Category Archives: Industry

Industrial Ovens: Types and Uses

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Industrial ovens are absolutely essential pieces of equipment in many industries, from the pharmaceutical industry to the world of manufacturing.

Able to operate at immensely high temperatures, well in excess of 250 degrees Fahrenheit, these ovens can make use of various power sources, including electricity, gas, and oil, in order to operate, being used for heat-treating parts, conditioning metals, and much more.

This guide will take a look at some of the many different types of industrial ovens and some of their common uses too.

industrial-oven

The Types of Industrial Ovens

There are many different types of industrial ovens, and new types are being produced by leading industrial oven manufacturers all the time. It’s therefore not possible to list every single variety out there, but the list below will cover some of the most common types, introducing their basic design and functionality.

1. Electric

An industrial electric oven, as the name implies, will make use of electricity as its primary power source. This allows it to reach high temperatures very quickly, as well as giving the user a lot of precise control over the interior temperatures, times, and settings. These types of ovens are useful when working with certain types of metal products and combustible items that aren’t suitable for gas ovens.

2. Gas

Gas ovens make use of gas to operate and are more affordable to use than electric ovens due to their lower energy costs. They can heat up very quickly and keep their temperatures high for longer than other oven types, making them useful for extended sessions of heating and treating. They generally make use of either natural gas or propane and are well-suited for jobs like automotive part manufacturing and powder coating onto the steel.

3. Drying

A drying oven, as the name implies, is designed to dry out the items that are placed inside it, removing any excess moisture. This can be very useful for sterilizing medical items, heat-treating metals, and so on.

4. Curing

A curing oven is designed to help powders and paints bond with metal surfaces. They’re great for processes like powder coating, as well as being useful for hardening substances like plastic and rubber, and they can have a range of different power sources, including electricity and gas.

5. Conveyor

A conveyor industrial oven is one that has a conveyor belt system on the inside which gradually moves the items along into different oven zones. There are usually multiple heating zones operating at different temperatures in a conveyor oven, as well as cooling zones too, and these ovens are hugely versatile, working with curing, drying, forming, and other processes.

6. Batch

A batch industrial oven is a very large oven that can take on big jobs, heating many items all at once. These tend to be some of the biggest industrial ovens around and they’re usually powered by electricity.

7. Tunnel

A tunnel oven is a long industrial oven with openings at either end and a belt in the center. Items move along the belt, through the tunnel, from one end to the other, being heated and baked in the center. These ovens tend to operate continuously, able to treat batch after batch of items, making them well-suited for baking and food preparation.

Uses of Industrial Ovens

There are many different ways in which industrial ovens can be used, for example:

  • Food – Just like commercial ovens you find at home or in restaurants, industrial ovens can also be used to bake food products, but on a much larger scale than a typical home oven. They’re essential for businesses that make large batches of food for sale and delivery.
  • Sterilization – Industrial ovens can play a key role in sterilizing medical items and accessories like scalpels, syringes, and so on. Their high temperatures help to kill bacteria and other germs, as well as eradicating other contaminants.
  • Pharmaceuticals – Another medical application of industrial ovens is for making pills in the pharmaceutical industry. These ovens can be used to essentially bake the coatings of pills into place and getting rid of any excess chemicals or contaminants.
  • Heat Treating – This process is when heat is applied to metals to create different effects, like strengthening or tempering the metals or aging them. This process can take days to complete but can result in much stronger and more durable metals for use in industries like aeronautics and automotive.

Final Word

In their many forms, sizes, and styles, it’s clear to see that industrial ovens play a vital role in the world around us.

Asia Pulp & Paper Driving Stronger Sustainability Goals

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Ways Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) Sinar Mas is Driving Stronger Sustainability Goals in the Pulp & Paper Industry

Robust sustainability goals are imperative to creating a brighter, more resilient, and more responsible organisation. Some business leaders consider such targets an impediment to their financial objectives. Yet designing and implementing an effective organisation-wide sustainable development plan can drive growth, reduce risk and enhance capital while protecting the earth.

How APP Sinar Mas is Driving Stronger Sustainability Goals

Research has even found that businesses actively addressing their environmental impact benefit from an 18% greater return on investment; and these financial gains aren’t just coming from eco-conscious consumers, but investors and stakeholders who recognise the value of sustainable development in a dynamic and changing world.

Many organisations often look to the United Nations and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) when producing their sustainability plan. Launched in 2015, these objectives help address numerous global environmental, social and economic issues. While implementing sustainable business practices is undoubtedly complex, the SDGs provide a practical framework that helps organisations plan and deliver meaningful changes that align with larger and shared sustainability targets.

For corporations and organisations based in Hong Kong and beyond, considering and shaping your business practices in line with the 17 SDGs could help you address crucial organisational issues that affect success. Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) Sinar Mas is one such company that has used these SDGs to develop its Sustainability Roadmap Vision 2030 – a comprehensive long-term company-wide sustainable development framework that sets ambitious targets for 10 key impact areas throughout its supply chain.

This integration of the SDGs provides the business and its stakeholders with a benchmark to measure and assess Asia Pulp & Paper’s sustainability performance over time. For organisations working in the pulp and paper industry, displaying a sincere commitment to sustainable forest management practices, community engagement and energy-efficient production methods ensure you work towards a better society that satisfies the demands of all stakeholders – including your own business goals.

Here, we explore some steps businesses must take to meet their sustainability targets now and in the future.

Create a positive work environment

Simply setting robust sustainability targets isn’t enough to secure employee buy-in. Achieving transformative organisation-wide cultural change requires leadership to actively engage employees and show how their individual efforts make a cumulative difference. Many organisations inadvertently discover success by making sustainability the job of everyone in the business hierarchy, with a collaborative and unified mindset helping to produce incredible results.

It’s important to keep in mind that this process doesn’t happen overnight, regardless of the size, scale, or resource availability of your organisation. Instead, management must inspire employees to take part in this journey by defining their long-term goals and highlighting how positive changes can deliver a powerful impact. In many cases, employees often understand the need for a more sustainable approach through an economic lens. Convincing workers to engage becomes natural if you can show how delivering on SDGs improves the company’s bottom line.

Moreover, creating lasting sustainable change within a business is impossible without a happy workforce. Ekamas Fortuna, a business unit of Asia Pulp & Paper, recently received the Gold Awards: Zero Conflict 2022, an accolade that recognises the organisation’s employee satisfaction through workplace agreements and practices that enhance welfare and comfort. While setting impressive sustainability targets is key to creating a better world, persuading your workforce to participate is just as important – and in fact, forms a key part of a sustainable outlook for your business as a whole.

Develop a safe workplace

If businesses are serious about their sustainability targets, employee safety must remain a primary concern.

Every business in the pulp and paper industry, no matter how big or small, must contend with dangerous hazards throughout the supply chain. On the factory floor, the accumulation of combustible dust is a significant problem, as it can lead to major fires and explosions if left unaddressed. Plus, heavy machinery and chemicals can also cause injury to employees when mishandled

In fact, employee safety and welfare are addressed across several of the 17 SDGs – including 3.9, 8.8 and 16.6 – which consider issues ranging from hazardous chemical exposures to labour rights and transparent institutions. Asia Pulp and Paper has taken significant strides in these areas, with 28 of its business units and supply partners recognised by Indonesia’s Minister of Manpower at the recent OHS Management Awards.

These awards are given to organisations that successfully implemented the Occupational Health Safety Management System (SMK3) – a certification designed to control workplace risks and deliver a safe, efficient and productive environment. The Asia Pulp & Paper business unit, PT IKPP Tangerang, was especially highly regarded, receiving extra recognition for its effective COVID-19 policies and for having zero work accidents during the assessed period.

Master social responsibility

Delivering stronger sustainability targets isn’t just about what you can do internally. Organisations with the power to influence communities near and far should also plan and execute targets through the corporate social responsibility (CSR) model. This self-regulatory approach is ideal for proving your sustainable development credentials with the public, business stakeholders and yourself.

So, how do you align a CSR strategy with your business goals?

First, your corporate hierarchy must define what corporate social responsibility means to the organisation. Then it can identify strategies that realise this definition by partnering with like-minded charities, social enterprises and other philanthropic endeavours. Alongside tangible goals that detail the meaning of success, a well-defined CSR strategy can offer numerous business advantages.

For example, businesses with an effective CSR plan often experience increased customer loyalty, enhanced revenue and employee commitment. As more consumers in Hong Kong and around the globe want to support businesses that aren’t solely driven by profit, creating and delivering a meaningful CSR strategy can help your organisation stand out from its competition in the pulp and paper industry.

Awards, certifications, and other third-party assessments are easy ways for companies to ensure that their sustainability goals are feasible, traceable, and transparent.

At the Top CSR Awards 2022, three Asia Pulp and Paper business units received awards for their commitment to corporate social responsibility. Based on implementing ISO 2600 – an international standard for social responsibility – PT OKI Pulp & Paper Mills and PT Indah Kiat Pulp & Paper received the “Excellent” four-star award. Meanwhile, PT Paper Factory Tjiwi Kimia received the “Very Excellent” five-star designation.

Achieving such accomplishments not only enables you to assess your own progress via impartial third-party criteria, but holds you accountable to a wider group of stakeholders as well.

sustainability in pulp and paper industry

Deliver sustainability targets

Adopting sustainability targets is only the beginning when building a better and more responsible business. You also have to show stakeholders how your efforts have delivered tangible change. With a transparent and mindful approach, you can set measurable targets that give internal and external stakeholders a way to assess your performance.

Four of Asia Pulp and Paper’s business units were recognised at the recent 2022 Indonesia Asia Green Awards for their dedication to sustainability. In the Water Resources Savings category, PT OKI Pulp & Paper Mills received an award for its work in South Sumatra. Here, the company used reverse osmosis to process peat water into ready-to-drink water for 21 remote villages, reducing local spending on drinking water by up to 50%.

In the Pollution Prevention Pioneering category, PT Kertas Tjiwi Kimia Tbk transformed coal waste into paving blocks for local infrastructure, including roads, mosques and school facilities. Elsewhere, PT Indah Kiat Pulp & Paper repurposed waste from paper rope machines to provide the women of Tegal Maja village with extra materials to increase their craft-making income.

These initiatives reflect that business growth, sustainability, and community development can be interconnected, rather than disparate and disconnected. In fact, it’s when organisations are able to address all three considerations simultaneously that they are able to see the biggest payoffs in terms of long-term sustainable change.

With a dedicated approach to sustainable development, empowering local communities while increasing business outcomes is more than possible. Asia Pulp & Paper is just one such organisation in the pulp and paper industry taking a forward-thinking approach to its sustainability targets, making them a possible blueprint for other companies in Hong Kong and beyond looking to strengthen their sustainability goals.

How Mechanical and Electrical Engineers Can Help in Renewable Energy Projects Design?

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Over the last decade, the renewable energy industry has witnessed tremendous global growth, and mechanical engineers have made a significant contribution in ensuring the transition to pure energy and other sustainable practices around the globe.

Over the last decade, the renewable energy industry has witnessed tremendous global growth, and mechanical engineers have made a significant contribution in ensuring the transition to pure energy and other sustainable practices around the globe.

The same can be said about the role of electrical engineers in this industry. Nowadays, humans can observe the movement of small businesses and startups toward carbon-free solutions, for instance, solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, and hydroelectric power in action in all their projects.

Using full benefits of renewable energy sources demands advanced technology in manufacturing, preserving, and supplying electricity. That is what makes the technical expertise of electrical engineers an essential resource at small businesses or startups striving to integrate eco-friendly practices.

In case your business/startup is connected with designing renewable energy projects, the first thing you should do is to check some renewable energy market analysis so that you can develop your strategy. Then, it would be brilliant to find 3D modeling services to make your renewable energy project come true and hire relevant types of engineers who will work on your project.

Now, let’s take a glimpse at several ways how mechanical and electrical engineers can help you in that. We will start with mechanical engineers.

electrical-engineering

Mechanical Engineers in Renewable Energy Projects

Small business and startup owners should consider this type of engineer as a must for designing renewable energy solutions! Why?

A wide range of the essential skills that mechanical engineers experience in their graduate programs possess many useful practices for renewable energy engineering. Profound knowledge in fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and thermodynamics, for instance, is a clue to designing the wind power eco solution. The same expertise is also necessary when improving cooling systems, developing hydropower infrastructure, and creating new energy preservation technology, for example, solar fuel or thermochemical batteries for long-term energy storage.

Small business and startup owners should hire mechanical engineers because they practically can be involved in every step of renewable energy generation/distribution. From designing approaches that minimize the cost of silicon production for solar panels to developing optimized ways to build wind farms, this kind of engineer is significant to improving the renewable energy infrastructure. Below, you can see several essential duties of mechanical engineers in designing renewable energy solutions:

  • Rationalizing a certain renewable energy technology for it to get more financially beneficial to develop relevant infrastructure;
  • Explore various materials and their interrelation for further implementation in renewable energy leading to innovative systems/technologies design for producing and supplying eco power;
  • Provide small business and startup owners with consultations regarding renewable energy projects, including delivering the best ways to achieve sustainability goals: determining technology needs and methods to build and invest in renewable energy infrastructure;
  • Multiple integrations of all types of renewable energy technologies.

How Electrical Engineers Solve Renewable Energy Challenges?

When it comes to the contribution of electrical engineers to sustainability-based energy projects, it is the following.

The wind turbines and solar panels that produce pure energy are often located in areas far from municipalities. To experience all bonuses of environmentally friendly electricity, mankind requires the infrastructure to distribute such energy into homes.

Designing a renewable energy project and faced the above-mentioned challenge? Here, electrical engineers are your option!

As a rule, electrical engineers engaged in renewable energy transmission address the following issues:

  • Modernizing and expanding high-voltage distribution lines, selecting appropriate areas for construction to reduce environmental influence;
  • Identifying the finest strategies to transform renewable energy into electricity safely and effectively;
  • Precisely predicting the requirement for eco power and enabling facilities to possess the storage capacity to satisfy those requirements;
  • Securely managing the power flows from production facilities via the grid;
  • Designing innovative control platforms to check how the grid behaves and to react to troubles as they happen.

In case your startup is connected with microgrids, electrical engineers can come in handy. For those who are not on the topic, let’s clarify the thing.

solar-microgrid

Various platforms that involve microgrids make it possible to get more effective energy distribution than ordinary grids, resulting in eco power systems that are less wasteful as well as more financially beneficial.

Besides, some microgrids suggest an eco-friendly alternative by using a renewable energy source, for instance, wind power, biomass, or solar power. With permanent technological development, such microgrids can become central to implementing energy even greener!

It requires creative problem-solving as well as innovative technical knowledge to support in revolutionizing eco-energy production, distribution, and consumption. Electrical engineers understand the principles which are on the background of the latest achievements in the energy transformation, power platforms, and power grids. So, they can potentially design a win-win solution for your business in the renewable energy industry.

Methods For Heavy Metal Analysis

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A heavy metal analysis can be a useful tool for evaluating soil contamination. It determines the amount of elements in a sample, which indicates the dispersion and level of contamination. Fortunately, there are several methods available for environmental analysis. In this article, we will discuss some of them.

Methods to analyze heavy metals

Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS)

ICP-MS is a method for quantitative analysis of heavy elements. It uses a laser ablation system to analyze solid samples, requiring minimal sample preparation. The method has a single side-effect, minor depletion of the sample material. However, this side-effect is acceptable for most applications.

ICP-MS is a highly sensitive method for heavy metal analysis, and it is widely used for determining concentrations of elements. The method works by introducing a fine aerosol of the sample to a plasma containing 6000-10,000 K. The plasma causes the atoms of the analyte to be ionized at the same time. The ions are then sorted and quantified.

The ICP-MS is capable of detecting the smallest particles, and it is also able to detect elements with very low ppt (parts-per-trillion) levels. Although the method does not have the accuracy of ICP-OES, it is able to detect elements with a much lower ppt (parts-per trillion).

ICP-MS is a fast and reliable technique for elemental analysis. It is particularly useful for measuring the isotopic ratios of elements with multiple isotopes. Click here to learn more about isotopes. Its high speed and low detection limits make it a highly versatile analytical tool. Because of these characteristics, ICP-MS is considered a mature technique that requires strict quality control.

ICP-MS is used in both primary and secondary tissue analysis. It can also be used to analyze inorganic nanoparticles. The technique has shown promising results for simultaneous determination of the concentration and size of inorganic nanoparticles in environmental and food samples.

Single-particle ICP-MS is also capable of detecting single-element elements in a single sample. It has a high degree of sensitivity, and it can also distinguish between particulate and ionic forms of analyte.

ICP-MS has numerous applications, and is one of the fastest growing trace element techniques. It was first commercialized in 1983, and today, over 16,000 systems are installed worldwide. This technology is used for industrial, pharmaceutical, environmental, and nuclear applications.

ICP-MS is the fastest elemental analysis technique available today. It can detect almost every element in the periodic table in parts per billion concentrations. This technology works by passing small amounts of material into plasma, which operates at approximately 8000 degrees Celsius. The plasma is then cooled and a mass spectrometer separates the sample ions according to their mass/charge ratio.

Atomic absorption spectroscopy

Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) is another analytical technique used in this field. The technique is suitable for identifying and determining the concentrations of several metals. Table 3 provides examples of samples that are analyzed using AAS. Lead and cadmium are among the metals that have been determined in this way.

Atomic absorption spectroscopy is a technique that uses light to determine the concentration of specific metal atoms in a liquid or solid. The light is excited by a specific wavelength and the atoms in the sample absorb energy. The amount of energy absorbed is proportional to the number of atoms in the sample. The sample is then compared to a standard solution to determine the concentration of the element.

methods for heavy metal analysis

The advantages of AAS over classical gravimetric methods include increased sensitivity and selectivity. This technique has many applications in mining, oceanographic studies, drinking water, and soil analysis. There are also various types of spectroscopy used in the pharmaceutical industry.  An AAS is used to determine the concentration of contaminants in soils and other materials.

Atomic absorption spectroscopy is also used in clinical samples. This technique can determine the concentrations of various materials in human muscle, liver, hair, and brain tissue. It can also help determine the levels of mercury in fish. Mercury is an extremely toxic element that can build up in the environment and pose a risk to the food chain.

Methods to analyze heavy metals

Determining the level of metals in the environment is essential in creating an action plan to help mitigate their presence. Methods of heavy metal analysis are a major part of environmental pollution control. They can help ensure that toxic metals are not present in drinking water and are a reliable indicator for pollution prevention. Methods to analyze metals are widely used for monitoring the presence of heavy metals in a wide range of samples, from soil to solid waste.

The first step is to identify the metals that are present in a particular sample. This will determine their concentration. Using inter-element analysis, these metals are compared with the levels in waste water. If the correlations are high, the source of the heavy metals is likely to be anthropogenic.

3 Important PCB Types Used in Renewable Energy Industry

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Printed circuit boards play an essential role in many industries. And with the speedy growth of the energy field and the innovation of complex machines, building of high quality PCBs is needed.

In a growing sector such as the renewable energy industry, lead-free and quality PCBs are needed. Below are the three vital circuit board types that are used in the renewable energy industry.

circuit board types used in renewable energy industry

Printed Circuit Board used in Renewable Energy Industry

1. Heavy Copper PCB

A heavy copper printed circuit board has a very heavy copper circuit. It is a type of circuit board subjected to specialized etching and plating techniques.

Heavy copper PCB has great features that make it ideal for high-end applications in the renewable energy industry. For instance, it is heavier and thicker to handle higher voltage and power.

Benefits of heavy copper PCB

a. Good thermal distribution

Heavy copper PCBs have copper-plated vias that provide good thermal distribution. This means they are outstanding when used in renewable energy applications that need high frequency and speed. Moreover, they can be used in harsh environments.

b. Excellent conductor

Another benefit of using heavy copper PCB in the renewable energy industry is that it is an excellent conductor. This means it can be used in the production of complex electronic devices.

c. Multi-use

Heavy copper printed circuit boards can be used in devices with fluctuating power. In addition, heavy copper PCB can endure any weight without sacrificing the quality or performance of the board.

d. Enhances load sharing

With heavy copper PCB, you do not need to generate multiple duplicate and parallel layers. This is because the board can be combined with copper vias. Hence, it lowers the load-sharing difficulties linked with many parallel levels.

Applications of heavy copper PCBs 

Heavy copper PCBs can be used in various renewable energy industries such as solar energy, military, aerospace, geothermal, and many others.

2. Multilayer PCBs

A multilayer PCB is a circuit board with 3 or more conductive copper foil layers. It uses more single-sided or double-sided circuit boards to enhance circuit wiring. The number of layers of a multilayer PCB can be four, six, eight, ten, and up to a hundred layers.

Due to the numerous benefits of multilayer PCBs, renewable energy industries are among the beneficiaries of the boards. Multilayer PCBs have more conductive layers to achieve better electrical performance.

Benefits of multilayer PCBs

a. Smaller size

One advantage of using multilayer PCBs in the renewable energy sector is that they are small in size. This means they encourage manufacturers to build smaller gadgets that do not use a lot of energy.

b. Lightweight

Compared to other printed circuit boards, multilayer PCBs are not heavy. This means they can be used in smaller devices that are mostly found in the renewable energy sector.

c. High durability

Multilayer PCBs are more reliable than single-layer and double-layer PCBs. Since there are no external wires and connectors, the boards are clean and tidy. In addition, they are made to withstand temperature stress, and pressure.

d. Fast performance

Since multilayer PCBs do not use wires and jumpers, the distance between layers is very minimal. This means the performance of the boards is commendable.

Applications of multilayer PCBs

For many industries such as renewable energy industries, multilayer PCBs have become the best option for a wide range of applications. Some of the applications of multilayer PCBs include consumer electronics, telecommunications, computer electronics, and many others.

3. Rigid-flex PCBs

Rigid-flex PCBs are circuit boards designed to act as replacements for rigid circuit boards. And as the name suggests, rigid-flex PCBs are hybrids of flex and rigid circuits. This means they display the benefit of rigid PCBs and flex PCBs.

Several rigid-flex PCBs consist of multiple layers of flexible circuit substrates normally attached to rigid boards externally or internally. They are designed to fit in applications that may require both flex and rigid circuit boards.

Advantages of rigid-flex PCBs

The combination of rigid PCBs and flexible PCBs makes it a beneficial product for many applications. Here are the main advantages of rigid-flex PCBs.

a. Flexible design alternatives

A rigid-flex PCB is a board that accepts any component and connector that can be assembled on the board. Hence, manufacturers can be flexible when designing or coming up with new ideas.

b. Reduction in size and weight of the package

Reduction in the weight and size of products is a policy that is adopted by renewable energy industries. Hence, rigid-flex PCBs are preferred in the industry because the combination of flex and rigid boards helps you to simplify your design.

c. Reduction in assembly cost

Since there are fewer connections and parts, the assembly cost is minimized. In addition, the development of the board’s prototype is significantly reduced thus minimizing the product cost of production.

Applications of rigid-flex PCBs

The main applications of rigid-flex PCBs are medical equipment, the telecommunication industry, the automotive industry, and consumer appliances among others.

what is IMS PCB

Tips to choose a supplier for your project

Below are vital tips to look into when choosing a PCB supplier for your application.

1. The supplier should have a proper set of guidelines

To avoid serious mistakes, a good supplier should have a proper set of guidelines. With the guidelines, the company will be able to maintain repeatability during the whole production process.

Moreover, the PCB supplier must be ready to show the guidelines to the client so that the client can be satisfied.

2. Check the type and quality of the machines

Due to the growth of technology, the printed circuit board industry has added new designs and ideas. Hence, the supplier should use the latest equipment and software to ensure the boards are up to the latest standards, such as lamination, CNCmilling, photo process and so on.

3. Use of green materials

When choosing a supplier to produce PCB type to be used in the renewable energy industry, you need to ensure the elements are lead-free. Hence, the company should be committed to using green materials when manufacturing PCBs.

4. Know the order size and time limit they offer

Before mass production, you require prototypes. Hence, it is essential to check whether your PCB supplier can manage the prototypes and produce small quantities before hiring them.

You need to understand that time is a crucial element in any part of a business. Hence, the supplier should be able to handle all the due dates effectively.

Bottom Line

With the rapid growth of the energy industry and the innovation of more complex equipment, PCB suppliers are building high-quality PCBs to support complex machines. The circuit boards must be reliable, small in size, and made of lead-free components.

Hence, it is important when choosing a supplier to make sure they are committed to using green material when making PCBs.

ABS Plastic Warping: How to Avoid It

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Warping is a defect in 3D printing characterized by dimensional distortion of printed parts, i.e., the print’s corners lifting and separating from the build plate due to uneven shrinkage during cooling and printing. The defect also occurs in custom plastic machining due to temperature differences between layers as the plastic contract while cooling. As a result, machining services must ensure proper temperature to prevent warping.

how to avoid ABS plastic warping

Although warping can occur in any plastic, it is more frequent with ABS plastic and can lead to the printed part being non-functional or visually unacceptable. ABS plastic warping occurs majorly due to the great temperature difference during cooling. However, it may occur under the conditions below:

  • Unleveled printed bed
  • High print speed
  • Unstable printing temperature
  • Dirty printing bed
  • Weak adhesive

To prevent the defect, this article will introduce warping in liaison with ABS plastic and how to avoid the defect during printing.

Tips to Avoid ABS Plastic Warping

ABS plastic is highly susceptible to warping. However, you can avoid this defect by following the following tips below:

1. Use a Heated Bed

Using a cold bed can cause the ABS plastic part to harden before it can lay flat. Furthermore, it can also result in temperature differences between the first layer and subsequent layer during cooling. As a result, warping can occur, leading to a failed print.

To prevent this, you use a heated bed. A heated bed ensures that the print bed’s temperature is higher than the ambient temperature. As a result, the first extruded layer stays soft for a long time. This gives more time for the first layer adhesion to occur. Furthermore, a balanced temperature reduces uneven shrinkage of subsequent layers and the force of curling and contraction.

To prevent ABS printing from warping, a heated bed between 90 and 100-degree Celsius is necessary. Furthermore, avoid setting your heated bed at a temperature higher than ABS’ glass transition temperature as the print’s initial layers may melt due to overheating.

2. Clean the Print Surface

Dirt and grease weaken the adhesion of the first printed layer to the print bend, further encouraging warping. Therefore, ensure that the print bed is clean and smooth before printing. You can clean with ammonia-based cleansers, water, and soap solution, or isopropyl alcohol. However, ensure that the cleanser is compatible with the print surface

Note: The human fingerprint contains oil residues. As a result, avoid touching the print bed surface before, during, and after printing.

3. Tune Your First Layer Settings

The first layer of your print serves as the bonding layer. As a result, it must be perfect to avoid warping. Therefore, you need to adjust some slicer settings

  • Initial Layer’s Extrusion Width: To create a solid foundation for the model, you can increase the initial layer’s extrusion width. This helps the layer adhere to the bed more.
  • Initial Layer’s Height: Lower the extruder depending on the layer’s width so that the molten plastic can compress to the bed and create a greater surface contact. The first layer’s height should be 90% of the layers above.

Note: Avoid excessive bonding because it will make it harder for you to remove the final print.

4. Print in an Enclosure

Place an enclosure around the printer to maintain temperature conditions. An enclosure is one of the best ways to prevent ABS plastic warping. This works because it maintains a warmer ambient temperature to prevent your print from cooling quickly and drafts from cooling your model.

Enclosures are highly recommended for ABS printing because they create a controlled environment during printing. Furthermore, they protect the printer from external forces such as dirt and fumes and stabilize the print.

ABS plastic warping

5. Use an Adhesive

Using an adhesive to prevent warping is a practical technique in ABS printing as it keeps the first layer firmly attached to the print surface. As a result, the good adhesion ensures that the first layer of the part does not curl up as they cool. Furthermore, it serves as a layer for glass protection. Common adhesives you can use include Painter’s tape, PEI sheets, and washable glue sticks.

5. Use a Brim or Raft

A raft is a platform for printing parts. It consists of a base made of a 3D-printed structure that resembles a grid and extends past the initial layer of the model. Compared to rafts, a brim’s appearance is similar to a skirt that does not extend past the print’s edge.

Brims and rafts improve bed adhesion during ABS plastic printing. As a result, this prevents warping. Furthermore, they establish a solid foundation for the upper layers of your part.

Note: Raft takes considerably longer to print than the brim.

Other ABS Plastic Defects

ABS plastic printing has other defects such as:

1. Cracking (delamination)

Cracking is a printing defect where the layers of a part separate because of unsecured bonding. Unsecured bonding occurs when subsequent layers cannot adhere to one another due to a temperature difference. Using an enclosure to control the room temperature is the best solution.

2. Z-wobble

Z-wobble occurs when a printer’s z-axis movement component is skewed or inclined. This ultimately causes the printhead to move incorrectly. To prevent this, tighten all z-axis components.

3. Stringing

Stringing is when tiny plastic strings remain on a 3D-printed model. This often happens when the extruder moves to a new spot and plastic leak out of the nozzle. You can avoid stringing by changing the printing speed and using unclogged nozzles.

4. Layer Shifting

This happens when the layers of the printed part move from where they are supposed to be. It is caused by an abnormal X and Y axis motion leading to the extruder head becoming misaligned. To avoid this, reduce the printing speed.

ABS plastic warping

5. Overheating

This happens when the cooling rate of the plastic is low, you are printing too fast, or the printing temperature is high. Overheating results in melted plastic parts. However, you can prevent this by controlling the cooling rate and the printing/print bed temperature

Conclusion

Warping ranges from a minor, aesthetic flaw to a problem that completely undermines the part’s functionality. As a result, it is a serious plastic printing defect. Warping is prominent in ABS plastic printing. This article explained how to prevent ABS plastic warping and other defects. Using our plastic machining service, you can also consider switching to custom plastic machining if printing processes are challenging.

How Can Launder Covers Help Water Environments

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The conservation of water, its proper flow, and assured safety for home or industrial use can be achieved by reusing water through renewable energy. However, algae control is challenging even for modern wastewater treatment plants. One of the best ways of resolving this problem is by installing launder covers.

Aside from this concern, water ecosystems also face other issues, the most notable being water and wastewater treatment facilities. So how can launder covers be of any help in such a scenario?

The discussion that follows will serve as a useful reference point when choosing the right launder cover for your water and wastewater treatment facility. Let’s get up to speed on how launder covers can help water environments.

Prevent Algae Growth

Algae growth has a proven tendency of developing in water and wastewater treatment facilities. It causes changes in the hydraulic dynamics of clarifiers, which leads to obstruction of design features found in weir configurations. Once launder covers are installed, they provide an attractive and extremely low maintenance structure to help eliminate algae growth problems.

Also, larger algae can dislodge and move around in plants that utilize ultraviolet disinfection technology. If the floating algae ends up covering UV bulbs, this may cause bulb failure and render UV bulbs ineffective, which are unfortunately very expensive to replace.

That’s why the installation of reliable launder covers, like IEC Covers, is recommended to help prevent algae growth in water and wastewater treatment plants. This would save money on repairs and UV bulb replacement at the same time.

Control Gas And Odor Emissions

Launder covers are useful in providing a continuous protective environment above the effluent stream. They can contain odor and gas to prevent environmental pollution and protect the health of workers in the area.

A reliable and corrosion-free launder cover system prevents direct sunlight from reaching the elevated growth areas of the weir and clarifier launder. Since launder covers serve as odor control hoods, they trap noxious gases that are generated during wastewater treatment processes.

Provide Essential Value To Water Environments

Custom designed launder covers can be placed in rectangular and round tanks, providing essential value for different water and wastewater operations. This page will teach you everything about wastewater treatment.

Here are the advantages of installing launder covers in water environments:

  • Continuous inhibition of algae growth
  • Lightweight and cost-effective solution for water problems
  • Operable access for safety inspections and preventive maintenance

Maintain Weir Structural Integrity And Function

Eliminating direct sunlight inhibits algae growth, which also enhances the flow consistency of weir and reduces the need for maintenance. Launder covers shield other openings where access is normally required, but for safety reasons they need to be covered when not being used.

You can request custom-designed launder covers according to your preferred requirements. Custom-designed launder covers can be used in both round and rectangular clarifiers, as well as channels, sludge thickeners, and other openings.

Acts As Debris Barrier

Plastic bags, leaves, dead tree branches, and other windblown debris often lands in water environments. Launder covers help prevent such waste materials from ending up in your water and wastewater plant.

Also, aside from preventing debris from entering the water stream, launder covers can also be helpful in containing localized odor emissions if present in the weir area (effluent trough). Choosing fiberglass launder covers helps seal water environments in order to control odor.

Protect Launder From Weather

Strong winds, storms, snow, or heavy rainfall may introduce debris to water environments. Installing launder covers helps protect them against debris and damage caused by natural disasters. Choosing high-quality launder covers will ensure that they can withstand harsh weather conditions while protecting water and wastewater treatment plants.

Here’s a quick guide for when you are choosing launder covers:

  • NSF/ANSI Certified: Choose launder covers that are NSF or ANSI 61 certified. Also, opt for launder covers made of AWWA F101 compliant materials. NSF/ANSI Standard 61 or NSF-61 refers to a national standard relating to water treatment, establishing strict requirements and controls for equipment coming in contact with potable water or other products supporting the potable water production.
  • Quality Make: Select launder covers with superior strength and corrosion resistance that use FRP components to ensure long and maintenance-free service life. Choose clarifier launder covers that utilize fiberglass and stainless steel hardware, specifically made for municipal or industrial wastewater treatment purposes. These launder covers are easy to use, ensuring smooth operation and meeting the required NPDES effluent levels of Total Suspended Solids or TSS.
  • ISO Certified: Choose an ISO 9001 certified launder cover for manufacturing facilities.

Conclusion

Launder covers provide great protection against debris, harsh weather conditions, and direct sunlight. They further help protect weir structures, prevent algae growth, and are handy in avoiding the potential damage that algae can do to UV bulbs in treatment facilities using UV disinfection technology.

Choosing high-quality launder covers would mean having long-term peace of mind that your water quality is preserved and wastewater treatment operations can function smoothly.

Drone Usage for Renewable Energy Development and Maintenance

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The use of drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), dates back to 1849. Austria invaded Venice, sending human-contactless balloons over the city, which contained explosive materials. Advancements in drone technology allow for continued military utilization, as well as commercial and civilian use.

Drones recently joined the environmental industry, providing promising future aid to renewable energy development and maintenance. The small ascending computers can provide us with unique images of Earth, as natural TV programs show us. Drones may use their imaging abilities to survey and map the land and detect renewable energy system issues. They can also produce their own energy and limit package delivery emissions. Read on to know about the use of drones in renewable energy sector:

Surveying and Mapping

When evaluating potential renewable energy sites, like solar and wind farms, it is essential to calculate possible interference. Drones can move throughout these regions collecting data on wind currents, sun exposure, and the ecosystem. This system is integrated into the agricultural industry with light detection and ranging sensors (Lidar) attached to drones.

Renewable power companies use this system to survey and map energy sites. Like the Quantum Trinity F90+, popular commercial UAVs can reduce the time and greenhouse gases used in traditional land mapping practices. These devices can fly for 90-minute periods and track large regions of land.

Issue Detection

Once renewable energy systems are in place, drone use continues. Wind turbines benefit greatly from UAV intervention.

drone-wind-farms

Most turbines reach heights of 280 feet to allow for maximum wind capture. Unfortunately, this poses severe problems for maintenance workers. In the U.K., 163 workers suffered injuries while repairing wind power devices, and five workers died.

UAVs can reach heights of 400 feet, allowing them to evaluate issues safely and effectively. These detection methods are less expensive for renewable energy companies and enable workers to plan more efficient repairs. One can also use drones to detect solar panel problems.

Solar companies use UAVs to detect panel malfunctions from the ground. To increase the sustainability of this practice and to reduce occupational accidents, companies can send drones to panel sites without workers present. This would further reduce greenhouse gas emissions by limiting the transportation process associated with maintenance.

Renewable Energy Drone Production

A recent development in the UAV industry allows drones to fuel themselves using wind power. The Saildrone is a device that harnesses its energy from small propellers, similar to the head of a wind turbine. Scientists are currently using them to collect and relay oceanic data, but their abilities are expanding.

Wind power-converting drones may act as a sustainable alternative to wind turbines. The UAVs in production fly in circular patterns with a kite attached. This maximizes the efficiency of wind capturing.

The energy would reach the Earth’s surface through an extended power cable, which is less environmentally disruptive than a turbine. The materials utilized in building a wind energy drone are less disruptive to the planet and require less greenhouse gas emissions in production.

Solar Delivery Drones

In 2013, Amazon revealed its idea to utilize drones to deliver packages efficiently. These UAVs would reportedly fly boxes to your doorstep in under 30 minutes, depending on your region. The incorporation of drones into the delivery industry could significantly reduce carbon emissions, preserving the atmosphere.

delivery-drone-amazon

With renewable energy-powered delivery UAVs, truck-induced air pollution, traffic congestion, and roadkill could decrease. Limiting these environmental harms can conserve the environment and increase biodiversity on Earth. You may ask yourself, “So, where are my sustainably delivered packages?”

Drone Regulations

The reason that, eight years later, we are still waiting for our drone-delivered Amazon purchases has to do with strict aircraft regulations. Each year, the U.S. government releases new guidelines for commercial UAV use. These regulations restrict further drone use by the renewable energy industry.

Restrictions on flying heights, speed, weight, certifications, site navigation, and more limit one’s ability to use UAVs for sustainability purposes. Innovators are working to develop green drone uses, but it will take time before they reach the commercial market. As their safety and abilities increase, the use of drones in renewable energy sector will grow at a rapid pace.

How to Manage Industrial Machinery Waste in an Efficient Way

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Industrial waste management is a process that can be both challenging and complex, with difficulty increasing depending on the particular kind of waste and its cause. Sometimes, manufacturing companies experience issues with overproduction. Other times, their machinery fails, and unexpected defects can also occur.

While it’s essential that every manufacturing plant follows a set of practices that allow them to minimize waste, often, it’s simply unavoidable and an inseparable part of running operations. Luckily, whether it’s been created by CNC router machines or 3D printers, the waste can still be reduced.

How to Manage Industrial Machinery Waste

To dispose of it correctly, manufacturing plants need to develop and follow proper waste management strategies. These can include reducing the number of packaging materials used, organizing the warehouse, and lowering water usage to the necessary minimum.

By following such practices, manufacturers can reduce their environmental impact and emphasize eco-friendliness. Here’s a closer look at some of the most effective strategies.

Better Warehouse Organization

When it comes to manufacturing operations, especially those that deal with a lot of different raw materials, having a well-organized warehouse is key. Once your warehouse has been organized, you can be sure that your workers can make the most out of their time, and everyone will be able to locate the right tools, materials, or supplies quickly.

Regardless whether your company focuses on precision casting parts or radial drilling machines, to reduce waste, you should create a flowchart that shows exactly how all materials move from one stage to another and where they should be stored. The chart should also highlight possible bottlenecks and where the expenditure of more resources would be advantageous.

It’s also essential to remember the importance of marking your warehouse. Without the right marking, you can’t expect anyone to navigate such a huge structure. Even if they’ve been there at some point, they could’ve already faded or become outdated. This all may be extremely confusing, especially to new hires. Try to dedicate a part of your busy days to organizing the messy and mislabeled parts of your warehouse to minimize waste and increase productivity.

Volume Reduction

This term may sound quite foreign at first, especially to those who are new to the topic of managing industrial waste. It refers to quite a simple process of limiting the biological, chemical, mechanical, and thermal methods used by manufacturers to reduce the volume of waste materials. This allows them to compress them to a greater degree and put them in a form that’s the most suitable for later storage or disposal. The methods used can be divided into two main categories: source segregation and waste concentration.

Source segregation focuses on separating the solid waste that consists of different materials so that certain waste can be easier processed. For instance, when the plastics aren’t mixed with the metal waste, the latter can be processed separately with no effort, and the metal value can be recovered.

Waste concentration, on the other hand, helps increase the probability that there will be enough of certain material to recycle it into something else and reuse it later. When the small scraps of materials are collected over time to accumulate enough for recycling, the waste can be limited significantly. Both these methods require proper storage and sorting, but the benefits are worth the effort.

Recovering, Sorting, and Recycling

Just three words are all you need to keep in mind and turn into an active effort to improve the way your manufacturing plant is managing and minimizing its waste from industrial machinery.

First, it’s essential to emphasize the process of recovering as much waste as possible from both the onsite and offsite locations that are a part of a certain plant. Water can be recovered through filtration or reverse osmosis, and different scraps and particles of materials can be separated thanks to centrifugation. Apply the right methods where they’re needed and recover whatever is possible instead of letting them go to waste.

Then, you can also focus on sorting, which is the first step to proper recycling. When the waste is going into the right bins from the very beginning, it’s much easier to recycle in the next step. You can even choose someone who will be responsible for ensuring that the waste bins are monitored and used as intended by the workers.

Separated waste can then be recycled, be it paper, plastic, or metal. Recycling hazardous materials often requires chemical, thermal, biological, and physical methods, so it may be better to leave it for professionals or consider whether it will have any environmental benefits. When dealing with waste such as wood, rubber, or asphalt, industrial shredders can be used to reduce these materials to much smaller sizes and make them more manageable.

Using Proper Packaging

Creating an abundance of waste in the form of packaging materials is yet another issue that many manufacturing plants face and don’t deal with efficiently. Fortunately, a solution to such issues is quite straightforward and doesn’t require an enormous effort. In most cases, every company can find some ways to reduce the environmental impact of their packaging.

To begin with, plastic packaging can often be easily replaced with cardboard packaging. But the possibilities go far beyond just the plastic vs. cardboard issue. Depending on the kind of machinery your plant uses, you’re likely to be able to buy the materials in bulk and reduce the amount of necessary packaging this way. Your machinery will still have all the materials needed, but there won’t be as much waste created along the way.

In Conclusion

As you can see, there are always different ways to reduce the waste created by machinery used at manufacturing plants, as well as all the other operations required to keep the manufacturing processes going.

These methods outlined above may require some effort, but they can certainly be done and be immensely helpful in keeping the environment clean while also helping you keep your company afloat. It’s all about being efficient and organized and making the right decisions regarding getting rid of your waste.

That being said, try to ensure that your warehouse is well-organized, consider following steps that will allow you to reduce the volume of the waste, opt for recovering, sorting, and recycling whenever possible, and limit the amount of packaging used.

Why Eco-Friendly Industrial Coatings Deserve Your Attention?

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Industrial plants and facilities have been instrumental in propelling the modernization of human society. From that pen you use to sign your cheques to the knife you use to cut fruits for breakfast – almost every object of daily use has been manufactured at a production unit.

However, despite the numerous benefits of industries, they’ve been responsible for a wide array of environmental issues, including greenhouse gas emission, global warming, and air pollution. Also, improper waste management at manufacturing plants has adversely affected biodiversity in various regions.

The good news is that today’s industrial units are becoming more aware of their environmental impact and taking various steps to reduce their carbon footprint. This change has been propelled by increasing consumer demand for sustainable business practices, as well as federal and state regulations.

But while you’re striving to reduce energy consumption and waste generation at your plant, you’re likely ignoring the crucial aspect of industrial paint. That’s right! The paint that’s used for industrial plants, machinery, and tools is a key contributor to environmental degradation.

industrial-coatings

This, in turn, has compelled manufacturers and plant managers to look for eco-friendly industrial paint options from established distributors, such as Promain Paints. But if you’re new to the world of eco-friendly industrial paint, you might be skeptical about making the switch.

Is eco-friendly industrial paint worth the cost? Is it going to have the same characteristics as traditional industrial coatings? Is it mandatory for industrial units to use eco-friendly coatings?

If you’re looking for answers to these questions, we’ve got you covered. In this blog, we’ll delve deeper into the concept of industrial paints and understand their environmental impact. We’ll also explore the benefits of replacing traditional industrial paint with eco-friendly alternatives. Let’s get started.

Industrial Paint: A Closer Look

Industrial paint or industrial coating is specifically formulated for machinery, equipment (such as retaining rings), structural facilities, and end products at manufacturing plants and other industrial units. It’s also used to coat floors and other surfaces that endure the stress of heavy machinery.

Industrial paint can be in the form of a liquid, powder, or paste. When exposed to natural air, the paint gets cured and dried, thus forming a protective layer over the surface on which it’s been applied.

The primary purpose of industrial coating is to protect equipment, goods, and other substrates from physical and chemical damage. Depending on its chemical composition, the paint can also prevent the accumulation of dirt and grime. It even goes a long way to improve safety by making surfaces, such as floors, less slippery.

Typically, industrial paint comprises the following components:

  • Pigments
  • Binders
  • Solvents
  • Additives

Pigments are the chemicals or dyes that give the paint its color. Commonly used pigments include titanium oxide, iron oxide, and phthalocyanine derivatives. Binders are polymers, such as alkyd and acrylic resins, that allow the paint to adhere to the substrate and form a protective film on drying.

A solvent is a liquid that’s added to the paint to reduce its viscosity and improve its consistency so that it can be sprayed or applied with a brush. Typical solvents used in industrial paint include aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, esters, ethers, alcohols, ketones, etc.

Additives are special chemicals that give specific characteristics to the paint. Common examples of industrial paint additives include wetting agents, drying agents, fungicides, biocides, and plasticizers.

Effect of Industrial Coating on the Environment

The solvents used in industrial paint contain toxic chemicals known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs have low boiling points and react with other gases present in the air when exposed to sunlight. They’re also responsible for giving paint its characteristic smell.

Short-term inhalation of VOCs can cause a wide array of health problems, including headaches, nausea, dizziness, and skin rashes. Prolonged exposure to these chemicals can lead to serious diseases, including cancer and liver ailments, as well as damage the central nervous system.

However, the impact of VOCs isn’t restricted to health-related disorders. They also adversely affect the environment and cause air pollution. It’s because these chemicals react with nitrogen oxides present in the environment in the presence of sunlight. This, in turn, results in the formation of tropospheric or ground-level ozone.

Ground-level ozone is a harmful air pollutant that creates smog and damages plants. It could affect the natural habitat of various animals and, in turn, destroy biodiversity. Also, it acts as a greenhouse gas, thereby contributing to global warming. That’s why increased use of conventional industrial paint is proving to be catastrophic for the environment.

The Search for Eco-Friendly Options

The harmful effects of industrial coating have forced manufacturers to look for environmentally-friendly alternatives. Eco-friendly industrial paint usually contains special solvents that emit negligible or very low amounts of VOCs into the air.

industrial-valve

The biggest benefit of using eco-friendly paint is that it helps you comply with the environmental regulations in your area. The Environmental Protection Agency has outlined specific limits for VOC emissions in different regions. Non-compliance with these regulations could result in legal ramifications.

Also, many eco-friendly paints are formulated to be more durable. Some of them are even made using bio-renewable or post-consumer waste raw materials. This further reduces the environmental impact of your unit and takes you a step closer to creating sustainable business operations.

What other steps are you taking to minimize the environmental impact of your business? Share your suggestions in the comments section below.