Making Your Own CNC Machine

Making Your Own CNC Machine Making Your Own CNC Machine Having your own CNC (computer numeric control) machine is only a dream for many engineers when you consider the cost. Ryan Zellars, a maker with a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering from San Diego State University, felt the same way, until he decided to get printing.I was using what I had learned from 3D printers, ramps, and open source firmware to try and 3D print a CNC machine, he says. I started with a eckball block and sat it on a dining room table and a month later I had a full machine working. I dont know, I just had to have it and I just thought I could make it happen, says Zellars.According to Zellars, the biggest challenge was the linear rails. Theyre very costly and heavy, he says. These things are hundreds of dollars for some polished steel rods. Instead, I grabbed a piece of conduit and it was about three bucks, something I was hoping would carve foam. I started with a corner block to set the 90-degree angle and printed one off, printed one corner piece off, and thought it would work and printed all four. Then I printed the basic shape on the table. I also found ways to put the bearings on there.The geometry is an XY cross gantry, he says, instead of a sliding gantry, as is typical of CNC machines. I use stepper motors and the motors that drive it all make it move, he says. It adds precision control and the ramps are the brain. It uses a very minimal power supply because it doesnt have anything to heat up. Its pretty DIY and industrial, but for the most part it looks pretty simple.An aluminum milling test. Image Ryan ZellarsUp for a ChallengeHe felt challenged to show what it could do and even surprised himself. Some people thought it couldnt do anything but foam and my first video was milling aluminum with the machine, he says. That was a great feeling to watch that happen. Recently I made a metal mount for the CNC because I thought it might be a better way to go. I even have a goal to make some skateboards with this.But why did does he call it a mostly printed machine?Everything is printed except for when youre talking conduit, the nuts and bolts and the electronics, he says. I used that phrase mostly printed when I was naming the machine. Its there until I come up with something betterZellars has recently been able to quit working for others as a mechanical engineer and do this full time. The response has been fun so far and I like to landsee other people have a chance to own a machine like this, he says.He still marvels at how this thought even came to fruition. You start off making something and the first time you see it move it feels like a miracle, he says. It makes you glad you saw it through.Eric Butterman is an independent writer.Learn more about the latest technologies in 3D printing at ASMEs AM3D Conference Expo For Further Discussion You start off making something and the first time you see it move it feels like a miracle. It makes you glad you saw i t through.Ryan Zellars, Maker

Benefits of Using a Resume Writing Service to Write Your Resume

Benefits of Using a Resume Writing Service to Write Your Resume Benefits of Using a Resume Writing Service to Write Your Resume Have you been searching for a new opportunity for a while without any luck? It could be due to the quality of your resume. If its not professional and polished, or it doesnt do an effective job of representing your background, then its no wonder employers arent calling.The good news is that there is one step you can take to increase your odds of landing more phone screens and interviews. Its with a resume writing service. ResumeSpice can helpResume writers know what employers want to see.As professionals in the industry, resume writers understand what hiring managers are looking for when theyre screening resumes. They know not only how to format your resume so its easy to read quickly, but they can also work with you to focus on the skills, accomplishments and experiences that are going to help you stand out the most. Not only will you be able to avoid the d readed writers block, but youll get a resume that makes a powerful impact.Youll get high-quality writing.Not everyone is a writing superstar. Perhaps youre more of a numbers person or a technology expert. Whatever the case for you, you have a hard time putting words on paper. But when you use a resume writing service, you can access the high-quality writing you need to more effectively illustrate your background. As a result, youll be able to make a more positive impression on hiring managers.You can avoid sloppy mistakes. Grammar and spelling mistakes are big red flags for employers. While one small error likely wont hurt your chances of getting an interview, many of them will certainly sabotage your efforts. But when you work with a resume writing service, you dont have to worry about that. Instead, your resume will be professionally proofread so you can rest easy there arent any embarrassing mistakes.You can save time.Writing a solid resume takes a lot of time. If youre currently employed, plus searching for a new job, you probably dont have much to spare. But with a resume writing service, writers can handle the work for you, so you can free up time in your day. A professionally written resume can also help you to speed up your search as you get your foot in the door faster at potential employers.You can overcome red flags.If you have employment gaps or youre switching career fields, a resume writing service can help in these areas as well. Writers will work with you to accentuate the positives in your career history and downplay any negatives, so hiring managers can better understand the value you can offer.Want to learn more about how a resume writing service can help you?Give the resume writers at ResumeSpice a call at 832.930.7378. Our experienced team can transform a weak resume into an expertly written one, all for better job search results.

Social Media Secrets for Small Business

Social Media Secrets for Small BusinessSocial Media Secrets for Small BusinessSocial Media Secrets for Small Business Charney, Social Media Engagement ManagerContrary to popular belief, not every big company is putting big bucks into spreading their brand and employer message via social media at work. Most corporate social media functions have limited headcount, time and resources dedicated to social networks, demanding low-cost, innovative approaches for attracting and driving social media engagement,both current and potential.That means the social mediaplaying field for geschftliches miteinanderes has been leveled.Small business recruitment strategiesactually have a leg up when it comes to realizing the power (and profit) of social media. Breaking through the buzz doesnt require a huge investment in manpower, tools or technologies. It takes dedication, creativity and experimentation to formulate and deliver the right message to the right targets on the right platforms in other word s, it requires a solid small business marketing strategy.While theres no secret formula for success, there are secrets that every small business owner should know when it comes to crafting a social media strategy.Here are eight social media secrets designed to give you a head departure on the competition and capitalize on the conversation about your brand, business and bottom line.Fax machines send the wrong message Nothing makes your business appear behind the times more than advertising your telefaxgert number throughout your e-mail signatures, HTML newsletters, home pages and business cards. Ask yourself when was the last time you likely received an unsolicited fax which led directly to sales? More than likely,its back when you were jamming to an eight-track tape.Secret Exchange the prime real estate your fax number now takes up and replace it with links to your social profiles.Doing soinstantly brands your business, signaling your willingness to engage with your customers and ca ndidates.Besides, in the off chance someone needs your fax number, theyll know where to find you to ask.What the Hashtag?Its a good idea not to jump into the Twitter conversation right away its challenging to know which conversations you should follow when youre starting out.Even harder is cracking the hashtag code.WTHashtag.com solves both problems with one easy to use website thats free (and you dont even have to register).Simply enter any hashtag into the search bar, and within seconds it displays top users, definitions, usage statistics and related resources. The best part, though, is its transcription service.It easily captures a word processing-friendly transcript of all tweets using that hashtag over a user-defined period of time so you can read (and report) without constantly monitoring your feed. Why do that? Because youve got more important things to do.Hint For small business owners, popular hashtags include smbiz, smallbiz and startup.Blast Follow Once youve found out wh ich hashtags youre most interested in, enter them into BlastFollow.com to automatically generate a list of all accounts referencing them.Put in your Twitter credentials, click blast, and youll start following all those users en masse.You Dont Have To Pay To Measure ROI A growing number of corporations are using increasingly sophisticated tracking tools to monitor and measure the success of their social media efforts, paying a premium for advanced analytics, reporting and analysis.While these technologies make sense for Fortune 500 Companies, your small business can generate more than enough data using free tools to maximize the influence and impact of your social media efforts.When it comes to making friends on Facebookand YouTube, both channels provide self-generated reports for channel and fan page activity, respectively this simplyrequires opting in on your businessaccount to see analytics that are easy to understand and interpret. For Twitter, Twitter Analyzer is just one of man y free options that provides advanced and accurate analytics. Its a goldmine of actionable data, tracking unique readers, reach, retweet trends and most tweeted topics among its many reporting capabilities.When it comes to measuring your blog, Google Analytics remains the gold standard for its insights and interface.Pipl.com This deep web people search engine can help fill in the blanks about almost anyone.If you have a name, phone number, e-mail address or even a social networks username, this free tool will return all available online data within seconds, from public records to social profiles.E-Mail Still Matters Even with the rise in social media, most of your customers and clients, both current and prospective, likely still rely predominantly on email for communication. But for your message to break through todays increasingly crowded inbox, you need more than a clever subject line.For email marketing, check out Mail Chimp, which allows you to create, distribute and track custo mized HTML newsletter campaigns that can help small businesses make a big impact.Their forever free plan lets you send up to 6,000 e-mails to up to 1,000 subscribers a month if you need more, their pay for performance model guarantees you get what you pay for.Case Studies Are Learning Experiences Social medias all about transparency, which means that many companies make valuable information about their social media objectives and strategy publically available.Reading case studies not only highlights real-life examples of social media initiatives that really work, but more importantly, what doesnt.Two of the most comprehensive sites for social media best (and worst) practices are the Social Media Business Council and SmartBrief on Social Media, with new cases delivered daily to your inbox.Finally, there are no secrets in social mediaand thats the point.But you didnt hear that from us.

Turning CO2 into a Good Guy

Turning CO2 into a Good Guy Turning CO2 into a Good Guy Turning CO2 into a Good GuyMany consumer plastic products are made frompolyethylene terephthalate (PET). About 50 million tons of PET are produced globally every year. Manufacturing PET and other plastics produces significant amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. For example, using fossil-fuel feedstocks generates more than four tons of CO2 for every ton of PET that is manufactured.To improve this situation, scientists are turning this harmful gas into a manufacturing asset by using it as a feedstock for plastics, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In this way, CO2becomes a renewable raw material that is always abundant and readily available.Promising ResearchPET is a product of terephthalic acid andethylene glycol. Stanford University researchers have discovered a way to make plastic from carbon dioxide and inedible plant material, such as biomass, by using polyethylene fu randicarboxylate (PEF) instead. PEF is made from ethylene glycol and 2-5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), which can be sourced from biomass instead of petroleum. The biggest problem with FDCA is finding a low-cost way to produce it. By combining carbonate with CO2 and furoic acid, the team formed a molten salt that converts easily to FDCA. The next steptransforming FDCA into PEF plasticis a straightforward process that has been worked out by other researchers, says lead researcher Matthew Kanan, assistant professor of chemistry at Stanford.Scientists at the University of Bath have successfully made a safer font of polycarbonate (PC) from sugar and carbon dioxide. Current manufacturing methods for PC often use toxic substances such as BPA and phosgene. Their new type of polycarbonate easily biodegrades back into carbon dioxide and sugar, using enzymes from soil bacteria. The production process can be done at low pressure and room temperature, making it a cheaper and safer process. The new plastic is also biocompatible and therefore may have medical applications.The newly opened plant in Dormagen, Germany, is producing a foam component with CO2, instead of oil-based raw material. Image CovestroGermany-basedCovestro recently announced it has developed a process for producing high-quality plastics using CO2. The company is using the technology to make a novel polyol for the production of flexible, CO2-bearing polyurethane foams designed for mattresses and upholstered furniture.With CO2 as a carbon source, we can increasingly dispense with traditional, fossil sources such as petroleum, says Christoph Grtler, head of catalysis research at Covestro. After successfully incorporating it in a key precursor to flexible foam, we are now tackling new challenges.Another company working with CO2-containing foam is Novomer, a Massachusetts-based technology company with a set of proprietary catalysts that enable carbon dioxide to be used as a raw material in the production of pl astics. Ford Motor Company has partnered with Novomer to developing foams and plastics using captured carbon dioxide. The company is intent on using captured CO2 as a feedstock for the production of vehicle seats and under-the-hood components. By using foams and plastics with up to 50 percent CO2-based polyols, Ford intends to reduce its petroleum consumption by more than 600 million pounds per year.Were sequestering CO2 to make things we need to use, just like living plants do, says Bill Ford, executive chairman for Ford. Except instead of producing complex sugars the way plants do, Ford is taking excess carbon dioxide and making durable plastics to use in vehicles.Future PossibilitiesThere are plenty of benefits from using CO2 in plastics. It is a highly sustainable way to use an abundant, harmful waste product for the production of more environmentally friendly products. These technologies provide low-carbon alternatives to plastic bottles and other items currently made from petr oleum. Because CO2-bearing plastics require fewer petroleum inputs, they are easier to recycle. Widespread adoption of CO2-bearing plastics would significantly cut both greenhouse gas emissions and petroleum consumption in the manufacture of plastics.The Stanford team is especially excited about the potential to reduce greenhouse emissions, because the CO2 required to make the PEF can be obtained from fossil-fuel power plant emissions or other industrial sites. Products made of PEF can also be recycled or converted back to atmospheric CO2 by incineration. Eventually, that CO2 will be taken up by grass, weeds and other renewable plants, which can then be used to make more PEF.Our goal is to replace petroleum-derived products with plastic made from CO2, says Kanan. If you could do that without using a lot of non-renewable energy, you could dramatically lower thecarbon footprintof the plastics industry.Mark Crawford is an independent writer. For Further Discussion Were sequestering CO2 to make things we need to use, just like living plants do.Bill Ford, Ford Motors

Ring In The New Year With a More Effective Job Search

Ring In The New Year With a More Effective Job SearchRing In The New Year With a More Effective Job SearchAs 2014 draws to a close we at Simply Hired want to offer a few end-of-the-year tips to keep in mind about job search during the holidays.Continue to job searchTheres a longstanding assumption that job search at the end of the year is a waste of time. People are out of the office. Companies are busy wrapping up Q4, vacations, holidays, etc. But the truth is, just like any other time of the year, there are companies hiring. So theres no reason to abandon the job search until after the New Year begins. If you consider how widespread the assumption about zero hiring in December really is, wont there be considerably less competition for jobs?Update your documentsOne thing that makes job search difficult, especially if you already have a job, is the amount of time that it takes to execute an effective job search. After all, you cant just apply to a few jobs with a generic resume and e xpect that youll be hired. To apply for a job you need an updated resume that will catch the eye of potential employers. Although you may intend to have such a resume, everyday life can make that difficult, especially if you already have a job. So make a point to spend some time during the holidays- a single afternoon perhaps- updating and reviewing your resume. See if there are any accomplishments you can add to it, and spend some time editing and reviewing. Dont leave a single stray typo.Reassess your goalsWhen it comes to a career, its comforting to feel that you know what you want and where you are going. But a period of job search or unemployment can make that certainty difficult to maintain. Its easy to have doubts or question goals. When confronted with a career crossroads, one of the best things you can do is turn to your support network for guidance. Theres no reason to travel the career path alone when family and friends can provide you some much-needed help during a perio d of career transition. So use time with your family and friends to reassess what is important to you and what you want to get from your career.Improve as a professionalSuccess is closely tied to constantly improving, changing, adapting and trying new things. Although the holidays are a busy time, try to set some time aside to improve some element of yourself that will impact your career. Although you may notlage have time to learn a new skill, you can read a book related to your field, download a webinar or read a white paper. Find a way to enter 2015 a better potential employee then you were in 2014.Enjoy your time offThis is probably the most important thing that you can do over the holidays. Take some time to recharge your batteries and have a bit of fun. Although it can be hard not to dwell on unemployment or desire for a better job, taking some time to yourself to enjoy life will make you better prepared to enter 2015 ready take on new challenges.Good luck.And Happy New Year.R ead these articles for more tips on how to conduct a successful job search in the new yearBe a STAR How to Structure Your Resume and Interview ResponsesHow to Customize Your Search to Find Local and National JobsThe ABCs of an Effective Cover Letter

Volunteer Experience on Resume - a Quick Overview

Volunteer Experience on Resume - a Quick Overview A comprehension of the processes and tools is crucial, but be certain that you also understand when to delegate the job. The ability to take care of numerical data might be required in the event the role involves budget management or fundraising, in addition to political awareness and the capability to stay imparteial, as many roles involve working in politically-sensitive places. You also need to be proud to discuss your experiences on a resume, together with during interviews. When you include examples of your achievements in voluntary positions youre also displaying the results of your private involvement and so giving the hiring manager with concrete instances of how youll be an ideal fit for their company. Volunteering abroad proves that you could organize your journey and adapt to quite a different environment in another nation, demonstrating resourcefulness and flexibility. For that reason, its to your advantage to take p art in extracurricular pursuits. There are many different dive sites you are able to visit, each has its very own unique qualities. The Basics of Volunteer Experience on Resume Selecting the most effective words to spell out your experience can earn an enormous impact for a prospective employer. You dont need to understand the language of the nation you need to teach in, though some familiarity will help you settle in quicker and reduce culture-shock. What Everybody Dislikes About Volunteer Experience on Resume and Why In some instances, the hiring manager may be scared to call you in for an interview in any respect if you include church references in your resume, as stated by the Business Insider site. A volunteer is somebody who has made a decision that theyll get the job done for a business or an organization without expecting a payment. For instance, if in your business research you landsee that the employer values hiring and supporting employees with a rich life outsid e work, it may be beneficial for them to learn about your contributions to a certain non-profit organization which youre passionate about. For instance, service unit cookie coordinators handle and manage an immense budget annually Volunteer work covers a wide variety of activities and can vastly enhance your odds of receiving an interview for your perfect job if you learn how to put volunteer work on your resume in a manner that shows your strengths, dedication and enthusiasm. If youre contemplating a new career, volunteering can help you receive experience within your area of interest and meet people with the field. The chance of obtaining a job for a volunteer is often large. If done right, having she resume section could help you stand out in a crowded field of job applicants. Lots of people volunteer as a way to earn time for hobbies outside work also. Youre able to include deep, meaningful experiences which you would want to go over in a work interview in hopes of making an excellent impression on the interviewer. When some folks are naturally outgoing, others are shy and have a tough time meeting new individuals. You might also be in a position to demonstrate that youre supportive of your employers Corporate Social Responsibility efforts, in the event you volunteer through your present business. You are going to have richer and more enjoyable volunteering experience if you initially take a while to identify your aims and interests. Organizing your time is just as important. When you havent been in a position to get out into the community lately, search for ways that you can help out to remain current. A volunteer resume is all you want to start. In the event the volunteer work is unrelated to your job it is better to create a distinct section for volunteer work or community involvement below the job section. Learn what related volunteer work you may put on a resume. So, you might want to think about leaving potentially-revealing voluntee r work out. Thus, to win a scholarship, you should fulfill a sponsors goals. Being a real volunteer and doing charity work are admirable pursuits and should youve ever volunteered you should be pleased with yourself. As an example, fundraising for a charity necessitates organization and advertising abilities. Understanding Volunteer Experience on Resume For this reason, you can observe how successful CV writing UAE is going to be in a position to help you to find a work readily. Thus, you can want to look at maintaining a distinct CV which you use especially for submitting with applications. Resumes are definitely the most important documents that pave the way to acquire a work easily. The stock resumes are some of several different resumes which have been further customized for unique opportunities.

Why Skype Wont Cut It When Hiring Teachers

Why Skype Wont Cut It When Hiring TeachersIt is impossible to do a job properly without the right resources. Consider how successful a carpenter would be if they showed up to work without a hammer and nails. Now think about your own role when hiring, aiming to build an effective team of teachers.Many hiring professionals wrongly assume Skypes video chat is as good, or the same, as a dedicated video interview platform. While both allow for live video interaction, these tools are very different.To guarantee the best fit for your K-12 team, its crucial you use the right tools. Here are four reasons why Skype just wont cut it when hiring teachers Reviewing Isnt Simple or StreamlinedWhen you end an interview via Skype, thats it its over.Consider how much mora effective a hiring process is when you can brainstorm and recap conversations collaboratively with others. You can easily do both with video interviewing. Its often necessary to look back through your bedrngnises to remind yourself o f an earlier conversation you had with a candidate. Its easier for you and your team to make better informed hiring decisions when you have interviews recorded and organized in one place. Skype does provide an vorkaufsrecht to record. However, the recording must be initiated and then saved as an MP4, rather than functioning through an automated, cloud-based platform. If the interviewer forgets to start the recording, theres no way of rewinding to recall a candidates answer. Those involved in the live interview are the only people who know the candidates responses.The beauty of a designated video interview platform, is that it starts recording automatically. No one has to download additional programs or struggle to save and share the videos. Hiring team collaboration is also streamlined, as they wont need to create an account, login to review candidates you share or keep track of video files on their devices. Video interviewplatforms record automatically, a feature not offered by vid eo chat.Click To Tweet Both Parties Must Be Present A teachers schedule has no wiggle room during the school day. It is important for them to have the ability to interview when its convenient, beyond their lunch hour or prep period. This will ensure youre not limiting your talent pool. Flexibility makes the hiring process more quick and efficient, but even more so when hiring teachers. Skypes video chat platform doesnt offer flexibility, as everyone must schedule a time to be present for the interview. The one-way video is a great alternative to traditional screening practices, combining the immediacy of a phone screen and the personability of video chat. And all of this is done on your own time. Video interviews can be completed when and where it is convenient for the candidate and reviewed just as easily by decision makers. The use of one-way video interviews helps eliminate unqualified candidates from the screening process without wasting either partys valuable time. Cannot Avoid Technical DifficultiesSkype video chat simply wont work if users experience a camera or microphone malfunction or service interruption. This creates the need to reschedule the interview, complicating the process of re-coordinating everyones schedules.Technology is, unfortunately, often unreliable and unpredictable. Prepare for the unexpected by using a one-way video interview on a video interview platform that offsets the inconvenience of technology gone awry, in the moment. There, of course, can be technology issues with video interview platforms, as well. Tech support can be contacted and the interview can be recorded when the issue is resolved since the video interview is not happening live. This is a very convenient option when hiring teachers who may not be able to reschedule a live chat session as readily. Tweet Videointerview platforms negate tech issues because they can be tested for function beforehand. Metrics Are Not ProvidedVideo interviews are not all created equal. Sk ype is a video chat software, rather than one built specifically for video interviews. Therefore, it does not offer a means to measure hiring outcomes. Hiring metrics help to save money and time during the hiring process. Bad hires and lengthy hire times can lead to a very costly hiring process. These factors can be even more detrimental when hiring in education. Video interview platforms provide the convenience of intuitive hiring metrics and the added confidence in hiring decisions. Analyzing stats on your efforts related to the interview type, interview status, and conversion rates are key to improving quality of hire.You can also learn more about your hiring process with an overview of how youre rating candidate video interviews. This enables you to filter results by job or date range to get more granular data, while also giving you the ability to see the reasons youre rejecting candidates and how often so you can take actionable steps toward improving job descriptions and initi al screening processes. School districts can use these metrics to provide insights about the source of candidate applications and build a talent pipeline for future hiring efforts. Avoid losing top talent during your next round of hiring teachers. Use a video interview platform instead of Skypes video chat software to make reviewing simple and avoid hiring roadblocks such as scheduling, technical difficulties, and a lack of hiring metrics.