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Repainting Like New

February 18, 2014 By admin

There comes a point in the lives of our cars when the paint starts to go bad. Scratches accumulate all over the car, acquired from all its trips. The clear coat starts to fade and the general quality of the paint just starts to worsen after all the years of exposure to the elements. When this happens, it’s high time to get your car repainted. It may seem costly but it will be worth it when you see how your car will turn out, looking like you just brought it home form the lot.

Still, despite a brand new look, most of us just can’t get over the price tag. There will be a few who will offer a full paint job of your car, but would that really be worth it? You may spend a little less now, but in the future, who knows how much you’ll end up paying for the maintenance of the paint of your car? On the other hand, not all of those who have a large price tag offer a great job.

It’s important that you check out the facilities and that it is complete and equipped with all the necessary gear like a prep station. It’s also wise picking those with more sophisticated facilities like those that have a downdraft paint booth rather than those who have makeshift rooms that are simply converted and dedicated to painting.

The paint on your car is important to its appearance & value, don’t skimp out, make the right choice!

Accudraft Paint Booths is a trusted provider of spray booth technology with over thirty years of experience. Accudraft has a wide range of paint booths and preparation booths designed with top-notch technology.

Filed Under: Business Services

Better Software Means Better Construction

February 18, 2014 By admin

By Accu Build

A successful build takes countless tools. But one important resource you simply can’t overlook is construction software. By using the cutting edge in modern technology, you can leverage all of your resources into producing better results.

Whether you could benefit from AIA billing software or just better oversight, the software solution is out there. You’ll wonder how you ever made it so long without using software that’s tailor made for your industry.

That’s the problem with so many other software solutions. Sure, there are a number you can buy to help with payroll, manage projects or even just keep track of your taxes. But unless they’re custom made for the construction industry, chances are you’re going to be losing out on benefits you could really use. You might even find yourself trying to make your own modifications to get the performance you need.

None of this is ideal, of course, and, in fact, it can result in some major problems for your company. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be the kind of performance you settle for anymore. Instead, find software that’s made for the construction business and enjoy very real results as soon as you start using it. Best of all, with updates always an important part of the software industry, you can count on seeing progressively better versions as time goes on.

AccuBuild creates software solutions that help contractors get more from their work. Their programs can help measure everything from the construction job cost to how much of it is owed to suppliers, unions, etc.

Filed Under: Business Services

Building with Steel

February 17, 2014 By admin

By Lyle Charles

Working in the construction industry requires a lot of knowledge with how the industry works, the learning curve is pretty steep and if you slip up, you’re definitely going to fall off. Construction projects are all about the details, having a novice handle one is definitely not advisable as big projects such as those are best left to professionals who have years of experience to be able to properly decide what the firm needs to do; however, these professionals are human too and can overlook some details that turn out to be crucial for the project’s success. These firms would normally employ a third party construction expert witness to oversee the progress of the project as well as its initial plans to pre-emptively sort out potential problems in the future.

However not all of these consultation firms deal only with your process, but may offer knowledge from another supplemental industry, materials. A structural steel expert can be a great asset when trying to work out the kind of materials you will need for the frames, or the foundation; these experts can give you the right balance of flexibility, durability and affordability for your specific purpose and can save you thousands of dollars in the long run. If in the case however of the sudden appearance of a claim, these firms would also tend to offer construction claim analysis to properly assess the situation and can help you decide what the proper action to take next is.

Lyle Charles is a firm that deals with advisory services as well as structural steel consultation.

Filed Under: Legal

4 Unexpected Legal Costs for Construction Companies

February 11, 2014 By admin

Besides the expenses that come with the everyday operation of any construction company, there’s always the lurking threat of litigation. Legal costs are one business variable that many ignore, often to their eventual detriment. Becoming more familiar with the legal costs you may be liable for in the future can help you to plan for them. The following unexpected legal costs can be a catastrophe for construction companies without protection.

Employee Injuries

No matter how many precautions you may take, any construction site is an inherently risky work environment. Employee injuries can make a serious dent in your bottom line if you don’t have adequate insurance coverage and legal representation. If you find yourself facing a lawsuit over alleged safety infractions, knowing how to find the right construction expert witness to back up your side of the story is of paramount importance.

Construction Defects

The field of construction defect litigation is rife with tales of costly lawsuits that have bankrupted companies. Clearly, the best way to avoid a messy legal action is to prevent construction defects from happening in the first place. Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to do so thanks to faulty materials and other outside factors beyond your control. Having a good lawyer on retainer as well as insurance is your best defense.

Billing Disputes

Most construction projects only proceed once a well-defined budget with a fair degree of leeway factored in is agreed upon. As most construction professionals know, things rarely go according to plan in the budgeting department. Municipal projects are often prone to cost overruns that can result in legal action. Acquainting yourself with qualified construction claims consultants is a smart idea if you’re interested in reducing the chance of a major legal disaster.

Environmental Claims

Most reputable construction companies are well-versed in the intricacies of local and federal environmental regulations. Despite their best efforts, even the most cautious construction outfits often run afoul of some obscure environmental law at one point or another. Once an environmental claim has been filed, things can get expensive quickly. Having an environmental law expert on speed dial is a prudent move that can spare you many headaches.

Reducing Legal Costs

If any of these hypothetical legal scenarios become a reality, private mediation is often the least expensive way to go. To avoid a worst-case scenario, robust commercial liability insurance coverage is a must. No one can predict the future no matter how careful they are, after all. As such, preparing for the aforementioned potential legal costs ahead of time is just common sense.

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Lyle Charles, a structural steel expert with over 40 years of experience.

Filed Under: Construction, Services

Semiconductor Metallization Disposition Processes

January 30, 2014 By admin

During the manufacturing of semiconductors, the vacuum metallization process is used to link together circuits. This is done by placing a thin layer of film made from a metal such as aluminum, nickel or gold between the elements of a semiconductor. While the end goal is to create an electrical connection between components, there are different ways to achieve this.

Here is a look at some of the common metallization disposition processes for semiconductors:

Sputtering: A sputter coater places a thin film by bombarding the target material with ions of an inert gas. The gas is introduced into a low-pressure vacuum while an electric field charges the ions and draws them to the target. Sputtering allows for a high level of control over the dispersal of the coating and can be used in almost any semiconductor application.

E-Beam Evaporation: With electron-beam evaporation, a focused blast of electrons heats the target metal. This causes the metal to vaporize, with the particles condensing on the wafers of the semiconductor.

Filament Evaporation: Also called resistive evaporation, this process involves the heating of a filament by thermal resistance. This is typically done in a bell jar or similar device. As the filament heats up, the metal that is to be deposited melts and the filament becomes wet. The metal eventually melts completely and vaporizes, condensing on the target wafer to create the thin film layer.

Flash Evaporation: A ceramic bar that has been heated by thermal resistance is used in flash evaporation. When the bar touches a length of wire, it causes the target metal to evaporate and be deposited onto the semiconductor substrate.

Induction Evaporation: In induction evaporation, metal in a crucible is melted by radiofrequency radiation.

Denton Vacuum, LLC contributed this blog post. Visit the Denton Vacuum, LLC website to learn more about breaking thin-film technologies including PVD coating.

Filed Under: Manufacturing

How Sputtering Systems Work

January 22, 2014 By admin

Sputtering is like priming a wall, but instead of paint we capture electrons. Sputtering helps engineers build more powerful processors and conductors to move energy and complete processes. Two huge applications for this process appear in computing and solar power.

Sputtering

Sputtering is a scientific method for applying thin layers to a surface by bombarding it with electrons and other energy particles. Sputtering is typically a slow process, and it’s best used to cover small surface areas.

Magnetron sputtering places a magnetic field around the source material that you wish to apply your layers too. The source material is electrically charged as the chamber is filled with inter gases. An alternating AC/DC current is used to magnetize the ions to the surface material, effectively bonding your layers to the surface. Some of the ions will escape the magnetic field, the rest will impact the source and deposit a fine layer of material onto the surface.

PVD Thermal Evaporation uses high temperatures to melt the materials applied to the source. A vacuum is used to create a kind of cooling chamber, condensing the vapors to form substances that can attach to the surface.

Ion beam sputtering ejects particles from the source material, and forces them to interact with electrons from a secondary source. The target is covered in neutral atoms during this process, which makes ion sputtering systems better at conducting and insulating materials and parts. You might see ion sputtering when manufacturers design a computer hard drive.

Practical Applications

We normally see sputtering during the manufacture of computer parts and solar cells.

A basic photovoltaic cell uses similar materials to what is found in a semiconductor. The process of converting sunlight into energy occurs at an atomic level, so there must be a mechanism for the conductor to actually absorb and convert the sunlight into energy.

The first solar power storage system was built in 1954, but the battery was deemed too expensive for practical usage. Today, thanks in part to plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, solar power is becoming more affordable. Each cell contains a wafer-thin semiconductor that has been treated to form an electric field. The treatment leaves one side positively charged, and the other negatively charged. When light filters into the cell, the semiconductor material applied through sputtering knocks the unnecessary electrons loose. Because the conductors are attached to the cells, and have a positive and negative charge, the loose electrons get pulled into the circuit. In essence, the process of sputtering is integral to generating electricity with solar power.

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This guest post was brought to you by Denton Vacuum, LLC, makers of sputtering systems for solar cells and semiconductors.

Filed Under: Goods and Services, Hardware, Industrial and Manufacturing, Services

Discover Common Types of Synthetic Turf Grass

December 23, 2013 By admin

Installing synthetic turf grass on your lawn is great landscaping choice for a variety of reasons. It is an environmentally-friendly choice since it doesn’t require regular watering or any fertilizers. It gives your property a healthy, well-kept look without requiring major maintenance and it can save you money in the long run.

But before you put an artificial lawn in your yard, you need to do some research. Not all types of artificial turf are alike. There are factors that will make certain types of turf more appropriate for different uses. You’ll want to read the specifications provided by the artificial grass manufacturer carefully before you make a purchase to ensure that you are getting the right turf for your needs.

Here is a brief overview of some of the most common types of artificial turf materials and what makes them so unique:

Athletic Turf: This is turf that is specifically designed to go on sports playing surfaces for football, soccer, lacrosse and other sports usually played on grass. The pile height is usually two to three inches and has crumbled bits of rubber or silica sand used as infill. These small pellets of infill are easily tracked into a home, so this is not a good residential turf choice.

Landscaping Turf: Turf that is appropriate for residential use has a microfiber layer of yarn that serves as the “roots” of the turf. This layer keeps the blades of turf upright, eliminating the need for infill. This type of grass often has the highest amount of yarn per square foot and is made to closely resemble actual grass.

Pet-Friendly Turf: If you have pets at your home – particularly dogs – you will want to look for artificial turf that is specifically designed for them. This means that it will have a special antibacterial treatment meant to reduce odors associated with urine and feces. It will also have excellent drainage capabilities, making it easy for you to hose down and clean the turf.

Playground Turf: When it comes to turf for playground uses, safety is important. Turf that’s appropriate for the playground is often heavily padded to cushion youngsters who fall while playing rough and tumble. The turf itself is also often very dense. It is possible to use athletic turf as an alternative to playground turf; however, the infill can be messy when little hands and feet are playing on the turf.

Article written by CCGrass Landscapes. CCGrass Landscapes supplies synthetic turf for international and U.S. customers.

Filed Under: Manufacturing

Alternatives to a Traditional Mattress

December 19, 2013 By admin

If you’ve slept on a traditional mattress your entire life, you might not even be aware of the alternatives available to you. Continue reading as this article will cover all your options, many of which might offer you a much better night’s rest than what you’re used to.

The best option is polyurethane foam. Canada has plenty of options, so you won’t need to look far in order to find a mattress available. Why is foam such a great choice? For one thing, it disperses your weight much better than traditional choices. When you sleep on a normal spring mattress, your weight isn’t distributed evenly, meaning the springs push back unevenly. As a result, different parts of your body have unnecessary pressure forcing back on it while you try to sleep all night. If you wake up from a full night’s rest with aches and pains or you lost sleep from tossing and turning, this could be the culprit.

Another option is upholstery foam. Canada once again has plenty of suppliers. Upholstery foam is much thinner as it’s used for, you guessed it, upholstery. For this reason, it’s a great choice for trying out foam as you won’t be paying the full amount for a mattress, but you’ll still get a sense for how it feels and the kind of sleep it can deliver.

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Article submitted by Canada Foam by Mail. They offer a wide selection of mattresses you want, whether it’s a standard foam option or a polyurethane foam mattress.

Filed Under: Hardware, Industrial and Manufacturing

Hot Water for Your Home

December 18, 2013 By admin

When you’re looking to buy water heater supplies for your new home, knowledge is power. Knowing about the latest technologies and the best features are an important part of selecting your next water heater. From older styled tank heaters, to the newest in-line, tankless water heaters, selecting one can be a daunting task. Thankfully, with the growth of the internet and many brick and mortar suppliers going online, water heater shopping can be as easy as one, two, three!

You can also make life a little easier by getting a professional on board to help you with selection, sourcing, and even installation and never look back. From installing a gargantuan commercial tank heater, to tankless water heater installation a professional can help you save thousands of dollars on your water heater installation. A trained installer can also guide you through the selection process, giving you everything from size and type recommendations, to naming the brands most suitable for your purpose and budget. Work with a professional to ensure that your dream of the perfect hot water system become reality and not a plumbing nightmare. Once you and a professional have gone through the paces of water heater selection and installation, try out your new water heater by firing it up and drawing a nice hot bath. Reward yourself for your meticulous planning and effort in finding your perfect heater. Bask in the gentle warmth of your new hot water installation and wash away your troubles and fatigue with a quality tankless water heater installation.

Filed Under: Goods and Services

Consider Foam for Your Furniture’s Cushions

December 16, 2013 By admin

Because we can’t stand around all day, we need furniture in our home to eventually allow us to take a load off. Of course, we want our furniture to be comfortable as much for our own sake as for our guests. When we have company, we want our sofa cushions to be as comfortable, if not more so, than the ones they have in their own home.

Unfortunately, cushions can’t stay comfortable forever. Over the years they begin wearing out until finally, one day, you’re sitting there and realize it’s no longer fun to sit down on your sofa.

The good news is you don’t have to replace the sofa. Thanks to the internet, it is easier than ever to replace those sofa seat cushions. In fact, you can often get a deal on making that sofa more comfortable than ever.

One reason is because, more and more, foam is being used for furniture cushions. Foam provides far superior support, and thus comfort, to the person sitting or lying on it. That’s because it perfectly displaces your weight over its surface. What’s more, it won’t provide the kind of pushing back you get from traditional springs or the complete lack thereof from other options.

Don’t let the years take away comfort from your home. Purchase affordable foam replacements and you’ll begin enjoying your sofa again in no time.

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Article submitted by The Foam Factory. The company sells new cushions for all kinds of furniture, so you don’t have to throw it away and pay more for replacements.

Filed Under: Hardware, Industrial and Manufacturing