Listening to Doug Hempstead talk about flying can cause one’s imagination to take off and soar. Those dreams don’t necessarily have to be brought back down to earth, thanks to the light sport aircraft Hempstead’s company produces.
The president of Allegro LSA, which currently operates out of Littleton, Hempstead was the featured speaker at last Wednesday’s monthly meeting of the Lake Gaston Association. He gave details on the airplanes the company produces as well as future plans he and wife Betty hold for the company.
Allegro LSA deals in pretty much all aspects of light sport aircraft (LSA) in relation to the single-engine, one- or two-person airplanes the company produces. That includes production, inspections and sales and rentals as well as pilot training and certification.
Even though LSAs are small, low-energy aircraft, Hempstead said they are exceedingly safe, economical and user-friendly.
The Federal Aviation Administration approved LSAs in September of 2004 and completed rules and regulations for the category the following May.
“We’re about seven years into this, and it’s been incredibly successful,” Hempstead said.
LSAs are limited to a maximum weight of 1,320 pounds (1,430 pounds if intended for water operations) and a maximum air speed of 120 knots (138 mph), in addition to other regulations.
The Hempsteads started out as U.S. importers for LSAs and eventually bought an LSA producer out of the Czech Republic called Fantasy Air, moving it stateside.
The Allegro airplanes the company produces might be small and light, but that doesn’t mean they’re low on performance. In many cases, Hempstead said the Allegro outperforms the ever-popular Cessna 172.
“It will take off much quicker, climb much faster, cruise as fast, has a 45 knots stall speed, which is less than a 172, has a 12-to-1 glide ratio, which is much better than a 172, and it can land in as little as 300 feet,” he said.
In addition, Hempstead said Allegros are incredibly cost-effective and fuel-efficient, functioning on about a fourth of the operating cost and a fifth of the maintenance cost of a Cessna 172.
Hempstead recommends 87-octane automobile fuel to fill the 17-gallon tank on the Allegro, which usually burns fuel at a rate below 3.5 gallons per hour.
“Our planes get better mileage than any of my vehicles do,” he said.
For a normal take off, Allegros require about 350 feet, and they can land in as little as 300 feet. Their rate of climb is around 1,000 feet per minute, and the 12-to-1 glide ratio means the plane will glide 12 times farther than its elevation in the absence of thrust.
Obtaining a pilot’s license with a sport pilot rating requires 20 hours of training, which Allegro LSA can accommodate at its flight school, housed in Sanford, N.C. Sport pilots can operate in the U.S. or a foreign country that accepts the U.S. sport pilot certificate, which includes multiple European countries.
Sport pilots are limited to daylight flying with three miles of visibility or greater, can not tow an object and are not allowed to travel more than 10,000 feet above sea level or 2,000 above ground level, although private pilots with the correct medical rating are allowed to fly at night and take LSAs higher. Allegros have a service ceiling of 15,000 feet above sea level.
Among the interesting aspects of sport pilot certification, a person who has completed the 20 hours of training and holds a valid U.S. driver’s license is eligible to operate an LSA, provided he or she hasn’t had their pilot medical rating revoked in the past and doesn’t have any judicial limitations or administrative orders applied to their driving privileges.
“That means that if you have to wear glasses to drive, you have to wear glasses to fly,” said Hempstead. “If you get in trouble and the police say they’re only going to let you drive to and from work, you can only fly to and from work.”
Allegro LSA’s flight school in Sanford also serves as a distribution center, however all production of the Allegro airplanes take place at the company’s location at 231 U.S. 158-East in Littleton.
2012年5月10日星期四
2012年5月9日星期三
French first ladies break protocol and make new molds
Only in France. Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the superstar model-turned-songstress with a freewheeling lifestyle, now hands the job of first lady to a twice-divorced journalist who’s the first presidential partner to enter the Elysee Palace without a ring on her finger.
And as Valerie Trierweiler prepares for her new role alongside President-elect Francois Hollande, in the wings is the woman whose man she stole — Segolene Royal, the mother of Hollande’s four children and a former presidential candidate now seeking her own seat of political power.
So what’s happening in the land of French officialdom, where protocol and social niceties still count? Will Trierweiler’s name be listed on formal invitations to presidential events, even though she’s not his spouse?
It’s the head of state who decides, so where’s the problem?
Intrigue, love lost, love found and power struggles accompanied the new first couple on their journey to the presidency, which Hollande takes over from Nicolas Sarkozy on May 15. The Hollande-Trierweiler couple gave each other a big kiss on the mouth at the victory fete watched by cheering thousands at the Bastille.
Bruni-Sarkozy, who married the outgoing president after he divorced his second wife while in office, adapted to the job of first lady like slipping into a silver slipper.
Past romantic adventures with Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton faded into distant memory and she cultivated a low profile as France’s “premiere dame,” charming and disarming other heads of state.
Some think Trierweiler may do even better.
“Valerie is perfect. She’s so French,” Paris-based fashion writer Rebecca Voight insisted. “It’s what French women see in themselves. ... She kept a respectful distance from Hollande during the campaign and also had her career, which people respect.”
Privilege describes the life, past and present, of Sarkozy’s Italian-born wife, who comes from a wealthy Turin family. Trierweiler’s roots are more humble. One of six children, she grew up in a modest neighborhood in Angers, in western France, then studied political science at the Sorbonne.
“I didn’t choose to have a public life. I chose Francois,” she said in an interview with Paris-Match in October. “But I will adapt.”
Elegant and intelligent, Trierweiler, who has three teenage sons from her previous marriage to a colleague at the magazine Paris Match, is 10 years younger than the 57-year-old Hollande. She met Hollande years ago while covering the Socialist Party, which he headed for 11 years until 2008.
Their relationship flowered starting in 2005 as Hollande’s then-partner Royal was beginning to prepare her own presidential candidacy.
Hollande and Royal maintained a pact of silence about their crumbling relationship — broken only after she lost to Sarkozy in 2007. Royal then announced that she had asked Hollande to leave their family home.
Royal, who soldiered through Hollande’s presidential campaign with occasional appearances, now wants a piece of the political pie — as speaker of the lower house of parliament should the Socialists win June legislative elections.
And as Valerie Trierweiler prepares for her new role alongside President-elect Francois Hollande, in the wings is the woman whose man she stole — Segolene Royal, the mother of Hollande’s four children and a former presidential candidate now seeking her own seat of political power.
So what’s happening in the land of French officialdom, where protocol and social niceties still count? Will Trierweiler’s name be listed on formal invitations to presidential events, even though she’s not his spouse?
It’s the head of state who decides, so where’s the problem?
Intrigue, love lost, love found and power struggles accompanied the new first couple on their journey to the presidency, which Hollande takes over from Nicolas Sarkozy on May 15. The Hollande-Trierweiler couple gave each other a big kiss on the mouth at the victory fete watched by cheering thousands at the Bastille.
Bruni-Sarkozy, who married the outgoing president after he divorced his second wife while in office, adapted to the job of first lady like slipping into a silver slipper.
Past romantic adventures with Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton faded into distant memory and she cultivated a low profile as France’s “premiere dame,” charming and disarming other heads of state.
Some think Trierweiler may do even better.
“Valerie is perfect. She’s so French,” Paris-based fashion writer Rebecca Voight insisted. “It’s what French women see in themselves. ... She kept a respectful distance from Hollande during the campaign and also had her career, which people respect.”
Privilege describes the life, past and present, of Sarkozy’s Italian-born wife, who comes from a wealthy Turin family. Trierweiler’s roots are more humble. One of six children, she grew up in a modest neighborhood in Angers, in western France, then studied political science at the Sorbonne.
“I didn’t choose to have a public life. I chose Francois,” she said in an interview with Paris-Match in October. “But I will adapt.”
Elegant and intelligent, Trierweiler, who has three teenage sons from her previous marriage to a colleague at the magazine Paris Match, is 10 years younger than the 57-year-old Hollande. She met Hollande years ago while covering the Socialist Party, which he headed for 11 years until 2008.
Their relationship flowered starting in 2005 as Hollande’s then-partner Royal was beginning to prepare her own presidential candidacy.
Hollande and Royal maintained a pact of silence about their crumbling relationship — broken only after she lost to Sarkozy in 2007. Royal then announced that she had asked Hollande to leave their family home.
Royal, who soldiered through Hollande’s presidential campaign with occasional appearances, now wants a piece of the political pie — as speaker of the lower house of parliament should the Socialists win June legislative elections.
2012年5月8日星期二
Area Robobots team takes third in national competition
For the second year in a row an area robotics team has earned third place in the National Robotics League Championship in Indianapolis.
“We never dreamed of finishing third or even in the top 10,” Tyler Gill, a member of Team Fabius at Cambridge Springs High School, said of doing so well at the national event.
Fabius, a robot from Cambridge Springs High School, and The Terminator, a robot from Conneaut Lake High School, both were sent to the 2012 National Robotics League double-elimination tournament by the northwest Pennsylvania chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association.
The Terminator won the local NTMA chapter’s sixth annual northwest Pennsylvania tournament in March in Meadville, while Fabius placed second in the tournament.
Fabius battled its way to third place in the two-day national tournament held over the weekend, while the Conneaut Lake team ended up in the top half of the 36 teams competing, but didn’t advance to the second day.
“There were a lot of good robots. Not to sell ourselves short, but we didn’t think we’d get that high,” Gill said of Fabius’ finish.
The northwestern Pennsylvania chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association sponsors RoboBots, a hands-on robot-building contest for high school and middle school students. It was started in 2007 to create interest in technical education careers among high school and middle school students.
Students design and build 15-pound robots that do battle with each other in a double-elimination tournament.
However, the national tournament features both high school and college teams from around the country. This year, a total of 36 teams from 22 colleges and high schools competed.
Fabius was able to defeat the University of South Florida, the 2011 national champion, and Bloomsburg High School, which finished second in the 2011 national tournament. Bloomsburg was winner of the 2011 Meadville tournament.
“It was real exciting and surprising for us,” said Nate Eckstein, driver of Fabius.
While Gill and Eckstein operated the robot, other team members, Amber Festa, Alysia Walczak and Nathan Walczak, had key jobs not only in doing repairs but in scouting out the other robots in the national competition.
“We were trying to find out what their weaknesses were,” said Alysia Walczak.
“It was a lot of fun for everybody,” said Richard Gosnell, a physics and general science teacher at Cambridge Springs High School, who was the team’s coach. “The Conneaut Lake kids were supportive of the team, as was Bloomsburg.”
“We never dreamed of finishing third or even in the top 10,” Tyler Gill, a member of Team Fabius at Cambridge Springs High School, said of doing so well at the national event.
Fabius, a robot from Cambridge Springs High School, and The Terminator, a robot from Conneaut Lake High School, both were sent to the 2012 National Robotics League double-elimination tournament by the northwest Pennsylvania chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association.
The Terminator won the local NTMA chapter’s sixth annual northwest Pennsylvania tournament in March in Meadville, while Fabius placed second in the tournament.
Fabius battled its way to third place in the two-day national tournament held over the weekend, while the Conneaut Lake team ended up in the top half of the 36 teams competing, but didn’t advance to the second day.
“There were a lot of good robots. Not to sell ourselves short, but we didn’t think we’d get that high,” Gill said of Fabius’ finish.
The northwestern Pennsylvania chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association sponsors RoboBots, a hands-on robot-building contest for high school and middle school students. It was started in 2007 to create interest in technical education careers among high school and middle school students.
Students design and build 15-pound robots that do battle with each other in a double-elimination tournament.
However, the national tournament features both high school and college teams from around the country. This year, a total of 36 teams from 22 colleges and high schools competed.
Fabius was able to defeat the University of South Florida, the 2011 national champion, and Bloomsburg High School, which finished second in the 2011 national tournament. Bloomsburg was winner of the 2011 Meadville tournament.
“It was real exciting and surprising for us,” said Nate Eckstein, driver of Fabius.
While Gill and Eckstein operated the robot, other team members, Amber Festa, Alysia Walczak and Nathan Walczak, had key jobs not only in doing repairs but in scouting out the other robots in the national competition.
“We were trying to find out what their weaknesses were,” said Alysia Walczak.
“It was a lot of fun for everybody,” said Richard Gosnell, a physics and general science teacher at Cambridge Springs High School, who was the team’s coach. “The Conneaut Lake kids were supportive of the team, as was Bloomsburg.”
2012年5月7日星期一
A Weave of Cultural Significance
Banig or brown mat is a traditional hand-woven mat commonly used for sleeping. Banig weaving is a genuine treasure handed down as a tradition or a trade from one generation to another as it is widely practiced in the country. Its ingenuity is very much employed in its creation and the designs may vary from the practices of those from other regions.
In the northernmost part of Antique Province, 146 kilometers away from the capital town San Jose de Buenavista is the quiet and rustic town of Libertad. The municipality is a mountain and coastal town that is abundantly surrounded by the bariw plant (Pandanus Copelandii: Pandaceae family) which is a versatile material in mat weaving.
The town of Libertad has pioneered in banig weaving which has become one of the main sources of livelihood of the townsfolk. The banig produced in this town is being sought in the local and foreign markets because of its unique and intricate weave.
The art and beauty of banig weaving lie in the intricacy of folding over the strips of the material that will yield a wonderful design of interlace folds and entails a sequential order of steps to create geometric patterns and rhythm.
An arduous and very tedious process, banig weaving is some sort of a spell implied with hard work, determination and patience from the manugbanig (a person who weaves banig). They simply cut the bariw leaves using sanggot (an arc-shaped cutting tool) and a long slender bamboo pole to reach the leaves of high-grown bariw plant, the process locally known as the pagsasa.
The paghapnig (bundling) and pagriras (stripping off) are the next steps in the pre-weaving preparations. They gather and bundle the slashed leaves for stripping off thorns along the edges and into the middle ridge. By removing the ridge, the leaf is divided into two. Each leaf is piled separately until the bundle is stripped off with thorns. The leaves will be tightly tied up in bundle so that each piece will not curl up as it dries.
The Pagbulad or sun or air drying phase follows. Sun drying of bariw leaves under direct sunlight gives it a shiny brown tone and strengthens the fiber. Air-dried leaves are durable compared to the sun-dried one. Air-dried leaves create blackish spots or molds that destroy the natural luster of brown mats; however, the molds fall off easily during weaving.
The pagpalpag or the hammering phase is gradually done by beating the bariw leaves against a flat stone until they become soft and pliable with the use of a wooden club known as sampok. In some cases, bariw leaves are softened with an improvised roller log made of tree or coconut trunk that works like a rolling pin.
Paglikid is a process of keeping the softness of the bariw leaves and prevents the leaf strips from becoming stiff and crisp. The leaf is rolled one after the other in a round form; tightly rolling the leaf sustains its softness and elasticity. The unwinding of the linikid to straighten the spiraled bariw leaves is called pagbuntay.
Then follows the pagkulhad or the shredding of bariw leaves into a desired strand through the kurulhadan or splicer; a wooden-based shredder. Pagkyupis is the preparatory process to the weaving proper. Generally, bariw strands are folded into halves. Every kyupis consists of four strands, folded together in pairs; horizontally and vertically, with the glossy brown color in the outer surface.
Taytay is the framework of the entire mat. During this step, the size and the length of the mat is already assured. The width dimensions will be determined by weaving at the sides forward, making the edge-line on both sides of the mat known as sapay. Hurip is the folding of the remaining strands on the sides or edge-line to keep the weave tightly locked in place. The process also refers to the repairing of worn-out and damaged mat during weaving or due to continued use.
Gutab is the final stage in mat weaving. It is done by eliminating and cutting unwanted strands in the mat, including the excess strands after the hurip has been done.
Banig products has since gained importance prompting local officials and Libertadnons to establish the Banigan Festival to promote banig (bariw brown mats) and sub-products of banig as their One-town-One Product (OTOP). The festival also aims to encourage the banig weavers that the banig they produced could possibly turn into a highly valuable item that can be known not only in the province but also in the international market.
The Banigan festival is very popular for its banig weaving demonstration to visitors and tourists. Varieties of hats, bags, slippers and gowns made of banig are also exhibited during the festival. The celebration is also a tribute to the town’s mat weavers who have preserved the priceless tradition of their forefathers. The Banigan festival is celebrated annually during the second week of March.
In the northernmost part of Antique Province, 146 kilometers away from the capital town San Jose de Buenavista is the quiet and rustic town of Libertad. The municipality is a mountain and coastal town that is abundantly surrounded by the bariw plant (Pandanus Copelandii: Pandaceae family) which is a versatile material in mat weaving.
The town of Libertad has pioneered in banig weaving which has become one of the main sources of livelihood of the townsfolk. The banig produced in this town is being sought in the local and foreign markets because of its unique and intricate weave.
The art and beauty of banig weaving lie in the intricacy of folding over the strips of the material that will yield a wonderful design of interlace folds and entails a sequential order of steps to create geometric patterns and rhythm.
An arduous and very tedious process, banig weaving is some sort of a spell implied with hard work, determination and patience from the manugbanig (a person who weaves banig). They simply cut the bariw leaves using sanggot (an arc-shaped cutting tool) and a long slender bamboo pole to reach the leaves of high-grown bariw plant, the process locally known as the pagsasa.
The paghapnig (bundling) and pagriras (stripping off) are the next steps in the pre-weaving preparations. They gather and bundle the slashed leaves for stripping off thorns along the edges and into the middle ridge. By removing the ridge, the leaf is divided into two. Each leaf is piled separately until the bundle is stripped off with thorns. The leaves will be tightly tied up in bundle so that each piece will not curl up as it dries.
The Pagbulad or sun or air drying phase follows. Sun drying of bariw leaves under direct sunlight gives it a shiny brown tone and strengthens the fiber. Air-dried leaves are durable compared to the sun-dried one. Air-dried leaves create blackish spots or molds that destroy the natural luster of brown mats; however, the molds fall off easily during weaving.
The pagpalpag or the hammering phase is gradually done by beating the bariw leaves against a flat stone until they become soft and pliable with the use of a wooden club known as sampok. In some cases, bariw leaves are softened with an improvised roller log made of tree or coconut trunk that works like a rolling pin.
Paglikid is a process of keeping the softness of the bariw leaves and prevents the leaf strips from becoming stiff and crisp. The leaf is rolled one after the other in a round form; tightly rolling the leaf sustains its softness and elasticity. The unwinding of the linikid to straighten the spiraled bariw leaves is called pagbuntay.
Then follows the pagkulhad or the shredding of bariw leaves into a desired strand through the kurulhadan or splicer; a wooden-based shredder. Pagkyupis is the preparatory process to the weaving proper. Generally, bariw strands are folded into halves. Every kyupis consists of four strands, folded together in pairs; horizontally and vertically, with the glossy brown color in the outer surface.
Taytay is the framework of the entire mat. During this step, the size and the length of the mat is already assured. The width dimensions will be determined by weaving at the sides forward, making the edge-line on both sides of the mat known as sapay. Hurip is the folding of the remaining strands on the sides or edge-line to keep the weave tightly locked in place. The process also refers to the repairing of worn-out and damaged mat during weaving or due to continued use.
Gutab is the final stage in mat weaving. It is done by eliminating and cutting unwanted strands in the mat, including the excess strands after the hurip has been done.
Banig products has since gained importance prompting local officials and Libertadnons to establish the Banigan Festival to promote banig (bariw brown mats) and sub-products of banig as their One-town-One Product (OTOP). The festival also aims to encourage the banig weavers that the banig they produced could possibly turn into a highly valuable item that can be known not only in the province but also in the international market.
The Banigan festival is very popular for its banig weaving demonstration to visitors and tourists. Varieties of hats, bags, slippers and gowns made of banig are also exhibited during the festival. The celebration is also a tribute to the town’s mat weavers who have preserved the priceless tradition of their forefathers. The Banigan festival is celebrated annually during the second week of March.
2012年5月6日星期日
3-D print advances may create more jobs
An innovative process used to make three-dimensional product prototypes is poised to enter the mass market, and local leaders are working to bring part of a new federal center for the technology to Dayton.
Additive manufacturing, also known as 3-D printing, is expected to become a $3.7 billion global industry by 2015, more than doubling its current $1.7 billion value, according to Wohlers Associates, an independent consulting firm. Industry growth is expected to surpass $6.5 billion by 2019.
Additive manufacturing is the process of creating solid objects from a digital file by printing thin layers of material one on top of another. It is almost the opposite of conventional machining, which sculpts or shapes objects by removing material.
Advances in the technology are establishing a new market for on-demand, mass customization manufacturing.
The biggest economic opportunity is using 3-D printing to manufacture actual products in plastic, metal and composite materials, said Terry Wohlers, principal consultant and president of Wohlers Associates. Currently, the technology is being used to print production parts for Boeing aircraft, as well as orthopedic implants, designer jewelry and custom braces for teeth.
SelectTech Services Corp.'s advanced manufacturing facility in Springfield last year produced a 3-D printed model airplane that can take off and land on its own landing gear. The Centerville-based company provides engineering and technical services mainly to the Department of Defense.
Declining hardware costs are creating demand for low-cost personal 3-D printer systems. New desktop fabrication websites such as Shapeways and Cubify allow consumers to design, sell and buy 3-D printed products online.
"I think it is going to become very, very big and that it is just a matter of time before we see the next Facebook or Google develop out of this," Wohlers said.
The University of Dayton Research Institute is part of a statewide consortium of Ohio companies and organizations that are vying to win a federal pilot institute on additive manufacturing, said Brian Rice, head of UDRI's Multi-Scale Composites and Polymers division. UDRI operates a reverse engineering and rapid prototyping facility with 3-D part scanning and printing capabilities.
President Obama announced the pilot institute in March as part of a $1 billion plan for a network of 15 "Institutes for Manufacturing Innovation" around the nation, serving as hubs that help manufacturers and encourage domestic investment.
Up to $45 million in federal funding has been made available for the pilot institute, which will support the Departments of Defense, Energy and other federal agencies, according to the Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office.
A federal call for proposals is expected in mid-May. If awarded, the institute would be led by EWI (Edison Welding Institute) in Columbus, with various clusters around the nation. The center's polymeric cluster would be located in Dayton, Rice said.
Federal officials said additive manufacturing has the potential to minimize the need for tooling, compress supply chains and reduce waste. The technology also can produce novel components and complex structures that can't be made cost effectively using conventional casting, molding and forging processes.
"I can build designs on my machines that can't be built if you are going with traditional methods of tooling," said Ben Staub, president of Bastech, a Dayton company that provides rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing services.
Bastech does close to $2 million in annual business, much of which involves 3-D printed prototypes or low-volume parts production for the aerospace industry. The use of 3-D printers to produce parts direct to manufacturing is continuing to grow, Staub said.
Meeting the expected industry growth will require technicians who can produce 3-D computer models "because that is what is required to run these machines," Wohlers said.
Sinclair Community College's Advanced Integrated Manufacturing Center has a 3-D printer that is used by both Sinclair and University of Dayton students, said Adam Murka, a college spokesman.
"We are in the process of aligning ourselves with different technical colleges throughout the state so that they would be able to take advantage of it," he said.
In 2010, Staub spun off Rapid Directions Inc., a company that sells 3-D printer systems and associated materials. RDI's revenues this year could approach $4 million, depending on its fourth-quarter sales, he said.
Wohlers said 3-D printers that can produce industry-standard parts range in price from $15,000 to more than $1 million, depending on their quality and sophistication.
RDI sells a hobbyist-level printer kit for $1,500, Staub said.
Cubify, a division of 3D Systems, started taking pre-orders last month for the Cube, a home color 3-D printer that sells for $1,299. It prints using ABS plastic at 25-thousands-of-an-inch layers up to a height, width and depth of 5.5 inches.
"I bet it won't be too many years away where it's going to be in Best Buy for $300 or $400," Staub said.
Additive manufacturing, also known as 3-D printing, is expected to become a $3.7 billion global industry by 2015, more than doubling its current $1.7 billion value, according to Wohlers Associates, an independent consulting firm. Industry growth is expected to surpass $6.5 billion by 2019.
Additive manufacturing is the process of creating solid objects from a digital file by printing thin layers of material one on top of another. It is almost the opposite of conventional machining, which sculpts or shapes objects by removing material.
Advances in the technology are establishing a new market for on-demand, mass customization manufacturing.
The biggest economic opportunity is using 3-D printing to manufacture actual products in plastic, metal and composite materials, said Terry Wohlers, principal consultant and president of Wohlers Associates. Currently, the technology is being used to print production parts for Boeing aircraft, as well as orthopedic implants, designer jewelry and custom braces for teeth.
SelectTech Services Corp.'s advanced manufacturing facility in Springfield last year produced a 3-D printed model airplane that can take off and land on its own landing gear. The Centerville-based company provides engineering and technical services mainly to the Department of Defense.
Declining hardware costs are creating demand for low-cost personal 3-D printer systems. New desktop fabrication websites such as Shapeways and Cubify allow consumers to design, sell and buy 3-D printed products online.
"I think it is going to become very, very big and that it is just a matter of time before we see the next Facebook or Google develop out of this," Wohlers said.
The University of Dayton Research Institute is part of a statewide consortium of Ohio companies and organizations that are vying to win a federal pilot institute on additive manufacturing, said Brian Rice, head of UDRI's Multi-Scale Composites and Polymers division. UDRI operates a reverse engineering and rapid prototyping facility with 3-D part scanning and printing capabilities.
President Obama announced the pilot institute in March as part of a $1 billion plan for a network of 15 "Institutes for Manufacturing Innovation" around the nation, serving as hubs that help manufacturers and encourage domestic investment.
Up to $45 million in federal funding has been made available for the pilot institute, which will support the Departments of Defense, Energy and other federal agencies, according to the Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office.
A federal call for proposals is expected in mid-May. If awarded, the institute would be led by EWI (Edison Welding Institute) in Columbus, with various clusters around the nation. The center's polymeric cluster would be located in Dayton, Rice said.
Federal officials said additive manufacturing has the potential to minimize the need for tooling, compress supply chains and reduce waste. The technology also can produce novel components and complex structures that can't be made cost effectively using conventional casting, molding and forging processes.
"I can build designs on my machines that can't be built if you are going with traditional methods of tooling," said Ben Staub, president of Bastech, a Dayton company that provides rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing services.
Bastech does close to $2 million in annual business, much of which involves 3-D printed prototypes or low-volume parts production for the aerospace industry. The use of 3-D printers to produce parts direct to manufacturing is continuing to grow, Staub said.
Meeting the expected industry growth will require technicians who can produce 3-D computer models "because that is what is required to run these machines," Wohlers said.
Sinclair Community College's Advanced Integrated Manufacturing Center has a 3-D printer that is used by both Sinclair and University of Dayton students, said Adam Murka, a college spokesman.
"We are in the process of aligning ourselves with different technical colleges throughout the state so that they would be able to take advantage of it," he said.
In 2010, Staub spun off Rapid Directions Inc., a company that sells 3-D printer systems and associated materials. RDI's revenues this year could approach $4 million, depending on its fourth-quarter sales, he said.
Wohlers said 3-D printers that can produce industry-standard parts range in price from $15,000 to more than $1 million, depending on their quality and sophistication.
RDI sells a hobbyist-level printer kit for $1,500, Staub said.
Cubify, a division of 3D Systems, started taking pre-orders last month for the Cube, a home color 3-D printer that sells for $1,299. It prints using ABS plastic at 25-thousands-of-an-inch layers up to a height, width and depth of 5.5 inches.
"I bet it won't be too many years away where it's going to be in Best Buy for $300 or $400," Staub said.
2012年5月3日星期四
How to get rid of mold stains
Mold and mildew can be unsightly and also unhealthy. Mold is a major household pollutant that can cause serious health risks. Mold releases spores into the air that float around the house and cause severe allergic reactions and illnesses. Mold is usually a problem in humid climates but can be a problem anywhere. Mold can leave black stains on just about everything from carpet, walls, wood, countertops and caulking. Keeping your home mold free is best done by preventing its growth, but if mold is already growing in your home this article will help you get rid of it and the stains that are left behind.
Molds can cause serious illnesses or minor allergies. Molds that grow mycotoxins can be the blame for many unexplained illnesses. The worst indoor mold is black mold which can cause fever, chronic sinus infection, fatigue, shortness of breath, brain damage, infections in the lungs and more. If a person is continuing to have one of the above problems or a stuffy nose, skin rash, eye itchiness, throat or nose itchiness, wheezing or asthma it might be because of mold growth in your home. Go to the doctor and let the doctor know of the mold in your home. Mold is a serious problem and needs to be taken care of immediately. You may consider getting the mold examined and tested before you clean it up to see what type of mold it is and whether it can cause serious health risks for your family.
Any room that has high humidity is susceptible to molds like kitchens, laundry rooms, bathrooms and basements. Rooms that have had water damage such as flooding or water leaks can have a mold problem. The first step in mold removal and clean-up is eliminating the moisture. Find the leak or water source and fix it. The humidity level in any room of your home should be about 50 percent. Using an air conditioner or de-humidifier can lower the humidity in your home. Open the window every day in your home to let in fresh air.
You can clean up minor mold problems on sinks, countertops, grout, showers and tubs with a cup of bleach mixed into a gallon of water. First, brush the mold off of the surface using a scrub brush, then scrub clean with the bleach and water mixture. An old toothbrush will make it easier to clean grout and corners. Make sure you wear gloves and a mask and that there is plenty of ventilation. You will not want to breathe in the mold spores during the clean up process. You can wear a respirator mask that costs about $15.00; these masks have a respirator nozzle cartridge on the front and will filter the spores out of the air. Wear rubber gloves and goggles while cleaning up severe mold. If you have mildew underneath the caulking in your shower you will most likely need to peel it up and replace it. You can bleach the caulk but the mildew will grow back eventually.
If you have mold on fabric such as shower curtains, draperies or clothing you can have the items dry cleaned or wash them yourself in your washing machine. Put a stain remover on the spot of mold or mildew and rub together. You can use a toothbrush to loosen the mold stain out of the fibers. If the fabric is white you can dab bleach on the spot. After the item has gone thought the wash and rinse cycle, set it to dry in the sun. If your plastic shower curtain has mold stains on it soak it in a solution of water and bleach and then take in the sun to dry.
Cleaning mold off of walls is more of a problem as the mold will likely bleed back through it you try to wash it our paint it. You will need to remove that section of the drywall and replace it. While the wall is open you can fix the leak or the problem causing the mold. Do not just paint over a moldy wall because the mold will seep back through or the paint will peel off. The next time you paint use a high gloss paint with an anti-mildew protection added to it.
If you have mold or mildew on your carpet you will probably need to replace it. But, if you want to try and clean it first, you will need to be able to lift the carpet and allow it to dry or take it out in the sun. The stain can be removed with a bleach solution but this might also bleach out the carpet so most likely you will not want to use bleach on carpet. Using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter can loosen up and pull up some of the mold and mildew out of the carpet fibers. Shampoo the area with a carpet shampoo and very little water. Take the carpet out to dry in the sun or lift it off of the floor and bring in large fans to dry it out. It is a good idea to spray the area with a fungicide spray to prevent any further mold growth.
If you have upholstery or a mattress that has mold stains you can try cleaning it your self by first brushing it off with a medium to soft brush. Shampoo the area of upholstery with a safe soap that won’t bleach it out. You can use a little bleach on a mattress if you don’t care about the color. Take the furniture or mattress into the sun to dry. Spray the item with a fungicide spray to prevent any future mold growth.
Molds can cause serious illnesses or minor allergies. Molds that grow mycotoxins can be the blame for many unexplained illnesses. The worst indoor mold is black mold which can cause fever, chronic sinus infection, fatigue, shortness of breath, brain damage, infections in the lungs and more. If a person is continuing to have one of the above problems or a stuffy nose, skin rash, eye itchiness, throat or nose itchiness, wheezing or asthma it might be because of mold growth in your home. Go to the doctor and let the doctor know of the mold in your home. Mold is a serious problem and needs to be taken care of immediately. You may consider getting the mold examined and tested before you clean it up to see what type of mold it is and whether it can cause serious health risks for your family.
Any room that has high humidity is susceptible to molds like kitchens, laundry rooms, bathrooms and basements. Rooms that have had water damage such as flooding or water leaks can have a mold problem. The first step in mold removal and clean-up is eliminating the moisture. Find the leak or water source and fix it. The humidity level in any room of your home should be about 50 percent. Using an air conditioner or de-humidifier can lower the humidity in your home. Open the window every day in your home to let in fresh air.
You can clean up minor mold problems on sinks, countertops, grout, showers and tubs with a cup of bleach mixed into a gallon of water. First, brush the mold off of the surface using a scrub brush, then scrub clean with the bleach and water mixture. An old toothbrush will make it easier to clean grout and corners. Make sure you wear gloves and a mask and that there is plenty of ventilation. You will not want to breathe in the mold spores during the clean up process. You can wear a respirator mask that costs about $15.00; these masks have a respirator nozzle cartridge on the front and will filter the spores out of the air. Wear rubber gloves and goggles while cleaning up severe mold. If you have mildew underneath the caulking in your shower you will most likely need to peel it up and replace it. You can bleach the caulk but the mildew will grow back eventually.
If you have mold on fabric such as shower curtains, draperies or clothing you can have the items dry cleaned or wash them yourself in your washing machine. Put a stain remover on the spot of mold or mildew and rub together. You can use a toothbrush to loosen the mold stain out of the fibers. If the fabric is white you can dab bleach on the spot. After the item has gone thought the wash and rinse cycle, set it to dry in the sun. If your plastic shower curtain has mold stains on it soak it in a solution of water and bleach and then take in the sun to dry.
Cleaning mold off of walls is more of a problem as the mold will likely bleed back through it you try to wash it our paint it. You will need to remove that section of the drywall and replace it. While the wall is open you can fix the leak or the problem causing the mold. Do not just paint over a moldy wall because the mold will seep back through or the paint will peel off. The next time you paint use a high gloss paint with an anti-mildew protection added to it.
If you have mold or mildew on your carpet you will probably need to replace it. But, if you want to try and clean it first, you will need to be able to lift the carpet and allow it to dry or take it out in the sun. The stain can be removed with a bleach solution but this might also bleach out the carpet so most likely you will not want to use bleach on carpet. Using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter can loosen up and pull up some of the mold and mildew out of the carpet fibers. Shampoo the area with a carpet shampoo and very little water. Take the carpet out to dry in the sun or lift it off of the floor and bring in large fans to dry it out. It is a good idea to spray the area with a fungicide spray to prevent any further mold growth.
If you have upholstery or a mattress that has mold stains you can try cleaning it your self by first brushing it off with a medium to soft brush. Shampoo the area of upholstery with a safe soap that won’t bleach it out. You can use a little bleach on a mattress if you don’t care about the color. Take the furniture or mattress into the sun to dry. Spray the item with a fungicide spray to prevent any future mold growth.
2012年5月2日星期三
Maple Offers Figures Fantastic for Furniture & Specialty Items
Defined as a deviation in direction from straight grain in one or more growth rings of the tree, maple figure comes is many forms. “Figure may be caused by compression from large limbs, vine constrictions, injury, genetics, insect infestation, growth conditions and numerous other causes, some known while others remain a mystery,” said Ang Schramm, Technical Services Director, Columbia Forest Products.
This special form of growth occurs in only 2 to 5 percent of all maple logs, according to Veneers, A Fritz Kohl Handbook. The occurrence applies to both hard and soft maples.
Although bird’s-eye is the most well-known, maple also yields a range of other figures. Curly figure, said Schramm, occurs when the grain, normally oriented in a generally straight line parallel to the upward growth of the tree, becomes compressed in a more-or-less washboard pattern due to one of the causes listed above. “During processing into veneer or lumber, the knife or saw will cut across these regions of the log, producing a pronounced striped appearance across the grain. Because the cut crosses the wavy grain at a somewhat radial approach, it leaves a repeating pattern of end-grain, flat-grain, end-grain, giving the resulting surface an almost iridescent three-dimensional look that is greatly enhanced with the application of finish materials.”
Curly figure may be categorized into non-specific groups, with names like cross bar, flair, tiger stripe, mottled, quilted, or fiddleback, depending on the intensity and relative population on a given surface. Generally speaking, Schramm said, cross bar and flair figure occur in isolated regions on the surface. Tiger stripe is used to describe figure that is boldly pronounced on the radial plane and distributed over a high percentage of the surface. Fiddleback, named for its association with the backs of fiddles and stringed instruments, is usually much smaller in size relative to tiger stripe.
Uses for curly and other maple figures include: high-end residential and office furniture, wall panel systems, store fixtures, inlay and musical instruments. Figured maple also is used in specialty pieces. Ken Wheeler, founder of Renovo Bikes, Portland, OR, uses curly maple in one of the more unusual applications.
The company uses figured eastern maple in its performance bikes. “It is typically used in the center as an accent with other woods, like bubinga,” Wheeler said. “For our application in our performance bikes, it isn’t just about the look, it is how the bike will hold up and perform. Western maple has a gorgeous color and curly figure, but it is too soft for our needs,” he added.
In addition to hardness, aesthetics is also important. Schramm recommended obtaining a sample or photo approval whenever specifying wood with these characteristics. For example, he said, with bird’s-eye maple the population, size and dimensionality of the “eyes” determine whether it is considered valued or undesirable. “I would caution anyone specifying bird’s-eye to approve samples as agreed upon by buyer and seller before purchasing.”
Caution should also be taken when working with the wood. “Because the grain undulates so that end grain is present, finish has a tendency to saturate those areas, often creating a splotchy, washed out effect unless careful preparation to include a wash coat or glue sizing is included in the finish process,” Schramm said. “The abrupt grain direction changes also lead to saw and machine chipout that can be addressed to a great extent by machining in the direction of the grain, use of multiple cutting surfaces on shaper tooling, along with appropriate tool speeds and feed rates.”
But when properly machined and finished, he added “figured maple will always create a breath taking work of art that seems to pop out at the admirer.”
This special form of growth occurs in only 2 to 5 percent of all maple logs, according to Veneers, A Fritz Kohl Handbook. The occurrence applies to both hard and soft maples.
Although bird’s-eye is the most well-known, maple also yields a range of other figures. Curly figure, said Schramm, occurs when the grain, normally oriented in a generally straight line parallel to the upward growth of the tree, becomes compressed in a more-or-less washboard pattern due to one of the causes listed above. “During processing into veneer or lumber, the knife or saw will cut across these regions of the log, producing a pronounced striped appearance across the grain. Because the cut crosses the wavy grain at a somewhat radial approach, it leaves a repeating pattern of end-grain, flat-grain, end-grain, giving the resulting surface an almost iridescent three-dimensional look that is greatly enhanced with the application of finish materials.”
Curly figure may be categorized into non-specific groups, with names like cross bar, flair, tiger stripe, mottled, quilted, or fiddleback, depending on the intensity and relative population on a given surface. Generally speaking, Schramm said, cross bar and flair figure occur in isolated regions on the surface. Tiger stripe is used to describe figure that is boldly pronounced on the radial plane and distributed over a high percentage of the surface. Fiddleback, named for its association with the backs of fiddles and stringed instruments, is usually much smaller in size relative to tiger stripe.
Uses for curly and other maple figures include: high-end residential and office furniture, wall panel systems, store fixtures, inlay and musical instruments. Figured maple also is used in specialty pieces. Ken Wheeler, founder of Renovo Bikes, Portland, OR, uses curly maple in one of the more unusual applications.
The company uses figured eastern maple in its performance bikes. “It is typically used in the center as an accent with other woods, like bubinga,” Wheeler said. “For our application in our performance bikes, it isn’t just about the look, it is how the bike will hold up and perform. Western maple has a gorgeous color and curly figure, but it is too soft for our needs,” he added.
In addition to hardness, aesthetics is also important. Schramm recommended obtaining a sample or photo approval whenever specifying wood with these characteristics. For example, he said, with bird’s-eye maple the population, size and dimensionality of the “eyes” determine whether it is considered valued or undesirable. “I would caution anyone specifying bird’s-eye to approve samples as agreed upon by buyer and seller before purchasing.”
Caution should also be taken when working with the wood. “Because the grain undulates so that end grain is present, finish has a tendency to saturate those areas, often creating a splotchy, washed out effect unless careful preparation to include a wash coat or glue sizing is included in the finish process,” Schramm said. “The abrupt grain direction changes also lead to saw and machine chipout that can be addressed to a great extent by machining in the direction of the grain, use of multiple cutting surfaces on shaper tooling, along with appropriate tool speeds and feed rates.”
But when properly machined and finished, he added “figured maple will always create a breath taking work of art that seems to pop out at the admirer.”
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