What Are Solenoids?

Solenoids are complex coils of wire that are used for the transfer of electricity into mechanical energy, or even for creating a uniform magnetic field. These coils have been around for years, used in a variety of applications, but in recent years, more research has been done on solenoids, expanding their use even further. Very simple in construction, these coils offer physicists and engineers the ability to create magnetism and turn electrical impulses into mechanical, or linear energy. While most might not know much about these special coils, they are in use in a variety of everyday mechanisms and have the potential for use in many more types of mechanical systems. Solenoids are electrical current carrying coils of wire in the form of a cylinder that typically surround an iron core that has the ability to move within the coil. The iron core is what helps to convert electricity generated into mechanical energy for movement. The coils tend to be in the shape of a helix, cylindrical in nature. For physicists, a solenoid can be used as a means to generate an artificial electromagnetic field. When constructed slightly differently, the solenoid can help turn electricity into actual mechanical energy for motion. There are tons of everyday uses for solenoids. Most of us make use of these on a daily basis without ever knowing they are at work or even present. Rotary Solenoids This type of solenoid is often used by physicists. These wires can be unidirectional or bidirectional. This type of solenoid tends to be used when the size of the device and the even distribution of energy across the coil for uniformity is important. This type of solenoid boasts more torque and tends to be more complex than linear solenoids, but also have a longer life, able to handle more uses than a linear solenoid can handle. These are used in basic and complex mechanisms. An example of a rotary solenoid and its use is in the opening and closing of things like lasers or telescope covers. Linear Solenoids Linear solenoids are generally used when basic mechanical motion or transfer of energy is needed. These tend to be what are called "push or pull" type coils. As with rotary solenoids, linear solenoids can be either unidirectional or bidirectional. These types of coils tend to be less expensive than their rotary counterparts. They are generally less complex and powerful in structure and also do not have the life span that a rotary solenoid has. A popular example of a linear solenoid is the starter in a vehicle. It contains a solenoid that turns electrical energy into energy that actually turns the motor over. Complex coils of wire around a metallic center, solenoids are used for a variety of different energy production or conversion tasks. These coils are what are responsible for the starter in our car getting the charge it needs. Solenoids, though not well known by the general public, are a part of many of the things we use on a day to day basis. Whether rotary or linear, solenoids allow physicists and engineers to further the advancement of technology and our understanding of the world around us.

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Different Applications For Solenoids

Process and machine automation ranges from on-off basic functions to sequencing that is very complex. In situations where these processes involve rotary or linear motion, solenoids are one of the best types of actuation devices when it comes to ease of use, simple installation, cost and size. Solenoids can be used in a wide variety of applications. Some of the more common applications for rotary solenoids include copiers, ticket machines, brakes, pinch rollers, machine tools, film processors, automatic tellers, textile machinery, defibrillators, IC insertion machines, circuit breakers and counters. Among the most common applications for linear solenoids are electronic typewriters, disk drive locks, film processors coin changers, interposers, pumps, door locks, copiers, brakes and vending machines. Here are some of the main functions that solenoids are ideally suited for. Reliability With a life span as much as 100 million cycles and the delivery of repeatable, predictable performance, solenoids deliver uncompromising reliability. Simplified Control Solenoids are a pulsed device and have minimal components, making them ideal for digital control, resulting in higher reliability and faster cycling with fewer interfaces. Kick The electrical operation and snap-acting response of solenoids benefit part rejection processes where electronic interfacing involving a photo sensor is needed. Pinch Medical equipment often involves tubes that carry body fluids The flow regulation on these tubes must be accurately controlled. A linear solenoid, for example, has variable positioning capability and can be used to pinch the tube smoothly and precisely to the operator's demand. By using a solenoid this way, valves and other types of connecting apparatuses that could pose leakage or contamination threats are eliminated. Latch and Lock Long life, reliability, compact size and low cost are some of the major reasons why solenoids are becoming increasingly in demand for use in many different types of locking applications such as missile systems, disk drives, cash registers and vault doors. Whether the solenoid is linear or rotary, it can be configured quite easily into machine designs that require a stage or platform be latched or locked into position throughout a specific machine process. Diverter Depending on what the specification application is, a gate diverter can be used infrequently or continuously. A rotary solenoid, for example, can be used due to its actuation life rating of 100+ million. Exceptional Torque or Force Linear solenoids that are 2 1/4 inches long or less can provide as much as 30 pounds in force as well as 100 pounds in torque. Position There are a wide range of positioning applications from simple ratcheting devices to variable precise positioning that can make use of rotary or linear solenoids. Variable Positioning Rotary solenoid applications and linear solenoid applications are both capable of offering variable positioning. High Speed It only takes milliseconds for a solenoid to be actuated. The velocity of a solenoid can also be controlled, which provides noiseless, smooth actuation. Small Size Whether a small frontal area, minimum volume, or low profile is needed, solenoids are ideal. Compared to motors, the work they deliver per cubic inch is much greater. Solenoids are very flexible and can be used in a wide range of applications and industries. They are especially useful in any situation where controlled motion is necessary, such as holding, rotating, positioning, clamping, latching, locking, pulling, pushing and lifting. Whether your system includes rotary or linear operations, there is a good chance that there is a solenoid that can meet your specific application requirements.

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Moving Your Cargo Safely and Professionally

Logistics and transportation are often the biggest issues in any type of business. If your operations span across multiple areas or if you work with partners/clients from afar frequently, then you've likely already run into various issues trying to organize the transportation of your cargo from one place to another reliably. It turns out that it can be very difficult to move things around safely these days, so working with a good partner in this line of work is absolutely required if you want to avoid any problems here. There are different factors you could use to compare the quality of service of various transportation companies, but for the most part it's a straightforward process that just takes a bit of time to sort things out. Using the Internet can definitely help and it can make things a lot easier though, especially if you know how to make a bit more advanced use of modern search engines. Even if you don't, you should still be able to find out which companies in your local area provide good transportation services, and figure out which ones are worth hiring pretty quickly. If insurance is important to you, you should talk to the transportation company about that from the very beginning. It's not included in every company's services by default, so you'll need to ask about it specifically. If it's particularly important for your goods, you should know which insurance companies you can work with to secure your cargo in case it turns out that the transportation company itself can't help you out with the insurance policy. If you're transporting unusual goods, it might be a good idea to check that the companies you're considering are actually able to transport such things before even talking to them. For example, dangerous goods are not something every transportation company would be willing to take on, so you should discuss this part of the deal in a lot of detail with them. If they're not able to handle the type of cargo you want to transport, then they should at last redirect you to another transportation company that can take care of that job for you. And of course, don't be afraid to talk to transportation companies if you need a more special type of job handled. People nowadays have all sorts of unique needs for transportation services, so it's not that rare at all that a transportation company will be able to offer you a customized deal that suits your particular needs better. Of course, the cost for a job like this might be a bit higher than what you'd normally pay to move your cargo over that destination, but it'll be a wise investment if your business strongly depends on that. If you have to use an additional transportation company, then try to work with one recommended by your current one. It's very important that the company providing you with transportation services can cooperate properly with any other companies on the job, which will not always be possible with certain combinations of companies.

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Why Jet Lag Free Travel Is A Competitive Advantage In A Global Economy

In the opening comments of one of his self help programs Brian Tracey reminds us that we are all in a race. A race most people are unaware they are participants of. Thomas Friedman in his best selling book The World is Flat spells out the nature of the race as Globalisation. The profound effect globalisation has had on business culture, business practice and subsequently business frequent flying brings home the point emphatically. It's like Bob Sugar tells his newest signing in Jerry Maguire "your global now, worldwide". Competition has truly gone global and this is true in almost every facet of 21st century life. In this competitive landscape every entity or person with global reach or in global travel needs all the advantages they can muster in order to prevail. Global business travel as a feature of doing business all over the world is one area where untapped efficiencies lie. Too many businesses send their best people halfway across the world to represent them only to have them turn up jet lagged and fatigued. If that is not bad enough these are the same companies and people who spend a lot of money time and resources recruiting the best they can find. What a way to look after your investment! This article makes the case that healthy flying is a requirement for successful business in a global economy, it is no longer acceptable to book a business class seat and hope for the best on arrival. Pre-Globalisation you probably had as much competition, but you were unaware of them and they you. Now you know who you are up against and worse, you now have others who were not natural competitors who now are. Or if you are in the service industry the demands for your services are more frequent and intense than before. The bottom line is it now takes more of your resources to satisfy and keep your enterprise going. Do you have an endless pool of resources? If not it is better to learn the art of being resourceful. The art of being resourceful when it come to global travel and frequent flying is something that tends to be learnt by default if at all. It's time to take an objective look at the issue and implement a sustainable scientific based approach to the problem. It is time to end the fuzzy headed approach which leads to loss of business, less than favourable impressions or the inability to function at the expected or required level. These travel "faux pas" are leading to million dollar losses in revenue and productivity. AirPlus International a global corporate payment provider teamed up with Optima-Life, a physiological research company to pilot a study of frequent fliers against a control group of non fliers. AirPlus International employees agreed to wear a sophisticated heart rate monitor which measured heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV). The results showed frequent fliers are less likely to be fully recovered from the exertions of flying with knock on effects relating to health and well being. The major finding was that stress recovery was less than optimal in the frequent flier group compared to the control group. The control group had a recovery percentage of 26% while the frequent fliers only had a 14% recovery rate. In sleep which is a good monitor for recovery capacity the control group had an average of 7hr and 2mins while the fliers could only manage 6hr 41mins. As sleep debt is cumulative this is important to note. The overall conclusion was that these negative figures impact levels of tolerance, communication skills, engagement, concentration, mental acuity and could be a forerunner of health problems. While the study goes into more detail I would like to focus on what it highlights about stress, and the attention it brings to what it calls intrinsic and extrinsic factors (for now I'll only touch on intrinsic factors). It is no secret that we are more stressed than ever before, I would argue that we know we are stressed but we haven't found ways of dealing with stress that suit our lifestyle as it relates to healthy flying. This is where the rubber hits the road. Mastering this one area will have appreciable benefits in all aspects of our lives. To date the ineffective strategies employed by business travellers have ranged from sleeping pills to uppers and downers, melatonin, caffeine, alcohol and more. The problem with these items is that they provide temporary relief while borrowing from our reserves and never giving it back. Thus a downward spiral of that ultimate resource, you, is effected over time. In a business it looks a bit different, the workforce is sent out there and they perform but it takes more and more effort until the workers are less motivated and reach corporate burnout. They stop enjoying the mission and purpose of your company and decide to strike out on their own. The outcome could have been different in all instances if forward thinking strategies were employed. For the farsighted companies who have an idea of the scale of the challenge a robust private health policy is sometimes in place. However all of these policies tend to be palliative rather than pre-emptive. Shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted is not a good strategy to keep your best people performing at their best. Business and individuals need to provide and create an environment to take joint responsibility for getting better results in this area. The catalogue of disasters costing business and brands dear reaches back with some high profile and stunning examples of what is at stake. In the escalation of events preceding the 1956 Suez Canal crisis Secretary of State Dulles is known to have blamed jet lag for some of the decisions taken in the course of events. More recently Gen. David Patraeus as commander of the International Security Assistance Force operating in the Middle East collapsed while giving testimony to the US Senate Select Committee, blaming dehydration and jet lag. The freed Burmese dissident Aung San Suu Kyi also demonstrated the extremes of how air travel can affect health by collapsing while travelling to Switzerland after release from house arrest. The AirPlus study draws attention to intrinsic and extrinsic factor fliers should take notice of in order to travel well and arrive well to execute business. The most important of these are the intrinsic environmental factors. Not paying attention to these factors is what led to the strife Gen. Patraeus and Aung San Suu Kyi encountered. These intrinsic factors are the most powerful tools you have to ensure a favourable outcome to your journey. While there may have been no more than a little damage to the Patraeus and Suu Kyi brands it is not always the case for Business. I champion a quote from the AirPlus study, it says " First class or business class travel is probably not best used across the board but instead it should be used tactically depending on the purpose of the trip". The reason to champion this comment is that too many corporate fliers are lulled into the false security that travelling first or business is the sum total of what they can do to ensure they arrive well. Nice but not true, the world has moved on and there are many tools and considerations fliers have to make to fly well. To date too few fliers or corporations are aware of this new landscape and therefore lose a competitive advantage, to paraphrase a teacher of mine "the competition is more intense than before and the window of opportunity is briefer than before". Whoever is able to capitalise on this advantage reaps the rewards, for now it looks like most fliers and businesses are still behind the curve.

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Professional Truck Route Planners

Now that's something you don't hear everyday! What is a professional truck route planner? Well, it is someone who specializes in giving truck drivers customized truck routes so the drivers don't have to go through all that hassle. They have a lot to deal with and a truck route planner is there to help. The need to find good truck directions is on going, and so many companies have tried to give truck drivers what they need. So far, companies have given drivers technology that leaves them hanging. Professional truck route planners go the extra mile. They look for the fastest and safest routes and they also locate all the truck stops so there is no guess work for the driver. The planners go state by state to route out each trip, looking for low clearances, width requirements, and restricted routes so they can keep the truck drivers off of these roads. They then start routing the trip from point a to point b, carefully considering fuel costs and other important factors that truck drivers need to deal with. The planners do not give out of route miles unless it is an absolute emergency and there is no other way around it. Drivers don't need any extra costs eating into their profit. It takes an average of fifteen to twenty minutes to plan out a trip and sometimes even longer. In reality, that is time taken away from a truck driver to get to their destination, and if the driver is late, their pay is docked. And what about eating or even taking a shower? These drivers live out on the road bringing America almost everything we need to live and they deserve the best directions possible. That is why the planners are more than happy to help truck drivers find their truck route. I know that truck drivers have dispatch, but sometimes it takes dispatch a long time to get back to the driver for directions. When dispatch finally does get back to the driver, it is usually directions from the internet that is meant for cars, not trucks. Trucks need the best truck routes and truck route planners know that. The planners take the time to look at the maps and get directions that the drivers need. I have heard to many times of drivers getting tickets for being on the wrong roads and getting a ticket and dispatch tells the driver that they were only suggestions. That is wrong. Truck drivers deserve respect and the planners help the driver stay off restricted routes so they don't get a ticket.

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Business Etiquette in Japan - Tips for the First Time Visitor to Japan

Etiquette generally is an important aspect of Japanese life and culture, so it should come as no surprise that business etiquette in Japan is one of those things Westerners would do well to learn a little about ahead of their first business trip. It won't take you long to see evidence of the importance of etiquette when you arrive at an Airport in Tokyo for example. Narita, Tokyo's main international airport is around 90 minutes drive from the centre of Tokyo and one of the easiest and most cost effective ways into the city is by using The Airport Limousine Bus. You will find the ticket desk in arrivals where you can buy your ticket and then step outside to join the queue. You will notice as a bus pulls in, at least one attendant on the kerbside will welcome the bus with a polite bow. Once parked up, the door will open and the driver will step out and bow to his colleagues and customers waiting for the bus. This is closely followed by a frenzy of activity while the attendants load luggage into the bus and as the luggage doors are closing one of the attendants will go into the bus and, with a bow say a few words of thanks to everyone on the bus before resuming their duties. The driver now gets back on and he too bows to everyone before taking his seat. As the door closes and the bus pulls away, all the attendants that have been working on that particular bus line the kerbside and bow politely towards the bus as it leaves. Having witnessed this, you can be left in no doubt that some understanding, or at least an appreciation of business etiquette will help greatly during your visit to Japan. Business Cards When people meet for the first time, business cards ('meishi') are always exchanged before discussion starts. This would replace the Western handshake normally, but it's unlikely you will cause offence if you also reach out for a handshake particularly with those Japanese that have some exposure to business practise in the West. But the handshake is not necessary. Business cards are regarded with much more reverence in Japan so always keep your cards in an inside front pocket and NEVER take your card from a trouser pocket which would be regarded as bad manners. You will need both hands to present your business card. Hold it at both side edges between thumb and forefinger so that the card is the correct way up to the receiver, your thumbs not obscuring your details. Hold it out towards the receiver, give your name, your position and your company and make a slight bow. You will need to receive cards in the same way, with both hands and do take a moment to look at the card (even if it is entirely in Japanese and you don't speak or read a word!), bowing again as you receive it. Observe how Japanese business people exchange cards and you will soon get the idea! You will find most Japanese have a special wallet for business cards. If you plan to visit Japan regularly, I would suggest you go to a department store and buy one of these. You will find them among the wallets, belts and other leather goods. Having exchanged cards with a business contact, it will not be necessary to do so again with that contact on subsequent visits unless some of your details change e.g. job title. If your meeting is to be on foot e.g. at an exhibition you can safely put the card into your inside front pocket. If you are to be seated, place the card(s) carefully on the table in front of you and perhaps arrange them to match the seating plan as a reminder of who's who. Once they are on the table, forget about them because... NEVER write notes on a business card, including your own during a business meeting and NEVER use a business card as a prop to help explain something. Simply leave them alone until you collect them at the close of the meeting and you can't go wrong. Business Lunch or Dinner Your business host may offer to take you for lunch or dinner once your business meeting is concluded. Personally, I would always accept such an invitation as Japanese business is all about relationships and these relationships are built and maintained outside of the normal working environment. Besides which, Japanese cuisine is a truly wonderful experience for literally all of the senses! There are a few things you need to consider however, when using chopsticks and the following is a list of things that would be considered as bad manners and should be avoided; Standing chopsticks vertically in a bowl of rice, as this is how a meal is offered on a Buddhist altar to the spirits of the dead. Holding them in a fist as this is how they would be held if they were to be used as a weapon. Spearing pieces of food with your chopsticks. Using chopsticks to move dishes around the table. Picking up a dish with the same hand that you are currently holding your chopsticks in. Waving chopsticks in the air over food while deciding what to take. Using chopsticks to rummage around for pieces of food in a shared dish. Silence is Golden Very often in business discussions, your questions are met with a long, silent pause. The first time this happens can be quite disconcerting because it's not what we are used to in the West. Don't panic! You've asked a good question, it deserves to be considered carefully before an answer is given, but the answer will come. Don't be tempted to fill the silence because you are feeling uncomfortable. Accept this is normal in Japanese culture and wait politely. Equally, and in some respects this is even harder, when you are asked a question, resist the temptation to do what you normally would and just take a few moments to collect your thoughts. Perhaps use a little body language to show that you are thinking carefully and then offer your answer. I tend to lower my eyes to the table and nod slightly while I count to 5 and then lift my eyes to look at the questioner and give my answer. Again, observe what Japanese people do themselves and emulate their approach.

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