Choose the Right Loader for Your Forestry Job!

The increased demand for wood in the world market has caused the forest industry to double its amount of production. To increase the level of productivity, heavy-duty vehicles such as forestry bucket trucks are being used in the harvesting, hauling and sorting of timber. Transporting cut timber is extremely difficult without using the proper machinery. Log loaders are a very common type of equipment used in the loading and unloading of large logs. With the many types of this vehicle on the market, it is important to focus on finding the right one to do the job.

Specifics to Assess

There is certain information that a buyer must know in order to purchase the right loader for the job. In fact, many buyers find the buying process easier if they already know exactly what type of equipment they need. This is to ensure that they purchase equipment that is suitable for their intended applications. Following are some of the specifications that should be considered in finding the right piece of equipment for the job.

• Boom Specifications - There are a few things to consider when choosing the right log loader. Primarily, the first thing is to check the individual preferences of the business, especially the boom specifications. Two types of boom lifts are available on the market: the telescopic boom and the knuckle boom. Between these two types, the knuckle boom is probably the best choice due to its versatility.

• Grapples - In addition to choosing the right loader is making a choice of the best grapple. This is a decision that must be made when selecting the size and degree of rotation of the grapple. Sizes vary from one application to another and the attachments have the capacity to fully rotate 360 degrees with great precision. These two factors must be considered when selecting the right log loader. Therefore, a business owner should always consider the long-reach capacity of knuckle boom forestry bucket trucks. Long reach knuckle booms are necessary for picking up logs at a considerable distance.

• Small or Large - When choosing the right log loader, there are many factors to consider. Most of the time, this piece of equipment is used to carry cut timber from the stock pile to the transportation trailer and commonly requires increased boom lifting capacity in order to have more power and reach for better clearance. Some businesses may need to choose a small, yet powerful loader that can be easily rolled down the road to pick up a pile of logs. A stationary version with hydraulic outriggers to increase steadiness may also be needed for stability and balance to provide safety while performing and finishing the job. It is imperative to determine the type of tasks the business performs in order to choose the proper equipment to complete all the jobs in an efficient manner.

Log loaders are necessary to transport cut timber onto transportation trucks. Since this equipment is very important, buyers must have vital details about what type of jobs are performed by the business in order to choose the proper piece of equipment to perform these tasks. Boom length, rated lifting capacity, and grapple size are only a few of the components of the vehicle that must be considered when choosing the right loader to do the job!

Cobalt - A Critical Rare Industrial Metal Vital to US Energy Policy

Cobalt was discovered around 1736 by Georg Brandt a Swedish chemist. The element was found to give glass a hint of blue. For centuries cobalt has been used as a pigment in glass and porcelain. Chinese artisans used it to color their vases and other ceramics. Over the last few decades cobalt has had a grand resurgence. In the late 1970´s Zaire, now Democratic Republic of Congo had a bloody civil war which cut off the world from much of the production of cobalt. During this time alternatives had to be found because the price of the rare industrial metal accelerated beyond what industry was willing to pay. Since then the amount of uses for Cobalt have expanded to the point where the US Department of Energy added cobalt to its, ¨Critical Materials¨, list.

This metal has found its way into many of our technological applications used today. Cobalt´s uses include aerospace, green tech, pigments, dyes, batteries, wireless technology, computers, magnets, desulfurization of crude oil, orthopedic implants and high-strength superalloys. The use of cobalt in superalloys is mainly due to its corrosion resistance, temperature stability, and wear resistance. These attributes make it highly suitable to aircraft engines and gas turbines. The US Department of Energy predicts that electric powered vehicles (PHEVs and EVs) will need an estimated 9.4 kg each of cobalt. By 2012 the estimated sales of hybrid and electric vehicles worldwide is approximately 2.2 Million, and by 2015 to be at least 10% of the world auto market. Wind energy also uses large amounts of cobalt within its turbine blades and samarium-cobalt magnets.

The US Department of Energy has made it clear that any rare industrial metal used in clean energy technology such as electric vehicles, solar cells, wind turbines and energy efficient lighting will be deemed critical. The problem for the USA lies in its supply of cobalt. Still today over 40% of global production is from The Democratic Republic of Congo. China has an agreement with the DRC to export all of the cobalt to China where it is refined. Once again China has a stranglehold on rare industrial metals similar to what is happening in the rare earth market. The big difference is with rare industrial metals it is much more difficult to expand supply. There are very few known deposits of cobalt, most production is a by-product of copper production. The USA has been recycling 15% of its cobalt and importing 85% from foreign sources. The bad news for the USA is that China needs cobalt as well. Currently the USA has only one mine that is being prepped for production in Idaho. This mine will primarily produce cobalt totaling 3% of the global supply. The main players in cobalt refining are China, Finland and Canada. According to the USGS in 2010 the total world production of cobalt was around 88,000t.

If a person is looking for a way to profit from cobalt there are a few options. A person could buy stocks of mining companies that have rights to cobalt mines, which is the traditional method. Recently the London Metals Exchange (LME) launched a cobalt contract traded in 1 metric ton lots of 99.3% pure cobalt. The other option is buying cobalt in Germany and having it stored 100% allocated in Switzerland. A company that offers the option of buying cobalt in smaller quantities is Swiss Metal Assets. Although cobalt is only one of the various rare industrial metals they offer.

Manufacturing Computer Components Through Plastic Injection Molding

Electronics have been propelled to ubiquity in today's modern age, with new devices and new versions of existing ones being developed at a pace that would surprise consumers. What most people don't know is that a considerable number of these electronic devices rely heavily on the plastic injection molding process to function effectively.

Today, electronics manufacturers focus on ensuring functionality and convenience. Electronics such as computers and mobile phones must have more functions while being slimmer and more streamlined. Before manufacturers used plastic in creating parts, it was understood that when things were bigger, it was better by virtue of the size of its internal mechanisms. But today, gadgets are able to do so much more and yet come in significantly more compact packages.

All these technological developments can be partially credited to advances in machining and molding technology. In order to make smaller, more convenient machines, it naturally follows that internal components must also become smaller. Manufacturers of today rely on plastic injection molding to create small yet complicated parts out of plastic, which has proven to be a highly durable, reliable and affordable material.

While crafting large parts may be difficult, creating smaller items is often even more so. Unlike bigger parts and products, small components are usually more detailed, requiring precise crafting and machining. These small parts must be able to work with other different parts to function as a unit. They must also be precise, as the slightest error can render these ineffective and even useless.

To create small yet complicated parts, companies use the combination of CNC machining and injection molding. With the use of a 3D render of the final product, the computer generates a mold that matches the design with high accuracy and close tolerances. The computer then automatically mills, cuts and creates the mold from which the final product is made.

The process of plastic injection molding involves inserting a heated mixture of thermoplastic and thermosetting plastics into a mold. When it cools, the plastic is released. After the parts have been die cut, the plastic component is ready for installation. This technology allows manufacturers to create identical yet detailed parts in large runs.

Manufacturing electronics, particularly those will small parts, requires sophisticated equipment and specialized skills to ensure high quality output. Given this, the injection molding process is best entrusted to professionals who not only possess these, but also implement stringent quality assurance measures.

Renewable Energy Training Opportunities

The popularity of renewable energy sources and renewable technologies is constantly increasing. Homeowners and business owners are becoming ethically aware consumers. As a result they are prepared to invest thousands of pounds in to renewable technologies such as solar panels, in the knowledge that they will reap the financial rewards and take advantage of the governmental incentives available to them.

As demand for these products continue to grow, there is a need for more qualified technicians and installers to cope with this demand and help the government push towards delivering a more sustainable future. With unemployment at an all-time high, and demand for sustainable products always increasing, there may be no better time to take advantage of these training opportunities than now.

• Introductory Courses - Introductory courses into sustainable technology are available to you for a range of technologies which include solar thermal, solar panels, rainwater harvesting and under floor heating to name a few. For those looking to start a career in a completely new line of work or for those looking to expand their current repertoire, this is a great opportunity to get started and learn the basics of these technologies and how to correctly install them. Generally the courses will only be two days, which means you can quickly complete and claim your new qualification in no time.

• City & Guilds Qualification Courses - There are a range of building and construction qualifications available from City and Guilds, which can help any building professional kick-start their career, enhance their skills and improve their employability. The range of construction qualifications available will help to make you a master when it comes to installing a range of renewable technologies which include solar panel and heat pump installation and solar hot water installation.

• Solar Photovoltaic Micro-generation Certification Scheme (MCS Accreditation) - Obtaining an MCS accreditation can do wonders for your professional career, your prospects and the perception of your company. The course is available to new or existing installers looking to obtain MCS accreditation, installers who have previously failed their inspection or their yearly MCS audit and any MCS installers who are looking to further expand their skills in MCS certified technologies. MCS schemes are also heavily related to sustainable incentives from the government which include feed-in-tariffs and the renewable heat incentive.

• Assessor Courses - Due to the European Energy Performance of buildings directive and the UK regulations for any homeowners who are looking to sell or let their domestic property, it is now standard procedure to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for any domestic or commercial property. As such, there is huge demand for qualified building assessors who would be able to examine and approve any new build property and confirm it meets with building regulations. The Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) Training and Certification, Construction Energy Assessor (OCEA) Training and Certification and Non-Domestic Energy Assessment (NDEA) Training and Certification will all provide you with the skills and qualifications to carry out these jobs and become a qualified assessor.

Looking for Improved Accuracy in Gas Flow Measurements?

The looking to improve accuracy and ease of operation, in a historically challenging gas measurement application.

In Canada the implementation of Enhanced Production Audit Program (EPAP) will increase the need for more accurate flow measurement data.

Technical Challenge

Energy producers are constantly looking at ways to improve their standard natural gas measurement points within their operations. One critical area that requires consistent and reliable measurement is fuel gas meters typically located at compressor sites. On larger compressors or sites with multiple compressors where daily average consumption exceeds 0.5 em/day ERCB Directive 17 stipulates that a permanent measurement device must be installed for all fuel gas consumption.

A Case study: 2 large energy producers with part of their operations in Northwestern Alberta and Northeastern B.C. were faced with finding and standardizing on a solution that would meet the challenges posed by measuring fuel gas accurately and consistently in a reliable and economic package that would also meet Directive 17 compliance. The importance is being underscored with the full scale implementation of EPAP (Enhanced Production Audit Program) in 2011 industry wide.

Traditional means of measuring fuel gas fell short of their goals in meeting this standard. Orifice plates lacked the turndown range required to measure both the nominal fuel gas consumption and the start gas when a compressor is activated. The companies preferred a device that could handle both measurements seamlessly. Additionally, the lower flow ranges typically found on a fuel gas line posed a problem due to an orifice plate's high pressure drop and accuracy was compromised as a result.

While a standard pressure and temperature coefficient can be applied to complete the flow measurement rate, this introduced a manual process by which the operators/supervisors had to adhere to for completion of their calculations. In addition, PD meters were susceptible to damage due to over ranging when a compressor was started resulting in costly maintenance and downtime. A solution was needed.

The Flowstar Solution

Both companies found their solution in a gas measurement system consisting of a high accuracy, robust gas turbine in concert with an electronic flow computer (EFM).

The gas turbine provides excellent accuracy profiles (+/- 2%) in a 316 stainless steel constructed body and internal components that utilize ceramic, self lubricating, low drag bearings. A 40:1 turndown ratio ensures that both the nominal fuel gas and the compressor start gas are accurately measured. As fuel gas lines are typically smaller in design (1") the low flows seen are easily measured by a 1" turbine. Flexibility is built into the turbines as the rotor pitch can be changed to as low as 45 degrees to capture even lower flows at similar pressures. The standard pitch is 15 degrees.

The Hawk 9500 EFM delivers exceptional operational performance with a rated accuracy of +/- 0.05% full scale on pressure and +/- 0.5% C on temperature. The Hawk 9500 performs fully compensated flow rate calculations to AGA7 (rotary turbines) and AGA8-92 (gas compressibility) standards. It is also API Chapter 21 audit trail compliant. With its Class I Div I IS rating and IS lithium ion battery pack, area classifications are not an issue and offer the end user ease of installation and smaller footprint. A communication board can be activated to support RS 485 Modbus communications to a SCADA host or PLC.

Results

Both energy companies have implemented the Flowstar gas measurement solution on a number of compressors with excellent results to date. With this arrangement it minimized operator involvement and interruptions and also provided them with a 1 stop service point for any future technical adjustments or troubleshooting. When producing a trending graph of historical data on one particular 1" line it produced a flow rate of 0.5 em/day at 110 psi. The peak volume on compressor start up, however, reached as high as 14 em/day, representing a turndown ratio of 28:1, well within the range.

In certain cases, as with the other energy producers, a mechanical pipe run with the gas turbine was provided without the Hawk9500 at certain locations as an existing RTU was already on site. The introduction of a pre-amplifier easily supported this type of integration. Their operators have commented positively on the overall reliability of the gas turbine and the relatively small footprint of the meter run piping package. Process conditions are favourable on the fuel gas line as the meter is typically installed downstream of a fuel gas scrubber. The operators also like the convenience of noting instantaneous data on the Hawk 9500 display (current flow rate, pressure and temperature and up to 40 previous days of historical production) and the ability to download stored data onto the SD card (over 1 year with 1 minute logging). This data is easily transformed into production reports that are provided to the companies' production accountants electronically.

EPAP will help guide the producers to measure gas more accurately and there are only a few options available to ensure accuracy with ease of use out in the field.

SIGIT Products

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