Top 4 Best Fabrics for Table Runners

If you want to decorate your landscape and table for any formal events or holidays, table runners should be the first thing to cross your mind. Table runners are known as the base of your decorations. This is why most house owners prefer table runners instead of other decorating methods. Even though the primary objective of table runners is to protect the table from damages, its effectiveness is much more than that. Table runners will allow you to add style and color to your dining table. It will also help you to increase the overall design and mood of the event.

Table runners are available in various fabric materials such as linen, polyester, cotton, and satin that might make the purchasing process of the table linens a daunting task. No matter if you’re purchasing table runners for the first time or want to replace your old table runners, you should know the variation and availability of fabrics for the table runners. Here are the top 4 fabrics for table runners.

Cotton Table Runners

Cotton is one of the most durable fabrics for table runners. As per Fabrictime, cotton is versatile. Additionally, the maintenance of cotton table runners isn’t complicated. The tight weave of the cotton table runners creates embroidery designs whereas; the material can also be dyed into various colors without compromising your choice. Another great benefit of cotton table runners is that they are highly absorbent. This way you can prevent spillage from damaging the table surface. You can wash them in the machine with bleach or stain treaters that will help you to clean the table runners perfectly.

Polyester Table Runners

Polyester is one type of chemically made fabric that offers similar advantages to cotton. However, the polyester table runners come with a couple of additional perks. Just like cotton table runners, polyester table runners are also durable. They are also machine-washable and available in various designs and colors. Additionally, polyester table runners don’t shrink like cotton yet provide a thinner experience. Polyester table runners are cost-effective. You can use them multiple times without damaging their appearance. This is why polyester table runners are an ideal choice for casual and formal events.

Vinyl Table Runners

If you want to purchase table runners for informal dining, you should consider vinyl as the material for a table runner. The vinyl table runners are highly weather-resistant. If they do get dirty, you can also clean them easily. Vinyl table runners are also waterproof and they protect the surface of the table from air exposure, UV rays, and stain. Vinyl table runners are available in massive color patterns to complement any color scheme. However, they aren’t perfect for luxurious and formal events.

Satin Table Runners

Satin is another alluring example of synthetic fabric. But, the satin table runners are glossier and smoother than the polyester table runners. The fabric provides an eye-catching allure that binds both elegance and glamor perfectly. Apart from that, satin table runners are highly customizable. Despite being durable, satin table runners require tremendous care and maintenance.

Conclusion

These are the top 4 best fabrics for table runners. Table runners are undoubtedly one of the most attractive décor materials. However, make sure you determine the purpose of using the table runners before purchasing them.

How Technology has evolved the Online Casino Industry?

Hello everyone, welcome to today article which we are going to have a look at how technology has evolved the online casino industry. Some of you might be having knowhow on what casino industry is and some might be having partial or no knowledge at all. So, we are going to start with simple things as we advance our topic of discussion further. You should also have a look at the Technology behind Online Casinos.

Definition of the global casino industry

The global casino industry is an industry that is made of facilities that involves predictions of outcomes of the final result that will be obtained after an invent has passed. The predictions are made before the event has started. It is made up of the gambling activities such as the gaming machines and the table wagering boards. it is also a common thing for some of these facilities to provide dinning, lodging and the beverage services to their customers. This industry has evolved to an online modernized activity. The online facility has become the most used one especially in this era of corona virus where lockdowns have really affected the physical appearances in the normal global casinos. Online facilities have offered players and bookies a very momentous offer where they can play the game at any place of their comfort.

The first online casino which was referred to as Inter-casino was launched in 1996 and at this time nobody had an idea of what awaited the casino industry. Bookies never thought that one day the industry would evolve to what it is today. Currently, the online casino industry is worthy over 45 billion US dollars something that is still forcing more investors to put their capital in this new area of business and entertainment. You can imagine after the launch of the first online casino industry, in the same month, there was a raise in the number to 15 and a year later, more than 150 online casinos had been launched. Actually, this was the area where investors had started seeing some great potential.

Since the industry crossed the one billion net worth mark in 1998, there have been new inventions and innovations that have led to drastic change and growth in the online casino industry. More technological advances have been made which has led to more players feeling comfortable in joining the industry. This article will focus on how technology has impacted on the online casino industry.

Multiple payment options

Multiple payment option is one of the areas that have greatly improved the online casino industry. Players can now deposit and withdraw money from sites within seconds. This payment systems introduction has lowered the cost incurred by clients and also fastened the process. Several cashless payment methods have also hit the market. These payment methods such as PayPal, Skrill, mobile money and Wire Transfer, etc have impacted greatly on how customers receive their winnings from the booking sites. You can check on OBLG to take note of all the casinos that offers their payment through PayPal which is the most commonly used universal payment methods by the majority of the bookies especially in Europe and America. Moreover, because of this online payment system, casinos also offer no deposit free spins offers, in order to attract customers.

Although landless betting has a limited amount that a client can play with, the online casino has offered a lot of options that can be used in the process and this has led to the expansion of the casino industry. One greatest thing that happens in technology is that you can adapt to new trend very quickly. Currently, cryptocurrency is taking over as the means of payment because with it you are guaranteed of great financial security and anonymity. Most popular cryptocurrency is the Bitcoin and it has offered very strong facility where even governments are unable to track owners of the casinos or even the players. With this cryptocurrency being used as a mode of payment, the casino industry has grown internationally simply because players from restricted countries can play in anonymity and get their winnings in form of cryptocurrency.

There has also been a shift in focus where most online casinos are introducing casinos that operate in the blockchain technology whereby there is an outcome of better features and makes the future of the casino industry look great.

Choice and variety

With new trend in the area of technology, there have been development of the multi-dimensional approach across the casino industry. There has been great input in the development of the games that offers great and clear features to the players and the viewers.

With online gambling, bookers can feel a redefined industry. When you look at the betting sites, you will realize that they have been customized in a manner that it has a very powerful interface which offers the gamers a very welcoming experience while carrying out the gambling at the comfort of their wish. The introduction cool visuals and the tense atmosphere which tries to mimic the situations in real-life has made the online casino industry more and more beautiful. This actually evidence from the growth of the numbers on the gamblers who are who prefer doing their gambling online as compared to those who prefer doing it manually or in the traditional land-based gambling. For example, most online gambling industry have decided to introduce the eSports games in their online gambling platform and this shows the potential of that innovation has made in the gambling industry.

The variety of the games available in the online casino platform has also led to the increased number of gamers joining the gambling industry where some online casinos offer more than 2000 games that a gamer can choose from. The vast options of the games that are available ensure that gamers are never bored due to the availability of too many games options to choose. In some occasions, virtual reality has been involved in making this online gaming industry a reality. The use of this high technology glasses has made gamblers experience more entertainment as they feel inserted into the world of different reality. Users are able to have a real time interaction that is based on the traditional land-based casino interactions.

Customer support system and security

Despite the great growth in the online gaming industry, it comes home with some disadvantages especially on matters security since it is accompanied with a lot of attacks that are directed towards the gamers. This frequent security attacks are more as compared to what is experienced in the traditional land-based casino. Since the digital information is always very sensitive, it is the duty of the casino site to keep the information very safe lest it falls in the hands of the wrong person. The sensitive personal information that is required for online casino can be used for identity where the client can lose a lot of money through hacking. Online casinos have been forced to use new technology in securing their sites in order to protect their clients from insecurity that might occur.

Some online casinos have even gone a step higher whereby they use the artificial intelligent to improve the security of the site and ensure that they monitor every movement that is made on the sites. There has also been a way where users have to provide the 2FA authentication to ensure that only authorized members get access to the sites.

Customer support has also moved a notch higher with the advent of new advanced ways of solving customer issues in the online casino platforms. In the online casino platforms, you will come across emails, call centers and even live chats which have been introduced in the recent years to improv on customer care services. Some of these casinos have a way of offering 24/7 customer care services and this is done to prove to the customers that they are gambling in a very safe place. This proper customer care services have led to the expansion of the casino industry globally.

The mobile casino industry

The advent of the smartphone industry has also increased the growth in the online industry. Today, the largest population of the world have a smartphone in their pocket and this has led to the people participation more in the online casino games and gambling. Online casinos have taken advantage in the growth of the smartphone owners and have come up with sites that are mobile friendly giving their players a very fascinating environment to entertain themselves. The mobile casino games are very revolutionary as players can get access to the games at any time and any locations and this has made it very convenient to the gamers the mobile phones have introduced portability to this industry.

Better marketing

Some few years ago, the gamers used to visit the betting shops to play games. With the introduction of the online casino, it has become do possible for the games to rich people easily and in any location of this world. Some companies have moved the impact higher by organizing gaming competitions that involves millions of people which could not be achieved in the traditional hall because of the spacing and difficulty in managing the outcome. The online casino has actually introduced the new investment opportunity for the people. This online casino has actually introduced new technology trends in order to place itself in a position which can rival the competitors and also give the pundits an improved gaming experience. They have come up with very user -friendly interfaces that come in with several important features. Some of these sites use artificial intelligent to settle and update results and games too. All these activities are being done to ensure that the online casino site has more clients joining.

Artificial intelligent

Modern online casinos have gone into another level whereby the use of artificial intelligent have revolutionized the industry. Artificial intelligence such as the use of the chatbots have been used to help the gamblers in placement of the bets. The same artificial intelligence has been used by the sites to help customers in the processing of their payments from the bookies and also process withdrawal request for the clients. The bot is very important in this industry because they can offer unlimited customer support. The artificial intelligence has also found use in the online casino industry where the gamers have an interest in playing against the machines instead of playing against the other gamers. Also, the Sportbooks have been using various artificial intelligence mechanism to help the users of the various websites find the various icons and learn how to use the sites.

Mobile phone applications

The smartphone, tablets and the internet industry has made major technological impact in the area of the online casino industry. Statistics show that in 2012 there was a great improvement in the use of the online casino by 12% globally. This improvement was introduced due to the revolutionization of the smartphone and the internet industry. Now close to over one hundred and sixty million pundits visit online casinos on their phones using the mobile phones applications. The mobile gambling is said to be contributing at least 50% of the revenue that is generated from the gambling industry. The mobile applications have greatly impacted on the growth of the online casinos industry.

In conclusion, the online casino industry has grown to a greater extent through the introduction of so many trends in the areas of money transfer, online payment methods, the introduction of artificial intelligence, the great extent to which the mobile phone application industry has grown higher, the introduction of better marketing strategies, better customer support and security systems. With all these, the industry has grown to something else, something better and something magnificent attracting more bookies worldwide.

Advantages of pursuing IPC certification in Electronics Assemblies & Inspection

In the highly competitive world of electronics, it has become obvious for leading companies to stick to the adhere standards of quality and consistency. Hence, many times companies and organizations prefer to adopt globally known standards to maintain singularity and high quality within the organization. Because IPC is considered the gold of all standards, many companies and organizations tend to follow it. For that very same reason, companies always prefer employees who demonstrate his/her ability to deliver as per IPC standards. It is vital to becoming an established professional in the field of electronics assembly and quality inspection to find a suitable job in the field of the electronics manufacturing industry. What could be the better way to showcase that other than proving your expertise in IPC certification? In other words, IPC certification helps you to put that stamp of quality in your resume.

Given that IPC has been globally adopted well-known standards for training in the field of electronics, many times you will find yourself working in an environment that adheres to IPC standards, where all professionals and organizations, you are working in communicates in IPC-based terminology. If you do not have a good handle on the IPC standard, it can cause unnecessary and expensive delays in the manufacturing process.

It is beneficial for a company or organization to adopt the practice of following IPC standards within, as it will not only help in improving efficiency but also maintain quality standards of the industry. So, it goes without saying that all these lead to influence the hiring policy of many organizations as they prefer to employ staff with IPC certification.

Other than all these mentioned benefits, let's briefly analyze all major advantages that come with practicing IPC standards.

1.) Fabrication of Consistent Products

In the highly competitive world of electronics, the key strategy of maintaining a leading position is consistency in delivering quality products with great efficiency. Adopting visual inspection in the manufacturing process as per guidelines provided by IPC, directly impacts the efficiency of the production process. It is evident that consistent inspection of the manufacturing process has a positive influence in terms of customer satisfaction and repetitive business.

On the contrary, failing to adopt the IPC standard will lead to massive duplication of working hours, which will waste crucial time and result in chaos and non-standardization within the fabrication level. An organization's level of internal consistency should reflect industry best practices to ensure optimal production symmetry and collaboration.

2.) Improvement of Cross-Channel Communications

Miscommunication among professionals due to non-standardized working processes can lead to inconsistency and expensive delayed production. In the OEM (original equipment manufacturers), CEMs (contract electronics manufacturers), ODMs (original design manufacturers) and EMS (electronics manufacturing service) industry, it is crucial that vendors and manufacturers/contractors use the same terminology and practice the same standards. IPC certification provides that certainty in the process. Many professionals associated with the electronics industry confirm all the advantages that come with IPC standardized practices within the industry due to cross-channel communication, and attribute their success, in large part, to speaking the same language.

3.) Lower Costs

When a company consistently follows the IPC standardized production process and streamlines cross-channel communications and interactions, what comes next is a significant reduction in production costs and time.

IPC-A-610 course ensures the acceptability of electronic assemblies such as soldering criteria, surface mounting criteria and jumper wire assembly requirements among others, whereas and J-STD-001 course help maintains a standard of each product, at each stage in the assembly line and process, while evaluating and serving under the same scrutiny as others. On top of reducing costs by decreasing the number of rebuilds and reworks, these courses also focus on improving production time. These certifications establish standards within the fabrication process and guarantee that your operation employs a higher standard of quality control.

After pursuing IPC certifications, you’ll find yourself capable of delivering a consistent, high-quality product, and communicating with other vendors/manufacturers in your supply chain. These certifications enable your company to become a trusted provider within the industry as well as assure security in terms of future business growth.

If you currently do not have globally recognized IPC certification in your institute or on your resume and you want to make that superior change, contact Advanced Rework Technology (A.R.T.) today. A.R.T Ltd also offers bespoke training that can be based entirely around the requirements of your company and even specific products, with all theory and practical equipment supplied by them too. All is just a call away from you. Call A.R.T. Ltd today on 01245 237 083.

How the Use of IoT Has Made Life a Lot Easier for Medical Professionals

IoT – the Internet of Things – has revolutionized the way we use and perceive technology over the last couple of decades. From introducing the world to smart homes and cars to envisioning a more efficient office and work environment, IoT has done it all.

We have integrated IoT in our industrial, tech, and agricultural sectors, as well as our personal lives. However, one of the most fascinating ways IoT has influenced our current society is through its contribution to the health and medical sector.

The healthcare sector managed to get the most out of the Internet of Things technology. Utilizing modern sensors to keep a close eye on their patients’ conditions, these IoT systems are making life easier for medical professionals. And while IoT systems cannot run entire healthcare facilities by themselves, they make life easier for doctors in other ways and provide benefits to patients too. Here is how.

Urgent Care and Walk-In Clinic Services

IoT sensors, especially those that can measure temperature, pulse and heartbeat, breathing rate, etc. are being deployed in medical facilities all over the world right now. Due to COVID-19, urgent care and walk-in clinic services have gained a lot of popularity.

However, for their safety, healthcare professions maintain a considerable distance from patients at times. So whenever possible, the tests are carried out from a distance, and IoT can help in this regard.

Take the MLX90614 IR temperature sensor used in temperature guns. It can take the reading, then send the doctor the results via an IoT network within the healthcare facility. The doctor can then carry out more tests in an unmanned manner (wherever possible), and then write the prescription. All they have to do is note down the readings, explain the situation, and hit their custom signature stamp on the paper.

Thus, during such times of crisis, a doctor only needs to carry a self-inking signature stamp to work. Hitting their custom signature stamps on the prescriptions, mostly containing their qualifications and name, are all that they have to do manually right now. This is, by no means, is demeaning to their work or responsibility. It just goes to show how IoT is making their life a lot easier, and safer.

Remote Health Monitoring And Long Distance Check-Up

In a lot of cases, doctors need not be present at the clinic or hospital to write their patients a prescription or update them about their medical condition. They can do so within the comfort of their homes as well.

Take the AMD-DS-AS0028-1 fingertip sensor as an example here. Pulse oximeters, which are being used all over the world right now to check for dropping oxygen levels in the human body, use these sensors to measure SpO2 levels.

Normally, the measurements are then displayed on a screen on the device or a separate monitor. However, with a proper network connection, this system can be IoT-enabled. That will allow the doctor to receive the pulse oximeter reading at his home, from where they can then advise the patient on what to do next.

A similar case can be carried out for long-distance check-ups. Once the medical devices, like the oximeter or blood pressure machine, get the readings, they can then deliver those numbers to the doctor, who might be living a few hundred miles away. Based on the findings of these devices, the doctor will prescribe a course of action for the patient.

For this system to go fully remote, a high-definition camera is also preferred, because the way a patient looks is also crucial in treatment these days. Thus, a quick look at them can reveal a lot of vital information about their health.

Machine Learning and AI-Driven Treatment Suggestions

Walk-in and remote health services are just two of the areas that IoT contributes to in the healthcare sector. One of the more vital roles it plays is that it can navigate medical professions in the right direction during a difficult treatment procedure. Of course, IoT does not do this by itself. It utilizes machine learning and artificial intelligence for better results.

Take the latest COVID trends as examples. New strains are popping up every once in a while, and it is getting difficult to keep track of them all. So virologists are gathering samples via unmanned drones or bots and then testing them at labs. The results are then run through various ML algorithms to determine the strain’s origin.

A similar approach is being used to predict the next coronavirus. The AI used here can classify the animals based on their chances of forming a new coronavirus.

And as we continue to explore more aspects of IoT, we will keep coming up with newer innovations that can benefit the healthcare sector, as well as other fields.

The Complete Guide to Nearshoring 

The nearshoring phenomenon is a global economic trend that has been going on for decades. The phenomenon is defined as moving a company’s operations to a country that is in close proximity to the company’s home base.

Nearshoring offers many benefits in terms of cost savings, but it also has many drawbacks. It can have a negative effect on wages for local workers, and it can also have an impact on the environment if the process involves bringing in outsourced goods from overseas.

To conclude, nearshoring often benefits both companies and consumers who are looking for affordable goods at low prices. However, it can have a negative effect on wages and local jobs in the long run.

It's a great way for companies with smaller budgets to have more resources for other aspects of their business. However, it isn't without its challenges. For starters, a company will need someone on-shore to manage the team abroad and provide direction on how things should be done. In addition, there are cultural differences that may need to be addressed - such as different time zones or mores that may not line up with American values.

Why Nearshoring is Becoming so Popular

Nearshoring is becoming more popular because of the benefits it offers for both the outsourcing company and the nearshore company.

Nearshore outsourcing provides cost savings to companies that are looking to outsource their work. It offers lower overall risk than offshore outsourcing through the protection of intellectual property and by having better communications with the workforce.

While offshoring has been around for decades, nearshoring started gaining popularity in recent years due to its relative proximity to home markets, enabling companies to make quick decisions about products, services, marketing approaches, etc., which can be challenging when you are thousands of miles away. Nearshoring is appealing because it provides cost savings and lower risk than offshoring.

Why Is Nearshoring Useful?

Nearshoring is a strategic sourcing technique that can be used to lower the cost of labor. It is also helpful in reducing the production lead time by enabling production capacity to be shared among different regions while centralizing key functions.

Nearshoring allows companies to take advantage of low-cost labor without having to relocate their manufacturing facilities. Through nearshoring, companies are able to maintain control over design and marketing while lowering production costs through outsourcing manufacturing processes abroad for example in China or India.

What Countries Offer a Nearshore Workforce?

There are many countries in the world that offer a nearshore workforce and they differ in terms of their cost and quality. Some countries like India and China, with low labor costs and large populations, are popular outsourcing destinations. Other countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia, offer higher quality work based on their educational system. Nearshoring in Europe is also becoming more and more popular because of the low costs and good quality of the work.

There are many factors to take into account when outsourcing business processes or operations to a country. The type of work you need to be done will determine the country you choose for your operations, but there is one key factor that is often overlooked: the availability of human capital. Countries vary in terms of how educated their population is and what languages they speak, which can give an edge when it comes to choosing a country for your overseas operations.

What are the Disadvantages of Nearshoring?

  1. Language barriers can lead to communication breakdowns.
  2. The more time zones that are involved, the more likely it is that the business will be interrupted by time zone differences.
  3. Cultural differences may lead to some employees feeling uncomfortable with their working environment and may even cause some employees to quit because they do not want to work in an environment where they do not feel welcome or appreciated.
  4. High turnover rates among offshore workers will mean that more effort has to be spent on training new employees.

The most prominent disadvantage is that organizations will lose vital skills and know-how when they outsource their projects. They may also lack the flexibility in decision-making for both short and long-term goals due to limitations on management decisions brought about by working with a third-party company. Organizations will also have a difficult time transferring any of their employees to different locations if they decide they want them closer to home in order for them to take care of family issues or have more opportunities for growth.

5 Ways to Prevent Your Car from Being Stolen

Hello friends, I hope you all are doing great. In today's tutorial, we will have a look at the 5 Ways to Prevent Your Car from Being Stolen. Every year over 720,000 motor vehicles are stolen, according to the official site of the United States government. Thieves have gotten savvy, using technology and new methods to make stealing cars easier than ever. It is crucial to take steps to protect your vehicle from being stolen. Here are five ways to do just that:

Install a Security System

A good security system includes an alarm, immobilizer, and battery backup if you lose power to your car for any reason. It should have a remote lock/unlock capability which can be helpful if someone finds or steals your keys. You can even get systems these days that notify you on your phone if someone is trying to start your car.

The system should also have a GPS vehicle tracking device if your car is stolen. The police can track the car down and return it to you. The GPS device should enable you to monitor your car and what routes they have taken. Some of these devices will even allow you to set up alerts if the vehicle has been moved at any time during its idle state, which is excellent for catching thieves in action and alerting authorities immediately.

An added benefit of using a GPS tracking service is protecting your car from being towed. If thieves tow your vehicle, you can log into the service and search to see where it has been taken so that you know who stole it and call authorities immediately.

An excellent security system needs to be fitted with an alarm that will go off when someone unauthorized tries to open the car. The louder and more intrusive the alarm, the better. This way, the car's owner will be notified of a possible theft attempt and take precautions. You need to choose an alarm that alerts you when the car is being tampered with and one that can be activated remotely.

Steering Locks and Wheel Clamps

One way to prevent your car from being stolen is to install a steering lock. This will make it difficult for thieves to drive off with the car. There are a few different types of steering locks available on the market. A popular type is the club lock, which wraps around the steering wheel and prevents it from being turned.

Another option is to install a car alarm with a steering lock feature. This will sound an alarm if someone tries to move the car. Some cars come with a built-in steering lock that is activated when turned off.

If your car doesn't have a built-in steering lock, you can buy an aftermarket one to use. Whichever option you choose, make sure to properly secure the steering lock so that it cannot be easily removed. Another option is to use a wheel clamp. This will immobilize the car and make it difficult for thieves to steal.

Both of these solutions are a great deterrent against car theft and will help to protect your vehicle. Be sure to use them if you are concerned about your car being stolen.

Lock Your Car

This may seem like a no-brainer, but many people forget to do this essential step. Make it a habit to always lock your car doors and windows when you're not in it. This will make it more difficult for thieves to access your vehicle. If you're not in a hurry, you can also roll up your windows all the way and shut the doors.

If someone stops next to your car asking for help or directions, don't get out. Stay in your car and keep the doors locked. This allows criminals to unlock it from outside of the vehicle. Many times they will open already unlocked cars with this tactic.

The simplest thing you can do to keep your car from being stolen is always to lock your doors after getting out or entering the vehicle. This is especially important if you habit leaving your car running when you run into the store.

Park in a Well-Lit Area

If you park your car in a well-lit area, it will be less likely to be targeted by thieves. Try to avoid parking in isolated or dark areas whenever possible. If you have a garage, use it.

If you have to park on the street, try finding a well-lit spot near other cars. This will make your vehicle less of a target for thieves. In a public parking lot, always park in an area close to the entrance and visible.

If you park under a tree, try to avoid parking near an overhanging branch that thieves could use as leverage for opening your car door or climbing inside. If possible, choose brightly lit areas with surveillance cameras nearby so the footage can be used to identify thieves in case they steal your vehicle.

When looking at potential spots to park, always be aware of your surroundings and look for any suspicious activity. If you see anything that makes you uncomfortable, find another spot to park in.

Don't Leave Valuables in Your Car

One of the best ways to prevent your car from being stolen is to not leave any valuables in it. If you have expensive items in your car, it will be more likely for thieves to target your vehicle. So, always make sure to take your belongings with you when you exit your car.

If you have to leave something in your car, try to keep it out of sight. You can put it in the trunk or under the seats. If you need to put things in the trunk or in the backseat, make sure to lock them up so that thieves can't get to them. You should also do this before you reach the parking lot so that thieves can't see what you're doing.

Remember, the best way to prevent your car from being stolen is by taking precautions and being vigilant about your surroundings. You can make it much more difficult for thieves to get their hands on your vehicle by following these tips.

Everything You Need To Know About Anodizing Aluminum Colors

Manufactured parts need a quality surface finish and visual appeal before releasing them to the client or market. Although there are different methods of applying the surface finish, anodizing aluminum colors produce the best results.

There is a wide range of aluminum anodizing colors to choose from; therefore, product developers need to know how to color match before releasing the end product. Let’s examine more on anodizing aluminum parts, how to color anodized aluminum and the common anodized aluminum colors.

What is Aluminum Anodizing?

Anodizing is an electrolytic process that produces excellent mechanical properties to enhance aluminum parts' durability and visual appeal. Manufacturers use the anodizing process for corrosion resistance to prevent surface scratches and improve surface hardness, making it an ideal foundation for painting or coating.

The aluminum parts are coated using a wear-resistant oxide layer which meets the aesthetic requirement of most users.

What are The Types of Anodizing Processes?

Manufacturers use three common types of anodizing processes, Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3. Each method differs due to the coating intensity.

  • Type 1

This anodizing process is a “lighter” alternative. It uses chromic acid as the electrolyte. During the electrochemical process, the positive particles from the aluminum part form microscopic grooves, which are oxidized to form an oxide layer. Aluminum parts made via this process have better corrosion and heat resistance.

  • Type 2

This is the most common method of anodizing aluminum parts. Instead of chromic acid, this process uses sulfuric acid, which is more potent and produces better positive aluminum particles than Type 1. The oxide layer becomes thicker; therefore, the parts have better paint retention properties.

The common color options for this process include blue, red, brown, purple, green, gold, black, and grey.

  • Type 3

Type 3 is the ideal one for hard coating and making heavy aluminum products. It uses a higher voltage and sulfuric acid.

How to Color Aluminum Parts Using Anodizing

The anodizing aluminum colors are very different from the ones used in powder coating or painting. The colors will depend on the grade, size, and finish tapes. Here's the process.

  • Cleaning and Etching

The anodizing process begins with cleaning the aluminum part with detergent and rinsing tanks. The part is then etched to give a matte, polished and shiny surface finish. The etching and brightening are done to remove any trace amounts of metal. The material removed depends on the size, shape, temperature, and solution pH.

  • Build the Film Layer

After cleaning, you need to build the oxide layer on the aluminum part. Depending on the coating intensity you want to achieve, you can use Type 1, 2, or 3 anodizing processes. Once the piece is suspended in the electrolyte, you need to keep in mind that the shape and size of pores depend on the metal alloy.

In addition, the depth of the pores will depend on the electric voltage, tank temperature, time in the tank, and solution concentration.

  • Adding the Color

Manufacturers add anodized aluminum colors in four ways, dip coloring, electrolytic coloring, interference, and integral coloring.

With dip coloring, the part is placed in a tank containing a dye. Once the dye is absorbed into the pores, the surface is boiled in de-ionized water to stop further reactions. Although there are many coloring variants, they are not UV resistant.

On the other hand, with electrolytic, the part is immersed in a solution containing metallic salts. These salts fill the pores to form a UV-resistant layer. However, the colors are limited to brown and black.

Interference coloring works by enlarging the pore structure. The metals are then deposited, which results in blue, green, and yellow to red colors. These colors form because of optical interference effects. Integral coloring combines coloring and anodizing by adding bronze and black shades.

  • Sealing Off

Once the aluminum part is completely dyed, the last step is sealing it off to preserve the color. This sealing process protects the part from absorbing undesired molecules.

How Do You Color Match With the Aluminum Parts

There are several possible colors for anodizing aluminum. For effective results, the product developer needs to understand the concept of color matching. Let’s take a look at some of the critical factors you should look out for when matching colors.

  • The Finish Type

To achieve the best aluminum reflective properties, the part of the film is essential. Use a sample with the same finish when color matching.

  • The Aluminum Grade

When anodizing aluminum parts, looks out for the grade. Each aluminum grade has a different color variant and shade, which could affect the color matching.

  • The Part’s Crystalline Structure

The crystalline structure affects the reflective properties of the aluminum part. Therefore, before you color match, check that the reflective angle is the correct one.

  • The Number of Dyes Used

The dyes affect the color variation. When product developers use more dyes, there’s an increase in color variation. During layering, this variation also differs.

Benefits of Anodizing Aluminum Parts

If you anodize your parts, here are some advantages.

  • Aesthetic Value

Anodized aluminum parts have a visually appealing look. This makes them popular with users because they are market-ready.

  • Corrosion Resistance

The oxide layer from the anodizing process protects the aluminum parts from corrosion. This makes them durable than other parts which have had powder coating or painting.

Summary

After manufacturing is done, it’s essential to have a quality surface finish. There are different anodizing processes that product developers can use. It’s also vital to choose the best anodizing aluminum colors according to the aluminum part. This makes it easier to color match and get the best end product.

Anodizing has benefits such as boosting the product's aesthetic value, enhancing the surface finish, and increasing durability. Therefore, it's an essential step in manufacturing aluminum parts for any industry.

Why Flexible PCBs are expensive than other PCB types?

Hello friends, I hope you all are in good health. Today we will discuss a detailed overview of flexible PCB, its definition, types, advantages and manufacturing. We will also discuss why we need flexible PCB? We will discuss its uses and the reason for its high price, as it's expensive than other PCB types. I will try to deliver you my best knowledge about flexible PCB so you will clear understanding of flexible PCB. So let’s try to absorb everything about flexible PCB.

Flexible PCB overview

  • For irregular-shaped locations, it was difficult to place hard substrate PCBs. So, as necessity is the mother of invention similarly difficult locations and irregular surfaces are the mother of flexible PCB invention.
  • Before the 1950s flexible PCBs are not in common use but now they are used everywhere like in ATM keypads and smartwatches. Now let us have a look at the proper definition of FPCB.

Flexible PCB definition

  • The board that is made up of flexible plastic substrate usually polyester, polyimide or thin sheets of glass are called flexible printed circuit boards or FPCBs.
  • FPCBs have the ability to change their shape because they can twist and bend easily. In some devices, both rigid and flexible PCBs are incorporated to produce the desired functionality.
  • FPCB should not be so flexible that the board breaks down during folding or twisting.

Flexible PCB Pricing

Let's discuss the pricing of Flexible PCB and here I am going to take the example of an online PCB Fabrication House named PCBWay. It's a well-renowned PCB house and provides competitive rates with a quality product.

  • If you open the PCB Calculator of PCBWay and select Rigid-Flex PCB at the top, you will get a similar result:
  • Now, here I am going to select Flexible PCB and I am going to place an order of 10 PCBs, each of size 10x10mm.
  • In order to get the quote, we need to click on the Calculate Button and here's the price:
  • Now you can see the price for 10 pcs is $125 and it's quite expensive as compared to normal rigid PCB.
  • PCBWay provides the best rates for PCB manufacturing and if you check on any other site, you will get even higher rates.

Types of FPCB

  • FPCB has a few common types listed below:
    1. Single-sided FPCB
    2. Double-sided FPCB
    3. Multi-layer FFPCB
    4. Rigid-flex PCB( RFPCB)
    5. High Density interconnects FPCB.

Single-sided FPCB

  • It contains a conductive layer of copper on only one side of the PCB.
  • They are used in applications that need highly flexible circuits.

Double-sided FPCB:

  • It contains a copper layer on both sides of the PCB. The layers are made connected by vias or by plate through holes( PTH).
  • Double-sided FPCB is popular for its ease of manufacturing.

Multilayer FPCB:

  • In the multi-layer FPCBs, multi-layer PCBs are connected by vias or PTH.
  • It may contain more than 10 conductive layers of copper.
  • They are used in designs that require PCBs with high-density connectors.
  • Using more layers in flexible PCB design adds to the cost of FPCB.

Rigid-flex printed circuit board:

  • In RFPCB, flexible layers are integrated with the rigid layers and PTH technology is used to assemble circuit boards.
  • Small Interconnect areas are created by using both rigid and flexible layers so the chances of failure of PCB are reduced in an application.

High-Density flexible FPCB:

  • HDI are flexible circuit boards having microvias and precise features.
  • They are used to provide more technical solutions interesting of layout, design and construction.
  • HDI are known for their improved usage of ICs, greater reliability and high electrical performance.

Materials used in FPCB

  • We use flexible materials for both substrate and adhesive.
  • The substrate is basically made up of polyimide(PI) film. The PI film does not soften on heating but remains flexible.
  • Normally used PI film does not show the best resistance against humidity and tears but upgraded PI can overcome this problem.
  • To attach layers adhesives are used. This adhesive should also be flexible but it is difficult to attain so now PI without adhesives are used that attach copper layers without any adhesive.
  • Now coverlay film created with PI is used instead of solder mask. To make areas hard staffers are used instead of solder masks.

Manufacturing Process of FPCB

The manufacturing process for FPCB is procedural and structural. that's the main reason for its high cost. The manufacturing process of Flexible PCB is too lengthy, complex and needs a special environment, which makes it too expensive to design. Let us try to understand three major steps involved in the manufacturing of FPCB.

Step 1: Build up flexible PCB

The material used as a substrate is polyimide and in this step, the main focus is to save the base material because it is expensive than FR- 4. So to avoid wastage of polyimide circuits are placed close to each other. It includes the following steps:

  • CAD designing: first of all design is prepared using CAD software.
  • Drilling: holes are drilled and the size of holes is tried to make small.
  • Looping: adding a slight amount of extra material for servicing circuit assembly.
  • Sizing conductor: use the thinnest amount of copper.
  • Etching: To compensate losses especially line width losses etching is done.
  • Routing: the conductor is held perpendicular to the bend and fold. Folding and bending are improved by reducing stress and by helping the conductor perpendicular stress is reduced.
  • Ground planes: creating ground areas will improve the flexibility of the circuit by reducing the weight of the circuit board.

Step 2: FPCB fabrication process:

Depending on the design and application the diameter of the hole in FPCB may vary.
  • Size of the hole: small holes are best for flexible PCBs. Small size holes are difficult to drill. So the no of holes and size of holes determines as the cost control factors.
  • Filleting: filleting is necessary for joining pads and land termination points. By filleting area is multiplied and stress is reduced so flexibility improves.
  • PTH: Nowadays, copper is used for preparing vias and plated through holes.

Step 3: focus on physical constraints/ testing:

  • Layers and coating problems are dealt with in this step. So the testing of these cover layers is necessary.
  • Adhesive-backed films: these films are used for overcoating or at the areas where the adhesive is missing.
  • Screen printable liquid overcoats: these are used with polymer films that are thick.
  • Photo imaginable liquid and film polymer: It is the modern method used for overcoating because it avoids circuiting traces by acting as a solder mask. It avoids external and internal damages to the board.
  • Overlay: After testing, FPCBs are laminated which is called an overlay. For best quality overlay, the budget of flexible PCB increases.
  • Packing: FPCBs are packed and delivery is made.

Advantages or benefits of flexible PCB

  1. It can be twisted, bent, folded, and shaped in various dimensions, unlike rigid PCB.
  2. It overcomes other technologies like wire harnesses, rigid PCBs, and connectors.
  3. It can be arranged in various stacked configurations.
  4. Very easy to install.
  5. For high flexible applications, single-sided FPCBs are used. As the spaces are generated to make them flexible so they are light in weight and small in size.
  6. FPCBs are more durable than PCBs and rigid PCBs.
  7. Using FPCBs the capability of the product is enhanced.

Disadvantages or drawbacks of FPCBs

  1. Their cost is high than other PCBs because of the poor utilization of panels.
  2. They can be damaged easily because of their flexibility and poor handling.
  3. A complex assembly process is used in their manufacturing.
  4. In case of any fault or problem, they can not be repaired easily. High-quality machinery is required to repair them and the repairing price is also very high.
  5. For the manufacturing of FPCB highly professional designers with a lot of time are required.

FPCB Market Costs

  • The market for the flexible printed circuit board is raising day by day.
  • It was $ 200 million in the past and crossed $800 million till 2020.
  • High demand is expected in the future.

Applications of flexible printed circuit boards

  • FPCBs have diverse applications almost in every industry. They are designed in such a way to meet all the requirements of any kind of flexibility.
  • Flexible printed circuit boards are used in both static and dynamic applications based on the requirement.
  • Material use varies in static and dynamic applications. So before the manufacturing, their type and requirement should be confirmed.

Static application:

  • These applications are also known as flex-to-fit or flex-to-install applications.
  • Only a small amount of flexibility is produced in boards for these applications.
  • Inexpensive electrodeposited (ED) copper is used to make minimal flexible boards for static applications.

Dynamic applications:

  • For dynamic applications, the flexibility of built-in boards is set as high as possible.
  • Rolled Annealed (RA) copper is used for making highly flexible printed circuit boards for dynamic industrial applications.

Diverse FPCB industrial applications:

  • The applications of flexible printed circuit boards in different industries are listed below
  • Electronics: flexible PCBs are used in laptops, cameras, calculators, printer heads, flip cell phones, computers keyboards...etc. Moving the print head of printers and plotters uses flexible PCBs to draw prints. Now flexible solar cells are made which can bend easily. Flexible wristwatches are also becoming popular in young generations.
  • Manufacturing: flexible PCBs are also used in robotic arms, sensors equipment, processing machines, bar code equipment, and human-machine interface equipment In the manufacturing industry.
  • Automotive: in the automotive industry, flexible printed circuit boards are used in airbag systems, anti-lock brakes, Global positioning systems( GPS), in engine controls.
  • Medical: in the medical industry, flexible printed circuit boards are used 8n pacemakers, hearing aid devices, heart monitoring devices, and exercise monitors.
  • Miscellaneous: flexible PCBs are also used in resistors, satellites, capacitors, Tower lights, LCD fabrication, light and motion systems.

Development prospects of flexible PCBs

Flexible printed circuit boards should have to be improved in the following aspects:

  • Thickness:

In the future flexible printed circuit board should be thinner and more flexible. They should have the flexibility of complete 360°.

  • Folding resistance

Improved and developed substrates should be used to overcome the folding resistance.

  • Price

At this time flexible printed circuit boards are too much costly. In the future, their price should be reduced to increase their market growth rate.

  • Process level

It is very difficult to make flexible PCBs because they required highly qualified personals, high machinery, and a lot of time. In the future, their process level should be upgraded and minimum line width and minimum aperture must meet higher requirements.

Parameters on which the cost of FPCB depends

Many factors affect the cost of the flexible printed circuit board. But I am here to categorize these parameters into these cost drivers.

  • Physical size:

The size of the flexible PCB is measured in a square inch and the price is calculated as price/ square inch.

So for large flexible printed circuit boards having the vast size, the price will be high than the smaller one.

  • Circuit construction:

When the no of layers increases the price of flexible PCB increases. So double-layer FPCB has high price than the single-layer FPCB and multi-layer FPCB must be high in price than single and double layer FPCB. Price also depends upon the material used in the construction. Price also depends upon the no of pads, for more pads used in flexible PCB price will be high.

  • Volume:

Price also depends upon the volume of flexible PCB. For greater volume price will be high.

  • Finishing

Finishing determines the shelf life of the flexible printed circuit board. With good quality, the finishing price is affected.

  • No. Of the holes and size of the holes

It is difficult to make small holes, and for small holes, which are normally drilled in the flexible printed circuit boards, the price will be high than the big holes.

For more holes price will also be high.

  • Custom or unique specification

When the custom specification is required that will add to the price of the flexible printed circuit board. Examples of custom specifications are contoured edges, side plating, and solder mask clearance.

Conclusion

In the future, flexible printed circuit boards will play a major role in security and entertainment dynamics.

The demand for flexible printed circuit boards is not high till 2016 but now their demand is increasing day by day. In future preference will be given to the flexible products in the market.

In short, the future belongs to flexible products.

How has Technology Transformed the Healthcare Sector?

The evolution of technology over the decades has helped almost all sectors to grow and flourish. And, the medical sector is no different. The way medicine was practiced a couple of decades ago has been completely changed today. This has obviously brought in multiple benefits to the patients. The treatment time has lowered and so has the accuracy increased. People now trust technology to get their treatments done.

This article highlights certain technologies that have transformed modern medicine.

Electronic health records

This is the prime example of how technology has transformed the way of conducting treatments and keeping records. The paper filing system of patients is now long gone. It is now replaced with electronic record-keeping. This has made collaboration easier and smoother and facilities can focus better on patient care now. The entire medical history of patients is available in just a click and doctors can make better and detailed decisions about their treatment plan.

Personalized treatment

This is yet another great way by which technology is driving healthcare. With the evolution of wearable technology, patient engagement has increased more than ever. And, more healthcare facilities are trying to connect with their patients through these hyper-targeted and extremely personalized health and fitness plans. The data that is driving the results is extremely accurate and the recommendations are loved by the patients. The technology tries to understand every individual motivation and design solutions that reflect well with their lifestyles and that are manageable on both ends.

Telehealth

Virtual healthcare or telehealth was there initially also but it gained popularity pretty recently after the outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic. It has increased the communication efficiency between the clinics, healthcare providers, and the patients who are seeking help. The information exchange has become simpler and one can easily track and monitor the changes that are visible after every telehealth interaction. The data is optimized and your treatment is curated across a stable plan of action.

Surgical technology

Surgeries are equally benefited through this progressive technology. It is now possible to draw virtual 3D reconstructions before any major surgery on trauma patients. It helps the surgeons to make the most accurate incisions on the skin and have bony reconstruction with plates. This is a great way to plan the surgeries and monitor the flow of blood in those regions. We are hopeful the future will see more advanced improvements in this field to help the surgeons.

AI and augmented reality

When both of these are combined, many new opportunities arise. There are handheld devices that use both of these technologies to make veins in a patient's body visible. They also help the doctors to sense heat by just using a single device. The combination of both these technologies improves the activities like drawing blood or IV insertions.

Besides these, there are many other innovations in health care devices that have streamlined the treatments to a great extent while helping the industry move forward. The patients can now confidently rely on the system for their treatments.

How Energy Monitoring System Helps In Managing and Functioning Of Business

If you want to monitor the utility usage in real-time and if you want to optimize the business utilities, you should make use of the energy monitoring system. It is the software that monitors the utility consumption online like the energy, fluids, gas, and so on. This system helps to calculate the consumption per area like the departments and production lines. It also helps in calculating the consumption per the production like the orders and the items that further helps in calculating the real production cost. With the help of the best type of energy monitoring tool, you can forecast the energy usage in several sectors and then create the alarm if it finds that the site has reached the contractual capacity.

The energy management system will further help detect the failures in the process, leaks or anomalies, and provide information on how much the utilities are used during the non-production time. After assessing the data offered by this tool, you can decide to depend upon the real data and then collate the production data with the utility usage. You can get the best energy monitoring software online, one of the best places to get tools for energy management and monitoring for businesses.

Benefits of using the Energy Monitoring System

There Are Various Benefits Of Using This Tool, And They Are-

  • Lower the utility usage
  • Detecting the utility waste
  • Précising the forecast on the utility usage
  • CO2 footprint awareness
  • Reduce the downtime
  • Improve the OEE of the functioning
  • Make decisions depending upon the real-time data from the machines

Features Of Energy Monitoring System

As said before, Energy checking frameworks give clients information about their utilization designs so they can settle on informed energy the board choices and expand investment funds. It is completed utilizing energy observing programming that accumulates energy utilization information, dissects it. Afterward, gives valuable data straightforwardly to the customer's gadget.

The product utilizes counters or sub-counters situated nearby or in the structure to accumulate information for every item (power, heat, water, gas) to give a total image of energy utilization. Because of these energy observing methods, clients can monitor the amount they are devouring. They can also monitor how the item is utilized at some random season of day or night.

Keeping all the utilities under control

EMS framework focuses on unlimited authority over the Utilization and cost of utilities in the processing plant. Counters cautions and controlling dashboards give the client the likelihood of dealing with the utilities. They are also expected in all pieces of the processing plant – from the creation floor to workplaces. Relationship with creation information takes into consideration full examination and straightforwardness of the actual production costs. Dynamic checking upholds the identification of holes and misuse of utilities that can be not entirely obvious and fixed.

Determining the Utilization per area

It helps to analyze all utilities in the current location with detailed information on planned and actual usage. It also helps in displaying trends and forecasts.

Compare the utilities and consumers

Information on utility utilization can get a connection with creation information, showing a precise image of complete creation and non-creation costs.

Make use of Power Guard

It is a tool for controlling the total amount of electrical power used to avoid the expensive penalties for breaching or crossing the limits. With the help of tracking the system, it issues warnings on the incoming faults with the proper advance.

Choose the EMS or the energy monitoring system, an advanced solution for monitoring energy consumption. In addition, it allows for the implementation of additional software like the contracted capacity guard. Choose EMS for the higher energy management at the workplace.

Syed Zain Nasir

I am Syed Zain Nasir, the founder of <a href=https://www.TheEngineeringProjects.com/>The Engineering Projects</a> (TEP). I am a programmer since 2009 before that I just search things, make small projects and now I am sharing my knowledge through this platform.I also work as a freelancer and did many projects related to programming and electrical circuitry. <a href=https://plus.google.com/+SyedZainNasir/>My Google Profile+</a>

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Syed Zain Nasir