月: 2023年2月

What Is a Laboratory Bench?

The top panel is the most crucial part of a laboratory bench, offering high chemical resistance not provided by ordinary tables. Laboratory benches come in various styles, including small side benches, large central benches, units and frames, wood-grain finishes, and robust steel construction. While chemical-resistant tabletops are the minimum requirement, these benches also offer a range of expandable functionalities.

Uses of Laboratory Benches

Laboratory benches are used in specialized settings like chemical labs. They are also common in educational environments such as junior high, high school, and vocational school science labs, as well as in college chemistry departments, hospitals, and corporate labs.

Principle of Laboratory Benches

A laboratory bench consists of a top panel, a supporting top frame, and legs reinforced for rigidity and stability. The selection of these benches focuses on the chemical resistance of the top panel rather than load capacity. The knockdown design allows for various functional configurations, reduced transportation costs, and facilitates large inventories to be assembled on-site.

Expanding Applications With Different Top Surface Materials

1. Chemitect

Chemitect, a chemical-resistant special acrylic resin laminate, is ideal for tops exposed to strong acids and alkalis, with a surface hardness of 4H.

2. Fingerprint-Resistant Melamine Veneer

Best suited for non-chemical areas, fingerprint-resistant melamine veneer reduces fingerprints, light reflection, and stains. It has a brown color and a surface hardness of 7H.

3. Stainless Steel

SUS304 stainless steel offers excellent corrosion and chemical resistance with an aesthetically pleasing hairline finish. It’s durable, but may be scratched by sharp objects or heavy loads.

What Is a Thermal Cycler?

A thermal cycler is a laboratory device used to perform the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, essential for DNA amplification. It meticulously controls the temperature cycle between approximately 50°C and 100°C, necessary for each step of the PCR process, thereby acting as both a temperature regulator and an incubator.

Uses of Thermal Cyclers

Thermal cyclers are pivotal for temperature regulation in PCR applications, primarily in molecular biology and medical research fields. The device has transformed PCR into a more efficient process by eliminating the need for manual temperature adjustments and timing measurements that were required before its development.

Principles of Thermal Cyclers

The core of a thermal cycler is a metal plate with wells, known as a thermal block, designed to hold tubes filled with reaction mixtures. Temperature control programs cause the plate’s temperature to fluctuate, heating or cooling the reaction mixture as needed. Modern thermal cyclers often utilize peltier elements, which offer more efficient temperature regulation by changing the electric current’s direction.

Types of Thermal Cyclers

Selection of a thermal cycler should consider accuracy in temperature control and uniformity across thermal blocks. Features vary across models:

1. Thermal Cyclers With Multiple Thermal Blocks

These allow for independent temperature settings for each block, catering to diverse experimental needs.

2. Thermal Cycler for Real-Time PCR

Integrating a fluorescence detector, this type facilitates real-time PCR by enabling DNA amplification and quantitative analysis through fluorescence intensity measurement.

3. Thermal Cycler With Heated Lid

Equipped with a heated lid to prevent sample evaporation at high temperatures, thus eliminating the need for mineral oil and streamlining the PCR process.

Other Information on Thermal Cyclers

1. Thermal Cycler Control Programs

Modern thermal cyclers feature user-friendly interfaces for program setup and control, accessible via PC or touchscreen, simplifying the automation of temperature control and timing for sample reactions.

2. Overview of PCR

PCR is a technique for the amplification of specific DNA sequences, involving cycles of heating and cooling to separate DNA strands, bind primers, and synthesize DNA through enzymatic reactions. Thermal cyclers automate this process, enhancing the efficiency and precision of PCR analysis.

What Is a Business Continuity Plan?

A business continuity plan (BCP) outlines a company’s strategy to restore operations swiftly following emergencies. With the increasing prevalence of natural disasters, cyber-attacks, and other crises, having a well-communicated and effective BCP is vital to minimize damage and ensure rapid recovery. Companies often engage consultants to develop these plans from an objective standpoint, ensuring practicality during emergencies.

Uses of Business Continuity Plans

Business continuity plans are critical for safeguarding against corporate bankruptcy or data breaches during emergencies. They differ from business continuity management (BCM), focusing on everyday operations. BCPs are specific emergency response strategies. Companies with multiple business lines prioritize certain operations in emergencies, enhancing the company’s image and reassuring customers about their resilience and preparedness. Regular reviews and updates of BCPs are recommended for ongoing relevance.

Types of Business Continuity Plan Manuals

BCP manuals vary based on different emergency scenarios:

1. Natural Disasters: Plans cover employee safety, evacuation methods, and alternative facilities, including emergency power supplies.
2. External Factors: Addresses risks like cyber-attacks and partner bankruptcies, focusing on data backups, security enhancements, and financial management.
3. Internal Factors: Considers factory equipment failures, employee errors, or misconduct, necessitating process reviews and contingency plans.

Developing Business Continuity Plans

Creating an effective BCP involves understanding your company’s current situation, assuming emergency scenarios, and identifying areas needing improvement. Draft a plan, refine it using the PDCA cycle, and discuss it in-depth with key stakeholders. Conduct drills to test the plan’s viability. Consider employee safety networks, alternatives for crucial equipment, and facility damage. While actual emergencies may differ from assumptions, comprehensive planning is essential. For specialized aspects like data backup, consider hiring expert contractors.

What Is a Firewall?

A firewall is a security function designed to prevent attacks from external communications. It serves as a barrier between a private internal network and the public internet, much like a fire-resistant wall in a building offers protection against fire.

There are two primary types of firewalls: packet filtering and gateway firewalls. Packet filtering analyzes and blocks dangerous information packets from external sources, while gateway firewalls filter information based on destination URLs or specific text content.

Given the diverse information confidentiality and volume handled by organizations like companies and schools, firewall settings and functionalities often vary to meet specific needs. For instance, some institutions may use firewalls to block access to social networking sites to mitigate the risk of information leakage.

How Firewalls Work

Firewalls operate by monitoring data packets, which are units of data transmitted over a network. They identify and block unauthorized or potentially harmful activities. There are two types of firewalls:

• Packet Filter Type: Filters data packets based on their headers, which contain information about the packet.
• Gateway Type: Filters content based on URLs or text within the communication’s destination.

Firewalls also regulate internal PCs’ communication with potentially hazardous external destinations, preventing both external attacks and unsafe internal communications.

Firewalls in the Enterprise

In corporate environments, firewalls are crucial for maintaining information security. Unlike personal computers, the information handled by companies and schools often includes sensitive data, necessitating robust security measures.

Firewalls in these settings not only provide basic filtering, but may also restrict access to websites that could potentially lead to information leaks. Information security teams typically manage these firewalls, updating software, monitoring connections, and deciding on blockages as needed.

Firewall Settings

While firewall settings are generally predetermined by the application developers and offer limited user customization, some adjustments are possible. Users can modify settings to allow connections through specific ports or to certain sites. However, free alteration of firewall settings in corporate environments is typically restricted to prevent accidental security breaches.

Risks of Disabling Firewalls

Disabling a firewall, even temporarily, exposes a network to external threats. It’s vital to re-enable the firewall promptly after such instances. Moreover, outdated firewalls can also compromise network security, highlighting the importance of regular updates and maintenance.

What Is a Diamond Drill?

A diamond drill is an electric drill fitted with diamonds, the hardest known material. Diamond drills are essential in tools requiring high hardness and durability, especially for precision drilling. They excel in creating near-perfect holes. These drills perform stably across various materials and are widely utilized in applications requiring exceptional wear resistance. Common uses include drilling stone, glass, roof tiles, and aluminum plates, as well as in the machining of electronic and optical components.

Uses of Diamond Drills

Diamond drills are used across different materials and are versatile, especially in precision machining where consistent performance and durability are crucial. However, they are not recommended for metals, particularly iron and steel, as the frictional heat may damage the diamonds.

How to Select Diamond Drills

When selecting a diamond drill, or any drill, consider the shape and material of the part being machined, its characteristics, and the intended use. The drill’s length and material composition are crucial for achieving desired results. For example, while cemented carbide is wear-resistant and suitable for cutting steel and stainless steel, it can be brittle. In contrast, diamond drills, with their exceptional hardness, are ideal for machining hard materials and tasks requiring high precision, like in electronics and optics.

Types of Diamond Drills

Diamond drills often use polycrystalline diamond, created through methods like CVD (chemical vapor deposition), known for its hardness and wear resistance. Various diamond embedding techniques are used, like coating cemented carbide surfaces with diamond. With the increasing variety of hard materials, nano-polycrystalline diamonds have been developed for more precise cutting, especially useful for materials like carbon fiber.

Diamond Drills and Cutting Fluids

Using cutting oil with diamond drills can enhance lubrication, cooling, and prevent welding. These fluids, available as water-soluble or non-water-soluble, help protect the drill during operations, extending tool life.

What Is Gluing Machinery?

Gluing machines are devices used for applying adhesive to flat base materials such as plywood or wood boards like particle board and MDF, primarily employing rolls for the application. Historically, before the advent of these machines, adhesive was manually spread over substrates using tools like spatulas, which led to the development of the term “spreader.”

These machines can apply adhesive to either one or both sides of a substrate. The amount of adhesive and production volume can be controlled by adjusting the position and speed of each roll within the machine.

Uses of Gluing Machines

Gluing machines are essential in industries such as corrugated paper, construction materials, furniture, and woodworking, where they apply glue to flat substrates. Common applications include bonding cut boards to create laminated wood and coating plywood and MDF uniformly with adhesive for flooring materials production. Additionally, roll coating technology in gluing machines plays a vital role in the process.

Principle of Gluing Machines

Typically, gluing machines utilize a combination of three rolls to uniformly apply adhesive to the base material.

• Coater Roll: This roll applies adhesive to the substrate.
• Doctor Roll: It adjusts the amount of adhesive, with proximity to the coater roll determining the thickness of the adhesive layer.
• Feed Rolls: These rolls transport the substrate through the machine. The gap between these rolls and the coater roll is set based on the substrate’s thickness to ensure effective adhesive application.

Once the rolls are set up, the machine can consistently apply adhesive with constant quality over extended periods.

What Is a Laminator?

A laminator is a machine used to laminate sheets of film or paper onto wood boards, such as plywood, particleboard, and MDF. Before laminating, a gluing machine is required to apply glue to the wood board, followed by either roll crimping or flat press crimping in the post-laminating process.

Dancer rolls and expander rolls are sometimes used to rectify misalignments and wrinkles when rolling out sheets. With sheet flooring becoming increasingly popular for house interiors, laminators have become an essential piece of equipment.

Uses of Laminators

Laminators are employed in production lines for interior construction materials, such as flooring, by attaching sheets printed with wood grain patterns onto wood boards. Advances in printing technology have resulted in various types of printed sheets, including those that replicate the texture of wood surfaces.

Consequently, a wide range of sheet flooring materials, indistinguishable from solid wood flooring or veneer flooring, has emerged, leading to diversification in laminators’ performance to match the sheets and adhesives used.

Principle of Laminators

Laminators comprise two main components: the laminating device, which fuses the sheet and base material, and the sheet rack unit for rolling out the sheet.

The sheet mounting device positions the rolled sheet and transports it to the laminating device. An air clutch brake or powder brake is utilized to halt the rotation of the rolled sheet.

In the laminating equipment, the key rolls for adhering the substrate and sheet are known as “degassing rolls,” made of plate-finished metal or rubber. Some models allow for temperature adjustment of these rolls by circulating oil through them.

What Is a Dissimilar Metals Welding Service?

With the rise in the electrification of automobiles and the increasing use of aluminum for weight reduction and strength enhancement, dissimilar metals welding services have become essential. These services include mechanical joining methods like caulking and riveting, chemical joining using adhesives, and metallurgical joining through welding. Caulking, in particular, is noted for its minimal capital investment and low running costs.

Caulking, as a mechanical joining method, offers easier quality control compared to welding and eliminates the need for secondary materials like rivets, bolts, or nuts. Additionally, as a cold joining process that doesn’t generate spatter, fumes, or heat, it aligns well with current efforts to achieve carbon neutrality.

Uses of Dissimilar Metals Welding Services

Dissimilar metals welding services facilitate a wide range of metal combinations, with applications including automobile batteries, bus bars for electronic components, and car bodywork.

Advantages

• No spatter or fumes.
• Simplified joining process.
• No need for pre-treatment or post-treatment of plating material.
• Reduced operational and equipment costs.
• High dynamic strength and reproducibility.
• Capability for multiple simultaneous strikes.
• Efficient bonding to conductive parts.
• Non-destructive quality control.

Disadvantages

• Static strength around 50% to 70% of spot welding.
• Need for measures like increasing striking points or joint diameter.
• Potential surface unevenness.
• Requirement for access to both sides of the material.

Principle of Dissimilar Metals Welding Services

This welding service employs a straightforward technique that uses the plastic deformation of metal, akin to pressing. It’s a cold process that doesn’t require heat or electricity, thus bypassing concerns about the melting point of different metals. This technique is advantageous when joining metals like aluminum and steel, where welding can be complicated by intermetallic compounds at the joining surface. The absence of secondary materials like rivets also aids in reducing costs and saving weight.

What Is a Bollard?

A bollard, also known as a car stop, is defined as a “fence or barrier on a road.” Generally shaped like cylindrical posts, bollards are installed perpendicular to the ground. They are often placed at intersections, near pedestrian crossings, or at the openings of intersections with the primary aim of preventing human casualties. Bollards prevent vehicles from encroaching onto sidewalks, thereby enhancing safety.

Types of Bollards

There are two main types of bollards.

1. N-Type Bollards

N-type bollards are non-collision-resistant accessories used to deter vehicles from entering specific areas. They are also employed to separate pedestrian and vehicular traffic at intersections. While similar to pedestrian and bicycle fences in maintaining pedestrian traffic, N-shaped bollards specifically prevent pedestrian crossings.

2. H-Shaped Bollards

H-shaped bollards are impact-resistant and used to prevent vehicle entry. They are typically installed to demarcate openings, similarly to N-shaped bollards. In cases where a series of vehicle barriers cannot be installed, H-shaped bollards serve as a supplementary measure.

Bollards Installation Criteria

The installation of bollards is categorized into N-type and H-type, each with specific criteria.

1. N-Type Bollards

N-type bollards are installed in areas with low vehicle speed and high pedestrian traffic. They are typically used where the road width is narrow, visual distinction is possible, and pedestrian safety can be ensured. The height of N-type bollards should not exceed 0.85 m to maintain visibility for both vehicles and pedestrians.

2. H-Shaped Bollards

H-shaped bollards are installed on roads with high pedestrian risk, high vehicle speeds, or poor visibility. They are crucial for safety, especially where pedestrians are likely to gather. The height of H-shaped bollards should be between 2 and 3 feet, considering vehicle bumper heights, which vary depending on the type of vehicle.

Type HC

Type HC bollards are installed for vehicles with a mass of 1.8 tons, collision speeds of 20 m/h or more, and entry angles to the sidewalk of 15 degrees.

Class HB

HB bollards are for vehicles with a mass of 1.8 tons, collision speeds of 25 m/h or more, and entry angles to the sidewalk of 15 degrees.

Location of Bollards

Bollards are typically installed after considering road and traffic conditions, as well as past accidents. The need for bollards varies by region and requires a comprehensive decision based on regional needs and safety inspection results. For H-shaped bollards, the distance between them must be less than 1.5 meters to prevent vehicles from slipping through.

Additionally, when considering sidewalk users, including those in wheelchairs, with canes, or bicycles, appropriate widths must be ensured. For wheelchair access, a width of approximately 3 feet is required, while cane users need about 4 feet. In snowy areas, a minimum width of 3 feet is necessary, along with considerations for snow removal operations and pedestrian safety.

What Is a High-Speed Camera?

A high-speed camera is a device capable of capturing images of objects moving at high speeds and reproducing them in slow motion. Unlike standard cameras, which capture around 30 frames per second (fps), high-speed cameras can capture from about 100 fps to 2 million fps. This capability makes them ideal for visualizing fast processes that are not visible to regular cameras.

Uses of High-Speed Cameras

High-speed cameras capture many images per second, allowing them to play back fast phenomena smoothly. They are used in automobile crash testing, fluid dynamics visualization, object drop experiments, and manufacturing defect analysis.

Principle of High-Speed Cameras

High-speed cameras often work with software for analysis. A typical setup includes the camera connected to a PC, data logger, and sensors like clamp meters. Captured video files are analyzed using specialized software, providing quantitative data such as motion analysis and waveform synchronization.

History of High-Speed Cameras

The history of high-speed photography dates back to 1851, with the first photograph by William Henry Fox Talbot. The field saw developments like the 120 fps black-and-white camera in 1972 and the SP-2000 in 1981, capable of 2,000 fps. In Japan, NAK Corporation developed a 1/2-inch VHS-type high-speed camera in 1981, followed by the HSV-400 in 1986 and a color high-speed camera in 1990.

Price of High-Speed Cameras

The price of high-speed cameras varies with their performance. Lower-priced cameras, capturing 120 to 500 fps, can be found around $150, while those capturing 1,000 to 2,000 fps are priced from $1,500 to $3,000. High-end cameras, used for research and capable of 4,000 fps or more, can cost from $4,500 to $15,000 or higher.