Getting to Know Inkjet Printers

Getting to Know Inkjet Printers

Inkjet printers were born in the 1980s, replacing the popular dot matrix printer. Inkjet printers drop droplets of ink onto printer paper to produce text and images. The drops of ink are actually smaller than the width of a strand of hair, so don’t expect to actually see individual droplets on your printouts. It’s not like the older dot matrix, which produced much larger drops of ink.
There are several major printer technologies- the two largest categories being impact and non-impact. As you probably guessed, impact printers work by actually touching the paper to produce text and images. Dot matrix printers fall in this category. Non impact printers never actually touch the paper. Both inkjet and laser printers fall into this category.
So what makes an inkjet printer work? There are several key components found in all inkjet printers that make them tick. The most important and fragile piece of any printer is the print head. It contains the ink-emitting nozzles. The ink cartridges hold the actual ink that is fed into the head. The stepper motor powers the print head, propelling it back and forth across the paper. A stabilizer bar ensures that that the movements of the print head are controlled and precise.
Paper is fed into the printer via a feeder. The paper is pulled inside the printer by several rollers. Of course, none of these components would function without power. Most printers use standard power supply. Your computer talks to the printer through interface ports, most commonly, the USB port.

CAM: A Vital Component of CNC

CAM: A Vital Component of CNC

Computer Aided Manufacturing started being used by automotive and aerospace component manufacturing companies. This sped up the manufacturing process and thus increased efficiency ratings. However, the introduction of CAD into the industrial sector did not eliminate the need for skilled professionals.

In fact, the operation of this program requires a higher degree of skill in terms of being computer literate.

Flaws

The CAM system is a flawless solution. However speedy the system becomes, it still has faults that may hamper production. Since CAM generates a code for the least capable machine, an improperly set CAM software required heavy manual editing. In this case, editing such a code is a tedious and drawn-out process that takes a lot of time and effort (something that big-time companies cannot spare).

Another problem that you have to face is the data exchange that has to take place when integrating CAM with other components (CAD/CAM/CAE PLM). It becomes necessary for the CAM operator to export the data in a more compatible data format. And since the output stack of CAM is a G-code text file—sometimes containing thousands of commands—the operator is then faced with a very serious time problem.

CAM cannot reason. In this case, it cannot figure out the right toolpath for mass production. Operators would still have to select the type of tool to be used, the machining process that should be followed, and the path to be used. This means that the CAM cannot adjust to wear issues and sudden changes. It needs to be reprogrammed to be able to work efficiently. Furthermore, mass production increases the likelihood of errors to occur in the production cycle.

PROS

CAM can cut cycle time significantly. This means that with the proper people and the proper tools, a more efficient production method can be obtained. A lower cycle time means that you can produce more components in a lesser time. And since the main users of CAM and CNC are big manufacturers with deadlines, it is of the utmost priority to cut cycle time.

Another advantage that could be gained by CAM software is the increase in machine life. Since the process is automated, the system can keep track of certain variables that allow it to adjust to the conditions of the machine that is operating under it. This means that the life of the machine can be extended by adjusting the performance of the machine in order to avoid overworking it.

Quality can also be taken into account in this scenario. It is because the system also monitors slight differences in the production environment. Furthermore, the intricate designs that cannot be achieved by human engineers can be achieved by the machines. Also, these designs can be completed at a faster rate compared to manual operations. Another factor that should be considered would be the error ratio of the production of any components.

Conclusion

So, CAM is a very important aspect of production. However, the need for skilled operators still exists as programming and setting up these machines decide the fate of the manufacturing process. However, the increased automation and efficiency provided by such a system makes programming and setting up of these systems the only jobs of the operators.

This also allows operators to be more productive as they do not have to watch any single machine for more than the required amount of time.

Lost Something On Your Computer? It May Not Be As Bad As You Think

Lost Something On Your Computer? It May Not Be As Bad As You Think

Just because you can’t see it, or can’t find it doesn’t mean that its not there! I would say at least 90% of people who use a computer on a regular basis have no idea how it actually works. They think that things like icons on their desktop will make their computer run slow. Many things that because they have a slow computer it will cause their Internet to be slow. Others think that “Windows” is the computer and they don’t realize that it’s just another piece of software like every other program running on a computer. Finally many people think that when they click and delete something off of their computer, and wipe it from their trash bin that the information is actually gone. If you think that is the case, and you think you have lost your information for good, think again, cause you might just be in luck!

When information is stored on your hard drive or hard disk, it is stored in things called sectors. When you delete something off of your computer through Windows or Linux or Dos all it is doing is telling the computer that those sectors are now available to be written over. The computer doesn’t actually wipe them clean, which would be useless when it could just as easily write over them. So if you have a virus or a computer illiterate roommate that happens to delete the important files off your computer, then you might just be able to get that information back. There is one catch, its not easy!

Not only is it not easy, but also 99% of people don’t have the technology, know-how or resources and education to do it themselves. This is why there are professional companies that specialize in data recovery, and believe me, they charge tons of money.

Data loss occurring from an actual hard drive failure such as overheating and melting important sensors or an electric shock that fries components might actually result in permanent data loss. Yep, so sometimes data recovery cannot restore lost files. This is why data security is a smart, preventative measure. Backing up data on multiple hard drives and CDs and DVDs and on multiple computers will prevent disastrous things like permanent data loss from occurring. Be smart – back your files up, it will cost you less to back up on hard drives than it will cost you to recover files directly from your hard disk.