TurboCAD for MAC? 3d vs 2D?

I’ve been using TurboCAD since v.3 always liked it. I have v10.2, the question remains which is better the newer 3D versions or the older 2D versions.  It seems like there are almost too many features in the newer versions, right now CAD is one of the best options for MAC, so this is something to take into consideration when making an investment like this.

which language to use?

here is a very useful chart to use when deciding which language to use for web applications.

Feature	.Net	Java	Cold Fusion MX	PHP
Compiled Code – Increases website speed (precompiled is the fastest)	Yes – both precompiled and dynamically compiled when a page is requested	Yes – both precompiled and dynamically compiled when a page is requested	Yes – dynamically compiled when a page is requested	No – a 3rd party accelerator can be used to increase performance but it is not installed on most shared hosting servers.
Scripted Language – results in poor website performance	No	No	Somewhat	Yes – a 3rd party accelerator can be used to increase performance but it is not installed on most shared hosting servers.
Object Oriented – Increases the ability for code reuse and provides enhanced features as well as reduced development time; since code is more reusable, results in fewer bugs that can be discovered by any client and fixed for everyone; encourages developers to write more maintainable code.	Yes	Yes	Somewhat	No
Supported Development Languages – easier to find developers	C++, C#, Visual Basic.NET, Jscript.NET, Python, Perl, Java (J#), COBOL, Eiffel, Delphi – 25 languages supported currently	Java	CFML and CFScript	PHP
Browser Specific HTML Rendering – different HTML is automatically sent to IE than to Netscape, reducing incompatibility issues	Yes	No	No	No
Open Source	No	Yes	Somewhat	Yes

Greener Gadgets

Greener Gadgets and Core 77 Teamed up for a design competition aimed at generating outstanding design innovations for greener electronics. The top 50 entries were  published online for voting and commenting, and the top 10 were selected to be judged live at the Greener Gadgets Conference in New York City on February 27th.

The winner of the competition was the  Tweet-a-Watt/Wattcher wich won first place.  The device is a hacked Kill A Watt that transmits power consumption using an XBee.  this is one of the few entries that had a prototype ready to go, the design was released as “open source hardware”, meaning anyone can take the design and make it their own, building on to it or adopting it to a commercial product.

From Core 77 Website…

Design Brief

We invited designers to explore the concept of “Greener Gadgets.” Designs sought to minimize the environmental impact of consumer electronic devices at any stage in the product lifecycle. Areas of sustainability to consider included energy, materials/lifecycle/recycling, social impact, and educational development. Designers could focus on a particular area of human enterprise (learning, playing, communicating, etc.) or a particular context (work, home, school, etc.), a particular material, or a specific device. Entries could also seek to create new paradigms for products and services.

About Greener Gadgets

Greener Gadgets, now in its second year, is a one-day conference scheduled for February 27, 2009 and features key representatives from some of the largest consumer electronics companies in the world, innovators from academic thinktanks, members of startups focused on renewable energy, and some of the leading minds in the word of sustainable design and business. For more information, visit www.greenergadgets.com

The Rubber Duck method of debugging

We called it the Rubber Duck method of debugging. It goes like this: 1) Beg, borrow, steal, buy, fabricate or otherwise obtain a rubber duck (bathtub variety) 2) Place rubber duck on desk and inform it you are just going to go over some code with it, if that’s all right. 3) Explain to the duck what you code is supposed to do, and then go into detail and explain things line by line 4) At some point you will tell the duck what you are doing next and then realise that that is not in fact what you are actually doing. The duck will sit there serenely, happy in the knowledge that it has helped you on your way. Works every time. Actually, if you don’t have a rubber duck you could at a

Custom Designed Keyboards

Types of Custom Designed Keyboards

Although they are often associated with personal computers, keyboards can be found in many sectors of the industrial marketplace. The industrial keyboard is a user interface, helping machine operators and engineers interact with a wide range of automated or semi-automated equipment. These devices typically employ alphanumeric buttons or sensors coded to specific input data that is relayed into a computer system, machine interface, or operational network.

Custom designed keyboards are an alternative to the standard keyboards usually packaged with computer systems. These specialized tools can be configured with a broad assortment of features, with many different combinations designed to meet the needs of specific industrial applications. The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) provides the specification and safety standards for most keyboard configurations. From swappable input devices and pointing text software, to optical recognition and speech controls, customizable keyboard designs offer a valuable range of tailored functions and utilities.

Switch Technology

One of the main distinctions between various keyboards is the type of circuit contact, or “switch,” used to communicate data into a machine. These switches determine the level of feedback and responsiveness of a key, and most keyboards have dozens of them. The most common configuration found in commercial and personal applications is the dome-switch design, which bridges two circuit boards through a rubber or plastic sheath. Pressing a key causes the rubber membrane to descend, connecting the two circuits and transmitting the input into the machine. The dome-switch model is common in offices and handheld devices. Some other customizable switch features include:

• Molded silicone switch keys: These are individually molded buttons that provide durability and tight sealing for industrial applications.

• Membrane designs: Membrane keyboards are usually flat, multi-layered interfaces that issue audio alerts to indicate that a key has been pressed. They are water and leakage resistant, and are often used in difficult settings, such as those involving corrosive elements or harsh environmental conditions.

• Mechanical switches: These keyboards offer a physical switch mechanism beneath each individual key. They tend to be more expensive than membrane designs, but provide strong positive feedback from a key press and relatively quick response time.

• Rollover Capability: Rollover is the degree to which a keyboard can respond to multiple simultaneous key presses. Certain industrial applications require several interface keys to be held down at the same time, or programming to prevent the machine from misreading accidental presses. In these cases, customized keyboards with individual switches and diodes at each circuit intersection can enable efficient rollover detection.

Keyboard Mounting Configurations

Positioning a keyboard is an important consideration in numerous industrial projects. Machine specifications may preclude the chance of a standard desktop arrangement, and space requirements often dictate the interface design. For these reasons, custom mounting settings can be a valuable addition to a manufacturing job. Some common types of custom mountings used in machine controls include:

• Standalone: These keyboards rest on top of a flat surface, such as a table or a clear space directly on the equipment. They can be mounted at an adjustable angle to better help the user access the interface. Some can be configured with optional touch panels, and are available in cable-attached or wireless formats.

• Flush mount: Flush mounted keyboards are usually attached from the rear of the operator’s panel, and have threading holes to ensure a stable connection. They typically include a gasket seal that allows them to lie closely against the equipment, minimizing their profile.

• Surface mount: These keyboards also use a gasket seal, but are mounted to the top of a user control panel, rather than its rear. They usually provide a small profile, and can be customized with other features, such as specialized text overlays or touch screen capabilities.

Touch Panels

While many machine control systems employ peripheral devices such as mice, trackballs, or joysticks, certain risks presented by an industrial environment can render them impractical. Contaminants or physical wear may degrade the quality of an external device, making integrated touch panels a commonly used option in conjunction with keyboards. These touch screens detect finger motion and tapping, and usually function without any moving parts. Digital icons can be clicked, dragged, or manipulated using a pointer. The touch panel is usually attached to the keyboard via cables or wireless connections, and can be mounted in ways similar to keyboard positioning.

Virtual Keyboards and Keysets

In circumstances where a physical keyboard is not a viable option, virtual keyboard technology may come in handy. A virtual keyboard can be created with an optical projection device that casts a laser display onto a flat surface and uses sensors to detect key presses, or by a touch panel or tablet computer with a built-in digital keyboard. These devices can often be reconfigured with various key combinations, depending on the changing circumstances of the task.

Similarly, a keyset is a small handheld device useful for situations in which a full-sized keyboard would be impossible or impractical. It employs a series of buttons that, when pressed in certain combinations, transmit various texts or commands to a machine. While it has limited applications due to its inability to fully express a complex language, the keyset can be helpful in communicating simple functions and allows the user to have a free hand while operating the device.

Customized Interfaces

Many industrial keyboards can be equipped with secondary characteristics to enhance their utility. Features such as backlights, audio alerts, ergonomic shapes, and rugged durability are fairly widespread customizable options. In addition, manufacturers can often purchase specialized keysets that provide different button layouts aside from the standard QWERTY configuration.

Some keypads can be designed to suit specific machine controls by providing hotkeys that initiate a frequently used task or with color designations that offer easier access to certain functions. Manufacturers can also choose between connectivity options, depending on whether a USB, serial, parallel, or PS/2 port is the preferable mode for integrating a keyboard into a particular machine system. This vast array of modifiable features, as well as the rapid advance of new designs, makes it likely that custom keyboards will continue to provide valuable support for many industrial applications.

Understand Shrinkage in Industrial Casting

Fabrication shops and foundries attempt to create metal castings that closely adhere to design specifications with as few deviations as possible. However, avoiding defects in a product run can be a challenging task since most metals shrink to some degree as they cool. When a component undergoes shrinkage, it can seriously undermine the integrity of the entire device and may eventually break under stress. To help reduce or eliminate the chances of faulty parts entering the marketplace, many facilities employ inspection equipment to detect both superficial and internal imperfections. Despite these efforts, metal casting shrinkage remains an important concern for many manufacturers.”\”casting” Shrinkage Porosity There are two main types of porosity problems in the metalworking industry: shrinkage porosity and gas porosity. Shrinkage is by far the most common type and can usually be detected on the surface of a cast part by what appear to be small holes or cracks. These holes may seem round, but are actually angular in shape and tend to form branching internal fractures. Thick multi-angled parts are most susceptible to such shrinkage, which occurs as the metal cools and solidifies in a non-uniform pattern. Types of Casting Shrinkage There are four types of shrinkage that can occur in metal castings: cavity, sponge, filamentary, and dendritic shrinkage. • Cavity shrinkage: This defect occurs when two different sources of molten material are joined to create a common front while solidification is already taking place. A lack of additional feed material to fill in the accumulating gaps can further exacerbate the cavity shrinkage problem. • Sponge shrinkage: This usually arises in the thicker mid-section of the casting product and causes a thin lattice texture similar to filament or dendrites to develop. • Filamentary shrinkage: This results in a network of continuous cracks of various dimensions and densities, usually under a thick section of the material. It can be difficult to detect, and the fracture lines tend to be interconnected. • Dendritic shrinkage: Dendritic fractures are narrow, randomly distributed lines or cavities that are often unconnected. They are typically thinner and less dense than filamentary cracks. How Temperature Affects Casting Shrinkage To reduce the potential for metal casting shrinkage, it is helpful to work within a delineated temperature range. Metal should be heated to achieve appropriate molten characteristics, but without reaching its full liquid state. This usually entails heating the material to slightly above its flow point, but well below its melting point. Preventing overheating can be just as important to effective casting as cultivating a molten flow. It is also useful to note that castings can cool at a rate of up to 100 degrees per minute once molten pouring is complete. Since shrinkage can be caused by working material while solidification is under way, it is important to have equipment prepared to treat the workpiece before it solidifies. Avoiding Common Shrinkage Defects The most common causes of shrinkage are related to the casting sprue, which is the passage through which molten metal is poured into a mold. In some areas, such as the heavy sections of the mold, the metal takes longer to contract and solidify, which reduces feed material availability and increases the likelihood of shrinkage, especially if the sprue is too small for the volume of flow. A properly sized sprue attached directly to the heavy section can fill the cavity and provide the feed material necessary to counteract shrinkage as cooling occurs. In addition, using a rounded, rather than a flat or square, gate on the sprue can further reduce the risk of forming defects. Using a narrow or tapered sprue can result in the molten metal being sprayed rather than poured into the cavity. When this happens, certain sections of the workpiece begin to solidify before the entire mold is filled. Molten flow into the cavity should be as uniform as possible, and a larger central sprue or a multiple-sprue arrangement can help achieve the even supply of material. Fabrication shops and foundries attempt to create metal castings that closely adhere to design specifications with as few deviations as possible. However, avoiding defects in a product run can be a challenging task since most metals shrink to some degree as they cool. When a component undergoes shrinkage, it can seriously undermine the integrity of the entire device and may eventually break under stress. To help reduce or eliminate the chances of faulty parts entering the marketplace, many facilities employ inspection equipment to detect both superficial and internal imperfections. Despite these efforts, metal casting shrinkage remains an important concern for many manufacturers. Shrinkage Porosity There are two main types of porosity problems in the metalworking industry: shrinkage porosity and gas porosity. Shrinkage is by far the most common type and can usually be detected on the surface of a cast part by what appear to be small holes or cracks. These holes may seem round, but are actually angular in shape and tend to form branching internal fractures. Thick multi-angled parts are most susceptible to such shrinkage, which occurs as the metal cools and solidifies in a non-uniform pattern. Types of Casting Shrinkage There are four types of shrinkage that can occur in metal castings: cavity, sponge, filamentary, and dendritic shrinkage. • Cavity shrinkage: This defect occurs when two different sources of molten material are joined to create a common front while solidification is already taking place. A lack of additional feed material to fill in the accumulating gaps can further exacerbate the cavity shrinkage problem. • Sponge shrinkage: This usually arises in the thicker mid-section of the casting product and causes a thin lattice texture similar to filament or dendrites to develop. • Filamentary shrinkage: This results in a network of continuous cracks of various dimensions and densities, usually under a thick section of the material. It can be difficult to detect, and the fracture lines tend to be interconnected. • Dendritic shrinkage: Dendritic fractures are narrow, randomly distributed lines or cavities that are often unconnected. They are typically thinner and less dense than filamentary cracks. How Temperature Affects Casting Shrinkage To reduce the potential for metal casting shrinkage, it is helpful to work within a delineated temperature range. Metal should be heated to achieve appropriate molten characteristics, but without reaching its full liquid state. This usually entails heating the material to slightly above its flow point, but well below its melting point. Preventing overheating can be just as important to effective casting as cultivating a molten flow. It is also useful to note that castings can cool at a rate of up to 100 degrees per minute once molten pouring is complete. Since shrinkage can be caused by working material while solidification is under way, it is important to have equipment prepared to treat the workpiece before it solidifies. Avoiding Common Shrinkage Defects The most common causes of shrinkage are related to the casting sprue, which is the passage through which molten metal is poured into a mold. In some areas, such as the heavy sections of the mold, the metal takes longer to contract and solidify, which reduces feed material availability and increases the likelihood of shrinkage, especially if the sprue is too small for the volume of flow. A properly sized sprue attached directly to the heavy section can fill the cavity and provide the feed material necessary to counteract shrinkage as cooling occurs. In addition, using a rounded, rather than a flat or square, gate on the sprue can further reduce the risk of forming defects. Using a narrow or tapered sprue can result in the molten metal being sprayed rather than poured into the cavity. When this happens, certain sections of the workpiece begin to solidify before the entire mold is filled. Molten flow into the cavity should be as uniform as possible, and a larger central sprue or a multiple-sprue arrangement can help achieve the even supply of material.