Thanks to the massive advances in modern computer technology, more consumers are hitting the road, or their commute, with mobile apps, phones, and tablets. The revolution in internet technology and capability means that while websites have become an integral part of modern business success, more and more people are connecting to the internet through their mobile devices. This also means that the full size and fully functioning websites that are designed and built with the regular computer in mind (all that RAM and working memory), need to be streamlined to operate effectively on these mobile devices.
22
Mar
2012
3
Jan
2012
Manufacturing is not the only strength PRV engineering has. In this post we want to talk about our capabilities in the areas of installation and maintenance and how we truly provide a one stop shop for our customers.
At PRV Engineering our Installation and Maintenance Services are performed to a very high standard. We not only install our own equipment but equipment supplied by third parties.
So why use PRV Engineering for these types of services?
10
Dec
2011
Plasma cutting has been in use since the 1960s. Today it is a widely used metal cutting process. Unlike conventional “metal against metal” cutting, plasma cutting doesn’t produce metal chips so it can create accurate cuts.
Although initially plasma cutting was quite time consuming and expensive, it emerged as a more user-friendly, economical and productive method by the 1980s, due to the application of modern engineering techniques.
Here we discuss the different methods of plasma cutting as well as how it works, applications and pros and cons of utilising it in an engineering application.
Plasma Cutting Processes
First, there are three major processes used for plasma cutting:
Air plasma – In general, a hand-torch is used for metal cutting in this system. It is considered to be the most portable plasma cutting option. In most cases, it uses inverter power supply technology. The important features of this process include:
- The system can run within a power output range of 12 amps to 120 amps
- Cutting thicknesses can be achieved as low as 1/8 inch
Mechanized plasma – This conventional plasma cutting system is extensively used in shipyards, steel service centers and heavy-equipment manufacturing companies in order to obtain high productivity. The notable features of this technique are:
- Uses machine-mountable torches
- Available in amperages ranging from 130 amps to 1,000 amps
- Cutting thicknesses of up to 61⁄4 inches can be achieved
- It requires constant manual monitoring on different factors, such as gas flow, pressure, arc voltage
High definition plasma – This system has emerged as the most viable metal cutting solution in the industry over the last two decades. After its introduction in the 1990s, it went through several research and development processes. High quality cuts, economical operating cost and high cutting speeds are some of the major benefits of using this system. Initially, it had a thickness capacity of 3⁄8 inches. However, with advancements in engineering technology, now cutting thicknesses of up to 3 inches are easily achieved.
Some of the important features of this process are:
- In order to achieve quality in cutting, plasma cutting equires monitoring by expert operators
- Cutting thicknesses can be as low as 26 gauge to as big as 3 inches. When used on carbon steel, thickness capacity of up to 61⁄4 inch is also achievable
- It requires power levels ranging from 130 amps to 800 amps
- Technology updates on plasma cutting methods are continuing to evolve in order to obtain better results in cut quality and productivity
How do you see this kind of technology helping your manufacturing processes in the future? Let us know in the comments below.
31
Oct
2011
For our latest post we thought it would be good for you to hear what customers think about the services we offer at PRV Engineering.
What better way to do this than to watch a short video where one of our own customers explains why they keep coming back to PRV Engineering time after time. Visit our dedicated YouTube Channel to view more videos about us and what we do for our customers.
Next week we will be beginning a series of articles about the future of engineering and some of the new technologies we are investing in.
What do you look for in an Engineering Services supplier? Let us know in the comments below.
24
Oct
2011
Shot blasting has emerged as one of the most effective, as well as possibly the cheapest technique for surface preparation prior to operations such as galvanising, electroplating, welding, enamelling, glass coating and rubberising.
Shot blasting is useful for many industries, including the aerospace, ship building, forging and steel industries because it provides a consistent and uniformly fine, rough or matt surface depending on the techniques and tools used and the type of surface required.
Previously we published the post Shot Blasting Techniques: Things You Should Know but we felt that we’d now like to take this opportunity to talk a bit more about the actual benefits of shot blasting over and above other techniques often used for surface preparation.
Plus we’d like to lay out the types of shot commonly used and describe the situations they work best in.
So here are some of the major benefits associated with shot blasting as a surface preparation technique –
- Shot blasting eliminates the usage of non-eco friendly and harsh chemicals
- Shot blasting provides higher production rates, wider abrasive selection and better blast pattern accuracy
- The finished surface obtained is absolutely free from chemical deposits, scales and dust content. Shot blasting does not remove any virgin metal when removing scales
- Shot blasting facilitates the formation of a permanent bond between the protective coat (zinc, paint or epoxy) and the shot blasted surface. It also helps to detect surface faults or defects
- Shot blasting increases longevity and durability of protective surface coats as it adheres better to the shot blast cleaned and scale free surface
These are some of the many reasons why industries in the manufacturing sector opt for various shot blasting techniques for their surface preparation requirements.
Shot Blasting: Types of Shot Used
While shot blasting primarily refers to blasting the surface with small steel pellets or shots, many other types of shot blast materials are also used. Here we will take a look at some of the commonly used shots –
- Steel Shots – Here, small steel balls of diameter 1 to 6 mm are fired at high speed against the surface being prepared. The size of the balls determines the finishing achieved. Smaller steel shots are used for more polished surface, while larger ones lead to a rougher finish.
- Chilled Iron Grit – These are angular, abrasive material used for general blast cleaning, i.e., for removing oxides and paints from ferrous castings and carbon steel. However, blasting with chilled iron grit is quite aggressive and therefore not suitable for softer metals like aluminium.
- Steel Grit – Blasting with steel grit is used for jobs where aggressive cleaning is required, such as for removing contaminants from steel or any other metal.
As one of the leading engineering services, PRV Engineering Ltd, can provide you with state of the art shot blasting services for all your surface preparation requirements.
19
Oct
2011
Industries in the manufacturing and heavy machinery sector rely on various specialised techniques for painting surfaces. One of the preferred techniques used today is, of course, spray painting.
We wrote an earlier post on spray painting but today we’d like to talk in a bit more detail about the different types of spray painting techniques available.
11
Oct
2011
We discussed powder coating in a previous post– the types, benefits and options available for those interested in utilising it. However we’ve discovered a shift in companies more and more seeking out our powder coating services so we decided to delve a bit further into why powder coating can be preferable to other types of finishing techniques.
28
Sep
2011
Whether someone is an independent engineering contractor or they are responsible for an entire fleet of military helicopters an effective and reliable means of working with low, high or even extremely high voltage is required. This requirement has resulted in the development of busbars.
What is a Busbar?
The versatile and flexible busbar is a thick strip of aluminum or copper that controls the flow of electricity between two points. The very first busbar was created in the 1930’s by the British Grid System and of course, busbars have come a long way since then.
While not being the most glamorous piece of equipment, busbars work with precision to ensure that electricity is conducted safely, whether within a switchboard, distribution board or even between substations.
19
Sep
2011
Powder coating has emerged as one of the most advanced techniques for applying a protective as well as decorative finish to almost any type of metal. The process basically involves spraying an electrostatically charged powder on the surface that needs to be coated. The powder used here is a combination of finely ground pigment and resin particles. The charged powder particles adhere to the surface, forming a smooth, durable and uniform coating, with a high quality finish. Powder coating provides businesses, industries and consumers with probably one of the most long-lasting, colour durable and economical yet high quality finishes. No matter which colour or texture you are looking for, powder coating can provide the right solution. In this article, we will take a look at some of the common types of powder coating available today.
12
Sep
2011
Metal fabrication services play a major role in the manufacturing industries sector especially when it comes to producing material handling equipment. Material handling forms one of the most important aspects of manufacturing industries and is used in a number of sectors from steel and mining industries to cement and construction industries. To manufacture this kind of equipment metal fabrication services are used resulting in the production of various types of material handling equipment such as positioning equipment, and loading equipment. Among the various material handling equipment used today in industries, conveyor systems are perhaps the most important. In this article we will take a look at some of the most important types of sorting conveyor systems being produced by metal fabrication services.
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