Friday, October 3, 2008

LCD Plasma TV Madness - How Has It Progressed To This Point

Have you jumped into the latest craze to hit the television market? Perhaps you do not know what the "craze" is and are still using an outdated Telly. Either way, it is time for a little education on a LCD plasma TV. They are slim, offer great sound and the picture is phenomenal. It is a clear, sharp image that cannot even be compared to the images found on the older boob tubes. You have got to see it to believe it!

Whether you purchase a Samsung TV or a Sony HDTV plasma television, you are part of a growing trend. Many people are trading in their old, bulky television sets in favor of the new slimmer models. Remember those big screen televisions that took up most of the living room? Forget about those archaic relics! They offered up distorted pictures and faded colors. LCD and plasma televisions blast those antiques away by offering up new technology that spares owners the distortion. Monday night football never looked so good when viewed on this new phenomenon.

Okay, so an LCD plasma TV is a bit more expensive than what you paid for your old telly. However, if you remember back, then you may realize that the price differences are pretty small. At the time, larger screen televisions could easily sell for $500. Today you can own flat screen televisions for as little as $628 if you catch them on sale. Wal-Mart offers an RCA LCD HDTV for that price. It is 32" and has a built-in DVD player. You're getting a two for one deal.

Some people do not believe in buying their products or merchandise at big name retail stores because they want to support their local businesses. This is commendable and there needs to be a concerted effort to save local businesses. However, the downfall of shopping at local "Mom and Pop" stores is that they may not have the selection you want and if they do have the right Samsung TV or Panasonic plasma TV, then you are going to pay more.

Get rid of that dull old television set that is taking up so much room! An LCD plasma TV will change how you watch movies or play video games. You can go a step farther by purchasing cable or satellite packages that offer HDTV. The difference between regular cable or satellite and high definition is astonishing. Jump into the craze and see what you have been missing.

Having a big television is not always what it is cracked up to be. Those big monstrosities that take up so much room but deliver horrible picture quality and sound are out. You need to get with the times and get yourself a plasma TV. There are plenty of plasma televisions to choose from. You can opt for a 42" and hang it on your wall. You can have a 52" that resonates with beautiful picture quality and sound. The choices are up to you and you can find anything you are looking for by clicking here: Lg Electronics Plasma Flat Tv and at Plasma Tv Guide

Rapid Prototyping Disadvantages

Prototype

Rapid Prototyping is a process wherein a working model or prototype is developed for the purpose of testing the various product features like design, ideas, features, functionality, performance and output. This process of development of working model is quite quick. Early Feedback is one thing that the user can give towards the prototype. Rapid prototyping is, generally, a significant and essential part of the system designing process and it is believed to decrease the project cost and risk.

The prototype that is developed by the process of rapid prototyping is based on the performance of earlier designs. Hence, it is possible to correct the defects or problems in the design by taking corrective measures. After you have made sure that the prototype meets every single requirement of the specific design then the product can be produces. There are many advantages of rapid prototyping.

Rapid Prototyping –Advantages in brief: Rapid prototyping has manifold advantages. It can provide with concept proof that would be required for attracting funds. The prototype gives the user a fair idea about the final look of the product. Rapid prototyping can enhance the early visibility. Whats nice about the developmental stage is that you can find really early flaws in the design that can be easier to fix. You really want to see a lot of participation with the user and producer in order to make the most out of rapid prototyping. Rapid Prototyping becomes popular when you start to see how cost effective it can be. A higher output is what the user can get.

The deficiencies in the earlier prototypes can be detected and rectified in time. The speed of  system development is increased. It is possible to get immediate feedback from the user. There is better communication between the user and designer as the requirement sand expectations are expressed in the beginning itself. High quality product is easily delivered by way of rapid prototyping. Invention Prototype enables development time and costs. There are many innovative ways in which rapid prototyping can be used.

Despite all these benefits, there are many people who believe that there are many disadvantages of rapid prototyping.

Disadvantages of Prototyping : Some people are of the opinion that rapid prototyping is not effective because, in actual, it fails in replication of the real product or system. It could so happen that some important developmental steps could be omitted to get a quick and cheap working model. As you can see with rapid prototyping this could be one of the biggest disadvantages. Another disadvantage of rapid prototyping is one in which many problems are overlooked resulting in endless rectifications and revisions. The best solution in a large sized application may not be the best situation possible for rapid prototyping.

The user may have very high expectations about the prototype’s performance and the designer is unable to deliver these. The system could be left unfinished due to various reasons or the system may be implemented before it is completely ready. The producer may produce an inadequate system that is unable to meet the overall demands of the organization. Too much involvement of the user might hamper the optimization of the program. The producer may be too attached to the program of rapid prototyping, thus it may lead to legal involvement.

The cost reduction benefit of rapid prototyping also seems to be debatable, as sufficient details regarding the calculation basis and assumptions are not substantial.

 
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Prototyping Advantages and the process of Rapid Prototyping

Electronic Prototype

Invention Prototype is a process of software development wherein physical objects are automatically constructed by means of SFF or solid freeform fabrication. In the process of rapid prototyping, a prototype or working model can be constructed quickly, and tested for its functionality, performance and output. The new features or ideas can be illustrated well in the prototype and early user feedback can be gathered with regards to the product. There are numerous advantages of rapid prototyping.

Benefits of Prototyping : Significant advantages of rapid prototyping include reduction of project cost and risk. Generally, one or more prototypes are developed in the process of software development in a series of incremental and iterative steps. Every prototype that is manufactured is based on the previous designs’ performance and it is a corrective process through which the past design defects or problems are corrected. The product is readied for production when the prototype is refined as per requirements and meets all the design goals like manufacturability, robustness and functionality.

Another great advantage of rapid prototyping is that it finds use and application in almost all the industries. The other advantages of rapid prototyping include the following.

Visualization capabilities are enhanced in the early designing phase with use of Invention Prototype . The user gets a fair idea of how the final product will look by observing the working model in early design stage.
The design flaws can be detected before manufacture process is initiated. 
Active participation by all of the parties involved is one of the things that rapid prototyping enables. Active participation between the users and producer is encouraged.
The user is able to get a higher output.
Rapid Prototyping helps with reducing the costs of product development which is why its so popular.
Rapid prototyping increases the speed of system development.
With rapid prototyping, it is possible to detect deficiencies in the earlier prototype, coding activities and requirement analysis.
Rapid prototyping assists in refining the potential risks that are involved in the delivery
The different aspects of the prototype can be tried and tested and immediate feedback is possible form user.
Better communication is enabled between the users and designer as there is clear expression of requirements and expectations in the start itself.
Rapid prototyping enables easy delivery of high quality product.


Saving of Time and Cost: Rapid Prototypings biggest benefits are that is will save a lot of developmental costs and tons of time in the developmental costs. Time can be saved by reducing the amount of time required to produce the prototype parts and tooling. Production costs are lowered as the mistakes regarding tooling are identified in the early stages and hence, the modification costs can be cut down in the actual production.

Advantage of Innovation: Rapid prototyping can be used in many innovative ways. There are even more benefits from rapid prototyping other than these and the possibilities are endless. The advantages of rapid prototyping in innovative applications are advancement of new testing procedures and analysis, production tooling manufacture, improved communications across production departments and support of customized manufacturing. The new technologies can be used in a cost effective and successful manner with innovative applications of rapid prototyping. 

 
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Thursday, October 2, 2008

Finding Careers In Computer Animation.

Nowadays, there are more ways to find careers in computer animation than ever before. Back before the age of cheap and powerful computers, animation careers were hard to come by. The equipment  needed was extremely expensive, the technical expertise requirements were very demanding, and the job was time-consuming. For these reasons, becoming a professional animator was difficult. There were few jobs, and it was a difficult field to break into. It was such a time consuming occupation, after all, that it was almost impossible for private individuals to make their own animations in their spare time.



Computer generated animation changed all that. Nowadays, careers in computer animation are readily available to anyone who wants to take the time to study. There are many different ways to go about it. The most accepted way to try to get a career in computer animation is still to go to a respected animation school. There are plenty of art schools out there with excellent animation programs. Some of them focus more on computer animated cartoons, while others have a bigger emphasis on traditional styles. Either type of program will get you where you need to go.



Of course, many careers in computer animation start off with experimentation at home. Anyone can learn to program flash animations, and some of the effects people get are pretty good. Animating your own cartoons is a great way to build up a portfolio and get your work seen. Once you get a following, you can use that to get hired by a computer animation studio. Alternately, you can keep working for yourself. Many careers in computer animation, after all, take place completely on the Internet.



Still, it can't hurt to have a career plan ñ particularly if you don't already have a way to make a living. This is why going to an animation school is the most widely practiced way of getting a career in computer animation. There are so many people who have the skills that animation industry companies can afford to rule out anyone who doesn't have the credentials without even giving them a second chance. If you can't get your foot in the door, you will never become eligible for any of the best careers in computer animation. Going to animation school will give you a broad-based educational program which will teach you a lot more than you could easily learn on your own. All in all, going to a school for animation makes a lot of sense.



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Buying A Desktop Computer Package Will Save Money

Buying a Desktop Computer Package

A desktop computer package is the most cost effective method of finding the best desktop computer deals.  The buyer will get everything needed which usually includes the tower, the monitor, keyboard, and mouse and sometimes even a free printer.

There are many things to consider when looking into a new computer such as the brand are you leaning towards and what will you be using the computer for.  Reading the list below can help with the decision making process in the purchase of a desktop computer package:

Type of Computer

Both Windows and Macintosh offer custom desktop computers.  If you don't like change it may be best to stay with whatever system you feel most comfortable with. Much of the commonly used software was originally created to be used with Windows. Most all of that software has been tweaked to work with the Macintosh. Some like the Mac for the stability and lack of virus problems.

CPU

The CPU inside the tower is one the most critical choices you will have to make when putting together your desktop computer bundle. The Central Processing Unit will determine the speed with which your computer will process commands.

Read Access Memory


Then, the desktop computer package will offer RAM, which is the system's memory.  With this, programs are able to run and information can be moved between the hard drive and functions of the program.  For the best choice, buyers want to match RAM speed with the CPU speed.


Hard Drive



The hard drive capacity is important to consider when needing to store a lot of pictures, videos or detailed graphics.  If you only using your computer to only write and store text data the capacity is less of a concern.

The Computer Screen


Computer monitors come with the best desktop computer deals.  Typically, working with a lot of graphics would need a CRT type of monitor.  However, most of the desktop computer bundle deals come with LCD monitors.  The advantage here is that the monitor does not consume as much energy, have wider screen images, and work better for smaller spaces.

Keyboard and Mouse


A wireless keyboard and or mouse is not only convenient but allows a clean looking computer station.  There are so many wires connecting all the components together it is hard to keep them neat and tidy.  Visit a computer store to find the style, size and shape you prefer before making an online purchase.

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3D Rapid Prototyping Overseas and Global Prototyping Discussed

Prototype Design

Global Sources Group: There are very few companies dealing with Rapid Prototyping overseas. One of them is Global Sources Group. It can boast of offering overseas rapid manufacturing. Today’s fast world speaks of competition. The US is no exception. In has been dominate throughout the globe since really the last cenury. This has led to the emergence of Global Sources Group. The customer would always feel obliged by seeking the services of Global Sources Group, as this would result in substantial increase in his productivity and profit. This company is associated with factories across Vietnam and China. Thus, the required competitive edge that is needed in market of today is ensured.

Global Sources Group has the ability of designing the Prototyping within 10 days. Not only that, the patent of the new product acquired can be obtained within 4 weeks. Here, time is equated with money. In reality, you would airfreight the products over seas so you still get fast productivity and overseas has very high quality factories. This would thus take the client to the subsequent level.

Global Sources Group assists companies in 3D Prototyping , right from design to manufacture. It specializes in manufacturing and ‘Art to Part Design’. You will find that this company has over 20 years of experience.

Delcam: Another company dealing with rapid prototyping overseas is Delcam. This company was established in 1968, when 3D modelling was not even talked of. 2D drawing was prevalent. Ford was really the first company that helped bring rapid prototyping into the 1980's. The process can be described as follows: Rapid Prototyping can be made effective if a good quality STL FILE is used. It is independent of composition. STL file, having property of water tightness can be exported by Power SHAPE. The errors can be automatically detected and repaired by a set of ‘wizards’. It provides the customer with total control over the creation of mesh. Whats nice is that the fast model from PowerSHAPE that carries out the repairing of the tools is also intuitive. This means that if the surfaces of original model of CAD are damaged or missing, the work won’t be stopped, i.e. the customer can easily carry out the fixation of model and go on with his work.

CopyCAD, Delcam’s software for reverse engineering, possesses comprehensive tools to repair and modify the STL models on an interactive basis. This enables the process chain to continue in an unbroken manner even if there is no CAD model to start with. Power MILL, Delcam’s absolute machining solution has the capacity of producing accurate tool paths. They can be built upto five axis-simultaneous, directly from the STL models. What is nice about this is that you will find that the manufacturing process wll become more flexible.

Delcam’s software is being tried and examined with majority of general Rapid Prototyping Systems, to produce both, prototype tooling and form-and-fit testing parts. Its constant involvement in projects of Europe like HiperMoulding and CARP ensures that the customer is guaranteed of results of high quality irrespective of the type of Rapid Prototyping System used. Delcam has been into news in terms of rapid prototyping for quite some time now.

 
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Prototype Development and Prototype Design

Prototype Design

Designing and Prototype Design have revolutionized the manufacturing processes in all industries nearly. There is not a single industry or process that is untouched by the technology of designing and prototyping.

Designing: Designing is the process by which you will design a product in advance before actual production. Designing will help you to innovate, change, modify and invent. Designing involves the process of idea generation, conceptualizing and actual design development.

Prototyping: Prototyping is a process in which a working model or prototype is developed for the purpose of testing the various design aspects like features, ideas, viability, functionality, output and performance. The prototyping will help in getting a quick user feedback. Prototyping is considered to be an essential element of the process of system designing.

Designing and Prototyping go hand in hand, as both are complementary. In prototyping, new prototypes are developed on the basis of the performance of earlier designs. The deficiencies or problems in the previous designs can be detected and corrected. The prototype is redesigned after refinement and successfully meets the designing goals like functionality, manufacturability, performance and robustness. After this, the product can be readily produced.

Benefits of Designing and Rapid Prototyping : The scope of designing and prototyping is unlimited. Both have applications in all types of industries like CAD, CAM, automotive industry, workshops, fashion designing and innovative products and so on. With designing, you are able to create digital data in the form of 3D images and this digital data can be transformed into actual physical object by way of prototyping. You can visualize about how the final product will look. You can translate your inventions and innovative ideas in real terms with the help of designing and prototyping.

You may be toying with many innovative product ideas in your mind and you wish to convert them into realities. You can successfully develop your new invention from an idea to actual manufactured product with designing and prototyping. You can test your product by testing its commercial viability. You can have an open communication with the user regarding the expectations of the product and its performance. This will give you a fair idea regarding the designing and prototyping.

Appropriate Designing and Prototyping: If you want your invention or innovative product to be successful, then it needs to have a good design and there have to more additives than a plain good idea. The design should be such that it reduces the manufacturing costs. The design must have excellent functionality and it should be attractive as well along with the benefit of maximized durability. The designing and prototyping should work together to maximize the chances of success.

The best approach for an appropriate designing and prototyping plan, would be to design and create an eye-catching and working prototype along with good packaging. Necessary legal protection should be obtained. Engineering drawings should be produced and pricing data for manufacturing process should be generated. All the production facilities of the factory should be lined up. Take feedback from the end users and buyers and you will get an idea of the demand for your product. This appropriate designing and prototyping plan, is sure to spell success for you.

 
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Keep Your PC Safe With A Web Firewall


It is important to know how and why you should install a web firewall with the onslaught of computer hackers, scammers, and viruses that are prevalent around the Internet. Defense from malicious data harming your computer is provided by a web firewall. With one, you can avoid dangerous attacks that can wipe out your data or steal personal information.


Determine the type of web firewall required by your computer as there are a wide variety available. If you already have a computer that came installed with the Microsoft XP or Vista operating system, then chances are that your web firewall is already set up and ready to be used. It is no good if it is turned off or not working properly. Purchase your own software if you do not have one of these newer operating systems. You may want to purchase separate software to complement Microsoft XP as its version of web firewall doesn't get great reviews.

There are many products available, including as the most popular - Norton, AVG, and McAfee and you can either visit a store that sells computer software or download a web firewall product through the Internet. The price of software varies depending on how sophisticated it is but there are also plenty of low cost versions available, even from the big name companies. Prior to the installation of your web firewall, a few things must be taken into consideration. The program must not stop you using the functions that you need, such as file and printing sharing. Settings can be configured during installation or at a later date using the documentation provided.


Web firewalls tend to stop you from going to certain parts of the Internet as well. It is important that you are familiar with how you connect because this can happen if you use a local area network or a router. When you have installed a web firewall in place, secured networks in particular are difficult to access. Installing a web firewall to a pc linked to a company network may require a specific settings configuration to allow you to connect to them and this can be provided by a company's IT department.

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Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Xbox 360 Games Download – How To Download Xbox 360 Games Online

Tired of the same old game that you play on your Xbox 360? Done with the same patterns and almost the same game that just changed the scenes? Well, today is the right time to discover new xbox 360 games and adventures you never encounter.

There are many ways to download xbox 360 games online that will surely fit your interests. You do not have to pay for large fees because some of the xbox 360 games downloads are very cheap. It will offer you non-stop action that will boost your adrenalin rush and let you feel that you are really into it. Almost all of the games are available for easy download anywhere you are so long as you are connected to the internet.

The Xbox 360 games download are in high resolution that will provide a clearer and better gaming experience. There are a few websites that I found allows you to download unlimited xbox 360 games for a one time low cost. They also provide updated news and patches so you will always on the top and always knowledgeable to the latest technological advancements especially in Xbox.

If you have any problems, the support system will be glad to serve you anytime of the day. So, never miss the fun and enjoyment that your Xbox offers. Be the first of the few people who discovered the secret on how to play xbox 360 games download on your gaming console. Be the top model for your friends and be the leader of the Xbox community.

I recommend you have a broadband connection to download the xbox 360 ISO files as most of them are quite large in size. I recommend at least a 1MB broadband or DSL line. Also, if your home has wireless connections, it will be better and faster to download the xbox 360 games directly to your xbox 360.

CRM Applications and Their Relevance

CRM Software  is the ultimate need is the ultimate need for every business. CRM Application allows an organization to automate the production proposal for their clients and prospects. CRM software organizes all aspects of the upcoming test, checks inventory for the testing supplies and even orders the materials needed for testing. CRM software is used to support these processes, storing information on customers and prospective customers. Information in the system can be accessed and entered by employees in different departments, such as sales , marketing , customer service , training , professional development , performance management, human resource development , and compensation .

CRM Software (Cusotmer Relationship Management) is the generic term for software that helps companies to maintain and improve the quality of their relationships with customers. By storing information about customers and prospective customers centrally, and distributing that information to all departments, all company representatives are able to see a complete view of the customer, irrespective of their particular role. CRM Software can be as basic as a simple database that holds the contact information, or you can use it to send email, direct mail, and postcards all on a set schedule. CRM Software is a tremendous tool for salespeople that are looking to take it to the next level. CRM software can help to move you beyond those limitations and put firm-wide management at your fingertips.

CRM software can also help you retain existing customers and gain new ones. Key elements of CRM allow a business to collect and maintain valuable data such as customer contacts and history of purchases; maintain profiles of customer preferences; improve customer communication channels; and identify new selling opportunities. CRM Software should be a salespersons best friend. It doesn't matter if you're a small business owner, working in a large organization, or an independent sales rep, a good contact management software is a necessary tool for you to keep your pipeline organized and full of qualified leads.

Customer Relationship Management Software can be a major undertaking, with the cost for many systems over several million dollars and the implementation period lasting a year or more. Before making a commitment like this, every business should ask if they require a full CRM Software program . Customer information acquired from sales, marketing, customer service, and support is captured and stored in a centralised database . The system may provide data-mining facilities that support an opportunity management system . Customized Software Applications continue to hold an important position in the software solutions chain even though there is an increasing shift towards packaged solutions. Business dynamics and growth will ensure that the requirements are always ahead of the available packages and hence the need for customized solutions.

Customer Relationship Management CRM software has played a very important role for large corporations in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of sales, marketing, and customer service. There have been both successes and failures in implementing these very expensive solutions.

Web based CRM enables the business owner to quick view marketing wins and losses. Track the success of multi-channel advertising efforts. CRM software's marketing functionality needs to promote new product or a service through multiple channels with unified message. Where the marketing functionality leaves off by creating leads, sales force automation needs to pick up the thread seamlessly, from qualification to closure of such leads. CRM software provides the organization, management, delivery and automation to achieve the CRM strategy. Effective CRM software will facilitate the understanding, anticipating and responding to the needs of your customer in both an efficient and effective manner.

Learning Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing Basics

cnc

You might hear the term CAD-CAM from time to time.  It is basically a merging of the two pieces.  A software manufacturer tries to pick up more marketshare by doing this.  They also keep you locking into their “system” by going with the whole package at once.


A lot of the time, this is a good thing.  Same or similar interface on both pieces of software.  Quick flow between pieces and easy file management.  You have to evaluate it for yourself though.  There are many times in life where two or more tools are combined to produce a less then stellar result.

CAD/CAM Article
Here is an article I pulled up that describes the past and future direction of CAD/CAM.I thought it was important as you hear these two terms used together all the time.  They are two different and distinct parts of the process, but some software makers make both products and sell them together.

CAD/CAM: Past, Present and Future
By Katrina C. Arabe

Before CAD/CAM technology, drafts, calculations and product design involved pencil, paper and a seemingly endless succession of blueprints. CAD/CAM's ongoing enhancement has made the process easier, but with the latest slew of features, some users actually find less is more.
Virtually every manmade product has been designed and manufactured using a CAD/CAM program. CAD/CAM, or Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing, is utilized in every facet of industry; from designing phones to plotting out toolpaths in die and mold shops. Although the users of CAD/CAM technology may, at times, feel frustrated by how often its software is updated, the fact is that CAD/CAM has close to five decades of history stretching almost as far back as the computer.


CAD/CAM, like the digital computer, had its inception in the military. In the mid-1950s the U.S. Air Force began testing an air defense system known as SAGE (Semi Automatic Ground Environment) to graphically depict data received on radar systems. The first computer actually rendering a program, SAGE was conceived at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 1960, computer scientists at MIT produced yet another project called Sketchpad, an application that is now considered to be the first design program with industrial use. A similar program sprouted up at General Motors soon after. At that time, mainframes were still large enough to take up entire rooms.


During the 1960's CAD/CAM technology continued to evolve and spread to other areas. Automotive companies were the first to adopt the technology, and used it primarily to design automobile bodies. It then quickly spread to other sectors of industry, which were only too eager to abandon traditional pen and paper methods of drafting. By 1973, CAD/CAM was being used to design industrial tools. Midway through the decade, the 19-inch monitor came out, which meant that drawings could be viewed larger than the previous standard of 11 inches. In the last half of the 70's, solid modeling software became available. It allowed users to take "geometric primitives" (basic geometric shapes such as boxes and cones) and combine them using Boolean operations. In 1982, Autodesk made CAD/CAM history when it released the first version of AutoCAD, which soon became the premiere software platform for automobile design.
At times, the history of CAD/CAM seems like the plot of a spy novel. In 1984, a Hungarian scientist named Gabor Bajor, succeeded in smuggling two Macintosh computers into his Communist-controlled homeland. With the intent of writing a 3D CAD program, Bajor and his teenage assistant used the illegal computers to create just that program, and started the Graphsoft Company. In 1985, Diehl Graphsoft introduced MiniCAD to the market, which would be considered the industry standard for CAD on the Mac. The same year Autodesk unveiled AutoCAD 2.1. Complete with 3D capabilities, AutoCAD 2.1 was another breakthrough that transformed design in the auto industry. In the late 80's and early 90's, CAD/CAM giant Unigraphics took its place as a major industry player by partnering with industry powerhouses such as General Motors, UNIX, GE and Boeing.


During the early 1990s, Unigraphics introduced hybrid modeling, which featured both traditional modeling and advanced parametric techniques. By the end of 1994, over one million units of AutoCAD had been sold, and by the end of 1995, there were about 350,000 users of generic CAD/CAM reported worldwide. In 1996, General Motors signed the largest contract in CAD/CAM's history by selecting Unigraphics as its sole vendor for vehicle development software. Soon afterwards, Unigraphics would once again transform the medium by releasing CAD/CAM software that allowed for the definition, control and evaluation of product templates. Another major advance in CAD/CAM occurred IN 1999 when Think3, a "Johnny-come-lately" to the world of CAD/CAM, introduced the first mechanical design software that could fully combine the power of parametric solids, advanced surfacing, wireframe and two-dimensional drafting on the desktop in one environment. Subsequently, a plethora of software vendors has surfaced, inundating the market with competing CAD/CAM platforms AND causing designers to be alternately pleased and confused by the sheer number of options available to them.


At present, CAD/CAM continues its steady path of progress. Much of this progress is in the form of refining past innovations to make them more efficient and user friendly. A groundbreaking CAD/CAM innovation has not occurred for a number of years, which seems to indicate that another sweeping change is just around the corner -- or maybe not. Despite the advent of 3D CAD/CAM, many CAD/CAM users still prefer to render designs in 2D. Thus, recent 3D innovations such as animated "walk-throughs" (a technique that allows designers to visually move in and around the rendered model, and see it from every possible angle) are still largely underused. The same is true of the bevy of collaboration tools currently available to the CAD/CAM user. The ability to combine CAD/CAM, with finite-element analysis and the accessibility of simulation and knowledge management, has yet to be fully embraced. Perhaps, it is in one of these areas that the next CAD/CAM breakthrough will occur. One thing that can be said with a degree of certainty is that research and development are currently ahead of user demand. When, and if, the garden-variety CAD/CAM user decides that they need to expand their range of capabilities, they will find a world of cutting-edge CAD/CAM tools at their disposal.

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Prototype Services, Rotocast, 3D Cad, and 3D Printing

Rapid Prototype

Since Prototyping came into being, many businesses provided with the service of prototype development. Earlier, such companies were known as service bureaus and they allowed the users to access the unproven and expensive technology. In the early period of rapid prototyping, these service bureaus provided with advantages of Rapid Prototyping development minus the soaring upfront expenses and major risks of applying a new technology that was relatively unverified and hovering on the brink of rapid obsolescence. In the beginning, the service bureaus provided file conversions for narrowing the operational gap amidst 2D data and 3D CAD models. Due to this, the large companies that had not yet transitioned to solid modeling were benefited greatly.  

As the technology of rapid prototyping progressed, most of the service bureaus have undergone role modifications and they promise to deliver greater advantages beyond initial expense reduction and ownership risk. There are several companies worldwide offering the rapid prototyping services.

Advantages of Rapid Prototype Services: The advantages of rapid prototyping services are by far many. The rapid prototyping services provide advanced rapid prototyping technologies. You can get a competitive edge in the process of product development, so that the product is marketed much faster. The rapid prototyping services allow the users and producers to achieve the designing and prototyping goals. The innovative product idea can be successfully realized into actual product of high quality with the help of rapid prototyping services. The rapid prototyping services deliver the finished product beginning from the product idea, conceptualization and prototype development. You can save money and time as well, as rapid prototyping allows the production on low volume basis directly from the designing data.

Rapid Prototyping Services: The various types of rapid prototyping services include technologies like stereolithography prototype, polyjet 3D printing, selective laser sintering, rapid tooling, 3D CAD modeling, RTV molding, RotoCAST, machined castings, urethane castings, injection molding, high temperature castings, rapid prototyping machines, investment casting, electroplating, functional  prototype development, 3D modeling and development of patterns and models.

The rapid prototyping service provider will develop prototypes as per the required specifications of the manufactures. Things that this will supply you are prototype development, supplies and materials, and of course components. The various materials utilized in the process of rapid prototyping are plastics, metals and elastomers. The product development process is accelerated with supply of quick, robust and accurate prototypes by the rapid prototyping services.

Prototype Zone is a new community website all about Rapid Prototyping. Stop Around Prototype Zone today to get your free reference guide on Rapid Prototyping just for signing up today and join the site for free and you get a free Rapid Prototyping Basics EBook just for signing up! Visit the website today to sign up for free so you can then download your free book on Basic Rapid Prototyping.Com right now to get your Free Ebook that is all about Rapid Prototyping and Rapid Prototyping Basics for Free.

It's not always Easy to Remove Smitfraud

Smitfraud as you most likely already know is a virus.Here are some of the things Smitfraud can do.  There are many different variations of this virus but most of them do two things.  The first is change your desktop background around and make it so you can not change it back.  The second highjacks your home page and constantly re-directs you to other sites.  For full removal instructions head over to this dedicated Smitfraud Removal site.

While many current anti-virus and anti-spyware programs detect Smitfraud most can not fully remove this strain.  It ha traces in the registry and several other hard to edit places.  If you miss one trace chances are you will get infected again.  That is why this is so hard to remove.

Many repair site specialize in removing Viruses.  The cost will vary with who you choose but if you have your computer repaired online it will cut that cost in half.  Places like this Computer Repair shop do a great job and for much less then you think. They remote into your computer using screen sharing software and you can watch them work.  It’s just like having a personal tech onsite but without the high cost.They also feature a free chat with a pro.

Smitfraud can be fully remove using several free programs on the internet.  The problem is do you have the 7 to 16 hours to spend using free software to remove this?  The other downside in using free software is it won’t protect your computer from getting infected again.  Free clients do not offer upfront protection.  It’s only after you have been infected that they start to kicking and by that time it is often too late.  Don’t be cheap and fall prey to another virus.  Consider paying the 40 or so dollars a year and protect your computer so you do not have to deal with this issue again.

What is the right CAD program for me?

computer aided design

There are multiple Computer Aided Design Softwares available for design.  Generally people become familiar with one and stick with it.  As far as selecting the right one, my advice is this.  Most software companies have a free trial.30 day software trials are the standard.  Take advantage of these trial periods and test the software out.  Then at the end, decide if you want to try another software or stick with your best one.  I would advise you try out at least three different packages.


The one you select will probably have to do with you liking the interface or finding it intuitive.  Keep in mind it may work for you now.  A simple to use and understand interface probably has some limitations for your designs.  The very best programs are complex with many tools that give you the most control.  I have found that I start with a simple program and outgrow it.  At some point I move up to the next level of software.  This usually means a higher price as well.

Tools in CAD
Inside of your CAD program, you will have various tools that you can work with.  Many of these tools speed up your design times and make you more efficient.Each computer-aided design program will have tools, and then some unique tools that are only available with their specific software package.  These specialty tools are one of the ways software manufacturers differentiate themselves in the marketplace.

Versions of computer aided design
There are different types of computer aided design out in the marketplace.  These are the ones I deal with from time to time.  2D CAD, 2.5D CAD, and Three Dimensional CAD.Here are some fast explanations of each computer aided design type.

2D CAD
2D CAD is generally on the low end of CAD software packages.  2D CAD is most often vector based.  The design consists on the X and Y-axis only.  The designs are made up of lines, circles, ovals, slots, curves, etc.  There is no “depth” to the design.  Only the outline of the part is visible, to put it in a different way.

2.5D CAD
All of the same descriptions above apply, but the design is prismatic.  By that I mean it has the depth of the material.  There are Z levels, but they are on singular planes.

3D CAD
3D CAD is on the high end of CAD software packages.  3D CAD can be solid based, wire frame based or nurbs based.  The design consists on the X, Y and Z-axis.  The designs are made up of lines, circles, ovals, slots, curves, etc, but can also include Spheres, Pyramids, Torrids, Cubes, etc.There is a depth to the CNC design.  The design can be rotated around 360 degrees.  The design is an accurate description of what the part would look like if produced in the real world.

CNC Information Free Community Site:
If you would like to know more about CNC, head on over to http://www.cncinformation.com
You can join it today and get two free CNC eBooks. One is a GCode Quick Guide and the other is the CNC Info Site eBook. You also get access to the Free Video Series...Image to CNC Art when you join the community.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Methods of Selective Laser Sintering

Prototyping

Rapid Prototyping or SLS is said to be a free-form manufacturing technology which is developed by 3D systems. SLS is a method of layered manufacturing which creates a solid 3D object by blending powdered substances along with carbon dioxide. In other words SLS is one of the famous mechanisms of Rapid Prototyping in which a laser beam carefully sinters or fuses the powdered substances such as elastomer, nylon etc. A thin layer of that powdered substances is being laid down and the laser sketches on the layer sintering together the elements hit by the laser. SLS can provide a persons manufacturing company with most important perimeter by producing metal or rapid plastic prototyping which narrowly matches their molded complements.  
    
Stereolithography V/S Selective Laser Sintering: One of the foremost benefits of Selective Laser Sintering over Stereolithography is that it constructs prototypes in powered materials such as nylon etc. It is likely to create structurally useful parts like functioning springs, living hinges and snap fit components along with nylon substances by utilizing Selective Laser Sintering. This procedure is actually very easy as there is no need of tooling or molding involved. You will find that the nylon substance that is useding during the SLS process can be machined and drilled just like you can in SLA. These substances are fragile as they are curved with Ultra Violet light and created with liquid photopolymers.  
 
Since it has been introduced by DR Carl Deckard in the year 1989, this SLS technology has become one of the most recognized and utilized procedures for product development and rapid prototyping in most of the manufacturing industries. Rapid Prototyping technology has also become one of the most trusted and reliable forms of rapid prototyping due to its structural importance. SLS is generally helpful when a particular design has to be customized or is complex and requires being short run or functional production. 

Procedure: In the procedure of Selective Laser Sintering or Selective Laser Sintering, three dimensional parts are formed when an infrared laser beam fuses or sinters powdered substances. The ultimate object is being formed by continually sintering or fusing those thin layers by utilizing the infrared laser beam. This particular procedure is also known as additive manufacturing, creating parts which regularly enhances in size until it reaches the arranged size. These rapid prototypes are formed directly from the STL file acquired from three dimensional CAD models.

One of the most important features of Selective Laser Sintering is how functional and durable the substances are. These substances normally include versions of new DuraForm glass-filled, which is a nylon based substance that creates functional and highly durable plastic prototypes. LaserForm, Flex Plastic, and Rubber like parts that create metal prototypes are some of the other substances available with SLS.    


Benefits: Lots of people are trying hard to get some of these new SLS substances into the manufacturing market. Whats nice about thses substances is that after they are created, they need no post processing methods so you get another advantage over SLA. However, this does not mean that these substances cannot be developed. There are good things about the SLS substances we have mentioned because they all can be completed in many methods. They can be machined, painted, tapped, drilled and even plated. This allows for a superior grade of manifestation to these substances therefore giving the users a limitless potential to utilize these substances.

Prototype Zone is a new community website all about Rapid Prototyping. Come by Prototypezone today and join the site for free and you get a free Rapid Prototyping Basics EBook just for signing up! Come by Prototypezone.Com right away to receive your own Ebook on Rapid Prototyping Basics for Free.

3D Scanner, 3D Scanning, and 3D Scanners along with technology for 3D Scanners

Prototyping Design

Prototyping can be defined as the process wherein a device’s, object’s, or system’s technological principles are discovered by analyzing its operation, function, and structure. It often refers to detaching something, say- a software program, electronic equipment, or mechanical device and carrying out the analysis of its workability in detail. This is done in order to manufacture a new program or device which performs the same function without doubling anything from original.

Motivation: Reasons behind the emergence of reverse engineering include interoperability, lost documentation which means loss or non-existence of documentation of the concerned device, product analysis, security auditing, exclusion of protection of copy, circumvention of restrictions regarding access, and fraud.

Prototyping of ‘mechanical devices’ : With the ever-increasing popularity of CAD, ‘reverse engineering’ has proven to be a blessing for creation of ‘3D virtual model’ of the on hand physical part to be used in 3D CAE, CAM, CAD and many other soft wares. The measuring of physical object can be done by making use of ‘#D scanning technologies’ such as computed tomography, ‘structured light digitizers’, laser scanners, and CMMs. The data that is measured usually gets represented as ‘point cloud’. It is devoid of topological information. That’s why, the processing and modelling takes place into usable format like a ‘triangular faced mesh’, CAD model, or a collection of surfaces of NURBS. Applications such as Polyworks, Image ware, Geomagic, or Rapidform are used for processing the ‘point clouds’ into the formats that can be used in applications like 3D CAE, CAM, CAD or visualization.

Reverse Engineering of ‘software’  : The term ‘reverse engineering’ differs from person to person when applied in terms of software. Reverse engineering is a bit complicated but simply it is the process that involved looking at the subject system in order to create its representation at the higher level. There are people out there that will call this level the level of abstraction. As far as software is concerned, reverse engineering can be described as an examination process only. Really if you look at things from the software point of view there is no modification needed. The use of ‘software anti-tamper technology’ takes place in order to deter reengineering and reverse engineering of the software-powered systems and proprietary software.

Two major reverse engineering types exist in the present scenario. In the first type, source code is available, but program’s greater level aspects are poorly documented or invalidated. In the second type, source code does not exist. Any efforts made in this direction would be termed as ‘reverse engineering’. The 2nd use is that which majority of people know. ‘Reverse Engineering of software’ is implied at making use of ‘clean room design’ technique for avoiding infringing copyrights. In today’s world, around 95% of reverse engineering consists of ‘reverse engineering of software’.

On the other hand, ‘black box testing’ in ‘software engineering’ has many similarities to reverse engineering. The tester normally possesses the API. However, their main goal is to locate undocumented features and bugs by smashing the products from the outside. This process is used for customizing the embedded systems as well. 

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Flexible Manufacturing, Rapid Manufacturing, Direct Manufacturing

Flexible Manufacturing

Rapid Manufacturing can be described as an ‘Additive Fabrication Technique’ to manufacture solid objects through the chronological delivery of material and/or energy to precise points in the space for producing that part. At present, the practice of controlling the process of manufacturing with the help of computer by making use of mathematical model that has been created through the computer’s aid is being followed. Rapid manufacturing, if done with the help of Parallel Batch Production is capable of providing a huge advantage in terms of cost and speed in comparison with alternative techniques of manufacturing like die casting or Plastic Injection Molding.

Origin: Prototyping process was first demonstrated at The AUTO FACT show. The venue was Detroit, MI. The year was 1987. A company called 3D Systems Company is who created this technique. The technologies available now are inclusive of processes such as Laminated Object Manufacturing, Shape Deposition Manufacturing, and Selective Laser Sintering. 

The present scenario: Prototyping might involve replacement parts, custom parts, series production, or Short Run Production. This process can be referred to as Rapid Prototyping only if the use of the part is for development. Rapid Manufacturing carried out for big products with Layer-based Manufacturing from composite materials, plastics, or metals is widely used for numerous industrial applications pertaining to aerospace (Boeing) and military (MPH-Optomec) sectors. Micro system applications and small products are well known in medicines, sensor technologies (micro TEC), and diagnostics. Batch production regarding tiny parts by techniques of rapid manufacturing like RMPD give vent to advantages related to time and cost.

Now days, collectibles, consumer products, orthodontics, dentistry, jewelry, motor sports, and automotives are being experimented with rapid manufacturing. Amazing results are expected in future. The world economy is becoming competitive day by day. As customer demands have increase, manufacturers everywhere are tyring to deliver customized products faster than ever before. A late delivery or development might could mean failure of business. Rapid manufacturing has been devised with the objective of shortening the production cycle and design, and promising to revolutionize the age-old manufacturing procedures.

The initial process: Before starting with the construction of product, a prototype or sample is required quite often as a portion of design cycle, for allowing evaluation, testing, or demonstration of proposed product. This process is iterative, as a chain of prototypes gets built up. One way that prototypes can be used is for testing and loking at various options.

Rapid Manufacturing is also inclusive of rapid application of tools needed for production on a large scale, like jigs, dies, and specially shaped molds. Several Layer manufacturing Processes are being developed now, by making use of a wide range of materials. These parts are extremely durable and have proved to be strong as well. The size has also been increasing. Due to all these successes, layer manufacturing is the most sought after technique for fabricating the parts for functional prototypes as well as production tools. Rapid Tooling is where you apply layer manufacturing for making components that are used in production. It is being applied to investment casting, injection molding, and many processes related to mold casting.

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Techniques for Additive Fabrication

prototyping

Rapid Prototyping can be defined as an assortment of techniques of making solid objects through the chronological delivery of material and/or energy to specific points in the space for production of that solid. Additive fabrication is also known as solid freeform fabrication, layered manufacturing, rapid manufacturing, and rapid prototyping.

Techniques: Additive fabrication is carried out using a number of techniques. Let some of them be studied in detail.

‘Electron Beam Melting’: EBM (Electronic Beam Melting) can be described as the ‘rapid prototyping’ for metals. It is better known as Additive Fabrication method. The parts are manufactured by having the metal powder melted layer by layer through a beam of electron in high vacuum. The parts produced acquire strength, solidity, and are void-free as well. The electrons have a very high speed; around 5 to 8 times the light speed. The bombardment of these electrons takes place on the work material’s surface. What happens is that this creates a lot of heat that is enough for melting the part's surface and causing it to locatlly vaporize. Vacuum is required for the operation of EBM. This means that the size of work piece is directly proportional to vacuum used. You will find that this technique works not only on metals but also on composites, ceramics, and non-metals.

Fused Deposition Modeling: Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) can be described as a kind of rapid manufacturing (RP) or rapid prototyping technology which is generally used in engineering design. S.Scott Crump had founded this technology in 1980s. It caught the commercial market in 1990. Like most of the RP processes, the principle of working of FDM is the ‘additive principle’. The material, in this case, will need to be laid down in layers. The metal wire or plastic filament is then unwound and material is supplied through it to the extrusion nozzle that can turn off and on the flow.

The nozzle’ then is heated for melting the material. It could be moved in vertical and horizontal directions with the help of a mechanism which is numerically controlled. This numerical control is obtained through ‘Computer Aided Design’ software package. Like stereo lithography, the building of the model takes place from layers. This happens because the material starts hardening after getting extruded from nozzle.

Numerous materials are offered with diverse trade-offs between temperature and strength. One can use the Additive Fabrication with polycaprolactone, polycarbonates, polyphenylsulfones, and Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Temporary supports can be made by using a ‘water-soluble’ material. These supports are needed and need to be kept as the manufacturing is still going on. Servo or Stepper Motors are some of the prototypes that are made in commercial applications.

‘Selective Laser Sintering’: Selective Laser Sintering can be defined as an additive type of rapid manufacturing wherein a ‘high power laser’ (like carbon dioxide laser) is used for fusing tiny particles of ceramic, metal, or plastic powders into mass representing the desired three-dimensional object. In comparison to other methods of rapid manufacturing, ‘selective laser sintering’ has the capacity of producing parts from several powder materials available. They include polymers (polystyrene and nylon), metals (composites, alloy mixtures, titanium, steel), and not to forget- green sand. This physical process could be liquid-phase sintering, partial melting, or full melting. 

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3D Printer and 3D Printer Technologies discussion on the advances in 3D Prints

3D Rapid Prototyping

3D Printing can be referred to as method of getting virtual 3D model printed onto a 2D object. Prototyping falls in the category of ‘rapid prototyping’ technology. The function typically performed by 3D printers is that of printing consecutive layers on the previous ones for building up a 3D object. It is easier, more affordable, and faster to use 3D printers as compared to other technologies related to additive fabrication.

Technologies: Initially, production of a prototype required a lot of man-hours, tools, and experienced labor. For instance, after designing a novel Street Light Luminaire digitally, drawings used to be sent to accomplished craftsmen where the paper design used to be followed with utmost pains and a Rapid Prototyping used to be formed in wood through the utilization of the entire shop that is full of costly tools and working machinery. One can easily make out that this process consumed a lot of time. Moreover, the skillful labor was not all that cheap. These shortcomings necessitated the need of rapid prototyping.

3D printing has a variation called Inkjet Printing System. It involves binding of fine powder layers (resins, cornstarch, or plaster) by the way of printing a gum from inkjet print head as per the shape of every cross-section as spotted by the CAD file. This is the only technology allowing full color prototypes to be printed. The school of thought is that this is the quickest method.

On the other hand, the liquids are fed by these machines. Photopolymer is one of such kind. These machines make use of UV (ultraviolet) flood lamp. It is mounted in print head for curing each layer on its deposition. A new technology called Fused Deposition Modeling uses a nozzle to deposit molten polymer layer by layer to the supported structure. The other approach is Selective Fusing of Print Media in the granular bed. Here, the media that has been unfused supports thin walls and overhangs in the piece which is being produced, thereby reducing need for temporary auxiliary supports for the work piece.

Ultimately, 3D Micro fabrication technique having a photo polymerization of 2-photons might be used to make ultra small features. Here, the preferred 3D object gets traced out by a completely focused laser in a gel block. The curing of gel into a solid takes place only in places where laser had been focused, owing to photo excitation’s non-linear nature. The gel that is left out gets washed away.

Resolution: Resolution is measured in terms of layer thickness. The X-Y resolution is given in dpi. 100 microns is the characteristic layer thickness. The X-Y resolution is compatible with laser printers. Diameter of the particles, i.e. You can assume that 3D dots is around 50-100 microns.

Applications: Standard applications are inclusive of design visualization, metal casting, CAD/prototyping, architecture, geospatial, education, healthcare, retail/entertainment, etc. Off late, 3D printing technology is being used in artistic expressions. Its biotechnological applications include bio-printing, computer-aided Tissue engineering, and organ printing.

Self-replication: The main purpose behind using 3D printing technology is its ability to replicate itself. RepRap is one such printer. It has the ability to print plastic parts and circuit boards. It is believed to print metals in future.

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Invention Prototypes and the process of Invention Prototypes

Invention Prototype

Invention Prototype cannot be ignored because they sought to prove the concept of the inventor to potential customers, suppliers, and investors-and most importantly, to the inventor himself. This has been the opinion of majority of experts. The idea behind creating a prototype is the accomplishment of a lot from the point of view of creativity, that too without having to put on so much of money in the idea of product or going for its commitment early on.

Construction of an ‘invention prototype’ at the appropriate time: It’s essential to construct an ‘invention prototype’ much before buying the tooling for building the product or seeking contract manufacturers. Many a times, it so happens that the inventor might, in reality want to build a prototype much before getting too fancy regarding computer drawings. He is likely to burn up loads of cash on ‘engineering drawings’ when possibly what he needs 1st is the papier-mache clearly showing him what is being tried by him. If that is the case, he is advised to revert to computer-aided drawings. Assessing the proper time for prototype is not all that tough. It just requires a proof of workability of the product invented by the concerned person.

The proper Invention Prototype for proper audience: An ‘invention prototype’ should be aimed towards the proper audience for doing its job. It means that the tailoring should be done in such a way that the requirements of the customers get fulfilled much to their satisfaction. Not only that, the prototype should be able to bear the critics of potential partners, investors, suppliers, and customers. This is a very important point: real appraisals should be done and friendly appraisals are not what you want to happen. The more slicker looking and operable the prototype, the ‘better’. Its always important to not let all of the praises go to your head. It’s better to spend less on this production, as there would be many other places for spending the start up capital.

Let >1 prototype be made

If the overheads are not very much, let the Invention Prototype be made into multiple versions. In the next few desings you will see that the creator will improve the designs. Due to this, the latest product arrived at would fetch more money owing to its modern and sharp design. Some people also have the habit of making two prototypes at a time. The first one would be meant for ‘show’ and the second one for ‘go’, i.e. the 1st one could be made to look like the end product and the 2nd one for demonstrating the functionality.

For instance- Battery Buddy had a ‘looks-like’ and ‘works-like’ prototype. The 1st one was created at ‘University of Michigan’. A box was fashioned to proper exterior dimensions as per the engineering drawings. It was painted with fancy, fine graphics. This version could fit on around 90% of vehicles in market. On the second tirial the outcome was a simple plastic box. It was grey-colored and around 4 times bigger than actual Battery Buddy. Finishing was not the issue then. The workability had to be checked; and it happened! Hence, the two versions made the task simpler from the buyer’s as well as seller’s point of view. 

 
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Monday, September 29, 2008

Home Foundry Information

Home Foundry

The most noticeable item in any backyard foundry is the furnace. This is no surprise really, because without the furnace the entire Backyard Foundry operation would be nonexistent. The furnace can take really any size and form depending upon the need and budget of the metal caster. What really makes home DIY Metal Casting furnaces really unique is how many of them come into creation.

Sure there are plenty of companies that will gladly sell furnaces for the hobby metal caster and while this can be a viable solution to your furnace needs many metal casters prefer another method.

Making your own furnace is not as far fetched as it may seem and if you already a Do It Yourselfer, chances are you will have the needed skills and tools in your workshop or garage already. The reasons are endless as to why people decide to make their own casting furnaces. The most common reason is fulfilling a need.

Many hobbyist and metal workers find out, to their dismay, that the local commercial foundries can not make the needed part or if they do, they feel the need to charge an outrageous sum. Not to mention the fact that the traditional methods of DIY Metal Casting is quickly becoming forgotten as the industry turns to electric furnaces. So many hobbyists find that constructing their own furnace is an absolute necessity and a great way to preserve a piece of craftsman history. The artisans who use metal casting to create sculptures and other pieces find that making their own furnace grants them a greater amount of control over the entire process. This is actually how many people get into metal casting to begin with.

Lots of times, your first furnace will be very simple and small as you are just getting started. There is really no need to run before you can walk when it comes to something that will be using intense heat and melting iron which can be rather dangerous.

Home made furnaces have been constructed from coffee cans to trash cans or sheet metal welded together. While there are a few components that really should be bought like the retractor to line the furnace walls which should be resistant to high temperature for a prolonged period of time along with special connectors and regulators, most of the furnace can be created in your own home. You should be able to find most of the components that you can not make at hardware stores or plumbing supply stores for relatively cheap.

The parts for the casting furnace are only part of what you need to get as you also need to get a crucible for holding the metal and all of the tools needed to handle the hot crucible. While you are at it you might as well buy all the safety equipment like gloves, protective eye wear, and leather shoes. There is other safety equipment that you will need depending on the type of work and the type of furnace you are going to make.

Most likely, your first furnace is going to be a simple cupola variation. The cupola furnace which is going to resemble a smoke stack is a simple design and is relatively easy to make for anyone with mild craft skill. This type of furnace will not require a crucible since you will be able to pour the molten metal from the furnace itself into a ladle that can then be poured into the mold.

DIY casting furnaces are a great way to connect yourself with your metal casting work giving you more control. While building the furnace can be complicated at first, once you delve into it you will find the experience enjoyable and fascinating.

Metal Casting Zone is the premiere place to go to discuss everything about Metal Casting, Home Casting and anything else Metal Casting. Come by today and join the site for free and you get a free Metal Casting Basics EBook just for signing up! Come by MetalCastingZone.Com Today for your free Ebook on Metal Casting.

How to Tell if You are Inftected with Spyware

According to most PC magazines 80% of all computers have spyware on them.It's not all bad news, Many of these programs are very inisent.Most of these programs do virtually nothing to wreak your computer.  In fact many of these programs such as games come installed on PCs right from the store.

You still need to make sure you are not infected.Most free virus scanners do nothing to stop spyware.Most free scanners do very little to protect your computer.  Read a bit more about some popular threats at on this Remove Virtumonde site or this Trojan Vundo site.  Both sites provide some good detail on spyware and how it affects your computer.

There are plenty of free ways to see if you are infected with a virus or spyware and that is to use a free trial program.  I’m not talking about using a junk client.  Check out the sites highlighted above for a free trial of Spyware Doctor.We really like this program.  It constantly wins awards and is normally rated 5 out of 5 by most experts.Like everything in life worth value it does cost money but you can get a free 30 day trial.  You really only need one day because the first scan will let you know if you have infections or not.  If not then don’t worry about it.  If you are infected with spyware then you need to take action.

Once the scan is done use your favorite search engine and do some reasearch to see how bad a threat this is.  If you see a cookie as an infection and chances are you will don’t worry about it.You do not have to worry about these at all because they pose no harm to your computer.

Another good resource is this Vundo Removal Software
site.The blog is mostely about Vundo but does describe how many spyware aplications work.  Remember do not purchase any spyware software or virus software without getting some feedback on it.  The other thing to remember is no free client on the market provides enough protection.  Most of these programs do not give you protection.  It’s only after you have been infected that they kick in and by then it’s often too late.

A Look At The Different Internet Connections And Certain Pitfalls That You Might Come Across

The internet is made up of a worldwide network of computers; this can make navigating the internet difficult. Data sharing worldwide is possible through these different internet connections. Some feel that the best resource in the world is the internet. This resource offers both business and pleasure opportunities. Different internet connections that are presently available make organization, communication, and research easier.

We will now learn about the different internet connections that are available. There are many options available, three of the most popular, which are available through the phone lines are: cable, traditional dial-up, and DSL.

As modern technology advances there has been an increase in demand for the wireless varieties of internet connection. With all the different internet connections available, the wireless options are now becoming very popular.

Wireless fidelity or Wi-Fi as the wireless internet is known, allows connecting to a network without being limited to a certain location. Wi-Fi is available in public locations, such as libraries, cafes and many hotels offer this service. Verizon and Sprint also offer wireless network as a long range service.

Of all the all the various internet Connection Set Ups, the wireless option is by far the easiest to set-up. Even people who are not technology "nerds" may understand this technology. It is as easy as going to the computer’s Start menu and click on the Control Panel. This is where the Network and Internet connections options are found. All of the different internet connections available can be managed from here. Next step is to go to network and sharing center, then make sure that you select network option. This allows you to manage internet connections from all wireless sources.

Now that you are in the proper menu, you will see the "Show All" option, click on it and then hit the refresh button. The active network connection that you want to log on to is located here. Choose the option that allows you to connect automatically if you plan on regularly connecting to this network. By checking this option, your computer will be able to find different internet connections and the proper one.

Troubleshooting will be required if you are unable to locate a network. You will first need to find the connect to a network window, next click on network or Set Up a connection. Then click on manually connect to a wireless network, press next. At this time you need to enter the security features and the network’s name.

Problems with Different Internet Connections

Remember if you experience any problems logging in to your wireless internet connection, contacting the service provider is strongly recommended. They will guide you step by step and solve your problem to accessing your internet connection. Overall the wireless option may be the best choice of all of the different kinds of internet connections.

CNC Design

CAD

First we are going to talk about the initial element of CNC.  That element is CNC Design .  Before you begin a CNC project, you need to have a plan of action.  The design is like a blueprint, you know what you are going to build before you ever build it.

Here are some important elements of design that need to be answered:
What size will it be?
What material will it be made of?
Who is the customer?
What will it be used for?

Your design can be anything.  It could be an industrial part or a work of art.  This is only really limited by your imagination.  Many people use CNC every day to manufacture parts.  Many hobbyists use CNC every day to create art and various home projects.


Before I design I like to sketch a few ideas out on paper.  I like to toy with different ideas to spark my creativity.   This is the equivalent of brainstorming.  When I really get my juices flowing, that is when my best designs rise to the top.  I generally carry around a notebook with me to note designs that I think of during the day.
After I have a few likely suspects, I try to look through each of the ideas to see if I can merge them somehow.  Some designs have different parts or components to them.  Some of these components are better than others.  Can I take some of these parts and add them to another design to make it better?  Just like writing, editing your designs is a critical step in the process.


When you are designing, you are really trying to describe what you are going to build.  The more accurately you can do that, the better the whole process will go.  Just like a house, if you have a strong foundation, you will have a good house.  If you have a solid design, the rest of the process is easy.

CAD
CAD stands for Computer Aided Design or Drafting.  CAD was developed in the early 60s.  Today it is the premier way to design, develop and optimized products.  People use CAD every day to design virtually every product you see.  Generally, designers use CAD to design a product, and then produce prints to manufacture that product.  A print is a picture of a part or assembly that is very exact.  It includes the dimensions and a parts list used to manufacture a product.


Computer Aided Design (CAD) software packages can generally be broken into two groups.  The groups are 2-D drafting packages or 3-D drafting packages.  Most all software packages are moving to 3-D design.  3-D design is really the next generation of CAD.  Utilizing 3-D design, engineers can make a model of their product.  They can then look over this model for any apparent defects before it is ever made.

3-D Design
Utilizing 3-D design, engineers can cut down on the number of manufacturing mistakes that occur due to fit up and tolerance issues.  This translates into a more efficient operation with less waste for the manufacturer.

Here are some examples of 3-D drafting/design software:
Inventor
TopSolid
SolidWorks
Alibre Design
Rhino3D

2-D Design
2-D design can be very efficient if you need to make a quick part that is not very complex.  You could quickly sketch out a silhouette of an object and convert it into a CAM tool path.  This is an operation where 2-D will really shine.

Here are some examples of 2-D drafting/design software:
AutoCAD
MicroStation

At some point you will need to use CAD.  You will need to take your design and translated it into a print.  The best way to do that is to use CAD.  You will need to purchase a CAD program of some sort if you are serious about CNC.  Many CAD programs have a free or trial period that you can use to evaluate the program.  My suggestion is to try a few and then select one that fits the way you design.

CNC Information Free Community Site:
If you would like to know more about CNC, head on over to http://www.cncinformation.com
You can join for Free and you get two free CNC ebooks. One is a GCode Quick Guide and the other is the CNC Info Site eBook. You also get access to the Free Video Series...Image to CNC Art when you join the community.

How do Metal Casting Patterns Work

Metal Casting

DIY Casting is a useful skill that has its roots in antiquity. Weapons and sculptures were traditionally created using this method but as the DIY movement gained momentum many modern day casters have found a use for Metal Casting to make plumbing fixtures, door knobs, and many other items. Today, small foundries can be found in many backyards, garages, and workshops.

In order to make a casting of metal, you will need a furnace capable of melting metal alloys at high temperatures. Usually, individual metal casters will construct their own furnace. There are companies that will sell small scale furnaces but they are often costly. The most common type of casting is called Sand Casting which uses sand or green sand to make the molds where the molten metal will be poured into to form the finished product. The mold is a handmade item placed in a flask which has two parts, a cope and drag. The mold is usually made of sand, but can also be created using other ingredients like latex or even metal. Most likely, you will set the pattern to form the mold cavity that can be seen in the mold.

The mold cavity will be an impression of the pattern including the fine details which will then be filled with the molten alloy. Pattern casting is an art form in itself, really, but anyone can create a pattern even if you have no artistic skill what so ever. The pattern is an original which will be cast into metal. Common pattern castings include complex engine parts for models, replicas of Civil War era weapons, sculptures, and even jewelry.

The pattern can be made of any material like clay, wood, and wax. The pattern material really depends on a few factors like the casting method and the availability of the material. If you are able to carve wood then you can use this skill to make patterns. There are some casting methods that call for the patterns to be made of certain materials. An example of this is the Lost Wax Metal Casting Method which will use wax as the pattern.

When creating the mold, you will place the original into the drag of the flask and place more molding material on top forming the cope. When the mold is dry you will carefully remove the pattern revealing an impression in the mold.

If you are creating your own pattern you will need to make it with Contraction allowances in mind. This contraction allowance will compensate for the shrinkage that occurs in many casting processes. In order to take out the pattern without disturbing the mold, draft allowances need to be considered as well. The pattern should have tapered edges to allow for easy removal.

Many who make their own patterns will add sprues, gates, and risers to the pattern so that when castled these items will already be in the mold.What these devices do is allow the hot metal make its way into the mold cavity.

If you find it difficult to make your own patterns then you can pay for pattern making services; although many casters in the same situation will just learn how to make patterns to save money. Pattern casting is a valuable skill to have and can be learned rather easily.

 
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Metal Casting Molds

Metal Casting

Casting molds are an essential part of the metal casting process as it will be used to shape the final result. Nearly all metal casting methods will use some type of mold. The standard mold will consist of a cope and drag that when together is called a flask. The mold itself can be constructed of several materials depending upon the DIY Casting method.

Most molds will be made from latex, fiberglass, sand, and even metal. A lot of times you will see Sand being used in DIY Home Foundries and therefore Sand Molds are some of the most popular molds. In Permanent Mold Casting, the mold is created from metal. Most molds can be used over and over again, but not all of them. Certainly the metal molds can be used multiple times without loosing any quality from the finished product. However, molds created using sand or other materials will not have a very long shelf life. This is not generally seen as a huge problem just a minor annoyance since mold making is relatively cheap and easy.

No matter what material the mold is made from, the basic construction is pretty much the same. The molding box is called the flask which has a cope, the top, and drag, the bottom.  You will then fill the flask with the molding material and then place the original into the mold. So, if you want to cast a tiny metal elephant, you will place an original of the elephant usually made from clay, wax, wood, or even metal into the drag of the flask. If this is done in sand you will ram the flask until the sand is packed tightly around the original. The top of the flask, the cope is then placed on and more molding material poured in. The entire flask is then rammed or vibrated making sure everything is packed in nice and tight.

When the molding material is dry, you will remove the flask and carefully split the mold to retrieve the original, in this case the tiny elephant. Now, if you want to make sure that there are some empty spaces in the cast to be finished then you will place cores into the mold. The cores are made of sand or wax.

The type of mold used depends heavily on the type of Metal Casting , alloy, and complexity of the pattern to be cast. Metal molds have little use in small foundries unless you plan on casting a lot of tiny metal elephants.

In some cases, pre-made molds can be found in hobby shops or through company casting companies. Usually, pre-made molds are used in miniature castings. Many individual metal casters prefer to make their own molds since it is inexpensive and allows them greater control over the finished casting.

Metal Casting involves several sets of skills and mold making is one of these skills. Eventually, all metal casters must learn to obtain the skill for making molds as this is very important to the casting process. Not only are molds used in metal casting but in other casting types as well. Resin casting and other plastic casting requires a mold as well. What the flask is made out of can be just about anything that you can imagine including wood or metal. What you are really looking for is something that can hold the mold material until it dries and if the fllask can do this, then it can be used.

Every metal caster should learn how to make a mold instead of relying on others. Really you are looking to save money as well as gaining what we all like, independence. Making your own mold is just cheaper.

 
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