Thursday, September 25

China's third manned spacecraft lifted off at 9:10 pm on Thursday to fulfill its most ambitious and risky mission: spacewalk.Shenzhou VII, carrying astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng, blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu province, into a clear sky.
As is the case with such missions, the first few moments were tense. But then the ground control heard the voices of the astronauts. They felt "physically sound", they said to the joy of the scientists on the ground.

"The solar panel has unfolded, and we feel well," one of them said. Remote-measuring signals showed all their physical indices, such as blood pressure and heartbeat, were normal.
The astronauts will orbit the Earth for three days, 68 hours, to be precise, and one of them will walk in space about 343 km above the Earth on Saturday.
That will make China the third country to conduct extra-vehicular activity (EVA) in space. The other two to have achieved that are the former Soviet Union and the US.
The timing of the spacewalk could, however, be changed, depending on how long it would take for the astronauts to adjust to all the factors. EVAs are essential for China's long-term goal of building a space station by 2020, and possibly launching a manned mission to the Moon.

Back at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center Thursday, hundreds of scientists monitored and reported the spacecraft's status every few seconds.
At 9:32 pm, Shenzhou VII entered its orbit. A minute later, Chang Wanquan, chief commander of the center, announced that the lift-off had been a complete success.
President Hu Jintao, who was present at the Jiuquan launch center, congratulated the space scientists and the astronauts for the successful lift-off.
"The successful launch marks the first victory of the Shenzhou VII mission," Hu told scientists and other staff at the center. "On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission, I congratulate all those who are part of the mission."
A few hours before the launch, Hu saw off the three white-suited astronauts on their way to the Long March II-F carrier rocket, which later took them into space.
The spacewalk would be a milestone, he told them. "This will be a major step forward for our country's aerospace technology."
"You can certainly fulfill this glorious and sacred task. The motherland and its people await your triumphant return," he said.

The astronauts will land in central part of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region in a re-entry module.
The astronauts entered the spacecraft at 6:28 pm Thursday, checked the communication system with the ground control after reviewing the operation manual of the spaceship.
The spaceship will change its orbit around 4 am today. And the astronauts will start testing and putting on the EVA spacesuits, which could take up to 15 hours.
China launched its first manned spaceship in October 2003, and followed it up by sending Shenzhou VI two years later. But the Shenzhou VII astronauts have a greater task in hand.
They have a wider choice of dishes too: nearly 80. One of them is spicy kung-pao chicken cooked following a "new method", Chen Bin, the mission's chief nutritionist, told Xinhua.
They will also take traditional Chinese medicine made with more than 10 herbs to treat space motion sickness.
Engineers overseeing the flight have, however, warned of risks. Zhang Jianqi, one of the chief engineers, told Xinhua that keeping the three men in the craft and sending one outside the capsule would be a "big test".
"This is a big technological leap," he said. "The risks are quite high. Sending up three astronauts is a jump both in quantity and quality."
Space motion sickness can cause dizziness, vomiting and nausea. A depressed astronaut could feel severe pain in the joints, have breathing difficulty or could even lose consciousness.
"Some of these can be life-threatening," said Li Yongzhi, director of medical department of the China Astronaut Research and Training Center.

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Tuesday, September 23

Beverage Machines- Modernize Your Workplace

Advantages of Beverage machines

These vending machines are available in different designs and sizes as well as reasonable rates. Picking an appropriate machine saves a lot of time and money. These beverage vending machines really make the job easier for the customer as well. It keeps the cans and bottles chilled and its temperature can be set according to the outside weather so that the drinks inside are at an optimal coolness.
These machines have an adjustable temperature and even the power consumption is less as compared to refrigerators. They are spacious and can hold a variety of items like milk bottles, juices, drinks to name a few. It is really easy to operate the machines and come with a warranty. Spare parts are also easily available in the market.
These beverage machines are a good way to sell the products along with the proper hygiene. You just need to select the type of beverage you want to drink, press the button, insert the required money or coin and you are offered with your drink.
It is becoming really accepted in the colleges and schools as children can have milk bottles or cold drinks very easily. Great brands like Coke and Pepsi prefer these machines to sell their product.

Availability of Beverage machines

· Soft Drink Vending Machine
· Hard Drink Vending Machine
· Tea / Coffee Vending Machine
· Water Vending Machine
· Beer Vending Machine
Proper use, service and care of the machine give a trouble free performance for years. They make the work effortless if maintained well. Service teams are also allotted by the respective vendors to attend the problem efficiently.

Online availability

A number of online providers are selling the superlative beverage machines at reasonable rates. These machines can be easily bought online. You just need to choose the finest machine according to your requirement and the delivery is made. The online manufacturers of these machines provide all the details including price tags and machine designs, and some of providers offer shipment services too.
go and order these worth machines now and modernize the whole system of your work place.

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Monday, September 22

The Beer Machine and make your own beer




Simply the easiest, hassle-free, foolproof way to make high quality great tasting beers in the comfort of your own home. The Beer Machine is the only completely closed single-step, odourless brewing system designed for making fresh, naturallycarbonated beer ready to enjoy in just 7 to 10 days. The brewing process is self-regulated to retain natural carbonation and an auxiliary CO2 carbonation system is included to permit serving beer, under pressure, directly from your Beer Machine à la "draft beer on tap" so you do not need to bottle your beer. The CO2 carbonation system also provides the ability to add more effervescence for satisfying individual taste preferences. With the carbonation system you can increase pressure for dispensing your beer so you obtain the desired "beer head" and you can preserve the fresh taste of your beer for up to 6 months. With The Beer Mix of your choice you need only add water and wait 7 to 10 days to enjoy 2.6 gallons of fresh naturally carbonated beer all at just a fraction of the cost of store bought beer.
The Beer Machine eliminates brewing odors, and the need to prepare ingredients. There are no secondary processes. Just let the Beer Machine brew your favourite beers and enjoy the ability to dispense and serve fresh naturally carbonated beer directly from where it was "born”. That is why The Beer Machine was voted the best product available for brewing beer by Popular Mechanics Magazine.
You just add water, it's that simple with 18 professionally prepared Beer Mixes from Canada, USA, Australia, Denmark, Britain, Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands that will make premium quality naturally carbonated great tasting beer in just 7 to 10 days in The Beer Machine.

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Wednesday, September 17

China's steel association opposes ore price increases

China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) wrote a letter to Brazil-based Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD) on Tuesday, asking the world's leading iron ore producer to give up its attempt to raise prices.
The letter said, "one-sided price raising not only violated international iron ore price negotiation rules, but also led to huge losses in Chinese steel enterprises. This damaged the win-win relationship in bilateral iron ore trading."
In February, the CVRD, Asia's largest steel producers and several European steel companies agreed on an ore price hike of 65 percent, which pushed up the ore price to 1.898 US dollars per dry metric ton iron ore unit.
However, the CVRD informed steel enterprises last week it would raise the price of iron ore by an additional 20 percent as of September 1.
"The previous price hike was motivated by Australian ore suppliers BHP Billiton in July. The CVRD aimed to follow BHP's move and drive up ore prices step by step," said Zhou Xiaoming, an analyst for the Lange Group.
Baosteel, China's largest steel supplier, had agreed with Australian ore producer BHP Billiton on a price increase of up to 96.5 percent for iron ore in 2008, nearly double that of 2007.
Iron ore prices already increased significantly this year bringing up business costs at the country's steel mills.
According to CISA statistics, costs for the country's large and medium-size iron and steel manufacturers rose by more than 250 billion yuan (36.5 US billion dollars), or 57.57 percent, in the first half due.
"The VCRD should give up its decision to raise iron ore prices and come back to a normal price negotiation with China," said the CISA.

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Thursday, September 11

U.S. shipments of packaging machinery climb for 6th-consecutive year

U.S. shipments of packaging machinery climbed for the sixth-consecutive year, up 3.9% to an estimated $6.02 billion, according to PMMI’s 2008 Shipments & Outlook study.

Exports increased 17.8% to $1.16 billion, with the declining value of the U.S. dollar offering an advantage for selling domestic products abroad.
Domestic shipments, at $5.05 billion, grew only 1.2%, as many U.S. customers were wary of committing to large purchases.

Packaging machinery manufacturers’ order backlog at the end of 2007 was down 9.1% to $1.63 billion, again largely due to wariness about the state of the economy.

This most recent report, while still positive, is a far cry from the 9.3%, 8.1% and 6% recorded in 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively. Demand from U.S. customers climbed sharply in those years, but was up just modestly in 2007.

Capping (15.4%) and cartoning (14.7%) machinery posted the strongest gains, pushed by strong exports. Shipments for all but two machinery categories (form/fill/seal machinery and skin and blister sealing machinery) posted positive results.

Other findings included:

Manufacturers continued to introduce new equipment models with value-added benefits.

Sustainability issues influenced packagers, creating demand for machinery able to handle lighter gauge materials, reduce waste and energy coasts.

Packagers remained committed to increasing security by improving tracking, contaminant detection, integrity and counterfeit prevention.

U.S. customers began to delay and cancel projects, particularly during the second half of the year as the economy began to wane.

Foreign competitors continued to increase their presence in the market.

Competition among U.S. packaging machinery manufacturers became more aggressive, leading to reduced unit prices.

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Japan machinery orders slip again, darkening outlook


Japanese orders for machinery dropped for a second straight month in July, government data showed Thursday, raising further concern about the outlook for the world's second largest economy.

Core private-sector machinery orders, which exclude particularly volatile demand from power companies and for ships, are regarded as a leading indicator of corporate capital spending.

Orders fell 3.9 percent in July from the previous month, the Cabinet Office said, following a 2.6 percent fall in June.

While the latest figure was better than the market's forecast of a 4.3 percent fall, analysts said it showed companies are wary of boosting capacity at a time of high material costs and slowing exports.

"Demand overseas keeps falling, and considering the current economic situation, the trend (in machinery orders) is likely to continue," Kyohei Morita, chief Japan economist at Barclays Capital, told Dow Jones Newswires.

Orders by manufacturers, such as machinery makers that buy engines and tools, tumbled 10.4 percent in July, the data showed.

Machinery orders from non-manufacturers such as farmers and telecommunication firms were down 2.4 percent.

Many economists suspect that Japan's economy, Asia's largest, may have slipped into recession after some six years of almost continuous growth.

A global economic slowdown, coupled with higher commodity prices, has hit the Japanese economy, which has long relied on exports of finished goods made from imported raw materials.

Revised estimates for gross domestic product slated for release on Friday are expected to show that Japan's economic contraction in the second quarter was more severe than initially thought.

Experts think the economy shrank at an annual pace of 3.3 percent in the quarter, worse than the 2.4 percent fall in preliminary data issued a month ago.

The data "will probably help clarify that the economy is in a recession," said Dai-Ichi Life Research Institute senior economist Toshihiro Nagahama.

Japan also saw bleak data on Wednesday, with the current account surplus falling on rising energy costs and wholesale prices growing at their fastest pace in 27 years.

However, some analysts were less pessimistic about machinery orders, noting that crude oil and commodity prices have recently been easing.

"The result was in line with expectations and I am keeping my view that the trend of orders will remain flat for the months ahead," said Shinko Research Institute economist Norio Miyagawa.

"Crude oil prices and commodity prices have been falling," he said, "so that's positive."

The data comes amid a race within Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party to choose a new prime minister, in which the faltering economy has become a top issue.

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Tuesday, September 9

MECHANICAL SEAL CLASSIFICATIONS

Over the years, mechanical seals have undergone continuous improvement. Today, numerous classifications and design features are available to end users. Each mechanical seal design offers specific strengths that make its use advantageous for certain situations, and tradeoffs that may make its use impractical or ill-advised for particular applications. As the technological sophistication associated with mechanical seal design has increased, users often have a difficult time deciding which seals to use, and where to apply them most appropriately.

Mechanical seals can be classified by design, or by application.

Classification by design:

1. Component or cartridge seals

2. Spring-type seals

3. Stationary or rotary seals

4. Balanced or unbalanced seals

5. Pusher or bellows seals

6. Split vs. non-split seals

Classification by application

1. Pump or mixer seals

2. Metallic versus nonmetallic seals

3. High-temperature seals

4. Single versus dual seals (such a tandem, back-back or face-face de signs)

5. Wet lubricated seals or gas seals

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Thursday, September 4

EU continues to investigate dumping case – no provisional tariffs to be applied

The European Commission has issued an interim report on its investigation of alleged dumping of a wide range of fasteners by Chinese producers. The investigation started in November 2007 and a decision on preliminary tariffs was due by 8 August. The report concludes "there are several crucial elements of the investigation which merit further careful analysis". As a result the Commission has proposed that provisional measures are not applied but that it would continue to investigate the case.

Outstanding issues, according to the report, include verification that the production volume of the complainants exceeds the minimum 25 percent of EU production required for the complaint to be valid. There have been persistent rumours, but no firm evidence, that a significant complainant may have withdrawn support, which could mean the figure falling below the required threshold. Investigators also intend continuing to work on dumping and injury calculations, which the report indicates are currently inconclusive, as well as delving into whether, as is argued by importer associations, type and quality differences between Chinese and European product have implications for these calculations. The report conclusion also indicates that the investigators will consider the significance of dramatic increases in raw material costs that have occurred since the investigation period, which covers October 2006 to September 2007.

The body of the 26 page report notes that imports from PR China to the EU increased by 180 percent between 2003 and 2007, resulting in market share increasing from 17 to 26 percent. EU producers share declined by 8.8 percent over a three period. Preliminary calculations, although described as approximate and requiring further evaluation, showed "considerable dumping margins". Market economy status has been denied to Chinese producers, so dumping calculations are made between Chinese export prices and the domestic price in an "analogue" country, which the Commission has provisionally adjudged should be India, since it was unable to obtain cooperation from fastener producers in Taiwan or other countries.

The Commission has scheduled a hearing on 18 September to which representatives from distributor and manufacturing associations and other interested parties have been invited. This hearing will focus on the scope of products included in the investigation and the issue of comparability between Chinese and EU products.

A final decision on the case, which in the event of tariffs being applied requires authorisation by the EU Council of (Member State) Ministers, must be published by 8 February 2009.

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Wednesday, September 3

Sanitary Control Valves

Sanitary control valves are used to control the flow of gas and liquid. These valves are used in almost every industry. Their most common use is for pressurized air. Finding sanitary valve suppliers that have what you are looking for could take hours. Narrow your search to exactly what your company is looking for to help you find the exact sanitary valves you need in no time.

Sanitary control valves are available with three different controls. Manual controls are the most inexpensive and most common form of sanitary control valve. These have handles that allow the user to manually open and shut the valve. Electronic and electric sanitary control valves are in the middle of the price range. These valves use electricity to open and close the valve. The last type of valve is the pneumatic sanitary control valve, which uses hydraulics and pneumatics to adjust flow.
1. Manually control a sanitary control valve.
2. Electronically oversee the sanitary valve's performance.
3. Allow pneumatics to do all the sanitary control valve work.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

  • Buy a manual sanitary pressure control valve
Manual sanitary valves are used mainly for gas, water and oil. The sanitary flow control valves are manually turned to regulate flow. Manual sanitary valves are generally made of stainless steel for a durable, long lasting product.
  • Locate electric sanitary control valves
Electric valves are used to control valves that open and close frequently or that are in difficult areas to access. An electric or electronic sanitary valve uses a control panel or switch to activate the valve. Some of valves use a timer so they can open at the correct time, every time.
  • Use pneumatic sanitary control valves
Pneumatic sanitary control valves are controlled by high power hydraulics. These valves are for industrial uses and large valve needs. Pneumatic valves are very expensive, however if you have need for a high pressure valve for a large line, it is the best way to go.

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What is a Valve?

A valve is a product rarely noticed by the average person, yet it plays an important role in the quality of our life. Each time you turn on a water faucet, use your dishwasher, turn on a gas range, or step on the accelerator of your car, you operate a valve. Without modern valve systems, there would be no fresh pure water or automatic heat in your home. There would be no public utilities, and beyond wood and coal, almost no energy of any kind. Plastics would be unheard of, as would many inexpensive consumer products.

By definition, a valve is a device that controls the flow of a fluid. Today's valves can control not only the flow, but the rate, the volume, the pressure or the direction of liquids, gases, slurries or dry materials through a pipeline, chute or similar passageway. They can turn on and turn off, regulate, modulate, or isolate. They can range in size from a fraction of an inch to as large as 30 feet in diameter and can vary in complexity from a simple brass valve available at the local hardware store to a precision-designed, highly sophisticated coolant system control valve, made of an exotic metal alloy, in a nuclear reactor.

Valves can control flow of all types, from the thinnest gas to highly corrosive chemicals, superheated steam, abrasive slurries, toxic gases and radio active materials. They can handle temperatures from cryogenic region to molten metal, and pressures from high vacuum to thousands of pounds per square inch. The valve is one of the most basic and indispensable components of our modern technological society. It is essential to virtually all manufacturing processes and every energy production and supply system. Yet it is one of the oldest products known to man, with a history of thousands of years.

More information please visit: www.valveindustry.com

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Monday, September 1

How an oil seal is designed


In an oil seal environment there is a shaft that is rotating inside a housing or bore. Because of friction, there must be some clearance between the shaft and the bore. The function of the oil seal is to stop whatever fluid is inside from leaking out the clearance between the shaft and housing. The seal may also be used to prevent outside materials, such as dirt, from moving in through the clearance.

"Dynamic sealing" is the relationship between the rotating shaft and the seal and is handled by the sealing element. A garter spring may used in the oil seal to increase the radial interference between the seal lip and contact point on the shaft. In order to achieve this interference, the oil seal's ID must be slightly smaller than the diameter of the shaft.

"Static sealing" is the relationship between the housing and the seal. In order to achieve this interference, the oil seal's OD must be slightly larger than the diameter of the housing or bore.

An oil seal normally consists of three basic components: the sealing element, the metal case and the spring. The purpose of the sealing element is to stop the fluid from leaking between the shaft and housing. The metal case will give rigidity and strength to the seal while it is being held in the bore or recessed groove. The spring will help make the sealing element more effective. All materials must be selected depending on the environment in which the oil seal will function.

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