For some areas in the United States, winter isn’t the end of the year; winter is the year. Winter is when the ponds ice over for fishing, the falls freeze for climbing, and the snow covers the ground for skiing. It’s when the hockey sticks come out of the closet, the snowshoes get tightened, and…
If it moves, salute it. If it doesn’t move, pick it up. If you can’t pick it up, paint it. Naval recruits following this time-honored advice may be able to grasp the basic necessities of keeping their ship trim and themselves out of trouble. But the apparent simplicity of these rules, under closer examination, reveals…
Emergency equipment varies widely. Simple tools—like backboards, braces, anchors, pulleys, ladders, and axes—intermingle with more complex equipment like SCBA gear, ventilation fans, HAZMAT-rated suits, the jaws of life, and even remote-controlled or autonomous search and rescue drones. For each of the many, far-ranging types of emergencies in the civil, industrial, wildland, marine, or military spheres,…
Modern appliance manufacturers must work continuously to improve the efficiency of their operations in the face of stiff competition domestically and abroad. Producing household or commercial appliances—like dishwashers, washing machines, or televisions—requires a faster pace and greater accuracy than ever to meet the market’s demands for speed and volume. At the same time, lightweight, inexpensive…
Theme parks are a fantastic American tradition. What’s more fun than strapping yourself to a metal seat that will hurtle you upside down at 80 mph? Harking back to the days of traveling carnival barkers and the roadside attractions (world’s largest frying pan!) of early U.S. highway culture, theme parks are a unique and colorful…
The Importance of Validating Torque Wrenches in Tire Shops When you’re running a tire shop, you’re not just selling tires. You’re selling safety and security, the knowledge that when a customer drives away, they’re driving on a set of wheels that’s safe for the road. As a matter of course, the work you do on…
Medical devices sold in the United States are subject to some of the most stringent manufacturing requirements in the world. Guidelines for every stage, from establishment registration to labeling, are detailed in U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regulations. Inspections are regularly conducted to enforce FDA regulations, and fiduciary penalties are levied for noncompliance. In…
It may seem odd to think about the screws and bolts used in printed circuit boards. PCB isn’t automotive manufacturing, where great numbers of screws, bolts, and rivets hold everything together. The boards, after all, are printed; there aren’t that many screws, and these screws don’t hold the board together. Yet the screws in PCB…
Which is better—a canoe or a raft? A canoe is certainly faster and easier to maneuver. That’s gotta be the best, right? Nothing beats fast. On the other hand, rafts are more stable than tippy canoes and are better equipped to carry cargo. So, the real answer is, the best boat for you depends on…
A little bit of torque goes a long way in the world of electronics manufacturing. The ongoing miniaturization of components has resulted in smaller and smaller screws being used to hold together electronics products. At the same time, the criticality of delivering the proper amount of torque remains unchanged. Over-torquing fasteners can lead to deformed…