カテゴリー: category_group_usa

What Is Weighing Equipment?

Weighing Equipment is a generic term for devices used to measure weight, mass, or volume. It includes household weighing instruments such as scales, cooking scales, and measuring cups, as well as industrial weighing instruments such as trucks, cranes, and tanks, but generally refers to instruments used to weigh samples with high precision in chemical analysis and the like.

Types of Weighing Equipment

There are two types of weighing instruments: physical balances and electronic balances. Currently, there are two types of electronic balances in common use: load cell (electrical resistance) and electromagnetic (parallel electromagnetic force). For this reason, electromagnetic balances are mainly used in fields where high accuracy is required, such as analysis.

Instruments used to measure the volume of liquids include female flasks, which are mainly used to measure a fixed volume, female cylinders, pipettes, and syringes, which are used to collect a fixed volume and transfer it to another container, and burettes, which are used at the time of titration.

There are many types of pipettes used to measure relatively small amounts of liquids, each with different applications and precision. Pasteur pipettes, and transfer pipettes are not suitable for precise measuring, but they are used for pipetting and dispensing where accuracy is not required because they are simple to use.

In situations where high accuracy is required, a whole pipette (volumetric pipette) or a female pipette, which is less accurate than a whole pipette but allows greater flexibility in the volume of samples collected, is used. These pipettes are used with a rubber pipettor or safety pipettor to prevent chemicals from getting into the mouth when aspirating.

Micropipettes with disposable pipette tips are widely used for measuring minute amounts of liquid, mainly 1.0 mL (= 1000 µL) or less, and are sometimes referred to as pipettors. There are a wide variety of pipettors, including those that can pipette electrically, those that can set liquid volume digitally, and multi-channel pipettors.

What Is an Agitator?

Agitators are devices that stir two or more solids or liquids to create the necessary physical or chemical mixture.

They are used not only to mix substances to make their concentration and temperature uniform, but also to prevent particles from settling or floating to maintain the uniformity of substances, or to accelerate the speed of chemical reactions by promoting contact and dissolution between particles. They are also widely used as crystallizers to produce crystals.

Agitators can be broadly classified into relatively large ones used industrially and relatively small ones used for testing and research.

Types of Agitators (Industrial Use)

Industrial applications of agitators include use at manufacturing sites for paper, paint, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, fuel, asphalt, etc., as well as at water, sewage, and sludge treatment plants, and construction and engineering sites.

Agitators used for these applications mainly consist of an agitator tank that holds the material, and agitator blades that rotate within the tank. There are three main types: the agitator tank mobile type, the suspension type with a fixed agitator tank, and the tank mixer type with an integrated agitator tank and drive unit. The scale and structure of all types of agitators vary greatly depending on the specific gravity and viscosity of the material to be agitated, mixing ratio, mixing time, operating environment, and other conditions. The selection of the agitating blade is especially important in maintaining proper flow conditions in the agitation tank.

Types of Agitators (for Testing and Research)

Agitators used in testing and research include tabletop agitators, in which a small agitator blade is inserted into a container such as a beaker filled with liquid, and stirrers, which use magnetic force to stir the liquid in a container.

Magnetic stirrers, the most common type of stirrer, rotate a magnetic stirrer in a container by rotating a magnet in the main body, and are widely used for chemical analysis and other applications. In addition, there are also electromagnetic stirrers that generate a magnetic field by passing electricity through a coil in the main body to rotate the stirrer in a container, and these are used for different purposes.

What Is a Blower?

A blower is a general term for equipment that blows air.

A blower and a fan are considered synonymous in the same standard. However, in industrial settings, the above distinction is rarely made clearly, and blower is often used as a generic term for these types of blowers, with fan being used for those with relatively weak discharge pressure blower for those with relatively strong discharge pressure.

Types of Blowers

Various types of blowers exist depending on the impeller, which is an important component or part for generating airflow installed inside the blower.

A fan is broadly classified according to the direction in which gas passes through the impeller. Centrifugal fans, in which the gas passes through the impeller in the radial direction, include turbofans (backward-facing blower), sirocco fans (multi-blowers), and radial fans.

Other types of fans include line fans (diagonal flow blowers), in which the gas passes through the impeller at an angle to the axial direction, and axial flow fans, in which the gas passes through the impeller in the axial direction.

Blow guns and blower vacuum guns are also used to pump gas locally.

1. Sirocco Fan

Sirocco fans, also called multi-blade fans, usually have about 30 to 60 short and wide blades. Although their efficiency is relatively low (about 60%), they are mainly used as blowers for ventilation in buildings and ships, and for boiler ventilation because of their compact design and low noise level.

2. Radial Fan

Radial fans are a type of centrifugal blower with 6 to 12 parallel blades, usually made of steel, which are resistant and easily replaceable, and are used in sites and industries that transport gases containing solids such as particulates (dust, pulverized coal, cement, saw dust).

3. Turbo Fan

Turbo fans have an impeller structure similar to that of volute-type water flow pumps, and are used in a wide range of applications due to their high efficiency.

It is also highly resistant to heat, corrosion, and abrasion, and is used to promote combustion in incineration facilities, induce exhaust gases, transport gases containing powders and fine particles, and provide air conditioning and dust collection in the manufacturing processes of food, medicine, textiles, and metals.

4. Plate Fan

Plate fans are small, low-noise blowers among many other types of blowers, and are highly tolerant of continuous operation.

They have a wide range of applications, and can be used in dust collectors, crushers, dryers, incinerators, and other sites where general airflow is required.

Blower Applications

Blowers alone are used for air conditioning control, such as intake and exhaust air in facilities, air and oxygen supply at manufacturing and production sites, and various treatment plants, as well as for dust cleaning work. They are also incorporated into the interior of various products, such as cooling systems for electrical appliances and aircraft engines.

As mentioned above, the type of impeller and the material used for each type of blower varies greatly depending on the site and the environment in which it is used. It is very important to select the appropriate type of blower.

What Is a Dryer?

Dryers are used to remove water or moisture from objects by means of condensation.

A dryer uses electricity or gas as a heat source to dry the object. There is a wide range of objects to be dried, from household use to industrial use, and the types and methods of dryers vary widely. In particular, industrial dryers are important equipment for a wide range of industries, including food, chemical, pharmaceutical, biomass power generation, and sludge treatment.

Types of Dryers

Dryers are used in industries such as food, pharmaceutical, industrial, etc., as well as in household products used to dry dishes and clothes.

Industrial dryers vary in size and construction, ranging from small tabletop dryers used for testing and research to large drying plants for manufacturing and production sites. In addition, the drying method differs greatly depending on the type, so it is necessary to understand the drying principle and use the dryer according to the purpose.

Dryers are broadly classified according to the internal temperature at the time of operation. For example, there are constant-temperature dryers that maintain a uniform temperature in the range of 5 to 200°C, high-temperature dryers that maintain a temperature of 50 to 700°C, and low-temperature dryers that maintain a temperature of 5 to 45°C. The higher the temperature, the easier it is for moisture to evaporate, but it is also easier for the object to be denatured by the heat, so it is necessary to determine the most efficient drying temperature.

Different types of dryers use different air circulation patterns. There are natural convection systems that circulate air using the natural convection of gases, forced airflow systems that circulate air inside the chamber using an airflow fan, etc. The appropriate system should be selected according to the object to be dried. Vacuum dryers, which create a vacuum by lowering the air pressure inside the chamber to dry at a lower temperature than normal pressure, are also commonly used.

Other types of dryers include far-infrared dryers and microwave dryers, which use far-infrared rays or microwaves to heat and dry the object itself, and vacuum freeze dryers, which freeze the object and then vacuum dry it.

1. Band Dryers

Band dryers or conveyor dryers are very common dryers in which the object to be dried is loaded on a conveyor such as wire mesh or perforated plate, and is dried by hot air blown from outside the drying chamber while the conveyor is moving. This type of dryer can be used for a wide range of items, such as foodstuffs, building materials that do not change shape (veneer boards, etc.), automobile parts, and electrical and mechanical parts.

2. Tunnel Dryers

Tunnel dryers are a type of dryer in which the materials to be dried are loaded on a cart, and the cart is inserted at the entrance of the tunnel chamber and moved through the drying chamber. The features of this type of dryer are that it is suitable for drying materials for a long period of time, it can process large quantities, and the dryers equipped with an automated system can save energy. Target materials include foodstuffs (especially those that are resistant to shape damage), construction materials, IC substrates, automotive parts, etc.

3. Box Dryers

Box dryers are a type of dryer that use air currents generated in the drying chamber to dry the materials to be dried. Containers or trays loaded with drying materials are placed on shelves in the drying room and dried by airflow. The airflow system can be either horizontal (one direction or alternating direction) or ventilation airflow, and the most efficient airflow system can be selected according to the object to be dried. The target material can be food, medicine, agricultural products, pigments, cosmetics, and a very wide range of other industrial products, and can be powdery, lumpy, muddy, or plate-like materials.

4. Rotary Dryers

Rotary dryers dry materials by means of an agitator installed inside a rotating cylinder. The agitator repeatedly crushes and disperses the material and improves contact with hot air for more efficient drying.
Characteristically, the drying time is very short, and the amount of gas used can be reduced, which has advantages in terms of cost and environment. It is suitable for drying materials that contain a lot of water, muddy or highly viscous materials.

Applications of Dryers

Dryers are used for more than just drying materials. For example, high-temperature dryers are used for baking, curing, heat treatment, and sterilization, while constant-temperature dryers are sometimes used as heat insulators to maintain the viscosity of paints and other materials. Because temperatures can be precisely controlled, they may also be used for environmental resistance testing, such as heat or cold resistance.

What Are Inorganic Minerals?

An inorganic mineral is any substance other than the constituents of plants and animals.

An inorganic mineral is a natural inorganic material that meets the following four definitions by the International Mineralogical Association (IMA):

1. Naturally occurring materials formed by natural geological processes.
2. Naturally occurring solid material.
3. Has a well-defined crystal structure.
4. Has a well-defined chemical composition.

However, there are exceptions: non-crystalline opal and non-solid mercury are considered minerals.

Types of Inorganic Minerals

Inorganic minerals as industrial products are materials that are artificially manufactured by utilizing mineral materials, such as perlite, or mixed with resins, such as artificial marble or reinforced plastics, rather than directly using the materials themselves.

The uses of perlite are diverse, ranging from daily necessities to industry and construction. For example, perlite is used as a substitute for soil, which is difficult to handle because it gets dirty, while serving the role of soil as a stone with water retention properties as a gardening product.

Reinforced plastics used in automobiles and cell phones to reduce weight and increase strength are made from engineering plastics such as polyamide (nylon) and other plastics that are molded into granular resin pellets with a certain amount of strips of glass fiber mixed in.

Difference Between Ore and Mineral

Ore is a mineral or rock that is considered a resource. Metals such as gold, silver, copper, lead, and iron; rare metals such as titanium, manganese, cobalt, and nickel; fuels such as coal and oil; and gypsum and natural gas are also considered ores.

In addition, gemstones, which are considered resources, are considered ores and minerals, but pearls and synthetic diamonds are not minerals. This is because pearls are organic and man-made diamonds are man-made and therefore violate the definition of minerals. However, minerals that are not of natural origin are sometimes called artificial minerals.

What Is Paint?

Paint is a material used in the decoration process to improve the appearance and add functions such as waterproofing, insulation, and impact resistance.

Paint is sold as a product in several forms based on factors such as ease of manufacture, ease of application, and environmental friendliness. Paint is generally applied in liquid form, although some powder paints are available, because solid paints are difficult to handle when applied to the surface of a material.

Liquid paint with a certain viscosity can be applied with a brush or roller. If the area to be painted is large, for example, spraying is more efficient, and the viscosity must be low enough to allow the paint to pass smoothly through the nozzle.

Types of Paint

There are four main components of paint:

1. Resin

Resin is the main component of paint. Types of resins include acrylic, urethane, alkyd, vinyl chloride, polyester, epoxy, silicone, fluorine, etc.

2. Solvents

Solvents are liquid solvents that dissolve resins and other materials to be mixed. A solvent is called a water-based paint when it is partially or completely replaced by water instead of an organic solvent. 

3. Additives

Additives are used to increase productivity, improve product quality, or provide additional functions. They include dispersants, leveling agents, anti-precipitants, preservatives, rust and mildew inhibitors, emulsifiers, matting agents, and antifoam agents.

4. Pigments

The main purpose of pigments is coloring. Specifically, materials such as titanium dioxide for white and carbon black for black are used.

Types by Shape

1. Water-Based Paint

Water-based paint is a typical form of paint. It has been gaining attention in recent years as a substitute for conventional organic solvent-based paint due to environmental and health concerns.

Because they do not contain organic solvents, they can significantly reduce the generation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and are safe to work with. However, because it is water-based, it is susceptible to rainfall and condensation, and requires pretreatment to remove oil from the surface to be painted.

2. Powder-Based Paint

Paint powder does not contain any organic solvents and, like water-based paints, is safe for the environment and the health of the user. Compared to liquid-based paint, powder-based paint has the advantage that the quality of the coating film is more stable because it is easier to automate the coating machine.

It is also less susceptible to weather conditions such as temperature and humidity, and can improve the resistance of objects (impact resistance, chemical resistance, corrosion resistance, etc.).

Types by Resin Content

1. Epoxy Resin Paint

Epoxy resin paints are available in two types: room temperature curing type used for large steel structures, ships, concrete structures, etc., which require a high level of corrosion and chemical resistance, and heat curing type used as powder coatings.

2. Polyurethane Paint

Polyurethane resin paints are a combination of a base resin (polyol) and a hardener (polyisocyanate), and the characteristics can be changed by changing the combination of the base resin and hardener. Paint is mainly used for buildings and large structures as a topcoat that requires weather resistance.

3. Acrylic Resin Paint

Acrylic resin paint has a very high degree of freedom in design, and its hardness, polarity, etc. can be freely changed. They have excellent resistance to weather, water, oil, and alkalis, and are mainly used as coatings for floors and concrete surfaces.

Painting Process

Paint is applied in several coats to ensure consistent quality. For example, in the case of a three-layer system, the appropriate paint is used for the base coat, middle coat, and top coat, respectively.

What Are Coils?

Coils are generally referred to as conductive coils in industrial products.

A conductive coil can be made to act as a magnet by conducting electricity and generating a magnetic flux, or vice versa, by changing the magnetic field in the coil to generate an electric current. It is sometimes called a solenoid.

Solenoid can also refer to a solenoid valve, which is a valve that opens and closes electromagnetically. A solenoid is a device with a mechanism in which the electromagnetic force of the coils applies a force to the parts, causing them to move in a linear motion to do their work. Such a device is called a solenoid actuator.

Coils are also inductors. In this case, it is the equivalent of L [H] in the basic circuit LCR, where L is the inductance and H is the unit of henry, which describes the property of the current flowing through Coils that allows DC current to pass through easily and does not allow AC current to pass through easily.

Types of Coils

The following are examples of products in which coils are used:

• Transformers
  A transformer is a device used to convert AC voltage.
• Antenna
  A loop-shaped object wound on a bobbin used for AM radio antennas.
• Electromagnet or Solenoid
  The power of an electromagnet is used to open and close valves. An example is a solenoid used to open and close a solenoid valve to switch the air flow in a pneumatic cylinder that uses the power of compressed air as power.
• Generators
  This is for bicycle lights, etc.

Structure of Coils

A metal wire coil is made by winding a magnet wire with a coating around a coil, either in a solenoid shape or in a spiral shape.

Printing type is a screen-printing method, in which thin conductors can be stacked, and is suitable for high-frequency inductors. The evaporation or sputtering method allows even thinner layers than the printing method, making it possible to create ultra-compact chip-type inductors that can be mounted on small substrates.

What Are Business Efficiency Systems?

Business Efficiency Systems are systems that achieve business efficiency by replacing repetitive, detailed tasks that we must perform.

Business Efficiency Systems were once expensive because they had to be developed for every single task due to the subtle differences in each task, but with the advent of robotics such as AI and RPA and cloud services such as SaaS, convenience has improved and introduction costs have decreased.

With the recent revision of laws related to work style reforms, efforts to improve efficiency and productivity in normal operations are attracting attention in a variety of industries and business sectors. In response to the trend toward work style reform, the demand for the introduction of such systems is also increasing.

Types of Business Efficiency Systems

There are the following types of systems and software that can improve the efficiency of various routine tasks.

1. Electronic Forms

Electronic forms are business documents such as contracts, invoices, and delivery slips that are stored as electronic data. Unlike paper forms, which are complicated to store and manage, electronic forms are easily searchable in a database, saving storage space and reducing research and verification costs.

2. OCR

OCR is a technology that scans paper text and converts it into digital character codes that can be used by computers. Although electronic forms need to be digital from the beginning, in reality, much of the past history is probably on paper. This is a technology to digitize such documents.

3. ERP Package

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a concept that integrates and operates departmental systems such as accounting, human resources, production, logistics, and sales, which are central activities of a company but have been managed separately. ERP packages are generalized versions of ERP systems that used to be highly customizable.

4. RFID System

RFID is an abbreviation for Radio Frequency IDentification, an ID system using radio waves or electromagnetic waves as a medium. It is a kind of wireless communication system that communicates between RF tags attached to items to be transported or people to be moved, and reader/writers installed at the base to perform necessary exchanges. It is applied to sorting products, etc., and has become a key technology for unmanned factories.

5. Configurator

This is a system that calculates quotations based on product configurations and specifications. Especially in the manufacturing and housing industries, it is often necessary to meet the detailed specification requirements of customers, and in the past, quotations took a long time. However, the configurator has evolved to the point where sales representatives can respond to estimates and delivery dates on the spot.

6. Communication Tools

With the promotion of remote working, communication tools within and between companies are becoming very important to improve business efficiency. Typical examples include in-house SNS, business chat, and web conferencing tools and systems.

7. RPA

RPA stands for Robotics Process Automation, and is a system that can automate operations and tasks (data collection, back-office operations, etc.) that are usually performed using PCs and other devices. It is not like machine learning or artificial intelligence, but can quickly process simple tasks that do not involve judgment, and can significantly reduce work time in operations that handle huge amounts of data.

8. Paperless System

This is a tool that enables tasks that could only be performed on paper, such as signing and sealing, to be performed in the cloud. This system has been attracting attention recently due to the revision of laws concerning document storage. Most of the documents that are subject to the paperless system are important documents in any industry, such as year-end adjustment documents, budget applications, contracts, invoices, etc. The introduction of this system will enable speedy processing.

What Are Lubrication Devices?

Lubrication devices are devices that supply oil to oil tanks, chains, gears, sliding parts, and other parts that require lubricating oil or grease.

Hydraulic devices requires hydraulic oil, and lubricating oil is needed where metals rub against each other, so they are developed and designed to facilitate lubrication of these parts.

Types of Lubrication Devices

1. Lubrication Devices for Hydraulic Oil

• Lubrication Pump
  A pump pumps oil and discharges it from a nozzle to a refueling port. A familiar example is the pump used at a gas station.
• Manual Pump
  Insert the suction port into the tank to be refilled and the discharge port into the tank to be used, and pump oil by gripping the bellows several times with your hand. A familiar example is the one used to transfer kerosene to a stove’s kerosene can.
• Jockey
  A hand-held oil tank with a refueling nozzle attached. The nozzle is inserted into the refueling port and the body of the jock is tilted to supply oil.
• Funnel
  A conical tube that is inserted into the oil supply port. When lubricating with a jockey, etc., this device is used to prevent oil from leaking out of the lubricating port by removing the funnel from the target.

2. Lubrication Devices for Lubricating Oil

• Grease Gun
  A grease gun is a device used to apply grease. A bellows-shaped grease cartridge is set in the gun, and grease is discharged from the nozzle by pulling the trigger.
• Grease Nipple
  A grease nipple is used to apply grease to the inside of equipment or to the ball parts of ball screws, LM guides, etc. Grease nipples are usually installed in places where grease is to be applied precisely. The nozzle of the grease gun is inserted into the grease nipple to
• Supply Grease
  Forced lubrication system. Lubrication frequency is controlled by a timer to periodically apply lubricant or grease to the equipment.

Importance of Lubrication Devices

Lubricating oil and grease is a very important operation to prevent equipment from malfunctioning. When many pieces of equipment run out of lubrication, metal-to-metal friction occurs, leading to heat generation, wear, and delamination. Lubrication is performed to prevent this, but in some cases, the time for lubrication is reduced in favor of production.

Against this background, to reduce maintenance time, there are forced lubrication devices that automatically lubricate and grease nipples that dispense grease precisely to the areas where it is to be applied. By utilizing these devices, equipment downtime can be significantly reduced, leading to improved profits.