Building MEMS with E-Beam Evaporation

MEMS are an exciting new development in the world of microscopic machines.

MEMS stands for microelectronic machine systems, and they are tiny machines with a ton of purpose. MEMS are created from materials that measure between 1 and 100 microns in size, and generally get as large as about 20 micrometers. Thanks to techniques like e-beam evaporation, MEMS can be “grown” and manufactured fairly quickly.

Materials Used

The materials used to create MEMS are not unlike the same materials used to make semiconductors. Essentially, layers of copper or nickel are laid onto a silicon circuit board. Ceramic is also used sometimes, because of its high resistance against biocorrosion. Polymers also come into play when the device is intended for use in biomedical applications.

Physical Deposition

During the process of physical deposition, materials are removed from one substance and placed onto another. A thermal evaporation system is often used to evaporate one material, and layer it onto another. Extreme precision is required during this process, lest the heat damage one or both materials. Vacuum chambers are designed with this in mind, and use the enclosed space allows materials to deposit onto the substrate at the optimal temperature.

Final Thoughts

MEMS are a long way from becoming the futuristic nanomachines that sci-fi hints at, but they are seeing wider use in the medical world today. MEMS are already in use in disposable blood pressure sensors and other biosensors. This technology will soon monitor our bodies, and hopefully make repairs, all at a microscopic level.

Related Story: Medical Device Coatings Explained

Related Story: What is MEMS Technology?

Denton Vacuum, LLC sells optical coating systems for use in precision optics and laser coating. Shop for advanced manufacturing devices online at Denton Vacuum, LLC.

New Advances in Medical Device Production

Written by: Denton Vacuum, LLC

Summary: Using sputter deposition and thermal evaporation, you can manufacture almost any product a patient might need.

Medical devices have undergone some serious changes in the past few years that have made them cheaper, and also more durable. New advancements in manufacturing allow companies to make minimally invasive products, and durable replacement parts. The same techniques that go into manufacturing semiconductors are now part of the medical field. Here are just a few of the benefits they bring.

Durability

A thermal evaporation system can coat one material in the particulates of another material. This is especially useful for manufacturers of medical devices, as they can coat plastic pieces and metalize them. The end result is a more durable part. Take hip joints, for instance. These replacement parts are crucial to the elderly and disabled. Thermal evaporation allows manufacturers to produce these devices at low cost, using parts that wouldn’t normally work long-term.

Comfort

Medical device coatings allow patients to wear something in the body with minimal discomfort. These devices usually make tubes like catheters more pliable, so they can easily slide into place and set there for days at a time without the patient experiencing pain. A special process is used to coat the tubing in an aqueous substance that prevents the device from sticking to the body’s internals.

Final Thoughts

UHV sputter deposition, and thermal coatings, have dramatically changed how devices are manufactured. New devices are made with cheaper materials, then reinforced to a level of quality not otherwise possible. Eye glasses also receive this treatment to achieve the anti-glare affect. Ultimately, cheaper devices keep healthcare costs down.

Explaining Diamond-Like Carbon

Diamond-like carbon is made under controlled circumstances inside a laboratory.

Written by: Denton Vacuum, LLC

There are seven varieties of “man-made diamond” to be found. These materials are meant to replicate the hardness and luster of a naturally occurring diamond, but they are produced in a laboratory under controlled conditions. As a result, the synthetic materials are usually considered “perfect.” On a molecular level, the materials are nearly indistinguishable from those of a naturally occurring diamond, but there are definite differences apparent to those in the know.

Diamond like carbon is used in materials that would benefit from the extra durability, like drill bits or saw blades for construction. You’ll also find the material inside of the housing in hard disks, and the engines of modern day sports cars use the dust to coat their parts too. The main benefit is reduced abrasion, which is especially important in high performance tools.

Natural diamonds sometimes have a hue that is barely noticeable, but does change the color of the diamond. In manufacturing, it is possible to use plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition to achieve the same goals.

Coating a substrate with these materials requires extreme heat. This is why manufacturers rely on ion beam deposition. It allows a producer to create the conditions needed to break down the diamond-like carbon, and use those molecules to produce a thin-film coating. This material can strengthen glass, making it scratch resistant.

An increased lifespan for the product is also better for the environment, because it cuts down on unnecessary waste. With diamond-like carbon, a variety of old tools can find new use with an increased durability.

Face Recognition Time Machines

Written by: Allied Time

Invest in your time and money on time systems that offers a great value on offering a hygienic, secure and fast verification of your employees’ identity when they punch in at work everyday. We guarantee that all our products are created in such a manner that each employee is secured with their identity and that it would only take them less than a second to verify themselves when they come in for work. Our leading attendance technology has been acknowledged by our long list of happy and satisfied customers because we make sure that we only create and offer a really great electronic time clock or other products that we offer. Visit our website and browse through our many featured products that have proven to be bestsellers over the years. We carry all sorts of time machine systems and we are confident that the solutions that we came up with will help any business. Any business with employees will definitely need to avail of our products because keeping track of time worked is very important in a company for the manager to process the money that should be allotted for each employee. One of our very sought after products is the Lathem time system, which is unique because it instantly detects faces of employees and it is a great alternative to fingerprint time machine systems because it is more hygienic and it is quick, efficient and highly developed with technology. Managers will be able to connect to multiple clocks to a single systems and it can store up to 500 employee faces if you upgrade the system.

Lathem time truly is a testament to our highly digital world and it is a new way for employees to punch in for work. Avail of this product and so many more when you visit our website.

How to Improve Placements

This article was written by Ted Dhanik

Most display advertising networks won’t disclose the placements that you are bidding on, but they do offer a host of other resources that can help you trim the fat. If you know what to look for, and how to reduce those unnecessary clicks, you can strategically shave hundreds off of your monthly budgets.

Exclusions

The targeting you exclude is as important as the things you include in your campaign. By excluding, you can narrow down the target audience until you get to the specific group of people you want to advertise to. Think about exclusions like broad match keywords, or keywords that include relevant variations.. You need some data to tell you what is or is not working, then you review your analytics and profit analysis to determine which banner advertising placements are good to exclude.

Targeting

Targeting encompasses more than just the age group you want to market to. Retargeting functions, for instance, can help you target only people who have already seen your add. Geographic targeting can help you find individuals in regions where your products sell for a higher price. Always think about the benefits of targeting one region over another, and remember that going local also saves you some of your budget.

Timing

The time of day that your ads show also plays a role in your sales. What if no one buys anything from you between the hours of 10 am and 3 pm? If you could stop your ads from running during those times, you could focus your budget on times when people are more likely to buy.

Bio: Ted Dhanik is the co-founder and president of business development for engage:BDR. For over fifteen years, Ted Dhanik has worked to establish brands like LowerMyBills.com and MySpace.com. Find out how to improve your ROI on display advertising with tips from Ted Dhanik.

Three Secrets to Running a Successful Internet Café Business

Written by SweepsCoach

If you own an internet café business, chances are you’re constantly thinking about ways to attract new customers and grow your business. This is especially true today, when nearly every single person has a computer in the palm of their hands. What makes an internet café attractive to people who might have everything they need in their smart phones? How do you set your business apart from the rest? How do you attract new clients and keep existing customers coming back for more? These are all important questions for any business owners of an internet café.

Although running an internet café business might be challenging, it’s not impossible. In fact, there are many successful internet cafes that are growing and expanding their services. Want to know their secrets? Here are three secrets to running a successful internet café business.

They Get Expert Advice

Running any type of business is hard work, which is why business owners who make it in the internet café industry get help when they need it. The most successful business owners have hired consulting companies for expert advice. A business consulting company is a team of professionals that know your business and the industry inside and out. They can provide you with advice on everything from how to launch a new business to how to market your company online. Regardless of what area you need help with, it’s always nice to have someone you can trust on your side.

They Offer Sweepstakes Games

To set your company apart from a typical internet café, you will need to offer unique services and/or products. In an effort to do just that, many business owners have started offering sweepstakes games along with sweepstakes terminals. Sweepstakes games are fun and exciting games that attract all types of customers. They can be played and enjoyed with friends or solo. To play the games, customers will need to purchase time from a kiosk, and then use the time to play the games on the computer. It’s a great way to surprise your current clients and attract new people into your store.

They Provide Web-Based Games

Many internet cafes have games. But not all of them have web-based games. There are many benefits to offering web-based games to your clients. Customers will love the fact that web-based games are faster, better, and more fun than traditional games. Web-based games are also free of problems, unlike traditional games that can have many bugs and issues. Finally, web-based games can be played at home. Customers will love the freedom and opportunity to play the games in your store or online in the comfort of their own home. They will still need to purchase time from your store, which means they might even purchase more time so that they can play without interruptions.
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SweepsCoach is a consulting firm for internet cafés and sweepstakes cafes, offering business advice on everything from starting a business to choosing the right sweepstakes software.

3 Things to Consider Before Replacing Your XP-based Computer

It’s almost twelve years now since XP was first launched for PC users. And as of April 8, Microsoft will deliver the final security updates closing its support for the operating system finally.

 

Of course, there are a few who still want to continue using XP and keep their PC, there are others who might want to get a new computer.

 

So, here are 3 things to consider before going out and getting that new computer:

 

#1: Fix parts or upgrade

Before you purchase a laptop, make sure you can open it easily just in case some of the parts go wrong be it RAM, storage, the keyboard or any of the other components. Lenovo is a good option. If you wish to upgrade frequently, it’s a good idea to check the laptop’s underside. For this purpose, business-grade laptops offer the easiest access.

 

#2: Think about touchscreen devices

There’s no doubt that Windows 8.1 is the best version of Windows yet but its focus on touch is even better. Before you rush into purchasing a new models, look at a wide range of laptop and more importantly, touchscreen devices that are very affordable. Even if you think, you wouldn’t want to use one, it’s still a good idea to check one out.

 

#3: Solid state or hard disk drives

You have the option of using either solid state or hard disk drives. Both have their advantages. If you’re looking for speed, then an SSD is perfect for your needs. However, if you’re looking for as much storage space as possible, then a hard disk drive. Very little has changed except for the fact that they have become reliable, spacious and definitely faster.

How Vacuum Evaporation Systems Help Patient Care

Modern medicine relies on a number of implantable devices to further patient care efficiently. These devices need to be non-abrasive so that the patient does not experience extreme discomfort at all times when wearing them. A vacuum evaporation system is used during the manufacturing process to solve a number of these complex problems and improve patient care.

Vacuum Evaporation

The first step to vacuum evaporation involves placing a substrate into a vacuum sealed chamber, along with chemicals to be super heated. The pressure inside the chamber causes the chemicals to boil at room temperature, which breaks the chemicals into particulate matter. As the heat lowers, the particles bounce off the walls of the sputter coater, where the substrate receives a thin film of the chemical.

The process is especially useful when there are concerns of harming the substrate by boiling. The original inventor of this process was Henri Nestle, who used it to create the evaporated milk he needed to make his chocolate.

Patient Care

How these systems go from food preparation to patient care involves industrial usage. This technology is used extensively to treat waste water, which is useful for the environment at large. It is also used in the semiconductors that go into medical imaging systems. Vacuum chambers are used extensively for thin film coating of medical implants, like catheters.

These systems are typically clean, and they have low costs associated with managing them. This makes it cheaper and easier to mass produce devices that save lives.

Denton Vacuum, LLC makes vacuum deposition systems for a variety of medical purposes. You can find e-beam and vacuum deposition systems online at Denton Vacuum.

What You Need to Know About Saving Files on Desktop by Default

Not a single version of Windows since XP has saved files such as photos, spreadsheets and text documents by default to Desktop.

 

This is for the simple reason that it isn’t safe but some people find this to be convenient since it is always visible.

 

However, there are a number of reasons why one should avoid saving files to Desktop. Probably, the first of the lot involves organization. The only way by which you can sort these files is by name or date.

 

Yet it becomes impossible to find a file when your Desktop is overcrowded and which is why folders are preferred to saving them at this location.

 

Unfortunately, if you do take this approach, you’ll also have to contend with application windows that will be open at any given point of time. While it’s easy to minimize or hide these windows, that just adds another level of complexity.

 

Another reason why you should prefer using folders instead of Desktop is when you perform a System Restore, the files on Desktop won’t be saved as opposed to in your folders.

 

In addition, a number of file-based backup programs don’t protect files on Desktop either. Of course, you can change this in the backup program’s settings easily.

 

Of course, if you want to still back you files on Desktop, then altering a few settings in the Library section of Windows Explorer.. Select Documents and then Properties. Click the ‘Include a Folder’ and select the desktop. You should find it near the top of the Navigation Panel which is under Favorites.

 

Alternatively, if you want to save files to Desktop by default, all you have to do is save Desktop from the Library locations list and click Set Save Location.

3 Inexpensive Tools to Keep Your Computer in Shape

It goes without saying that PCs require little or no maintenance. In fact, Windows 8.1 carries out most of the maintenance chores for you these days.

 

But every now and then, you might have to remove physical equipment from your PC, and for this, it might require a few tools that you will not be able to do without.

 

So, here are 3 inexpensive tools that you can use to keep your computer in shape:

 

#1: Microfiber cloth

This tool is very important if your PC display lacks a glass front. Using microfiber cloth to wipe off dust and anything else that hamper your view ensures that you don’t scratch your screen in the process. It comes in handy when you are wiping bits of liquid as well as when dusting the keyboard. Some people use this type of cloth as a barrier between their laptop keyboard and screen which could prevent messing up the display when it is closed.

 

#2: Screwdriver

There are a number of reasons why you might need a screwdriver for your PC but the type that you need depends on the laptop or PC you have. As for the reasons, you might want to add RAM, change your solid state hard drive for a better model or to even clear out the cobwebs too. Most importantly, if you drop some soda on your laptop, you will need this tool to help you clean out the mess.

 

#3: Compressed air

In situations where microfiber cloth isn’t enough, compressed air, which comes in cans. The advantage of using compressed air is that it can reach places where microfiber cloth cannot be it your desktop fan as well as ventilation points. Just make sure you use it as prescribed or there’s every chance of causing damage to components.