FDM vs SLS Manufacturing
Author: waldo
3D printing is an awesome technology that is changing the world in which we live in. This is a form of manufacturing that blows away other types in quite a few aspects; it is just significant! I want to compare and contrast two different styles of 3D printing. I’m going to cover Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) methods, as well as Fused Deposition Manufacturing (FDM). Before I do that, let me cover a “universal” process that all 3D printing processes hold to, as well as the general underlying message in all 3D printing methods.
Before anything can be manufactured through 3D printing, it has to be designed! This means there needs to be an engineer or a 3D designer working on the computer with 3D software developing a blueprint for the machine to use. All forms of 3D printing involve a CAM system, or a computer-aided-manufacturing system. This means that whether it be a jet, laser, or nozzle, all methods of this technology involve a computer telling the material dispenser where to go. This is definitely not done by hand on the fly! When it comes down to any form of additive manufacturing, there is an underlying process that applies to virtually all styles of manufacturing. A product will be manufactured one layer at a time. The material will be fused somehow at each individual layer, not matter how small. These layers could be just a few microns, or it could be a couple millimeters. (a human hair has a diameter of 20 microns) Regardless, 3D printing involves the layer by layer assembly of materials by a computer aided manufacturing method. Let’s compare both.
Fused Deposition Manufacturing (FDM) is a form of 3D printing that is a little bit simpler than other methods. It typically deals with thermoplastics for the most part, as the process involves a very basic melting process. Essentially, a nozzle will be hooked up to a spool of material in string form. This material could consist of polymers, ABS plastic, or whatever. The nozzle itself will be very hot, and as the material is pushed through the nozzle, it will be melted on top of the product. The material will be quick to solidify, but layers of melted materials will be stacked on top of each other to yield a final product. Think of a hot glue gun laying down layers of glue which quickly solidify, and stacking each layer of glue into a final product. The pros of this method are the simplicity. The machines capable of doing this are very simple compared to other printers, and are very inexpensive compared to others. Printers could go for $50,000 to $500,000 pretty easily. Some FDM printers go for less than $1,000. They are cheap! The downside, is that they can only make very small parts. On top of that, the parts are very low resolution. Finally, the process takes much more time than other methods. Finally, FDM methods require support materials when building. It turns into a “you get your money’s worth” kind of situations.
Selective Laser Sintering is a great method of manufacturing that really stands out. As you know from earlier, 3D printing involves the layer by layer stacking of material until a final product is produced. With SLS, each layer involves a layer of material being spread over the entire build envelope, or section where products can be assembled layer-by-layer. At each individual layer, a laser will melt the powder material together into a solid, and then another layer of powder material will be laid down – just to be laser melted again. A laser will melt material together per each layer, until a final product is yielded. The pros of this method would be that virtually anything can be made, as support material isn’t needed. This printer is much quicker than FDM. The parts are usually very high resolution, and high quality. This type of 3D printing is quite a bit more expensive on the downside.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5907481
Technology is making science fiction come real
Author: Sushant singh
The latest technological advancements and modern inventions have endowed us with evolution in our lives. In old days, people used to consider such innovations miracle, but at present the availability of latest gadgets, computing devices, mobile phones and other electronic items have made our life convenient & easy. Further, as the technology is advancing with fast pace, you must be thinking what may come next? With the presence of different and latest mobile phones, laptops, iPods, tablet PCs and advanced version of OS like Windows, MAC, Android & Symbian, life has become more productive and tasks simplified.
Recently, the development of latest software in the history of technology, SIRI (Speech Interpretation and Recognition Interface) has given an edge to the next level of innovation. SIRI is an intelligent personal assistant, which can be installed in your latest version of iPhone 4S, and help you send messages in your own voice, schedule meeting, make phone calls and more. This applications uses natural language user interface to answer your questions, perform actions and make recommendations. Moreover, SIRI understands what the user says and what you mean and reply to your any questions put up by you. This software utilizes the dual-core A5 chip in iPhone 4S along with Wi-Fi & 3G networks in order to communicate with Apple’s data centers to ensures fast & accurate task execution.
For all the students and admission seekers, it’s time to rejoice as work will become hassle-free and untiring. ST (Splashgain Technologies) has developed a new Android application, ePravesh. This application has been designed with an aim to streamline the entire pre-admission procedures for students as well as educational institutions. ePravesh was developed with a single thought of going beyond the internet platform and provide requisite admission details & solutions on the student’s mobile phones. Available in most of the Android based smartphones; ePravesh offers relevant information on broachers, course details and access to the websites of different colleges & schools in a single tap. And it is important to note that if you want to use this application for free, you must get yourself registered with www.epravesh.com.
Earlier, Google’s Chairman, Eric Schmidt predicted that in near future rapid advancements in technology will transform fiction into reality. The result is here, Google has programmed a driverless car, which will run, cruise, twist and turn on its own. Nevada’s Department for Motor Vehicles has issued Google with a license to test its Driverless Car for the first time on the public streets.
Tech-freaks are all set to experience new innovations and Latest Technology in mobile phones, as Nokia launches its augmented reality application for Windows handsets. Similar to Layar and Wikitude, Nokia’s latest augmented reality app; City Lens helps the users overlay surroundings on their smartphones through camera. This application can be downloaded from Nokia Beta Labs. Further, this application also allows the users to share related information via SMS & email with others. The newly launched augmented reality application is currently developed for Lumia 900, 800 and 710 smartphones.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5908655
Unified Communication Environment for Better Productivity
Author: Conference Solutions
Integrated or Unified Communications is a highly effective remote collaboration tool that simplifies communication and improves organisational productivity manifolds. This new-age solution merges a vast array of devices, applications and channels of interaction into a single environment that supports interaction amongst geographically separated professionals. Companies are steadily migrating towards this platform in order to streamline their communication requirements and reduce collaboration costs.
Unified Communication (UC) solutions include various platforms, such as audio and video conferencing, web conferencing, instant messaging, emails and even fax. Now, a meeting can easily be set up on short notice to make urgent multipoint calls or to schedule an automated event beforehand for high profile events. The integration of multiple communication channels enables users to access all meetings from a single easy-to-use device and reduce lag in long distance web-based collaboration sessions. This facility of bringing all employees within the same virtual conference room proves beneficial for companies that have many offices located across the world. Using this solution, geographically dispersed individuals can make decisions quicker without compromising on productivity. They can coordinate with remotely located personnel to handle projects better and boost the turnaround time.
In Australia, where the tyranny of distance hinders communication, Unified Communications can help companies greatly optimise the business conferencing infrastructure through innovative tools, such as white boarding and annotations. All the modern conferencing features of Unified Communication and Collaboration solutions can be accessed from a simple browser-based interface that does not require any plug-ins or downloads. Australian Conferencing Service Providers (CSPs) are capable of tailoring their UC suites in order to cater to the exact communication needs of their clients such that they have instant access to all advanced tools over an simple and convenient interface.
Considering the increase in rate of adoption of handheld mobile devices like Smartphones and tablet computers, dedicated apps for various operating systems like Android, Apple, Blackberry and Symbian are available for Unified Communication solutions. Thus, professionals working on such devices can join an ongoing meeting or start an event even while they are on the move. They simply need to enter their log in IDs and passwords to start using advanced tools and features of Unified Communications on their iPad, iPhone, Android phones and tablets and Blackberry devices. The conferencing experience and high quality support rendered by CSPs ensure that the remote meetings held using such UC solutions are efficient, aid mission-critical decision making and help simplify communication.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5905211
Smartphones: Your access to latest technology
Author: Sushant singh
The galloping pace in the modern innovation has enabled the mobile makers to come up with some of the most advanced telecommunication devices. And if you are thinking to buy a new mobile phone, which is equipped with amazing features and latest applications, it is better to take a look into the Latest Mobile Phones Reviews. To guide you in selecting the right, the mobile phones reviews play a vital role. Further, it is through the latest reviews that we get to know more about the upcoming mobile phones in the market. However, with the presence of advanced technologies, more and more companies have joined the craze of making best smartphones that are loaded with niftiest features. At present these smartphones have become necessity and fashion accessory, which is an important gadget in our lives Consumers have access to various smartphones that have captured the entire market and become a craze among the people.
New smartphones are considered as a blend of PDAs, mobile phones, applications, video & music player, gaming console and computing device. You have the option to select from various smartphones that are developed by Nokia, Samsung, HTC, BlackBerry, Apple, LG, Motorola and many more. Powered with advanced operating systems, the Gen-X smartphones are loaded with amazing applications like Google Maps, YouTube, Video calling and other features. Further, smartphones are available with QWERTY keypad, capacitive touchscreen, are display and Global Positioning System with high speed 3G connectivity. Talking about cameras, most of the smartphones are integrated with high resolution cameras that can give a tough competition to other digital cameras. Moreover, other important feature of smartphones is that you can download various small applications from online stores at minimal or free of cost. When it comes to texting, these newly launched allow you send SMS as well as MMS instantly. Operated on latest versions of OS like Android, Windows, Symbian and Mango, these smartphones are also support some of the high graphic video games for avid gamers, movies, themes and live wallpapers. Not only entertainment, smartphones are designed keeping in mind the smooth execution of all your business needs. You can find numerous applications like word processor, personal organizer and spreadsheet programs that allow the work to be executed with great ease.
Missing the updates and comments on Facebook, Orkut or Twitter? Than your new smartphone has all that desirable features that will keep you connected with these social networking sites and Online Messengers. Nokia’s Lumia, Samsung’s Galaxy S III, Motorola’s Charm, HTC’s Wildfire, LG’s Optimus Hub and Sony’s Xperia are some of the Latest Smartphones present in the market that will make people crave for them. All of these smartphones come with latest technologies that are known worldwide. Further, these mobile phones are similar to your computers that provide you access with different functions. With so many preloaded applications and featured, any tech-freak will desire to own these smartphones. Moreover, if you thought these phones are available only at higher price, than mobile companies have come up with latest handsets that can be obtained at affordable rates with the same features & functions. Smartphones are known as an exclusive production of advanced technologies and modern invention.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5905605
Top 10 Applications an Android User Must Have
Author: Alex Morgan
As we all know, Android phones are featured with thousands of apps, so it become too difficult for someone to pick out the best amongst them. The good thing about Android Applications Development is that the operating system of this smart phone is open source. Hence, it’s quite possible for you to keep the most suitable apps for you and delete all those you don’t want.
Here, I am mentioning the top 10 apps of an Android phone you must keep in your smart phone in order to keep it really smart:
1. Gmail and Google Calendar
As Android is a Google application, Gmail features works excellent with it. Along with that, if you don’t want to stay away from your mailing account, having this feature is a must.
2. Tweet Deck
Tweeting might be your favorite passion, as it is of many people. Keeping in touch with your twitter account is quite easy if you are having this cool Android Apps Development. In fact, twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and Buzz, all you can access from a single screen. Getting notifications and updating your status is just a matter of moments.
3. Goggles
Here, you can search for anything using a picture. Just take the picture and make your search, you will get the Google results about that. It’s one of the finest Android Applications Development from the Google Labs. Just want to purchase something, take the picture of the product and check the Amazon price for that.
4. WordPress
For those who have a number of WordPress blogs, this feature allow them to directly update their blogs using their smart phone. Checking the comments and stats of the blog is also possible, even if you are out of your home or office.
5. Evernote
Evernote is like an online notepad, where you can save website clippings, photos and notes. Whenever you see something worth notable or clickable, just do it and post it to your Evernote account. All you need is to have an Evernote account which you can easily create at www.evernote.com
6. Tomcat
It’s the funniest and most entertaining app of an Android phone. Nothing but an animated cat, which reacts according to the action you take. Hits on its stomach, and it purrs, or when you touch the milk icon and it drinks milk. And when you speak something, the tomcat repeats in silly voice. You will surely enjoy this feature once you try it.
7. YouTube
This Android Apps Development feature provides most user friendly and convenient way of accessing YouTube. It automatically connects it with your Gmail account, so you can easily access your channel and videos.
8. Google Maps
Using this feature, you can easily find the map of any location. Along with that, if you are having a Latitude account, you can easily let the people know where you are. It’s just like a sat-nav. You can also download Google’s Streetview to go with it.
9. Amazon Kindle
Though it’s considered a phone is not suitable for reading ebooks, this smart phone prove it to be false. With the help of Amazon Kindle app, you can read your favorite book with excellent comfort and great experience. So gone are the days when you needed to carry those heavy books. Visit anywhere with the ebook version of thousands of books with Android Applications Development.
10. Last FM
Many times you may get bored by listening to the same music again and again. The best thing about Last FM is it automatically creates the playlist according to what you like.
These are just some examples of the Android Apps Development you can get with an Android phone. The list is endless, and the good thing is, you do not have to put your phone on a burden. Just keep the apps you like and delete others, just like that!
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5904012
Get Top Dollar for Your Old Cell Phone
Author: Maristella
Did you know that one of the easiest modes of earning cash is online?
If you think I am talking about putting up an online business, then shrug it off. Although an online business can be profitable, I will spare you the rigors and strain of devising a business plan, management strategy or other what-nots of business administration. What I really want to say is that through the World Wide Web, you can get easy cash in an easy way.
Am I making a little sense now? Wait till I tell you how to do it.
If you want good cash that you can have in a little while, sell your used or old smartphone online to electronics refurbishment companies!
Selling cellphones is becoming a trend these days- whether what you are selling is a used, old, or even a broken unit. If it is just a used phone, some people can use it as back-up. They do this to establish security at times when their primary handset is in a real jam.
One option is to do it over the web. There is a vast selection of sites that might be interested in buying your old cell phone. Most of the time, you will get low-balled by these buying sites but if you know where to turn to, expect busloads of benefits from selling it alone. Of course, the more current and the more mint the condition of your phone, the more chances of getting a good sum for your cell phone… But definitely, you will still max out the remaining value of your gizmo. In fact, you may even get to find a website that allows you to sell your used cell phone even if it is broken. And isn’t that a fine way of squeezing that trash to get cash?
If you want to try this, you can go now and try selling these cellphones over the net. You can get a great amount of money for what is an apparently worthless device. Not only will you get rid of that clutter by getting cash for it, you also get to give the planet some healthy benefits. Isn’t that a clear win-win situation! I bet this is going to work for you.
Now, selling used cellphones can only be a rewarding experience for you if you know where to start. Initially, I suggest that you try selling cellphones online as this is the most convenient and the fastest method to get your cash rewards.
Once you decide that you will indeed trade in your device, delete all the existing files and programs that you have in there. Protection is always paramount. Do not ever let anyone be granted access to your personal information, contact details, or even your online banking account credentials. At all costs, avoid the imminent occurrence of any security issues.
Get top dollar for used iPhones and enjoy the rewards from your old and crappy phone.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5904295
What Is FDM Manufacturing?
Author: waldo
I’ve covered the manufacturing processes known as 3D printing for a while now. I’ve covered how 3D printing is impacting individuals, certain industries, and specific demographics. I haven’t really jumped into each individual branch of 3D printing just yet, so I’d like to cover a process of 3D printing which is referred to as FDM, or Fused Deposition Modeling. This form of 3D printing was created by Stratasys, a competitive 3D printer manufacturing company. What is FDM? Fused deposition modeling is one of the simpler forms of this technology. It is simple compared to other methods, but is still pretty crazy if you ask me. Typically, 3D printing refers to a layer by layer assembly of a product, and this is no different. FDM goes something like this. As always, since all forms of this manufacturing involve CAM, or computer-aided-manufacturing, a CAD file has to be developed for a product to be manufactured. After the file is created, it will then be sent to the intelligent computer on the 3D printer. The printer will then control the jet, which shoots out material on to a designated area on the machine. The jet which spits out small amounts of material is heated to a very high temperature. FDM 3D printing processes use materials with lower melting points such as ABS, polycarbonates, or waxes. These materials will be in wire form and drawn from a coil into the heated jet. Think of fused deposition modeling processes as a computer aided hot glue gun. The coil of material serves as the glue, and the jet of the printer serves as the heated nozzle on a hot glue gun. Melted material will be placed on to the build table, and will end up becoming the final product. As I mentioned earlier, the 3D printing method known as fused deposition modeling is a style of computer aided manufacturing, or CAM. Think of the hot glue gun analogy; imagine that the hot glue gun was held up by a machine, but controlled by a precise CAM system. This means that the jet will shift up, down, left, or right in the manor that it needs to in order to create the model. The 3D printer will take into account the 3D model provided by a designer or engineer, and it will move the ink jet where it needs to be as it spits out small increments of material. Just like traditional methods of 3D printing, it will be done in quite a few layers, as each individual is very small. Other methods of 3D printing cover the entire build envelope with layers of powder, and only certain parts of the powder are fused for the product. In these forms such as selective laser sintering (SLS), or direct metal laser sintering (DLMS), the powder is vacuumed back up into the machine and recycled, but some powder will always escape the machine which will lead to a “dusty” environment, and a minor waste of material. This powder lost is pretty trivial, but I felt it should be mentioned. With FDM processes, 100% of the material is used within the model, and none is wasted. However, the downside to FDM processes would be the lack of resolution. FDM processes just aren’t quite as detailed as 3D printing other methods. At the same time, it isn’t as fast as other methods either.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5904370
Healthcare Organizations: Seeking a Cloud Provider? BAAs Required
Author: OnlineTech
If you use a cloud service, it should be your business associate. If they refuse to sign a business associate agreement, don’t use the cloud service.
- David S. Holtzman of the Health Information Privacy Division of OCR during a speech at the Health Care Compliance Association’s 16th Annual Compliance Institute.
The OCR, Office of Civil Rights, is the federal enforcer of HIPAA/HITECH. This definitive statement straight from the governing body puts to rest the question about whether or not cloud providers should be considered business associates for covered entities in the healthcare industry, as well as the question of whether a business associate agreement is required or not.
Holtzman’s speech included a specific example of a recent HIPAA violation involving the Phoenix Cardiac Surgery physician practice. Protected health information (PHI) was found posted on an Internet-based calendar, openly available to the public. The practice was using a public cloud-based application that did not have any privacy or security controls.
The lessons learned, according to Holtzman, include the physician’s lack of security and privacy controls, as well as the failure to consider cloud providers to be business associates and sign a business associate agreement (BAA).
Why is it imperative to sign a BAA with a HIPAA cloud provider, as a healthcare organization concerned about PHI security and HIPAA compliance?
Ownership
Who has access to data and rights to your data should be clarified in the BAA with your cloud provider – some cloud providers may include provisions in your contract that give them ownership and control of your data while hosted in their environment. Loss of ownership and control may mean your PHI can be left vulnerable to a breach.
Location
HIPAA security standards apply to covered entities within the United States; if your data is being hosted overseas, the same privacy and security laws may not apply. Know where your data lives and assess the physical, logical and network security of the data center or hosting facility.
Breach Notification
A clause in your BAA should address breach notification in the event of a data leak – if your cloud provider is aware of a breach, they should have a plan in place that outlines a timeline of notifying the covered entity and their next steps. The OCR requires multiple documents within ten days of a breach – check that your cloud provider is aware of and has the information or ability to help you collect and/or create those documents.
Security and Privacy Controls
Does your cloud provider have documented policies and procedures in place that include employee training on how to securely handle PHI? The obligations and responsibilities of the cloud provider should be outlined in your BAA clearly.
Protocol After Termination
After contract termination with a cloud provider, the terms of data destruction and/or how to return the data to the covered entity should be addressed. Keeping copies of sensitive information within your organization is key to maintaining the data confidentiality and access limitation.
The OCR’s HIPAA audit pilot program launched late last year was intended to identify areas of improvement for covered entities when it comes to data security. With this field research, the OCR can provide more useful guidelines for other healthcare organizations, including the necessity of signing of a BAA with cloud vendors.
Looking for more information on HIPAA IT requirements, recommendations, and the foundation of a secure HIPAA compliant data center? Download our HIPAA Compliant Data Centers white paper now for a complete guide to HIPAA hosting with IT vendors.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5904450
What Is SLA 3D Printing?
Author: waldo
I want to talk about another form of 3D printing, known as stereolithography, or SLA. This technology is often called optical fabrication, photo solidification, or solid imaging. This form of 3D printing is almost sci-fi channel unheard of if you ask me; it’s pretty serious. Let me elaborate on the process. Like all forms of 3D printing, there has to be some design work done on the computer by an engineer or a 3D artist. This form of 3D printing isn’t different from the rest, as the machine itself has a CAM system, or computer aided manufacturing system. This means that the computer on the machine will automate the entire assembly process of parts, with an exception of pulling it out of the machine. Let’s jump into the actual process. After the computer image has been sent to the machine, it will then begin manufacturing the product. Within all SLA machines, there is a build envelope, or “bin” of a liquid curable photopolymer resin. Just imagine a small bin inside of a large machine filled with a liquid resin. When the printer “fires up” and starts working, it will begin to shoot an ultraviolet beam towards the bin of liquid photopolymer. The curable resin is engineered so that it is very sensitive to ultraviolet beams. What does this mean? When the beam of ultraviolet light hits the liquid photopolymer, the liquid is cured into a solid piece. According to where the beam of light hits, the liquid will solidify. For each layer inside this bin of resin, the beam of light will only hit a selected amount determined by the initial computer image. This means that there will be excess liquid that will be recycled into the machine, unless the engineer who designed the product designed a block that equates to the exact dimensions of the “bin” I mentioned earlier. So the process of SLA 3D printing is essentially the layer by layer solidification of a curable liquid resin from an ultraviolet beam of light which is focused directly at concise points in the bin determined by the computer image. Just think about that… a beam of ultraviolet light is hyper focused on very specific regions of the resin to create a product with great resolution. A beam of ultraviolet light is focused well enough to create curable resin based prototypes. I feel that this kind of thing sticks out as incredibly exceptional! SLA 3D printing is known for having inexpensive material cost. SLA 3D printing also has very quick build time when compared to other forms of 3D printing. It is selective about which section of each layer is assembled, similar to DMLS or SLS 3D printing, but at the same time SLA printing belongs in its own genre because it creates products based off of a curable resin and a beam of ultraviolet light. That is just insane in my opinion. Like I said earlier, the resolution on these parts is very good as well, which means that this ultraviolet laser is programmed incredibly well. This technology just blows me away.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5904624
Access Control Systems: Their Benefits and Key Technologies
Author: Fernando Severns
Security in every aspect of our lives is a fundamental factor that contributes to our daily comfort and survival. Without modern security systems we’d probably feel paranoid and unsafe in our own homes, communities, and workplace. The evolution of technology has gone far beyond the medieval bolts and chains and traditional lock and keys to keep intruders out. These days, businesses, buildings, and homes are installed with security access control systems.
Access control systems make sure that only authorized personnel or users can have access to a specific resource. For example, a big organization that has a wealth of resources and data in several rooms in a building can install access control systems for each room to control access to those rooms. Only employees who are registered into the system can go in and out.
This technology guarantees that only the right people can lay eyes on sensitive information and handle expensive equipment in the workplace. Access control systems also record entries and exits, so it would be easier for managers and business owners to monitor and locate their personnel at any given time. There are different types of key technologies used in access control.
Smart Cards and Tokens
Smart cards can have the same size as your credit card and contain either a microchip or a magnetic stripe that has the user’s data. Smart cards are swiped on an access control device to allow access to a secured area. Tokens in access control systems are similar to smart cards but can only be used once to enter secure computer networks. User’s data from smart cards and tokens are verified with the company’s database to confirm identity and set the level of security clearance.
Passwords and PINs
Most access control systems utilize passwords and pins together with smart cards or other physical credentials. Passwords and personal identification numbers (PIN) guarantee that even when your smart card or access badge is stolen, the thief will still have a hard time hacking into the system or won’t easily enter a room. Consecutive incorrect password or PIN entries will alert the security department and possibly put the building in lockdown.
Biometric Systems
The latest and most sophisticated key to an access control system is biometrics. This involves encoding into the database human characteristics of the user such as fingerprint, handprint, retina, voice, or facial structure. This key technology is considered foolproof because unless human cloning is perfected, there is no way for an intruder to replicate another human’s unique physical attributes. For more information on access control systems, visit techrepublic.com.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5900910
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