月: 2023年4月

What Is a Pneumatic Artificial Muscle?

Soft actuators, also known as pneumatic artificial muscles, generate force by deforming a flexible material with external energy. These artificial muscles are poised to extend their applications beyond industrial robotics, where traditional actuators have predominantly been used.

Pneumatic artificial muscles vary based on the type of energy input. Some, like polymer actuators, deform by applying electrical, magnetic, or chemical energy, while others, specifically pneumatic artificial muscles, deform by fluid pressure such as air or hydraulic pressure. This discussion focuses on pneumatic artificial muscles that contract when air pressure is applied.

Pneumatic Artificial Muscles

Pneumatic artificial muscles are tubular devices that contract upon the application of air pressure. Utilizing compressible air, they exhibit moderate springiness and are characterized by high output relative to their weight.

A typical example is the McKibben pneumatic artificial muscle, which has been extensively studied and is gaining renewed interest with the development of wearable devices and soft robots. These muscles consist of a rubber tube with a braid around its circumference. Radial expansion of the tube alters the angle of the mesh, creating axial contraction force.

In McKibben-type muscles, the pressure typically ranges from 100 to 700 kPa(G), with the contraction amount and maximum force increasing with applied pressure. The contraction can be up to 20% of the initial length, with the force controlled by the muscle’s diameter and applied pressure.

Applications of Pneumatic Artificial Muscles

Lightweight and capable of generating high output, pneumatic artificial muscles are expected to find use in wearable devices and soft robots. Their application as assistive force in suits is increasing. However, these muscles tend to lose flexibility at higher pressures, posing a challenge in achieving both high output and flexibility, especially in wearable devices where muscle movement needs to synchronize with human body movements.

Recently, the advent of thin pneumatic artificial muscles has made it possible to obtain significant contractile force without sacrificing flexibility by using them in parallel. Additionally, dedicated controllers for automatic control of pneumatic artificial muscles are now available, accelerating efforts towards their full-scale social implementation.

What Is Pillar Padding?

Pillar padding, also known as a corner guard, is a protective material used to safeguard buildings. Commonly used in factories and warehouses, it protects structures from collisions with moving vehicles and prevents damage to the vehicles themselves.

In residential settings, pillar padding is applied to furniture, pillars, and walls to provide cushioning and prevent injuries.

Uses of Pillar Padding

Pillar padding is primarily used to protect vehicles, dollies, and individuals. It is also utilized in parking lots and hospitals. In parking lots, it serves various purposes, including as car stoppers and edge guards.

1. Car Stoppers

Car stoppers are cushioning materials preventing vehicles from colliding with protruding walls during parking or loading.

2. Edge Guards

Edge guards are protective materials installed on H-shaped steel columns to prevent injury from exposed steel and to minimize damage during product transportation.

In hospitals, pillar padding functions as corner protectors, safeguarding patients from falls or collisions with building walls and corners.

Besides protection, pillar padding also serves as a warning sign or marker. Black and yellow striped padding, for example, can highlight dangerous areas or hazards.

Installing Pillar Padding

L-shaped pillar padding is suitable for typical angled corners and can be attached with a base material or adhesive. For chamfered pillars or corners, flat-type padding can be installed similarly. When using padding with a base material, installation may involve drilling holes for anchors, which can then be capped to prevent dust and water ingress.

Materials Used in Pillar Padding

Commonly made of plastic or rubber, pillar padding can also include polymers known for cushioning properties. Examples include:

Polyethylene (PE)

PE is strong, water-resistant, and processable, with electrical insulation and impact resistance. However, it is vulnerable to scratches and UV degradation.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)

PVC, a widely used synthetic resin, is strong, weather-resistant, and lightweight but becomes brittle in cold and is sensitive to heat and sunlight.

Nitrile Rubber (NBR)

Nitrile rubber is oil-resistant and durable, although it has weak weather resistance due to unsaturated bonds.

Polymer Materials

These materials include thermoplastic and thermosetting resins, selected based on the intended use environment.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Pillar Padding

Advantages include long service life, a wide range of sizes, and excellent cushioning, particularly in rubber-based products. However, disadvantages include limited color options and the need for custom fabrication for complex shapes.

What Is a PDF Reader?

PDF, standing for “portable document format,” is a file format designed to save data as if printed on paper and display it on various devices. PDF readers allow users to view and print PDF files. Recent advancements have led to many browsers, including Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Opera, integrating PDF reader functionalities. These modern browsers comply with web standards and aim to minimize special behaviors or specifications, facilitating the viewing of PDF documents without needing dedicated software like Acrobat Reader.

Uses of PDF Readers

PDFs can be displayed on various devices, eliminating the need for physical user manuals or operating instructions. This transition to digital reduces printing costs, conserves resources, and allows for interactive product handling and specification updates, especially beneficial in remote working scenarios. Moreover, by integrating PDF functionalities into proprietary software, it’s possible to enhance usability dramatically, such as by outputting and visualizing sensing results in PDF format. PDFs support display on many devices, including e-books, game consoles, electronic blackboards, karaoke remote controls, projectors, business panels, machine tools, measuring instruments, medical equipment, robots, and more, independent of the operating system.

Typically, product design specifications and drawings, including photographs, are converted into electronic files in PDF format using a PDF editor. These PDF files are often shared via cloud-based PDF readers, and images are distributed via web conference software or email, helping to create a paperless environment and facilitating quick information sharing among involved parties.

Principle of PDF Readers

PDF SDKs are used to implement PDF functionalities and controls, ranging from PDF display to object manipulation, in self-developed devices. Platform-independent PDF SDKs run on various operating systems, including Windows, MacOS, Linux, and embedded OSs, without requiring code redesign. They can be called from programming languages like C/C++, C#, Delphi, and Visual Basic, and are designed for device-independent display systems. Utilizing PDF SDKs can shorten development time and limit costs, as developers can focus more on product development.

For browser-based applications, JavaScript and a pure JavaScript library, PDF SDK for Web, are available to implement not only PDF viewing but also annotations and other functionalities. With the rise of remote working, there’s been an increase in demand for PDF display on mobile devices. To meet this demand, Mobile PDF SDKs are available, enabling developers to easily incorporate PDF functionalities into mobile devices. Even an OEM version of PDF readers Mobile is offered, requiring no development for in-house products.

Other Information on PDF Readers

1. Recommended Features of PDF Readers

A key feature of PDF readers is the comparison tool, which allows users to compare a current PDF file with an original reference file and highlights changes. This feature is particularly useful for identifying text and diagram alterations. Additionally, while PDF readers may not offer full editing capabilities, they often include annotation and signature functions, similar to those in Acrobat Reader, useful for simple writing and signing tasks.

2. Cloud-Based PDF Readers

PDFs have evolved to be not only paperless but also cloud-enabled. Cloud computing, different from simple online access, creates an environment akin to that of a company office PC on a virtual server via the Internet. This approach is recommended for its minimal reliance on user terminal data, enabling authenticated software use in a secure environment. For users seeking to access PDF readers from any location, especially in the context of increased teleworking, cloud-based PDF readers are recommended service software.

What Is a Dip Coater?

A dip coater is a device designed for applying a coating solution onto a substrate. The dip coating method involves submerging the substrate into the coating solution and then lifting it out. This process allows the dip coater to uniformly coat the substrate.

Features of Dip Coaters

• Capable of forming an extremely thin, uniform film.
• Can coat both sides of a substrate simultaneously.
• Suitable for coating objects of any shape.
• No loss of coating liquid during the process.
• Easy to maintain the equipment.

Uses of Dip Coaters

Applications of dip coaters include:

• Objects to Be Coated: Lenses, glass materials, metal materials, catheters, faucet fittings, and more.
• Fields: Used in manufacturing optical lenses, medical devices, electronic devices, photolithography, and other applications.
• Coating Liquids: Utilized with various coating solutions such as mold release agents, water repellents, hard coatings, moisture-proofing agents, antifouling agents, resists, and more.
• Coating Types: Suitable for anti-reflection coatings, hard coats, mold release agent coatings, fluorine-based coatings, and others.
• Shapes: Applicable to cylindrical glass, helmet shields, PET bottles, dentures, porous ceramics, curved lenses, wafers, three-dimensional structures, and more.

Outline of the Dipping Process

This process involves vertically dipping a sample into a specified dip coating solution, then lifting it to allow the adhering liquid film to gel in air.

1. The sample is vertically immersed in a dip coating solution bath.
2. Pulling up the sample initiates the interaction between the viscous force of the dip coating solution, surface tension, and gravity.
3. The pulling speed is controlled to manage the film thickness, considering the viscosity of the dip coating solution and the gravity of the adhering liquid flowing down.
4. Once a uniformly thin film has been formed, it is dried.

What Is a Sky Rig?

A sky rig is a tool used for adjusting the position and stabilizing a suspended load in construction and other industrial applications. It attaches between the lifting point of a crane and the suspended load. Sky rigs are particularly useful when moving loads outside the crane’s travel or working radius. They come in powered, fixed, and balanced types.

Power-driven sky rigs are used for high-altitude lifting operations, enabling operators to unbuckle a suspended point or rotate a suspended load without direct intervention.

Applications of Sky Rigs

Sky rigs are attached to crane hooks to stabilize suspended loads, increase suspension points, hang multiple loads simultaneously, or elevate a suspended load. These attachments enhance the crane’s carrying efficiency and stability.

Pros

• Enhance and extend the crane’s carrying capacity by attaching to its hook.
• Allow for balanced and stable suspension of loads.
• Increase operational efficiency by enabling the lifting of multiple loads at once.
• Facilitate automated work at high altitudes and in other hazardous locations.

Cons

• Increase the overall weight of the load to be lifted.
• Impact the weight limit capacity of the crane.

Principle of Sky Rigs

Sky rigs are categorized into powered and fixed types.

Powered sky rigs feature mechanisms to adjust the suspension wire or chain or rotate the entire suspended load. This automation facilitates operations at high altitudes and enhances safety and efficiency.

Fixed sky rigs, usually made of steel, increase the lifting points at the end of a crane hook or balance the suspended load when carrying it beyond the crane’s working radius. For long loads, bar-shaped sky rigs stabilize the load.

In high-rise construction, powered sky rigs are essential for safely placing and removing wires from loads at high altitudes, thus enhancing safety and efficiency.

Types of Sky Rigs

1. Powered Sky Rigs

These rigs enable the automation of various functions and facilitate the reversal and rotation of suspended loads. They are particularly useful for automating work in high-altitude areas, enhancing efficiency, labor-saving, and safety.

2. Fixed Sky Rigs

Fixed sky rigs, depending on their design, balance suspended loads, place them outside the crane’s working radius, and increase suspension points. When lifting long items like steel products or reinforced concrete columns, especially in high-rise construction, these rigs are necessary for proper elevation.

Moreover, using a fixture shaped to increase the lifting point can help stabilize the suspended load during transport.

Importance of Sky Rigs

Sky rigs are crucial for enhancing the efficiency and safety of crane operations and the transport of suspended loads. They ensure stable movement or transport of loads, improving operator safety and operational efficiency. Additionally, they reduce the need for multiple cranes when lifting long items and automate work at high altitudes.

What Is a Paperless System?

A paperless system aims to reduce or eliminate paper usage. It includes solutions like conference systems, document management systems, online storage, spreadsheet software, and electronic contract software. The development of information and communication technology, along with environmental concerns, has driven the adoption of paperless systems.

How to Introduce Paperless Systems

The rise in remote work and electronic transactions, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, has accelerated the adoption of paperless systems. These systems allow flexible work environments and contribute to environmental conservation. Before implementing a paperless system, consider factors like electronic document laws, user acceptance, document digitization processes, retention periods, and storage methods.

How to Choose Paperless Systems

Paperless systems vary in functionality, including tools for information sharing, web conferencing, and electronic signatures. It’s essential to select a system that matches specific needs and objectives, considering factors like compatibility, usability on intended devices, security measures, and support.

Pros and Cons of Paperless Systems

Pros

Advantages include improved operational efficiency, cost reduction, minimized security risks, and prevention of document deterioration.

Cons

Challenges include initial costs, potential issues due to system failures, and the need for regular backups.

Principle of Paperless Systems

Paperless systems, generally available as online services or applications, facilitate remote information sharing. They allow the digitization of traditional documents, making them accessible and manageable electronically. Governments and municipalities are also leveraging paperless systems to streamline administrative services, enabling electronic processing of procedures, tax payments, and information access. In the past, people had to send paper documents by mail or visit a counter to receive administrative services. Paperless systems reduce the need for physical document handling and in-person visits.

What Is a Soft Actuator?

An actuator is a device that converts energy into physical motion. While water turbines and windmills can be considered types of actuators, typically actuators imitate the movement of human muscles and joints.

A soft actuator, however, is made from lightweight, flexible materials that respond to environmental changes or external stimuli such as salt, solvents, or heat. These materials enable soft actuators to function similarly to traditional actuators but with added flexibility and responsiveness to external conditions.

Uses of Soft Actuators

Soft actuators are commonly used in artificial muscles due to their light weight and flexibility, making them ideal for robots and heavy machinery. Besides artificial muscles, they are also employed in artificial organs like hearts and anuses.

In industries like construction and nursing care, where workers frequently lift heavy loads, soft actuators are used in lower back support wear and muscle suits to assist movement.

Their sensitivity to external stimuli also opens up possibilities for energy generation in response to temperature changes.

Use of Soft Actuators in Robots

Soft actuators offer advantages such as adaptability, flexibility, light weight, cost-effectiveness, and environmental friendliness. They are stable in air, noise-free, and can passively respond in complex shapes with minimal or no control.

These features make soft actuators particularly useful in robotics, especially for operations in extreme conditions and underwater. For example, next-generation rubber materials in soft actuators can expand and contract when energized, ideal for robotic arms. PVC gel-based soft actuators are used in wearable robots and muscle suits.

Principle of Soft Actuators

Soft actuators operate through various mechanisms based on the materials and activation methods used. For instance, artificial muscles typically function through chemo-mechanical reactions initiated by temperature changes, solvent exchanges, chemical additions, or stimuli like light or electric fields.

A temperature-activated example uses polymethacrylic acid (PMAA), which forms complexes with polyethylene glycol in aqueous solutions. The polymer’s operation relies on the equilibrium between the polymers, shrinking at higher temperatures as polyethylene glycol concentration increases in the solution. This shape memory gel can be reconfigured multiple times using ethanol treatment.

Classification of Soft Actuators

Soft actuators can be categorized based on the materials used:

Polymer Gel Actuators

These actuators utilize polymer gels that deform when voltage is applied. They are known for their responsiveness, light weight, low production cost, and high energy efficiency.

Conductive Polymer Actuators

Made from conductive polymers like polypyrrole (PPY), polythiophene, and polyaniline (PANI), these actuators expand and contract when voltage is applied across electrodes in an electrolytic solution.

Other types include elastomer actuators and carbon nanotube actuators.

What Is a Conveyor Timing Belt?

Conveyor timing belt are timing belts specifically designed for product conveyance. These belts ensure synchronized conveyance by meshing with a pulley that has a matching tooth profile.

Different profiles can be attached to the belt’s back to aid in accurate positioning of the conveyed material.

Structure of Conveyor Timing Belts

Structure

• Main Body: Made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), known for excellent mechanical strength, ozone resistance, abrasion resistance, and low dust emission.
• Main Core Wire: Steel core wire, ideal for responsive and high-precision positioning applications due to its low elongation.
• Aramid Core Wire: Lightweight with excellent bending resistance, suitable for food applications.
• High-Strength Glass Fiber Core Wire: Offers simplified maintenance and good processability.

Belt Type

• Flex Type: Manufactured by molding in a fixed length, used in high-strength applications without joints. Manufacturing time may limit rapid delivery.
• Joint Type: Cut from long material and welded into a ring shape, based on the length between pulleys.
• Open-End Type: Used for reciprocating equipment without wheel processing, in a belt or plate form.

Other types include standard, wet food, dry food, antistatic, special conveying, and wide specifications, each with specific urethane types, core wires, and properties.

• Tooth Profile: Available in trapezoidal and circular arc shapes, in both metric and inch pitches.
• Canvas Specifications: Canvas on the tooth surface reduces friction with pulleys and table surfaces, lowering noise. Back canvas type is suitable for sliding and accumulating applications, reducing friction with conveyed material.

Special Processing

Conveyor timing belts may require various customizations for specific applications.

• Profile Processing: Essential for sorting, separation, feeding, and starting of conveyed materials. High-frequency welding attaches the thermoplastic polyurethane belt and profile securely. Profiles are added to the conveying surface and may include mechanical components or clamp-on devices.
• Cover Attachment Process: CR sponges, urethane sheets, and other materials can be bonded to the belt’s back to provide cushioning, grip, or slipperiness, with attributes like abrasion resistance, cushioning, mold release, and heat resistance.
• Hole and Tooth Grinding Processes: Holes are drilled for vacuum conveyance, and teeth can be ground for smoothness.
• Width Splicing: For wider than standard sizes, belts can be spliced side by side to create non-standard sizes.

Incidental Parts

• Pulley: Made from materials like aluminum, stainless steel, and steel, with optional surface treatments like plating.
• Clamps: Secure the ends of open-end belts, used in linear positioning and other applications where the belt moves back and forth between pulleys.

Selection of Conveyor Timing Belts

Choose belts with surface protrusions or high frictional resistance for conveyance, and smooth-surfaced belts for side material feeding. Consider the prime mover type, load power, and pulley diameter in selection.

• Prime Mover Characteristics: The prime mover type affects the compatible belt type. Confirm with the manufacturer about the timing belt’s suitability.
• Load Power: Related to the power consumed by the driven side, like pulleys, and depends on the friction between the pulleys and belt and the belt’s weight.
• Pulley Diameter: The size of the pulleys influences the suitable conveyor timing belt. Consider the diameter, rotation number, and teeth number in selection.

Replacement of Conveyor Timing Belts

Timing belts require periodic replacement due to wear and tear. Continued use of a deteriorated belt can lead to unstable conveyance. Regular inspections for wear and cracks are recommended.

What Is a Simple Lift?

A simple lift is an elevator device using in factories, etc. The device is a simple lift mechanism on wheels with a single standing caged space for lifting up and down.

Uses of Simple Lifts

Simple lifts are mainly used in factories, warehouses, and distribution centers. They generally don’t fit standards for human occupancy, so they mostly cannot carry anything other than cargo.

Simple lifts can transport loads of various sizes, and heavy loads can be loaded on dollies or pallets.

A special elevator for small luggage that is similar to simple lifts in structure and mechanism is called a electric dumbwaiter This product is not designed to accommodate people, but is generally an elevator that carries only small baggage.

However, products that can be operated from within the basket of the transport device are classified as elevators, since they are considered to be designed to accommodate people.

What Is a High CRI LED?

High CRI LED is a type of lighting that mimics natural light. “Color rendering index” (CRI) refers to a light source’s ability to reveal the colors of objects faithfully in comparison with a natural light source. High CRI LEDs are designed to closely match the color fidelity of sunlight.

When objects are illuminated by general LEDs as opposed to natural light, there can be noticeable differences in color perception due to variations in the color rendering index. This index is measured by the average color rendering index (Ra).

An Ra value closer to 100 indicates a color rendition similar to natural light, while a lower Ra value signifies greater deviation from natural light’s color perception.

Types of High CRI LEDs

High CRI LEDs, similar in design to general LEDs, are versatile and suitable for various environments. For instance, in restaurants, the perceived color of food can influence taste perception. Similarly, in apparel stores, customers may be dissatisfied if the color of clothes looks different under store lighting compared to natural daylight.

Therefore, high CRI LEDs are employed in various settings to ensure accurate color representation. These LEDs are popular not only in commercial lighting but also in residential settings due to their similarity to natural light, and are increasingly used for room lighting.

• Fluorescent Lamps
  High CRI LEDs can replace traditional fluorescent lamps in offices, commercial facilities, museums, and art galleries. They are designed to fit into existing fixtures and holders, enabling easy and cost-effective retrofitting. High CRI LEDs, particularly those with superior color rendering for individual colors as well as overall Ra, are essential in color-critical industries like printing.
• Ceiling Lights
  Ceiling-type high CRI LEDs, suitable for home environments like living rooms and kitchens, are also available. These LEDs can be installed without replacing existing fixtures. With the rise in telecommuting and web conferencing, high CRI LEDs are increasingly used in homes to enhance facial expressions on camera.
• Work Lights
  High CRI LEDs are also utilized in small work lights, crucial in fields where color accuracy is vital, such as photography, print shops, and beauty salons. USB rechargeable work lights with high CRI LEDs are available, offering portability and high light intensity for various applications, including medical use.

High CRI LED Chips

LED lighting, comprising LED chips and circuits, is known for its lightweight, compact size, shock resistance, and longevity. The LED chip is the primary source of light emission. Standard LEDs produce white light by combining blue LEDs with yellow phosphors or by mixing red, green, and blue LEDs. However, the combination of blue LEDs and yellow phosphors often lacks red tones, leading to less natural color rendition.

To overcome this, high CRI LEDs utilize blue LEDs with green and red phosphors, or a mix of red, green, and blue LEDs, to achieve a more natural white light. Some products enhance color rendering further by adding white LEDs to the tri-color combination.

• High CRI LED Penlights
  Due to their small size, LED chips are ideal for compact lighting devices like penlights. High CRI LED penlights are particularly useful for tasks requiring high-intensity light, such as work in dark environments or medical examinations.