Wednesday, 25 November 2009
Friday, 9 October 2009
Metals
Gravity Die Casting
Gravity Die Casting is a low tech process, its well suited for batch production of simple forms without undercuts.
Mazak, is an alloy of zinc and alluminium is melted in a crucible furnace. Molten metal is then poured by ladle, into an open steel mould, where it is allowed to cool and soldify. The mould is then turned upside down and tapped with a hammer to release the finished casting.
Gravity Die Casting requires minimal finishing, and waste content is minimal, as the excess metal can be used again.
Sheet Metal Punching
Sheet Metal Punching is used for components requiring a series of holes to be cut out in them it is often quicker to punch rather than to drill.
This Process is carried out on a hydrolic press using a hardened steel punch and die set.
Gravity Die Casting is a low tech process, its well suited for batch production of simple forms without undercuts.
Mazak, is an alloy of zinc and alluminium is melted in a crucible furnace. Molten metal is then poured by ladle, into an open steel mould, where it is allowed to cool and soldify. The mould is then turned upside down and tapped with a hammer to release the finished casting.
Gravity Die Casting requires minimal finishing, and waste content is minimal, as the excess metal can be used again.
Sheet Metal Punching
Sheet Metal Punching is used for components requiring a series of holes to be cut out in them it is often quicker to punch rather than to drill.
This Process is carried out on a hydrolic press using a hardened steel punch and die set.
Friday, 2 October 2009
Wood, Softwoods and Hardwoods
Timber - Wood is cut down and processed.
Lumber - Tree has just been felled.
2 Types - Soft wood and hard wood.
Hardwoods: Deciduous, lose leaves in winter and are slow growing.
Softwoods: Evergreen, Pine needles/ cones, grow faster.
Examples:
Hardwood: Oak, Ash, Beech, Teak, Walnut
Softwood: Scots Pine, Douglas Fir, Larch, Spruce.
Wood
Wood is fiberous with fibres running along the length of the trunk. 55% of the tree is cellulose, 28% is lignum resin, this holds the structure of the tree together.Timber is a natural fibre re-inforced polymer.Knots on a piece of wood, are dead branches.
Process of cutting a tree down and turning it into a slab of wood.
1. Harvest/cut down the tree.
2. Convert tree, cut into boards (slab or quarter sawn).
3. Season it, reduce moisture in timber (kiln or natural seasoning)
4. Board preperation, sawing to size and planing( P.A.R. = Planed All Round)
The wood shrinks along the annual lines, the dark annual lines symbolise the winter months and are full of resin to protect them, and the slighter annual lines symbolise the summer months are have less resin in them.
Physical Strength: Timber is much stronger along the grain than across it.
Aesthetic Properties: Colour, complex, simple grain structure.
Moisture Content: Shrinkage/ Timber movement.
Protection: Dry and Wet Rot, Insect Attack
Operating Conditions: Where will it be used? Outside? Central Heated House?
Costs: Of different Timbers E.G. Hardwoods are more expensive than Softwoods, Rare timbers are more expensive too.
Sustainability: using timber from a sustainable source, FSC - Forestry Stewardship Council.
Lumber - Tree has just been felled.
2 Types - Soft wood and hard wood.
Hardwoods: Deciduous, lose leaves in winter and are slow growing.
Softwoods: Evergreen, Pine needles/ cones, grow faster.
Examples:
Hardwood: Oak, Ash, Beech, Teak, Walnut
Softwood: Scots Pine, Douglas Fir, Larch, Spruce.
Wood
Wood is fiberous with fibres running along the length of the trunk. 55% of the tree is cellulose, 28% is lignum resin, this holds the structure of the tree together.Timber is a natural fibre re-inforced polymer.Knots on a piece of wood, are dead branches.
Process of cutting a tree down and turning it into a slab of wood.
1. Harvest/cut down the tree.
2. Convert tree, cut into boards (slab or quarter sawn).
3. Season it, reduce moisture in timber (kiln or natural seasoning)
4. Board preperation, sawing to size and planing( P.A.R. = Planed All Round)
The wood shrinks along the annual lines, the dark annual lines symbolise the winter months and are full of resin to protect them, and the slighter annual lines symbolise the summer months are have less resin in them.
Physical Strength: Timber is much stronger along the grain than across it.
Aesthetic Properties: Colour, complex, simple grain structure.
Moisture Content: Shrinkage/ Timber movement.
Protection: Dry and Wet Rot, Insect Attack
Operating Conditions: Where will it be used? Outside? Central Heated House?
Costs: Of different Timbers E.G. Hardwoods are more expensive than Softwoods, Rare timbers are more expensive too.
Sustainability: using timber from a sustainable source, FSC - Forestry Stewardship Council.
Thursday, 1 October 2009
Steam Bending
- The primary attitude of bentwood is that its grain runs continuously along its entire length. If the bend is made across more that 1 axis the timber will be twisted to align to the grain.
- The main advantage of bentwood, is its strenth, which means parts are lighter.
- The main advantage of bentwood, is its strenth, which means parts are lighter.
Laminating
- Something thats built up of layers as LAMINATE.
-The process of joining the layers together is called LAMINATION.
- Plastic laminate is made up of composite layers of paper and plastic.
- Wood is lmainated sometimesso you can bend into most shapes.
- There are 2 main methods of laminate woods:
1) Laminating using a male and female mould.
2) Laminating using a vacuum bad or vacuum frame.
- It takes approximately an hour to steam bend 25mm piece of ash.
- An alternative way of making curved sections of wood is STEAM BENDING.
- Ash is the most common material used in steam bending.
-The process of joining the layers together is called LAMINATION.
- Plastic laminate is made up of composite layers of paper and plastic.
- Wood is lmainated sometimesso you can bend into most shapes.
- There are 2 main methods of laminate woods:
1) Laminating using a male and female mould.
2) Laminating using a vacuum bad or vacuum frame.
- It takes approximately an hour to steam bend 25mm piece of ash.
- An alternative way of making curved sections of wood is STEAM BENDING.
- Ash is the most common material used in steam bending.
Thursday, 10 September 2009
I Should Never Have Purchased
Because I have an obsession with motorbikes, I went to the Royal Bath and West Showground for a classic and custom bike show; I was looking around the merchandise there, when a pair of motocross gloves really stood out to me.
I decided to purchase this particular pair as they seemed like a great deal, after about a week my feelings on the gloves had changed, this was due to the fact that the stitching on the edges of the gloves had started to fray, and also because the suede had started to wear very thin in places.
As a result of the suede wearing thin, I started to get blisters on my hands while I was riding; this meant that riding was very uncomfortable and also to a certain extent difficult.
Within the next couple of weeks the suede had almost worn away completely and I had a rather big hole on the side of the glove, this was rather annoying as when I looked at the same pair of gloves the website said that the gloves could be used in any riding condition and are very durable.
After this, I got in contact with the company that made the gloves, to see if they would be able to offer me a refund, or send me a new pair of gloves, but to no avail, they wouldn’t, I ended up throwing the gloves away, as no matter how hard I tried to fix them, I just couldn’t.
And this is the product that I should never have purchased.
Because I have an obsession with motorbikes, I went to the Royal Bath and West Showground for a classic and custom bike show; I was looking around the merchandise there, when a pair of motocross gloves really stood out to me.
I decided to purchase this particular pair as they seemed like a great deal, after about a week my feelings on the gloves had changed, this was due to the fact that the stitching on the edges of the gloves had started to fray, and also because the suede had started to wear very thin in places.
As a result of the suede wearing thin, I started to get blisters on my hands while I was riding; this meant that riding was very uncomfortable and also to a certain extent difficult.
Within the next couple of weeks the suede had almost worn away completely and I had a rather big hole on the side of the glove, this was rather annoying as when I looked at the same pair of gloves the website said that the gloves could be used in any riding condition and are very durable.
After this, I got in contact with the company that made the gloves, to see if they would be able to offer me a refund, or send me a new pair of gloves, but to no avail, they wouldn’t, I ended up throwing the gloves away, as no matter how hard I tried to fix them, I just couldn’t.
And this is the product that I should never have purchased.
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