast. The process ensures that the contrast is made without causing any damage to the base material. It is used mainly on backlit buttons, anodized aluminum and on painted steel.
4. Specialty Marking
This technique is mostly used to mark plastics. Heat can be used to change the contrast while a chemical change can result when heat is coupled with a wavelength. This process is mostly used to make products traceable. This makes it possible to trace a certain product back to its manufacturer.
All the above are some of the important lasers and laser techniques that are used for marking lasers. They help one understand the whole process of laser marking as well as its uses. It is a great method for industries to use owing to its advantages that are reduction in manufacturing costs, permanence and higher speeds.
Posted in Engineering
Posted on May 29, 2014 at 8:15 pm
Many people are aware of the benefits of 3D printing, but another modern manufacturing process that’s often overlooked is selective laser sintering. This is basically a manufacturing process involving high power lasers, which shape a particular material to a detailed shape, or perhaps an instrumental manufacturing part.
It basically works like a robot woodcarver, expert it can be used to shape a wide range of materials, and it can do the job extremely quickly and easy Its simply a case of putting the material in position, uploading a design to the system and pressing ‘start’.
Selective Laser Sintering can speed up manufacturing processes and it essentially means there is less need for traditional tooling, which can also reduce costs in a workplace.
Posted in Manufacturing
Posted on May 1, 2014 at 3:29 pm
Control panels are very beneficial especially in making operations easier when controlling switch boards. The type of control panels that you choose however determines the layout of your power switch and how effective it will be. Fascia panels create the best layout compared to coloured tapes or painted Masonite panels. Masonite panels are usually not very sophisticated besides such panels are mostly printed on normal paper. Lamination however makes them stiffer and provides extra protection something that can also be achieved with fascia panels.
Setting up the Panels
Fascia panels are trimmed and laminated with one-eighth of a transparent laminate material. To prevent the plastic from peeling from the paper, you can choose panels that are solidly laminated along the edges. To join the graphics, the panels are glued to the fascia using Foam Tack glue and behind the panel, different types of sceneries can be used. The most common is however Woodland Scenic. The glue is usually spread thinly on the graphics and then carefully positioned on to the fascia. Using wallpaper roller, the panel is made to stick all round. To make sure that that it is flat, the edges of the control panel are taped.
Installing the Panels
To fix the fascia panels to the power switchboard, holes are drilled on the panels at certain space intervals. Nuts are then used to hold the panel in place. The nuts should hold the panels firmly and to make this effective, they should be drilled and cleaned properly with a round file. This procedure should however be undertaken when the glue has dried and stuck to the panel firmly. The holes should not be oversize and when filing them they should not be enlarged. Filing should always be done carefully to end up with a hole of the right size. Most importantly, the edges of the hole should be cleaned to get rid of sticking parts. After this the power switch buttons can then be launched on the fascia panels.
After the entire process of setting up the control panels to the power switch board, the next task now is to colour-code the buttons to make operations easy. You can assign different commands for red buttons, green buttons or black buttons. Though these are the main colours used in power switch control boards, you can choose other types of colours such as yellow or blue. To operate the switch board using the fascia panels, you will have a switch 8 and an NCE Mini Panel at your disposal. This makes switch control easier as opposed to using latching relays or diode matrix that is so complex.
Note that this is best way of making fascia control panels. This is because this simple method works perfectly on curved fascias and most importantly with most panels. Simply put, the panel below the switch board is similar to the one above it since they are wired in parallel. This makes switch control operations much easier to access.
Posted in Manufacturing
Posted on April 25, 2014 at 3:19 pm
Sandblasting machines can be extremely useful for various manufacturing purposes, especially for big bulky metallic products. Cars are often sandblasted when they’re built, and it ensures that they are ready to be painted.
Sandblasting will remove any rust so it’s often an important tool in terms of restoring vehicles and heavy metals. You can also sandblast glass for a different effect. For example many windows are sandblasted to offer an obscured look, while this is often the case with skylights and rooflights.
Household items such as cabinets and wardrobes can also be sandblasters and it’s essentially a quick way to get the right sort of finish for a product. When a sandblasting machine has done its job, it’s usually a case of adding the finishing touches, such as paint, or a glaze, so sandblasting is a process that should never be ignored or forgotten.
Posted in Manufacturing
Posted on March 21, 2014 at 5:24 pm
Petrogen cutting systems are high quality technologies used by professionals such as soldiers and engineers to cut through steel. They are also very useful to rescue and search teams in tackling the most difficult obstacles that require steel cutting systems . They have a wide range of applications because they are available in interchangeable designs . This means that petrogen parts are usable in any tip ,torch or tank configuration. Petrogen cutting systems are therefore designed to meet all your steel cutting requirements. They easily adopt to your everchanging needs due to their versatilty.
Advantages of Petrogen Cutting Systems
– They are easily portable due to their smaller fuel tank and lighter fuel;
-They use standard gasoline which is readily available in most places;
– They have high safety levels because their fuel lines have no vapour and therefore there are limited chances of fuel line back flash ;
– They are more economic because they use gasoline instead of acytelene which is more expensive;
-They have high performance levels because oxy- gasoline flame cuts faster ,more precise and has no residual slag;
– They are more friendly to the environment because gasolene flame is highly oxidising and therefore airborne contamination is minimised.
In view of the many clear advantages of petrogen cutting systems, they should be your steel cutting technologies of choice
Posted in Engineering, Manufacturing
Posted on February 25, 2014 at 1:45 pm
Jewellery engraving can give your ordinary diamond and jewellery sets an extra ordinary and attention grabbing appeal. You can have heart touching pictures and expression engraved on them so that you can get appealing designs on these jewelleries. Jewellery has a high sentimental value for every woman across the world and thus jewellery engraving is the best way you can add a personal touch to them. The items on which these engravings can be done include pendants, bracelets and rings. This is considered as the best way of personalizing the gift before giving it to someone you love and care.
Jewellery engraving can be done with distinct and creative designs which are done with different engraving techniques. The best techniques that are used for the engraving are laser and diamond drag which produces intricate and astounding engravings. These techniques also help in producing the best quality engraving which is very accurate and precise.
Posted in Manufacturing
Posted on February 18, 2014 at 2:27 pm
Laser marking systems is a new technique that is widely used for the marking process in the industries. It is the method of marking or it makes identification sign on the hard and soft metals. With laser marking systems it is very easy to mark on the carbides and metal surfaces. It is done with the laser technology. The laser beams penetrate in to all the surfaces so it may cause problems to human health especially human eyes. The laser beams are so strong that it needs to be controlled while it is been used or else it may cut the surface that was to be engraved actually. The working of these kinds of machines is controlled by the computer software and hardware that are installed in it.
The machines of laser marking systems are very accurate and fast that provide with a well marking solution. Many of the branded manufacturers are offering wide range of these machines with spacious working area and a superior metal engraving quality.
Posted in Manufacturing
Posted on January 3, 2014 at 4:01 pm
If you run a business that requires the fabrication of metal, one of the most important elements of it is to have the right equipment for the job. For instance, you would need to get high quality plasma cutting machines to do the fabrication. These allow for more precise cutting, which in turn means that the end products will have very little error. In order for this to work, however, there are a number of things you need to keep in mind. These include:
Getting quality Plasma cutting machines
If you are interested in buying a plasma cutting machine, one of the most important things you can do is make sure that the one you get is of high quality. If you are buying one for the first time, this might mean going through the process of researching about the details of the different plasma cutting machines out there, so that you can pick the best one. You should never assume that all plasma cutters are of the same quality.
The other element of quality that you need to keep in mind is how well they are maintained. It’s critical that the plasma cutting machines be well maintained to ensure that they remain as accurate as possible. The people who will be charged with the use of the machine need to have a lot of experience using them for this to happen. In addition to that, you may also have to service the machine from time to time. This in turn means that when you are shopping for such a machine, you need to find out how easy it will be for you to service it. It’s usually not wise to buy plasma cutting machine brands which are not easily serviceable in the area you are living.
The importance of getting personal protective wear
When you are interested in buying such a machine, you also need to keep in mind the safety part of it. There are many companies that have been the subject of lawsuits on account of not providing safety equipment to staff members who are exposed to the plasma cutters when working. If you are buying one for the first time, you should therefore consider also investing in items such as goggles, thick gloves and gowns that will protect you or your staff members from the sparks. It’s also wise to pay for training especially for staff members who might not have a lot of experience with the machines. This will not only protect them from any harm, but will also reduce the risk of the machines getting damaged as a result of improper handling.
Thinking about all the above when shopping for the machines will ensure that you end up getting good value for money. The one thing you need to keep in mind is that when shopping for such machines, you should always make a point of considering more than one aspect of it. Basing your decision on holistic information will make it much easier for you to end up having an easier time working with the machines.
Posted in News