Technology

Of all of the inefficiencies a production line might face, bottlenecks are one of the most wasteful and potentially damaging. Bottlenecks have long been studied by economists and systems analysts as a way of understanding how more efficient and productive assembly lines can be developed, and there is even a sub-discipline within accounting dedicated to quantifying the financial impact of bottlenecks as it relates to opportunity costs and lost productivity.

One of the reasons bottlenecks are so costly is due to the fact that they hurt businesses in several different ways. Bottlenecks not only slow down your production schedule, potentially leading to delayed deliveries and lost business, they can lead to skyrocketing costs in labour and repairs — they also lead to lost time and, potentially, wasted materials.

So how can production lines be designed to reduce bottlenecks without reducing product quality? One of the most important tools for improving product flow is the coordinate measuring machine (CMM). Not only does the CMM provide accurate measurement data about newly produced parts that allows for strict quality control, CMMs equipped with the latest software can also monitor the overall health of a production line for issues that could develop into serious problems later on.

One of the single biggest causes for bottlenecks on well-designed production lines is the necessity of repairs. While routine maintenance can be planned around the needs of the production schedule, unforeseen breakdowns that force a production line to cease operation until it can be fixed can occur at the most inconvenient times. One of the reasons CMMs are such a useful weapon in the battle against bottlenecks is due to their ability to gather and process large quantities of high-level data. Using the latest software, CMMs can analyse small changes in quality in the parts being measured to create a picture of how wear and tear further upstream in the production process may be leading to potentially serious machine degradation. By reading the parts being produced, the CMM not only ensures it meets blueprint standards, but also notes gradual shifts in quality that might be symptomatic of larger problems.

If you want to learn more about how CMMs and other metrology services can help improve the efficiency of your production line, visit Canadian Measurement Metrology in Mississauga, Ont. Not only do they have a wide range of CMMs, from popular bridge models to portable arms, white light scanners, and other metrology tools, they can also provide you with the latest software, like state-of-the-art PolyWorks Inspector, which allows your CMM to monitor the entire production process.

As Industry 4.0 becomes more of a reality with every passing year, the solution to costly bottlenecks and unforeseen machine failures is manifesting itself in production lines that monitor themselves. When integrated into smart production systems, the vast amounts of data that CMMs gather every time they measure a part can be used to find minor errors before they lead to major problems. By making production lines flow more smoothly and predictably, CMMs don’t just increase efficiency; the immense resources of time and capital that they save a manufacturing business might well mean the difference between success and failure.

If you’ve done your research into coordinate measuring machine (CMM) technology, you probably know how vital CMMs are to creating an efficient and integrated production line. You probably also understand that CMMs are the best way to guarantee the highest standards of quality control on your factory floor, and can save you both time and money by anticipating production issues before they reach crisis proportions.

But how do you find the CMM that is right for you? With so many options on the market, from gantry CMMs to ROMER Portable arms and white light CMMs, it can be hard to know where to start, which is why this brief explainer has been compiled to provide a brief introduction to CMM shopping.

 

What Problem Are You Trying To Solve?

There are a lot of different CMMs out there, but when trying to find the right one for you, it is best to start by asking your staff how new tech can make their jobs easier. What are the persistent problems they are running up against, and what are the most time-consuming issues they face on a daily basis? Having a good idea of where the current inefficiencies are will go along way toward addressing them.

Invest In Quality

As with any other equipment provider, you cannot assume that all CMM brands offer the same value. When considering which CMM to purchase, learn about CMM machine manufacturers and research the pros and cons of different brands from reliable metrology sources. A CMM is a delicate and sensitive piece of equipment, and one that you the quality control of your production line will depend on for years to come. For this reason, it is important to make sure that you are purchasing a piece of machinery that will be able to provide excellent service in the long term.

Choose The Right CMM For The Job

Deciding which CMM is right for you will depend on the parts and products you need to measure. “Coordinate measuring machine” is a broad category, and it includes everything from the large-scale gantry CMMs used in the automotive and aerospace industries to multisensory CMMs designed to measure parts so small and delicate they cannot be measured by a tactile probe.

It will also depend, to some extent, on the context in which your CMM will operate. If you need a CMM that can be used by hand to measure complex parts, then a portable CMM is probably best; while it cannot measure automatically, if provides staff an easy way of processing complicated products not easily measured mechanically. If, on the other hand, you want a CMM that can do its work largely on its own, a slower tactile-probe-using CMM is probably the way to go.

Every production line has its own particular needs, and the very reason there are so many CMMs on the market has to do with the variegated needs of different manufacturers. The best way to approach buying a new CMM is to focus on your own assembly line and ask yourself how metrology can help you produce your parts better. Once you know what problems you are trying to solve, it will be much easier to find the right metrology solutions.

Living in the digital age is a wonderful thing. With so much advanced technology at our disposal, we are now able to do so much with just a few clicks of a button. Smart technology has infiltrated all aspects of our life – from home to office to the great outdoors, there is a piece of smart tech for everything.

One of the greatest aspects of the technology we have now is the endless possibilities for entertainment. Whether you feel like watching a movie after a long day or playing a video game with players from all around the world, there is always something to suit everyone’s tastes. Live streaming technology has become increasingly advanced over the past few years and many industries have reaped the benefits of it, one of which being the online gaming industry.

When we think of poker, lots of us imagine an exclusive James Bond-esque scene of tuxedos, cigars, casinos and martinis. However, these days the scene is set to change quite a bit. Live streaming on platforms such as Twitch has proven to be highly successful when it comes to playing video games such as League of Legends or DOTA 2 which can attract millions of viewers per live stream, and now it is set to take over the world of online casinos. Playing poker online in the past has consisted of computer-generated cards and a basic chatroom to talk with other players; however, advancements in technology have led to this format seeming somewhat primitive by comparison. By being able to live stream real-life poker games to millions of people from all around the world, the way we play poker is set to change forever.

Live-Streaming Tournaments

Just like the majority of other live-streaming games online, there is a range of different tournaments for playing live poker. From games which are purely for entertainment to high-stakes championships with high payouts and games such as Texas Holdem and 7 card stud, there are many kinds of tournaments.  If you’re a newbie to the world of live streaming poker events, figuring out the different kinds of tournaments can be quite confusing, so we have made a simple list of the most common types to make it a little easier to understand:

SNGs

SNG stands for Sit N’ Go tournaments which require between 2 to 360 pre-registered players to sign up to a game and as soon as enough players have registered, the tournament will begin. These tournaments are great for players who don’t want a big commitment of playing for hours on end, as these SNGs can be finished within just an hour. Typically, the top three players in a game will be rewarded with cash prizes and the top player will receive a greater payout.

MTTs

MTT stands for Multi-Table Tournaments, and these are much higher stakes than SNGs. To play these, you must buy in to the game for a set price around $10.00 and you could be playing with thousands of players. These tournaments can go on for hours on end and will end when the last player is left standing and they will get a massive cash sum of thousands of dollars. According to 888poker, these are the big tournaments for players, so expect tension.

Heads Up

Heads Up poker tournaments are games which are made up of just two players but they are high intensity. Any even amount of players can play a Heads Up tournament but there will only be one-on-one games, and they will continue until one champion is left standing. They can also go on for some time and they are nail-bitingly intense to play and watch!

Poker Satellite

Poker Satellite tournaments are different from the others listed here as they have low buy-in prices and the prizes for these games are tickets to the higher buy-in games such as the MTTs where the cash prizes are very rewarding.

Tips for Success

Now that you have an idea of what the different kinds of live stream poker tournaments are, it’s time to get some tips and tricks to help you on your way. Firstly, it’s important to know that there are three stages to all kinds of poker tournaments, these being the beginning, middle and late stages.

In the beginning stages, you need to set the right bet according to the table size and be sensible. You also need to know when the right time to fold is and be sure to never let your stack fall below 10BB. Knowing when it is the right time to fold or go all in is crucial to a successful game.

In the middle stages of the game, you should have prepared a tournament strategy to help give you a structured way to play. This way, you will feel much more confident in the way you play and it will help you stay on a winning track. Coming up with a plan to beat weaker players and get onto the heavyweight table will vastly improve your chances of walking away with a handsome winning prize.

By the late stages of the game, it’s time to get aggressive. Nobody’s ever won by playing nice, so it’s time to bring out the big guns and don’t pull any punches. Try to get your timing right and don’t rush into any big moves or you could get knocked out, and you’re sure to increase your chances of being the winner.

VR Poker

Virtual Reality has seen great amounts of success since it properly took off a few years ago with releases of devices such as the Samsung Gear 360, and we are still discovering new ways of utilizing the technology. Of course, VR has taken the gaming industry by storm and the same goes for the casino industry. Along with live streaming, VR poker is another hugely popular avenua as players can create avatars and play as if in an on-land casino with players from all around the world. The Steam store offers popular VR poker games and they allow the user to feel immersed in a realistic poker experience while getting to play with players from across the globe.

The future of live-streaming poker is a bright one; it has breathed new life into the casino industry and has brought players from all walks of life together to play for fantastic prizes and enabled more people to hone their skills and improve their games.

Smart technology is becoming more and more common in the home. From lights that turn on with the push of a button to doorbell cameras, we can expect our homes to get smarter and smarter over the coming years. It makes sense that we would expect our offices to get smarter too!

Although smart technology isn’t as talked about in the office, it’s slowly making its way behind commercial doors. Here are four ways smart technology is making itself home in the office.

The Cloud

Before talking about any kind of gadgets that work well in the office, it’s important to start with the thing that makes all those gadgets possible—the cloud.

With unified storage capabilities on the internet, you can integrate all of your systems on a single compliance and risk assessment dashboard. You can store massive amounts of information on the cloud without worrying about whether that information will be safe if your systems crash. It also enables smart devices to communicate with each other, which makes for a smoother user experience.

Smart Thermostats

The war over the thermostat is a constant challenge in the office. The solution has been to install a lockbox over the top of the thermostat to keep people from messing with the temperature, and in turn, increasing the utility bill. That ugly box isn’t necessary anymore.

Smart thermostats are great for the office because they can keep employees who don’t have the right access codes from messing with it. In addition, you can set the thermostat for different temperatures at different times and days of the week to increase everyone’s comfort while increasing energy efficiency at the same time.

Affordable Security Cameras

Installing security cameras is a decision you should consider very carefully. You still have to make sure you’re abiding by privacy laws, but you no longer have to fret about how much those security cameras will cost.

Smart technology has made surveillance cameras more affordable than ever, and because they easily connect wirelessly to apps that can be accessed on mobile devices, staying on top of security issues has never been easier.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is big business, and you can bet that it will continue to make your business easier to run in the future. With all of the things artificial intelligence can do, you’ll soon think of artificial intelligence as an office coworker.

Some things artificial intelligence can do in the office include:

·         Generate understandable text from computer data and vice versa

·         Virtual agents are a quick and easy way to enhance customer service

·         Smart managers will maintain the comfort of the office by managing smart technology

·         Engines will be able to design training and maintenance programs

·         And more

The office just isn’t what it used to be. First, we got rid of that massive file cabinet, and now we don’t even have to worry about the thermostat anymore! As smart technology continues to evolve, it will continue to make your job easier so you can focus on the more demanding and important aspects of your business.

 

 

 

 

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