月: 2023年2月

What Is a Flapper Barrier Gate?

A flapper barrier gate is a type of security device that controls access to a room, limits the number of people entering, and prevents unauthorized entry by outsiders, and is sometimes called a security gate.

In the case of IC card authentication systems installed at entrances and exits, unauthorized entry is sometimes allowed, such as when multiple people enter a room using a single IC card, but a flapper barrier gate can prevent this and increase security.

A flapper barrier gate is available in two types: flap type and arm type (rotating type).

Uses of Flapper Barrier Gates

Flapper barrier gates are used at building entrances and entrances to specific areas to prevent unauthorized passage.

They are also used for admission control at theme parks, museums, and event venues, as well as at automatic ticket gates.

In many cases, flapper barrier gates are not installed alone, but in conjunction with security equipment such as security cameras and biometric identification to verify that the person entering is indeed that person.

Flapper barrier gates serve to not only enhance security but also play a role in attendance and entry control.

Principle of Flapper Barrier Gates

The advantages of a flapper barrier gate include: “preventing trespassing,” “preventing information leakage through enhanced physical security,” “reducing costs by eliminating the need to install security guards,” “making it easy for visitors to understand,” and “being available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.” However, the advantages of this system cannot be fully utilized alone, so it must be used in combination with security cameras and some kind of authentication system.

In terms of countermeasures against infectious diseases such as new coronas, installing flapper barrier gates with automatic temperature check and mask management functions can reduce labor costs for temperature checks and mask checks.

Compared to the arm type, the flapper type features a better flow of people.

One disadvantage of flapper barrier gates is that they can become inoperable due to power outages. Security guards can cope with power outages, but flapper barrier gates that operate by electricity will stop functioning in the event of a power outage. To maintain security, measures must be taken in the event of power failure.

What Is a Flat Panel?

Flat panels are white enclosures used at construction sites that have no irregularities. The conventional enclosure was made of steel plates, but this new enclosure solves the safety concern that it can be opened by removing bolts, etc. from the outside by making the outside of the enclosure without bolts or other attachments and irregularities. Most products are as strong as steel plates. The white base color and glossy finish of many products can be expected to make the surrounding area of a construction site look more aesthetic. They are installed inside the construction site, using steel pipes and hooks for the base.

Uses of Flat Panels

Flat panels are used as construction site enclosures. The use of flat panels prevents outsiders from entering the construction site and, because they are white, they are aesthetically pleasing and less likely to disrupt the landscape. Flat panels can also be used to attach illustrations, etc. to the panels. When selecting flat panels, the height at which the enclosure is to be installed, the size of a single panel, ease of installation such as mass and structure, paint tint, and strength should be considered.

Characteristics of Flat Panels

The following describes the characteristics of flat panels. Flat panels are constructed with an aluminum frame and polypropylene resin or galvanized steel sheet, with white paint on one side. Compared to enclosures using only steel sheets, products using aluminum frames and other materials are lighter. By modifying the constituent elements, some products have higher soundproofing capabilities.

When installed, flat panels, J-shaped hooks, steel pipes, corner panels, joint fittings, and width-adjustable flat panels are required. Connect the flat panels of the width required for the installation location using joint fittings. At that time, adjust the required width with the width adjustment panel. Then, connect the flat panels and iron pipe with J-shaped hooks. The steel pipe is connected to the base steel pipe and the flat panels are fixed to the ground. At the corners, right-angled corner panels are used to connect to panels in other directions.

What Is a Footlift?

A footlift is a device for lifting heavy objects.

By operating the lift hydraulically with a foot pedal, it can lift heavy objects like a forklift. Some models are equipped with casters for mobility, while others are fixed to the floor.

Unlike the electro-hydraulic type, an external power source is not required. It can be used in any location, but it requires dozens of footsteps to lift it high. In addition, the load capacity of a Footlift is smaller than that of an electro-hydraulic type.

Uses of Footlifts

Footlifts are mainly used in factories and warehouses to improve the efficiency of transport operations. Not only are they important machines for efficient and safe transport operations, but their various uses contribute to improving operational efficiency and reducing the workload of workers in factories and warehouses.

1. Loading and Unloading

Footlifts are used to efficiently load and unload heavy loads. For example, they can be used to quickly and safely transport large quantities of goods for loading onto trucks or handling goods in warehouses. 

2. Placing Loads on Shelves

In factories and warehouses, where loads need to be placed on high shelves or racks, Footlifts are ideal for helping workers reach heights and accurately position loads. This allows for easy movement and organization of goods, resulting in more efficient use of space.

3. Transportation of Construction Materials

Large quantities of construction materials are used on construction sites. Footlifts are useful for transporting heavy materials and equipment. For example, heavy materials such as concrete blocks and steel frames can be easily and quickly moved around the site.

Principles of Footlifts

A fixed type can lift heavy objects to high places, and with casters, the lift can be moved to another location while it is being lifted. Footlifts have a release lever to lower the lift.

When the lever is pulled, the oil inside the cylinder that raises the lift is released, and the lift is lowered. The lift is also equipped with a carriage for carrying items. The operator can raise or lower the lift dolly by getting on the Footlift and using the control panel.

If the forklift is a lift type, it is possible to lift items and load them directly onto a truck or other vehicle. Other safety devices are also provided. For example, limit switches limit the lift truck’s ascent and descent. Emergency stop switches are very important because they immediately stop the lift operation if a problem occurs during operation.

Types of Footlifts

There are various types of footlifts primarily used for transportation in factories:

1. Manual Footlift

A manual Footlift is a manually operated lift. The operator turns a handle to raise or lower the lift truck. The advantage of the manual type is that it does not require electricity and is suitable for simple tasks and small-scale load transport. Since it is operated manually, it requires the operator’s strength and skill.

2. Electric Footlift

An electric footlift is a type of lift driven by an electric motor. The lift truck can be raised and lowered by the power of the motor. The advantage of the electric type is that it reduces the burden on the operator and enables efficient transport operations. It is also suitable for continuous use and for transporting heavy loads.

3. Hydraulic Footlift

A hydraulic footlift is a type of lift that uses hydraulic pressure to raise and lower a lift truck. A motor drives a hydraulic pump, which supplies hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic cylinder. The advantage of the hydraulic system is that it provides stable raising and lowering. It is suitable when heavy loads need to be transported or high positions need to be reached.

4. Low-Floor Footlift

A low-floor footlift is a type of lift in which the lift truck is installed close to the ground. This makes it easier to load and unload cargo from the ground and transfer it to a vehicle. The advantage of the low floor type is to reduce the workload and increase operator safety.

What Is a Forming Process?

A forming process is a processing method using a forming machine that can continuously perform multiple forming processes in a single machine.

Specifically, it refers to the forming process that utilizes plastic deformation such as forging, bending, shearing, and drawing. Products with complex shapes that require multiple processes can be formed using only one forming machine, making this process suitable for mass production.

Uses of Forming Processes

The forming processes are used in the manufacture of metal products in a variety of fields. Plates and strips are used to manufacture parts such as pins, clips, springs, retaining rings, and bands. Wire rod is used in the production of various coil parts, coil spring parts, and lead wires for electronic parts.

Principle of Forming Processes

In the forming processes, a single machine can perform multiple forming processes at once. The machine configuration is largely different depending on whether the raw material is a plate or a wire.

1. Multi-Forming Processes

Multi-forming is a processing method using a multi-forming machine. Pressing, drawing, and bending can be performed automatically and continuously using plates and strips as raw materials.

The multi-forming machine consists of three main parts. The feeder feeds the material, the stamping unit presses the material, and the forming unit performs the bending and drawing processes with various bending punches.

2. Wire Forming Processes

The wire forming machine used for wire forming processes are processing machine from which the feeding device and stamping device are omitted from the multi-forming machine. Since the raw material is wire, there is no material transfer or pressing process.

The wire is held in the center of the wire forming machine and is bent by several forming tools arranged around its circumference. After all processes are completed, the wire is separated from the coiled material to form a single product.

3. Roll Forming Processes

In the roll forming process, a sheet of metal is passed through a series of rollers with multiple pairs of frames arranged in succession to deform the sheet of metal into the desired shape. The metal strip conveyed from the coiled material is cut to a predetermined size by a cutting machine and then formed by roll forming equipment. These processes are automated and can be produced continuously.

Also, by changing the roller arrangement, it is possible to process various shapes, such as closed cross section shapes. Furthermore, because plastic forming is performed gradually, it is easy to process high-tension materials such as high-tensile steel sheets, contributing to product weight reduction.

4. Lead Forming Processes

As one of the forming processes, the lead forming processes are known to produce leads for electronic components. To connect electronic components to substrates, it is necessary to shape the leads to match the substrates, and lead forming is used in such cases.

Since electronic components are small and difficult to handle, a variety of jig equipment dedicated to lead forming is available.

Other Information on Forming Processes

Advantages of Forming Processes

The merits of the forming processes are that even products with complex shapes can be formed and that it is suitable for mass production, thus reducing labor hours and costs. When similar forming is performed without the forming processes, it is necessary to go through multiple processes to finish the product as a single part. This increases the processing time, the number of die types, and the costs associated with launching a new product.

Another method to increase productivity in press work is the progressive press, in which multiple processes are formed in a single die set progressively. This method greatly improves productivity compared to a single press, but it is limited in the shapes that can be formed. Forming machines, on the other hand, have both press and bending sections in a single machine, making it possible to process even complex bending shapes in succession.

What Is a Film Heater?

A film heater is a type of surface heating element that utilizes resistance heating of metal. This heater features a very thin metal heating element, insulated between films. The structure of a film heater allows for ultra-thinness and flexibility, which were not achievable with traditional heaters. It has recently become popular in various industrial fields, with its performance being enhanced by the type of insulating film used. Additionally, the simplicity of its structure makes film heaters relatively inexpensive.

Uses of Film Heaters

Film heaters are versatile and used for heating small tanks and containers, creating heat plates sandwiched between metal plates, and in snow-melting applications for equipment like antennas and outdoor sensors. They are effective in preventing the freezing of outdoor piping and are also utilized in spot heating devices, local temperature control in animal breeding, and more. Film heaters with ITO (indium tin oxide) evaporated heating elements are used for seat heating in vehicles like cars, trains, and airplanes. They are also employed for snow melting and anti-fogging in cockpit windows of various transportation modes.

Principle of Film Heaters

Film heaters use a thin foil of aluminum, stainless steel, copper, or similar materials as heating elements. These foils, ranging from 10 to 50 μm, are etched or die-cut into specific patterns and then sandwiched between resin films for insulation. The heating capacity is determined by the pattern’s total length, cross-sectional area, and material resistance. Voltage is applied through terminals at the start and end points of the pattern, where lead wires are attached. Various films like polyimide film, PET film, or fluoroplastic film are used for insulation, chosen based on the application and environmental requirements. The design flexibility of the heating pattern allows customization to specific areas and shapes. The film’s low thermal capacity facilitates rapid temperature changes, but the thin heating element and the insulating film’s heat resistance limit the maximum operating temperature.

What Are Filter Tips?

Filter tips are pipette tips that incorporate a filter within them. They are designed to prevent the liquid or vapor of the sample from entering the pipette body during aspiration, thereby preventing cross-contamination between different samples. The filters, typically made of polyethylene, are hydrophobic, allowing air but not liquids to pass through.

Applications of Filter Tips

Filter tips are essential when handling samples that could contaminate the pipette or in assays susceptible to cross-contamination, such as those involving radioisotopes or DNA and RNA for PCR assays. They are particularly useful for working with volatile, radioactive, corrosive materials, and biohazards like pathogenic microorganisms or genetically modified organisms.

Features of Filter Tips

The filters in filter tips are usually made from materials like high-density polyethylene, hydrophobic polypropylene, or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, among others. These filters are effective at preventing over-aspiration of liquid into the pipette body and stopping aerosols from entering the tip cone. Filter tips can be self-sealing to block liquids upon contact or non-self-sealing, both types aiding in preventing cross-contamination.

Choosing the Right Filter Tip

• Purpose of Use: Determine the specific application for the filter tip, considering factors like sample concentration, analysis, purification, or particle removal.
• Nature of the Sample: Choose based on the sample’s physical properties, such as whether it’s a liquid or gas, its viscosity, and its pH level.
• Material: The material of the filter tip, which commonly includes polypropylene, cellulose, PTFE (Teflon), and nylon, should be compatible with the sample.
• Size and Pore Size: Ensure the filter tip and the filter’s pore sizes are appropriate for the size of the particles or molecules in the sample.
• Flow Rate and Throughput: Select based on the required sample flow rate and throughput, with larger throughput needs necessitating larger tips.
• Maintenance and Cost Efficiency: Consider the ease of cleaning, replacing, and the overall cost-effectiveness, balancing the performance against the budget.
• Regulation and Safety: Ensure compliance with safety and quality standards relevant to the specific industry or application.

What Is a Filament?

A filament is the light-emitting part of a lighting device such as a white bulb. It is a resistive element located inside a glass bulb and shaped like a long, thin wire. A filament emits light when heated by an electric current.

When first invented, the filament was called a carbon bulb because carbonized paper was used as the material. However, the filament burned out as soon as it glowed for about one minute, and it was not at a level where it could be used in everyday life.

Therefore, today, a metal called tungsten is almost exclusively used.

Uses of Filaments

Filaments are used as light sources for lighting bulbs.

1. Incandescent Lamps

Incandescent light bulbs are well-known as the main use of filaments. The filaments are made of coiled thin tungsten wire. However, many recent general lighting bulbs use double coiled filaments to prevent heat loss.

Figure 1. Coil and Double coil

There are many different types of incandescent bulbs, including halogen bulbs, mini-krypton bulbs, and fluorescent bulbs. The inside of the glass bulb is filled with an inert gas to prevent evaporation of the filaments (e.g., argon, nitrogen, krypton, xenon).

Some also exist with a vacuum inside, and incandescent bulbs produce different colors and intensities of light depending on the type of gas. In recent years, some incandescent bulbs other than halogen and mini krypton bulbs have been discontinued because of their poor energy efficiency.

In addition, due to this energy efficiency, light-emitting diodes called LEDs (light emission diodes) are increasingly being used these days.

2. Filaments LED Bulbs

Filaments LED bulbs are bulbs in which the filaments are reproduced by LEDs. Filament LED bulbs are characterized by their dim brightness.

The reason is that they use long, thin, thread-like LEDs. In addition, many models do not have a heat dissipating part called a heat sink. Therefore, there is a design limitation that prevents the use of LEDs with very high power. The main applications of LED bulbs are for supplementary lighting and joint lighting.

On the other hand, general LED bulbs can use larger LED chips and are often brighter than filament LED bulbs.

Filaments LED bulbs have a longer lifespan than incandescent or fluorescent light bulbs, but a shorter length than general LED bulbs. Specifically, it is around 15,000 hours. Since a typical LED bulb lasts 30,000 to 40,000 hours, this is about half the lifespan of a typical LED bulb.

Principle of Filaments

Incandescent bulbs use the principle that an electric current flows through filaments to generate Joule heat, which radiates heat and emits light. Joule heat is the heat energy generated when an electric current is passed through a conductor.

Therefore, to make the bulb usable for a long time, the filaments must be made of a material with high resistance and high heat resistance. Otherwise, the filaments themselves will not be able to withstand the heat and will burn, making them unusable as a light source.

Tungsten has an extremely high melting point of 3,653K (3,379°C), the highest among the metallic elements. Therefore, it does not melt even when heated by Joule heat. This is why tungsten is often used for filaments.

The inside of the bulb is filled with an inert gas, which ensures that the bulb has a long service life. However, the inert gas also removes heat from the filaments (heat loss) through thermal conduction and convection of the gas itself. As shown in Figure 2, the relationship between enclosed gas and heat loss tends to be smaller for elements with a larger atomic weight.

Figure 2. Enclosed gas and heat loss

Other Information on Filaments

1. Bamboo Filaments

In 1879, Edison invented the practical incandescent light bulb. At that time, the filament material used was Japanese bamboo. Bamboo was suitable as filament material because of its thick fibers, strength, and longevity.

When the light bulb was first developed, Edison used a filament made of carbonized cotton thread coated with soot and tar and succeeded in keeping the bulb lit continuously for 40 hours. However, from the standpoint of practicality, it was essential to develop a light bulb that could continue to light for even longer.

Therefore, we repeated experiments to investigate the lighting time by using various familiar materials, such as paper and thread as filaments. In the process, we found a souvenir fan from Japan and made a light bulb with filaments made of bamboo used as the framework of the fan.

When he conducted lighting experiments with that light bulb, he found that the lighting time was longer than with previous materials and reached a level of practicality. Edison then proceeded to conduct lighting experiments using various types of bamboo from around the world to find the best bamboo for the filaments.

He found that when Hachiman bamboo from Kyoto, Japan, was used, the light stayed lit for an average of more than 1,000 hours, leading to its practical application.

2. Filament and Spun Yarn

Figure 3. Monofilament and multifilament

The word filament is used to refer to the light source part of a light bulb, and a long continuous fiber, like silk, is called filament yarn.

Filament is a word that originally meant something fibrous. On the other hand, spun yarn is made by aligning short fibers parallel to each other, like cotton yarn, and twisting them to make a single strand.

Filament yarn comes in two types: monofilament and multifilament. The former is a single long strand of yarn, like a fishing line. The latter refers to a single thread made by twisting dozens of threads together. In natural fibers, silk thread falls into this category. Raw silk is made from unraveled cocoons exhaled by silkworms, and silk thread is made from cleaned cocoons.

There is no particular type of spun yarn, and almost all natural fibers, such as cotton and hemp, fall under this category.

What Is a Function Generator?

A function generator is a device that generates various electrical waveforms. It can produce periodic waveforms such as sine, square, triangular, ramp, and noise waves. Function generators are used for testing electrical devices and analyzing their characteristics. They can generate both continuous wave (CW) and pulse oscillations, with some models equipped with additional features like trigger, gate oscillation, and sweep oscillation.

The generator allows the setting of parameters like waveform amplitude and period.

Uses of Function Generators

Function generators are primarily used in electrical laboratories and research institutes to investigate the response of electrical elements and circuits to specific waveforms. They are commonly used alongside oscilloscopes, which measure and display electrical waveforms.

While function generators are high-priced due to their versatile waveform output capabilities, they are essential as inspection devices.

Principle of Function Generators

Function generators typically use the direct digital synthesizer (DDS) method, consisting of a phase accumulator, waveform ROM, and a D/A converter. This approach allows for stable, high-frequency accuracy and the output of arbitrary waveforms.

How to Select Function Generators

When selecting function generators, consider features like overshoot and jitter. It’s important to choose a generator with minimal overshoot and a small jitter for accurate signal reproduction. Additional features like a variety of waveforms, external trigger capability, and multi-output synchronous generation are also important.

Other Information on Function Generators

Waveform Generation Functions of Function Generators

Function generators offer several waveform generation functions:

• Burst Oscillation Function: Determines waveform generation timing using trigger or gate signals. This function includes Auto burst oscillation, Trigger Burst Oscillation, and Gate Oscillation.
• Sweep Function: Changes specific values like frequency, amplitude, and square wave duty ratio over a set period.
• Modulation Function: Modulates the oscillation waveform, including FM, PM, AM, and PWM modulations.

What Is a Fine Mesh?

A fine mesh is a type of mesh fabric available in two forms: welded wire mesh and plain weave wire mesh. In welded wire mesh, metal wires ranging from 0.5 to 2 mm in diameter are electrically welded in a grid pattern. The plain weave wire mesh uses ultra-fine wires with diameters as small as 0.02 mm. The welded variety is more workable than conventional plain weave wire mesh or crimped wire mesh due to its stable welded joints, which prevent metal wire loss and ensure a smooth, crease-free surface. The ultra-fine plain weave type is known for its excellent filtration capabilities due to its extremely small mesh size.

Materials such as iron wire, galvanized iron wire, stainless steel wire, brass wire, and copper wire are commonly used in these meshes, depending on the specific application.

Uses of Fine Meshes

Fine meshes are used in a variety of applications across many fields, depending on their mesh size and wire diameter. The ultra-fine plain weave type is typically used as a filter material in applications like dust filters for home appliances, air filters for automobiles, and oil filters. Smaller welded types find use in household storage solutions like racks and baskets, as well as in industrial settings for transporting parts, chemical processing trays, and cleaning baskets. Larger welded types are commonly used as reinforcement materials, in applications such as housing fences, and bird nets in agriculture, and as core materials in concrete construction.

Principle of Fine Mesh

Fine meshes are characterized by the wire diameter and mesh size of the metal wire used. Mesh size is often described in terms of pitch, gap, or mesh count. Pitch refers to the distance between opposite sides of the square that forms the mesh, while the gap is the internal dimension of the mesh (pitch minus one wire diameter). Mesh count is the number of meshes within a 25.4 mm (1 inch) span.

In welded type fine meshes, wire diameters range from 0.5 to 2.0 mm, with mesh sizes from 1 to 4 mesh or 0.25 to 1 inch pitch. Ultra-fine plain weave types are available with wire diameters as small as 0.02 mm and mesh counts up to 635 (0.04 mm pitch).

The overlapping vertical and horizontal metal wires in fine meshes result in a thickness that is double the diameter of the metal wire. Flat meshes, where wires are welded together at intersections, offer a thickness equal to the metal wire diameter and provide twice the shear strength.