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An orifice plate is a standard device that serves a wide range of applications. Its purpose is to calculate the volumetric flow rate of a liquid or steam. It’s a metal disk with a concentric hole that connects the pipe that holds the liquid. This device determines the flow rate by calculating the difference between the pipe’s upstream and downstream flow. The orifice fitting continuously measures the flow rate in the pipeline. The orifice plate and seal are mounted between orifice flanges in a straight pipe to avoid flow interruptions. So, what makes these parts perfect?

What defines a perfect orifice plate and seal?

The orifice plate has several features that make it a reliable measuring tool. It’s essential to know a perfect orifice plate and seal’s features to understand what you need to check when buying. Here’s what makes an orifice plate and seal excellent for work.

Design

An orifice plate comes in different designs, such as quadrant edge, square edge, or segmental bore plate. A perfect orifice plate has precise dimensions, which are critical when calculating the rate flow. The device should have its sizes stamped on the plate.

Variation in types

These orifice plates come in three types. Each type plays a particular role in the running of the system. The concentric plate measures the flow of fluids, steam, or gas used in pipes below six inches. The eccentric plate calculates the flow of liquids such as oils and steam or fluids containing solids. Segmental plates measure the flow of slurry fluids and are pretty effective when handled and positioned well.

Smooth feel and condition

A ready-to-use orifice plate has a smooth surface that does not have dents or gouging. You can make sure of this by feeling the orifice plate for any bends, cuts, or other deformities. If a dented orifice plate is used, it will distort the differential pressure and give wrong calculations.

Sharp and crack free edges

Another part of the orifice plate that needs attention is the bore edges of the plate. This part is important because the fluid will continuously pass through here. The plate should be free of any cracks or gouges on its edge. It’s crucial to ensure that the edges of the bore are sharp. An orifice plate with cracks or dents on its edges will affect the flow rate.

Damage-free seals

An orifice plate comes with seals that hold the plate firmly between the flanges. A good seal is free of any splits or other forms of damage. If the seals are not in order, they can cause leaks around the plate.

Conclusion

An orifice plate and seal are essential devices in measuring fluids’ flow rate. Their simple design makes them easy to install, not forgetting their different forms and sizes. However, for an orifice plate to be efficient, it must have the correct dimensions and have the plate and bore edges in excellent conditions. Additionally, the seals should be in great condition to firmly hold the plate in its housing.

Cold forging is the process of creating items without the use of heat or below the metal’s crystallization temperature. Over the years, many companies have embraced this process, and you can click here to see just that. While some people are still skeptical about the process, there have been many positive reviews about them. If you are thinking of changing your manufacturing process, it helps if you consider cold forging. To help you decide, here are the major pros of this process.

1. It is cost-effective

Cold forging is such a great process because the production cost is lower than other processes. This is because the preprocessing, temperature, and finish costs are lowered compared to the other processes. Heat processes consume a lot of energy, whether it is through burning fuel or using up electricity. These two need to be catered for, and they go to lengths to increase the overall cost of production. With cold forging, once you have completed the process, you need to do minimal finishing that does not use up a lot of labor. It makes the entire process cheap.

2. Speedy production

If there is one thing most people love about production, it has to be speedy productions. The reason for this is if the material needed is found fast enough, one does not have to wait long for them. Cold forging has been automated, ensuring that you get your products in the shortest time possible. Most cold forging machines produce up to 1000 units in an hour, making them ideal for large-scale production.

3. Environmental friendly

Companies are the leading cause of carbon emission in the world. They burn up fuels and release fumes into the atmosphere, which affects the rate of global warming. With cold forging, all this is reduced. There is no heat being produced since no furnaces are being used. With this, there will be no carbon emissions during production. The production process can go on without one having to worry about the carbon footprint they leave behind.

4. Better products

 The products made from cold forging are known to be of better quality. One can reap all the benefits of the metal used in their products as it is not affected in any way. Since the metal is not heated up, there is nothing to affect its quality. There is also no reaction of the metal to heat, so you can be sure that you are getting sturdy arts that will last you longer than heat forged items.

5. Wide variety of metals

Cold forging can be used with a variety of metals. It comes in handy, especially when one needs different products in different metals. The process forgets most if not all types of metals. One can rest assured that they will get what they need.

Last thoughts

Cold forging is a process that will be in use for the time to come. Do your research on the materials it can handle to ensure you get the best experience out of it. But what you need to understand is with cold forging, quality is guaranteed.

In a PCB factory, designing a PCB is a normal day-to-day operation. The task is handled by electronic engineers who have the experience and expertise to carry out such processes. However, despite using all the advanced machinery, sometimes developing a high-quality design is challenging. Some PCBs may come out better than others and with no errors, and that’s why product testing is essential. In this article, we dive into factors to consider when selecting a PCB design.

Factors to Consider When Selecting a PCB Design

Whether you are part of the design process or selecting an already designed product, you must consider several factors to ensure the design is high-quality. They include;

1. Board Materials

The board is the base for any PCB. It offers mechanical support for all electronic components; hence the material used is essential. The Pcb is made up of different materials, some conductive like copper while others are non-conductive.

The copper material allows the flow of current within the circuit; hence the electric components can function as intended. The material on the base is mainly a glass laminated material called FR4.

FR4 is among the glass-epoxy compounds preferred by many manufacturers due to its mechanical strength. The material is heat resistant, making it ideal for devices with live current flowing through them.

It is also cost-friendly and easily accessible to most users. Some circuits are high-performance and require different materials to sustain their use. Ceramic bases or PTFE are suitable as they can withstand any activity and are used alongside fillers for extra support.

2. Traces

A PCB cannot do without traces. Copper traces are vital components in the design, and you should understand how they operate, their qualities, benefits, and drawbacks that they bring if used in a design. Since copper is one of the primary materials used on the board, part of it is removed and used to form traces. The traces are therefore good conductors of electricity too.

3. PCB Layers

The layers are also known as stack-up. Know how many layers you need your PCB to have before choosing a design. Knowing the number prior allows the electronic engineer to understand the electrical resistance of each layer.

In addition, selecting the fabrication process becomes effortless, as well as determining the yield and reliability needed. The breakdown of these factors helps lower the overall production cost, and the product becomes more affordable.

4. Parts Selection

When choosing the design, knowing which parts you want on the PCB is crucial. This is one of the significant and most tiring steps in the entire design process. The right part ensures quality levels are met and reduces the number of errors that may arise during the process. Always choose readily available parts meaning they are used widely and are sold in large amounts. Look at the packaging the components come in as they are used for connecting them to the PCB board, but some are compatible like those with multiple packages.

Conclusion

The above points are perfect for application by experts and novices as long as they want to choose a PCB design. They are straightforward to understand, and essential hence need to be followed for good and high-quality PCB designs.

The manufacturing industry has made a revolution turn to embrace production technology, which has made a significant impact on the quality of the products. CNC machining is one of the most in-demand modern manufacturing processes. Companies offering the best CNC machining services to innovative companies use the latest CNC technologies to produce high-quality precision parts. This article discusses the latest technologies in the CNC industry.

Latest Technologies in CNC Machining Production

The recent advancements in CNC technologies are taking manufacturing to another level; innovative companies are faced with new challenges and demands every day. These demands have prompted companies to use automation or a human machine to sustain the increasing market needs. These are the advanced tech features of CNC equipment and human operators;

1. Multi-axis Machinery

The oldest CNC machine has two axes, X and Y, which means the table moves left and right. If the machine had a third axis, the axis allows the quill to move up and down. The more axis the equipment has, the more it is capable of producing complex parts effectively. An equipment can have up to seven axes; this is a complete set capable of manufacturing intricate pieces in one go.

The Multi-axis CNC equipment manufacturing system concedes the modularity concept, allowing more axis to be added to the machine. If the machine had just three-axis, it could be easily upgraded to four.

2. Smart Machines

Smart machines are linked to a set of technological instructions enabling them to work under their command. This ensures continuous production of the same high-quality parts. They are also used for online testing of interim designs, which are polished and corrected until a final layout is obtained. The configuration can be stored to create a prototype.

The use of smart machines has lessened the need for manpower; that said, you will still need a team of experts to help in the operation and maintenance of the machines. As much as the machines might be expensive, they ensure a smooth manufacturing process and a reduced innovation risk.

3. Manpower Functionality

The ever-changing world of technology requires a more skilled team. You might be obliged to train and retain your current staff or hire a competent team. Technology advancements in CNC machining affect the functionality of your labor force; most of these advanced machines are self-operating. They require minimal human assistance. These machines assure total accuracy, and if a problem occurs, an alert will be sent warning about the same.

Conclusion

The scarcity of skilled programmers and proficient machinists is why manufacturing companies embrace technology and move to automation. With these technological advancements, machines can create unique designs without errors. The programs should be error-free because the machines follow the program instructions to the latter. This means that any mistake can lead to the production of an undesired product.

Advanced CNC machinery can have robotic attachments that make them more efficient compared to traditional machines. The accuracy of the production makes CNC machining technology a lucrative and optimal manufacturing process. The technology also contributes to increased production.

A 3D printer filament is a type of printing material used for FFF type 3D printing. The filament is currently one of the most commonly applied types of printing materials in the world. The market is packed with a wide range of filament types. Click here to look at some 3D filament options.

Types of 3D filaments

Below are some of the main and most common types of 3D filaments;

1. PLA

Also known as Polylactic acid, this is the most widely used 3D filament on the market. It is commonly used in FDM printing. Compared to other types of 3D filaments, it is the most beginner-friendly option. This is because it is easy to handle and does not require any complex equipment.

Additionally, PLA filament is quite affordable. Therefore, if you are getting into 3D printing for the first time, you should choose this type of filament. It is also worth mentioning that PLA filament is made from biodegradable and sustainable sources.

2. ABS

Acetonitrile Butadiene Styrene, known simply as ABS, is in many ways similar to PLA. Like PLA, it is also a commonly-used 3D filament. It is one of the strongest filament materials on the market that is inexpensive and offers superior toughness, impact resistance, and chemical stability. Its good thermal conductivity also makes it a worthy opponent for PLA. However, it also has some downsides. For instance, it is highly prone to warping and is not as safe for the environment as it gives off toxic fumes.

3. PETG

PETG, known in full as Polyethylene Terephthalate, is a version of PET that is enhanced with glycol. For this reason, PTEG is more chemically stable than standard PTE. It is also more heat-stable, flexible, and resistant to impact. This filament is highly suitable for outdoor projects and applications. All the features mentioned above, plus the good thermal properties, make it good for these applications. However, the material is tough to finish and more costly than the other alternatives.

4. TPU

TPU, also known as Thermoplastic polyurethane, is a recent version of TPE. It is a highly flexible filament material primarily used to create rubber-like 3D printed objects. It is hard, making it easy to convey through the extruder. It features rubber-like flexibility and excellent layer-to-layer adhesion. However, it is difficult to handle, cannot be smoothed or polished, and has poor bridging performance.

5. Nylon

Nylon filament is also familiar to a lot of people. It is a synthetic polyamide that is applied in a wide range of areas, including 3D printing. It is strong, resistant to abrasion, chemically stable, has a low coefficient of friction, highly heat-stable, and flexible. However, it requires very high temperatures to print. It is also prone to warping and degrades under UV radiation.

Conclusion

Each of the types of materials listed above offers both benefits and downsides. Therefore, when picking the best one, it would help if you considered the pros and cons of each. It would also help if you had professional assistance in the selection process.

Whether you’re using rapid prototyping or any other type of prototyping technique, you must know that the process involved in product development is key to achieving success.

Also, understanding the steps to good prototyping helps you get products that function better at the end of the day. This piece will show you certain factors to take into consideration when prototyping:

Factors to Consider When Prototyping

The following are a few steps you can go through to end up with your desired product’s prototype:

1. Define what you need

You must first know and understand the exact thing you need from your prototype. That’s because the likelihood of two developers having similar requirements if a design is low.

Certain questions should be asked and answered. When you clearly define and understand the requirements and goals of your designs, you can only expect your product to be successful after manufacturing.

2. Every Iteration or Prototype Should Be Focused on a Specific Goal

Most times, it becomes tasking to have your prototype do many things at a go. This can be a result of logistics, cost, product development, pitching process, and a host of other problems.

This is why for every repeated procedure you plan to take, you should ensure the outcome will be highly beneficial to your customers. If you’re using mechanical prototyping, make sure that all your products are sound mechanically, and can convince the user.

3. Provide Enough Value

This is easily the best way to make the best out of your prototyping project. Every of your product should be able to give your customers value for their money. How can you do this? By making sure they are easy to use.

Also, you can price that you have enough experience in your field. If you’re confused about materials to use, you can consult with your seniors and ask them for help. Just make sure you know the steps starting from scratch to the final stage of prototyping.

4. Know Your Prototype Limit

Knowing the exact limitations of your product means you should understand their abilities and inabilities. While certain prototypes can provide functional support, others are great with cosmetic testing or rapid prototyping. Make sure that you gave enough clarity before beginning the entire process.

5. Study the Properties of Materials You will Use

This is the part where many people make mistakes. Before beginning any of the Prototyping procedures, ensure that you have properly studied the prototyping materials and their properties.

An important step to ensuring the success of your prototype. Note the differences in their flexibility, strength, temperature, resistance, durability, and a lot of other important factors. Make sure that you hear these properties in mind when shipping for the prototype material.

Final Thoughts

If you guys to this point, it means you now know the important keys to creating prototypes. However, you must understand that regardless of the designer you have chosen to work on your prototype, making the right decision should be the end goal. This will serve as a contributing factor towards the success of your final result.