Aluminum apex of Washington Monument showing inscriptions on its east and north faces (source)
From planes and trains to the cellphone in your hand and the versatile roll of foil in your pantry, aluminum is omnipresent in today’s fabricated world. Which should come as no surprise, considering it is the most abundant metal in Earth’s crust. Yet, it is hard to imagine that aluminum was once prized more than gold! In fact, despite its abundance, aluminum was valued so highly in the 19th century because it was so difficult to obtain. It was so special, indeed, that in 1884 this rare “metal of kings” earned a prestigious perch atop the Washington monument in the shape of a cast pyramid.
Hats off to Framing Tech for taking the extra step in reassuring my peace of mind. I would definitely go out on a limb and say that any reefer that wants to stay in the hobby for a long time should consider building your stand with Framing Tech.
— J’s Reefs
Unless you intend to install in your home a gigantic floor-to-ceiling fish tank, such as you would find at a commercial aquarium, you’ll need some kind of platform to hold your fish tank. Novice hobbyists might initially overlook this little detail, until they take the tank home and realize they have no place to put it, except on the floor. That is why, no matter the size of your tank, you need an aquarium stand.
When it comes to the kinds of things you can build with extruded 80/20 aluminum profiles, sometimes basic is better. Many of our fabrications are available in standard “kit” form, with set parts, and are delivered to home or office with detailed instructions for assembly. This includes many of our most popular products, e.g.:
But sometimes you need something special and out of the ordinary for your specific needs. It could be just a matter of size, or unique functionality, or particular design features—or even something never before conceived!
It goes by several different terms: T-slot structural framing, T-slotted aluminum extrusions, 80/20 T-slot aluminum building system, and 80/20 framing, among others. The various descriptors used in these terms are fairly straightforward and self-explanatory. Individually we know what aluminum is, not to mention extrusions, systems, T-slot, and framing. But what does 80/20 have to do with any of these?
The Framing Tech CarboSix carbon fiber line of profiles are created through the use of a new breakthrough technology called “pultrusion.” This process pulls spools of carbon fiber thread through a resin bath and into a temperature-controlled mold to create the final shape. Similarly, our carbon fiber tubes are created using “Pullwinding” technology, which weaves the carbon fiber threads prior to entering the resin bath and mold. This produces a significantly stronger tube than other carbon fiber tubes that are created by wrapping a carbon fiber sheet around a rod to create the final shape. Continue reading “CarboSix Connectors [Infographic]”
By now anyone who has not been stranded on an uncharted island in the middle of the Pacific for the past six months knows the “3 W’s” for minimizing the risk of infection by the coronavirus:
Ultrastructural morphology of coronaviruses (Source)
The now notorious Coronavirus disease 2019 (or COVID-19) is a dangerous, sometimes fatal respiratory illness caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2. By now—thanks to exposure to TV, magazine, and newspaper reports—everyone in America must be something of an expert on the Covid-19 coronavirus: what it is, disease symptoms, how it is transmitted, and ways to minimize the spread of infection. These include:
Wearing of face masks
Thorough and frequent handwashing
Keeping a 6-foot distance from other people
Avoidance of crowded, enclosed spaces
Use of personal protective equipment, where appropriate
OSHA defines personal protective equipment, commonly referred to as “PPE,” as equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses. These injuries and illnesses may result from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards. Personal protective equipment may include items such as gloves, safety glasses and shoes, earplugs or muffs, hard hats, respirators, or coveralls, vests, and full body suits. It can also include equipment that is not worn yet still protects individuals from disease hazards. One good example is the humble sneeze guard. Continue reading “Sneeze Guards: A Front-line PPE for Multiple Industries”
The basis of CarboSix profiles is carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is composed of carbon atoms bonded together to form a long chain. The fibers are extremely stiff, strong, and light and are used in many processes to create excellent building materials.
As you can tell from the image above, our CarboSix modular carbon fiber profiles can be shaped and cut in much the same way our extruded aluminum T-slot profiles are. True, you can use CarboSix much like aluminum, and it has the same structural modularity. And from cutting to perforation, it can undergo the same processing. It even uses the same kind of accessories as aluminum, with identical installation and fastening systems.
But that doesn’t mean aluminum and carbon fiber profiles are perfectly interchangeable. CarboSix is really best reserved for certain applications unsuitable for aluminum or steel, and that take advantage of the unique, specific properties of carbon fiber. Here are the most notable applications for CarboSix: Continue reading “Properties and Uses of CarboSix Carbon Fiber Profiles”
The Society of Robots reports that carbon fiber has become an essential material for robots now and in the future, because it is very strong in compression and tension while being exceptionally lightweight. Robotic components, particularly , can be fabricated into any size or shape with the benefit being:
Reduced weight
Increased part stiffness
Improved automation processes
Industrial automations’ increased speed and greater precision is vital for improved efficiency, and one way to achieve this is through reduced weight and increased stiffness of robotic parts. The benefits of carbon fiber, as explained here by Antonio Gervosi, from CarboSix, translate directly to:
