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  • Playing With the Cure Time of Molds and Casts

    Playing With the Cure Time of Molds and Casts

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    Every mold making and casting material comes with its own specific range of cure time. This is nothing but the time that the material will take to get completely cured. It can range from just a few minutes to hours or even a few days. The mold or cast has to be left to air dry on its own and there is nothing much that the artist can do in the meanwhile.

    Similarly, the pot time or working time is the time on hand to work with the product after it is mixed until it starts to set. After this, the material will not work properly.

    For instance, alginate is renowned for its quick setting and curing time, whereas materials like latex rubber require days on end to cure before they are ready for use. Most silicones have a cure time between 18 to 24 hours.

    What to do?

    Artists use various measures to speed up or prolong the cure time. In fact, delayed-setting and quick curing options are available for alginates, plasters, silicone and other materials. Sometimes, fibers, fillers, talc or magnesium oxide (for plaster) are added to achieve the same effect.

    For certain materials like silicone, fast catalysts are also available. These can be added to the silicone rubber to significantly reduce the cure time, sometimes to even just an hour! Care is needed as adding too much catalyst may make the material start curing even before it can be applied.

    Alternatively, techniques like hot air dryer, dehumidifier or baking in an oven are used to hasten the cure time. In fact, plaster casts are often baked to reduce the curing time to 12 to 24 hours. However, too much of the hot air can also cause the mold or cast to crack or spall. Also, silicone does not react very well to heating from dryers or lamps; it may just break out in unsightly bubbles all over the mold or cast.

    Temperature variation

    It should be noted that the pot time and cure time is generally measured at normal room temperature. It will definitely vary depending on the atmospheric and climatic conditions prevailing at the time of working/curing. For instance, cooler temperatures tend to increase the pot time and cure time while warmer weather is sure to reduce both working time and cure time.

    This phenomenon can be easily used to vary the pot/cure time to suit your convenience when trying how to make molds. All you have to do is gently warm the material (both base and catalyst for two-part materials) before using them. This will speed up the chemical reaction and the mold or cast will take lesser time to cure. But keep in mind that the working time is also reduced and the material will start setting much more quickly. Do not overheat the materials either.

    Similarly, cure time can be easily increased by refrigerating the material (both base and catalyst again) prior to use of how to make molds. This will give more time for working with the material per se.

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    Source by Ed McCormick

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  • Is a common shoulder surgery useless?

    Is a common shoulder surgery useless?

    New research casts doubt on the true effectiveness of a common type of surgery used to ease shoulder pain.

    A British research team tracked outcomes for patients who underwent “decompression surgery” to treat shoulder impingement – a condition where a shoulder tendon rubs and catches in the joint.

    In decompression surgery, a small area of bone and soft tissue in the shoulder joint is removed, opening up the joint to prevent the abrasion that happens when the arm is lifted.

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  • Businesses Pursuing New Product Development

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    With the aftermath of globalization, companies are carefully thinking about the best ways to extend their product and service offering. Thus, product development strategy is critical for their success. Yet, many companies are in defensive mode and merely want to maintain the position in the market place.

    However, staying in a holding position is a definite way for companies to be left behind. Innovative thinking that allows for product/service growth is a too sure way for sustainable success. In today’s discussion, we will explore the importance of product development for the growth of businesses, especially in a competitive market.

    Launching into new product offerings is not easy. According to one market research, approximately 75% of consumer-packaged goods and retail products fail to earn even $7.5 million during their first year. Harvard Business School Professor, Clayton Christensen, who is the world’s foremost authority on disruptive innovation, suggests that the failure rate of new products may actually be as high as 95%. Product failure rates relate to the number of products that are launched commercially but fail.

    Geoffrey A. Moore, the author of Crossing the Chasm, maintains the challenges of product deployment: “… the less successful product is often arguably superior. No content to slink off the stage without some revenge, this sullen and resentful crew casts about among themselves to find a scapegoat, and whom do they light upon? With unfailing consistency and unerring accuracy, all fingers point to-the vice president of marketing. It is marketing’s fault!” Thus, new product development is a risky proposition to senior executives making these critical positions as well as the organization as a whole.

    Businesses that want sustainable growth must develop new product and services often and consistently. Philip Kotler and Kevin Keller, authors of Marketing Management, “In an economy of rapid change, continuous innovation is a necessity. Highly innovative firms are able to identify and quickly seize new market opportunities.”

    In taking any actions on new product development, businesses should think strategically about their product development. Alexander Chernev, the author of Strategic Marketing Management, further argues that managing growth is the most preferred route to profitability compared to just cutting cost.

    He outlines four key issues in managing growth, which include: (a) gaining and defending a market position, (b) managing sales growth, (c) new product development, and (d) product-line management. Chernev maintains, “New products and services are the keys to sustainable growth; they enable companies to gain and sustain their market position by taking advantage of the changes in the market to create superior customer value.”

    With that said, new product development meaning having the ability to take a product or service idea and convert it into a tangible offering that customers want. The following are the steps that more products undergo for market consumption: (a) idea generation, (b) concept development, (c) business analysis, (d) product development, (e) market testing, and (f) business deployment.

    The Ansoff Matrix is a strategic tool for product development, consisting of market penetration, market development, product development, and diversification. In market penetration strategy, organizations seek to grow using its existing product offerings in existing markets. With this strategy in mind, organizations try to increase market share. In a market development strategy, companies try to expand into new markets like new buyers using their existing offerings. In product development strategy, businesses seek to create new products and services targeted at its existing buyers.

    In a diversification strategy, an organization tries to grow its market share by introducing new product offerings while at the same time entering a new market. Diversification is the most-risky approach due to simultaneous making new changes (new product, new market). Kotler and Keller further maintain the difficulty of sustainable product success: “It is increasingly difficult to identify blockbuster products that will transform a market, but continuous innovation can force competitors to play catch-up.” The concept sounds easy. However, it is riddled with problems.

    Without a doubt, many companies know that product development is a risky business. Although many consumers will proudly proclaim the success of many innovative products like Apple and Google, these same buyers are not aware of the numerous product launch failures in this country. In our discussion, I demonstrated the importance of product development for the growth of businesses, especially in a competitive market. Failures often lead to innovation.

    American great inventor, Thomas Edison, had his own share of failures, but learned how to innovate because of them: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Likewise, today’s businesses can also achieve success if they understand how to deploy their products and services to the marketplace strategically. Although there is enormous danger in failure, there is also the opportunity of unforeseen growth. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

    © 2017 by DD Green

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    Source by Dr. Daryl D. Green

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  • Learning The Keys To Submission In Marriage

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    It is a divine law for wives to be submissive to their own husbands if they are to have a blissful marriage (Ephesians 5:22). Some wives would like to do so, but they do not know how. The keys to effectively submit to the one they love are here. Take them. Apply them. Enjoy that marriage of your dream.

    Submission is willingly putting oneself under an authority. The proud and ungodly, says it is foolish to be submissive, but to the humble and godly, it is wisdom. Every wise woman builds her house; but the foolish plucks it down with her own hands (Proverbs14:1). When we refuse to do God’s word we expose our lives to the influence of the devil, who comes in to steal, to kill and to destroy peace in marriages. God’s word is a road map to anyone who adopts it. Therefore, a wife’s submission to her husband is not to debase her in any way nor to advocate her husband’s supremacy. It is wisely recognising and fulfilling her complimentary role in the marriage union. If we will let this mind be in us, the struggle for supremacy, pride, arrogance, and rebellion in homes would stop. Let us examine some of those keys to learn.

    The first key is that submission must come from your heart. Until submission takes its root in your heart it will not endure when pressure comes. This is why women who conditionally submit to their husbands soon become rebellious when the motivation for it fades. Make your heart tender with the Word of God. You might ask how? Use the Word of God. When you hear the Word of God on submission, receive it with meekness and joy; keep it and do it patiently until the fruits become evident for all to see. Learn to diligently guard your heart against the subtle voice of the devil trying to steal those lofty Words you have heard.

    Meditation on the Word on submission is a second key you need to learn. Ensure you meditate on the word of God you hear until it becomes a part of your being so that it can bear fruit in your marriage. Speak words that will boost the morale of your spouse. Speak edifying words to your marriage. Take positive actions that will truly prove you are the submissive wife of God’s dream.

    The third step is to take practical steps against rebellion in your heart. One of such steps is to mind the company you keep. The bible says evil communication corrupts good manners. It is time to deprogram your life of those worldly associations that have programmed you for rebellion against the peace of your mind. Let those of them in captivity seek deliverance. You are a free child of God. So, be it! Remove those books and movies that are contrary to the Word of God from your shelf. You don’t need them. Take a stand. It is in your own interest.

    Added to the above is absolute love for your spouse. Perfect love casts out fear, the fear of dominion. If you truly loved him you would submit to him in all things. You will not be afraid of him dominating you because submission attracts love. Let your love for him be tangibly expressed. Overcome that fear with your expressed love.

    Above all, both partners should submit to God. The husband’s submission to God will attract same level of submission from his wife. Abraham submitted to God and Sarah submitted to Abraham.

    In conclusion, every great marriage must make God’s word the standard for living. God’s word advocates submission as the key to a successful marriage. Therefore accept it.

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    Source by Christopher UI Ogholoh

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