The Engineering Projects

How Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) Works

Hello friends, I hope you all are doing great. In today's tutorial, I am gonna discuss How Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) Works. Online security is more important than ever. With hackers and brute force attackers, it feels like your private data is constantly at risk. One way to protect your security online is by using a VPN. VPNs may use several protocols. These protocols are like the language that's used by your computer and the VPN server as they communicate. Some protocols are faster than the competition while others prioritize security. One of the oldest, yet still popular, VPN protocols is Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol, or PPTP. It was introduced in 1995, and though newer protocols have since usurped its place as the greatest, many people and businesses still make use of PPTP. In comparison with newer protocols, PPTP has few data security features. This means that it offers better speeds because it's not bogged down by privacy and security rules. Depending upon how you use PPTP, this relative lack of robust security may serve you well. Privacy Australia illustrates how a VPN protects you with this useful diagram:

How Does PPTP Work?

PPTP incorporates factors of the even older Point-to-Point Protocol, or PPP. In this protocol, IP packets of data are encapsulated and transmitted to the VPN server. PPTP creates an encrypted tunnel between the VPN server and the customer's computer via TCP port 1723 as well as General Routing Encapsulation, also called GRE.

• Essentially, this is a client-server setup that utilizes Layer 2 within the OSI model.

Image credit to Privacy Australia

How to Connect to PPTP

PPTP connectivity is a basic component that's integrated into popular operating systems such as Windows, MacOS and Linux. It's easy to set up and exceptionally easy to connect. The user launches their PPTP client, which will connect them to their Internet Service Provider. The PPTP then sets to work, creating a Transmission Control Protocol, or TCP, which manages the connection between the client and the server at the VPN. With the tunnel established, it is possible to transmit two categories of information. Control messages are used to manage and ultimately dismantle the VPN connection while data packets contain the information that passes through the tunnel.

When Is It Appropriate to Use PPTP?

As an older VPN protocol, PPTP has several well-known vulnerabilities. If you're doing any sort of high-risk browsing or transmitting lots of sensitive data, then it may not be the best protocol. However, PPTP remains a popular choice for certain applications. Corporations still rely on this protocol to establish private tunnels through the publically available Internet. This essentially involves the creation of a wide area network that serves as a local area network that's larger than the usual LAN. The advantage of this approach is that the business does not have to lease private lines for wide-area communication. Nonetheless, they get the enhanced security that they need when employees are working remotely. With reduced transmission and hardware costs as well as lower administrative overhead, this can be an attractive solution for the right situation.

Use of Silk Screen Technology in Printed Circuit Board (PCB)

Hello everyone, I hope you all are doing great. In today's tutorial, we are gonna have a look at usage of Silk Screen technology in Printed Circuit Board (PCB). This article is written by PCBgogo ( a PCB Manufacturing company ) on our request and they have explained this Silk Screen technology in detail. It's always better to hear from the expert and as they are already working on this technology so they have explained it really well. If you have any questions or queries then ask in comments and I will try to resolve them all. So, let's first have a look at what is Silk Screening:

What is silk screening?

Silkscreen is a layer of ink traces used to identify components, test points, parts of the PCB, warning symbols, logos and marks etc. This silkscreen is usually applied on the component side; however using silkscreen on the solder side is also not uncommon. But this may increase the cost. Essentially a detailed PCB silkscreen can help both the manufacturer and the engineer to locate and identify all the components. The ink is a non-conductive epoxy ink. The ink used for these markings is highly formulated. The standard colors we normally see are black, white and yellow. PCB software also uses standard fonts in silkscreen layers but you can choose other fonts from the system too. For traditional silk-screening you require a polyester screen stretched on aluminum frames, a laser photo plotter, spray developer and curing ovens.

Methods of Silk Screening

There are three basic ways to apply silkscreen.

1. Manual Screen-printing

Manual screen-printing is done when the line widths are greater than 7 mil (0.007”) and the registration tolerance is 5 mil. For this method you require a stencil of the text and traces made of nylon. The ink is pushed through the stencil onto the laminate. Next the board is baked in a curing oven for the ink to cure. The application and set up is easy but the result is least precise.

2. Liquid Photo Imaging (LPI)

This method is used when the line widths are greater than 4 mil. Liquid Photo Imaging is quite similar to the process used for the application of solder mask. In this a liquid photo-imageable epoxy is coated on to the laminate and then exposed with UV light. After this the board is developed and cured. It is much more accurate than manual screening.

3. Direct Legend Printing (DLP)

DLP is the most accurate of all these processes but is more expensive. In this process an inkjet projector is used with acrylic ink that is applied onto the raw PCB directly from the CAD data. The ink is cured with UV light as it is printed. It should be noted though that the acrylic ink does not cure on boards with silver finishes.

Importance of Silk Screen Technology

A properly designed silk-screen can prove to be highly useful as it can reduce the chance of error and can reduce time taken to spot the error. The silkscreen can easily label the passive components of the PCB no matter how packed the board may be. There are a few things you should keep in mind regarding silk-screening. For example, the silkscreen epoxy should not be printed over pads or land PCBs that will be soldered as it will melt into the solder joint. This is why it should be applied over the solder mask. While designing you should keep the component outlines away from the pins (almost at a distance of 0.25 mm). Also you should check to see if the width of the silkscreen graphics is suitable to the design. Try to keep the line widths no less than 6 mil. Knowing more about PCB and silk-screening can help you to reduce your PCB costs. For example, applying silk screen on only one side and choosing the standard colors will give you better overall pricing and give you the same benefits.

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How Companies Can Protect Their Users' Data Privacy

Hello friends, I hope you all are doing great. In today's tutorial, I am going to show you How Companies Can Protect Their Users' Data Privacy. As data breaches become more and more common, it is imperative that companies go the extra mile to protect their users’ data to the best of their ability. Hackers today are not forcing their way into sites like they used to. Instead, engineers are thoughtfully and strategically sneaking their way in. In order to prevent this, companies needs to make sure they are aware of and educated on the potential threats and how they could prevent hackers from getting into their own data and the data of their users. Here are a few of the many ways a company can better protect themselves and their users from these breaches.

Make sure your company is educated

Bringing in a cyber security team can be very beneficial in preventing future data breaches at your firm. It is important that employees are well-educated on the previous breaches the company experienced and know how to prevent them so that they do not repeat previous mistakes. The reality of it is no company, big or small, is ever fully protected from hackers, but the more careful you are and the more protection you have the better chance you have to avoid data breaches. Making sure you have the right security systems in place and know how to use them is extremely important. There are some programs you can use that can automatically protect you from these threats, a security system if you will. However, it is also helpful to teach employees how to encrypt data, store data, create strong passwords, and take all other preventative steps that they can.

Keep personal and business internet use separate

Encourage your employees not to use their work email, or even computer, for personal use. Most security breaches happen on accident. So the last thing you want to do is put your company and their users’ data at risk because an employee opened an email about homes for sale in NJ. Now I understand this is a hard thing to do because employees don’t always listen, but monitoring their email use and again encrypting data can help prevent this from happening. However, you should also have website restrictions in place and have network, data, and email protection to prevent unusual or potentially dangerous emails from being opened and report them.

Having an established plan

Not only do you want to have a plan for preventing breaches in place, but also a plan in case a breach does occur. Now, your prevention plan may be solid enough that you never have to act on your emergency plan, and that is the goal. However, even if you think you are taking all of the necessary precautions, encrypting everything, and that your company’s data is all air tight- it is not. Nothing is ever fully protected, and just in case, a plan B is always recommended. If a breach were to occur, you need to make sure there is a sense of urgency in correcting it and protecting your company and users’ information. So, that was all for today. I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial on How Companies Can Protect Their Users' Data Privacy. Let me know if you have any questions. Take care. :)

Finding the Value in Your Utility Data

Hi Guys! Hope you are doing well. I am back to give you a daily dose of valuable information as per your needs and requirements so you can excel and grow in your relevant field. Today, I'll discuss a number of ways about Finding the Value in Your Utility Data. The expansion of technology in the business sector brings unlimited possibilities.  The business portal all corporate executives and entrepreneurs want, which contains all the data needed to monitor statistics and other data that is essential to know if a business is succeeding or failing, is available at a simple keystroke.  

Finding the Value in Your Utility Data

Utility data, or a business intelligence portal, is the way to be completely aware of assets, liabilities, capital, and expenses. Following are the number of ways you can find value in your utility data. 

Features

If you wish to get value from your utility data, be familiar with the features it entails.  Many utility data portals contain various types of data in an excel spreadsheet. 

• Some of the data you can have access to would be comparison reports, product capability reports, multiple templates, and financial reports.

Not only is management given various reports to examine to evaluate business success, but business intelligence portals also provide information to explain how a product might be breaking down as well as steps to resolve an issue. Leveraging a business intelligence portal can help streamline this.

Collect, Store, Organize

Depending on the type of framework involved, business data must be stored in the portal, and a system must be implemented to organize information collected by management or designated person.  

• A knowledgeable person must input the data required on an as-needed basis. There are a variety of software packages available from which management can choose.

Once the needed information is gathered (sales, other income, expenses, liabilities, etc.), the data is entered into the system.  At this point, the system organizes the given information.

• Depending upon the way your business has structured its utility data, your graphs, charts, reports, or statements can be arranged in a variety of ways.

Analyze and Share

Although the business intelligence portal will display various projections for you, some analyzation is up to you.  The gateway will analyze data and supply suggested strategies for you to implement; however, you will still need to make the final decision as to the steps you will take resulting from the data you have obtained from your portal.

• To get the value from your utility data, it is essential that you are sure you can rely on accurate information given from your own sources; however, it is equally important that you know when to implement the strategies offered.  

Of course, a good portal will provide you with the who, what, when, where, how, and why; yet, you will have the final say. A valuable portal will give you good projections, but those will be based on the data entered. Checking to ensure that the data presented is accurate will be up to you or your management.

Data is Everything

The data in which you supply the portal will determine the usefulness of the various reports and strategies you receive.  Several types of data can be utilized by a business intelligence portal.

• Enterprise data which is shared across locations and departments.

Structured data which is organized in a database or spreadsheet. Semi-structured data contains tags and markers to separate elements, but it is not what is found in typical databases.

• Unstructured data is that which is not organized in a predictable manner such as PDF's, Videos, or PowerPoint Presentations.

If you want both internal and external data to compare, it is essential to supply your portal with a variety of information.

• Any executive or entrepreneur wants business data that is organized and easily accessible but to get the most value from your utility data, have a wide variety of information to input from both internal and external sources.

That's all for now. I hope you have found this read valuable. If you are unsure or have any question, you can approach me in the comment section below. I'd love to help you the best way I can. Thanks for reading the article.

PCBWay - PCB Solution at Your Doorstep

Hi Guys! Hope you are getting along with life pretty well. I feel pleasure to guide you with valuable information related to engineering and technology that helps you make a final decision before selecting the relevant component or service for your next project. Today, I'll unlock the detailed Introduction to PCBWay - PCB Solution at Your Doorstep. The introduction to PCB has revolutionized the electrical field drastically where different components are to be placed on a single board with flawless wiring connection without compromising the quality of the board.

PCBWay - PCB Solution at Your Doorstep

It is good practice to shape your project using breadboards when you are in the initial stages of your project and testing different methods to meet your technical requirements.

• Nevertheless, once you are done with your initial testing of the project and have concluded the final design, it is advised to develop your design into the PCB board that turns out to be longlasting and provides both quality and authentic approach to your project where you are sure the components are interlinked with a solid connection.

The layers with broken traces will consume your lot of time and you will be wrestling your mind to hunt down the broken trace with no idea if you really succeed in the end. This is why you should pay special heed before selecting the PCB fabrication house for your project.

• If you require quality PCBs with solid copper traces placed on them and no matter how complex your design is, you get the actual result in real time, I'd prefer PCBWay. Why? I need your 5 precious min for that. Please follow along and get down to the complete review of this company.

If you are an expert you may already be getting services from someone for meeting your technical requirements related to the development of the PCB board. I won't be advising you to switch your company right away. But, I assure, if you review this company with unbiased thinking, you will definitely be ending up to secure your first order.

Christmas Gift

Christmas is near and it would be highly injustice if we fail to bring a little smile on your pretty faces. You can claim your Christmas gift with little effort. It is easy.

• Just design your Christmas PCB (it represents and conveys the idea of Christmas in any way i.e. traces are connected in such a way, they shape the Christmas tree, Santa Claus or any other way related to Christmas) and share it on this page. Don't forget to add keyword "Christmas2018" during the submission.

• Once you upload the project, you will get the generated link. Just note that link with the order number and email to eric@pcbway.com.

In doing so, you will be getting the full cash coupon of worth $40  with remaining amount paid by yourself. Time is money so don't waste it scratching your head with the project's prerequisites that you can put off as this deal will be ending on 10th December.

Top-Notch Quality

You don't want to compromise the quality anyway. Some fabrication houses spread across the web, are claiming to give you the lowest price PCBs but what they offer for a price they cover up by providing the low-quality product.

• This is where PCBWay comes handy. They stand firmly on their words and deliver exactly what they promise. They are a one-stop shop housing low price and best quality PCBs. You may be thinking I'm becoming a little bit narcissistic about this company, but you will be speaking the same, if not more than that, once you are done working with it.

PCBA Facility

Getting a quality PCB is a half work done unless you are pretty nifty about placing the electrical components on it. Apart from producing quality PCBs, they offer PCBA (Printed Service Board Assembly) service, setting you free from the hassle of placing components on board. There are two ways to connect components on PCB board

• SMT
• Thru-hole

You can pick any of them based on your technical needs. Yes, you need to pay little extra if you plan to order both PCB and PCBA services.

Types of PCBs

They come with an ability to produce almost every kind of PCB ranging from a single layer, double layer, flex, rigid-flex to high-frequency PCBs. You name it, they have it.

• Every PCB you get will come with Stencil printing and exact placement of solder mask with silkscreen. The stencil is nothing but a process that represents solder paste deposit on the board. It is available in two types: framework type and non-framework which you can use based on your requirements.

They work with third-party testing service called Huizhou Lier Laboratory that plays a vital role for thermal stress detection which is very handy for both appearance observation and section observation. This company keeps a deep eye to the manufacturing quality and strives to keep the customers' requirements quite in line with the production process.

Team of Skilled Professionals

A team of skilled professionals is available to serve you with prompt help. If you are unsure about your design, they will help you make a decision and recommend the product that best suits your technical needs.

• Be sure to highlight the complete features and requirements of the required product before securing your order. However, if you think the product you get doesn't meet your requirements, you can ask for the replacement. They will compensate you with a full refund or alternative product, what resonates with your field of interest.

Quick Delivery

More often than not, the delivery time is somewhere between 1 to 3 days, nevertheless, it all depends on the complexity of the product. Following table shows the delivery time of the PCBs with features you plan to order.

Live Chat Support

Live chat support is an amazing feature added on the site interface. Whenever you come over the site, a prompt chat window will open, asking you if you have any query to be answered quickly.

• They will help you from the citing the quotation to picking the right product for your project. You can get an instant quote from here

Summary

Finally, I have arranged the common points highlighting why you should be preferring this PCB fabrication house.

• Christmas Gift worth $40
• Priceless quality
• Outstanding PCB Manufacturer Located in China
• PCB and PCBA available at one place
• Worldwide trusted experience with potential customers
• Team with highly skilled professionals
• Quick delivery time supporting DHL
• 24 Hour Tech Support with Live Chat Support Service
• Competitive pricing

That's all for now. This is enough to get you started and make a final decision. If you are unsure or have any question, you can ask me in the comment section below. I’d love to help you in any way I can. You are most welcome to keep us updated with your valuable suggestions, we shape our content based on them, so keep them coming. Thanks for reading the article.

The Ultimate Ways to Lower Manufacturing Costs

Hey Friends! Hope you are doing well. I feel pleasure to keep you updated with valuable information related to engineering and technology. Today, I'll discuss The Ultimate Ways to Lower Manufacturing Costs. Every business will definitely need to offer quality products at affordable rates not only to remain competitive but to maximize revenues as well. But, what to do if your customers are not ready to pay a good amount for your products? Trimming the manufacturing costs down without compromising the quality can be a great idea for you to enjoy good profit margins in order to reach your business objectives and goals.

The Ultimate Ways to Lower Manufacturing Costs

Countless ways to lower manufacturing costs are available but you shouldn’t be wild with useless manufacturing cost-cutting ideas that may ruin your goodwill in the market instead of growing it. Following are some ultimate ways to lower manufacturing cost that will keep you alive in the competitive market and help you grow your business skyrocket.

Start with Assessment

Since thoroughly conducted assessment is considered as the very first step taken to deal with a problem or issue, you should do the same to reduce manufacturing costs ultimately.

• By taking a deep look into the whole manufacturing process and strategy, you will be able to bring improvement in things accordingly. By doing so, you can set yourself up for a long-term success.

Prioritize ROI when Investing in Latest Solutions

During the assessment, if you have found most of the things that can be revised for better production processes by cutting the costs down, maximum return on investment should be your priority to invest business money in the right manufacturing solutions.

• You will need to think about the long-term business benefits instead of first-time costs as it can help you save the business money in the long run.

Seek Improvement Ideas from Staff

Your employees and staff can be the best source of fertile manufacturing cost-cutting ideas. Business experts and consultants usually talk with the employees to inquire about things that can help them make profitable decisions and you should be doing the same. Staff and employees carrying out the manufacturing process are the individuals who continuously go through the process and can give you ideas regarding how things can be better than before.

Find Cost Savings in Energy Reduction

Fuel or energy can be one of the highly expensive components of the overall manufacturing process and shifting to a less expensive energy solution can be great for your business to diminish its production or manufacturing costs ultimately.

• For example, if you can consume gas instead of electricity to carry out manufacturing procedures without compromising the quality, then be quick to shit if it contributes a lot to your manufacturing cost-cutting strategy.

Tweak Your Design

Getting attached to the real product design or idea is natural but the designing decisions you take at initial usually are not best and profitable as well in long run.

• For instance, you may have selected the necessary materials and other elements without understanding the cost projections and many other things. This is the point where a reliable prototype manufacturer can make things easier for you by creating the best prototype of your idea or product design.

In this way, you will be able to opt up for different, less expensive and quality raw materials and other components to lower the manufacturing costs and increase profit margin ultimately.

Reconsider Old Ideas

You can also find some great cost-cutting ideas by going back and looking at the previous ideas proposed by fellow businessmen or experts. Some of the old ideas might be working, for now, to help you save money in terms of reduced manufacturing overheads.

• If there are more than a few great ideas that make sense, then be quick to implement in order to lessen manufacturing cost per unit without losing the quality.

Automate Where you Can

Business process automation is something most common in this digital world that not only ensures accuracy but also allows a business or company to produce more in less time even without using more resources.

• Advanced technology is always there to help you produce things with no or fewer human interaction and with enhanced accuracy that can cause less use of labor and employees.

Elimination of manual manufacturing processes will not only aid you to produce high-quality products but will also save the business money in terms of fewer labor costs.

Sell Scrap to Earn

Your trash can be useful for someone else, so always sell your scrape and useless material to other vendors in order to add more money in your manufacturing budget or to purchase more raw materials without using business accounts.

• You should also check with your current vendors or suppliers if they purchase scrap because they can pay you well.

Negotiate with Suppliers and Vendors

When it comes to making purchases from vendors and suppliers, ask for the offers or the best rates for bulk purchases because a little bargain can save a lot for your business.

• Instead of accepting the first price presented, ask them if they can do a favor for you by providing the desired materials or products on discounted rates.

That's all for today. I hope you have found this read valuable. If you have any question, you can ask me in the comment section below. You are most welcome to keep us updated with your valuable suggestions, we shape our content strategy based on them, so keep them coming. Thanks for reading the post.

Introduction to JK Flip Flop

Hi Guys! Hope you are doing well. I am back to keep you updated with valuable information related to engineering and technology. Today, I'll discuss the detailed Introduction to JK Flip Flop. It is a flip-flop, also known as a latch circuit, that can be either active-high or active-low based on the signal applied. It is an improved version of the SR Flip Flop and prevents the circuit from going in an invalid state. As the name suggests, it helps the circuit toggle between two states.

• The JK flip-flop is named after his inventor known as Jack Kilby from Texas Instruments. The JK Flip-flop is also widely known as a  programmable flip-flop as it can disguise other flip-flops based on the inputs applied.

There is a slight difference between Flip-flop and latch. Don't you worry, we will figure it out later in this post. Rest assured, both are nothing but a data storage element mainly used in communications, decoders, multiplexers, and registers. In this post, I'll cover each and everything related to JK Flip Flop, so you don't have to wrestle your mind surfing the whole internet and find all the information in one place. Let's jump right in.

Introduction to JK Flip Flop

JK Flip Flop is a universal flip-flop that makes the circuit toggle between two states and is widely used in shift registers, counters, PWM and computer applications. Before we nail down the details of JK Flip Flop, we must know what is Flip Flop.

• Flip Flop comes with two stable states and is mainly used to store the state information of any circuit. The output of the flip-flop is directly related to the input applied. When you modify any of the applied input, it directly influences the output state of the device.

In engineering circuits, most of the devices need to store information using Set or Reset, HIGH or LOW which ultimately written in the form of zeros and ones.

• We use language to collaborate with each other, similarly, electronic devices need some language pattern to collaborate with other electronic devices. They understand a language in terms of ones and zeros where former represents the HIGH state and later represent the LOW state of the circuit.

The circuits that come with a toggling nature whose outputs depend on the present input and the sequence of past input values are known as Sequential Logic Circuits.

JK Flip Flop Symbol and Logic Table

Following figure shows the symbol of Flip-Flop circuit. The clock signal and input are closely related to each other. When the clock signal is active LOW, the input signal won't be affecting the output state. The input will only get active when the clock is active HIGH which serves as a control signal of the circuit. Based on the applied inputs, the output will be generating two stable states.

• The J and K are the inputs and Q is the output state of the flip-flop where Q' represents the inverted output state. In the presence of the clock signal, the output changes its state based on the applied inputs, producing a toggling function when both inputs are HIGH.

Following figure shows the logic table of the JK Flip Flop. When both inputs are active HIGH, the output starts toggling between the two states. This is the reason JK Flip Flop is widely considered as an astable device.

Difference between SR and JK Flip Flop

Two flip-flops are known as JK Flip and SR Flip are widely used in electronic applications. Using the SR flip-flop when both inputs are high, will generate an invalid condition. On the other hand, JK Flip Flop extensively removes the invalid condition, when both inputs are kept HIGH, by toggling the output alternatively between two states.

• The JK Flip Flop is nothing but an improvised version of SR Flip Flop, where an undefined condition is avoided that may create a gross impact using the SR Flip Flop.

Following figure shows the logic table of SR Flip Flop. You can see, when both inputs are 1, the circuit goes to the invalid state. Note: The SR flip-flop is also known as a 1-bit memory, as it comes with an ability to store the input pulse even after it has been passed.

Difference between Flip Flop and Latch

The basic difference between a latch and a flip-flop is a clocking process. The latch is asynchronous where outputs are drastically influenced by the slight change in inputs.

• A flip-flop is synchronous and edge-triggered that changes its state based on the control signal (clock signal) as it goes from HIGH to LOW and LOW to HIGH conditions.

In SR Flip Flop, the output Q would be high as you set S active HIGH and eventually Q’ will be low, producing the asynchronous result. On the other hand, SR latch is synchronous where output changes as you give an active clock signal.

• In other words, we can conclude, both latches and flip-flops are circuit element where the output depends on both: the current input and previous input. The flip-flop has a clock signal while the latch is deprived of it.

The Latch is mainly divided into two types Active High Latch Active Low Latch

In an Active-high latch, the inputs are connected to ground, activating the latch by applying the HIGH signal on either of the inputs. If the SET input goes HIGH, it will keep the output HIGH even after the SET input goes LOW. The output will go LOW only when the RESET input turns HIGH.

And in an Active-low latch, the inputs are kept HIGH, activating the latch by applying the LOW signal on either input. When the SET input turns LOW, the output will go HIGH. The output remains in HIGH condition until the RESET pin goes LOW.

Applications

JK Flip Flops is widely used in electronic circuits with the main aim to store the state information of the device. Following are the major applications it can be used for.

• Shift Registers
• Data storage
• Data transfer
• Counters
• Frequency Dividers
• Bounce elimination switch
• Storage Registers

That's all for now. I'll be writing more articles related to some basic circuits used in engineering. If you have any question, you can ask me in the comment section below. I'd really appreciate if you have something to add in this post that has been left unsaid. Based on your feedback and suggestions, we shape our content strategy, so keep them coming. Thanks for reading the article.

Common Engineering Problems and How to Alleviate Them

Hi Friends! Hope you are doing well. I am back to update you with some nuggets of valuable information that keeps your innovation alive, helping you think out of the box. Today, I'll highlight the Common Engineering Problems and How to Alleviate Them.  All men are born equal while some of them opt to become an engineer. The field that looks enticing for almost everyone and makes them feel captivated with the thought, if you become engineer, you'd be a billionaire at some point of your life. I'm not sure if you can make it happen or not, but you need to understand the common problems before you aim to join the engineering field. Let's jump right in and get to the point.

Common Engineering Problems and How to Alleviate Them

When nature decides the gender of the babies, our parent strives to plan their future. If you born in a traditional family, you are left out with three options to choose as a career

• Doctor
• Engineer
• What your parents want

You get loads of marks in high school, clear entry test, apply for admission, result rolls out, and congrats you get admission in the university you aimed for. Now the real manipulation begins. University days are awesome, not for everyone, but a person who knows how to manage both educational and social life. More or less, engineers live a painful life, working on daunting lengthy assignments and presentations with no clue, all these university prerequisites are far less than the atrocities of professional life.

Punch in the Stomach

Some students get too high GPA, somewhere around 3.999 (+0.11), that they feel overwhelmed by the question right after their graduation – you are passed out with tons of marks, why are you jobless by now? This question looks like a punch in the stomach, giving you no flexibility to defend yourself. Teaser: It is better to get a low GPA and remain jobless than getting high GPA with no job.

Why ain’t you doing a Field Job?

As you remain jobless for two, three years after graduation, you feel shy to introduce yourself as an engineer with the fear, they are going to ask about your job. God forbid if you get the job anyway, but not in your relevant field, brace yourself with the taunt, if you have done engineering, why ain’t you doing the job in your field?

Some Common Engineering Fields

Mechanical engineers: They are amazing. Some confuse them with mechanics. They struggle hard in college with the notion, there will be a lot of girls in the engineering field. And when they get admission, they come to know, only 3 or 4 girls are there in the class, left them calculating how much boys are reserved for each girl. Electrical engineers: They are magical. And when they fail to fix any home appliance, they go into drastic inferiority complex, thinking, if they worth less than an electrician? Nonetheless, thanks to these engineers, without them we would be living in the darkness and no bunch of electricity was available (if we ignore few countries) to decorate and flavor up our homes, shops and picnic places. If you are an electrical engineer and reading this post right now, you may have to develop a project quite often with PCB as the main part of it. You can pick PCBWay in order to fill your technical needs for quality PCB that will help you design the project with thick copper on the surface, providing a solid and coherent interface and helps join all components on a single board. Mechatronics Engineers: Google is the second best tool that knows everything, Mechatronics engineers still stand first. They are a jack of all trades but master of some. Mechatronics is a combination of mechanical and electronics with little ingredients of every field including computer, civil, architecture, transportation, chemical, and petroleum engineering with some taste of fashion designing, law, C.A, health and fitness and biomedical. They can be a good fit for any field. Apart from doing their field job, if there are some, they are good at babysitting, traveling, adventure and storytelling. Whenever they appear for any job interview, knowing the job offer is purely related to the certain field, they present themselves expert in an exactly opposite niche. If the company offers an electrical job, they appear in the interview anyway, stating they have a profound knowledge in Thermodynamics, let alone designing and manufacturing and overhauling Ford Car Engines.

How to Alleviate Common Problems

Only engineers can truly understand the atrocities they face in their lifetime. Every person comes with a unique nature and mindset, not every advice stands fit and resonates with everyone. However, with an ability to comprehend some common rules and real understanding, everyone can fix their problems, let alone engineers.

Skill matter, GPA doesn’t

Needless to say, if you are scoring 2.99 GPA, you are doing well. I’m sorry for the thetas but what is the point of stressing out for four years, if you are going to get paid the same or sometimes less than average students. Remember, skill outperforms memorizing talent in most of the cases. Instead of cramming the course, you must aim for boosting up your skills. It happens, when student pass out and complete graduation, they have no idea about the skills they are good at. In university, they learn a bundle of software with no mastery in any of them. However, if they learn only one software like a Pro, they surely have something to offer and market themselves as a brand in particular skill.

Money is Something, not Everything

Lack of career counseling is the major issue Graduate Students face right now. Yes, money does matter. It is something, if not everything. You spend a full four years in university, thinking you are going to get paid a bunch of dollars. And all these dreams gone to dust when you know, no company is ready to pay you enough so you can enjoy and spend life with full liberty without the fear of getting stuck with empty pocket at the end of the month.

Put your Health First

I know some of the friends, if we ignore 90% of them, are making good money, with no intention, if their health is put on hold. Money is necessary, health comes and goes, right? Wrong! Adopt the job what makes you feel happy at the end of the day. If you are earning too much in a job that makes your health bleed, then you are playing a risky bet. Protip: There is a scope in every field as long as you know how the knack for time management and basic knowledge to present things from your boss’s perspective and what makes him feel good. Presentation of works bears more value than the actual work itself. The crux of this read: No matter what engineering you do, all it boils down how much are you making in the end. If you are making the handsome amount, there is no need to wrestle your mind getting a field job. That's all for today. I hope you have got something valuable out of this read. You are most welcome to keep us updated with your valuable feedback and suggestions, they help us provide you quality work so you keep coming back for what we have to offer. Thanks for reading the article.

Role of Technology in Business Development

Hey Fellas! Hope you are getting along with life pretty well. Today, I'll highlight the Role of Technology in Business Development. The latest technology is an increasing inevitability in business nowadays. As the time goes by, more and more businesses are leaning toward technology and there is nothing wrong to say that business and technology are two things impossible to separate from each other. It is also said by experts that business needs technology to be sustained in this fast-changing digital market.

Role of Technology in Business Development

Technology streamlines the way we execute business operations and both big and small businesses are now using the modern technology to complete a range of specific tasks and jobs. Every business is using technology in its own way to fulfill their specific needs and requirements. They use it to improve on efficiency, to increase overall production as well as to cut the business overheads down. Undoubtedly, integration of technology in a business can be expensive but it can benefit your business specifically. Here is how.

Link to the Global Village

Transportation, effective communication and many other things are involved with a business to make it a complex set of processes. Thankfully, technology has pushed businesses towards a new age of development. Now a business can easily access the global market to get more clients and customers for offered products and services. Now, anyone can do business anywhere even without leaving the bedroom just because of the technology. With help of high-speed internet and latest tech inventions, a business can market its products globally to enhance its customer base.

Employee Monitoring and Asset Tracking

Technology has made it easier for companies and business organizations to better manage and monitor their employees and track assets efficiently. Managers can keep an eye on employees by using CCTV camera in the workplace. On another hand, mobile cmms software enables a business to keep track of assets more effectively to streamline the business processes and operations effectually. There are numberless applications available that can track customer calls to help managers understand lag times for better team coaching to improve customer services. Customer relationship management software can also be used to keep track of sales and customer details in order to make communication better than before.

Enhanced Business Security

Data security is one of the major concerns when it comes to keeping your business away from data and privacy breach. As almost all businesses and companies are using computers and cloud storage to store business details and information, hackers can easily steal customer details and confidential business information by using a variety of different tricks. By using powerful firewalls and malware blockers, a business can prevent data and privacy breach to keep business data in safe hands. Strong CCTV cameras offer a powerful security layer to improve the overall business security.

Faultless Business Reports and Documents

There is no more need to calculate business figures or create documents manually because of the availability of accounting software and applications. Business financial reports are generated automatically on computers even on mobile devices to keep the business operations and functions running smoothly without facing the barriers of location and time. Most of the software and applications automatically generate and send the reports to authorities.

Increased Productivity

Heavy-duty computers, business software solutions, and mobile technology have amazingly increased overall employees' performance by allowing them to accomplish assigned business tasks in less time and spending fewer energy & efforts. A maintenance management business can enhance its productivity by letting the maintenance staff know what is reactive and proactive maintenance and how it can reduce downtime and asset failures. Business process automation is one of the great benefits of technology in business that allows a business to produce more in less time by spending fewer overheads.

Marketing

Production of high quality and best performing products is not enough for business success but you will need to market them as well in order to let customers know that what you are providing. In this era of latest technology and internet, it is very easy for businesses to promote their products and services globally using business websites and different social media platforms. Digital marketing is affordable these days even one can do it easily by having basic SEO and social media marketing skills. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are widely used by businesses and companies not only to market their products but to stay in touch with customers 24/7. That's all for today. I hope you have found this article useful as per your needs and requirements. If you are unsure or have any question, you can approach me in the comment section below. I'd love to help you the best way I can. Thanks for reading the article.

Introduction to PWM (Pulse Width Modulation)

Hey Guys! Welcome you onboard. Today, I'll discuss an important topic titled "Introduction to PWM". I will try to cover everything related to PWM i.e. PWM Definition, PWM generation, why we need PWM signals? how it is used in a variety of applications ranging from motors, heating systems, hydraulics, control valves, pumps etc. One important thing to mention here is "PWM can be applied on both AC and DC electrical signals". So, let's get started:

What is PWM (Pulse Width Modulation)?

As we all know, there are two main types of electrical signals i.e. AC and DC. Both of these signals are used as a power source for different types of electrical appliances. Now if we have a look at these electrical appliances, they operate at different voltage levels and may also need variable voltage supply(as in fan dimmers). So, there was a need to generate variable voltage supplies with minimal power losses, as other methods(i.e. step-down transformers etc.) dissipates energy and thus wasn't that effective. Different techniques were designed for achieving variable voltage levels and one of them is called PWM(abbreviation of Pulse Width Modulation), which is considered to be the most effective one.

• In PWM, we simply turn on and off our power supply at equal intervals and thus reduces the average power of the signal.
• As shown in the below figure(A), I have taken a 5V DC signal and divided it into three equal intervals, each interval representing one cycle.
• In figure(B), for each cycle, the power is ON for the first half, while it's OFF for the second half.
• So, we can say that we are simply switching our DC supply at equal intervals(in this case interval is 50%).
• If we perform this switching using a manual switch(which must be really slow), we will get 5V when the switch is ON and 0V when the switch is OFF, the circuit is shown in figure(D).
• But, if we replace this manual switch with an automatic switch(i.e. Mosfets, IGBTs, FETs etc.), we can achieve fast switching in the range of nanoseconds.
• This fast switching of the electrical signal will reduce its average power but the output will remain continuous and for the 50% ON/OFF cycle, the output of 5V signal will be around 2.5V, as shown in figure(C).
• In figure(C), the output signal is shown in blue color, which is of 2.5V but the actual PWM signal is switching ON/OFF and shown in orange color.

• The percentage for which signal remains in ON state in one cycle is called the duty cycle(we will discuss it in detail later).
• In the above example, the duty cycle of the PWM wave is 50%, that's why its output is exactly half, as we are turning it OFF for the remaining 50%.

Now let's have a look at a proper definition of pulse width modulation:

PWM Definition

• PWM(short for Pulse Width Modulation) is a modulation technique, used to step down the voltage level(average power) of electrical signals(both AC & DC) by varying their width(ON duration) using fast-switching.
• If a voltage source is

PWM in DC Signals

Suppose, we have a 12V DC power supply but we want to control a DC load of 5V, let's say RGB LED, as shown in the below figure. Circuit A has a manual switch in it, if we quickly turn ON and OFF this switch at equal intervals, we will get either 12V or 0V at the output and the LED will also turn ON or OFF and there's a chance it may burn out. But if we replace this manual switch with an automatic switch i.e. transistor(as in Circuit B), then we can achieve accurate and fast switching. This fast switching will be doing the same thing i.e. turning ON and OFF the electrical signal but it will be doing this switching in nanoseconds, which will reduce the average power of the electrical signal but the output will remain continuous. So, if the transistor is ON and OFF for an equal amount of time, then the output signal will reduce from 12V to 6V and the LED will glow. But if you want to be precise and want to generate an exact 5V output, then we have to further decrease the ON period of the transistor, which will reduce the output in turn. The two main factors of PWM are:

1. Switching Frequency.
2. Duty Cycle.

Switching Frequency

The frequency(or rate) at which the transistor is operating is termed as switching frequency. Normally microcontrollers are used to generate the PWM pulse but in small circuits, 555 Timer is also used. A normal 8-bit microcontroller can generate a PWM pulse ranging from 4MHz to 80MHz, let's say if we are generating a PWM pulse of 20MHz:

t = 1/f

t = 1/20MHz

t = 0.066us

So, the time period of a single PWM pulse is 0.066us, that's how fast it's switching.

Duty Cycle

In one cycle of PWM pulse, the ON period of pulse is termed as duty cycle. So, if the transistor is switching at 50%. If you have ever worked on a DC Motor, you must have noticed that its speed varies as we change its input voltage. If I am working on a 12V DC motor and it's rotating at 500RPM(let's say), so if I reduce its voltage from 12V to 6V, its RPM will reduce from 500RPM to 250RPM(ideally). In the PWM technique, electrical signals are passed through a fast switching device(i.e. FETs, MOSFETs, IGBTs etc.), these transistors are programmed to chop off the electrical signal at equal intervals. PWM is a process mainly used for getting an analog signal using a digital source.

• It is nothing but a controller that controls and handles the input current applied to the load.

The PWM varies between high and low values where the high value indicates, 5V is applied and the low value indicating the ground signal is applied to the load. Note: Not necessarily, the upper-value corresponds to 5V, it can be any value based on the voltage at which load operates. I have mentioned 5V just to give you an idea of how the PWM switches between high and low values.   The PWM works like a controlled switch that mainly handles the current being delivered to the load. When the switch is off, it will indicate no current is available for the load and when a switch is On, it means the power is delivering to the load with no voltage drop. PWM controllers are mainly used where we need to keep the power losses minimum by providing the power to the load in pulses instead of continues manner.

• PWM technique can be easily defined in terms of duty cycle and the frequency it takes to repeat the duty cycle per second. The duty cycle highlights the amount time the signal switches between ON and OFF position. It is described in percentage. If the signal remains ON half of the total duty cycle and remains OFF in another half, then the duty cycle will be 50%.

The following figure shows the duty cycle in terms of percentage that mainly relates the ON and OFF digital signal on the waveform.

• The PWM controls the duty cycle of the signal which consequently controls the speed of the motor.

If the frequency of the duty cycle is 50 Hz, it means 50 duty cycles are completed per second, terming the ratio how fast it regulates between high and low values.

• The frequency requires for PWM process will vary as per the nature of the applications. Some require fast duty cycle for controlling the load at a faster pace while some need a low duty cycle in order to keep the process smooth and away from power losses. More often than not, the response time of the load sets the pathway for the frequency required for the PWM.

It is important to note that the motor speed is directly proportional to the duration of the duty cycle at which the signal remains turned ON. The longer the duration of ON signal, the faster the motor terminals will rotate similarly OFF duration will lead to the slow speed of the motor.

• Using PWM for controlling the motor has a leg over the simple varying the analog signal to the motor. As the analog signal applies the power to the motor with continuous variation, failing to keep the motor terminals completely OFF or ON, as a result, power loss occurs during this process, however, PWM delivers the power in pulses that keep the motor terminals either in fully ON or OFF state.

LED Example

Controlling the RGB LED is a perfect example for understanding the concept of PWM. By varying the amount of duty cycle of each color and playing around with their brightness will give a specific color every time. Avoid adjusting the duty cycle with the same magnitude for every color, doing this will give a white light. If you are applying red light with 10% duty cycle at 2 MHz speed, then most of the time red light will appear OFF as you see. Yes, it will turn on for the small amount of time but it appears as it is not taking part in the flash created by RGB LED. Similarly, applying red light with 10% duty cycle at 100 MHz will increase the contribution of the red light in the LED as it will turn on will greater pace as compared to applying it with lower frequency.

Computer Motherboard

The computer motherboard is another example that requires PWM signals for its fan to be running with the power pulses. If power is given continuously without PWM, it may cause a severe harm to the board, as the board will run with full speed without any pause. Pulses of power keep the board in a constant loop, where power signals are given in quick successions that keep the fan running. If you buy a new computer, you may notice a 4 pin PWM header is added in the fan that controls the cooling process of the board. The point worth mentioning here is that the PWM generated with sloped duty cycle is preferred over generating it with a flat one. As the later one is more vulnerable to creating a clicking sound when the fan runs at low speed. Similarly, when the duty cycle approaches 100%, the fan will run with full speed, creating an unpleasant ticking sound. In order to alleviate the bothering sound, some quality fans come with IC drive chips, allowing the fan to run smoothly without creating any sound. You may need extra bucks for buying the quality PWM fans that not only retain the quality but also help in increasing the overall lifetime of the board.

Applications

• DC and Servo Motors
• Heating systems,
• Hydraulics
• Control valves,
• Pumps
• Telecommunication
• Computer applications

That's all for today. I hope you have found this article useful. If you are feeling dubious about PWM and how it works and the topic you may notice that I have left uncovered related to PWM, you can approach me in the comment section below. I'd love to help you according to the best of my knowledge. You are most welcome to keep us updated with your valuable suggestions, so we keep coming back with quality content as per your needs and expectation. Thanks for reading the article. [PostWidget5