Monthly Archives: February 2018

Gardening Tools You Cannot Do Without

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A garden is a piece of land or space that can be used to cultivate flowers, herbs or fruits. This piece of land or space could be your backyard, a hydroponic shed or small flower bed at the corner of your property. Gardening is therapeutic, it can help ease stress and provides an opportunity for self enhancement and increase in self-worth through the process of bringing crops to life from just seedlings.

 

When considering the idea of setting up a garden, it is important you take note of the required tools to help make the job easier or if you have already setup your own garden getting to know the right tools for the right purpose will also enhance your gardening experience. I shall be talking you through some of the ideal tools that is required to setup and make your gardening experience a blast.

 

Rake

 

A hand rake is an inevitable tool for every gardener. The rake plays a vital role in loosening the top soil to allow the plant retrieve maximum nutrient from the soil. The rake is also used to clean up the garden of loose dirt and or dried leaves. It is important that you invest in rakes that are metal and hand comfortable handles, this would make the activity of cleaning and raking easy and less stressful.

 

Garden Hose

 

Every home should have at least one garden hose, they serve multiple purposes. They could be used to water a lawn or wash the car. Rubber hoses have more flexibility and are less susceptibility to cuts and abrasions but are usually more expensive. A garden hose connects to a source of water by means of plastic couplings or of brass fittings. Layers make up hoses and their strength increases with each additional layer. When you have thicker hoses, the likelihood of kinking reduces and this ensures for constant flow of water. Usually, the length of a hose determines the weight. Treat your hose properly so it could serve you well. Avoid leaving pressure on it unnecessarily and running hot water through it. During purchase, make sure you ask the right questions before making your purchase. Avoid light hoses and hoses without adequate thickness.

 

Shovels

 

A shovel is an essential tool for gardening. They come in different sizes, shapes and a variety of forms. Shovels are made from metal with some having wooden or plastic handles. A shovel is used for scooping, digging and shoveling of soil or dirt. The shovel is important in any garden setup, it helps you save strength on otherwise difficult task of digging.

 

Garden Fork

 

A garden fork resembles a shovel only that it is pointed spikes like that of a rake. Garden forks are usually required in larger gardens and small farms to move large bales of dirt or grass. They are the most ideal tool for moving hay for livestock feed. The garden fork is usually metal and has wooden handles which makes usage easy. It is important that safety measures are observed at all times to avoid injury when making use of the fork and all gardening tools.

 

Pruning Saws

 

A pruning saw is a gardening saw that has the same serrated blade as a normal saw and it’s used to trim live shrubs and trees. There are different pruning saws for different purposes and type of shrub or trees. We have the arborist saw and the curved hand cut saw to name a few. A pruning saw is an ideal tool to have in your tool shed; it allows you to take care of renegade shrubs and tree branches.

 

Gardening saw comes in different sizes and types. Just like every tool, for a gardening saw to be keep functioning, it needs to be maintained. Ensure to clean it after every use and oil the blades at intervals, sharpen the blades when necessary and use the different gardening saw correctly for their required purpose.

 

Hand Trowels

 

A garden trowel is a small hand tool that is used for weeding and cultivation. They usually have wooden, plastic or metal handles coated with rubber. Garden trowels that do not have the metal handles are prone to breaking or bending. It hand trowel is very useful for most gardens, I am yet to see a garden tool shed that doesn’t have a hand trowel. It’s one of the mist basic gardening tools.

 

Like all gardening tool, it is important to have a proper maintenance routine. Your hand trowel should be kept clean, sanitized and wiped dry after every use. Infected trowels are harmful to your garden as they can spread disease from one plant to another. The best way to store this trowels is by hanging them up. Most garden trowels are built with a hole at the end of the handle which can be used to hang them.

 

Pruning Shears

 

Pruning shears are sometimes called hand prunes. They are used for cutting and trimming of any unwanted branches and weeds. They can also be used to shape out your plants to allow for effective growth, pruning a tree at intervals helps to improve its overall growth potential by weeding off old and unwanted parts. Pruning shears are small and handy just as they are quite inexpensive. After every use, rinse your pruning shears with water, dry them and cover them with their protective cover before placing them back in your toolbox.

 

Like the hand Trowels, hand prunes are very important garden tool for every toolbox. It expected that every garden should have a pruning tool. Hand prunes come in various sizes and shapes for performing different types of pruning. Sometimes the differentiating attribute is the material used in forging it and the manufacturer. Invest only in quality prunes forged from stainless steel to ensure it last longer for the purpose.

 

Garden Pots and Planter

 

There’s a large variety of pots and planters on the market. If you are looking to buy some, you should definitely get what suits your needs and purpose in terms of functionality, color and style. The kind of pot or planter you use depends on your needs, climate and the kind of plant you intend growing on the pot. Planters are made from different materials to serve different purposes. Some common choices include Concrete, clay, metal plastic or wood. Planters and pots are great ways to bring nature indoors, on your balcony or even onto your patio.

 

The list of gardening tools is not exhaustive but I have chosen to educate you on this few, it is my hope that you have learnt a few things. I wish you a happy gardening.

 

If you need more information about gardening saw series, I recommend that you can visit the website of K&W Tools Co., Ltd.

 

The company provides a variety of gardening saws including pruning saws, bow saws, foldable saws, tree pole pruner, etc. Learn more details please do not hesitate to send inquiry to K&W.

 

 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9788505

What are Symptoms of Bad Valve Seals?

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Valves regulate the amount of fuel and air mixture allowed in the cylinders for combustion. While the valves have guides or sleeves to keep combustion gases from passing through them, the seals on the top of the valves keep oil in the valve cover from being sucked down into the engine. Seals, typically made of high-strength rubber, fit over the top of the valve stem inside a small collar. When valve seals begin to wear or fail they produce some obvious and unique symptoms.

 

Cold Engine

One of the most noticeable signs of worn or cracked valve stem seals will be just after a cold engine start. If the vehicle has been sitting for any length of time or even overnight, the top of the head inside the valve cover will be coated with residual oil that was pumped up earlier during running operation. The rubber valve seal has also cooled during nonoperation, which causes it to contract and leave a small gap. When the engine first starts up, residual oil gets sucked down through the bad seal and into the combustion chamber. A large cloud of blue-white smoke will be seen exiting the tailpipe just after start-up.

 

Idle and Stop and Go Driving

Bad valve seals will show themselves during prolonged idling at stop signs or stop lights in congested city conditions. When the vehicle sits at idle for prolonged periods, high levels of vacuum at the intake manifold result because the throttle valve remains closed. The high vacuum attracts oil in the heads to congregate around the valve stems. Upon acceleration, the oil gets sucked past the eroding seal and down through the valve guide, where it burns in the exhaust. Huge clouds of blue-white smoke exit the tailpipe after each acceleration from a stop. The burning smoke will disappear during cruising or highway speed.

 

Off-Throttle Braking

Evidence of valve seals being compromised will show up during off-throttle braking, especially when descending a steep downgrade where the accelerator pedal remains static. With the creation of high intake manifold vacuum, coupled with the downward slant of the engine, oil collects toward the front of the valve cover over the head. Upon pushing the accelerator after a long coast, burned oil will exit the tailpipe in copious amounts. The engine will continue to burn the oil longer in this case, but it will still be a temporary condition until finally the smoking stops under normal cruise.

 

Oil Consumption

Bad valve seals will cause excessive oil consumption. In an otherwise normal engine with good compression, rings and valve guides, bad seals will cause a loss of oil that can be detected on the oil dipstick. By keeping an accurate record of oil level on the dipstick, a noticeable oil reduction due to the oil being burned along with the fuel will be discovered. Bad seals will be confirmed if no oil leaks can be found on the engine to account for the loss.

 

Excessive Smoke

If the valve seals have deteriorated enough, the blue-white exhaust smoke will last longer after start-up and acceleration. Yet the smoke will eventually disappear after long engine operation or during periods of hot weather. Bad valve seals nearly always show an intermittent problem of oil burning, whereas worn piston rings and valve guides will smoke during all times of engine operation and never disappear.

 

Get more information about valve seals, please do not miss the website of AOK Valve Stem Seals Ltd... The company can provide a variety of valve seals, o rings, and bonded seals for you. Try to check out their product pages and feel free to send inquiry to AOK for more details.

 

 

Article Source: It Still Runs

EDM 101: What is EDM and Where to Find CNC Drilling EDM Machines Manufacturer?

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What is EDM?

 

EDM stands for electrical discharge machining, the applications best suited for this metal removal process are those characterized by extremely exacting tolerances and situations that would be extremely difficult or impossible to handle with any other method of machining.

 

Growth of EDM

 

EDM has rapidly earned its place alongside milling and grinding equipment as a proactive, mainstream technology. EDM is best known for its ability to machine complex shapes in very hard metals. The most common use of EDM is machining dies, tools and molds made of hardened steel, tungsten carbide, high-speed steel and other workpiece materials that are difficult to machine by “traditional” methods.

 

The process has also solved a number of problems related to the machining of “exotic” materials such as Hastelloy, Nitralloy, Waspaloy and Nimonic, which are used on a large scale in the aeronautical and aerospace industries.

 

With the reduction in electrode wear and increased sophistication of EDM controls in rams, new EDM processes use simple-shaped electrodes to 3D mill complex shapes. EDM also is being used for polishing small, intricate surfaces.

 

Since EDM does not involve workpiece/tool forces like a mill or grinder, it is possible to EDM shapes that would break conventional cutting tools or be broken by them.

 

Different Types of EDM

 

  1. RAM EDM

RAM EDM, also known as plunge EDM or standard EDM, is the oldest form of EDM machining. It generally consists of an electrode usually made out of graphite that is plunged into a workpiece in order to create a blind-shaped cavity. It can also be used to generate through holes and geometry but these are not the primary uses of the process.

 

  1. Drill EDM

Drill EDM uses rotating concentric electrodes to drill through a workpiece and basically performs the same functions as a drill press, except that the material hardness is not a factor and the accuracy of the finished hole is far superior than what any drill press can produce. It is best used to drill start holes for the wire EDM in already hardened material as well as accurate very small holes for industries like aerospace and medical equipment.

 

  1. Wire EDM

Wire EDM uses a traveling wire electrode (usually .010” diameter or smaller) that goes through the workpiece. The wire, in this case, is controlled by computer following the assigned geometry for the part to be produced.

 

EDM for Tooling Applications

 

When a part requires special / unique conventional cutting tools, electrodes are easy to machine, unlike carbide. Equally important, the wire used by a wire EDM is available as a standard, off-the-shelf component. EDM is a low cost tooling option when you need short run stamping (less than 5,000 pieces) and low volume broaching. With EDM, there’s no need to make a die set. That’s why EDM is used to make sewing machine components and prototypes. Instead of using expensive broaches, EDM is a very attractive form of low-cost tooling. This is a reason companies use EDM to produce splines and gear teeth along with all their metal stamping & mold making needs.

 

Where to Find The Reliable EDM Machines Manufacturer?

 

About this question, I recommend that you can try to visit the website of OCEAN Technologies Co., Ltd.. This company is specializing in kinds of high quality EDM machines. If you need more information about CNC drilling EDM machines, please do not hesitate to check out OCEAN product pages and feel free to send inquiry to them.

 

Article Source: Mercatech, Inc.

Carbon Braid Manufacturing Expert – Taiwan Electric Insulator

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Do You Know What Carbon Braid Is?

 

Carbon braid, sometimes called “graphite fiber”. Carbon fiber is one of the strongest and stiffest reinforcements available.

 

Carbon braid is most commonly used in the fabrication process of custom definitive sockets for upper and lower limb prosthetics. Carbon braid allows the patient to have a lightweight yet rigid socket frame. When a technician fabricates a carbon frame he employs a hand lamination process of manually saturating the carbon braid with a hardening resin.

 

Carbon braid is commonly available in weights of 12K standard, 6K lightweight, and 3K ultra lightweight.

 

?Tech Tip – The rigidity of a carbon socket can be greatly increased or decreased by the number of layers used during the lamination process.

 

Where to Find The Carbon Braid Manufacturer?

 

That’s a good question! Here, I recommend an experienced carbon braid manufacturer to you – it is Taiwan Electric Insulator Co. Ltd.

 

Taiwan Electric Insulator is a world leading manufacturer of composite fabrics and composite materials, with the technology, knowledge and ability to produce the highest grade composite material to specific customers’ needs and requirements. If you need more information about carbon braid or other composite materials, please do not hesitate to send inquiry or contact with them immediately.

 

Article Source: Curbell Plastics

5 Reasons to Use a PU Caster Wheel in a Heavy Duty Industrial Wheel and Caster Application

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PU casters are a popular wheel tread for use on industrial wheels, whether it is in a caster application or drive wheel applications. There are many great reasons to choose PU casters for an industrial wheel or caster application. This article will discuss some of the reasons why PU casters are a popular choice.

 

  1. Noise Reduction

 

PU casters are a popular choice in industrial applications because of their quietness in operation when compared to harder wheels such as steel or cast iron. The polyurethane acts as a shock absorber and helps to cushion the ride and absorb bumps from uneven terrain. The noise levels can be reduced dramatically when using polyurethane instead of steel or cast iron wheels, which can help protect your employees hearing.

 

  1. Load Bearing Capability

 

PU casters are also often utilized for their load bearing capacity when compared to rubber. Polyurethane can provide a greater load bearing capacity while still providing the benefits of a rubber tread, such as noise reduction, shock absorption, and floor protection.

 

  1. Coefficient of Friction

 

Another benefit to PU casters in industrial applications is the coefficient of friction of the material. Polyurethane tends to be a grippy material and can help keep towed carts right-side up, where sliding can be a problem for harder wheel materials. It also provides good traction to drive wheels and helps to reduce the amount of load on the wheel to achieve the desired driving force.

 

  1. Floor Protection

 

PU casters are also chosen in applications where floor protection is critical. The polyurethane will deflect and create a much larger footprint than harder wheel materials, such as nylon. This larger area helps reduce the stress concentration on floors and keep the floors in better shape for a longer period of time. So if your floors are expensive and critical to your operation, a PU caster may be the correct choice for your application.

 

  1. Resistance to Corrosion

 

There are many different types of polyurethanes that have varying levels of resistance to certain chemicals, solvents, or even water. In humid or wet environments, polyurethane can be chosen that will not break down or corrode in the presence of water. In other environments where chemical exposure is a problem, a different type of polyurethane can be used to prolong the life of the industrial wheel.

 

PU casters have many benefits in industrial wheel and caster applications, and the reasons above discuss some of the more popular ones. Polyurethanes can provide resistance to corrosion, floor protection, and noise reduction all while providing a material that can handle a lot of capacity. Switching to a PU caster could have a dramatic impact on the success of your operation.

 

If you have any interest in PU caster wheels, I recommend that you can visit the website of ENJOYING GO Co., Ltd.

 

ENJOY is a professional caster wheel manufacturer in Taiwan. They can provide best quality caster wheels for office chairs and home furniture. Do not hesitate to check out ENJOY’s website and feel free to send inquiry to let them know your requirements.

 

 

Article Source: https://www.casterconcepts.com/solutions/polyurethane-casters/polyurethane-tires-advantages/

Benefits of Having a Precision Lathe

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For complex parts and components, you will always need professional precision CNC machining services. However, for prototypes, simple parts, and short runs, there are also benefits of owning a high precision lathe. Although the machine is automated, it gets its instructions from a human who enters written code. Therefore, to own a machine, you also need an operator qualified to provide it with instructions.

 

CNC machine programming may not be rocket science, but it does require knowledge and skill. However, being in control is the greatest benefit of owning a machine. You have the opportunity to produce what you need whenever you need it. Whether creating a protocol or processing a large run, you have full control. Just remember that there is a financial investment in buying a CNC machine. With many different types of the CNC machine, you can always purchase the one that you would use most and then hire a manufacturer for the other work.

 

Types of CNC Machines

 

Following are the five types of machines most commonly used, although there are others. As you can see, each machine offers distinct benefits.

 

  • Router – A CNC router works by engraving plastic, wood, or metal. Following the entered code, a router can perform simple and detailed engraving tasks.
  • CNC Laser – One of the more advanced types of machine, the CNC laser is similar to a cutter with the exception that it cuts wood and metal. In some instances, this machine also cuts plastic. Regardless of the material, the finished product is perfect.
  • CNC Milling – Widely used, the CNC milling machine moves cutters as well as other tools for cutting metal pieces into specified shapes and sizes. Based on the number of axes that a milling machine has, it falls under several classifications.
  • CNC Lathe Machines – These machines are extremely accurate, but also precise, easy to operate, and capable of producing repeatable parts and components. With CNC lathe machines, you can make 3D molds and shapes out of wood, plastic, and metal.
  • CNC Plasma Cutters – While similar to a CNC router, a plasma cutter setup is not as challenging. With this machine, you can produce 2D molds and shapes out of metal.

 

Seeking Professional Assistance

 

There is nothing wrong with owning your own CNC machine and being in control of production. However, when you need outside help, you can try to send inquiry or contact with SHUN CHUAN Machinery. They are the professional and reliable manufacturer of CNC lathe machines. Get more information about precision lathe and other CNC machines, please do not hesitate to check out Shun Chuan website: www.sunmaster-cnc.com and contact them immediately.

 

Article Source: https://www.nexgenmachine.com/benefits-of-having-a-precision-cnc-machine/

Choosing Hydraulic Valves – New and Replacement

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Hydraulic valves that are recognized by CETOP standards are interchangeable within most types of hydraulic equipment, making it easy to find a supplier that can provide valves suitable for use in your hydraulic equipment.

 

Valves in hydraulic equipment control and regulate the flow of hydraulic fluid through a system, but as there are different requirements for fluid flow in certain applications it is important that the right valve is used for each purpose.

 

Types of Hydraulic Valves Are Used For Each Right Purpose

 

Flow control valves can be configured to regulate the flow of fluid in two directions and are adjustable to allow for fine tuning of the flow rate. They control the movement of fluid in one direction, but in reverse the flow is free and cannot be regulated in the same was as it is when flowing forwards.

 

A pilot operated check valve is used to control the flow of hydraulic fluid to a cylinder, stopping it when needed to prevent unwanted movement of the cylinder.

 

A pressure relief valve is often used in conjunction with a pilot operated check valve or a solenoid valve to release the pressure contained by a pilot operated check valve, or to limit pressure in a control line leading to a solenoid valve.

 

Solenoid valves are often chosen over flow control valves for their ability to regulate the directional flow, instead of only being able to regulate in one direction. A flow control valve is suitable for applications where movement of a cylinder in one direction needs to be carefully regulated, but when it returns to the starting position no control is needed over the flow and speed of movement. They can be mounted in either direction, so it is up to the user which direction requires the control. For applications where control is needed over the flow rate in both directions (for example, in technologies that open and close gates or doors at a set speed) a solenoid valve is better as it allows for that fine control of movement and speed in both directions.

 

Replacement of Hydraulic Valves

 

In most cases a hydraulic valve will be replaced with one of the same type, and buying from YEOSHE ensures you will get a hydraulic valve that is ideal as a replacement even if your equipment is made by a different manufacturer. Sometimes a hydraulic valve needs to be replaced with one of a different type when machine specifications or usage changes, an example being a piece of machinery that used to use a flow control valve, but where there are operational advantages to having better control over the hydraulic flow in two directions.

 

Choosing the right type should be easy when replacing a hydraulic valve, as you can use the same type as before, but when designing a new piece of hydraulic machinery, the decision is a little harder. Understanding the basic function the machinery is required to perform is a must, but going a little further into the other functionality that may be required, or thinking about performance improvements that could be made with a different type of valve can inform a better design and result in hydraulic machinery that is more user friendly or that can fulfill more than the basic functions specified at the design stage.

 

If you need more information about hydraulic valves, please try to visit the website of YEOSHE Hydraulics Co., Ltd. The company can provide a variety of high quality industrial hydraulic valves for you to choose. Feel free to check out YEOSHE product pages and send inquiry to them.

 

 

Article Source: Hydraproducts Blog

How Does a Tube Straightener Work?

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In spite of great advances in manufacturing processes, still most of the tube and pipe production methods produce tubes that are neither round nor straight. In order to reduce ovality, and increase straightness, rotary straightening machines were developed.

 

The machines that are used for straightening are built with several methods of driving the rolls. While some machines have a discrete drive motor for every roll, majority of current machines use two drive motors – one for the top set of rolls and other one for the bottom set. Irrespective of the way in which the rolls are driven, it is essential that all the rolls revolve at equal speed from about 1 RPM to 2 RPM. Additionally, it is necessary for the manufacturer to build an electronic load sharing system to make sure the power required to straighten is shared equally between both the driving motors. A check of motor loading and roll RPM (Rotations per Minute) should be done, every time the rolls are changed. Further, this post will explain the working of a tube straightener.

 

Different Straightening Techniques:

 

Rotary tube straightening machines get their name from the tube that rotates while passing through the machine. The rolls hold and rotate the tube while feeding it through the machine. This is carried out until the entire or the desire length of the tube has been straightened. When the tube passes through the machine, it is exposed to two straightening forces, namely, bend (or offset) straightening, and pressure straightening.

 

  • Bend Straightening: One or more pairs of rolls can be adjusted to cause the tube to follow a curved path through the machine. Bending the tube in this manner is the main straightening action.

 

  • Pressure Straightening: Each pair of rolls can be adjusted so that the gap between them is slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the tube. As the tube passes through this limited gap, it is exposed to pressure. If this pressure is sufficient, then it causes the tube walls to be strained past their elastic limit, thereby causing some straightening of the tube. If the ability to squeeze the tube is used properly, it will help the tube to “round up”, thus removing some or all of its ovality.

 

You must carefully control the amount of bend, so that it has adequate force to take the tube past its elastic limit to achieve straightness.

 

Advantages of Additional Bending Moments:

 

Following are the advantages of additional bending moments:

 

  • With additional bending moments, the operator can apply a big bending moment at the first pair of deflecting rolls and lessen the linear moment. In this case, the final pair of rolls provides a finishing action.
  • Large number of plastic cyclic deflections helps to straighten the badly bent tubes.
  • They deliver more optimal straightening of the leading as well as the trailing end of the tube.
  • Materials such as copper tube can be so efficiently straightened that no traces of residues are left behind. Subsequent annealing does not change the tube’s straightness.
  • Last, but most importantly, they achieve lower straightness and ovality tolerances despite any increase in work hardening.

 

And then, let us understand how tube straightener is used.

 

How to Straighten a Tube By Using Tube Straightener?

 

Follow these simple steps to straighten a tube:

 

  • Step 1: Bend the end of the coiled tube
  • Step 2: Insert the tube into either side of the tool
  • Step 3: With the help of the adjustment knob on the top, bring the rollers into position, and feed the tube through
  • Step 4: After enough tube has cleared all the wheels, start pulling the tube through with constant pressure
  • Step 5: With the help of the adjustment knob, you can fine tune the alignment for the tube
  • Step 6: Pull the required length of the tube through the tool

 

All you have to do is, push the piece through the wheels and work it back and forth. You can fine tune the adjustment knob till all the bends have been straightened.

 

Learn more information about tube straightener, I recommend that you can visit the website of Maxclaw. The company is the professional manufacturer of tube tools. You can find tube cutters, tube benders, deburring tools, double flaring tools, and much more products on their site. Please feel free to check out Maxclaw website and feel free to send inquiry to let them know your requirements.

 

 

Article Source: https://www.woodwardfab.com/blog/how-does-a-tube-straightener-work-tube-straightening-techniques/