Industrial Times

It's Show time!

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:02:53 GMT

Machines showcased

INNOVO machines hit the big time!

In a recent TV episode two INNOVO machines were featured.

INNOVO automated high production tube notcher, and their automated double-end crush form machine.

We are working on getting a clip to upload on our blog. "We are very proud that our quality craftsmanship was showcased on a national broadcast. We were a little disappointed that our company name, INNOVO Corporation, was not mentioned, but we are none the less proud".

Neuron degeneration

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:32:07 GMT

Retrograde degeneration of neurite membrane structural integrity of nerve growth cones following in vitro exposure to mercury.

·    Leong CC,
·    Syed NI,
·    Lorscheider FL.
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

http://blogcast.tubenotching.com/2008/07/05/video-testimonies.aspx

Remove Mercury from your body. From www.cell-builder.com

Inhalation of mercury vapor (Hg0) inhibits binding of GTP to rat brain tubulin, thereby inhibiting tubulin polymerization into microtubules. A similar molecular lesion has also been observed in 80% of brains from patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) compared to age-matched controls. However the precise site and mode of action of Hg ions remain illusive. Therefore, the present study examined whether Hg ions could affect membrane dynamics of neurite growth cone morphology and behavior. Since tubulin is a highly conserved cytoskeletal protein in both vertebrates and invertebrates, we hypothesized that growth cones from animal species could be highly susceptible to Hg ions. To test this possibility, the identified, large Pedal A (PeA) neurons from the central ring ganglia of the snail Lymnoea stagnalis were cultured for 48 h in 2 ml brain conditioned medium (CM). Following neurite outgrowth, metal chloride solution (2 microl) of Hg, Al, Pb, Cd, or Mn (10(-7) M) was pressure applied directly onto individual growth cones. Time-lapse images with inverted microscopy were acquired prior to, during, and after the metal ion exposure. We demonstrate that Hg ions markedly disrupted membrane structure and linear growth rates of imaged neurites in 77% of all nerve growth cones. When growth cones were stained with antibodies specific for both tubulin and actin, it was the tubulin/microtubule structure that disintegrated following Hg exposure. Moreover, some denuded neurites were also observed to form neurofibrillary aggregates. In contrast, growth cone exposure to other metal ions did not effect growth cone morphology, nor was their motility rate compromised. To determine the growth suppressive effects of Hg ions on neuronal sprouting, cells were cultured either in the presence or absence of Hg ions. We found that in the presence of Hg ions, neuronal somata failed to sprout, whereas other metalic ions did not effect growth patterns of cultured PeA cells. We conclude that this visual evidence and previous biochemical data strongly implicate Hg as a potential etiological factor in neurodegeneration.
PMID: 11277574 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Load & Feed Tubes

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 15:59:31 GMT

Tubes are loaded into position by the automated system. The feed carriage that then pushes the tube into the crush form station. The tubes are formed at both ends at a rate of 900-1100 an hour, depending on the length of the tube being formed. The tube fall into a automated hopper for shipping.

http://blogcast.tubenotching.com/2008/06/26/load--feed-tubes.aspx

Tube crush forming station

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:17:47 GMT

The form station is accessible for ease of changeovers & little down time.
A cylinder activates after each formed tube. The action is not need for the
most part, but it is insurance against a tube that may hang-up, preventing
a potential jam tube & lose of production.

http://blogcast.tubenotching.com/2008/06/25/tube-crush-forming-station.aspx

Buliding tube cut-off dies

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:47:38 GMT

You may think to yourself, as you watch our tube cut-off dies run, that they are built sturdy but not to any measure very precise.

Well as crude as they look running you would be surprised to learn the precision that is required to perform the necessary task-long flawless runs.

Even with the technology that exists today, human skill is a must. And labor is expensive at this level.

Automation that the INNOVO Corporation incorporates into every machine/cut-off die, adds the innovation that varies from company to company.

There is a tendency to cut corners. But as INNOVO’s policy right from the beginning seventeen years ago, that there is only one way to build a machine:

Compact to save space.
Sturdy & beefy to last. Saves money in the long run.
Engineered for ease of maintenance & change-overs or replacement tooling.
Clean professional look that they can showcase to their customers.

Having a good team is a must.

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:30:27 GMT

Troubleshooting is an art. But more then that it is the deference between making a profit or taking a loss. And in some dire cases losing your business.

Making a decision takes a team that understands each other & what is expected in a given scenario. The troubleshooter, Bob makes a call. The tube that is notched hangs up after the tube is cut-off. Bob has to decide from a host of options based on experience & vision. Vision because no problem is exactly the same.

Putting an angle on the tube rest can cause unforeseen problems. The force of the cut off blade can twist the tube & cause an out of tolerance part. Or the cutting edge of the die can wear pre maturely.

This is costly if an inexperienced troubleshooter or a not so good one, misses the above problems & are only found after many wasted hours.

Members of the team must give their feedback. If for nothing else it gives the troubleshooter, Bob, another perspective and possibly a better solution.

You can’t afford a team member that waits for instructions. You need everyone’s head in the project. It can turn into what looks like a useless or futile exercise at times, lacking serious value. But ideas are in the air and will likely spark someone’s imagination. Tube fabrication at it’s best.

Tube Fabricator

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:29:06 GMT

Tube fabricating equipment is a niche field that has been dominated by a relatively few companies compared to the industry as a whole. Still the competition is strongly contested among hundreds of companies that specialize in areas such as tube notching, tube cut-off machines/dies, tube bending & tube forming.

Then there are high production specialist such as the INNOVO Corporation. The INNOVO Corporation started out with the basic tube notching units, pipe-sch-40, arc fits, and tube cut-off dies. Progressing into high production tube notching & multi-tasking tube fabrication machines & automated their tube cut-off dies. Producing air-bag cylinders that combined embossing notching & any number of tube fabricating operations.

INNOVO Corporation has a following that is basically word of mouth. They have earned the respect of their peers & offer their consultation in many situations. Which adds to their reputation as knowledgeable tube fabrication specialists.

Still they have not abandon their core low cost tooling that launched their business 17 years ago.

Their latest product, a portable tube notcher-15TPP Portable Press. It has a 1.5 HP Motor 115 Volt AC. 20 Amps Hydraulics. Comes with a 50-foot cord. Easy for one man to move from location to location without the worry of losing control & lessens the risk of injury!

Now with the internet age well under way, INNOVO has a strong presence:
www.innovo.us, www.tubenotching.com Industrial Times blog.

Methylmercury in Seafood

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Sun, 04 May 2008 12:46:34 GMT

From the Whole foods Market

Methylmercury in Seafood
Response to FDA Advisories

View Response to Canadian Advisories

Whole Foods Market consistently offers the highest quality seafood gathered from the best sources around the world. We also pride ourselves on keeping our customers informed of the latest health and environmental issues. In reference to advice concerning mercury in fish and shellfish, as provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, here are some frequently asked questions about methylmercury in seafood.

What is methylmercury and what is the concern?

Methylmercury is a form of mercury that can be harmful to the developing brains of unborn babies and young children, affecting cognitive, motor, and sensory functions. The more methylmercury that accumulate into a person's bloodstream, the longer the exposure time, and the younger in age of the person consuming the fish, the more severe the effects may be.

If you are a pregnant woman, a woman of childbearing age who may become pregnant, a nursing mother, or a child the FDA and EPA advise against eating fish that might contain high levels of mercury. Since effects from too much mercury can also occur in men and in women not of childbearing age, their consumption of fish that may contain high levels of mercury should be limited to occasional use.

How does methyl mercury accumulate in fish?

Although mercury occurs naturally in the environment, the primary source of methylmercury in fish is industrial pollution. Through rain, snow, and runoff, mercury can accumulate in streams, oceans, rivers, and lakes where, aided by bacteria, it undergoes a chemical transformation into methyl mercury, which can be toxic. Fish absorb methyl mercury from water as they feed on aquatic organisms. Larger, longer living fish feed on other fish throughout their lives, thereby accumulating the highest levels of methylmercury. Cooking preparation and heat does not reduce mercury levels.

As stated within the results of their study Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury (2000), the National Academy of Sciences stated: "Because of the beneficial effects of fish consumption, the long term goal needs to be a reduction in the concentrations of mercury in fish rather than the replacement of fish in the diet by other foods. In the interim, the best method of maintaining fish consumption and minimizing mercury exposure is the consumption of fish known to have lower methylmercury concentrations."

Which commercially available fish might contain high levels of methyl mercury?

King Mackerel, Shark, Swordfish, Tilefish

What about tuna?

Since canned light tuna is processed from smaller varieties of tuna, it will have less mercury than either canned albacore ("white") tuna or tuna steaks/fillets. Accordingly, the FDA and EPA advise limiting intake of both albacore tuna and tuna steaks/fillets to up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of tuna steak eaten per week.

What about other fish?

You can reduce your exposure to mercury by eating a variety of fish known to have low mercury levels. While individuals outside of the more vulnerable, sensitive population groups may enjoy low mercury fish more frequently, the FDA and EPA recommend that women who are or may become pregnant, and nursing mothers eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) per week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury. Young children should be served smaller portions.

Which fish are considered low in mercury?

In general, smaller fish have less mercury than larger fish as the older and larger the fish, the greater the potential for high mercury levels in their bodies. Commercially available fish lower in mercury include:

Sardines Catfish
Cod
Crab
Flounder/Sole
Haddock
Herring
Lobster
Ocean perch
Oysters
Rainbow trout
Farmed Salmon
Wild Salmon
Scallops
Shrimp
Spiny lobster
Tilapia
Trout (farmed)

Besides fish, what other foods provide the omega-3 essential fatty acids that are found in significant quantities in fish?

As an alternative to eating fish, purified (often called "molecularly distilled") fish oil supplements offer omega-3 fatty acids with lower levels of contaminants. Omega-3-enriched eggs offer another alternative source of essential fatty acids, and micro-algae based omega-3 supplements, available in our Whole Body department, are a vegetarian alternative to fish-and egg-based forms.

MORE...

Demonstration plant

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Fri, 02 May 2008 17:32:21 GMT

From Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Plant to turn waste into ethanol

Friday, April 25, 2008

By Elwin Green, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A biofuels developer is building a plant in Westmoreland County to demonstrate a process for producing ethanol from biomass and waste products.

Executives from Coskata, based in Warrenville, Ill., are joining Gov. Ed Rendell; Sen. Robert P. Casey Jr., D-Pa.; and Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center this morning to announce the $25 million project in Madison.

The plant, which will be on the grounds of the Westinghouse Plasma Center, will employ about 20 to produce ethanol from a variety of materials, including municipal waste, more cheaply and efficiently than producing it from corn, said Bill Roe, Coskata's president and chief executive officer, in an interview with the Post-Gazette.

"It's not necessary for us to remove food from the food chain," he said.

The plant will employ the Plasma Center's gasifier to superheat raw materials at temperatures up to 1700 degrees Fahrenheit, then release the resulting synthetic gas, or "syngas," into a bioreactor, where it will become food for microorganisms that convert it into ethanol.

Coskata expects to produce 40,000 gallons of ethanol annually at the facility. General Motors, which has an equity stake in Coskata, will use the fuel for testing its growing line of flex-fuel vehicles. Those vehicles are built to run on E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, as well as regular unleaded.

The demonstration plant, expected to be fully operational in a year, will pave the way for construction of full-scale plants that can produce 40 million to 400 million gallons of ethanol annually, Mr. Roe said. Those plants are expected to employ 100 to 150 workers each. Sites have yet to be selected for those facilities.

Mr. Roe said Coskata's process will produce 100 gallons of ethanol from a ton of feedstock, compared with 67 gallons produced from the same amount of corn, and that the fuel will cost less than $1 a gallon to produce.

GM spokesman Alan Adler said the company partnered with Coskata because "when there's a disruption in the supply of fuel … it changes the way people use their vehicles.

"Ethanol is the only play we can make in the near term that will make a difference."

Elwin Green can be reached at egreen@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1969.

First published on April 25, 2008 at 12:00 am

High Purity

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:27:42 GMT

From ThomasNet.com

RathGibson Offers 6" OD High Purity and Ultra High Purity Tubing for the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Industries

Janesville, WI - RathGibson, a leading manufacturer of welded, welded and drawn, and seamless stainless steel, nickel, and titanium tubing and pipe, offers 6" OD tubing for high purity and ultra high purity applications in the pharmaceutical and biotechnical industries.

RathGibson's 6" OD product line includes both SFT1 and SFT4 finishes that fulfill the stringent ASME BPE and ASTM A270 S2 specifications. Crafted with 316L stainless steel, RathGibson's 6" OD tubing is bore scoped and polished to minimize surface anomalies and reduce corrosion and pathogen contamination.

FULL STORY…

Tube welding

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:16:00 GMT

From TheFabricator.com

Hobart Institute releases instructional programs for pipe GTAW

"Gas Tungsten Arc Welding of 2-inch Pipe" provides a step-by-step explanation of how to weld mild steel pipe in the 2G, 5G, and 6G welding positions using the GTAW process.The training materials package includes two DVDs, an instructor guide, and a written test (50 copies). The instructor guide com...

FULL STORY...

Cut-off die quick adjustment

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:41:03 GMT

This clip shows how we build into our machines every advantage we can think of to save our customers time. It only takes a few minutes to adjust the ejection ramp to a new tube size. We video tape the machine being maintained for our customers for quick reference. This we find saves everyone time when the machines are first set-up for production by Innovo’s team. whenever questions they have are usually answered with the maintenance video.

http://blogcast.tubenotching.com/2008/04/21/cutoff-6-dia.aspx

Overview Slideshow

Rising costs threaten green agenda

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 11:10:40 GMT

From www.telegraph.co.uk/

By Russell Hotten

[News that the country's biggest backer of wind farms is voicing concern about funding will alarm the Government, which sees this energy source as key to meetings its commitments to reduce carbon emissions.

Sarwjit Sambhi, Centrica's director of power generation and renewables, said there are some "strong headwinds - financial, in the supply chain and skill shortages".

He added: "We will have to bring in investment and trade partners on future projects. The balance sheets of the utilities cannot absorb all the increased costs."

His comments will be seen as an open invitation to infrastructure funds and finance houses to come and talk about partnering Centrica on a variety of alternative energy projects. Mr Sambhi would not discuss rumours that Centrica is in discussions with Riverstone, the private equity firm that has employed ex-BP chief Lord Browne to look at alternative energy investments.

Centrica is considering plans for several wind farms, to be built by 2015, at a current estimated cost of £3bn. But it is worried about how it can plan for long-term investments that could spiral out of control.]

FULL STORY...

It appears as if nothing will improve the state of crises, a situation in which things are very uncertain, especially a time when action must be taken, unless the financial industry is willing to accept strict regulations, a cop of sorts , to plug the greed.

Disclosures proposed

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 10:54:35 GMT

Article From: Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON -- Mortgage disclosure forms, long considered baffling, incomprehensible and misleading, are about to get an overhaul, federal officials promised Friday.

[MY TAKE: It's hard to feel sorry for the mortgage industry & other financial institutions. Did this take them by surprise? It looks like greed took control of their minds.

As distasteful as the word sounds, Regulation, it has proven once again to be a necessary element in the capitalist system.]

article summary continued...

Moreover, the 96-page proposal, which updates the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) that governs mortgage loans, would bar lenders from steeply hiking costs at closing -- a common complaint today -- by designating which fees could vary from the estimate and by how much.

"This is the most fantastic news consumers could have," said Jeff Lazerson, president of Mortgage Grader, an Internet-based loan broker. "We have needed this since RESPA was enacted in 1974. It was a poorly written law that protected crooked operators. This spells the end of bait-and-switch loan pricing."

FULL ARTICLE...

Train the Next Generation

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 12:06:08 GMT

Article from Industry Week

America's brain power provides many of the products we take for granted, from cell phones to pre-packaged foods and stain-resistant fabrics. We've gotten accustomed to "having it all" and having it all faster, smaller and sleeker.

But today, workforce issues are challenging America's manufacturing industry. The majority of U.S. manufacturers face a serious shortage of skilled employees. This deficit threatens to stunt development of new technologies and improvements of existing products. The result could weaken economic growth in the U.S. and around the world.

MORE...

Note the date of this article!: Oct. 10, 2007

This was a warning of things to come. What will the manufacturing sector in America do, or what can it do to turn around a downturn that looks like it will persist for the foreseeable future?

Nanowire battery

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 09:57:08 GMT

Stanford Report from the Global Spec Newsletter.

Nanowire battery can hold 10 times the charge of existing lithium-ion battery.

Stanford researchers have found a way to use silicon nanowires to reinvent the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that power laptops, iPods, video cameras, cell phones, and countless other devices.

The new technology, developed through research led by Yi Cui, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, produces 10 times the amount of electricity of existing lithium-ion, known as Li-ion, batteries. A laptop that now runs on battery for two hours could operate for 20 hours, a boon to ocean-hopping business travelers.

"It's not a small improvement," Cui said. "It's a revolutionary development."

The breakthrough is described in a paper, "High-performance lithium battery anodes using silicon nanowires," published online Dec. 16 in Nature Nanotechnology, written by Cui, his graduate chemistry student Candace Chan and five others.

MORE...

This is another example of where our tax dollars could be spent to break our dependency on foreign oil.

biological fermentation technology.

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 10:11:02 GMT

News update from Coskata Inc.

Warrenville, Ill. – February 6, 2008 – Coskata Inc., a leading developer of next-generation ethanol, today announced a strategic alliance with ICM, Inc. to design and construct a commercial ethanol plant using Coskata’s biological fermentation technology.

ICM is North America’s leading ethanol plant design, engineering and support firm. Its patented proprietary process technology is responsible for approximately 50 percent of North American ethanol production from plants constructed by Fagen, Inc. and ICM.

The first Coskata plant, expected to open in late 2010, will be the staging ground for the world’s first mass-produced next-generation ethanol. The location of Coskata’s first facility will be announced at a later date.

“Aligning with ICM on one of our first commercial plants is a natural choice because of their unrivaled biofuels technical knowledge and ability,” said Bill Roe, president and CEO of Coskata. “This strategic alliance moves us a step closer to the arrival of Coskata’s next-generation ethanol in the marketplace.”

FULL STORY...

Gas-Eating Bugs

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 12:49:33 GMT

From Kicking Tires...the blog.

"..........Once we can turn cellulose into ethanol, the corn can be left for the food market and the whole rest of the corn plant can go on to produce what's called cellulosic ethanol. Coskata has developed such a process, which converts cellulose, plus a whole lot more."

This is great news for the price of produce.

Coskata website

{Where the Coskata process differs most from other cellulosic methods is that it's not limited to plant matter. The gasifier gladly accepts shredded car tires, municipal waste, plastics that are otherwise unrecyclable — basically anything organic and dry. The tires are favored because they're carbon-rich, dense and widely available. Tobey said producing five gallons of ethanol would take roughly three tires, 50 pounds of wood or 100 pounds of baled hay or straw. The flexibility, however, is what makes this process so promising. It can be applied virtually anywhere, regardless of the waste stream. Roe said the plants can be built near feedstock sources, perhaps intercepting trash on its way to a landfill, as a way to decrease the economic and environmental cost of transporting it.}
Full story....

Currently we are creating enough waste in the USA to equal the entire land mass of the North American Continent each year.

{In 2006, US residents, businesses, and institutions produced more than 251 million tons of MSW, which is approximately 4.6 pounds of waste per person per day.} From Municipal Solid Waste

{Currently under construction is a 40,000-gallon-per-year demonstration plant that late this year or in early 2009 will begin supplying GM with ethanol. Coskata will also work with ICM, the company responsible for roughly half of the current corn-based-ethanol plants, to build a commercial facility capable of producing 50 to 100 million gallons per year. Its product should be in consumers' cars early in 2011.}

Automated tube cut-off dies

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:13:47 GMT

INNOVO Corporation: Tube Specialist.

Our standards include our tube Cut-off dies up to 6 “Dia. Automated tube cut off dies give you high production capabilities. Our redesigned cam is practically maintenance free.

Automated Tube Cut-off

Video source: INNOVO

http://blogcast.tubenotching.com/2008/02/17/automated-tube-cutoff-dies.aspx

Overview Slideshow

Multi-Station tube fabricating: Air-Bag cylinders

rgking66@tubenotching.com (Business Stream) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:13:19 GMT

INNOVO Corporation

Multi-Station tube fabricating machine. Tubes are moved from station to station. Interchangeable dies in each station allows endless options on a wide variety of parts.
The first machine was built in 1998. Today we have a fast & less expensive machine that will be uploaded soon.

Air-Bag cylinders.

Video source: INNOVO

http://blogcast.tubenotching.com/2008/02/15/multistation-tube-fabricating.aspx

Overview Slideshow