Saturday, March 14, 2020

How to Follow Up After a Job Interview

How to Follow Up After a Job InterviewIf you think a job interview truly ends with the firm handshake and well be in touch at the end, think again. You still have one mora crucial step the thank you note to everyone who interviewed you. Not only is it a nice touch, it canbe seen as an essential one to the hiring manager you just left. They may be secretly testing your follow-up skills. And even if theyre not, its better to send a note right away (the same day) so you dont have to think about it again. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Here is a sample thank you note you can use to craft your own.SEE ALSO4 Google Searches to Boost Interview Successparte 1 The OpenerThis part is crucial because you dont want to be too formal or too casual. Dear Sir or Madam is too formal and can feel off-putting and generic to someone you just met and (ideally) clicked with. Dear partie or Hello person work well as your opening greeting.Part 2 The Thank YouK eep it simple. Theres no need to go into lines of flowery prose about how your one-hour interview changed your life and how you will never, ever forget the interviewer as long as you live. The basic declarative statement works here as your first point Thank you for taking the time to interview me today.Part 3 The CallbackAfter the initial thank you, its good to offer some specific points from the interview itself, so your note doesnt feel like a generic template where you just plugged in a new name at the top. I especially enjoyed talking about the companys perspective on clowns. I look forward to hearing more about the clown outreach program.Part 4 The Self PlugFind a way to re-emphasize how you would be a good fit for the role. As we discussed, due to my extensive experience with rodeos, Im excited about the prospect of finding new and more effective ways to manage the clown performances.Part 5 The FutureHeres where you show the interviewer that youre looking ahead to the next par t, but also that youre willing to keep a dialogue open. Definitely include that youre looking forward to hearing from them, but also offer any additional information they may need. If theres any other information I can provide to help you make your decision, please dont hesitate to let me know. I can be reached by email (firstname.lastnamerespectablemailclient.com) anytime.Part 6 The CloserAfter that, youre on to the easiest part the closing greeting. Dont go flowery or personal. No Forever yours, or With greatest thanks. Just a straightforward, friendly Best wishes, or Thanks again will do. And even if you found yourself in a joking kind of banter with the interviewer, resist the urge to go overly casual. You may have hit it off, but theyre not your friends (yet)theyre the people evaluating your professional skills and behavior.Breezy and professional are the way to go in the thank you note. Its not the time to rehash the entire interview or go over 43 bullet points you didnt manag e to cover in person. And the most important factor of all speed. Standard archaic dating rules dont apply here you dont wait for the other person to call first, and you dont wait three days for a reply. Write an email the same dayor even right after you leave the appointment. Again, your promptness will likely be noted, and it means you wont have this lingering on your to-do list.If the interview was very formal or you got a formal vibe from the interviewer, consider following up with a brief thank-you card via snail mail, as well. Manners are always a welcome part of a professional package, and your awesome communication/follow-up skills could make all the difference.

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

How to Be a Better Working Parent Than Your Own Parents

How to Be a Better Working Parent Than Yur Own Parents Maybe you grew up with overworked, overwhelmed and thus distant parents parents who struggled with finding a balance between work and home life. Or maybe you grew up in a toxic family with abusive or not-so-nurturing parents. And now that you have children of yur own, you want to be sure youre a positive working parent, despite not being raised by one. Its not easy, but tzu siche are steps you can take to do the best you can.Mothering brings many joys while simultaneously being one of the most challenging roles we will undertake in our lifetime, says TheresaGil, psychotherapist, psychology professor, and trainer who works with women, children and families dealing with recovery from child abuse and trauma. Gil is also the author of Women Who Were Sexually Abused as Children Mothering, Resilience, and Protecting the Next Generation. Mothering comprises multiple responsibilities including developing and nurturing the physical, inte llectual and spiritual growth of our children. Our childrens needs are forever changing, and each stage of development will test our skills, knowledge and parenting experiences.Gil adds that, today, 75 percent of mothers in the United States are employed outside the home, which adds to a womans responsibilities and means having to find a balance, which she says can be daunting. Add to that the constant pressure society places on women and standards to which women are held with regards to both being parents and professionals, and the result is a whole lof ot mom-shaming and, hence, working mom guilt.In fact, one in four working moms are so overwhelmed with achieving a work-life harmony that they cry alone at least once a week, according to a 2014 Care.com survey. The important thing to remember is that doing your best looks different for everyone theres no one right way to be a positive working parent.We spoke with Gil to come up with four strategies to promote overall well-being an d life satisfaction, so you can be your best self, whatever that looks like.1. Be Gentle with YourselfIt is important that we practice self-care and be gentle with ourselves by taking time to rest, restore and re-energize, Gil says. We can departure by reflecting on the activities and experiences that bring us joy. If we enjoy being creative, whether it derives from music, dance or art, then we must incorporate these activities in our life. If we enjoy the outdoors, then make sure you take some time to go for a walk and to be in nature. Studies have shown that nature and creative activities help to de-stress the body, contributes to relaxation and restore balance in our lives.If youre looking for other ways to take care of yourself, check out this list of ideas curated by working moms themselves it spans everything from taking time to do some yoga to journaling, painting and cooking.2. Monitor Self-TalkSome of our negative self-talk have their origins in childhood and past negative experiences, says Gil. Negative self-talk can be so ingrained that we are not consciously aware of the inner dialogue that many of us engage in. Negative self-talk impacts how we view ourselves, controls our feelings and behaviors, and the choices we make. We should take the necessary time to engage in learning about our negative internal dialogue and to find out where the messages come from are the messages from family, parents, friends and/or teachers? Although our negative messages may have originated from others, eventually we internalize the messages and take them as our own.Gil says that becoming conscious of that negative internal dialogue is a step toward making changes to it and, ultimately, replacing it with more realistic appraisals of ourselves. That said, because our brains are wired to remember negative experiences, it takes a conscious effort to change those thought patterns.Journaling is one way to take time for ourselves and self-reflect, she advises. It helps us to get in touch with our feelings and thoughts on a deeper level and, thus, helps us to gain insight and alter the negativity that interferes with our relationships with our children and functioning at work.3. Build Positive and Affirming SupportsAs children, we do not have choices about the adults and significant people that care for us some people are born into toxic families where there was or is minimal nurturing or displays of spontaneous affection, Gil says. However, as adults, we can control who we engage with. The people that surround us influence how we landsee ourselves. If we currently have negative and unsupportive people in our lives, these people will continue to perpetuate the negative thoughts we have internalized about ourselves, re-enact our childhood rejections and maintain our negative life experiences.As adults, Gil adds that we both can and should choose to surround ourselves with kind, capable and supportive people who take an interest in our lives and show u s genuine care.Cultivating healthy relationships and having supportive people in our lives will help build our resilience and will ultimately foster our ability to rest, restore our energies and revitalize our relationships, she says.4. Create Structure and a Predictable LifestyleStructuring our day to day life and making a schedule is important to creating stability, predictability and consistency, Gil adds. Creating and incorporating a structure and routine helps us to manage time better and helps to alleviate anxiety that comes from a lack of predictability and multiple responsibilities. Having a daily routine might include having a bedtime or a regular waking hour. It helps to bring balance into our lives, Gil says, which can alleviate stress for the entire family.In summary, negative people, chaotic and unpredictable lives, and negative self-talk act as continuous stressors, she says. In contrast, positive supports, structure and routines, being kind to ourselves, and positive affirmations uplift us to be our best selves. In order to be more effective in our roles as mothers and in the workplace, we need to take care of ourselves and increase our support systems. When we take care of ourselves, and afford ourselves the time to relax, rest and rejuvenate, we will have the energy to be available and more present both at home and work.--AnnaMarie Houlis is a feminist, a freelance journalist and an adventure aficionado with an affinity for impulsive solo travel. She spends her days writing about womens empowerment from around the world. You can follow her work on her blog,HerReport.org, and follow her journeys on Instagram Facebook.

Monday, January 6, 2020

Eddie Betts - AFL Player, Carlton Football Club

Eddie Betts - AFL Player, Carlton Football Club Eddie Betts AFL PlayerPosted October 13, 2011, by Helen Isbister Eddie started out his sporting life as a talented soccer player, but his father introduced him to AFL at age 11 and the rest is history. He made his debut for the Carlton Football Club in Round 1, 2005. Eddie is a resounding crowd favourite and he also picked up AFL Goal of the Year in 2006. Where are you from originally? I was born in South Australia in hafen Lincoln where Dad lived, but I shifted over to Western Australia because my mum lives in Kalgoorlie. Did you grow up playing AFL? No not really. I played soccer when I was little and then Dad came and put me into AFL when I was about 11. I moved to South Australia a couple of years later and played in the little league. I then moved to Melbourne to play, and ended up getting picked for the under-18s TAC Cup. I got a chance to play with the Calder Cannons for two years before getting picked up by Carlton. Whats the best part of being a pro AFL player? Playing at the MCG. I still think that I am surprised to be playing AFL professionally. Is it scary or exhilarating to go out in front of large crowds? If we come up against a team like Collingwood or Essendon, its always a big crowd. Its pretty pumped playing a game with a lot of people watching. With a big crowd and big atmosphere its awesome the adrenaline is just amazing. Whats your schedule like during the week? We train basically every day except Thursday. We have meetings, weights, beach training, massages, physio its pretty full-on. You obviously enjoy the game. Do you also enjoy training? I enjoy training a lot actually. I like going to the club and seeing all my boys its my second home because Im there nearly every day of the week. Most blokes dont enjoy doing pre-season training, but we have to do it and the rest of the year is good. What rckendeckung crew do you have around you? We have a very young crew down here. The coach and th e assistant coaches are easy to approach and we can talk to them about anything. What other commitments do you have outside of training? Every Thursday we go out to schools and talk to the kids about how to help save the environment. How do you feel about being in the public eye? I dont really like the media. Ive never really gotten used to it. When you get recruited into the AFL do they help you deal with that sort of thing? When we get drafted, we spend the whole first year going through a program with media training, drugs and alcohol talks, and that sort of thing. Every player in every club has to go through the program. Is there any extra support for Indigenous players? A lot of the Indigenous players are doing an ambassador program at the moment to try to help young Indigenous communities. There are also Indigenous camps up in Broome. At the beginning of next year all of the Indigenous boys in the AFL, 72 of us, will go up to Darwin and get to know each other a bit more. Do yo u have any plans for what you are going to do after you retire from AFL? We try to do something now on our day off so that we have something to do after we finish AFL. Im starting to do some work in the landscaping business. Do you have advice for youngsters who are trying to start out in AFL? Keep working hard and believing in yourself. If you come to Melbourne from different states you might get homesick, but you have to keep fighting and keep working hard. Youll get used to it and the boys will help you out. Please note, this article was originally published in 2009.Personal Trainer CourseStudy modeOn CampusverbundenPayment optionsPayment planCourse guide+ FREE eBrochureEnquire Online Enquire OnlineFitness ResourcesGroup fitness instructor/programmer sample cover letterSports coach resumeInterested in becoming a?Rehabilitation CounsellorPersonal TrainerCommunity Health WorkerSports AdministratorFitness TrainerPopular Career Searcheshow to become sports agentcost and duration of c ert 3 and 4 in fitness coursehow to become a zumba instructor in australiasports management courses online in australiahow to become an aqua aerobics instructor in australiaFitness CoursesBachelor of Health Science (Nutrition and Exercise)Enquire Online Enquire OnlineDiploma of Sport and Recreation ManagementEnquire Online Enquire OnlineComplete Personal TrainerEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate IV in FitnessEnquire Online Enquire OnlineHelen IsbisterRelated ArticlesBrowse moreFitnessFixated on fitnessWhether you picture yourself muscling-up your fellow mums or working your way onto Australias sporting fields, a career in the fitness industry can be as dynamic as you make it.Career changeCAREER INSPIRATIONPost-sporting careers - game over or career makeover?When a sprinter is crossing the line first to claim Olympic gold or a League player is converting the winning try the last thing on their minds is what career they will pursue once their sporting prowess fades and the next generation steps in.Australian College of Physical Education (ACPE)A career in sport will take you placesEver wondered what a qualification in the sports industry can really do for you?

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Improve Your Resume With Our Electrical Engineer Resume Template for Word

Improve Your Resume With Our Electrical Engineer Resume Template for absolutImprove Your Resume With Our Electrical Engineer Resume Template for WordIntroductionApplying for a job can be an intimidating process. It is important that you make a strong impression because there will always be many candidates who you are competing with. One of the best ways to strengthen your job application is to review our electrical engineer resume template for Word and use the writing guide to make your resume as strong as possible. Learn how to format your summary statement, skills section, experience section, and education section.Electrical Engineer Resume Template for Word Luke JohnsonSan Jose, California 11111E LJohnsonanymail.com P 555 Electrical engineering expert with more than 10 years of working experience Held positions of leadership and management with confidence Prioritize collaboration with other engineers and utilize clear communicationPerfect Your Skills SectionThe skills section is a brief overview of your abilities. This section allows readers to understand your capabilities at a glance, meaning it should only have between four and eight bullet points. This section is also a good opportunity to inject phrases or keywords from the job description. Not only does this communicate that you read the posting carefully, it also makes you seem like a perfect fit for the position. Review the above electrical engineer resume template for Word and the following examples for an idea of what kinds of skills will be beneficial to include. Electrical testing and installation Blueprint creation Highly organizedPolish Your Work History SectionAs you see in the electrical engineer resume template for Word, the experience section is usually the longest and should include the strongest information. Employers have very specific expectations for this section, so be sure to follow the standard formatting rules closely.You should include between five and eight bullet points, althoug h you can include slightly more or less depending on how important each position is. Only describe current positions in present tense all others should be in past tense. You can also opt to leave certain positions out of your resume, especially if they were held for a short period of time, are bedrngnis relevant to the position you are applying for, or were not important positions. Begin with the most recent job and list the rest in reverse chronological order. You should always be sure to begin every bullet point with a strong action verb. Including real metrics is a good way to strengthen your resume further. It adds credibility and clearly communicates what kind of employee you would be if hired.Here are a couple examples to follow Electrical Engineer Hillcrest Electrical, San Diego, California 6/2014 to Present Install electrical equipment and wiring correctly and efficiently Delegate electrical tasks to other engineers to keep projects on schedule Test electrical equipment an d make note of malfunctions, making immediate repairs whenever possibleElectrical Engineer Assistant Bay View Electricians, San Francisco, California 1/2015 to Present Retrieve tools, documents, blueprints, or personnel quickly and precisely Provide insight and assistance in all electrical work whenever possible Follow instructions efficiently and successfully at all timesRefine Your Education SectionThe education section is a relatively unimportant section, so it should be the shortest section. As this electrical engineer resume template for Word shows, only include the information that relates directly to the position you are applying for. Unless it has been requested specifically, do not mention your high school or GPA information. Generally, you only need to mention your school, date of graduation, and type of degree. You can also choose to describe any internships or certifications you have had as long as they are relevant.Electrical Engineer Education Section ExampleMaster o f Science in Electrical Engineering Candidate Expected graduation 2018University of Houston, TexasBachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering 2016University of Houston, Texas

Friday, December 27, 2019

This is how I finally confronted my office bully

This is how I finally confronted my office bullyThis is how I finally confronted my office bullyAccording to the Workplace Bullying Institute, bullying is actually four times more common than sexual harassment in the workplace. Its also an issue that affects both women and men.The thing about workplace bullying, however, is that its leid easy to spot, especially given our cultural norms. For example, when I received a series of passive-aggressive emails that undercut me professionally and personally, I initially brushed them off because I welches told the sender was difficult. At the time, I didnt recognize these messages were inappropriate - but now, I know I was dealing with a workplace bully.Too often women ignore or dismiss belittling behavior in the office. As women, we are conditioned to be nice, to not make waves, to submit to authority. The tide is turning, however. With the rise of the MeToo movement and TimesUp campaign, women across the U.S. (and the world) are speaking u p about sexual harassment - and putting an end to it.We can speak out to stop bullying, too. Thats why Im sharing my story.I wonder sometimes if this would have happened to me if Id been a man. Or if I wasnt so young. Or lacking in self-confidence.The starting pointLets back up a little so I can set the scene. When I experienced workplace bullying, I was starting a new job - one that required me to work directly with this colleague. Lets call him D. We werent in the same department, but D played a key role in the projects I managed. He was 20 years my senior I was in my twenties. His work was often late, which made my work late, too. This started to become a problem, so I started trying to hold D accountable for deadlines.Thats when the bullying began.Rather than own up to his tardiness, D belittled me via email. Once, he said hed told my office bestie that it was a big mistake Id taken this job. Other times, hed find a way to twist a situation and blame me for his lateness. Most of the time, he was just rude, dealing out backhanded compliments with practiced ease. Communicating with him made me anxious. My confidence plummeted. I started thinking maybe what he told my friend was right. Maybe I wasnt cut out for this position. Ds words had me wrapped up in a major case of imposter syndrome.The strangest thing of all? This harassment only happened over email. We rarely saw each other since we worked in different departments.Blame it on socialization or inexperience (or both), but I couldnt say for sure what was going on. I knew in my gut that something was wrong. I dreaded our interactions. I think I endured Ds bad behavior for so long because Id come to believe some of the hurtful, condescending comments he made. Hed been actively intimidating me - and it had been working - but I was too naive to see it.How I stood up to himOne day I got an email from D that really made me mad. I was pretty certain what he said was out of bounds - this wasnt in my head. I went to my supervisor and told her everything. Then I asked for help. Youre not going to like this answer, she said. Why is that? I asked. The only way to stop this is for you to confront him, she said. Youve gotta call him out. Wait, what?Surely Id misheard her. I figured shed step in or send me to HR. Instead, she wanted me to talk to him. I told her I couldnt confront him - it made me too uncomfortable. Next time D sends an email like that, forward it to me, she said. Inevitably, a few days later, the next email arrived. I forwarded it, thinking my supervisor would finally step in. Instead, she urged me to call him immediately and tell him to stop. That was not the answer I was hoping for.I sat at my desk, palms sweating, and thought. I thought through what I needed to say, how I would say it, and before I could back out, I picked up the phone and dialed Ds number. When my coworker answered, he seemed startled. D, this has to stop, I said. Your emails are disrespectful and unpr ofessional. You cant speak to me that way.OK, he stammered. OK, I said abruptly. Then I hung up the phone. My hands were shaking, adrenaline pumping. I felt stunned. The person who spoke on the phone sounded strong, confident and calm - nothing like the disorganized, in-over-her-head woman D made me out to be. I liked her a lot. I wasnt sure what the outcome of our conversation would be, but I was sure of one thing Id summoned the courage to confront my bully and in doing so, I rediscovered my voice.Id summoned the courage to confront my bully and in doing so, I rediscovered my voice.What happened nextThe bullying stopped. The emails became polite. My working relationship with D improved. Work became pleasant again, and I began to thrive. I thanked my boss for pushing me to be courageous and to take a stand for myself. The experience was a turning point in my career. After I spoke up to D, I wanted to speak up more. I became more assertive and engaged in meetings and conversations. My confidence grew and I embraced my new role.I wonder sometimes if this would have happened to me if Id been a man. Or if I wasnt so young. Or lacking in self-confidence.I know that Im not alone in this experience and its not my fault I was targeted. Forbes columnist Liz Ryan believes theres only one reason bullying occurs in the workplace. People will bully and try to intimidate you in the business world if their spidey sense tells them that you are someone to be reckoned with - someone to take seriously.While workplace bullying is often directed at one individual, it hurts everyone. Research has shown that emotions in the workplace are contagious and that negative emotions are some of the most dangerous, said Brandon Smith, a workplace therapist. When bullying occurs in the workplace, people experience fear and heightened anxiety. This lowers employee morale and in extreme cases, it causes high-performing workers to change jobs.If you think you are being bullied at work, I urge you to take action. Start by talking with your supervisor or someone you can trust outside of the office. Document evidence of bullying for your records. Identify what is hurtful to you and how you would like to move forward. The next time a bullying incident occurs, confront your bully immediately. If the bullying continues after that, its time to talk to HR.My biggest takeaway from dealing with my office bully? There is nothing more powerful than standing up for yourself and summoning your voice.Thisarticle first appeared on Career Contessa.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Engineering Musical Drums

Engineering Musical Drums Engineering Musical Drums Engineering Musical DrumsBy Soren MaloneyWhat are musical steel drums?The steel drum is the only acoustic instrument developed in the last century. In the United States the instrument is known as the steel drum whereas throughout most of the Caribbean, the instrument is commonly referred to as the steelpan or pan. The steelpan has its roots in the drumming traditions of the two largest ethnic groups in Trinidad and Tobago Afro and Indo Trinidadians, and was invented around the Second World War. Prior to the invention of the steelpan, islanders fashioned musical instruments from biscuit pans, paint tins, grease barrels, wooden buckets and bamboo poles. The expanding oil industry and the American Naval bases in Trinidad during World War II provided an abundance of oil drums which gave.Figure 1 Used 55 gallon oil drumsway to a new materie for experimenting. The end of the Second World War saw a new instrument in the form of the steelp an, and today, the majority of steelpans are produced from used or virgin 55-gallon oil drums as shown in figure 1.Every steelpan consists of two regions the playing surface on which the musiknotenzeichen regions are located and the side commonly referred to as the skirt (see figure 2). In music, note refers to the sign used in musical notation or to the pitch of a sound. The word note with respect to the steelpan is also used when referring to the physical space or the region allocated to a musical note on the pans surface as seen in figure 2. Over the decades, steelpans have evolved into a range of instruments with different pan types. The present playing range of the family of steelpans extends approximately five octaveson the cowboyfilm musical scale. Since invention, steelpans continue to be predominantly hand-crafted from closed-top, low-carbon-steel oil drums. The overall pan making processes involves 1) dishing the drum top, 2) creating the note regions on the playing surfac e, 3) cutting the side of the drum, 4) heating the playing surface, 5) initial tuning of the note regions, 6) coating of the pan and 7) fine tuning of the note regions.The first step in the traditional pan making process makes use of a sledgehammer or a heavy metal ball to achieve a dished surface that forms the playing surface on which the note regions are created. After dishing, the note regions are formed on the playing surface and the side of the drum is cut to length depending on the pan type in production. In the case of bass pans the entire drum side is retained. Note regions are typically arranged so that adjacent notes share a consonant musical relationship such that when played simultaneously sounds pleasing to the human ear. Before tuning note regions, the playing surface is heated to provide a form of stress relief from the dishing and note-creating operations. This heating is believed to provide some surface hardening through the effect of strain ageing of the steel. Pa n tuning, the final stage, is considered to be one of the most sophisticated steps of the entire steelpan production process. During tuning the pan maker hand-tunes two or three modes in each note region to frequencies on the Western twelve tone equal temperament scale. These mode frequencies are tuned to have a consonant musical relationship. Steelpan tuning remains a skill that takes many years to master and there are only a handful of master pan tuners. The steelpan is chrome plated or painted to provide corrosion protection and a final fine tuning is done to compensate for the detuning caused by the coating process.Mechanized dish forming processesSeveral problems associated with sinking by hand have lead pan makers to search for mechanized alternatives to dish forming. Some of these problems range from high noise intensity levels, material wastage due to splitting of the drum during the sinking process, and problems experienced by pan builders which include noise induced hearin g loss and exposure to hand-arm vibrations. Some of the mechanized processes applied to dishing by pan makers include, pneumatic hammering, conventional spinning and hydroforming.Pneumatic hammering has become popular among pan makers owing to its relatively low cost and high speed. It is also less energy demanding when compared with traditional hand sinking but requires just as much skill on the part of the pan maker to avoid splitting the drum surface. However, this technique also exposes the pan builders to high noise levels 100dB and problems connected with hand arm vibrations.Conventional lathe spinning has also been successfully used and involves the progressive shaping of a rotating metal blank over a rotating mandrel in the shape of the dish to be formed as illustrated in figure 3.Spinning unlike traditional handcrafting and pneumatic hammering makes it possible to produce pan dishes with a relatively good degree of consistency since the saatkorn mandrel is used repeatedly. The finished dish is subsequently attached to a cylindrical side. Manual spinning can also be physically challenging and requires dexterity as control of the process is highly dependent on the competence of the operator. However, spinning of pans can take advantage of programmable numerical control (PNC) which uses playback technology. Here, the pan dish is spun manually by an experienced operator while his motion is recorded and played back to form subsequent dishes. This capitalizes on both operator skill and the repeatability given by the computer.Figure 3 Spin forming of a pan dishHydroforming is another sheet metal forming process that has been applied to pan dishing. The time savings achieved by this process is phenomenal but the relatively high capital outlay requires the production of a large volume of pans in order to recoup capital and tooling costs. Hydroforming does not expose pan makers to high noise and vibration levels and delivers pans with superior geometrical accu racy, tolerance and repeatability but has poor flexibility as dedicated tools will be required for each pan type.Metal alloy alternatives to low-carbon steelOther pan makers have experimented with metal alloys such as alpha-brass (70%Cu/30%Zn), 304 stainless steel and aluminum 6061 (T0 and T6 heat treatable grades). These metal alloys were suitable because of their high formability and exceptional corrosion resistant properties. The use of aluminum provides the opportunity for light-weight pans which can be hard coated and colored through the anodizing process. However, very few pan makers produce pans from these materials in-spite of their attractive properties. The principal drawback is the relatively high cost of these materials while another drawback is related to the careful control and sophisticated equipment required to provide heat treatment to these alloys. For instance, pans made from stainless steels may require intermittent solution treatment annealing during the dishing stage due to the rapid work hardening of stainless steel. Solution treatment involves heating the steel to between 1010C and 1120C before cooling rapidly. If the stainless steel is not cooled rapidly, particularly between 500C and 850C, there is a risk of sensitization in which chromium carbides precipitates from the steel thereby undermining its corrosion protection capability.Vibration behaviorThe steelpan like most percussion instruments is a pitched percussion instrument in which there are two distinctive features. Firstly, the first mode in each steelpan note is tuned to have a dominant fundamental tone and secondly, some of the natural frequencies of the higher modes are tuned into a harmonic relationship with the fundamental. Numerous modal testing studies have been performed on steelpans, and the unique vibration behavior of steelpan notes in which vibrations are predominantly localized within the boundaries of excited notes is well documented (see figure 4).However, unlike several other percussion instruments such as the timpani, marimba, xylophone and Indian drums, there is no analytical or numerical model that adequately describes the vibration behavior of steelpan note regions. Even with advances in computational capabilities, the modeling of steelpan notes remains a formidable challenge. The challenge may be in part due to the difficulty of modeling the residual stresses brought on by the heating and forming cycles experienced by the pan surface.The steelpan is a new instrument that is continuing to evolve, with opportunities for further innovation in the application of metal forming techniques, materials selection and modeling of vibration behavior. Hand and pneumatic sinking although very cheap exposes pan makers to high noise and vibration levels, which is a direct threat to their health and longevity as craftsmen.Figure 4 Vibration mode shapes of first three natural frequencies of a steelpan note (a) first mode, (b) second mode and (c) third modeHydroforming while relatively quiet, skill independent and fast, is inflexible, require significant capital outlay, and large volumes of dishes would be required to break even on investment. The spinning technology is also very attractive provided that it can be fully automated. Although the poor corrosion properties and heavy weight of low-carbon steel are significant disadvantages to its usage in pan production, its low cost, abundant availability, ease of forming and recyclability will continue to see low-carbon steel as the de-facto material for pan making. Although alpha-brass, stainless steel and aluminum offer attractive benefits, pan makers may long remain hesitant to change as current production and tuning techniques have evolved around more than seven decades of using low-carbon steel.ReferencesMaloney, S.E., Acoustics and Manufacture of Caribbean Steelpans. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2011Blake, F.I.R., The Trinidad and Tobago Steel Pan History and Evolutio n. 1st ed. 1995, Port of Spain Speeds Printery.Kronman, U., Steelpan Tuning A handbook for steelpan making and tuning. 1991, Stockholm, Sweden Musikmuseet.Murr, L.E., S.M. Gaytan, M.I. Lopez, D.E. Bujanda, E.Y. Martinez, G. Whitmyre, and H.Price, Metallurgical and acoustical characterization of a hydroformed, 304 stainless steel, Caribbean-style musical pan. Materials Characterization, 2008. 59(3) p. 321 -328.Barlow, C.Y., B.E. Richardson, J. Woodhouse, and J. Zarek, The Caribbean Steel Drum. Proceedings of the Institute of Acoustics, 1988 p. 193-198.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

ASME Keynote Speaker Chuck Hull Explores the Topic of 3D Print...

ASME Keynote Speaker Chuck Hull Explores the Topic of 3D Print... ASME Keynote Speaker Chuck Hull Explores the Topic of 3D Print... IMECE Keynote Speaker Chuck Hull Explores the Topic of 3D Printed OrgansNov. 20, 2017 Chuck Hull, the co-founder and chief technology officer of 3D Systems, delivered the Opening Keynote presentation, 3D Printing Update and Future Direction, at the IMECE 2017 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition in Tampa, Fla.During his presentation at the Opening Keynote at the ASME 2017 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition in Tampa earlier this month, Chuck Hull discussed what he believes is an important frontier for advanced manufacturing regenerative medicine.The idea is to print something that will help the body heal itself, Hull told the crowd of more than 700 engineers attending the event on Nov. 6. This really combines this wonderful growing field of biotechnology with 3D printing.Hull is the co-founder of 3D Syste ms, and is widely considered the inventor of 3D printing. In 1983, working on an idea to speed prototyping, he developed an apparatus to make small, solid objects using ultraviolet light to cure thin, successive layers of a liquid photopolymer. Hull called the process stereolithography. In 2016, that first system, the SLA-1, welches entwurfated an ASME Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark. Clinical trials of a bioprinted lung are only about six years away from taking place, Chuck Hull said during his presentation.Hull described the arc of 3D printing from that first machine to the thousands of applications for 3D printing today, especially in the automotive industry, in aerospace and in healthcare.Looking ahead, Hull spoke enthusiastically about saving lives. There are about 31,000 lung transplants a year in the United States, Hull said. The waiting list is about four times that. There is a huge unmet need beyond that. There are about 900,000 deaths in the United States alone f rom organ impairment. If we could figure out how to manufacture these organs, it would be a huge benefit to the health of society.Hull said researchers are about six years away from clinical trials with a bioprinted lung. He described some of the steps such as using microscanning and other techniques to improve our understanding of how organs work studying the collagen scaffolds that physically support cells in these organs learning to 3D print scaffolds with collagen-based materials, using printers with a resolution two orders of magnitude higher than what is available today and growing billions of organ cells. The final process is to infuse those cells into the scaffold and bring the lung back to life and make it available for transplant, he said. ASME Executive Director Thomas Loughlin (right) with keynote presenter Chuck Hull at the question-and-answer session following Hulls speech.In addition to the promise of regenerative medicine, Hull pointed to advances in the use of 3D p rinting in the custom manufacture of hearing aids, dental products, surgical aids and implants. Hull told the dramatic story of two conjoined twins who shared blood vessels woven between their brains. In this case, 3D imaging and 3D printing were used to create models for planning separation surgery. A 27-hour operation last year at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx successfully separated the twin boys. As he showed the audience a photo of the boys mother, for the first time, holding just one of her sons, Hull said, This picture, for me, makes the 34 years Ive spent working in this field worthwhile this is the mother the first time she held this child.During his presentation, Hull described the special role that 3D printing has played in Detroit. Automotive was really the first industry that started adopting 3D printing, he said. Back in the late 1980s, the U.S. auto industry was having difficulty with time-to-market. From the time a design was conceived until it was produced w as taking a long time, compared to some of the foreign competition. And quality was not that good. So engineers in Detroit were looking for new technology, new approaches. Solid CAD came along about that time and so did 3D printing. Those two combined for lots of rapid prototyping and rapid tooling applications in Detroit. That launched 3D printing in industry. (Left to right) ASME Executive Director Thomas Loughlin, Chuck Hull, ASME President Charla Wise and ASME President-Elect Said Jahanmir.Hull also described a future in which 3D printing plays a much larger role in manufacturing. He cited opportunities made possible by advances in materials, software and speed. 3D printers dont look like things that go on the factory floor. Hull said. So there is a lot of industrial integration that needs to be done in order to achieve the dream of mass production. Hull added that 3D Systems and its competitors are working to make 3D printing more manufacturing-friendly with improved plastics and metals, faster printers, systems of ganged printers, and the automation of post-processing tasks, including inspection. - Roger Torda, Public Information