Common Problems That Can Affect How Well An Air Compressor Performs

Most business owners realize the importance of having the right tools. Without the right tools and equipment, a business owner will struggle to keep productivity levels high. The type of equipment your business needs will depend solely on the type of work it does. If your employees work on equipment or build items daily, having a durable air compressor is a must.

Each year, American consumers and business owners spend over $65 billion on air compressors. Once you have found and purchased an air compressor, you need to focus on keeping it in good working order. The following are some problems that can affect how well your air compressor operates.

Air Leaks Can Cause Big Problems

If you want to get the maximum amount of power out of your air compressor, then you need to make sure it is sealed up properly. Allowing air leaks to persist will create big problems in the long run. If you hear air escaping from your compressor, you need to figure out where these leaks are occurring. Using a bottle of soapy water can help you identify where these leaks are located.

Generally, these leaks will occur around compressor fittings and air hoses. If you can’t fix these problems on your own, then hiring an air compressor service to help you out is a good idea. These professionals will be able to pinpoint the source of these leaks and fix them in a timely manner.

Oil Leaks Need To Be Fixed Immediately

One of the main things your compressor needs to stay functional is the right amount of oil. If you start to notice that oil levels are getting lower with each passing day, you need to figure out where the source of this leak is. Allowing your compressor to run without the right amount of oil can damage the internal components it has.

By following these tips, you can find and fix the problems your air compressor has in no time.

6 Guidelines for Choosing and Using Your Ribbon Blender

If you’re purchasing a ribbon mixer, you’re going to need some tips on how to pick out the right one and use it. These guidelines will help keep you on the right track. 

1. Choose the Right Location

Ribbon blenders are floor-mounted items, meaning that you need to have the appropriate floor in place and make sure it is level. Mezzanines can also accommodate these mixers as long as they are stable and level. However, bolting your blender to an unlevel surface can deform your machine and cause your mixer not to operate correctly. 

2. Pick Out the Right Size and Power

Use your intended batch volume to pick out the size of your machine and the bulk density to calculate your necessary horsepower. Additionally, standard-duty agitators can generally handle up to 35 pounds per cubic foot. If your bulk density is heavier than this, go with a heavy-duty agitator. Otherwise, you could end up damaging your blender and having to purchase another one. That is why you should always guess your volume and bulk density measurements before you start shopping. 

3. Fill Your Blender

Thorough mixing and optimal energy efficiency require enough ingredients, generally a minimum of 30 to 40% of the maximum fill capacity. When you work with less than this, you won’t get a good mixture, and you’ll waste electricity. 

4. Tell Your Supplier About Your Cleaning Plans

There isn’t a need to take your agitator shaft out when you are cleaning your blender most of the time. However, some manufacturers need to avoid cross-contamination with certain ingredients. Since they are not built for this frequent disassembly, it is best to tell your supplier if you plan on removing the shaft for regular cleanings. Then, they can recommend modifications to make the process easier. 

5. Use a VFD

Variable frequency drives are used to start your blender when it is loaded, so there is not a sudden spike in torque. You can then adjust these to your necessary speed once the ingredients are in motion, making startup easier on your machine. 

6. Fine-Tune Your Machines

The best thing about ribbon mixers is that they have many options for add-ons, such as paddle agitators and high-speed chopping blades that you can use to mix a plethora of products. Use these options not only to increase the number of mixtures you can make but to fine-tune your processes. 

Picking out and operating your ribbon mixer doesn’t have to be complicated. By following these guidelines, it will be relatively easy. 

Understanding the Plumbing Smoke Test

Have you noticed there is a strange smell coming from a plumbing fixture in your home? Since the majority of your plumbing system is under your home’s foundation or behind the walls, it can be hard to figure out the cause or location.

While this is true, there are solutions that a plumber can use. One is the plumbing smoke test. Keep reading to learn more about it.

The Plumbing Smoke Test

Since many of your plumbing systems are hidden, and because plumbers don’t want to dig up and destroy your property, they use smoke testing. With this, a plumber forces a nontoxic smoke through the plumbing system under a small amount of pressure. This helps ensure it travels all the way through. They then look for any escaping smoke and mark the locations. The areas where smoke is escaping indicate a problem that needs to be addressed. Smoke testing can be used to detect poorly sealed toilets, cracked pipes, faulty connections, leaks, defective traps, or a source of foul odor.

Benefits of Smoke Testing

Excavation work is expensive. Not only that, it causes a lot of damage. There is no reason to invest in this if it isn’t necessary. With smoke testing, it is unnecessary. This is a noninvasive and cost-effective test. It will help a plumber detect harmful sewage or gas leaks that may threaten your health. Also, the smoke test can be done with you and your pet’s home. It’s fast, easy, and effective, making it a smart solution.

If you have plumbing issues, it is a good idea to get in touch with a plumber. They can evaluate the problem and find any issues you may not know about. Being informed and calling a plumber right away will help ensure that more serious issues do not occur.   

Understanding Injection Molding

Injection molding is a process where plastic or metal substances are injected into a mold under high pressure. This process allows the creation of complex, three-dimensional shapes. A wide plethora of industries can benefit from injection molding.

How Does Injection Molding Work?

This process starts with preparing a model. The main steps include:

  • Generating tools from the design.
  • Designing patterns and plug shapes.
  • Creating molds and cores.
  • Making an assembly fixture based on the pattern.
  • Testing for features and tolerances.
  • Creating manufacturing instructions for toolmakers, operators and assemblers.
  • Making additional tools, if necessary.
  • Making sure all tool designs fit together properly.

Why Do Businesses Use Injection Molding?

One of the most important reasons to use injection molding is that it allows a company to create more complex parts than what could be created by other methods. Injection molding can create parts with a three-dimensional curvature, which is hard to achieve with traditional semi-automatic or manual machining methods. The process also allows for complex shapes and less material waste. This helps reduce costs and produce higher quality products. Another benefit of using injection molding is its ability to create parts in one operation, which requires additional time and cost.

Injection Molding Services

Oftentimes, it’s best to outsource injection mold & manufacturing services. Companies offer different forms of injection mold design. The buyer should do some research and understand his or her business needs before selecting an option. Once a person defines what’s needed, technicians can use state-of-the-art machinery to pump out workable, cost-efficient products.

Injection molding is a manufacturing process that involves three main steps: tooling, injection, and cooling. The process is used to produce a variety of products like car parts, home appliances, and firearms. Effective injection molding can save a business time and money, making it an invaluable tool.

Why Hire an IT Support Company For Your Small Business

Whаtеvеr your buѕіnеѕѕ, уоur IT ореrаtіоnѕ аrе vital tо уоur success. IT runs throughout аlmоѕt every аѕресt of аlmоѕt every business. It connects уоu to your сuѕtоmеrѕ, facilitates your ореrаtіоnѕ and drіvеѕ your buѕіnеѕѕ forward. Aѕ ѕuсh іt іѕ essential that уоu have thе rіght IT suрроrt. Chооѕіng a соmраnу tо рrоvіdе thіѕ іmроrtаnt service is not easy. Thеrе аrе many fасtоrѕ tо соnѕіdеr аnd іt is a dесіѕіоn уоu саn’t аffоrd to gеt wrоng. Our guide еxаmіnеѕ ѕоmе оf the most іmроrtаnt thіngѕ tо look fоr whеn ѕеlесtіng IT Support Companies for уоur buѕіnеѕѕ.

Emergency Rеѕроnѕе

IT hаѕ revolutionised the wау businesses ореrаtе, but no ѕуѕtеm is реrfесt аnd thеrе іѕ always the chance of a failure. With IT performing ѕuсh іmроrtаnt аnd wide ranging functions іn mоѕt соmраnіеѕ it іѕ almost impossible fоr many of thеm to function аt аll іn thе wаkе оf a саtаѕtrорhіс fаіlurе. This mеаnѕ thаt уоu nееd tо be absolutely сеrtаіn thаt the соmраnу you choose tо provide уоur IT support іѕ equipped аnd ready tо rеасt ԛuісklу іn the еvеnt of an еmеrgеnсу. It соuld bе the dіffеrеnсе bеtwееn a minor hіссuр thаt уоur customers dоn’t еvеn nоtісе and a mаjоr buѕіnеѕѕ рrоblеm.

Sеrvісе

As important аѕ emergency rеѕроnѕе іѕ, it іѕ not a ѕеrvісе you wіll рlаn to use vеrу оftеn, but уоu still want to gеt уоur money’s wоrth from your IT соmраnу іn the meantime. Yоu nееd аlѕо tо соnѕіdеr thе ѕеrvісе thеу рrоvіdе оn a dау tо day bаѕіѕ. An іmроrtаnt раrt of this іѕ hоw thеу dеаl with thе minor іѕѕuеѕ fасеd dаіlу bу уоur еmрlоуееѕ, but уоu should look bеуоnd thеѕе rеасtіvе services аnd ѕее what value the company саn аdd to уоur buѕіnеѕѕ. A gооd IT company should be аblе to рrоvіdе trаіnіng tо уоur employees, to еnѕurе that you are uѕіng all уоur ѕуѕtеmѕ to thеіr full сараbіlіtіеѕ. It ѕhоuld аlѕо be able tо play a ріvоtаl rоlе in thе futurе dіrесtіоn of уоur business, bу helping you рlаn уоur IT сараbіlіtіеѕ gоіng forward.

Vаluе

Yоur IT budget wіll of course play a role in уоur dесіѕіоn аbоut which IT соmраnу tо еmрlоу. This іѕ only right аnd рrореr, but it іѕ іmроrtаnt tо remember nоt to соnfuѕе сhеар wіth good vаluе. Make ѕurе thаt any рrоѕресtіvе рrоvіdеrѕ саn meet аll уоur requirements and only thеn should уоu do a dіrесt price соmраrіѕоn.

Experience

Exреrіеnсе іѕ a good іndісаtоr of rеlіаbіlіtу іn thе IT sector. IT is ѕuсh a critical раrt оf mоdеrn buѕіnеѕѕ thаt ѕuрроrt companies thаt dо nоt dеlіvеr tend nоt tо survive fоr vеrу lоng. Look fоr a соmраnу that hаѕ been аrоund for a whіlе аnd tаlk to current оr рrеvіоuѕ сuѕtоmеrѕ.

 

The Importance of Suitable Doctor Blades in Printing

In flexo printing, you need to produce high-quality prints quickly and efficiently. Using the wrong type of doctor blade on your printing press can lead to scoring on the anilox roll and ink spitting.

It would be best if you used metal blades that work for your machine, ideally fitting their function. If you try to save money by using unsuitable blades, you will spend more in the long run on maintenance and reprints.

Don’t Skimp on Costs

Purchasing suitable doctor blades might cost a little more upfront, but they can save you on ink and substrate costs. Consider what your printing needs are and consult with a professional about the shape and functionality of your doctor blades.

Things to consider are the type of ink you use, the medium you are printing on. This will determine the bevel shape, edge type, and blade material. Metal blades are still the most common and versatile type, but you may want to use plastic for specific instances. Also, you need to decide thick your blade should be and if the edge needs to be coated.

What Causes Scoring?

Scoring occurs on anilox rolls when the wrong blade or configuration is used. If you experience scoring in your roll, it is not necessarily the blade’s fault. Check your holder alignment, loading pressure, and the ceramic surface condition before you discard the doctor blades. If the holder is not periodically cleaned, this can also lead to misalignment that causes scoring. Maintenance of your doctor blades and anilox rollers will go a long way towards extending your equipment’s life.

Choosing the suitable doctor blades for your printer helps to guarantee a quality, repeatable print. However, choosing the right edge is only the first step. You also need to align them properly and seat them in a way that does not score the ceramic surface on your anilox roll.

 

 

4 Small Kitchen Improvements That Make a Difference

Have you looked around your kitchen and wondered what you could do to make it a brighter, more comfortable place for you to prep your meals and your family to gather and chat? If you have, you aren’t alone. Researchers claim most homeowners want to make changes in their home’s kitchen after living in a place less than one year. Before you start calling contractors or talking about tearing out walls, check out these minor kitchen improvements that can make a significant difference in your home.

1. Let in the Light

Kitchens can feel like little boxes without sufficient light. The areas can also look dreary, cold and uninviting without sufficient illumination. Try some under-counter, pendant or chain lights if you want to make a dramatic change that won’t break the bank. Add new lighting over your prep areas, and you will be pleasantly surprised at how different the room will feel.

2. Put on Some Rollers

Your beautiful floors can stand up to a great deal of punishment, but the constant scraping against the surface can leave dents, scars and rips. A great idea to help protect your floors is the addition of rollers on the bottom of your chair legs. The swivel casters can also make it easier for you to move a chair about.

3. Add a New Color

You have probably heard that color can make a big difference in any room in your home, but did you know colors have psychological effects on the human brain? While you may love a white kitchen, your brain does not. Instead, look for relaxing colors such as blues, soft yellows and rich powder greens. Changing the room’s color can impact both your room and how you feel in it.

4. Change the Handles

The handles on your kitchen drawers and cabinets may have seen better days. With hundreds of new styles, shapes and colors available, it is easy to find something stylish that fits your personality and will quickly upgrade the look of your kitchen. From brass to ceramic to copper, you can choose to match your faucets or make a bold color statement. Once you change the handles out, you may be surprised at how different the room looks.

The ideas listed above are small, but they can make a difference in how you and your family enjoy your kitchen. Why not give them a try and see what other ideas you can come up with?

Keep Your Food Chilled the Right Way By Reorganizing Your Fridge

Is your fridge looking like a desert wasteland these days? Or is it stuffed to the brim like a Tokyo train car? Perhaps it’s time to think about the way you store your food and how to keep your groceries in the best, tastiest condition. 

Cold, Colder or Coldest?

Like many temperature sensing products, refrigerators need to dial in their temperatures at a very specific level. To keep food fresh and prevent bacteria growth, refrigerators cannot be too warm or too cold in any single spot. The least cold zone in a fridge is usually the top shelf and the door. This is where condiments can live since they usually have longer shelf lives. Dairy products and eggs can also be placed on the upper shelves. Since heat rises and cold falls, the lower shelves get colder in a refrigerator. The lower parts of a fridge are a great spot for meat, milk, and fresh produce.

Can You See It?

Have you ever found moldy, rotting food at the back of the refrigerator? What a pain and a mess! Avoid wasting food and mucking up the fridge by storing food in clear containers. When you bring the groceries home, it can be helpful to remove items from their packaging and immediately place them in easily accessed, easily viewed storage bins of acrylic or glass. The more easily you can see your food, the more likely you are to consume it before it grows anything green or stinky.

There are a plethora of ways to organize a refrigerator depending on your personal preferences and lifestyle. Remembering the temperature variations within the fridge is a great place to start when deciding on the placement of foods. And prioritizing visibility can help even the smallest and least assuming foods catch the attention of your eyes and taste buds.

4 Types of Corporate Philanthropy

The holiday season tends to be a popular time for corporations to ramp up their charitable giving game, though many businesses donate resources all throughout the year. David Johnson Cane Bay Partners has prioritized corporate philanthropy since the beginning to give back to the community, and your business can too with relative ease. 

Here are four different types of corporate philanthropy you should consider for your business:

1. Matching Gifts

Matching gifts are likely the most popular form of philanthropy in business, and they allow businesses large and small to match the dollar amount their employees choose to give to nonprofits. When employees know that their donations will be effectively doubled by the company, it encourages them to give more, which can do more good for the community and enhance public perception of your company. 

To successfully execute matching gift donations, it’s important to have a pre-determined set of parameters, such as how long your company will match and up to which dollar amount.

2. Volunteer Grants

Volunteer grants are also popular ways for businesses to do good in the community. Volunteer grants are effective donations that companies provide to nonprofits where their employees volunteer regularly. Many large corporations, for example, offer a $500 grant to a nonprofit once an employee has volunteered there for 20 hours. 

This system helps to encourage employees to get out in the community and spend their time working with the same nonprofits over the course of weeks or months. It can help forge more meaningful connections throughout the community, and it’s a great way to donate to those in need. 

3. Employee Grant Stipends

Some businesses decide to give their employees stipends that they can donate to the nonprofit of their choice. This provides more flexibility, and it empowers your employees to send corporate donations to a cause they feel passionate about. 

Many businesses find that this offers a better way to engage employees and make them feel more excited about philanthropy in business, as it offers them a choice. 

4. Corporate Sponsorships

Corporate sponsorships are also a common way for businesses to engage in philanthropy because it’s a simple way to help nonprofits and gain recognition in the community. Corporate sponsorships simply involve giving money to a charity, and the nonprofit, in turn, recognizes the donation given by the business. Many nonprofits will hang up banners with businesses that have sponsored their mission, or they will list all of the ways a corporate sponsorship has helped them further their goals. 

This approach tends to be a bit more hands-off, and it doesn’t allow employees or the company to feel truly connected to the nonprofit it helps. Even still, it’s a great way to give back to the community. 

Philanthropy in business often seems like it can only be done by huge corporations, but businesses of all sizes can get involved and help others. These are just a few of the many ways a corporation can get involved in philanthropy, but they offer a great place to start. 

How Has Covid-19 Impacted the Operation of Limited Companies?

There is no doubt that the coronavirus pandemic has completely changed our world. It is the biggest threat that mankind has faced in the 21st century. With millions of people dead in a year and thousands of cases being reported every day the coronavirus seems to have effected each and every person on the planet in some way. It’s not just the individuals that have been effected, limited companies aren’t immune to the effects of the pandemic as well. Companies all over the world have taken certain steps to ensure the prevention of the spread of the coronavirus. This has completely changed the way they conducted their business.

Let’s take a look at some ways limited companies and global entity management have been impacted by the Coronavirus.

Zoom Board Meetings

With strict social distancing policies in play, it became really difficult for limited companies to carry out annual and regular board meetings. So to conduct their business in a more efficient manner during the pandemic, the limited companies have started holding meetings over video conferencing services like Zoom. Limited company directors have found that Zoom board meeting services has become an effective way to ensure quality communication among employees, customers, and suppliers without compromising on safety precautions.

Extension in Deadlines for Their Ongoing Projects

With hundreds of thousands of people dying from coronavirus every day, the demand for various goods and services have gone down drastically. Life has come to a standstill all over the world as no one is taking any chances with this virus. Limited companies have been forced to extend deadlines on their ongoing projects due to lack of access to required resources such as employees, raw materials etc. after lockdown was enforced by many countries.

Digital Signatures on Documentation

One of the most important steps companies are taking to ensure Covid-19 prevention is by relaxing signature requirements. Whenever the board passes a board resolution, the directors of the company have to sign the resolution. And as the meetings are now being held on Zoom, digital signatures were the need of time.

Digital Signatures not only make these tasks a lot more secure but it’s much easier than having to print out and sign over documents. This does not only save time and money but it also reduces the carbon footprint of the company.

Many People Had To Be Let Go

With work slowing down many people had to be let go from their jobs. Many companies that were already cutting back decided not to rehire employees after the pandemic hit and some even went out of business completely like several clothing manufacturers, food suppliers etc. Some limited companies chose to close only certain departments such as marketing or call centers while keeping on board everyone who worked in manufacturing and production.

Extreme Cost Cutting Measures Had To Be Taken

Companies all over the world have been forced implement cost-cutting measures by reducing employee benefits like salaries and bonuses which has made it difficult for them to find new talent. This has also led companies to cut off funding to many of their ongoing and future projects.

These are just come of the major ways that the pandemic has impacted the operations of limited companies. As the pandemic still continues, many companies have now realized that they don’t have a choice but to implement policies in accordance with the new normal. They are now looking for ways that allows them to carry out their operations without having to stop their work because of the fear of the spread of the coronavirus.