Monthly Archives: August 2022
CNC Machine Setup and Operation
CNC Machine Setup and Operation
Computer Numerical Control Machines are sophisticated instruments that only trained CNC operators should operate them. There are certain rules and guidelines to consider if you are planning to use a CNC machine by yourself.
CNC checklist before startup
Before starting up the Computer Numerical Control Machine, there are safety rules that must be considered first. First important aspect before starting up the CNC machine is to ensure your own safety, therefore wearing protective gear, such as eye glasses and short sleeved shirts is an important dress code during CNC operation. You should also be careful whenever you are handling tools and sharp edged work pieces to avoid any accidents. You must also ensure that the cutting tools are fastened in the machine spindle to avoid any movement during the cutting operation.
Actual Startup, Operation and Machine Setup of the CNC
The Computer Numerical Machine startup procedure varies depending with the type of machine being used but usually there is a main power switch or a circuit breaker to turn it on. Some machines also require hydraulics or air pressure before it starts up.
When the Computer Numerical Machine starts up, the machine usually starts at its Machine Home Position. The Machine Home Position allows the control and the machine to have a preset starting position for all its axes. After startup, the CNC machine must be sent to this position before the work begins. This position will later be changed to an appropriate location whenever you are machining a particular part of a product.
The Tool Length Offset Value or TLO is the distance from the tip of the tool from the spindle in the Home Position. The TLO must be set for each tool in the current job. The TLO can be set using a height gage, fixture location, as well as the reference tool. When these values are determined, they are stored in the Controller to be used during the program operation.
After setting the Tool Length Offset Value it is time to setup a part origin of a CNC machine. Setting up the part origin on a CNC machine is the same as setting up a conventional machine. It usually involves positioning the axes to a point where the plan designates as its origin. There are many ways to locate the position on the reference point, it is by using edge finders, wigglers or magnifying glasses.
After setting up the whole system for the Computer Numerical Control, it is time to Load the program to the machine. Program loading is different for each machine. Some machines have tape readers to input the program into the Computer Numerical Control Machine’s memory. Newer machines have internal or external floppy devices to input the program to the machine. After the program is loaded to the machine, the CNC machine is now ready to use.
There are certain instances when you have to change the tools in the Computer Numerical Control manually during machine operations. When a certain machining operation is complete, the program will move the aces to the tool change position and display the next tool needed. It is now the job of the Machine operator to remove and replace it with the next tool.
Extra Care must be taken whenever you are starting operations with the CNC machine, any mistake taken during the part of the operation may lead to serious injuries from the machine operator.
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The Good Old Arcade Game: History And Development
The Good Old Arcade Game: History And Development
Gaming is already a part of our lifestyle. Starting in childhood, once we see moving images of gaming characters, we have the curiosity to try controlling it. It lasts until our teenage and adult years; we consider gaming as one of the entertainment alternatives when we are feeling bored.
Different genres of games are starting to pop up such as online strategy and role-playing games. But do you still remember the good old arcade games? That Pac-man eating yellow dots and Mario and Luigi consuming mushrooms and flowers to rescue the princess from King Koopa? These games are considered to be the ancestors of the games that you play today on your computer or videogame station.
History Reminisced
Old arcade games started after World War II, after Ralph Bauer invented the perception of creating an electronic game system to the television screen during the early 1950’s. When he presented his ideas to Magnavox, a television company during that time, it was approved and resulted in the release of a refined version of Bauer’s Brown Box prototype, which is known as the Magnavox Odyssey in 1972.
It displays only spots of light on the computer screen and it requires the use of translucent plastic overlays to reproduce the appearance of the game. In other words, this gaming version is prehistoric compared to present gaming standards.
The first gaming console system that was invented is known as the Atari 2600, which was released in 1977. It used plug-in cartridges in order to play different games.
After the release of Atari 2600, old arcade games started their Golden Age in the gaming industry. This is considered to be the era when the popularity of such games increased drastically. It began in the late 1979 when the first colored arcade game appeared.
Old arcade games started to gain their momentum in the gaming industry during the release of the following:
• Gee Bee and Space Invaders in 1978
• Galaxian in 1979
• Pac-man, King and Balloon, Tank Battalion, and others in 1980
During this era, arcade game developers began experimenting with new hardware, developing games, which used the lines of vector displays as opposed to the standard raster displays. Few arcade games derived from these principle, which became a hit including the Battlezone (1980) and the Star Wars (1983), which are all from Atari.
After the vector displays, arcade game developers were experimenting with the laser-disc players for delivering animations like in the movies. The first attempt is the Dragon Lair (1983) by Cinematronics. It became a sensation when it was released (there are instances that the laser-disc players in many machines malfunctioned due to overuse).
New controls were also cropped up in few games, although joysticks and buttons are still the arcade game standard controls. Atari released the Football in 1978 which used the trackball. The Spy Hunter introduced a steering wheel with resemblance to an actual one, and the Hogan’s alley made use of tethered light guns.
Other specialty controls like the pedals in racing games and a crossbow-shaped gun in Crossbow were also developed in this era.
Now, with the enthusiasm of modern game developers, they tried to revive this old arcade games by means of enhancing its graphics and producing newer versions. This manifestation only shows that good old arcade games are still a great alternative to modern computer games.
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Electronic Notebooks: Why Businessness Need Them
Electronic Notebooks: Why Businessness Need Them
Take Note
Notebook computers, commonly referred to as notebooks, are personal computers that are very light. To understand the notebooks concept you need to understand what personal computers are.
A personal computer is relatively small and inexpensive, compared with the computers of large businesses and organizations that act as servers or run computer operations on a grand scale. Personal computers are made for the use of individuals or small business entrepreneurs. Many personal computers are used in home offices nowadays. Many rely on notebooks as their only or their additional choice.
Personal computers can be purchased for a few hundred dollars or several thousand. Notebooks are somewhat higher in cost. All personal computers are based on the technology of microprocessing that enables the computer and notebook manufacturer to install a complete CPU on one computer chip. A business can use a personal computer, and sometimes a notebook, for accounting tasks, word processing, desktop publishing projects, database management, and spreadsheets. Notebooks or personal use PCs are often used for gaming, music and even movies.
Before notebooks the first personal computers showed up towards the end of the 1970’s. The Apple II, launched in 1977, was one of the first personal computers. It became one of the most popular as well. The introduction of new operating systems and new computer PC models seemed a nearly daily routing during the end of the 1970s and into the early 1980’s. The IBM PC was introduced in 1981, taking over first place status among personal computers. At this point, with the exception of Apple, many personal computer brands and manufacturers fell by the wayside thanks to IBM’s onslaught.
The result, still prior to notebooks, was the production of IBM clones by other manufacturers. These clones, with nearly the same internal components as the real IBMs, were much less expensive. They used the same microprocessors and could run identical software. While IBM, thanks to price and innovations that weren’t accepted such as the OS/2 operating system, is no longer the preferred PC brand, its notebooks are widely acclaimed.
Now personal computers are divided into two types – PCs and Apples. Personal computers, whether desktops, notebooks or laptops are designed as single user machines and run on microprocessors. They can be linked into a network, however, to use several of them together. The power of personal computers varies considerably from one to another.
Notebooks typically weigh considerably less than PCs – fewer than six pounds. They are typically so small that they can easily fit into their own carrying case or briefcase. Notebooks use a flat panel technology to have a display screen instead of the monitor that runs as a separate piece of hardware on a PC. Notebook display screens have considerable variation in display screen quality. The resolution can be either VGA (video graphics array) or SVGA (super VGA.) Designed by IBM, VGA systems provide a text mode resolution of 720×400 pixels, and a graphics mode of either 16 colors (640×480) or 256 colors (320×200.) The latter is the most common. SVGA is a standard for graphics, with greater resolution than the original VGA. SVGA supports resolution of 800×600, equal to 480,000 pixels.
The computer power of notebooks is actually just about equivalent to that of personal computers. Notebooks have the same capacity for memory, the same CPUs, and the same disk drives as PCs. The small package this power comes in is what makes them more costly than the PCs
One of the most popular aspects of notebooks – what makes them preferred to PCs for many road warriors, is their portability. Notebooks have battery packs installed so they can run without electricity for 2-4 hours before having to be recharged.
Why Buy a Used Laptop Instead of New?
Why Buy a Used Laptop Instead of New?
If you’re planning to purchase a laptop or notebook (note that laptops and notebooks are the same thing), consider buying used or refurbished laptop. A refurbished laptop is a used laptop that has been rebuilt by a professional, and made to be like new again.
First, let us take a moment to consider your needs in a laptop. What do you plan to do with your laptop? Do you your plans include the following:
Surfing the internet
Checking emails
Instant messenger
Writing papers
Printing Papers
Making spreadsheets
Slide Presentations
Playing Solitaire
Downloading MP3’s
Listening to MP3’s
Burning to CD’s
Watching DVD’s
Digital camera photo
Children’s games
Keeping bank figures
Small business use
The lists goes on…
Most used laptops will easily complete all of the above mentioned tasks for you. What’s really great is that for most current applications on a refurbished laptop, you won’t notice a performance difference compared to a brand new laptop.
How is that possible to not notice a difference between a brand new laptop and a refurbished one?
That’s a good question. The fact is, most current software for your computer is not designed to need the high performance of a brand new laptop. Computer manufactures are moving so fast, that software makers simply do not keep up. Most current software will run on a computer 4 times slower than the fastest laptops made.
Most current software will run flawlessly on a computer 4 times slower than the fastest laptops made.
What does that mean for you? It means that it’s not necessary to spend 00 or more on a top of the line laptop. Depending on your needs from your laptop, you may be able to buy a laptop for as low as 0. A 0 laptop will perform all the necessary tasks for most people. However, if you are looking for a laptop that will burn CD’s and watch DVD movies, expect to spend 0 – 0.
Dell says I can buy a brand new laptop for 9, why should I buy a used one?
This is a very smart, and very much overlooked, marketing trick. Let me start by saying that I think Dell is the best computer manufacture on the market, and I endorse their products myself. However, try this yourself on any given day with any manufacture : Today I went to do www.dell.com and browsed new inspiron laptops (The Dell line designed for home users). On the home page was an ad for a laptop “from” 9. This is after a 0 rebate, so make that price 9. I click the ad and attempt to purchase the item. I am offered to “Customize” or choose “Recommended Solutions”. Customizing sounds great. I’m the customer, and I should get what I want. After choosing “Customize”, without selecting any upgrades at all, suddenly the price of the laptop is 71. I don’t like that, so I chose all of the lowest possible choices for all available features to achieve the lowest price. The lowest available configuration made the price 7. I don’t want to give up, so I go back and choose “Recommended Solutions” because these configurations are pre-manufactured in quantity, and are therefore cheaper. Four options were offered at these prices: 9, 49, 9, and 19. Each one of these options was offered a 0 rebate (keep in mind this is a mail-in rebate so it doesn’t lower your price at checkout) so respectively, if I were to purchase, then wait for my rebate, I could get a laptop for 9, 99, 9, or 69. Not one option was available to purchase this laptop at the advertised priced price of 9, even after a mail-in rebate! You will find the same scenario anywhere you go, no matter what manufacture.
No option was available to purchase a laptop for 9, even after a mail-in rebate!
They have to get you to buy from them somehow. All of the computer manufactures have been using this marketing technique (as described above) for years. Imagine if everyone knew about this and the money they could save on buying a refurbished laptop, without having to sacrifice any of their goals and needs from the computer. These manufactures would not be the same companies that they are today.
There are more reasons to consider a refurbished laptop.
Another aspect of buying a refurbished computer that should be considered is this: Most refurbished laptops available are not the “low end” home user based laptops. Examples of home user laptops are: Compaq Presario, Dell Inspiron, eMachines, Hewlett Packard Pavilion, Sony Vaio, and Toshiba Satellite. Refurbished laptops are almost always business model laptops that are off-lease from major corporations.
Business laptops have parts available even long after warranty expires.
Business laptops provide a better solution because they are the laptops provided by a company that are proven to work well. Examples of business laptops are: Compaq Armada, Dell Latitude, Hewlett Packard Compaq Mobile/Business Workstation, and Toshiba Tecra. Home user laptops, believe it or not, are usually testing grounds for new engineering of laptop equipment. Home user laptops are typically given shorter warranty, and are designed to last until that warranty expires. After the laptop’s warranty has expired, the newer “experimental” home user model available uses different parts. Since the older models are no longer under warranty, and they use “out of date” parts, the manufacture no longer stocks the parts. Therefore, when your home user laptop has an out of warranty problem (which it will), the parts that are available to fix your laptop are very expensive, if they are available at all. This leaves the home user with the attitude to “throw away and buy new”, which is exactly what the manufacture wants you to do.
Since business laptops use technology that is proven to work, their parts seldom change from model to model. Due to this fact as well as the fact that business laptops are leased to corporations, huge stock piles of parts are kept at the manufacture for extended warranties as well as out of warranty purchases. For example, you can still call Dell today to order parts for an out of warranty laptop that was manufactured in 1997 or 1998 for the same cost as laptops manufactured in 2002.
Business laptops are more expensive than home laptops (as much as 00), buy used and save a ton.
Business laptops, due to their stability, are far more expensive than home user laptops. Using the Dell example, the cheapest Dell business laptop (Latitude), currently available is 00. Many of the refurbished laptops being sold today for 0-0 originally sold for 00 or more. This means you can buy refurbished and save as much as 80% over buying new.
Purchase a refurbished laptop that will suit your needs and last for years, at a great savings.
What all of this means is that if you purchase a refurbished laptop, you can expect the following:
Able to complete all tasks necessary to an everyday user
Half the cost of a brand new home user laptop
Up to 80% less than a brand new business laptop
Proven technology that will last for years
Parts always available if your laptop has a problem
Take control in your life, and put extra money in your pocket for other things that are important to you!
Find a Great Refurbished Laptop on the Web Today at www.computerspricedright.com
Living On Virtual Games
Living On Virtual Games
The days of children going out to play are slowly dying out. Unless one is living in the countryside with open space all around, a sweaty game of football may not be a distinct possibility. With concrete structures eating into every bit of open land, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a field to run around in. Most children these days get their exercise from school or on their way home. What do they do when it is time for play? They go to their rooms and switch on their computers.
Technology has made many inroads into our daily lives. It has also made a great impact on the way in which we entertain ourselves when our work for the day is done. We have all witnessed the emergence of video games that seem to have turned the people of the world into couch potatoes. With the development of computers and the rise of the Internet, gaming has become a huge and very profitable market. Interestingly, playing games in the virtual world has caught on not just among youngsters but also among adults of all ages. The addictive power of online games certainly cannot be denied.
And what are the games that everyone seems to be playing? Whenever we think of computer games, we automatically conjure up images of shooting, speed, racing cars, and so on. I agree that some of the most popular games in the business are ones that involve either a lot of blood and gore or simply living life in the fast lane. However, not all online games involve shooting or car racing. There are hundreds of other games that a gamer might love. If you are a basketball lover who cannot make it to a game, you can always play it online. Online games that simulate sports situations are among the most popular in the gaming world. Even if you are too short to make it to the basketball team, in the virtual world, you could show Michael Jordan how to shoot some hoops.
If you thought that only games that require rapid movement and planning were addictive, think again. Some of the most addicting games are those that require you to think before you click on the mouse. Chess is among the most popular board games to have made it to the virtual world. Card games remain evergreen favorites with poker sites raking in the profits. Games involving puzzles also tend to have a lot of fans.
This is the age of the virtual game, and everyone is getting addicted.