Mobile Apps for Utilities, Power & Water Leaders magazine, March2019

MARCH 2019

P o w e r& Water Mobile Apps

NEWS

Veolia’s Inclusive Cities: creating economic, social, and local cohesion

A new cooperation on water: PUB and Grundfos

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Maynilad invests P14 billion in wastewater Capex since re-privatization

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EDITOR‘S NOTE

In this age of mobile technology, communication and the transfer of data is a lot easier. Majority of the people are already using mobile phones to perform various tasks. With that, it would be easier for huge companies to reach out to its consumers using mobile apps.

Utility companies, which provides our need for water, power, and others, are not oblivious to this scenario. Using mobile apps to reach customers and to improve services will bring myriads of advantages to the companies. However, only a small fraction of these big companies have adapted mobile technology. What benefits will they gain once they develop mobile apps?

First, it will result into consumer satisfaction since their queries and complaints can be easily answered.

Customers can also get hold of real-time information and updates.

Swift response to problems and outages can be performed in answer to reports from consumers.

Apps can also be used by utility workers to improve their work performance and increase their productivity. Giving them easy access to data will help them determine what tasks to perform and tools to use.

Getting access to information that they need in order to do their jobs well will make them more efficient. Certain tasks will also be finished in shorter span of time. With that, they can use their remaining hours to perform other important tasks.

Overall, the company will gain huge benefits due to mobile app usage. This will not only improve customer sat4

There’s a Power & Water App for That isfaction and increase utility worker’s productivity, but it will also make them a better company. With all the available data, they can easily track trends and come up with strategic plans to improve their services.

If we look into it, there are indeed more gains that losses in using mobile apps for utility companies. Let us just hope that more utility field service organizations will finally embrace mobile technology. Anyway, it’s for the benefit of the majority!

CON TENTS

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S P E C IA L F E AT U R E

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Mobile Apps: How It Can Improve Utility Efficiency and Productivity

4 Top-of-the-Line Breakthroughs in Mass Finishing Industry

32 Veolia’s Inclusive Cities: creating economic, social, and local cohesion

36 A new cooperation on water: PUB and Grundfos

56 5 Ways to Fix Your Common Construction Mistakes

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Maynilad invests P14 billion in wastewater Capex since re-privatization

42 What Lies Ahead for Construction Equipment 6

60 Hassle Free Ways to Help You to Determine Car Problems

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Choosing the Right Window Type Aircon for Philippine Consumers A comprehensive guide for Filipinos in selecting the perfect type of air conditioning unit for condos or large vacation houses this summer.

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here is no better way to beat the heat than getting that window type air conditioner installed in your homes. But with the countless brands and types of these cooling units available in the market, how do you exactly know which is which? Worry no more because we made the choosing easier. Here’s the nitty-gritty on buying the best window type AC for Philippine homes.

R-32 Eco-friendly Refrigerant The R-32 is the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly refrigerant that can save you money and protect the earth’s ozone layer.

R-32 is the latest refrigerant that has been recognized by environmentalists, scientists and HVACR engineers to be the most effective cooling medium for conveying heat. R-32 can significantly reduce the cost of electricity consumption by up to

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10% when compared to other air conditioning units that are using refrigerant R-22. Likewise, R-32 as opposed to other refrigerants like R-22 and R-410A, has the least global warming potential (GWP). R-32 GWP is 30% much lower as opposed to the existing refrigerants (R-22 and R-410A) in the temperature control market. R-32 has less environmental impact with significant reduction in global warming. Consumers can now

save money and protect the environment at the same time.

So when choosing a window type aircon for your home, office or commercial establishment, ensure that you are buying an R-32 Refrigerant air conditioner.

What Features to Look For Having an air-conditioning unit can surely make a great impact on your electricity bill so choosing the most energy-efficient one can cut back on your costs. Here are four of the features you should check when canvassing for the perfect window type aircon.

• Sleep Setting With a sleep setting, the unit switches to low values when the homeowners are sleeping, making the unit less noisy and the air more comfortable and convenient for sleep.

• Easy-to-access Filters Filters that are easily accessible for maintenance can lengthen the life span of the unit.

• Electronic Control Controlling the temperature by degrees is a great flexibility to the users.

• Timer You can set the time when to turn on/off the unit to help you save cost and energy.

What Size of Window Type Aircon to Buy It may not be very obvious to you, but determining the size of your window type aircon is the most crucial decision you will ever have to make. When selecting the appropriate size of window type aircon you want to install in your homes, the first consideration should not be the size of the window where it will be installed, rather the size of the room. Choosing a size too small for the room will be insufficient to cool the whole area by itself.

Meanwhile, picking a unit too big will do a better job of cooling the room quickly but will not be very cost-efficient since the bigger the unit is, the more

energy it consumes. Aside from that, a large aircon in a small room will only cause more humidity in the air and will make it feel more uncomfortable than before.

To know the proper size of your unit, you may need a little geometry to figure out your room size. If you have a regularly shaped rectangle or square room, simply multiply the length of the room by its width. For triangular rooms, your room size is half of the product of the length and the width. If you do have odd-shaped rooms that are neither squares nor triangles, you can divide the

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S P E C IA L F E AT U R E rooms into regular shapes that are easier to calculate and just add the products. In case you do have any contact with your house’s engineer/architect, you may just ask them for the floor area of that specific room so you wouldn’t need to do the math.

Once you have the accurate room size, you can now proceed to note the actual cooling capacity (in BTU) needed for your aircon. The table below shows the area where you want your units installed and its corresponding cooling capacity.

RECOMMENDED TABLE Area Sq.Ft 70 85 100 115 130 145 175 200 260 300 330 360 400 520 There are also several other factors to consider to determine the most accurate cooling capacity you need, such as:

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BTU Sq.Ft 100 125 150 170 190 210 250 290 375 440 480 520 580 750

• Sunlight When the room comes in direct sunlight or is considerably sunny during the day, add another 10% to the cooling capacity.

5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000 12000 14000 18000 21000 23000 25000 28000 36000 • Shade Otherwise, if the room is heavily shaded, decrease the capacity by 10%.

• Ceiling If you have ceilings higher than the normal 8 feet, it is advisable to increase your cooling capacity.

• Kitchen Area Add another 4,000 BTU to your cooling capacity if the unit will be installed in the kitchen.

• Number of Room Occupants If the regular occupants of the room are more than 2, increase the capacity by 600 BTU for each additional person.

• Climate Warmer climates like the Philippines may need an aircon with higher BTU output.

Good thing the Window Type Inverter (R32) air conditioner from TOSOT, the best aircon supplier in the Philippines, offers more than just the above features. With its R32 Refrigerant, air conditioning has never been this eco-friendly.

Equipped with powerful cooling but energy-efficient mechanisms, you can save on cost and energy by up to 50 percent! Its high performance, durability, and up-to-date design will surely not disappoint you this coming summer.

To find out the best aircon for your home, visit TOSOT showroom located at 2162 FB Harrison St., San Jose, Pasay City, Philippines or call +632-8330000 to book an appointment. You may also visit their website (click here) to get more information about the best aircon units in the Philippines.

This product is also available at Lazada (click here) and Adobomall (click here) online shopping sites.

The TOSOT Window Type Inverter (R32) is available in different capacity sizes: 1.0HP, 1.5HP, 2.0HP and 2.5HP.

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A Must Have Lighting System for First Responders & Security Personnel in Philippines Security Officers and Emergency Medical Technicians Should Have At least One Pelican RALS

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aving the task of ensuring other’s safety is definitely not an easy job. Nope, we are not only referring to policemen and soldiers who are brave-hearted. Even security guards and first aid officers have courageous hearts too. It would take a lot of courage to put their lives at risk just to make sure that everyone around them is safe from any harm.

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No doubt, you feel safe every time you see one standing beside the door of an establishment. The mere sight of security personnel makes you feel sheltered from any adverse situations. A uniformed officer can definitely give the feeling of safety. But is it enough for them to wear uniforms? Apparently not. They need to wear the complete gear so they are ready to face any unfortunate event that may occur.

Essential Security Personnel & EMT Gears In order for them to perform their tasks well, they need to carry a lot of gears. This includes a communication device, first aid kit, flashlight and other gadgets. These essential gears are important to protect themselves, the people around them, and the establishment they are guarding. Whatever time of the day they are on duty, they need to come in complete uniform and gadgets.One of the things we mentioned above is a flashlight. Not only can a flashlight be used for the obvious purpose of shedding light in dark places, but it can also be used as a striking device for necessary situations or possibly even protection.

Flashlights are not only needed during the night. It is also a must-have during the day since there are instances that some extra light is needed like visiting dark rooms. Even though it can be used as a weapon in some instances, there is no need to get a permit to carry one. This makes it easier for personnel to choose what type of flashlight he wants to use during his duty.

Remote Area Lighting System for Security Officers and First Aid Responders Of course, it is important to use only the best flashlight that is durable and tough. That is why security personnel in the Philippines choose Pelican Remote Area Lighting System (RALS) and Pelican Tactical Flashlights since it can cater to their needs and it aids them to perform their tasks well.

There are different designs for a Pelican RALS. One common factor of their lights is their use of polycarbonate for the lens which makes it more durable.

These can also be used for a long time since this lamp life is at 50000 hours! There is also no need to get spare batteries or charge it from time to time.

With its long hours of battery life, it also means that security officers can perform their tasks without interruption, thus making them more efficient.Pelican RALS can be used by emergency medical technicians and security personnel at airports and aviation, ports and maritime, hotels and hospitality, malls, tourist locations, and resorts, and many other locations.

Unlike gas lamps or candles, RALS are considered professional lighting. With that, security guards look more

trustworthy and proficient since they use high-quality gear.

Although security officers are mostly assigned to ensure the safety of a particular location, there are instances when they also need to respond to

operations or even calamities.

For situations like this, Pelican RALS will definitely be handy.

It would be easier to spot dark areas where someone in need may be waiting for a rescue.

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Top RALS and Tactical Flashlights for Security Personnel Two of the top Remote Area Lighting System (RALS) that are perfect for risky jobs are the 9430 RALS and the 9460 RALS. The 9430 Remote Area Lighting System (RALS) has multiple heads and Bluetooth activation. It can run for up to 15 hours and could light up an entire soccer field or an accident scene. You can just On the other hand, 9460 imagine how wide it can cover! Remote Area Lighting System (RALS) features dual Furthermore, two of the best telescoping LED light heads.

Pelican flashlights are the It is the perfect alternative to 2350 Tactical Flashlight and wasteful generator powered 2360 Tactical Flashlight has lights. It is engineered with 4 Selectable Programs with a Intelligent Control System lifetime guarantee. The 2360 which displays the RALS’ Flashlight has 375 lumens current battery life. The user while the 2350 Flashlight has may choose their desired run 178 lumens. Constructed with time and regulate the the most intensity of the light. Its durable telescopic masts could extend of mateup to 6 feet and rotate 260 rials, an degrees. aerospace grade Due to the versatility of these aluminum Pelican RALS, it is not only body and perfect for security personnel. an impact emergency medical resistant technicians, police officers, LED lamp politicians, facilities module, the management, engineers and 2350 and homeowners could also own 2360 LED one. But where can you buy keeps you these items? Pelican RALS are on point available at Coby’s Gear and without Gadget and Cobankiat Hardequipment ware. These lighting systems failure. can be delivered within the 14

Philippines. Knowing how good these flashlights are will not make you doubt why security personnel are crazy about it.

Of course, getting the best portable lighting solutions does not complete a security personnel’s gear. Aside from getting a Pelican RALS and flashlights, it is also important to acquire other quality items to prepare them for unexpected scenarios and risky situations. Above all, a security guard should always keep their wits, preparedness, common sense, and good judgment, and the rest of the security duty gear will aid along the way.

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Mobile Apps:

How It Can Improve Utility Efficiency and Productivity

Utility companies will harvest huge benefits by embracing mobile technology.

Power and other utility providers are investing large amounts of money for infrastructures. Through this, they are escalating towards improvement in operational and customer services. However, it takes a long time before infrastructure

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changes could be applied in a company. If these companies focus on improving their digital technology, they will deliver immediate changes and substantive results. This could be made possible by using mobile apps for many different functions.

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COVER STORY

The fast-paced lifestyle of consumers has a big impact on their preference in services and information acquisition.

Majority of power and water consumers are mobile-users which is a green light for utility companies to adapt to this new technology.

But not only consumers can benefit from using smart devices. Even the company itself and their workers can also gain a lot of positive 18

results by adapting this technology. Because of this, some utility companies are starting to go paperless and are reverting all transactions via emails, SMS messages and of course, mobile applications that are specially designed for their services.

COVER STORY

Improved Customer Satisfaction Mobile technology has a very big impact on customer demands. Instead of the traditional paper bills, consumers prefer digital experiences for outage viewing, billing, outage reporting, and usage monitoring. These will result in improved customer satisfaction, better customer interaction, and increase productivity.

Applications can be used in dealing with customer que-

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ries and complaints. Instead of personally interacting with them, an automated workflow can be followed which greatly saves time. It is also easier to report outages and other issues through mobile communication channels.

Engaging with consumers through mobile app technology is an effective way of bringing previously inaccessible data into the consumers. Utility company needs to make sure that they

have a well-designed app and they could offer a fully responsive solution.

Human errors from the manual filing of records can be highly avoided. It is now time to trash the paper forms and use computer systems to store large data of the consumers.

This way, all information is intact and mistakes are avoided.

Increased Accuracy and Productivity for Utility Workers Apart from consumer interaction, utility companies should also use mobile applications for their workers in order to enhance productivity. With easier access to information, utility workers will be able to perform their tasks well. Prior to the existence of computerized data, some information will often end up missing or are inaccurate. Because of this, workers are helpless and are unable to perform their jobs well.

Whereas, if field workers are provided with mobile apps to access site information, this will not only result in increased productivity but it will also bring precise fruition.

For instance, when an incident occurs, field workers can easily get the information about an infrastructure’s damage. This can help them arrive at an immediate decision on the tools to use and methods to apply.

On-the-go apps can also aid them to streamline auditing, manage key field activities, and conduct equipment assessment.

Those who perform 24/7 monitoring and maintenance on utility equipment and systems like circuit breakers

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and high voltage products do not need to make phone calls to get updates. Instead, advanced communication features are seamlessly connected to them. This could encourage more accountability to the persons in charge and no incidents can be overlooked.

On the other hand, utility technicians can also acquire quick access to consumer files, product availability, and work orders. This saves their time from traveling to one office to another in order to get hold of the information they need. Mobile apps can help simplify communication, redefine work processes, and create more effective daily operations.

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Without a doubt, apps will play a huge role in utility companies.

It will provide a distinct feature to solve field service challenges and improve operational efficiency.

COVER STORY

Immense Advantages of Mobile App Usage Companies can also benefit from the use of mobile apps.

Apart from improved field service, better customer interaction and reduced costs, a big amount of data can be easily stored. These data are analyzed to determine patterns and trends which

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could help the company in creating significant changes.

Without a doubt, apps will play a huge role in utility companies. It will provide a distinct feature to solve field service challenges and improve operational efficiency.

COVER STORY

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It can also expand their customer base by responding to problems swiftly and keeping the consumers informed. Mobile technology can arm utility workers as well as customers with real-time information and accurate data.

If power and water companies will adapt this technological advancement, they will no doubt gain lots of advantages and will be more efficient in their industry.

This will also bring them to the modern day trend of smartphone usage, which is utilized by the majority of its customers. For sure, many consumers are looking forward to this to happen. This sets an exciting ground for power, water, and other utilities since it would be a great breakthrough if all utility companies will use mobile apps.

-end-

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NEWS

Veolia’s Inclusive Cities: creating economic, social, and local cohesion An inclusive city is a city in which no part of the population is excluded from urban development. It promotes access to essential services for as many people as possible and in particular for the most vulnerable. It also encourages the involvement of its citizens and all its stakeholders in its operation.

ENSURING ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES FOR ALL

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According to the World Health Organization, diseases linked to the consumption of contaminated water endanger the health of nearly half the world’s population.

Every year, 2 million people die from water-related diseases. All over the world, Veolia assists local authorities by helping them bring drinking water to as many people as

possible. In Bangladesh, the Group and the Grameen Bank, headed by Muhammad Yunus, have set up a social business project in collaboration with local people and authorities, which is giving 6,000 people living in Goalmari and Padua access to drinking water. To implement this initiative, Veolia has deployed unprecedented social and financial engi-

INNOVATION, JOB CREATION AND LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS DEVELOPING URBAN INCLUSION. Applied to essential services, smart technologies promote urban inclusion by helping city dwellers with modest incomes control their heat, electricity and water consumption more efficiently.

For example in Nice, installing sensors that monitor consumption has enabled Veolia to help a large number of families reduce their bills by 10 to 15%. Worldwide, 59% of consumers served by Veolia benefit from progressive water pricing.

neering. In the long term, the project will be duplicated and supply 100,000 people with clean water.

Wherever it operates, the Group gives priority to local recruitment and integrating young people in difficulty, in particular by offering them work-study contracts. Veolia has therefore developed a network of 15 campuses training centers designed in synergy with local authorities and universities.

Lastly, Veolia encourages the creation of incubators, hotbeds of social and collaborative innovation.

The Group has partnered with Ashoka, the world’s leading network of social entrepre33

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neurs, to develop urban inclusion projects. As part of this partnership, the Group supports startups in Mexico City, Lyon and Toulouse, which help low-income families avoid debt and control their energy consumption.

Citizen participation, social entrepreneurship and local 34

job creation: inclusive growth encourages the involvement of all stakeholders within the local area. Through its presence and knowledge of local actors, Veolia supports economic and social initiatives that promote access to essential services for as many people as possible.

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A new cooperation on water: PUB and Grundfos With the new cooperation agreement with Singapore’s National Water Agency, PUB, we want to explore, develop and implement new, innovative and sustainable technologies within the fields of water supply and water treatment.

For the coming three years we will be joining forces with PUB in Singapore to bring innovative water technologies alive. This is possible, as our company in the city-state, which is considered to be one of the world’s leading water hubs, has signed a new cooperation agreement with the Agency. The aim is to develop new solutions as regards water treatment, water quality monitoring and new digital solutions, as well as to ensure even better use of efficient pump technologies.

“The need for water in Singapore is rising and expected to double by 2060. To meet the need in the best possible way, it is central to Singapore to continue investing in research and development to ensure a sustainable water supply for generations to come.

Therefore, we are also very excited to continue and expand our cooperation with Grundfos,” says Harry Seah, PUB’s Assistant Chief Executive for Future Systems and Technology.

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Building on a solid foundation The cooperation between PUB and Grundfos, which took off in 2014, is both about developing new water technologies, but also about using the existing opportunities optimally, for instance by implementing water and energy efficient pump solutions in Singapore’s water infrastructure.

These are favourable conditions to the development work, but also to the commercial: “The partnership does not only

support Singapore’s efforts of ensuring a sustainable water supply, it will also inspire other countries and cities in their work.

This fits well with our ambitions of being a global role model in terms of both water and climate,” says Kim Jensen, Reginal Managing Director, APREG, Grundfos.

Already by now, water treatment projects that use filter cake filtration and intelligent monitoring of bacteria levels in drinking water have been initiated in Singapore.

The agreement was signed in July

by Harry Seah and Kim Jensen.

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NEWS

Maynilad invests P14 billion in wastewater Capex since re-privatization West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad) has spent almost P14 billion in capital expenditure (Capex) projects to expand sewerage coverage in the West Zone since the company’s re-privatization in 2007.

This investment went into the construction of 15 new Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), one Sewage and Septage Treatment Plant, and one Septage Treatment Plant; rehabilitation of existing wastewater facilities, acquisition of new vacuum trucks for septic tank cleaning, and installation of 27.5 kilometers of new sewer lines, among others.

“When new Maynilad management first took over the West concession in 2007, sewerage coverage was only at 6%, and there were only two operating STPs at the time,” said Maynilad’s Wastewater Management head, Engr.

Antonio Garcia. “We have since expanded coverage to 16% as of June 2018. Much still needs to be done, and we are doing our best to facilitate completion of our sewerage projects despite right-of-way conflicts, permit issuance 38

delays, and lot acquisition issues.”

Also currently under construction are additional Maynilad STPs in Pasay, Parañaque, Valenzuela, Cavite City, and Tunasan and Cupang in Muntinupa. Once completed in 2020, Maynilad will be able to increase sewerage coverage in the West Zone to 26%.

Maynilad aims to attain 100% sewerage coverage by the end of the concession period in 2037. Meanwhile, areas that are not connected to Maynilad’s sewer network are being provided septic tank

cleaning services. “We urge our customers to avail of this service every five to seven years, because it is essential to protect community health and the environment,” said Garcia.

For this year alone, Maynilad has allotted almost P1.7 billion for wastewater projects to maintain the reliability of the wastewater network and sustain operations.

“It is a challenge for us to facilitate the completion of wastewater projects, given the impact to traffic of laying new conveyance systems.

Nonetheless, these projects

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are important so we can catch harmful effluents before discharge to the environment.

We need the support of local government and the communities to accelerate sewerage coverage expansion,” said Maynilad President and CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez.

Maynilad currently operates 17 STPs, two Sewage and Septage Treatment Plants, and 40

one Septage Treatment Plant with a combined treatment capacity of an estimated 542,000 cubic meters of wastewater per day.

Maynilad is the largest private water concessionaire in the Philippines in terms of customer base. It is the agent and contractor of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) for the West Zone of the Greater

Manila Area, which is composed of the cities of Manila (certain portions), Quezon City (certain portions), Makati (west of South Super Highway), Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon all in Metro Manila; the cities of Cavite, Bacoor and Imus, and the towns of Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario, all in Cavite Province.

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What Lies Ahead for Construction Equipment This is the future of plant, machinery, heavy equipment and vehicles.

Every Caterpillar, Komatsu, Case, Hitachi, Volvo, and Deere equipment in use at construction sites today are products of a careful developmental study in manufacturing. Ever since industrialization began, builders and engineers sought for advanced construction equipment and machines that will render smooth site operations at minimum costs.

Today, we have all the basic construction equipment we need.

Using excavators, backhoes, loaders, cranes, and rollers, among others we have formed and built engineering marvels.

Engineers always find a way to maximize the use of these equipment.

And yet, we could take advantage of modern technology to further exploit the use of these equipment, and to develop more machines that will help in forwarding construction methods.

There are essentially three areas which are the focus of construction equipment manufacturers in relating its past, present, and future. Once these three – hydraulics, engines, and computer systems – are 42

engineered to be better than its current state, they lead to lower maintenance costs, decreased operation costs, improved efficiency and reliability, and longer machine life.

Excavators, backhoes, and loaders have hydraulics embedded in them to lift, load and unload materials and objects. Mobility of these equipment relies in this system.

What emerging hydraulic technologies can do is optimize both hydraulic flow and pressure, including the ability to modulate both. They will largely affect the equipment’s efficiency, versatility, and lifting capabilities.

There are still so much to forward with engine controls, fuel injection systems, and the engine combustion process. When engineers work to improve these areas about the engines in construction equipment, it will yield increased fuel efficiency and decreased amount of harmful emissions into the air. The greatest impact in redesigning the engine is in the environment, being a critical issue in the construction equipment industry.

Computer systems are only a recent integration with construction equipment, but

they make waves for enhanced site performance. Digitization, including GPS navigation, allows more effective monitoring in machine operations, more analyzed fuel efficiency, much controlled hydraulics, and reliable reporting of machine performance – all of which are in the end part of the construction process.

While these three are existing ar-

eas that seek improvement, there is also a room for creativity in the manufacture of construction equipment by producing hybrids and using 3D printing.

There are already existing hybrid excavators and hybrid bulldozers, which will continue to flourish as manufacturers look in this area to accelerate site operations.

But there’s a more current technology, the 3D printing or additive manufacturing, which takes production of construction equipment to an entirely new level. It allows modelling of equipment parts like cabs, booms, and buckets, as 3D printing provide design allowances not found in conventional manufacturing.

Efficiency, quality, and safety are the cores of construction equipment. And they remain to be so in the future, just catching up with modern technology.

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Simple Tricks that Help You Find the Best Home Improvement Contractor Online home-services contractor directories are great resources Every home owner knows how difficult it is to find a professional contractor for improvements or repairs. Although the market is overflowing with offers, the selection process takes a huge amount of time.

The situation is even more complicated when you need to hire someone for a major project. You’ll need to spend a lot of hours researching, considering your budget and time planning.

Things can get so complicated that a lot of people are tempted to quit the research and do the improvements themselves.

However, experts say that the purchase of a professional home improvement project is not as difficult as it seems. Home improvement contractors won’t come to you and offers their services by themselves, but the Internet will prove its efficiency once again.

Online home-services contractor directories are great resources for all those who need to improve their living conditions Most people think that remodelling a house takes a lot of time and money and they are not 44

far from the truth. Home owners could lose even more if they choose scheming contractors that will charge them a lot for sloppy or incomplete work.

Here is where modern technology comes in. Thanks to modern online tools people can find efficient and professional contractors in one place. Some of these platforms are built using technology that

allows homeowners to see which of the service providers have patents, who will receive it soon and who doesn’t.

Thanks to the aforementioned tools, homeowners can receive price offers from contractors instantly, compare them and make a documented choice in a few minutes. Besides, people can find out more about a potential contractor by seeing the other users’ ratings or reading the

reviews.

We all know that recommendations are essential when we’re looking for a good plumber, handy man and other home improvement professional.

On the other hand, they are not enough, because homeowners need to make a few more steps before starting to work with a contractor.

Every good negotiator needs a little help and inspiration. We’ve gathered a few tips that will make home improvement and remodelling run smooth, regard-

less of the project’s size, requirements and home owner’s needs.

1. First and foremost, it’s important to know what you need. A clear evaluation of needs will help you sort your research by price, rating or maybe you’d rather work with a contractor that is very close to your house; 2. Once you’ve found a contractor that meets all your standards, make sure that you are available for further discussions.

Also, you can talk more over the phone and discuss the details of

your work together; 3. Meet the contractor, discuss and negotiate the terms of your agreement face-to-face. In this stage, you can ask him to adjust the price; 4. If you decided to work with a contractor, tell him that and settle the deal, because good professionals are hard to find; 5. Maintain communication with your home improvement contractor during the entire repairing or remodelling process.

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S P E C IA L F E AT U R E

Modern Automated Pallet-Wrapping Machinery Can Save Your Business Time and Money Automated pallet-wrapping machine is the way forward in industrial businesses

Automation Offers Higher Productivity If your industry manufactures and packages high volume, manual wrapping in your production line is not efficient for workers at the end that remain under pressure to palletise goods that constantly roll off the production line. It is possible to see increases of 100% or more in output even with the slightest of automation such as the implementation of a semiautomatic pallet wrapper which will reduce labour and material costs significantly.

Increased Security and Protection Automated pallet wrapping machines wrap more tightly and consistently to secure and protect products compared to hand wrapping.

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he days of relying on stretch wrapping pallets by hand in order to secure your product for freighting is fast being replaced by cutting-edge automation technology that delivers high-performance film and packaging solutions to increase yield, security, speed and produce quality pallet packaging.

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It’s not possible for a person to effectively manually balanced loads and consistently apply pressure to evenly stretch film in order to safely provide adequate load containment every time.

Hand wrapping is simply an inefficient method that costs money in labour, time and unnecessary stretch film usage.

We have outlined and justified why it’s time to upgrade from manually wrapping pallets to an integrated automated pallet-wrapping process that increases your business profits.

The opportunity for human error means constant double checks on pallet security before loading for shipment which results in lower productivity, higher labour costs and timeconsuming repetitive tasks.

Manual wrapping increases the potential for work-related injuries and employees have less protection which necessitates the

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coverage of costly comprehensive insurance protection. An automated machine will deliver consistent wrapping capabilities, a lower potential for a work-related injury on the plant floor and noticeably less film usage.

Greater cost reductions Automated pallet wrapping machinery offers greater wrap potential due to their capability of maximizing the amount of stretch that is achieved, much more than can be done by hand, reducing the amount of film waste and minimising your business’s environmental impact.

Statistically, you can expect to see on average 25%-40% stretch when manually pallet wrapping, compared to an automated or semi-automated pallet wrapper

where an average of 250% or more stretch can be achieved.

Automated machines have the ability to pre-stretch each roll of stretch film which means you are saving on material costs. The capital investment in automation speaks for itself. On average you can expect to save on film costs with the upgrade to automated wrapping between 25-40% and in optimal cases you will see an approximate 66% savings on film.

Reduced Load Damage The actual cost of freight damage resulting from hand wrapped and poorly secured loads are not always quantifiable because many of the related expenses are not calculated into the final number including costs of supplemental shipping insurance to cover compromised

loads. If consideration is given to the cost of damaged goods, labour, cost of the pallets, wrapping, replacement and re-shipping of damaged products, this hidden cost may be more than anticipated.

Automating your pallet wrapping process undoubtedly reduces the load damage you experience due to the machines reliability and consistency in protecting products. In order to achieve a secure load, there are specific wrap forces or load containment guidelines specific to each type of palletised shipment. If you don’t know what these are for your pallets, there are tools available that can help you determine them. What is more important than the number of times a pallet is wrapped, or the gauge of the stretch film used is containment force. Knowing this makes the process of hand wrapping seem inefficient and unrealistic if you intend to grow your business.

New technologies in automated pallet wrapping means machinery is engineered for precision high-speed and high-payload operation and maximum reliability enabling you to maximise your return of investment.

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4 Top-of-the-Line Breakthroughs in Mass Finishing Industry Mass finishing engineered into a modern technology that can easily produce almost any surface finish Different manufacturing processes, materials, surface finishes and the need for more desirable automation have driven breakthroughs in mass finishing.

This informative article covers mass finishing solutions for heavy and large parts, puts in plain words drag finishing solutions, discusses surf finishing technologies and highlights a couple of different media developments.

Early Ages of Finishing Vibrators: After the first finishing vibrators arrived at the market for sale in the mid-1950s, they were specifically used for ordinary deburring of massproduced components, generally in the automotive business world.

About 60 years later, mass finishing engineered into a modern technology that can easily produce almost any surface finish, whether it is deburring, defined surface radius, mirror image polishing or surface smoothing.

During that period, mass finishing was required to make improvements in manufacturing methods, materials, surface 50

quality requirements and production systems. In these modern times, people are no longer happy with an ordinary deburring job, but they’re insisting on repeatable pre-plate surface finishes and highly polished surfaces of the parts.

One example is orthopaedic augmentations, which are polished and ground by mass finishing. They have no additional surface finishing phase before being implanted in the human body.

This write-up will discuss some of the most recent breakthroughs that have given a hand to this technology to move forward.

• Polishing and Grinding media – showcasing new technical improvements • Surf finishing – empowering automatic mass finishing of specific surface areas • Drag finishing – a substantial force process to finish delicate components • XXL components – heavy and large parts with weights of up to 8,000 lbs.

1. Mass Finishing Media Mass finishing media are usually less apparent than the equipment, yet similarly important. Many revolutionary media have made available new options for mass finishing applications.

Finishing of Exotic and Harder Metals for Different Industries As new manufacturing processes and materials are created, the mass finishing processes need to adapt. There are usually a couple of real success stories about the media that have happened recently.

Exotic and harder metals used in healthcare and aerospace applications and the requirement for highly refined surfaces have

led to the advancement of media that can provide extremely fast cut, yet a very sleek finish as a pre-step to the particular vibratory polishing process.

Ideal Pre-Polish Finishes The use of tumbling media has also made many breakthroughs in other industries; This link states everything about such type of media and its uses. The advancement of technologies to blend fine abrasives with the liquid plastic resin carrier substance has led to the production of plastic-type media that induces ideal pre-polish finishes.

The Use of Media in Mass Finishing Applications The media has opened the new

door to several new mass finishing processes, which in turn became a breakthrough in the finishing industry. This media can easily be used in any kind of mass finishing application, for example, vibratory bowls, tumble barrels, and tubs, high energy barrel machines, high energy disk systems or even drag finishers.

2. Surf Finishing Surf finishing is another dramatically growing mass finishing technique. It uses wellknown spin finish technologies.

The effective use of robots allows an accurate movement of the components through the particular spinning media mass.

Specific areas of a component can easily be processed to a precise edge radius or finish.

The Use of Multiple Six-Axis Bots This surf finishing process includes multiple six-axis bots designed with specific clamping system and a revolving work bowl stuffed with polishing or grinding media. The robotic system picks up the component and holds it into the spinning media mass. This media moves around the workpiece. This puts a powerful “surfing� impact on the specific areas of the components.

Material Controlling System The spinning velocity of the bowl can be adjusted to achieve different levels of process strength from mild polishing to intense deburring and surface grinding.

The robotic system serves a dual 51

S P E C IA L F E AT U R E purpose. It not only manipulates the various components in the media in 6 axes but also works as the material controlling system for a computerised process. By handling single workpieces, they never come in contact with each other, preventing part-on-part damage and providing full process traceability.

3. Drag Finishing Drag finishing is actually the best finishing approach for top quality components, which should have a perfect finish.

Drag Finishing for Different Industries These days, drag finishing became one of the most well-known mass finishing solutions, specifically for orthopaedic enhancements and high-value aerospace parts. On the other hand, drag finishing is also utilised in other industries such as tool holders, propellers, finishing the boat, cutting tools and gears.

50 Times More Effective Than Vibratory Finishing Machines Drag finishing machines have a slide carousel with between 2 and 12 rotating stations and a standing work bowl stuffed with finishing media for polishing or grinding. The particular work parts, installed on the stations, are usually dragged through the media by the slide carousel. This 52

particular motion makes a very high force between the media and the pieces, producing a high gloss polish and high metal removal. Drag finishers are usually 50 times more effective than vibratory finishing machines. Quite simply, similar pieces, which require 5 hours in any vibratory machine, can easily be processed and finished in a drag finisher in just ten minutes.

4. XXL Components As incredible as it looks, even today, hand polishing and grinding remain the frequent finishing method for heavy, large components.

Ability to Process 8,000 Lbs. Parts New vibratory machine types handle components with weights

of up to 8,000 lbs. as well as diameters as much as hundred inches. Some other components consist of heavy equipment for wind generators, light weight aluminium airframe components, large bearing races, etc. Most of these components require surface smoothing or deburring, right after the machining operations.

In order to process all the parts, the equipment has to be sized to fit the component easily. Finishing light weight aluminium fuselage parts in a tub type vibrator is the right option.

Tubs with a workable length of 30 ft. are produced and are operating around the world. Very large components that are highly processed in tubs in many cases are fixtured to spacer rollers to avoid the large part from mashing the media.

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Manlift’s Mobile Rental App Is Now Live on App Store Download Manlift’s Mobile Rental App On Google Play & Apple App Store

At the moment, Manlift is working further in enhancing the digital application where customers can manage their entire rental activity in the app and can also be assisted via the app’s live-chat functionality.

The Manlift Rental App is available across the Gulf Cooperating Countries and India.

“This online platform provides our customers with a digital tool to simplify their way of interacting with us,” according to David King, Group Managing Director of Manlift.

“We are committed to delivering the best customer experience, which now includes the rental app. We have created a selfservice rental experience that is information rich and is mobile and user-friendly to our customers who will increasingly operate in a more digital way.”

Manlift, the leading aerial work platform and rental specialist in the Middle East and Africa Region, has launched the Manlift Rental Mobile App, available in both Android and Apple App Store.

Manlift’s rental mobile application allows customers to browse, search, reserve and schedule aerial work platform 54

equipment among other features in one process.

The Manlift rental app is part of the company’s digital strategy to increase customer satisfaction through connectivity and engage in new markets. The interface of the app is easy to use and it is designed to improve onsite productivity and the level of customer experience.

The Manlift Group, founded in 2007 and headquartered in Dubai, UAE, is a fast-growing rental and sales specialist of aerial work platforms, and power generators. In 2009, another branch was opened in Qatar to supply both power generators and access platforms. However, power generators business is only handled by Qatar branch.

Currently, Manlift has a foot print in three countries (UAE, Qatar and India) and has 6 depots with more than 2,800 machines.

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5 Ways to Fix Your Common Construction Mistakes What are the common construction mistakes?

People invest their money, efforts, and time to build towers, houses or bridges.

And one mistake can ruin the projects that took years to build.

That’s why it is necessary for you to learn from other’s mistakes because you won’t live long enough 56

to make them all yourself.

If the tools are packed away and a construction site is cleaned up, you will feel more rewarding that you have done everything well in time.

But don’t you think that you should step back and check the things if they are done well?

Your workers may have fumbled building principles without even realizing it.

The Association of Advancing Technologies in Real estate focuses on efficient, cost-effective building methods that support the goal of selling more properties. That being said, you better learn about common errors in building wrap, home siting, and ductwork planning.

Staying away from all these mistakes results in constructing a comfortable, higher quality and energy-efficient property at bit extra cost to the contractor. And not to forget, when it comes to the hard times of construction litigation, you can’t afford to go wrong.

material is simply as vital as the amount you put in.

Compression setting decreases insulation’s R-value. Scientific studies by the Oak Ridge National Research laboratory reveals that wall insulation that forms to create a 5% space cuts down the effective R-value of the wall as much as 50 %.

Batt insulating material has to fit tightly into stud cavities and all over electric and mechanical boxes. In unusually formed areas or spaces with notable blockades, loose fill such as blown-in cellulose can be useful.

Make a slight cut in the insulating material to fit instead of skipping areas with spaces or compressing it over pipes, wires, and boxes.

Spray foam is more expensive than other insulations,

but since it closes the space while it insulates, you can get rid of the expense of sealing and effortlessly insulate the nooks and crannies.

It is better to insulate water lines to preserve water-heating energy and recessed lights that permeate the building envelope.

2. HVAC – Heating and Air Conditioning Bonus Tip: Size HVAC system with rule-of-thumb computation.

Make use of Manual J to size your Heating and cooling system properly.

With today’s more restrictive building envelopes, general rule usually leads to extra-large systems that are more expensive in the beginning and cost more to work over time.

Outsized systems also do not de-humidify the internal environment of the building due

1. Insulation Bonus Tip: Try to install the minimum amount of insulating material at the earliest opportunity. Stick to the U.S. Department of Energy’s proposed padding levels and insulation recommendations.

Make your properties more leisurely, a little calmer and a lot more cost-effective by using DOE’s highly recommended installation methods and insulation levels at http://www.ornl.gov/.

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to a shorter run time. Therefore, residents usually pay more for discomfort.

ACCA’s Manual J computations take construction techniques into consideration to properly size an HVAC system.

Implementing Manual J may take a couple of hours per building or less if you are handling several similar buildings. This extra cost is more often than not re-couped instantly because a smaller system can be bought.

3. Building Wrap Bonus Tip: Place building wrap at the earliest opportunity, and do not concern yourself with the strapping or careful installation.

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Go for a building an outdoor or indoor scaffolding to access the tops to wrap everything as required. Make sure that working platforms are properly snugged with ringlocks; this page describes the basics of scaffolding with quality ringlocks. Just follow the instructions.

Placing building wraps inadequately may risk mildew and mold; decaying window jams; and drafty floors and walls.

To do it right, overlap all joints at least 7 inches in shingle manner, so they reduce water.

Seal the wrap off with codeapproved sheathing tape to make a tight joint. Make use of nails

(plastic lid fasteners work best), and make inside-out Y cuts (also known as “I” cuts) to cover window spaces.

4. Ductwork Bonus Tip: Run a duct through an unconditioned attic space. You can run ductwork in conditioned attics and insulate them properly in an unconditioned area.

In accordance with the NAHB Research Center, running ducts in conditioned attics can help to eliminate cooling and heating loads by 30 to 40%. Additionally, it reduces ducts length because supply areas are usually more flexible. Cover ducts in

conditioned attics with R-4 insulating material to prevent moisture build-up or condensation.

Joe Gregory, a procurement consultant of Bob Ward Company, recently constructed the zero energy Maximum Efficiency Home line in Baltimore. He conducted a duct-blaster test to demonstrate his workers how drippy the duct tubes were. At this point, he guided his sub-contractors to understand the standard of work necessary to install duck channels with 4-5% dripping rates, as opposed to more usual 12.

5. Floor Plan Layout Bonus Tip: Layout your floor plan for the site’s direction. Don’t forget to orient the building to benefit from natural daylight and free solar heating system during the cold months.

The key benefits of natural lights have already been well-documented; students learn better, people work better, and are healthier generally. And developing a daylit building doesn’t have to add expense to the projects.

a plan to place all windows in a single row in the south walls for winter gain. Make sure the size of roof overhangs is enough to block the summer heat but let in sunlight and heat from the winter sun.

Skylights are vigor hogs that can certainly make your space irritatingly hot. Try to make use of tubular skylights or even sun tubes to let the light enter dark spaces, basement rooms, or the interior rooms so you can avoid the use of electricity more often to light up the dark corners of rooms.

In most but the hottest southern locations, orienting the building can run the long axis from east to west. Try to create 59

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Hassle Free Ways to Help You to Determine Car Problems Remember that tires, brakes, and engine are the most critical systems When something seems wrong with your car, the first thing to determine is whether the vehicle is safe to drive. Remember that tires, brakes, and engine are the most critical systems.

Auto repair problems can be scary, especially for the ‘mechanically challenged’. That noise you hear at high speeds?

Is it the tires, brakes, or engine?

Is the noise a harbinger of worse things to come? Is it simply just that – a noise? The following can help determine the seriousness of the problem and help explain the issue to a mechanic.

Most issues relating to safety are very recognizable:

Tires This is where the rubber meets the road. Poorly inflated tires can negatively affect gas mileage, cause the car to pull to one side and cause premature wear. At worst, a tire can suddenly blow out or go flat with disastrous consequences. Checking pressure regularly will prevent future issues and possibly avoid an accident. Rotate tires every other oil change. This practice will help the tires wear evenly.

Inspect tires for damage during the rotation. Also, be aware of objects such as nails or metal embedded in the tread or sidewall. Repair as soon as possible.

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Brakes The brake system is an extremely important safety feature. Pay attention to how the car slows under braking. Does the car pull to one side when pressing the pedal? If the car only pulls under braking, tires are not the problem. Do the brakes produce a squealing sound?

Some brake pads are designed to make noise when worn. When braking, do you hear a sound like driving over gravel? This is a sign of extreme wear.

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Engine If the engine will not run continuously or seems to stall for no apparent reason, do not take the car on the road. The car may cease to run in a dangerous location, exposing you and other drivers to danger. Most engines that stall are experiencing fuel starvation.

Ensure your tank has sufficient fuel before starting your trip.

Electrical and fuel pump issues can cause engines to stall. Engines that stall can catch fire if the cause is a fuel leak.

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Summary Any issue with tires, brakes, or engine should be corrected as soon as possible. Make notes of what is wrong, detailing the conditions of the malfunction such as warning lights, noises, visual cues such as smoke or steam, high/low speed, vibrations, etc.

Check Engine Light on? You can find the source of the problem easily without a trip to the shop. Code Readers are available at most auto parts stores. The device plugs into a port under the steering wheel. A malfunction code that begins with the letter ‘P’ will read out on the display. Simply type the code into a search engine to determine what the code means. The device will also allow you to reset the light.

Remember, safety first. Do not drive a car that is having critical issues. When something goes wrong, write down the malfunction conditions along with any previous actions to correct the problem.

Plenty of resources exist on the Internet that help troubleshoot common issues. Enter the year, make, and model of the vehicle plus a simple description of the issue. The results will provide discussion board entries, videos, and articles that may identify a solution or, at a minimum, a starting point for the mechanic even if the mechanic is you.

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