According to our colleagues at La Provence, Marseille have approached former Tottenham Hotspur manager Juande Ramos about the vacant manager position.
Marseille continue to search for a new boss following Marcelo Bielsa’s dramatic departure on the night of the opening day of the Ligue 1 season.
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Imagine that you do not invest too much money into the business, but at the same time, you can start getting more clients. Too beautiful to be true? Not necessarily. Minimum Viable Product makes it possible to approach the subject in this way.
In the case of a website, MVP is a solution that has basic, but also sufficient functionalities to launch a website. It can be said that it is version 1.0, which through subsequent iterations will turn into a final software product. So, you start with a low financial expenditure, test the clients’ behavior and you build the website based on the analysis.
Eric Ries, the originator of the concept, explains that MVP allows you to get the maximum amount of information about consumers with minimum own involvement. If there is a product/service that you want to introduce to the market, it is best to test the idea with real users before you invest a lot of money. After all, you never know if the offer will suit the consumer’s need and cause the desire to purchase your products/services.
You gain a lot:
The first step is to make sure that the website will implement the company’s strategic goals. In other words, answer the question: where do you want to be with your business idea, e.g. in six months, and how can your website help to get you there? So, what tasks does the website have to perform first?
Here, you should also specify how to measure the effectiveness. Your goal should be measurable. The number of visits, completed contact forms, phone calls received, subscriptions to the newsletter, and volume of sales. In addition, it is worth to analyse which subpages are visited most often, what are the sources of traffic (does the user visit the website directly by entering its address, by entering a phrase and going through a search engine, or by a link from another website), what is the time spent on the website and finally – what is the bounce rate.
The second step is to develop the user path. Imagine you are an external user of the website. Plan the path from entering the website to the final destination (e.g. purchase of a product). Thanks to this you will realise what will be optimal for the visitors, which may discourage them, what action they will have to take. This way you will acquire the knowledge that will be necessary for the developers who will carry out the Drupal development works.
To perform the above task well, you must define your client. Because of different categories of users will use your website, you have to take this into account. And if they are actually different profiles, it will translate into a “journey” around the website and a different path to the destination.
The third step is the result of the previous one. Knowing what needs improvement, develop a diagram: problem → action → solution. For example: lack of the ability to choose the best one from among many products on your website → creation of a comparison tool → option to view products side by side.
By preparing the analysis in this way, you will create a list of all elements that need improvement.
The fourth step is also the result of the previous one – as you can see, this process is just a series of events. Therefore, having the above-mentioned knowledge, you can now decide what functionalities the website must have in order to achieve the goals and minimise the defined problems.
Point out the tools (functionalities) that will be necessary on your website. It is important to set a priority for each one of them. Helpful here might be the question: what does my user want and what does my user need? Referring to the previous example: the user must have a comparison tool to select a product but does not need to have dozens of filters to execute this view. So, what kind of filters should these be? The answer is short: the essential ones.
Droopler is a great example. It is a kind of a template that lets you quickly get the work started, adjust the content, layout and appearance of the website. By keeping the MVP methodology in mind, you will accomplish all of your goals, whether your project is a start-up or a corporate website.
From the very start, Droopler provides you with a concrete and effective programming language, which is Drupal. And thanks to the fact that Drupal is OpenSource software, you do not have to worry about the costs of implementing additional tools (you do not incur license fees), which would result from subsequent iterations.
Droopler has extensive functions for adding subpages, sections, modules. It is fully responsive, so from the very beginning, you have access to a preview of the website on mobile devices. Its HTML code is optimised for SEO and fully ready for being integrated with other SEO tools.
And finally: thanks to sharing the Droopler test environment on request, you can see for yourself what managing and introducing changes look like.
Preparation and implementation of MVP is the end and the beginning of a stage. After implementing MVP, the time comes for further analysis. Collect opinions, verify user behavior, identify weak points of the website, make changes, test until you get the final version of your website. And if you still have doubts about whether to use MVP, I would like you to know that MVP is a solution chosen by companies such as Airbnb, Amazon, Dropbox, Etsy, Facebook, Groupon, Twitter, Uber, Zappos, and even iPhone.
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A personal perspective with ten years of doing business and living in China
Gordon Styles
There is no point in me repeating information that is already widely available on the Internet and in the Wohlers Report. I went to China in 2005 with the express intention of setting up a rapid prototyping/3d printing company and have subsequently lived and worked in China for more than ten years. I therefore intend to give a very personal perspective on China’s future role in the global 3d printing market.
I started my first 3d printing company, STYLES RPD, in the UK in 1993 and sold it in 2000. I started my second 3d printing company, Star Prototype, in Hong Kong/China in June 2005. With just a few thousand dollars in my pocket and a business plan under my arm I started STAR as a one-man band in a tiny bedroom in Dongguan.
The original plan was to raise venture capital, buy stereolithography machines and sell SL parts to the west, but this plan was soon scuppered when I was unable to raise venture capital. Apparently it is impossible to be successful in China if you cannot speak Chinese; have no friends in China; and no customers. I guess I have always enjoyed an impossible challenge.
Without any investment whatsoever STAR has now grown to be more than 200 people with sales of approximately EUR 13m. We have cash in the bank and are completely self-financing.
At first I tried to sell SL and SLS parts to European and American customers, but there was a clear problem with delivery times. It takes typically 2 to 3 days to deliver a 3d printed part to the west and this proved to be too long for most customers – not to mention issues with customs declaration. In addition, we found that SL and SLS machines were being loaded very inefficiently and therefore the prices in China were already higher than their western counterparts. In the end, we realized that CNC machined prototypes in ABS were substantially lower in price, even though it is apparently a far more inefficient process than SL or SLS, but the customers loved the service and to this day the majority of the prototype parts we ship to the west are CNC machined.
Since the mid-nineties the Chinese local and national governments have set up government funded 3d printing bureaux all across China with the intention of seeding a 3d printing sector. Three good examples were Shenzhen YinHua (founded in 1996, now called KaiAo http://www.kaiao-rprt.com); Quick in Shenzhen Bao’an; and Hansun in Xiaolan/Zhongshan (founded in 1999). Over time these Government bureaux were subject to ‘buyouts’ that have left them ostensibly privately owned. In parallel in the early 2000’s a number of Hong Kong based and owned 3d printing bureaux were set up in Hong Kong.
Although all of these companies had SL or SLS and vacuum casting capabilities, most still gained most of their revenue from CNC machined prototypes.
Eventually the HK based bureaux realized that they had to move into Guangdong to lower their cost base and get close to the emerging customers inside China. By 2005 when I did an extensive market research study in China, in preparation for building my own rapid prototyping company, the market leaders inside China were either Government owned or Hong Kong owned. Now there are a myriad of Chinese owned 3d printing companies, most of which have “sprung out” of Government, HK, Taiwanese, or other foreign owned China based bureaux. STAR alone has been the birthing ground for 9 “spring out” bureaux. The majority of 3d printing bureaux are now Chinese owned.
Exportation of 3d printing
One would imagine that China would be able to export SL/SLS models at low cost, but the exportation of stand-alone SL and SLS parts from China is almost non-existent due to five key factors:
Over the last five years we have noticed the emergence of Chinese owned 3d printing bureaux that mostly use locally produced SL and SLS machines. These companies are engaged in a vicious race to the bottom on pricing and quality. The local machines are typically one-third the price of western machines and are very similar to machines you would have seen in the late 1990’s in the west.
Since I first came to China to live and work in 2005, 3d printed parts sold in China have had a major image problem. They are viewed as being weak and poor quality in comparison to CNC machined ABS prototypes. Even to this day Chinese customers will insist on CNC machining rather than SL or SLS to ensure the quality and robustness of their prototypes. But critically the key reason why Chinese users have not switched from CNC to 3d printing is price. Even to this day I can buy or produce CNC machined ABS prototypes for substantially less than Chinese made 3d printed parts. How is this still possible?
Since 2005 I have noticed a general problem in the 3d printing service bureaux sector. Initially there were a number of grants available for large 3d printing machines, and in addition a number of Government owned machines were spirited away from their original location to other locations. This led to the cardboard cutout SL and SLS machines. I have seen a number of these. One would visit a bureau and they would claim to own a large frame 3d printer. You would be shown a room from the outside that had darkened glass and curtains on the inside. You could just catch a glimpse of a machine at the back of a dimly lit room. As an expert in the field I could immediately see that the machine was a cardboard replica. Of course our hosts would disagree. One time I got a look at one up close by just walking into the room when I was unaccompanied.
Also, some bureaux would buy a machine and find that they just couldn’t get enough work for it and when it came time to replace the laser they would opt to buy two CNC milling machines instead of one laser. To keep the grant aid they would need to demonstrate to the Government that the machine was still in working order. To do this they would fill the vat with a ‘fake’ liquid, a half built model on a plate, and do a laser show with a cheap ‘display laser’. I caught two suppliers doing this. One of those companies tried to sell me SL parts that had clearly been CNC machined out of ABS and sanded. The supplier fast retracted his claims when I told him that I had owned four SL machines of my own.
Even today the selection of a 3d printing company in China is fraught with problems:
Even after ten years in China, and being a large purchaser of SL and SLS parts, I have only found one bureau that sticks to my rules. We guard that asset carefully. If you’re going to buy parts in China, you’d better keep very close to your supplier.
I have worked in China for ten years and for much of that time I simply could not figure out why I had such an incongruent feeling when dealing with Chinese businesspeople and suppliers. Anyone who has worked in China knows that feeling. There was clearly a major mismatch between how Europeans and Americans do business and how the Chinese do. I am not in anyway claiming that one model of the world is better than the other, I am merely pointing out that there is a mismatch.
Recently I learned about the Clare Graves spiral system of values levels (see appendix 1) and had an epiphany. Just as individuals progress through the various values levels from birth to death, so countries have a values level mean. China’s mean is values level 3. The Chinese society is spread across values levels 2, 3, and 4 (with an emerging 5). But most western countries are spread across values levels 3, 4 and 5 (with an emerging 6). Business people going to China are strongly values level 5 business people, whereas Chinese businesspeople are mostly values level 3. (I must state that no level is better than any other level. If you live in a values level 3 environment, you had better get good at being values level 3 or you will probably not survive.) Much of what China is criticized for in business is related to this values level mismatch.
When operating a business in the UK I was solidly a values level 5 businessperson; but now operating in China I have had to adopt certain values level 3 principles so that I can operate effectively in China. For my customers I am values level 4 (operation of factory) and 5 (my entrepreneurial spirit), but in the factory I am VL3 (dealing with the employees on a day to day basis) and VL4 (the operation of the factory and disciplinary framework for VL3’s). Get with the values level that is appropriate or be eaten alive, and that goes for any environment on earth.
In terms of the 3d printing industry of China expanding out to the rest of the world the Chinese will face this values level mismatch problem most everywhere they will go.
China’s Global 3D Printing Advance
Will Chinese 3d printing machines flood the world market? I doubt that will happen for at least another ten years, patent issues not withstanding. The customer service ethos, language skills, and quality is simply not there yet. In 2005 I predicted incorrectly that the Chinese would switch very suddenly from CNC machining of prototypes to 3d printing. The switch had happened in the early and mid-nineties in American and Europe, and when it happened it was very sudden. (Between 1993, when I bought my first SLA-250, and 1995, the UK saw almost the entire CNC model-milling industry die. In the last ten years there has been a resurgence of CNC based prototyping, but it is still a niche market.) I expected the transition in China to have completed its transition by 2010, but even now in 2015 the switch is still happening, and it is very slow.
Government Investment – The Golden Shovel
The Chinese Government is reputed to be ploughing USD 1bn into 3d printing across academia, state-owned-enterprises, and private business; but recently the system of tax breaks for “highly encouraged industries” was abandoned completely. In fact, the entire system of categorizing companies and sectors as “discouraged; encouraged; and highly encouraged” was abandoned early in 2015. One can imagine this is due to economic growth pressures.
It is evident from my own experience with the local schools in China that they are all buying 3d printers. Children of friends of mine have shown me their 3d printed FDM parts. One kid in uniform walked passed a café I was sitting in recently carrying a 3d printer away from the school. The Government plan is to put a 3d printer into every one of their 400,000 elementary schools. That alone could be an investment of around USD 400m; although I imagine the cost of producing the tiny FDM style machines is collapsing as we speak.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) is currently writing a plan called “The country’s additive manufacturing industry promotion plan for 2015-2016”. The top echelons of the Chinese Government are taking 3d printing very seriously. The industry is already breaking many boundaries with the printing of the largest metal parts for aerospace; the largest 3d printed buildings; and the cheapest printers on earth.
The intent exists to dominate the 3d printing space globally. My feeling is that the Chinese will utterly dominate the space eventually, but it will take decades to achieve. My guess is that they will start by carving out unusual niches such as low cost house building into the Middle East.
The Tsunami of VL5 Business People from China
One key thing must change before China can dominate business in the world: Chinese society must transition fully from a mean values level of 3 to a values level of 4. Do not underestimate this effect. This is the effect that, my humble opinion, the US Government does not appreciate. Once the Chinese reach a mean of values level 4, similar to other developed countries, it will mean that they have an emerging business class that is predominantly values level 5, and that is when they will utterly dominate business on planet earth. Any country that ignores this key transitional issue will be caught with their pants down. The days of the obvious values level mismatches in deals such as Alibaba/Yahoo, and WaHaHa/Danone, that went so disastrously wrong, will be a thing of the past and Chinese values level 5 businesspeople will dominate global business.
In summary I believe that the Chinese will come to utterly dominate the 3d printing space, but I think it will take decades to achieve, maybe a whole generation. As the Chinese say – man man lai 慢慢来 – which would be the equivalent of ‘slowly slowly catchy monkey’ in English. Frankly you could map this approach on to the entire ‘emerging China’ issue.
My first employee and former business partner James Li explained to me that the ‘way’ of the Chinese is to be humble and hide your power as it grows. If your house grows taller, build taller walls. One day your power becomes so apparent that all around you merely defer to you in awe and will not challenge you. If you ever use your power in an aggressive manner, you allow your enemy (and he means your competition) to assess you and learn how to destroy you. This is the traditional Chinese approach to everything. The good news is that the Chinese hate to use their power and prefer to negotiate a peaceful outcome. In a multipolar world this might be refreshing.
One of China’s key strengths is that the Government acts as the largest venture capitalist on Earth funding anything that looks promising with sums of money that make most global investors blush. Western Governments need to take note if they expect their domestic manufacturers to compete with this approach.
To suggest in the 1960’s or 1970’s that one day the Japanese would make a quality product in any engineering field would have been considered ludicrous to all but a few western engineers in the know; and yet today they are mentioned in the same breath as Germany and Switzerland when choosing a high-tech CNC machine tool. So it will come to pass in a few short decades that Chinese products will be given high status.
Appendix 1 – Clare Graves Values Levels Summary
Note: There is no values level that is better than any other values level. They are all contextual. If you are thrown into a forest with just your close family with no hope of finding civilization, you had better learn to operate at Values Level 1 or die.
All modern humans operate across multiple values levels depending upon environment and context. For example I was tested and my values levels were:
VL1 – closed out
VL2 – closed out
VL3 – moderate
VL4 – above moderate
VL5 – high
VL6 – moderate and still emerging
VL7 – emerging
VL8 – not reached
My mean could be seen as VL5, but able to operate across 3, 4, 5, and 6 seamlessly. Most people are having a narrower bandwidth than me. Working in China has required me to re-open VL3 to survive in China.
[The notes below are my personal observations and from work by Adrianna James of The Tad James Company. I am a certified NLP Master Practitioner – the study of Clare Graves’ spiral values levels is now adopted as part of the NLP Master Practitioner course. These notes are for guidance only.]
Values Level 1 – Survival
Basic survival in small bands; hunting gathering; instinctive; uses deep brain programs; distinct self is barely awakened; lives much as other animals; minimal impact on environment; concerns about finding food, shelter, and mating are dominant.
Emerged 100,000 years ago, is merely 0.1% of modern global adult population and has about 0% of power. (Percentages add up to 111.2% and 107% respectively in source data for all currently defined 8 values levels, and act only as a guide.)
In the context of a modern human this level is observed in babies and toddlers. In most cultures this is only observed in tramps, long-term homeless and long-term sick.
Values Level 2 – A Clannish “Us”
Small village mentality; magical enchanted village; obey the desires of mystical spirits; allegiance to elders, custom and clan; preservation of sacred places, objects and rituals; bond together to endure and find safety; seek humanity with natures power; shamanism; sacrificing beings to the spirits; dead ancestor worship. Hunting and gathering made more efficient through specialization in the tribe.
Emerged about 50,000 years ago, represents about 10% of global adult population today, and holds about 1% of power.
In the context of a modern human this level is observed from being a small child until puberty.
In the context of China, many people who grew up in villages carry these values quite strongly, hence the strong adherence to the rituals of Chinese New Year and other festivals. (Remember: there is no right or wrong – there just “is”.)
Values Level 3 – My Powerful “Self”
Every man for himself; dog eat dog world; kill the competition – literally in some cases; rebelling against level 2 values; expression of self, but to hell with others; escape domination by others or nature; avoid shame, feel no guilt, fight to get respect; gratify impulses & senses immediately; fight to gain control at any cost; not constrained by consequences; low self-esteem.
Emerged about 10,000 years ago, represents about 20% of global adult population today, and holds about 5% of power.
In the context of the modern human this is often observed around puberty. Teenagers rebelling against family control. If a level 3 does not transition to level 4 they are often seen as adults who believe that life/the government/the world owes them something and believe that welfare is their right. Nothing is ever their fault, and the world is against them. Most gangs start with VL3, but usually transition to VL4 to control the gang members.
In the context of China: many Chinese business people operate on values level 3. It can take decades in business for them to transition through level 4 to level 5, but transitioning they are.
Values Level 4 – A Righteous “Us”
Obedience and deference to a book or a system of rules. The book can be religious, business, or legal in nature. Sacrifice self to the betterment of the majority. Monotheistic religions are defined by level 4 values. My reward is in heaven or later in life. Reverence to a higher authority. Seek to find meaning and purpose in life; sacrifice self to the truth; bringing of order; stability and future reward; control of impulsivity through guilt; enforce principles of rightful living; divine plans put people in the proper places. All of the ‘isms’ of capitalism, communism, socialism reside here. Democracy; benevolence; autocracy; moralistic; prescriptive; resistance to change; the rules are black and white and must be obeyed.
Emerged about 5,000 years ago, represents about 40% of the world’s modern adult population, and holds about 30% of power.
In the context of modern humans this is seen when people finally accept the rules of the higher authority, whatever or whomever that may be. These people are considered to make the best employees and are very loyal. These people are widely considered to be the backbone of “society” and the workforce. When governments talk of “hard working families” they are referring to VL4 led families.
The very nature of the Communist Party is values level 4, as is that of most governments and bureaucracies around the world. The challenge for the Chinese Government over the last half century has been to govern and develop a predominantly VL2 country as it transitioned through VL3 and VL4, and endeavor to engender a VL5 entrepreneurial business and innovation spirit amongst its business leaders.
Values Level 5 – My Strategic “Self”
If it ain’t broke – then break it and make it even better; strive for autonomy and independence; seek out the good life and abundance; bring about progress through the best solutions; enhance living for the many through technology; play to win and enjoy competition; learn through tried and true experience; entrepreneurial spirit; the power of ideas; it’s just business; the ends justify the means; invention. What is the point of God?; atheism emerges.
Emerged around 300 years ago, represents about 30% of modern adults, and hold about 50% of power.
In the context of modern humans this is the business, innovation, and entrepreneurial values level. Most business people in developed economies are VL5 business people.
In the context of China, there are a relatively small number of VL5 business people today – most are doing VL3 business. They are happy to compete, treat their workers very well, and look to long-term success by delivering good quality and service. This is the emerging business class of China that the rest of the world needs to take notice of. It may be a small minority today, but within a generation it will be the norm.
Values Level 6 – Our Communitarian “Us”
Liberate humans from greed and dogma; care for the holistic environment; explore the inner being of self/others; promote a sense of community and unity; share society’s resources among all; reach decisions through consensus; refresh spirituality and bring harmony; softness; tasteful wealth; sensitivity; respectability; personality; social class distinctions unclear; rule by the majority (but not democracy in the current context); do anything not to be rejected.
Emerged around 150 years ago; represents about10% of the modern world population, and holds about 15% of power.
This is seen as the environmental, green, hippy values system. That said, most people that appear to be VL6 (particularly the hippies of the 60’s) are in fact VL4 reaching out to VL6. This is referred to as a 6 inside of 4 effect.
Vales Level 7 and 8 not relevant to this discussion – see below.
Images below downloaded from the web, credits reside within the images.
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Keyword: cnc machining china
Flash or flashing is one of the most common problems associated with injection molding, the most widely used manufacturing process for plastic parts.
Injection molding flash is when a line of excess material builds up on the outside of a molded part, typically after leaking through the parting line of the mold. A small amount of flash is normal, but too much can affect the cosmetic appearance, surface texture, and assembly of parts.
This article looks at the main strategies for preventing injection molding flash, as well as methods for removing flash (deflashing) after the molding process is finished.
Flash is excess plastic that forms on the surface of parts made by plastic injection molding (or similar processes like casting). In most cases, flash occurs when material escapes between two mold halves, at the parting line.
Injection molding flash can vary in severity. Molded parts will almost always display witness marks — signs of tooling features like core pins — and product designers should design parts so these marks are as inconspicuous as possible. One type of witness mark is the witness line: a line on the molded part that shows the parting line of the mold halves.
Flash can be considered a more severe case of a witness line. Flash is not only visible on the surface, it physically protrudes from it. This can cause numerous issues: the flash may be sharp, making the part dangerous to handle, or it may prevent the part from mating with other components due to its reduced dimensional accuracy.
Injection mold flash can have several causes, including:
In general, up to 0.1 mm of flash is considered acceptable unless the part has unique needs in terms of surface flatness. It is possible to reduce flash below this amount, but the cost of tooling may increase.
Preventing or minimizing flash can involve steps at both the moldmaking and molding stage. Better molds are less likely to produce flash, but proper handling of the molding process is also essential to minimize flash and other injection molding defects.
Most flash occurs at the parting line of the two mold halves, which makes the mold halves themselves obvious culprits. When the mold halves are not properly aligned and do not fit snugly together, they cannot properly close, which allows material to escape. This escaped material then solidifies as flash on the outside of the moldings.
During the toolmaking stage, the process of mold fitting is carried out to ensure that the mold halves fit together properly without gaps that can cause flash. If the mold halves are not properly aligned, it becomes very difficult to eliminate flash.
Toolmakers are also responsible for the venting of a mold. Vents in the tooling allow air to escape, which enables the molten plastic to fill the mold cavity entirely. Proper venting can also minimize flash. How? Poorly vented molds require higher injection pressures, which can end up forcing the two mold halves apart, creating a gap between them which leads to flash.
Another tooling consideration is flow paths. If some flow paths to the mold cavity are longer than others, unbalanced filling can occur, leading to discrepancies and air traps throughout the mold cavity. Unbalanced flow can also cause flash. Flow leaders and deflectors can be used to ensure balance during filling.
Of course, molds are not indestructible, and wear over time can worsen mold alignment and create gaps that lead to flash. Mold maintenance and refitting should be carried out if the two halves do not fit snugly together, in addition to regular cleaning to prevent buildup or dirt and debris that can prevent effective clamping.
The mold’s parting line placement is another important consideration during the initial moldmaking stage. Although this does not prevent flash, it can ensure that flash occurs in a location that minimizes its aesthetic and functional impact on the part.
A well fitted mold is less likely to produce flash, but the molding process itself also contains several variables that can affect the extent of flash on molded parts.
One of the most common causes of excessive flashing is insufficient clamping force. Clamping forces — typically applied via hydraulic or mechanical clamping systems — are required to keep a mold closed during injection, and they must counter the pressure of the injection itself. If the clamping force is insufficient, the mold can open slightly, allowing material to escape and flash to form. High-viscosity materials and thin-walled parts require greater clamping forces.
Uneven clamping and molding forces can lead to other issues like mold deflection, which can also lead to increased flash.
The nature of the molding material can also affect flash. Low-viscosity molten plastic is more likely to escape from the mold and cause flash because it flows more freely and can therefore seep through gaps in the parting line. Although some plastics have inherently low viscosity, the viscosity can be increased by using a lower melt temperature in the molding machine.
Injection molding flash cannot always be prevented prior to molding. Fortunately, it is possible to remove flash from molded parts using post-processing techniques. Removing injection molding flash from finished moldings is sometimes called deflashing. Getting rid of flash is easier on soft materials like silicone rubber but is also possible on hard plastics.
One deflashing method is to use manual tools like a knife or file. The benefit of this method is the accuracy: since a human operator is responsible for deflashing, they are able to identify what is waste material (flash) and what isn’t. It is also the most suitable approach for brittle parts that could be damaged by machine-based deflashing methods. But this process is expensive at scale, since the process must be repeated for each individual molding.
Another deflashing option is using a tool and die system. With this approach, the molding is placed within a die shaped like the final part and punched through the opening to quickly remove flash. This option is typically faster than manual trimming for very large batches, though it requires extra machinery and is still slower than batch deflashing processes.
If manual or die punch flash removal is not possible, batch deflashing processes can be employed. These processes are much faster than manual deflashing, but there is a risk that pieces of the component will be broken off accidentally.
One batch deflashing technique involves using blast media, which can remove excess material like flash from the finished moldings. A related method is tumbling, in which the moldings are put in a vibrating chamber along with non-abrasive media like ceramic beads. These techniques can rapidly remove flash from multiple parts but may not be suitable for delicate or brittle components.
Blasting and tumbling can both be assisted by cryogenic freezing of the moldings. By using a cryogen like liquid nitrogen, operators can make the flash extremely brittle, which allows it to be more easily removed via blasting or tumbling. Using cryogenic deflashing and cryogenic deburring techniques can help maintain critical tolerances and consistency between parts.
3ERP is a prototyping and small-batch production specialist with years of experience making injection molded parts. We offer a range of injection molding services with several finishing options to ensure high-quality parts with minimal flash.
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Keyword: milling
As a major source of manufacturing revenue, the defense and military industries rely on some very flexible, cost-effective and reliable technologies. With global defense spending expected to grow at a CAGR of about 3 percent over the 2019–2023 period, reaching US$2.1 trillion by 2023, they also invest heavily into modern machining solutions in various different sectors of their workflow.
The general requirements of military equipment can vary immensely, but a few things apply across the board. In general, military-grade equipment needs to be rugged, rigid and work well within harsh terrains. A lot of the large equipment is metal and requires metallic parts, but there is also a place for medical supplies (which must be approved by military authorities, the FDA or whatever government regulations may apply depending on the region).
Since defense applications can cross over with other industries like communication, medical and aerospace etc., this often means that they use all of the machining facilities specific to these industries as well. The machines often have to be large and capable of processing materials like alloys and hard, durable metals.
Here are just some of the ways the defense industry implements CNC machines and how they bring something unique to the table:
One of the major users of CNC manufacturing technologies is Lockheed Martin. Not only is Lockheed Martin arguably the biggest name in defense manufacturing, they are also the third biggest aerospace firm in the world, behind Boeing and Airbus. However, the company has slightly different needs from the other two as it has a much larger focus on defense. This is where precision machining technologies come in, providing major part accuracy, process reliability and cost savings.
While CNC machines have been used in military applications since their inception, modern mills and drills offer something unique that most other manufacturing technologies cannot match. The precision alone allows for far more novel military applications. The composite skins on the F35, for example, are milled and drilled to such close tolerances that the plane’s assembled surface avoids the mismatches that can show up on a radar.
In the case of the F-35, manufacturers use a five-axis milling machine with an overhead gantry, which provides ample power for their precision-machining operations on the composite skins of aircraft. It also manages complex carbon fiber reinforced plastic parts along with the aluminum vacuum fixtures that hold the part during manufacturing. A single machine alone drills numerous types of parts for all sections of the aircraft and for the manufacturing process itself.
Similarly, Northrop Grumman is another aerospace defense contractor that is finding CNC machines to be the best way to achieve their goals. They have a long-standing partnership with world-class manufacturing conglomerate Siemens to use their systems and has invested a ton of money in developing new technologies for their own use. Northrop Grumman’s research has indicated that the main categories a CNC machine needs to fulfill (for defense applications) are robust machine design, machine tool repeatability, machine tool responsiveness, environmental temperature stability and stable machine foundation.
Northrop Grumman’s Hawthorne plant uses two-gantry, 5-axis Cincinnati Vertical CNC Routers with adjustable CNC fixturing to bypass build and setup costs for hard tooling. Three adjustable beds of new POGO Universal Holding Fixtures (UHFs) cut setup times by about two-thirds on trimming and hole drilling operations on more than 100 different fuselage skin parts. These systems are a crucial part of speeding up their operations and work alongside the NC machines in their arsenal.
General Atomics has also been an enthusiastic endorser of CNC machining technology (among many others) in their aircraft development. Their work with the Predator craft is one great example. It serves as an all-composite aircraft hand layed up at one of their fabrication facilities south of Rancho Bernardo, Calif., using primarily carbon/epoxy prepregs, and cured in an autoclave. The prepreg materials are cut on a computerized cutting and kitting machine and core cutting is done on a 5-axis CNC cutting machine.
4-axis CNC machines were used to develop Tomahawk missiles as far back as the Gulf war. This trend has only gone deeper as the technology advances, bringing in multiple axis machines with large workspaces and volumes that can create the skin of a missile in one workflow. Aside from precision, such systems require a lot of torque so that they can mill tougher materials. Needless to say, missiles like the Tomahawk require large, heavy-duty systems which also need to work with some pretty powerful materials as these weapons often need to withstand ship travel and even submarine conditions.
To develop these, Raytheon uses a FANUC six-axis robot. This allows a single department to manufacture the entire 20-foot cruise missile on its own, with the robot doing most of the heavy lifting. As one may imagine, it is a dangerous task, so having as little manual labor is a massive benefit for the company. Using robot assembly is therefore not just cheaper, faster and more accurate, but also actively safer.
Small components for missiles and vehicles are being developed all the time using multi-axis machining technologies. Helicopter components like rotating and stationary swashplates, main and tail rotor hubs and main rotor sleeves are all being developed with CNC machines at Sikorsky’s facilities for example.
Even vehicles like the Hummer H2 use multiple components that are milled. A good example is the grill in the front, using aluminum and high-tolerance steels. These are much quicker to make and assemble thanks to the unique advantages of CNC machining.
Detection systems and communication devices are always necessary for defense and military facilities. As such, providing and maintaining them has always been the remit of the latest in manufacturing technologies. This is another area where CNC machining can excel when used as a bulwark for the military’s operational needs.
Radome and radar dish development requires uniquely laborious shapes and fine finishes. This is so that they can pick up very minute signals, which one would need for weapons detection systems. This often means that the CNC machined components have to be smooth and precisely curved in all the right ways.
Even aside from these detection systems, their casings are also machined and milled. Having high endurance becomes especially necessary as they often have to part of military vehicles that will either go at high speeds or need to withstand a great degree of wear and tear. Radars can consist of multiple metals and alloys, so any CNC machine handling these has to bring a fair deal of versatility to the table.
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Keyword: cnc machining china
The toolset is a key step before the CNC turns off parts. Accurate and fast tool-setting methods are an important prerequisite for ensuring the precision and efficiency of CNC turning. Taking the external contour and internal contour tools commonly used in CNC turning as examples, combined with virtual simulation software, the tool setting methods of various turning tools are deeply explored, providing a theoretical basis and simulation reference for tool setting for operators engaged in CNC turning.
The CNC lathe processes parts by formulating the processing plan according to the technical requirements of the part drawing and then compiling the corresponding CNC program in the prescribed program format and code. The CNC program controls the movement of the moving parts of the machine tool to complete the processing of the parts. The CNC program is compiled according to the coordinates of each node on the part drawing, and the coordinate position of each node is determined according to the spatial orientation of the workpiece coordinate system established by the corresponding tool.
Establishing the workpiece coordinate system on the CNC lathe is the process of tool setting, which will directly affect the processing accuracy and efficiency of the parts. This article takes the outer contour tool and inner contour tool commonly used for shaft parts as an example, and explores various commonly used tool setting methods through CNC simulation processing software.
Common tools for machining the external contours of shaft parts include external turning tools, external grooving tools, and external threading tools. Generally, the tool setting is carried out by the trial cutting method, which is convenient and fast and does not require the addition of auxiliary tooling.
There are many types of external turning tools, such as straight external turning tools, 45° elbow external turning tools, 90° elbow external turning tools, etc. Take the 90°elbow external turning tool as an example. Open the Swan CNC simulation software and select the material 08F low-carbon steel of the FANUC0iT system default material for the blank.
The turning tool generally establishes its workpiece coordinate system origin at the center point of the right end face of the workpiece. The workpiece axial direction is the Z direction and the radial direction is the X direction. Before the external turning tool (T01) is set up for trial cutting, first start the spindle, enter “M03S300” in the [MDI] mode, and execute, as shown in Figure 1 (a); then move the tool manually feed to complete the trial cutting of the right end face of the workpiece, as shown in Figure 1 (b).
Open the [OFFSET SETTING] function on the control panel, and in the [TOOL COMPENSATION/GEOMETRY] interface, define the Z coordinate of the current position of the tool as “Z0”, as shown in Figure 2 (a), and click the gray square button under [MEASURE]. The measurement result is shown in Figure 2 (b). The Z-axis tool setting of the external cylindrical turning tool is now completed.
Figure 1 Z-axis tool setting
Figure 2 Z-axis tool setting parameter settings
The tool retracts in the +X direction, and the X-axis trial cutting positioning is completed during the retracting process, as shown in Figure 3 (a); after positioning, the tool advances in the -Z direction to complete the outer circle trial cutting, as shown in Figure 3 (b).
After the outer circle trial cutting has a certain axial distance, the tool retracts an appropriate distance along the +Z direction, as shown in Figure 4 (a); stop the spindle rotation, open the [Workpiece Measurement] command in the main menu, and use a vernier caliper to measure the outer circle diameter after the trial cutting, as shown in Figure 4 (b).
Open the [Tool Compensation/Geometry] interface, define the X coordinate of the current position of the tool as the measured outer diameter as shown in Figure 4 (b), and enter “X79.482”, as shown in Figure 5 (a); click the gray square button under [Measure] to obtain the measurement result as shown in Figure 5 (b).
The external turning tool alignment is completed at this point, and the tool holder performs the [Return to Origin] operation.
Figure 3 X-axis test cutting and tool setting
Figure 4 X-axis tool setting process
Figure 5 X-axis tool setting parameter settings
Turn the tool holder clockwise to turn the external grooving tool (T02) to the processing position. The external grooving tool is also aligned by trial cutting the end face and the outer circle.
Start the spindle, move the tool holder, and make the blade of the external grooving tool lightly touch the end face of the workpiece, as shown in Figure 6 (a); keep the tool still, open the parameter setting page, select the [002] position of [Number], and enter “Z0” for [Measurement], as shown in Figure 6 (b).
Figure 6 External grooving tool Z-axis tool setting
Adjust the tool position and let the external grooving tool test cut the outer circle of the workpiece, as shown in Figure 7 (a); then withdraw the tool in the +Z direction, stop the spindle rotation, measure the diameter of the outer circle tested by the external grooving tool, and input the measured data to the corresponding position, as shown in Figure 7 (b) “X79.130”, and click the gray square button under [Measure]. At this point, the external grooving tool is set up and the tool holder performs the [Return to Origin] operation.
Figure 7 External grooving to cool X-axis tool alignment
Turn the tool holder clockwise again, turn the external thread cutter (T03) to the processing position, and move the tool holder. When the tool is close to the workpiece, reduce the feed speed until the tip of the external thread cutter is flush with the end face of the workpiece, as shown in Figure 8 (a), and pause the tool holder feed movement; open the parameter setting interface, select the [003] position of [number], and assign the current position of the tool to “Z0” for [measurement].
In manual feed mode, fine-tune the tool position so that the tip of the external thread cutter slightly touches the processed outer cylindrical surface, as shown in Figure 8 (b), and define the current position of the tool as the workpiece diameter measured after those above 1.2 external grooving cutter (T02) tried cutting the outer circle in the parameter setting interface. At this point, the external thread cutter has been aligned and the tool holder needs to [return to origin]
Figure 8 External thread cutter setting
The above is the tool setting process of the external contour machining tools commonly used for shaft parts.
Common tools for inner contour machining of shaft parts include inner hole turning tools, inner grooving tools, and inner threading tools. The tool setting of these tools is also the process of establishing the origin of the workpiece coordinate system at the center point of the right end face of the workpiece.
An internal hole-turning tool (T01) is commonly known as a “boring tool”. Before boring tool setting, the drill has completed the center hole drilling process.
Open the [Quick Positioning] function under the [Machine Tool Operation] command in the main menu, select the center point of the workpiece, click the [OK] button, and get the processing window as shown in Figure 9 (a); open the [Tool Correction/Geometry] interface, assign the current position of the boring tool to “X0”, and perform the [Measurement] operation on it. The result is shown in Figure 9 (b).
Figure 9 Boring tool X-axis tool setting
Fine-tune the boring tool position so that it lightly touches the right end face of the workpiece, as shown in Figure 10 (a); open the parameter setting interface, assign the current position of the boring tool to “Z0” and measure, and the operation result is shown in Figure 10 (b). At this point, the internal hole turning tool (boring tool) is set, and the tool holder needs to perform the [return to origin] operation.
Figure 10 Boring cutter Z-axis tool alignment
Turn the tool holder clockwise to move the internal grooving tool (T02) to the processing position. After starting the spindle, use the [Fast Positioning] command to quickly move it to the center point of the right end face of the workpiece, as shown in Figure 11 (a), and assign the current position to “X0” in [Number] [002] of the [Tool Compensation/Geometry] interface and measure.
Slightly move the internal grooving tool so that its tool position touches the right end face of the workpiece, as shown in Figure 11 (b), and assign the current position to “Z0” and measure. At this point, the internal grooving tool alignment is completed, and the tool holder needs to perform the [Return to Origin] operation.
Turn the tool holder clockwise to move the internal thread cutter (T03) to the processing position. After starting the spindle, use the [Quick Positioning] command to quickly move it to the center point of the right end face of the workpiece, as shown in Figure 12 (a). In the [Number] [003] of the [Tool Compensation/Geometry] interface, assign the current position to “X0” and measure it.
Fine-tune the position of the internal thread cutter until the tip of the internal thread cutter is flush with the right end face of the workpiece, as shown in Figure 12 (b). Pause the tool feed movement, assign the current position to “Z0” in [Number] [003] of the [Tool Compensation/Geometry] interface, and perform the measurement. At this point, the internal thread cutter is aligned and the tool holder needs to perform the [Return to Origin] operation.
Figure 11 Internal grooving tool alignment
Figure 12 Internal thread cutter setting
The above is the tool setting process of the internal contour machining tools commonly used for shaft parts.
Before CNC turning, it is necessary to establish a workpiece coordinate system. The accuracy of setting the workpiece coordinate system operation is the main factor affecting the part processing accuracy and processing efficiency. This article takes the common external contour turning tools and internal contour turning tools in shaft parts processing as examples and explores in detail the tool setting methods, operation processes, and precautions of various tools. It lists the theoretical basis and simulation reference for the tool setting of various common external contour turning tools and internal contour turning tools, which provides a reference for operators engaged in CNC turning.
Keyword: flange machining
Dear customers,
FK Bearing Unit, with various types, are sold in 72 countries in the world. The use of grease nipple angles in different countries are different. After decades of development, the positions and angles of the grease nipples on FK bearing housings are diverse, so it is necessary to further upgrade to make them more convenient to use. In addition, the grease nipples of some products are at the top of the bearing housings at 90 degrees, so the grease nipples cannot be preinstalled when leaving the factory. Users have to spend time on assembly, which brings additional work.
In order to improve the user's experience of using bearing units, FK has decided to upgrade the grease nipples’ positions and angles of the following bearing housing from December 1, 2021.
The new and old differences are as follows:
The improvement is for better users’ experience. If you has special requirements and the current grease nipples’ position cannot meet your needs of re-lubrication, FK will customize it for your demand.
Note: In the transition stage, there are new and old versions of products. All products delivered from FK group are FK genuine products. Please rest assured to use them. Continuous improvement is FK's corporate culture. Your valuable opinions are the direction of our efforts. You can put forward any problems or suggestions encountered in the use process at any time. Thank you.
More About FK:
FK Bearing Group Co.,Ltd. was orignally founded in 1969 and always focuses on Bearing Units in the past 50 years. FK has complete industrial chain automatic factory of its own, now FK is one of the biggest bearing parts factories in China with annal production and sales up to 18 million pieces.
Contact FK:
Corporate email: export@fk -bearing.com
Official wechat: FK bearing
Tel: 0592-6689014
Fax: 0592-6689019
We take a look at the possible incomings and outgoings surrounding all twenty Ligue 1 clubs with just a week remaining until the summer transfer window slams shut.
GFC Ajaccio:
The newly promoted side’s budget is so small that any possible incomings would need to be done as free transfers or as loans. Ideally, they would bring in a versatile defender, but right-back is the absolute priority. Another attacking midfielder would help, as would a defensive midfielder.
As for the outgoings, the Corsican’s squad is so thin that they are banking on ensuring that nobody leaves in these final days.
Angers SCO:
As one of the most active Ligue 1 sides in the transfer window this summer, Angers have finished their window shopping.
According to L’Équipe, we can expect the departures of Pessalli, Ben Othman and Kalifa Traoré before Monday evening.
SC Bastia:
The signing of Jesper Hansen has solved their goalkeeping conundrum, but they desperately need to sign a striker, if not two. A central midfielder must also be added, but they may have to make even more moves if Floyd Ayité (Rennes) and Julian Palmieri (who has been told he is allowed to leave should he wish) depart.
Girondins de Bordeaux:
With just one notable signing this summer, Bordeaux have been chasing a central defender without any success over the last three months. Omar Gaber, who has been on trial with Bordeaux, could join as a versatile defender-come-midfielder. Sagnol is still in the market for any young talent in central positions across the field.
Diego Rolan will be allowed to leave if any side offers upwards of €20m (bonuses included). Gregory Sertic would like to leave, but Bordeaux will most probably block him from doing so and he is seriously injured.
SM Caen:
Looking for a cheapish striker to give Andy Delort competition for his place, otherwise Garande is done. Damien Da Silva could be the subject of late bids from fellow Ligue 1 sides looking for a central defender.
EA Guingamp:
Probably in one of the biggest messes so far this season, Guingamp are hoping to sign a forward-thinking midfielder and a central defender before the window closes. As for departures, the door is very much closed.
LOSC Lille:
Renard might be tempted to dip back into the market for a more experienced striker, but otherwise LOSC have done more than their fair share of business this summer. Lille will only sign a midfielder should they find extraordinarily favourable circumstances for a deal.
Marko Basa could be a late mover away from the club, with interest from Watford. Michael Frey (who failed a medical with Nottingham Forest) and Julien Jeanvier (told to find a new club by Renard) should depart before the end of the month.
FC Lorient:
Business is most likely done for the window. Again, would like a central midfielder, but realistically have enough in order to survive.
Lamine Gassama has been interesting OGC Nice and St Étienne at right-back, a player who FCL would have to replace. Raphaël Guerreiro will only leave for around €20m.
Olympique Lyonnais:
A couple of surprises expected at Lyon before the end of this transfer window. A deep-lying midfielder is the priority, but Aulas could pull a rabbit out of a hat in more attacking positions too.
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Yassine Benzia and one of Bakary Koné and Lindsay Rose will leave. If an extraordinary offer is made for Alexandre Lacazette or Samuel Umtiti, then OL might be tempted to sell, but it has to be astronomical.
Olympique de Marseille:
Undoubtedly most likely to be the busiest side in the next seven days: two attackers, one midfielder, one left-back (D’Ambrosio) and one central defender (Denayer) expected to come in.
As for the departures, Mario Lemina could join Juventus for around €12m if recent reports are to be believed. Steve Mandanda and Nicolas N’Koulou are effectively still on the market if an incredible offer comes in.
AS Monaco:
Will only dabble in the market again considerably if departures occur. May still look to add youth talent from obscure corners of the world.
Aymen Abdennour, Layvin Kurzawa and Joao Moutinho’s futures are all up in the air. Abdennour the most likely to leave.
Montpellier HSC:
At least one attacking player is expected, otherwise the shopping has been done.
Djamel Bakar has requested a move away from the club.
FC Nantes:
Possibly up to three players to come in before the August 31st deadline. Certainly a central defender or two (Balanta, Felipe) and a central midfielder (Thomssen(, but also possibly another full-back.
Papy Djilobodji is largely expected to leave the club.
OGC Nice:
Priority is a goalkeeper (Douchez, Andujar), then a right-back (Malcuit) and finally, a striker (Le Bihan).
Nampalys Mendy could be the subject of a big late bid, but the squad should otherwise remain settled.
PSG:
They will sign a left-back, most probably Fabio Coentrao. Les Parisiens have the financial muscle to make some last-minute transfer window magic happen. On a lesser note, they are said to be working on deals to sign two fairly unknown youngsters who would be loaned straight out.
Any doubt surrounding Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s future is fast fading, with AC Milan set to move for Mario Balotelli. Gregory van der Wiel is in the doghouse at the moment and might force a move away, with contract extension talks said to still be going on. Chelsea are interested. Lucas Digne to AS Roma is 99% there at the time of writing.
AS Saint Étienne:
They continue to search for a bustling attacker, more of a target man than the players that they currently have at their disposal in that position. That could be Beric or Dembélé (Fulham). Also looking for a right-back, and lead the race for Malcuit (Niort)
Galtier will hope that his squad is not further decimated over the course of the next seven days.
Stade de Reims:
No more arrivals expected.
Aissa Mandi and Prince Oniangué could be the subject of big bids in the final days of this transfer window.
Stade Rennais:
A central midfielder is expected (Gourcuff) and another attacker (Ayité).
Toivonen, Prcic, Habibou, Ngando, Said (possible contract extension), Hunou and Hountondji are all set to leave.
Toulouse FC:
Operating a one in, one out policy.
Wissam Ben Yedder, Abel Aguilar, Dusan Veskovac and Martin Braithwaite are all doubts coming into the final week of transfer window activity.
ESTAC Troyes:
They may look to sign a central defender following the injury to Mory Koné last night.
Departures set to be minimal.