The laser saw revolutionised diamond cutting when it was introduced in the 1930s, and remains a widely used cutting technology to this day. Many modern diamonds are cut using laser equipment which is far more accurate and efficient than many other processes. Diamond cutting and finishing has seen many advancements over the past 100 years. As technology has developed, so to has the ability for diamonds to be crafted. Diamond cutting and finishing has seen many advancements over the past 100 years. As technology has developed, so to has the ability for diamonds to be crafted. Laser Sawing works by mounting a stone onto a dop so it can be directed through a laser beam. The burned graphite from the high-temperature laser leaves a black mark around both sides of the... Read More »

Whatever the machine, heavy equipment operators are a valuable part of all large engineering and construction projects. Heavy equipment is the general term for large machines such as: Cranes, bulldozes, front end loaders, rollers, backhoes, hoists, graders, dredges, drills and compressors. This is just a selection of the equipment types used by equipment operators, there are many others. Hoisting and portable engineers also come into this area, as the equipment operated lifts and/or moves. Other equipment operators include mechanics, surveyors, or operating engineers. All of these roles make use of heavy equipment in some manner. In most cases, if it can push, pull, pump or lift material, rolls on tires or crawls on tracks like a tank, it’s the work of IUOE. On virtually all construction projects, operating engineers are the... Read More »

Cranes are versatile machines, used for many different engineering purposes. Once they are up and running, they can carry out the workload of the equivalent of hundreds of people. But for a crane to be useful, it first must be constructed. This is how a crane is made. A crane is put together from the necessary components. As the crane moves along the assembly line, the steel components are welded or bolted into place. The exact procedures followed during this process vary depending on the type of crane being assembled. For a mobile crane, the components are then assembled to a standardized truck or crawler of the appropriate type. The assembled crane is tested and shipped. Depending on the size and type of crane, it may be broken down into subsections to... Read More »

On occasion, many engineers come across unweldable aluminium alloys. While the majority of aluminum base alloys can be successfully arc welded using the correct welding procedures, there are some alloys which are not. These are  referred to as unweldable. These groups of alloys, are typically  known as being unsuitable for arc welding. For this reason they are joined mechanically by riveting or bolting. When we use the term unweldable we mean to describe aluminum alloys that can be difficult to arc weld, without encountering problems during and/or after welding. These problems are usually associated with cracking, most often hot cracking, and on occasion, stress corrosion cracking (SCC). To get around the unweldable nature of these alloys, a number of high-performance, heat treatable aluminum alloys have been developed by combining various alloying elements in order to... Read More »

An industrial nameplate is an important product identification tool. It’s usually attached or printed directly on the product that needs to be identified. The design of industrial nameplates is vital as they reflect the image of an industry and its products. They should be of the best quality and properties to stand out. The nameplate should be designed in such a way that it mirrors the quality of the product. Materials used must withstand toughest environments Various industries rely on nameplates for a wide range of applications. Most nameplates are engineered to have special characteristics, which make them withstand very harsh operating environments, and these properties vary between applications. Unique materials and processes involved make them quite useful for various industrial applications. Nameplates are made of different materials depending on... Read More »

The roof is an integral part of any building. As such it is incredibly important to make sure it is maintained to a high standard, to avoid any potential risks that could impact the structure below. Its recommend that a quick roof inspection is carried out every three months so that any problems are discerned quickly, however you won’t need to spend a lot of time with this task every time. Once a year, either in the late fall or early spring, it is recommended that a few hours are spent with the tasks to clean up and fix up the top of any roof structure. This includes inspection of the shingles, flashing, chimney, vent pipes, gutters and eaves. It is in spotting the smaller problems before they materialise into larger issues that the... Read More »

There are many other materials that can serve the purpose served by Aluminium but just not as good. These panels have the features of Aluminium making them just as good as the unshaped product itself. Here is a look at some of the features of these panels: 1. Light weight They are light, and this makes them preferable for use in things like construction and also in the manufacturing of machines as well. For manufacture of small items, this makes them portable while it relieves the unnecessary weight in buildings. 2. Ductility Aluminium panels are formed out of Aluminium and shaped as well and however the user wishes to owing to the material’s ductility. This makes it easy to manipulate, which in addition to the many other positive features makes... Read More »

Many buildings you see day to day often have a similar type of construction. Metal, slate or concrete are some of the common materials used and effect the form and look of most buildings. But there are other types of buildings, some which aren’t so simple and more unique. Sports stadiums are a unique type of building. Due partly to the materials used to construct it. They make use of a highly advanced fabric called PolyTetraFlouroEthylene (PTFE), regarded as the strongest known polymer, which allows the structure to remain light yet highly durable, this material is used primarily when constructing the roof, giving it unique properties. One such attribute is that it allows the stadium, to make use of a retractable roof. This roof can be opened and closed, even in harsh weather conditions. It gives... Read More »