#and one of the better executions of this setup in recent years

[hotwaterandmilk]

Series: Oni no Hanayome wa Taberaretai Artist: Sakano Keiko Publication: Hana to Yume Issue #1 (01/2024) Details: Hanayume Allstar Flower Party Calendar (October) Source: Scanned from my personal collection

[spacemanwandersstuff]

thoughts on the new sp special??

okay so this is definitely the best special since post covid, i think because it felt a lot like a typical south park two-parter episode. i wasn’t constantly checking how much run time was left and it felt really really really well paced like a two parter episode would be.

this special also felt like matt and trey were actually passionate about the topic. i’m guessing part of the problem of the recent specials is that they have been juggling so many things the past year (casa bonita, snow day, the contracts themselves). but something like the cred special didn’t feel like they were as invested or had a lot to say, which obviously isn’t always a bad thing because south park isn’t only social commentary. but for a special or two parter that does revolve around social commentary, a topic that matt and trey have a lot to say about just works so much better for the length. i think the panderverse had a lot of potential here because matt and trey seemed passionate about that too, and because the conversation between cartman and kathleen kennedy was really well done. but the end of obesity just executed it so much better with the pacing, b-plot tie in, characters, jokes, etc. the ending was so great too, just felt like a classic south park episode twist.

kyle and cartman were SO funny in this special. i don’t think they’ve had such good screentime separately or together for a long while, and their dynamic was so good. it’s the classic setup of kyle obsessing over something stupid cartman got himself into, but when they have to work together it’s even better. a lot like the dynamic in tonsil trouble, the cherry on top would’ve been if kyle and cartman argued more lmao

and kyle. kyle was UNHINGED this episode and it was hilarious. works so well with his character because he just can’t wrap his head around how stupid the healthcare system is, and the fact that people aren’t just selling ozempic for what it actually costs to make. also the fact that he’s like “yeah there’s tutorials for making ozempic on tiktok”, i think it’s funny he still uses tiktok. the episode also had him kill the twinkies mascot and casually dropped he has freckles, so that’s a huge win

this whole special just felt like it was made with way more… effort? the way the contract south park has with paramount and max have just really dragged down the beauty of its original format (6 days to air). specials like cred and panderverse just felt like they would’ve been executed so much better with a 20 minute episode made in 6 days. even in the behind the scenes documentary, trey says once an episode is finsihed he always feels like he could’ve added more to it or changed things, that their opinions may change while making the episode but they just gotta run with it, and that they usually wish they could work on every episode longer. that’s the south park’s strong suit, because having only 6 days to write, animate, voice act, and create the episode forces them to have no time to overthink. but there are exceptions with episodes that do need more time to make, and this special felt like one of those. it felt more like it had the right to be a special than most of the recent ones.

anyways, good special. had the classic south park feel and definitely one of the best specials as of late

[tap-tap-tap-im-in]

A friend of mine asked me recently to detail my Linux setup, and after thinking about it for a bit, I realized that this is essentially a personality quiz for the Linux users I thought I would detail it here as well.

I no longer have a desktop computer at all. I have two older generation "gaming" laptops and three Raspberry Pis. I'm going to go through in the order I got them:

Laptop #1:

[Purchased New in 2016] Acer ROG 7th Gen i7, 16GB Ram, nVidia 1050Ti Mobile, Internal 1TB HDD, external 2TB HDD

This was originally a windows laptop when I got it back in 2016, but in 2021 I was tired of the long windows boot times on the the HDD and was much more familiar with Linux due to several years experience doing webserver admin work.

I use Ubuntu LTS as my base. It's easy, it's well supported, it's well documented, and the official repos have just about everything I could need. The only thing I've really had to add myself is the repo for i3, but we'll get to that in a bit. I also chose Ubuntu because I already had my first two Raspberry pis, and both were running Raspbian, so using a debian based kernal meant that it wouldn't be much of a change when ssh'ing into them.

That said, I've never really liked the default Ubuntu desktop. Gnome3 is slow and full of too many effects that don't look especially nice but are still heavy to execute. Instead I loaded up KDE plasma. You can download Kubuntu and have them to the setup for you, but I did it the hard way because I found out about Plasma after installing Ubuntu and didn't want to start from scratch.

My plasma desktop looks like this:

Of my two laptops, this one is in the best shape. It's the one that I usually take with me on trips. With the dedicated GPU it can do some light gaming (it did heavier gaming on windows, but due to emulation layers the performance is just a little worse these days, Linux gaming isn't perfect), the screen hinge has never been an issue, and it's on the lighter side of gaming laptops (which is not to say that it's light). For that reason, I often find myself actually using it on my lap, in airports, at people's houses, on my own couch typing this up.

For this reason, I started looking into ways to better keep my hands on the keyboard, rather than having to drift down to the track pad, which is my least favorite part of this laptop. During that research I discovered i3. If you're not familiar i3 is a Linux Desktop Environment that is entirely keyboard driven. https://i3wm.org/

To be fair, it's less of a desktop environment and more of a keyboard driven window manager, as it doesn't have a "desktop" per se. Instead when you log into it, you simply get a black status bar at the bottom of the screen. It doesn't even black out the login screen, so if you don't know what to look for, you might think the whole thing has hung. But, the big benefit of this is that the whole thing is lighting fast for a DE. It doesn't waste any resources on effects or really anything that you don't need. But it's really nice for window tiling and task switching without having to get the mouse involved. This is great for productivity (if you're into that), but it's also just convenient for working on a gaming laptop, which might be balanced such that if you take your hands off of it, it might topple off your lap.

This laptop is my primary project computer. It has all my git repos and scripts for doing things like renewing my website's ssl certs. I also run game servers on it for Minecraft. I'm probably going to spin up a Valheim server on it in the near future too. Especially now that the process has improved somewhat.

Raspberry Pi #1:

[Gifted New in 2016] Raspberry Pi 3b, 4GB RAM, 32GB SD card

This one is my oldest RPi. It's had a lot of roles through the years, including an early version of the vogon media server during initial development in 2020. It's run headless Raspbian for a good three or four years now. Currently it's configured as a web server/php scripted web crawler and a pi-hole DNS server. My router currently refuses to use it as a DNS server without bringing the whole network down, but I will on occasion manually switch devices to it when I'm running especially ad-ridden applications.

There's not too much to say about this one. It's stable, I almost never have problems with it. I frequently use it for things that I want running in the background because they'll take too long and I don't want them blocking up one of my other computers.

Laptop #2

[Gifted Used in 2020] Asus Predator 7th Gen i7, 16GB Ram, nVidia 1080 Mobile, 2 internal 256GB SSDs, External 2TB HDD

This one runs windows 10 still. I use this primarily for gaming. The screen hinge is an absolute joke, and replacing it involves replacing the entire screen bezel assembly, which I can absolutely do, but is such a pain that I haven't gotten around to it in the 3 years I've owned this laptop.

There's nothing really special about this one, other than that when both laptops are at my desk, I use a KVM switch to swap my external monitor, keyboard, and trackball between the two computers.

Raspberry Pi #2:

[Gifted New in 2020/21] Raspberry Pi 4b, 4GB Ram, 16GB SD card, 2 120GB USB Sticks, External 2TB HDD

This is my media server. I got it for Christmas 2020 (or 2021, I don't actually remember which because 2020 was a hard hard year). It runs Rasbian, the full OS, with the desktop environment disabled from booting via the command line. It runs PHP 8.2, MariaDB, Apache2, and MiniDLNA to serve the content via my Vogon Media Server.

If you can't tell from the above storage, I'm running the USB ports well past the power delivery they are rated for. The webserver and OS are on the internal storage, so functionally this just means that sometimes the media disappears. I need to build a migration script to put the contents of the two USB sticks on the external storage, as there is more than enough room, and if I can put the HDD in an enclosure with dedicated power, that will solve the issue. But that's at least a hundred dollars of expense, and since the server only has 1, maybe two users at a time, we've been limping along like this for a few years now.

Raspberry Pi #3:

[Purchased New in 2023] Raspberry Pi 4b, 8GB Ram, 16GB SD card

This is the newest Pi. Work gave me a gift card as a bonus for a project recently, so after weighing the pros and cons of getting a VR headset, I settled on setting up a retro gaming tv box. Currently it's running Batocero Linux and loaded up with classic game roms up through the PSX. Though, I would really like to use it as a tv client for the media server. I've upgraded the devices in the living room recently, and there's no longer a dedicated web browser we can use without hooking up one of our laptops. I've got a spare 128GB SD card in the office, so I'm strongly considering getting a wireless mouse and keyboard and setting it up to dual boot between Batocero (which is convenient because it can be navigated with just a controller), and Raspbian. I think I'd set Batocero as the default in Grub, and then if I want to use Raspbian I'd need to have the keyboard handy anyway.

Maybe I'll get one of those half-sized keyboards with the trackpad built in.

Speaking of controllers. I use an 8BitDo Pro 2 controller, and I've been super happy with it since purchase: https://www.8bitdo.com/pro2/

So that's the setup. I have entirely too many computers for any one person, but I included the dates when I got them to show that a number of these have been around for a long time, and that part of the reason I have so many now is that I've put a lot of time into ongoing maintenance and repurposing.

If you've read this far, I'd love to hear about your setups. You don't have to reblog this, but please tag me if you detail yours.

[soubhagyaside]

How Billionaires Organize Their WorkSpace—What You can Learn From it?

Do you ever wonder what billionaires’ workspace looks like and how they manage their workspaces?

What was their workspace before they were famous or Internet celebrities?

In this post, we will explore the workspaces of Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Mike Bloomberg, and Kevin Kelly with many other articles and entrepreneurs to see how they are productive and what their workspace looks like.

We will also see what we can learn from them.

Bill Gates

Bill Gates is an American technology entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist better known for the software company Microsoft, As of Dec 2023 it's being valued at 2.76 trillion dollars.

The first person to achieve a $100 Billion net worth. He also owns Codex Leicester, a collection of scientific writing by Leonardo da Vinci.

Gates being a nerd is interesting to see what his workspace looks like.

These are some photographs of the workspace of Bill Gates when he was building Microsoft. You can clearly see the messy piles of papers with computers, keyboards, and telephones.

Gradually over the year, he becomes neat and clean as other work is delegated to others. Gates now uses a clean work setup with a water bottle, computer, keyboard, mouse, and other important things.

Throughout the images of Bill Gates, you can see a book near to him, as he likes to read a lot.

Elon Musk

Elon Musk is an interest entrepreneur and investor and the wealthiest person in the world with over $222 billion as of Dec 2023. He is the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, owner of X, formally Twitter, and also the founder of xAI.

Mr. Musk always grabs a vacant desk whenever he needs one to work and it's interesting to see what his workspace looks like.

Elon Musk always uses an oval-shaped desk to work from the end of his work desktop and other end his places his other important documents or projects.

The desk is somewhat clean and you always find some book near to him, being an avid reader like Bill Gates. The U-shaped desk is the most interesting thing I liked the most from his workspace.

It allows him to switch places from his desktop to the front when he meets someone.

You can also see Musk always works in a place that has large windows to allow natural sun lights to come.

Mark Zuckerberg

Mark Zuckerberg is a computer programmer and entrepreneur, better known for social media Apps like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads. He is the CEO of Facebook and its parent company, Meta.

Mark is also an interesting personality and it is interesting to see the workspace of Mark Zuckerberg.

From the early days of Facebook, Mark has been comfortable with a small setup with a monitor or laptop with a mouse or some paper around him. You can clearly see he only uses a laptop and it allows him to work from anywhere.

You can see the present day picture of Mark’s desk where you can see some books, a laptop with no mouse and cable connect to it, his phone and Meta Quest VR, which lunched recently.

Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs was an American businessman, inventor, and investor better known for co-founding Apple Inc. He was also the primary investor of Pixar and the founder of NeXT.

As you can see the workspace of Steve Jobs from the last days of his life. He is kind of messy and that may be the sign of geniuses. He is filled with books, electronic devices, and piles of papers.

Nothing is expected more from a person who values and makes minimalist products like iPod, iPhone, and iPad.

Mike Bloomberg

Micheal Bloomberg is an American businessman and politician, who is better known for founding Bloomberg L.P. financial data services firm, and served as mayor of New York City from 2002-2013.

The workspace of Bloomberg looks like the modern coders with multiple screens and monitors opened with chats. Because of his industry, he is always open to news and chats on his multiple monitors.

Kevin Kelly

Kevin Kelly is a founding executive editor of Wired magazine. He is also a writer and photographer. Kelly is an interesting man and with also in his workspace. His workspace looks different from other billionaires.

He also has a messy desktop with a wall of Legos and a skeleton of some kind. You can see the mess of things like books, notebooks, papers, mic, desktops, and more.

See Workspaces of Great Minds, Artists, Scientists, and Writers

Jane Austen, Novelist:

Yoshitomo Nara, Artist:

Pablo Picasso, Painter:

Mark Twain, Writer:

Virginia Wolf, Writer:

Roald Dahl, Children's Writer:

Thomas Edison, Inventor:

Stephen Hawkings, Theoretical Physicist:

Nicholas Tesla, Inventor:

Martin Luther King, Political Leader:

Warren Buffet, Investor:

NASA Scientists:

Bob Dylan, Singer:

Winston Churchill, Former PM of the US and political Leader:

Neil Gaiman, Writer:

PS: You can see my workspace here.

What You can learn from their workspaces?

Looking at different kinds of workspaces from modern-day entrepreneurs to billionaires and artists to scientists, here are some of the things that we can learn from their workspaces.

Everybody is different in their own way, we can't say a clean background led to success or a messy own. They are the clear examples of this.

You can often find books in their workspace that allow them to read whenever they want to.

Some use a simple workspace and other messy or complex workspaces like Bloomberg with multiple monitors.

They seem to love their own workspace with their own choice of design.

[govindhtech]

IBM Maximo AWS Deployment Strategies

The Business Value of IBM Maximo, a recent IDC report that surveyed 9 companies with an average of 8,500 employees, found that adopting IBM Maximo resulted in a business benefit of USD 14.6 million per year per organization, 43% less unplanned downtime, and USD 8.6 million in total equipment cost avoidances.

One comprehensive, cloud-based application platform for asset monitoring, management, predictive maintenance, and reliability planning is IBM Maximo Application Suite (MAS). Maximo optimizes performance, extends asset lifecycles, and reduces downtime and costs for high-value assets using AI and analytics. Hosting Maximo on a scalable infrastructure maximizes performance, hence the current tendency is to shift it to the cloud. In this trip, MAS migration and deployment on AWS Cloud are gaining popularity.

The growing demand for Maximo AWS Cloud migration

Migrating to cloud helps enterprises improve operational resilience and dependability while updating software with minimal effort and infrastructure constraints. Due to the growing demand for data-driven asset management, firms must aggregate data from diverse departments to identify trends, generate predictions, and make better asset management decisions.

Last April, IBM said Maximo 7.6 and add-on support would stop in September 2025. All Maximo EAM customers must upgrade to the latest cloud-based MAS. Maximo migration and modernization are become increasingly significant to clients.

IBM has released new containerized versions of Maximo Application Suite as a Service (MAS SaaS) on AWS Marketplace with Bring Your Own License (BYOL) to assist Maximo migration to AWS. MAS SaaS on AWS is another milestone in Maximo’s integration of Monitor, Health, and Visual Inspection into a unified suite.

What makes MAS SaaS distinct

IBM Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) specialists use best practices to continuously maintain and administer MAS SaaS, a subscription-based AWS service. This partnership gives customers an industry-leading IBM asset management system underpinned by AWS’s size, agility, and cost-efficiency.

Upgrades and migrations to MAS 8 are possible with MAS SaaS. The data update is similar to prior upgrades, but ROSA and other dependencies require architecture changes. The migration is comparable to how clients transitioned from on-premise to Maximo EAM SaaS Flex, but with MAS changes. Perpetual on-premises customers would stop paying Service & Support (S&S) and purchase a SaaS subscription, on-premises Subscription License customers would start a new subscription, and existing MAS Flex and MAS Managed Service customers would start a new subscription to migrate to MAS SaaS.

Our IBM Consulting Cloud Accelerator (ICCA) technology lets firms plan migration and upgrade strategies before investing.

Maximo migration strategy of a global energy firm

IBM worked closely with an energy company confronting the following challenges:

Infrastructure needed for latest Maximo version takes longer.

WebSphere, Maximo’s core, experienced high-availability and performance difficulties.

Lack of data fabric and integration layer hinders cross-application data interchange.

Complex setup, failures, and security with manual end-to-end deployment.

Since Maximo Application Suite 8 (MAS8) tackles industry issues like failure risk, escalating maintenance costs, sustainability, and compliance laws, the customer chose it. The client chose AWS Cloud for its deployment flexibility, scalability, high availability, and secure architecture. 

Approach to solution

This is how IBM accelerated the energy company’s Maximo move to AWS:

Used Infra as a code to upgrade Maximo from 7.6.0.9 to 7.6.1.2.

IaC allowed instance spin-up for auto scaling. This automation reduces the time to spin up and execute the new environment and addresses multi-AWS availability zone deployment latency.

Used AWS DMS for data migration and schema conversion.

IaC spun the DR environment on demand to reduce database replication (DR) infrastructure and expense. DR capabilities update data in availability zone and DR area.

Achieved data exchange across applications using IBM Cloud Pak for Data and standardized integration using IBM Cloud Pak for Integration components.

Solution components

Maximum Enterprise Application Management (EAM) has a 3-tier design with these components:

HTTP/Web Tier and Application Tier using IBM WebSphere and HIS installed EC2 instance under private subnet for application security.

Database Tier uses AWS Oracle RDS with replication for DR under private subnet.

AWS best practices were used to configure VPC with public and private subnets.

Application servers and deployment manager were autoscaled by Auto Scaling Group. 

Maximum web-based UI resolution for external access using AWS Route 53.

WAF was the initial line of defense against web exploits.

Integration of Terraform and CFT IaC scripts provided autoscaling architecture.

AWS Reference Architecture

Max on RedHat OpenShift Service on AWS (ROSA) helps clients

Containerized MAS 8.0 runs on RedHat OpenShift. AWS, IBM, and RedHat developed an IBM MAS on ROSA reference architecture to help customers inexperienced with production containerization. ROSA, a fully managed, turnkey application platform, supports IBM MAS configuration and offloads cluster lifecycle management to RedHat and AWS, allowing organizations to focus on application deployment and innovation. This means IBM MAS clients don’t need to develop, administer, or maintain RedHat OpenShift clusters.

Operating Model and Maximo Migration

Top 3 Maximo AWS migration accelerators

Clients can migrate to the cloud using three IBM MAS deployment methods on AWS Cloud:

ROSA-powered MAS SaaS on AWS

ROSA-powered AWS MAS

Customer-hosted ROSA

Why use customer-hosted ROSA

The customer-hosted ROSA option for hosting IBM MAS in a customer’s VPC with ROSA is powerful. ROSA is perfect for MAS deployments because it seamlessly deploys, scales, and manages containerized applications.

The benefits of this choice are enormous. Full control over the infrastructure while still subject to the organization’s monitoring, controls, and governance standards allows businesses to customize and adjust the environment to their needs. This control includes adding MAS integrations and enforcing cloud security and governance requirements. ROSA charges are combined into one AWS bill and drawn from any AWS enterprise agreement, simplifying financial management.

AWS enterprise agreements and Compute Savings Plans offer infrastructure savings for MAS implementations. Because the ROSA cluster operates under the customer’s AWS account, customers can buy upfront ROSA contracts and get a one-year or three-year ROSA service charge discount.

Why IBM for Maximo AWS migration?

Any modernization effort must include cloud migration. Cloud migration is not a one-size-fits-all method, and each organization faces unique cloud adoption difficulties.

IBM Consulting’s Application Modernization offering helps clients migrate and modernize AWS applications faster, cheaper, and more efficiently, reducing technical debt and accelerating digital initiatives while minimizing business risk and improving business agility.

IBM offers unique cloud migration services to accelerate customer application migration to AWS:

Cloud migration factory capabilities including proven frameworks and processes, automation, migrating templates, security policies, and AWS-specific migration squads speed up delivery.

IBM Garage Methodology, IBM’s cloud services delivery capabilities, ROSA, and AWS Migration tools and accelerators accelerate migration and cloud adoption.

ICCA, IBM’s proprietary framework for migration and modernization, reduces risk. ICCA for AWS Cloud automates various modernization procedures, simplifying and speeding up company agility. Before investing, businesses can plan migration and modernization strategies. Discover IBM Consulting Cloud Accelerator for AWS Cloud.

Our well-defined pattern-based migration methodology includes re-factor, re-platform, and containerization using AWS managed services and industry-leading tools to remove and optimize technical debt.

Finally, IBM offers customizable t-shirt-sized price models for small, medium, and large migration sizes, ensuring clients’ migration scope is obvious.

IBM helps clients migrate applications, like Maximo to AWS Cloud

In conclusion, clients seek IBM’s expertise to:

1.Upgrade Maximo 7.6x (expiring 2025) to MAS 8. 

2.On-premise workload to AWS Cloud for elastic, scalable, and highly available infrastructure and runtime

IBM Consulting can help

AWS Premier Partner IBM Consulting accelerates hybrid cloud journeys on the AWS Cloud by leveraging business and IT transformation skills, processes, and tools from many industries. On AWS Cloud, IBM’s security, enterprise scalability, and open innovation with Red Hat OpenShift enable enterprises grow swiftly.

BM Consulting develops cloud-native apps in AWS Cloud with 21,000+ AWS-certified cloud practitioners, 17 validated SDD programs, and 16 AWS competencies. IBM Consulting is the best AWS partner due to acquisitions like Nordcloud and Taos, advancements at IBM Research, and co-development with AWS.

Read more on Govindhtech.com

[cimcondigital]

Prognostic Solutions in Steel Plant and Tube Mill Industry

The global steel market reached a value of US$ 874.6 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, IMARC Group expects the market to reach a value of US$ 1,052.25 Billion by 2027, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 3.02% during 2022-2027. Significant growth in the automotive industry across the globe and Increasing oil & gas production owing to the transportation industry’s demand is creating a positive outlook for the market. But with growth comes a lot of challenges in the steel manufacturing process. Companies in the industry face major challenges with rapid digitalisation and unlocking potential in data, shifts in consumer demands, and the attraction of top talents.

To address these challenges and improve profitability, the largest integrated producer of engineering steels and specialized seamless tubes in the Asia Pacific region has the foresight to expand its market in the coming years. In recent years, the leadership team has placed a greater emphasis on better asset utilization and process optimization.

Steel Plant & Tube Mill Challenges:

Failure of AssetsComplex procedures and important resources are used to produce steel tubes. Production and product quality are both impacted by the unforeseen failure of assets. It is not practical to inspect equipment frequently due to the harsh steel mill environment and the risks that inspection of rotating equipment poses to operator safety.

Mills in poor condition A poorly maintained mill costs valuable time and scrap during setup and operation. The mill must be dependable so that the operator is not chasing mechanical problems during normal operation and setup. A good maintenance program, as well as rebuilds or upgrades when necessary, is essential.

Tube mill misalignment, poor mill condition, and inaccurate setup account for 95% of all problems in tube production. Most mills should be aligned at least once a year.

Low investment in technologyOne of the major problems which these industries face is the lack of incorporation of advanced technologies in Research and Development work in production. The same is the case for other sectors of the industry and has been the case for decades. One of the outcomes has been the relative unattractiveness of the sector vis-a-vis others among young engineers. With little research being done by the government or the private sector, Industries lack effective implementation of Industry 4.0 and technologies that can reduce risks and helps to cut overall production cost. 

Process monitoringSteel mills’ inspection and monitoring process usually follow specific procedures, requiring that workers operate in a typical analog way. Since it is a critical environment, stopping production to execute corrective actions is unfeasible, and the current method for monitoring these problems is not able to predict failures in the same way as intelligent predictive models do, thus demonstrating an inevitable gap to errors.

Lack of Talent and TrainingEven though the operators are skilled and trained to operate in tube mills, there are still some challenges and issues that they need to face every day. Tube mill owners should arrange training sessions on how to troubleshoot the problem and figure out what was causing the problem. If these problems are not addressed properly, aluminium fabrication, steel fabrication, or stainless-steel fabrication processes won’t have precise tubes and pipes to work with.

MaintenanceBesides the difficulty in performing the inspection itself because of the hostile environment of steel industries, the maintenance of the encountered problems is also difficult.

The corrosion of equipment and structures is also a common problem in these industries and the maintenance of these components is very complicated because of the hostile environment, as mentioned before. Besides, the diversity of complex processes in this industry also makes it difficult to understand the extracted data in the operation, and the improper management of this information in diffuse systems compromises the maintenance of the structures.

Because of this lack of precise management tools, failure prediction in the operation is not usually achievable, leading to unplanned shutdowns and the extensive use of corrective maintenance methods.

Our Solution: 

With the advent of Industry 4.0, predictive maintenance has gained huge popularity in maintaining machine health. Predictive maintenance is aimed at reducing costly and unplanned downtimes and offers organizations to plan maintenance schedules in advance for increased efficiency. According to McKinsey, predictive maintenance typically reduces machine downtime by 30% to 50% and increases machine life by 20% to 40%.

CIMCON Digital’s VIBit is an intelligent, powerful, and compact sensor that monitors the conditions of machines or equipment and predicts their failures in advance using the latest AI/ML Technologies to avoid unplanned downtime saving time and money for the owners.

We set up VIBit, a platform for detecting and diagnosing machine anomalies so that we could track the real-time performance of crucial machinery and processes throughout the year. VIBit Tri-axial vibration, Temp, and audio sensors installed on rotary equipment transmit machine health data over Plant’s Wi-Fi. AI/ML algorithms on the edge platform provide early machine anomaly detection along with diagnostics and recommendations for corrective and preventive action.

It can be used in Steel Tube Plant Asset and Fault Diagnostics to identify faults like bearing failure, misalignment, and electrical faults in types of equipment like De-scalar: motor/pump, Fume extraction system: motor/pump, etc.

Benefits of setting up a VIBit:

Real-time monitoring of critical equipment’s health on a single dashboard.

Prioritize and plan maintenance action before catastrophic failure.

Reduce the risk of operator safety with remote monitoring.

Reduce planned downtime and eliminate unplanned downtime. 

Reduce process and quality-related issues.

Increase equipment efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

In conclusion, the steel and metal industries are undergoing significant changes and it is important for manufacturers to adopt technologies that can assist in reducing manual labour, leveraging data, and improving asset health. By embracing the latest technological advances, steel and metal manufacturers can use predictive analytics to anticipate failures and proactively take action to reduce unplanned downtime and improve plant efficiency.

[futureev]

Exploring the Latest Trends in Residential Rooftop Solar Technology

Are you considering making the switch to solar energy for your home? With advancements in residential solar technology, there has never been a better time to explore the possibilities of rooftop solar. From installation enhancements to innovative panel designs and financial incentives, the world of solar power is constantly evolving. Join us as we delve into the latest trends shaping the future of residential solar energy and discover how you can harness the sun's power for a greener tomorrow.

Installation Advancements

The installation process for rooftop solar systems has seen significant advancements in recent years. With streamlined mounting technologies and improved wiring methods, installing solar panels has become more efficient and cost-effective. Additionally, the use of drone technology for site surveys and 3D modeling software for accurate system design has revolutionized the way solar installations are planned and executed.

Financial Considerations and Incentives

When considering residential solar technology, financial aspects play a crucial role. The initial investment can be offset by various incentives and rebates offered by both the government and utility companies.

Additionally, financing options such as solar loans or leases make going solar more accessible to homeowners with different budget constraints. Understanding these financial considerations and incentives is essential for making an informed decision about adopting rooftop solar systems.

Solar Panel Innovations

Solar panel technology is constantly evolving, with innovations aimed at maximizing energy production and efficiency. New advancements include bifacial solar panels that can absorb sunlight from both sides, increasing overall output. Additionally, flexible solar panels are becoming more popular for their versatility in various installation settings.

Another exciting development is the integration of smart technology in solar panels, allowing for real-time monitoring and optimization of energy generation. These innovative solutions contribute to making residential rooftop solar systems even more efficient and cost-effective.

Hybrid Systems Integration

Hybrid solar systems are gaining popularity in residential settings, combining the benefits of both grid-tied and off-grid systems. By integrating batteries with solar panels, homeowners can store excess energy generated during the day for use at night or during power outages. This setup allows for more independence from the grid while maximizing self-consumption of renewable energy.

With advancements in technology, hybrid systems now offer enhanced monitoring capabilities and seamless switching between grid and battery power. The flexibility provided by these integrated systems contributes to increased reliability and efficiency in residential solar setups.

Operational Advantages and Disadvantages

When it comes to residential solar technology, there are operational advantages and disadvantages to consider. On the plus side, solar rooftop systems can significantly reduce electricity bills and provide a sustainable energy source for your home. This renewable energy solution also helps decrease carbon footprint and contributes to a greener environment.

On the downside, factors like weather conditions can impact solar panel efficiency. Additionally, maintenance costs may arise over time, affecting the overall economic benefits of installing residential solar panels. It's crucial to weigh these operational pros and cons before making a decision on integrating solar technology into your home.

Overcoming Technical Challenges

As residential solar technology continues to evolve, overcoming technical challenges is crucial for ensuring efficient and reliable systems. One common challenge is optimizing energy storage solutions to balance supply and demand effectively.

Furthermore, integrating smart grid technologies can help manage fluctuations in renewable energy production, enhancing the overall performance of rooftop solar installations. Innovative solutions like microinverters and power optimizers are also addressing technical hurdles by maximizing energy output and system efficiency.

Noteworthy Rooftop Solar Installations

Noteworthy rooftop solar installations are making waves in the residential solar industry, showcasing innovative designs and cutting-edge technology. These installations serve as beacons of sustainability and efficiency, inspiring communities to embrace renewable energy solutions.

From iconic landmarks to humble residential homes, these projects demonstrate the endless possibilities of rooftop solar power. By highlighting successful implementations, they pave the way for widespread adoption and a greener future for all.

Solar Programs and Policies

Solar programs and policies play a crucial role in promoting the adoption of residential solar technology. Various government initiatives, such as tax credits and rebates, incentivize homeowners to invest in solar panels. Additionally, net metering programs allow users to sell excess energy back to the grid, further encouraging sustainable energy practices.

Furthermore, feed-in tariffs provide financial benefits for generating solar power, while renewable portfolio standards mandate a certain percentage of electricity come from renewable sources like rooftop solar. These programs not only support environmental sustainability but also contribute to reducing utility bills for homeowners.

Community Solar Opportunities

Community solar programs offer a unique opportunity for individuals who may not have suitable roofs for solar panels. By participating in these initiatives, community members can collectively benefit from sharing the energy produced by a larger, centralized solar array. This shared approach allows residents to access renewable energy and potential cost savings without the need for individual rooftop installations.

Additionally, community solar projects promote sustainability on a broader scale by reducing carbon emissions and supporting local renewable energy development. These programs empower communities to come together in advancing clean energy solutions while fostering a sense of environmental responsibility and collaboration among participants.

Impact and Growth of Rooftop Solar Power

The impact and growth of rooftop solar power have been substantial in recent years. As more homeowners embrace residential solar technology, the demand for solar panels continues to rise steadily. This increase in adoption not only reduces electricity costs for households but also contributes significantly to reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change.

Furthermore, the growth of rooftop solar installations has led to job creation in the renewable energy sector, providing employment opportunities and boosting local economies. With advancements in technology making solar systems more efficient and affordable, we can expect to see even greater expansion of residential solar power in the coming years.

As governments worldwide continue to implement supportive policies and incentives for renewable energy initiatives, such as net metering programs and tax credits, the future looks promising for rooftop solar. By choosing to invest in residential solar solutions today, homeowners can not only reap financial benefits but also make a positive impact on the environment for generations to come. Visit website : https://www.orbenergy.com/

[rooftopsolarbyorb]

Exploring the Latest Trends in Residential Rooftop Solar Technology

Are you considering making the switch to solar energy for your home? With advancements in residential solar technology, there has never been a better time to explore the possibilities of rooftop solar. From installation enhancements to innovative panel designs and financial incentives, the world of solar power is constantly evolving. Join us as we delve into the latest trends shaping the future of residential solar energy and discover how you can harness the sun's power for a greener tomorrow.

Installation Advancements

The installation process for rooftop solar systems has seen significant advancements in recent years. With streamlined mounting technologies and improved wiring methods, installing solar panels has become more efficient and cost-effective. Additionally, the use of drone technology for site surveys and 3D modeling software for accurate system design has revolutionized the way solar installations are planned and executed.

Financial Considerations and Incentives

When considering residential solar technology, financial aspects play a crucial role. The initial investment can be offset by various incentives and rebates offered by both the government and utility companies.

Additionally, financing options such as solar loans or leases make going solar more accessible to homeowners with different budget constraints. Understanding these financial considerations and incentives is essential for making an informed decision about adopting rooftop solar systems.

Solar Panel Innovations

Solar panel technology is constantly evolving, with innovations aimed at maximizing energy production and efficiency. New advancements include bifacial solar panels that can absorb sunlight from both sides, increasing overall output. Additionally, flexible solar panels are becoming more popular for their versatility in various installation settings.

Another exciting development is the integration of smart technology in solar panels, allowing for real-time monitoring and optimization of energy generation. These innovative solutions contribute to making residential rooftop solar systems even more efficient and cost-effective.

Hybrid Systems Integration

Hybrid solar systems are gaining popularity in residential settings, combining the benefits of both grid-tied and off-grid systems. By integrating batteries with solar panels, homeowners can store excess energy generated during the day for use at night or during power outages. This setup allows for more independence from the grid while maximizing self-consumption of renewable energy.

With advancements in technology, hybrid systems now offer enhanced monitoring capabilities and seamless switching between grid and battery power. The flexibility provided by these integrated systems contributes to increased reliability and efficiency in residential solar setups.

Operational Advantages and Disadvantages

When it comes to residential solar technology, there are operational advantages and disadvantages to consider. On the plus side, solar rooftop systems can significantly reduce electricity bills and provide a sustainable energy source for your home. This renewable energy solution also helps decrease carbon footprint and contributes to a greener environment.

On the downside, factors like weather conditions can impact solar panel efficiency. Additionally, maintenance costs may arise over time, affecting the overall economic benefits of installing residential solar panels. It's crucial to weigh these operational pros and cons before making a decision on integrating solar technology into your home.

Overcoming Technical Challenges

As residential solar technology continues to evolve, overcoming technical challenges is crucial for ensuring efficient and reliable systems. One common challenge is optimizing energy storage solutions to balance supply and demand effectively.

Furthermore, integrating smart grid technologies can help manage fluctuations in renewable energy production, enhancing the overall performance of rooftop solar installations. Innovative solutions like microinverters and power optimizers are also addressing technical hurdles by maximizing energy output and system efficiency.

Noteworthy Rooftop Solar Installations

Noteworthy rooftop solar installations are making waves in the residential solar industry, showcasing innovative designs and cutting-edge technology. These installations serve as beacons of sustainability and efficiency, inspiring communities to embrace renewable energy solutions.

From iconic landmarks to humble residential homes, these projects demonstrate the endless possibilities of rooftop solar power. By highlighting successful implementations, they pave the way for widespread adoption and a greener future for all.

Solar Programs and Policies

Solar programs and policies play a crucial role in promoting the adoption of residential solar technology. Various government initiatives, such as tax credits and rebates, incentivize homeowners to invest in solar panels. Additionally, net metering programs allow users to sell excess energy back to the grid, further encouraging sustainable energy practices.

Furthermore, feed-in tariffs provide financial benefits for generating solar power, while renewable portfolio standards mandate a certain percentage of electricity come from renewable sources like rooftop solar. These programs not only support environmental sustainability but also contribute to reducing utility bills for homeowners.

Community Solar Opportunities

Community solar programs offer a unique opportunity for individuals who may not have suitable roofs for solar panels. By participating in these initiatives, community members can collectively benefit from sharing the energy produced by a larger, centralized solar array. This shared approach allows residents to access renewable energy and potential cost savings without the need for individual rooftop installations.

Additionally, community solar projects promote sustainability on a broader scale by reducing carbon emissions and supporting local renewable energy development. These programs empower communities to come together in advancing clean energy solutions while fostering a sense of environmental responsibility and collaboration among participants.

Impact and Growth of Rooftop Solar Power

The impact and growth of rooftop solar power have been substantial in recent years. As more homeowners embrace residential solar technology, the demand for solar panels continues to rise steadily. This increase in adoption not only reduces electricity costs for households but also contributes significantly to reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change.

Furthermore, the growth of rooftop solar installations has led to job creation in the renewable energy sector, providing employment opportunities and boosting local economies. With advancements in technology making solar systems more efficient and affordable, we can expect to see even greater expansion of residential solar power in the coming years.

As governments worldwide continue to implement supportive policies and incentives for renewable energy initiatives, such as net metering programs and tax credits, the future looks promising for rooftop solar. By choosing to invest in residential solar solutions today, homeowners can not only reap financial benefits but also make a positive impact on the environment for generations to come.

[connect2blog]

Exploring the Latest Trends in Residential Rooftop Solar Technology

Exploring the Latest Trends in Residential Rooftop Solar Technology Are you considering making the switch to solar energy for your home? With advancements in residential solar technology, there has never been a better time to explore the possibilities of rooftop solar. From installation enhancements to innovative panel designs and financial incentives, the world of solar power is constantly evolving. Join us as we delve into the latest trends shaping the future of residential solar energy and discover how you can harness the sun's power for a greener tomorrow. Installation Advancements The installation process for rooftop solar systems has seen significant advancements in recent years. With streamlined mounting technologies and improved wiring methods, installing solar panels has become more efficient and cost-effective. Additionally, the use of drone technology for site surveys and 3D modeling software for accurate system design has revolutionized the way solar installations are planned and executed. Financial Considerations and Incentives When considering residential solar technology, financial aspects play a crucial role. The initial investment can be offset by various incentives and rebates offered by both the government and utility companies. Additionally, financing options such as solar loans or leases make going solar more accessible to homeowners with different budget constraints. Understanding these financial considerations and incentives is essential for making an informed decision about adopting rooftop solar systems. Solar Panel Innovations Solar panel technology is constantly evolving, with innovations aimed at maximizing energy production and efficiency. New advancements include bifacial solar panels that can absorb sunlight from both sides, increasing overall output. Additionally, flexible solar panels are becoming more popular for their versatility in various installation settings. Another exciting development is the integration of smart technology in solar panels, allowing for real-time monitoring and optimization of energy generation. These innovative solutions contribute to making residential rooftop solar systems even more efficient and cost-effective.

Hybrid Systems Integration Hybrid solar systems are gaining popularity in residential settings, combining the benefits of both grid-tied and off-grid systems. By integrating batteries with solar panels, homeowners can store excess energy generated during the day for use at night or during power outages. This setup allows for more independence from the grid while maximizing self-consumption of renewable energy. With advancements in technology, hybrid systems now offer enhanced monitoring capabilities and seamless switching between grid and battery power. The flexibility provided by these integrated systems contributes to increased reliability and efficiency in residential solar setups. Operational Advantages and Disadvantages When it comes to residential solar technology, there are operational advantages and disadvantages to consider. On the plus side, solar rooftop systems can significantly reduce electricity bills and provide a sustainable energy source for your home. This renewable energy solution also helps decrease carbon footprint and contributes to a greener environment. On the downside, factors like weather conditions can impact solar panel efficiency. Additionally, maintenance costs may arise over time, affecting the overall economic benefits of installing residential solar panels. It's crucial to weigh these operational pros and cons before making a decision on integrating solar technology into your home. Overcoming Technical Challenges As residential solar technology continues to evolve, overcoming technical challenges is crucial for ensuring efficient and reliable systems. One common challenge is optimizing energy storage solutions to balance supply and demand effectively. Furthermore, integrating smart grid technologies can help manage fluctuations in renewable energy production, enhancing the overall performance of rooftop solar installations. Innovative solutions like microinverters and power optimizers are also addressing technical hurdles by maximizing energy output and system efficiency. Noteworthy Rooftop Solar Installations Noteworthy rooftop solar installations are making waves in the residential solar industry, showcasing innovative designs and cutting-edge technology. These installations serve as

beacons of sustainability and efficiency, inspiring communities to embrace renewable energy solutions. From iconic landmarks to humble residential homes, these projects demonstrate the endless possibilities of rooftop solar power. By highlighting successful implementations, they pave the way for widespread adoption and a greener future for all. Solar Programs and Policies Solar programs and policies play a crucial role in promoting the adoption of residential solar technology. Various government initiatives, such as tax credits and rebates, incentivize homeowners to invest in solar panels. Additionally, net metering programs allow users to sell excess energy back to the grid, further encouraging sustainable energy practices. Furthermore, feed-in tariffs provide financial benefits for generating solar power, while renewable portfolio standards mandate a certain percentage of electricity come from renewable sources like rooftop solar. These programs not only support environmental sustainability but also contribute to reducing utility bills for homeowners. Community Solar Opportunities Community solar programs offer a unique opportunity for individuals who may not have suitable roofs for solar panels. By participating in these initiatives, community members can collectively benefit from sharing the energy produced by a larger, centralized solar array. This shared approach allows residents to access renewable energy and potential cost savings without the need for individual rooftop installations. Additionally, community solar projects promote sustainability on a broader scale by reducing carbon emissions and supporting local renewable energy development. These programs empower communities to come together in advancing clean energy solutions while fostering a sense of environmental responsibility and collaboration among participants. Impact and Growth of Rooftop Solar Power The impact and growth of rooftop solar power have been substantial in recent years. As more homeowners embrace residential solar technology, the demand for solar panels continues to rise steadily. This increase in adoption not only reduces electricity costs for households but also contributes significantly to reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change. Furthermore, the growth of rooftop solar installations has led to job creation in the renewable energy sector, providing employment opportunities and boosting local

economies. With advancements in technology making solar systems more efficient and affordable, we can expect to see even greater expansion of residential solar power in the coming years. As governments worldwide continue to implement supportive policies and incentives for renewable energy initiatives, such as net metering programs and tax credits, the future looks promising for rooftop solar. By choosing to invest in residential solar solutions today, homeowners can not only reap financial benefits but also make a positive impact on the environment for generations to come.

[manusinghh]

Unlocking Thrills: Dive into the World of Online Gaming

In recent years, the world of gaming has undergone a remarkable transformation. Gone are the days when gaming was limited to consoles and PCs; today, the internet has opened up a vast realm of possibilities through online gaming. Whether you're a seasoned gamer or just dipping your toes into the digital waters, the world of online gaming offers an exhilarating experience like no other.

Play online game enthusiasts are spoiled for choice when it comes to genres, platforms, and gameplay styles. From action-packed shooters to immersive role-playing adventures, there's something for everyone in the vast landscape of online gaming. But what exactly makes online gaming so compelling, and why are millions of players around the globe flocking to their screens to indulge in virtual worlds?

One of the most alluring aspects of online gaming is the opportunity to connect with players from all corners of the globe. Whether you're teaming up with friends for a cooperative mission or facing off against rivals in competitive matches, the multiplayer aspect adds a dynamic layer of excitement to the gaming experience. In an online game, you're never alone – there's always someone to strategize with, compete against, or simply share in the thrill of victory.

Moreover, online gaming offers unparalleled convenience and accessibility. Unlike traditional gaming setups that require specific hardware or software, all you need to play online game is a device with an internet connection. Whether you're gaming on a high-end gaming PC, a console, or even just your smartphone, the world of online gaming is at your fingertips anytime, anywhere. This accessibility has democratized gaming, making it more inclusive and accessible to players of all backgrounds and skill levels.

Furthermore, online gaming is constantly evolving, with developers regularly releasing updates, expansions, and new content to keep players engaged. This continuous stream of fresh content ensures that there's always something new to discover, whether it's a new map, character, or gameplay mode. This constant evolution keeps the online gaming experience feeling fresh and exciting, encouraging players to keep coming back for more.

Of course, no discussion of online gaming would be complete without mentioning the competitive aspect. Whether you're vying for the top spot on the leaderboards or competing in esports tournaments for cash prizes, online gaming offers a competitive thrill unlike any other. The adrenaline rush of outsmarting opponents, executing flawless strategies, and achieving victory is what keeps players coming back for more, fueling their passion for the game.

In conclusion, online gaming offers a thrilling and immersive experience that captivates players of all ages and backgrounds. With its diverse range of genres, seamless multiplayer connectivity, and constant evolution, the world of online gaming is a vibrant and dynamic community that continues to grow and thrive. So why wait? Dive into the world of online gaming today and unlock a world of thrills and excitement like never before!

Whether you're a casual gamer looking for some fun or a competitive player striving for greatness, there's never been a better time to play online game.

[vivacapital19]

Top Factoring Companies In Houston, Tx 2021 Critiques

At ei Funding, we specialize in helping business house owners of any measurement get the funding they need shortly and reliably. We go the additional mile for you that different factoring companies just cannot or won't. Factoring has been our main focus since 1979, and we're committed Top factoring company Houston to offering the best and versatile packages in the industry. Once you might be setup for factoring you get funded in three simple steps. Next, you send us your invoice, invoice of lading and fee affirmation.

If you use a non-recourse company, you'll not have to fret about hiring a collection agency. The factoring company will own the debt, and the entire collection efforts will factoring company houston be its duty. At Power Funding, we work onerous to make our utility process as easy as potential.

These two would develop over time to become the world’s largest medical center advanced, with greater than 40 establishments throughout more than 600 acres. The Allen brothers had been from New York and moved south in hopes of continuing and expanding upon their bookkeeping and shopkeeping businesses. After their transfer Houston invoice factoring services to Texas in 1832, they played an instrumental half in keeping the troopers and forces provided during the Texas Revolution. After the revolution ended, Augustus Allen’s wife Charlotte obtained a sizeable inheritance, which they used to purchase the land that's now Houston.

The primary requirement is that you have an order from a credit score worthy industrial or government client. Gulf Coast Business Credit (GCBC)’s Meg Roberson recently attended the Commercial Finance Association (CFA)’s Independent Finance & Factoring Roundtable Conference May 14-16, 2014 in Dallas, Texas. The convention introduced together owners and senior executives from factoring companies nationwide to debate Factoring company houston tx present points and ways to address those points. Panels and discussions occurred during the conference covering a selection of topics together with gross sales, funding sources, social media, and co...

Beginning as an information entry clerk over two years ago at GCBC, Katie rapidly grew to become an Account Executive inside one year for the Baton Rouge based mostly manufacturing workplace. As an Account Executive, Katie serviced very lengthy time transportation business clients with facility limits as little as $5k and as excessive as $4 million. Gulf Coast Business Credit (GCBC)’s Liz Jenkins regularly supplies Factoring company in Houston Texas exceptional management and expertise together with her function as Vice President, Operations Manager. With over 17 years of experience in factoring and 7 years at GCBC, Jenkins specializes in the transportation trade. Jenkins graduated with a paralegal degree from Louisiana State University and is a licensed legal assistant as well as a civil legislation notary for Louisiana.

AR factoring helps accelerate the money flow by offering fast access to funds, as an alternative of ready for 30, 60, and even ninety days to get the invoice cleared. By trucking factoring with us we won't solely credit score clear clients for you, we may also pay you right away. Your options for model new customers, hundreds houston invoice factoring and routes, will open exponentially. By having so many extra load options you could have a better probability of preserving your drivers pleased too. We are a various group of 600+ financial professionals who deliver the core values of eCapital to life every single day. We are specialists throughout a broad range of monetary disciplines.

After you submit all of the invoices to the factoring company, they verify the major points and make sure the invoice qualifies for factoring. In most instances, the company advances eighty to 95 p.c of the factored quantity on the day of invoice submission itself. Well, to start Best factoring company Houston, we have in-depth credit experience and resources including business credit reports to check your customers' creditworthiness.

It is a relatively easy definition – a enterprise, on this case, a building contractor or subcontractor sells their yet-to-be-paid invoices to a factoring company. The factor will then pay (advance) them a share of that invoice quantity. After the invoice is paid by the client, the factoring company will ship the remaining % to the construction company, much less their factoring payment. Seacoast Business Funding offers dependable Factoring company in Houston working capital options for businesses by way of flexible lines of credit score and advances on accounts receivables. Offering services similar to invoice factoring, invoice discounting, asset primarily based loans, and trade finance, Express Business Funding is a frontrunner in different non-public business financing solutions in Canada.

[watching-pictures-move]

Movie Review | Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (McQuarrie, 2023)

I view these movies mostly as set piece machines*, and there are number of pretty fun ones here, including a surveillance-assisted foot chase through an airport, a car chase where characters are handcuffed together that may or may not be an extended women drivers joke, a dangerous looking skydiving stunt that's unfortunately been spoiled by the promotional materials, a vertical climb through some falling train cars. I don't think any of these are quite as good as the helicopter climax from the sixth movie or the Burj Khalifa wall climb from the fourth movie, and the special effects seemed more obvious this time than in previous entries, but there is a fundamental sturdiness here, of intricate setups** and complication-prone execution, depicted with cleanness and assurance. Christopher McQuarrie in his earlier directorial efforts struck me as someone who gets the nuts and bolts of good action sequences, and he's turned out to be a good match for the complex, large scale set pieces that define this series. There is something a little breathtaking about the way he lets the camera just observe a truly formidable stunt, especially if you see it on the biggest screen you can. I am not in love with the runtime, especially as it's only first half of this particular story, but all in all I had quite a good time. I am less moved when these movies try to make me care about the hero's emotions, but whatever, I like seeing Tom Cruise onscreen.

Like with Top Gun: Maverick, Tom Cruise has finally started to show his age, even if his refusal to have done so for so many years seemingly through willpower (and whatever sinister scientific advances a man of his means has access to) seems part of his characters in both series. This movie somewhat softens the blow by casting him alongside a bunch of actors whose age is more obvious, like Henry Czerny, the king playing of untrustworthy bureacrats***; silver fox Esai Morales, who as big a laugh out of me with a weird line reading as any of the actual jokes; Cary Elwes, who gives Czerny competition in the untrustworthy bureacrat department; and Shea Wigham, who brings some real "too old for this shit" Danny Glover energy. I guess Ving Rhames is old too, but he's looked exactly the same since the mid-90s so he doesn't count. In any case, it's always nice to see him and his little pork pie hat, and Simon Pegg doing his thing, and I guess they got rid of Jeremy Renner, and I wish there was more Rebecca Ferguson, who's been a highlight of the series since she was introduced as a deviously sexy assassin in the fifth movie, devious because one cannot be all that good at spycraft without a bit of cunning. As far as new cast members go, Hayley Atwell turns out to be a great addition, with whom Cruise has more chemistry than he's had with any female co-star in... a while.

Like Maverick, this is a throwback in pretty overt ways, taking the affect of Cold War geopolitics (Russian submarines, CIA shenanigans) and stripping them of overt jingoism. The enemy this time around is an AI, which many of the parties involved foolishly believe they can control but Cruise and friends know better.**** Blockbusters certainly have had technophobic worldviews in the past (you can go back to at least Terminator 2, which used state of the art special effects to warn of the dangers of misusing technology, and lots of other examples I'm too lazy to think up), but as Cruise is one of the last remaining stars on whose name a movie can be sold, and the recent push by studios to use AI to replace the creatives in the creative process, there is a certain potency in the material. And given that Cruise's movies are now about him as a star as about whatever their plots consist of, certain elements, particularly the handling of the female characters, is certainly interesting in light of his offscreen exploits. In fact, in that scene where's he's handcuffed to Hayley Atwell as they're being chased by more and more pursuers, you could argue that the pursuers represent the paparazzi hounding him for sordid details about his personal life or just the outside world poking their noses into the Church of Scientology's affairs and that Atwell represents the real life wife with whom he's very much in a Real Loving Marriage with and who totally doesn't want to run away and... Okay, okay, I'll stop now.

*I hold that the second movie, often cited as the series' worst, is actually pretty good, while the better liked third movie is definitely the worst (and the only bad movie in the series) for the simple reason that John Woo is good at directing action and J.J. Abrams is not.

**The movie often flirts with self-parody in its expository scenes, the camera whipping about, cutting quickly as either Ving Rhames or Simon Pegg explain all the details, the former with glee, the latter with worry. There's even a good fakeout where Hayley Atwell imagines her future as an IMF agent and the improbably plan she has to help execute. If you're gonna dump a lot of info on the audience, you might as well have fun doing it.

***Czerny got some of the biggest laughs in my screening when he explained what IMF stood for.

****If I were Cruise, I would have just destroyed the key to the AI, but then the movie would have been five minutes long instead of almost three hours for just part one of two.

[dorleco]

Steer-by-wire Introduction

The concept of ‘smart vehicles’ has been floated several times in recent years in the automotive industry. Every automotive designer has their own definition of this concept, with most of the focus on automating processes to get a faster response. This also includes replacing mechanical connections and linkages with electronic signals, coupled with sensors and actuators as well. The steer-by-wire system is part of this set of innovative features.

Working of a Steer-by-wire system:

As you may have accurately guessed, a steer-by-wire system essentially replaces the mechanical linkages between the steering wheel and steering rack, i.e., the steering column, with electronic connections instead. The steering wheel position sensor measures the extent to which the driver wants to steer the car and sends this data to the control unit, which in turn sends out commands to the steering actuator to execute the turn.

Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318595731_Adaptive_Global_Fast_Sliding_Mode_Control_for_Steer-by-Wire_System_Road_Vehicles#fullTextFileContent  

Advantages of using a Steer-by-wire system:

One of the obvious advantages of the steer-by-wire system is the reduction in weight due to the decreased number of mechanical components. Additionally, this kind of design reduces overall wear and tear and helps improve maintenance ability. 

It also allows for more flexible design options, as there is no restriction on placing the steering wheel in a particular location. Furthermore, there is no need of designing separate versions of the steering system for left-hand and right-hand-drive vehicles. This also results in a better acoustic design for the vehicle cockpit, as vibrations and noise aren’t transmitted directly. 

Fail-safes for Steer-by-wire:

As in any x-by-wire system, even a steer-by-wire system needs some redundant mechanisms that can take over in case of failure. Many a time, an additional steering motor is added to the setup, which can take charge in case the first motor stops receiving signals. Another interesting solution is to control the amount of driving force being sent to the front wheels, which will create a steering effect. 

Design optimizations and improvements made possible by Steer-by-wire:

There can be an improvement in the way the driver gets steering feedback while turning the vehicle. In a conventional steering system, the steering ‘feel’ is restricted by the mechanics of the steering system.

However, with no physical connections restricting the steering feedback in the steer-by-wire system, there is a lot of scope for improvement and optimization.

This includes introducing new degrees of freedom in configuring the steering feel, and the time required to tune this feel can also be shortened using software-based tools for optimizing the steering feel. 

One can also optimize the steering feel by using road feedback. A normal steer-by-wire system will not transmit any bumps back to the steering wheel, but some automotive designers try to use this feedback to improve how the steering wheel feels while driving on a bumpy road.

A big advantage of this kind of design is that the amplitude of road feedback can be easily controlled, thus enabling automakers to adapt the intensity of feedback to the selected driving mode. (For example, these road bumps will be suppressed in ‘comfort’ mode.)

The virtual steering ratio is another design modification aided by the steer-by-wire system. Since there is no mechanical linkage present, the only limits to the steering are set by the tuning of vehicle response and the chassis.

The steering ratio (the ratio of the number of degrees the steering wheel turns to the number of degrees the wheel(s) turn as a result) can be varied to simulate extreme rack configurations as well, which will improve maneuverability and controllability of the vehicle.

 Furthermore, a virtual steering ratio can also be used to apply a steering angle offset. This helps in improving the stability of the vehicle in terms of steering.

This may be achieved by using a steering stability controller (correcting the yaw rate of the vehicle to follow a pre-set model) or a steering stability assistant (using a superimposed steering angle to stabilize the vehicle based on the driver’s input).

Both are active safety features that can enhance the stability of the vehicle while being nearly imperceptible. They can respond faster than a human in case of unnatural deviation from the road and help in mitigating the effect of steering instability. 

Steer By Wire Controls Development at Dorleco:

Thus, a steer-by-wire system can help in improving the response of the vehicle, while also allowing for design modifications and optimizations that would not be otherwise possible in a conventional steering system.

It also allows for better vehicle design in terms of noise and vibration-damping, flexibility in deciding the location of the steering wheel, and less wear-and-tear of other physical components.

At Dorleco, we work on developing control algorithms and delivering controls software for steer-by-wire functions in hybrid and electric vehicles. 

[myadhdbot]

tldr: nothing important

just knowing you might have adhd without the official diagnosis, and no means to even get one bc where you live in doesn't take mental health seriously, is so frustrating.

i relate to most of the adhd behaviours described online. i cannot regulate my attention. my recent hyper-fixation lasted almost an entire semester and i barely scraped through all the other subjects other than the ones i was really interested in. i also lose focus easily in class unless I'm writing every word they say down. executive dysfunction is an everyday thing. i cannot stop scrolling on the internet even though i mentally list all the better things i could be doing rather than waste time every 10-15 minutes. I'm easily bored and have had meltdowns in the past so yes i 98% think i have adhd probably a bit of anxiety as well.

but without the official diagnosis my imposter syndrome makes it so difficult to live guilt free. theres always stupid thoughts in my head saying if I'm just exaggerating things (i know I'm not) but it's so hard to shut down the voice and i go into a spiral thinking if I'm just being lazy, not working hard enough to get things done on time, not trying to remember important schedules or assignments, not trying complete my assignments or homeworks or reading until the very last minute.

my issues with memory also make it incredibly hard to recall anything other than some specific instances of my childhood and everybody (esp my mom) remembers a different version of me bc i lived in a boarding school from 11-16(until covid) and i was extremely high functioning. i used to ace tests without having to read too much and my boarding school had a very strict routine that made it easy bc i knew what i was supposed to do every minute of the day but when 11th grade came around everything changed even though i was still in the same boarding setup. i suddenly didnt do well in tests bc i hadn't needed to until then. so i don't know who i was, i don't know who i am or who I'm supposed to be.

i did nothing productive during the covid year couldn't concentrate in class. i read hp fanfics all day. i couldn't even read new books, or watch tv shows or pick up a hobby or learn a language (which is an interest of mine), nothing other than reading about the same people fall for each other in a thousand different au's. this was a very important stage in my student life and i didn't give university exams properly. i can't regret it bc i don't even think about it. i don't think about anything concrete but my mind is always busy.

(i don't even know where i was going with this. does this qualify as trauma dump?)

i see people with the same problems on the internet and it does relieve me to a certain extent but there's always doubt clawing at me. also bc in just 2 years I've to get a job and i hear how office spaces are not accomodating enough for nd folks and it's scary. i also don't really like the job profile very much but it's also bc i have no real direction in life. i dream about having a book cafe but it's not sustainable nor fair to my family ig.

sundays are not fun when you're in an existential crisis (if this even qualifies as one) and i have homework to do that I could've done anytime between the last 30 hours which I've procrastinated against doing until now.

[cimcondigitalpr]

Prognostic Solutions in Steel Plant and Tube Mill Industry

The global steel market reached a value of US$ 874.6 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, IMARC Group expects the market to reach a value of US$ 1,052.25 Billion by 2027, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 3.02% during 2022-2027. Significant growth in the automotive industry across the globe and Increasing oil & gas production owing to the transportation industry’s demand is creating a positive outlook for the market. But with growth comes a lot of challenges in the steel manufacturing process. Companies in the industry face major challenges with rapid digitalisation and unlocking potential in data, shifts in consumer demands, and the attraction of top talents.

To address these challenges and improve profitability, the largest integrated producer of engineering steels and specialized seamless tubes in the Asia Pacific region has the foresight to expand its market in the coming years. In recent years, the leadership team has placed a greater emphasis on better asset utilization and process optimization.

Steel Plant & Tube Mill Challenges:

Failure of AssetsComplex procedures and important resources are used to produce steel tubes. Production and product quality are both impacted by the unforeseen failure of assets. It is not practical to inspect equipment frequently due to the harsh steel mill environment and the risks that inspection of rotating equipment poses to operator safety.

Mills in poor condition A poorly maintained mill costs valuable time and scrap during setup and operation. The mill must be dependable so that the operator is not chasing mechanical problems during normal operation and setup. A good maintenance program, as well as rebuilds or upgrades when necessary, is essential.

Tube mill misalignment, poor mill condition, and inaccurate setup account for 95% of all problems in tube production. Most mills should be aligned at least once a year.

Low investment in technologyOne of the major problems which these industries face is the lack of incorporation of advanced technologies in Research and Development work in production. The same is the case for other sectors of the industry and has been the case for decades. One of the outcomes has been the relative unattractiveness of the sector vis-a-vis others among young engineers. With little research being done by the government or the private sector, Industries lack effective implementation of Industry 4.0 and technologies that can reduce risks and helps to cut overall production cost. 

Process monitoringSteel mills’ inspection and monitoring process usually follow specific procedures, requiring that workers operate in a typical analog way. Since it is a critical environment, stopping production to execute corrective actions is unfeasible, and the current method for monitoring these problems is not able to predict failures in the same way as intelligent predictive models do, thus demonstrating an inevitable gap to errors.

Lack of Talent and TrainingEven though the operators are skilled and trained to operate in tube mills, there are still some challenges and issues that they need to face every day. Tube mill owners should arrange training sessions on how to troubleshoot the problem and figure out what was causing the problem. If these problems are not addressed properly, aluminum fabrication, steel fabrication, or stainless-steel fabrication processes won’t have precise tubes and pipes to work with.

MaintenanceBesides the difficulty in performing the inspection itself because of the hostile environment of steel industries, the maintenance of the encountered problems is also difficult.

The corrosion of equipment and structures is also a common problem in these industries and the maintenance of these components is very complicated because of the hostile environment, as mentioned before. Besides, the diversity of complex processes in this industry also makes it difficult to understand the extracted data in the operation, and the improper management of this information in diffuse systems compromises the maintenance of the structures.

Because of this lack of precise management tools, failure prediction in the operation is not usually achievable, leading to unplanned shutdowns and the extensive use of corrective maintenance methods. 

Our Solution: 

With the advent of Industry 4.0, predictive maintenance has gained huge popularity in maintaining machine health. Predictive maintenance is aimed at reducing costly and unplanned downtimes and offers organizations to plan maintenance schedules in advance for increased efficiency. According to McKinsey, predictive maintenance typically reduces machine downtime by 30% to 50% and increases machine life by 20% to 40%.

CIMCON Digital’s VIBit is an intelligent, powerful, and compact sensor that monitors the conditions of machines or equipment and predicts their failures in advance using the latest AI/ML Technologies to avoid unplanned downtime saving time and money for the owners.

We set up VIBit, a platform for detecting and diagnosing machine anomalies so that we could track the real-time performance of crucial machinery and processes throughout the year. VIBit Tri-axial vibration, Temp, and audio sensors installed on rotary equipment transmit machine health data over Plant’s Wi-Fi. AI/ML algorithms on the edge platform provide early machine anomaly detection along with diagnostics and recommendations for corrective and preventive action.

It can be used in Steel Tube Plant Asset and Fault Diagnostics to identify faults like bearing failure, misalignment, and electrical faults in types of equipment like De-scalar: motor/pump, Fume extraction system: motor/pump, etc.

Benefits of setting up a VIBit:

Real-time monitoring of critical equipment’s health on a single dashboard.

Prioritize and plan maintenance action before catastrophic failure.

Reduce the risk of operator safety with remote monitoring.

Reduce planned downtime and eliminate unplanned downtime. 

Reduce process and quality-related issues.

Increase equipment efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

In conclusion, the steel and metal industries are undergoing significant changes and it is important for manufacturers to adopt technologies that can assist in reducing manual labour, leveraging data, and improving asset health. By embracing the latest technological advances, steel and metal manufacturers can use predictive analytics to anticipate failures and proactively take action to reduce unplanned downtime and improve plant efficiency.

[wondereads]

Personal Review (06/05/22)

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Why am I reviewing this book?

This is a YA fantasy classic, and I recently decided to reread them since I wanted to read the later series. While I love some Cassandra Clare books (The Infernal Devices especially), these early ones... they're certainly something.

Plot 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

Clary Fray's life gets turned upside down when her mother disappears, her home is trashed, and she's attacked by something that's supposedly a demon. She's saved by a mysterious boy named Jace who claims to be a Shadowhunter, a part-angel warrior that defends Earth from demons—and Clary is one too. But Clary couldn't care less about that when her mother is missing.

Looking back, it's kind of astonishing that I never figured out that this was Harry Potter fanfiction considering the setup of Valentine and his motivations. I wouldn't say this plot is super original, but there is enough going on that it didn't drag (this is not true for the later books). However, the worldbuilding, considering when this book was published, was unique. Shadowhunters were a new concept, so I have to give Clare credit there. Even if it was fanfiction in the beginning, the plot and worldbuilding are new enough to trick Harry Potter-obsessed, middle school me, and it is interesting.

Still, it's a little mediocre. The "plot twist" (which isn't even really a plot twist since it gets undone later in the series) isn't foreshadowed at all, and there are inconsistencies. It's excusable for Jace, Isabelle, and Alec, but why has Clary suddenly forgotten about the conveniences of modern life? DNA tests are right there, and certainly a better option than just trusting the creepy, blood purist guy you're supposed to be fighting.

Characters 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

Clary is an unfortunate victim of "relatable protagonist syndrome". There's such a big focus on making her relatable to every possible girl that could ever read this book that she comes out without any noticeable personality traits. I will say that I appreciated her focus on finding her mother, but that's about it. The protagonist should be the driving force behind a story, but Clary just kind of lets stuff happen to her. Even when she was making decisions, it was mostly just agreeing with someone else rather than coming up with anything for herself. Also, can she stop ridiculing traditionally feminine interests and traits?

Jace is actually quite interesting. His self-loathing hidden by suffocating amounts of arrogance makes for a very interesting dynamic. Something I enjoyed was that other than to an audience of starstruck 13-year-olds, Jace is supremely unlikable. If I met him in real life, I'd probably slap him. However, it creates an interesting push-and-pull between Jace's crappy attitude and the undeniable gravity he exudes—to both Clary and his friends, Isabelle and Alec.

Middle school me ate Clary and Jace up, but they were just alright this time around. Of course, minus points for the incest plotline. Instead, I found the platonic or background relationships much more compelling. Whether it was Clary and Isabelle growing closer, Jace and Alec's brotherhood, or Alec's developing crush on Magnus, those were so much more emotionally satisfying than whatever Jace and Clary had going on. Special mentions to Isabelle and Magnus for being the best characters.

Writing Style 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

I will say, the writing surprised me with its quality. The descriptions were well-executed and easily let me picture what was occurring, the emotions were subtle while still having clarity, and there were some great lines. Say what you will about Cassandra Clare, but she knows how to write teenagers. The snarky, playful way the main five interacted with each other was a perfect portrayal of real-life teenagers. Many of Simon's comments about Jace or Shadowhunters in general, were very believable from a teenage boy. A lot of times, snark and sass in writing come off as forced or ingenuine, but if anything the way Clare writes character conversations and dialogue felt quite real.

The pacing of this book was alright if a little slow in some places. This technically breaks the rules of my reviews, but the pacing goes way off the rails in the later books. City of Glass in particular drags like no other.

Overall 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

There is some sentimental value to this book, and it definitely has its good points. The writing is a very strong point, and I liked pretty much all the characters except Clary. It also goes by pretty quickly for a book on the longer side, and it had some original ideas for the time. However, there's nothing new about the plot, the characters ignore solutions and believe whatever they're told, and Clary could be replaced by a scarecrow with a stele and nothing would change. I find this book interesting enough that I wouldn't discourage people from trying it, but don't force yourself.

The Author

Cassandra Clare: American, Jewish, 48, also wrote Clockwork Angel, Lady Midnight, and The Iron Trial

The Reviewer

My name is Wonderose; I try to post a review once a week, and I do themed recommendations every once in a while. I take recommendations! Check out my about me post for more!