#uv curing systems

[naina9953]

Why Choose Gravure Printing Machines for High-Quality Output

Gravure printing is often referred to as the Rolls Royce of printing. Its reach, sharp images, and brilliant colors combine to make it perfect for any high capacity work. As one of the prominent suppliers, UV Graphic offers gravure printing machineries suited for sectors such as packaging, publication and decorative printing among others. These machines perform excellently, allow faster speeds without any drop in quality.

Gravure printing machines are most appreciated for their capability of printing on surfaces with intricate designs over a wide range of materials, including plastic, paper and foil. Engraved cylinders used in the technology ensures that consistent quality is maintained even with long run jobs. UV Graphic implant eyebrows machines are the latest technology with auto controls, low energy use, fast transition reconfiguration, therefore adaptable to the current printing requirements.

Such kind of machines are widely used in the packing sector for making flexible pouches, wrappers and carton boxes. Also in publishing in case of printing magazines and catalogs and in the decorative printing of wallpapers and laminates. With the introduction of the latest technology, UV Graphic makes ensures the efficient production process without compromising on the quality through the global standards.

Riding on guidelines of innovation and environmental protection, UV Graphic’s gravure printing machines help companies retain excellent performance while conserving resources making it impossible for them not to compete in the printing business.

[kaustubhbhandari]

UV Curing System

[chandupalle]

The UV curing system market is projected to reach USD 8.6 billion by 2026 from USD 3.6 billion in 2021; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.6% from 2021 to 2026. The growth of the UV curing system market in North America is mainly driven by large-scale funded programs by the government. Moreover, the high adoption rate and technological advancements also drive the growth of the UV curing system market in North America.

[melssblog]

MELSS is an organisation with decades of experience in providing customers with state-of-the-art technology solutions in different domains and verticals.

[ardentsong]

Pixel Cat's End has released their user-submitted clothing system, and I've been spending time on that (I'll post some of my creations soon). Someone got jealous I was spending time on custom clothes and demanded attention and a new outfit.

I had already made the resin wings (they have iridescent origami paper inside) and hadn't decided what I wanted to do with them. I just had to modify them a bit and make a little harness, and then some quick wire antennae, the tips dipped into UV cure resin and then dusted with pearl mica powder, and her majesty was appeased.

[tanadrin]

As we age, it is almost as if we suffer a curse; every single thing in our body seems to work less well over time, and once we hit old age, it all seems to start breaking down rather quickly. Everything from how well we heal from injuries, to our immune system, to our senses seems to start falling apart at once.

As I understand it, the evolution of aging is the result of an almost accidental trade-off between reproductive fitness in the short term, and consequences for the individual member of the species in the long term. For instance, you have animals like octopuses and salmon who mate once then die, usually producing many hundreds of offspring. This is because lots of small cumulative adaptations that helped reproduction in the short term had negative consequences for the individual in the long term--but because these animals got so good at making that first reproductive opportunity really successful, the cost for fewer future opportunities to reproduce was (in terms of reproductive fitness) small. And over time their ancestors leaned harder and harder into this strategy.

Humans obviously aren't anywhere near that specialized. Our offspring are normally one at a time (and multiples are very high risk) and require a lot of care. Like all mammals, we nurse and look after our young. But there's still a degree of evolutionary tradeoff; base rates of disease and accident still make betting on reproductive opportunities too far in the future a losing proposition, and the act of giving birth is itself very dangerous for women, so it makes sense to still somewhat front-load our reproductive opportunities, and if we survive for a long time, to transition to a more supportive role for other members of the community (as indeed some hypothesize is the reason menopause evolved in the first place; but note male fertility also declines with age, even though there's no exact male equivalent to menopause).

So deleterious mutations that affect us mostly in our old age, or adaptations that come with a benefit in the short term, and with a high cost in the long term, probably built up in our genome for the same reasons that they did in that of octopuses and salmon, just in a less dramatic way. And so it makes sense that when we age, lots of things tend to go wrong. Aging isn't the product of a single process of system; it's the product of many systems in our bodies breaking down, because they have a degree of planned obsolescence built into them. This is why we shouldn't expect anti-aging interventions to be big dramatic breakthroughs that suddenly fix everything. We have lots of problems to deal with when it comes to "curing" aging, from shortening telomeres and waste products building up in our cells to UV damage to the eyes and loss of bone density, all from different sources.

Despite the image we may have absorbed from science fiction, longevity doesn't look like a single treatment that could easily be monopolized and sold at $100,000 a dose. It looks like hundreds of little things, many of which we're already working on quite diligently and making small-but-important breakthroughs in, and in areas where advances often go from "experimental and possibly very expensive" to "routinely available" in a couple of decades. And this makes sense too! Public health authorities and insurance companies have a vested interest in these advances--a treatment that improves the survival rate for a kind of cancer or helps to prevent heart disease means they have to pay less in more drastic, more expensive medical treatments down the line.

[wuxiaphoenix]

Stray Thoughts: A Thumbprint on the Sky

If you work days, one tidbit that makes life easier is to live east of where you work, if you can. That way you’re driving west in the morning, and east in the evening, and both ways you get to avoid most of the sun-glare. This is not just more comfortable, but a small yet real decrease in the general threat level of driving, because you’re not trying to pick out oncoming traffic and sudden lane shifts while also staring into the sun.

On some lucky mornings, you also get to see the moon hanging in clear blue as it sets in the west, like a thumbprint on the sky.

...You have to wonder how that affects Hollywood werewolves.

Not folklore werewolves. All of those I know about really could care less if the moon is full or not, or it’s daylight or dark. Then again, same thing with vampires; falling to dust in sunlight is definitely a Hollywood thing. Although there are various flying-head monsters (a few of which are vampiric) that flap around hunting people at night but must return to their bodies by dawn, or die.

But it turns out the moon is visible by daylight potentially most days of the month. The exceptions being on or around the full moon (moon’s about opposite to the sun) and the new moon (too close to the sun to see it). First and last quarter are the best times to see it... but because the moon is pretty close in light level to the sky itself, you need a clear spot in any clouds.

It would be really interesting to see that worked into monster-hunting lore. If you’re working with a magical system in which liminal things are powerful, then a point in the day in which the moon is visible in daylight might be key to working interesting spells. Or finding the grave of a hidden vampire. Or, possibly, identifying a shapeshifter even in human form. Or even breaking a curse of lycanthropy!

After all, sunlight is often associated with purification; with good reason, given UV exposure is hard on many infectious bugs. Having the sun and the moon in the sky at once might be the perfect event to nail that unwillingly cursed were-creature with a purifying cure. “A night without a day, and a day without a night!” worked the cure in Ladyhawke. If the sun is day and the moon is night, that doesn’t just have to be for eclipses!

Anyway. Just a few thoughts. Whether they work for your writing or not, you should keep an eye out for the moon by day. It’s pretty!

[techav]

So I have this printer ...

Not that one specifically, that one is beautiful and in great condition, but one like it — Apple ImageWriter II. Specifically mine is the ImageWriter II/L variant, the last revision of the ImageWriter II line, but it looks like this one.

Or at least it did once upon a time.

My family acquired this printer second-hand in the late 90s along with a Mac Classic. It got used regularly for school reports and letters and business documents and tax forms for a few years until we finally were able to get a new computer with a color inkjet printer.

Long story short, like the computer that went with it, ultimately this poor printer ended up sitting in storage without air conditioning in East Texas heat and humidity for nearly twenty years. It's a sad story of slow decay.

My ImageWriter is now yellowed and scuffed and scraped and rusted and missing a piece or two; just a dim reminder of its former beauty. Given the state of it, what hope do we have of ever again hearing it sing the song of its people?

Well, I'm not going to let it go without a fight. Time to dig in and see what we can ...

... oh. Oh dear that won't do at all.

A good rule to follow when working with these 30+ year old systems, is to (carefully!) open and inspect before applying any power. In this case I'm very glad I did. Three large filter capacitors on the power supply have very obviously swollen and burst, spreading their corrosive bile all over the neighborhood.

The back side of the power supply circuit board was a wasteland of rotting solder mask, corroded traces, and displaced silkscreen. The electrolyte has eaten its way down the leads, through the solder, and left carnage in its wake all across the bottom of the board.

First order of business is getting those old capacitors removed from the board so cleanup can begin. If you've never worked with hardware of this vintage, a fair warning — make sure you're working in a well-ventilated area. Sure the solder has lead and the flux ain't great for the lungs, but the big concern here is the unholy stench of heated capacitor electrolyte hitting the nostrils like the revenge of Poseidon's refuse bin. The local fish market has nothing on these things.

The old solder, especially when mixed with the electrolyte, tends to behave in a very un-solder-like fashion. It will refuse to melt and when it does it will slump around like wet sand rather than flow like liquid metal should. While it may seem counter-intuitive, the best way to get rid of it is to add more fresh solder to it. On these single-sided boards with large components like this, a spring-action solder pump works well for getting the old parts removed, and then some solder braid will clean up the pads well.

Once the old parts are out, I like to thoroughly clean the area with isopropyl alcohol to remove the electrolyte and years of grease and dirt and pet hair that may have cemented itself to the board. In this case I also needed to use a mild abrasive to remove that damaged solder mask where it had bubbled up off the corroding copper traces. I was lucky here that none of the traces were actually broken or corroded through completely. Clear nail polish works well for protecting the now bare copper (just make sure it's not the UV-cure gel stuff).

From here I turned my attention to the case, because the power supply is the last item removed and first installed when conducting a complete tear down of this printer, and it didn't make sense to put my newly cleaned power supply into a dirty old case.

I'm not really a fan of retrobrite, and these large case pieces would be a real challenge anyway. So all I want is to clean up the dirt and rust and as many scuff marks as I can. As far as I'm concerned, the rest is just part of the history of the item. Each mark tells a story of how this item was used, not just put up on a shelf to be looked at. And if I didn't have any interest in using the machine until it completely falls to pieces, I wouldn't be bothering with going fishing replacing old capacitors.

This is a good point to do some testing. There may still be more wrong with that power supply. Output voltages could have drifted out of spec from other components aging, or maybe I installed capacitors that don't quite match the originals. The ImageWriter II/L power supply has three outputs — +5VDC, -5VDC, & +26VDC. With no load on the power supply, I measured the outputs at around ±7V and 30V. That seems high, but it's not outside of what I would expect for a power supply that's not actually driving anything. This would be a good point to use an adjustable test load, but since I don't have one of those, I'll just have to move forward with my "well it seems fine'

Spoiler: it was not fine.

As part of its startup sequence, the ImageWriter exercises all of its stepper motors to get everything to a known state. This high current draw immediately after power on was more than its old power supply could give. There's clearly more than bad capacitors on the supply, but identifying what exactly is still beyond my current skill level.

So in the interest of getting the machine working (because I have plans for it), I opted to try replacing the power supply with something more modern. The catch here is the odd assortment of voltages the original supply provided. It's easy to find a ±5VDC supply, but 26V is virtually unheard-of.

Apple's documentation for the printer mentions the +26V supply is for driving the motors. I suspected that the 26V supply was less carefully regulated and probably targeting something more like 24V. Sure enough, the stepper with the highest voltage rating on its label was 24V. With a little extra current capacity available, I figured the printer would function just fine with a 24V supply.

The catch is, 24V & ±5V is not a common configuration. There are plenty of 12V & ±5V supplies, but that won't do here. I settled on a Mean Well 24V & 5V supply with a -5V inverter ... And promptly ordered the wrong part. I had a nice new 12V & 5V supply. That's ok, once I got it in hand it was a bit too large to fit in the space I had anyway.

So I got a different Mean Well 24V supply and a separate 24V-5V DC-DC converter. It's a bit of a mess all crammed into the bottom of the case, but it should give all the right voltages (or near enough).

I did have to remove the power switch from the old supply though. That particular part has long since been discontinued, and compatible replacements proved difficult to find.

Now that it's all assembled, it's time to test. This is the part that always makes me nervous, especially when dealing with mains voltages. There's so much that can go so very horribly wrong.

I started out with a smoke test — switching on power briefly to make sure there were no direct shorts that might cause an explosive failure. No smoke is a good sign, so check the voltages. With no load, the new supply rails read 23.99V, 5.00V, and -5.55V. That's about as good as I could ever ask for. So now there's only one thing left to test … does it actually print?

Success!

It's not perfect. Every once in a while it will stutter while printing and get stuck with the carriage on one side or the other. It really needs a complete disassembly, thorough cleaning, and relubrication. That kind of mechanical teardown is a bit beyond what I'm comfortable with at the moment, but I'll happily settle for mostly working over not working at all.

[naina9953]

Why Video Plate Mounters Are Essential for Flawless Printing

UV Graphic is one of the high-tech printing companies in terms of video plate mounters, for superior accuracy and efficiency. As regards flexographic printing, accurate plate alignment is an important factor in print quality-it is what our video plate mounters ensure.

With video plate mounters, high-resolution cameras zoom in on the plate and cylinder so that operators can position their printing plates with pinpoint levels of accuracy. The technology reduces human error to an absolute minimum; it minimizes downtime and increases productivity. Whether a label, packaging, or anything printed, smooth outputs come with precision with our video plate mounters.

Developed with user-friendly features, the UV Graphic's video plate mounters make the mounting process easier and hassle-free. Its ergonomic design makes it operate easily, while its robust construction assures the mounter to be used for long-term service. These mounters are equipped with advanced technology to improve operational efficiency for businesses for better quality print output.

[materialsscienceandengineering]

This 3D printer can watch itself fabricate objects

Computer vision enables contact-free 3D printing, letting engineers print with high-performance materials they couldn’t use before.

With 3D inkjet printing systems, engineers can fabricate hybrid structures that have soft and rigid components, like robotic grippers that are strong enough to grasp heavy objects but soft enough to interact safely with humans. These multimaterial 3D printing systems utilize thousands of nozzles to deposit tiny droplets of resin, which are smoothed with a scraper or roller and cured with UV light. But the smoothing process could squish or smear resins that cure slowly, limiting the types of materials that can be used.  Researchers from MIT, the MIT spinout Inkbit, and ETH Zurich have developed a new 3D inkjet printing system that works with a much wider range of materials. Their printer utilizes computer vision to automatically scan the 3D printing surface and adjust the amount of resin each nozzle deposits in real-time to ensure no areas have too much or too little material.

Read more.

[chandupalle]

UV Curing System Companies - Heraeus (Germany) and Nordson (US) are the Leading Key Players

The UV curing system market is projected to reach USD 8.6 billion by 2026 from USD 3.6 billion in 2021; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.6% from 2021 to 2026. The growth of the UV curing system market in North America is mainly driven by large-scale funded programs by the government. Moreover, the high adoption rate and technological advancements also drive the growth of the UV curing system market in North America.

The North American region is the largest market as the region is home to major players in the market such as Dymax (US), Phoseon (US), and Baldwin Technology (US). Stringent regulatory framework by agencies such as EPA (Environment Protection Agency) and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is playing a key role in the monitoring and commercialization of UV curing technology. The large share enjoyed by the region is due to the vast presence of various large—scale automotive and medical machinery manufacturers.

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus is expected to affect the UV curing system market, but steady recovery is expected by 2022. The expansion of the market is due to the rising demand from the semiconductor & electronics industry as well as from the medical sector. Developing countries in APAC have a vast growth potential as well as a favorable environment for product manufacturers. Therefore, the UV curing system market in APAC is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period.

Growing inclination toward eco-friendly products, along with stringent regulations regarding use of green products would further fuel the adoption of UV curing systems in APAC. Furthermore, greater benefits of UV Curing systems than traditional curing systems and rising demand of UV LEDs across industries are also favoring the growth of the UV curing system market in the region.

High-growth prospects of UV curing technology in new applications and preference for UV technologies for print label and packaging due to COVID-19  are the major opportunities for the UV curing system market. On the other hand, factors such as the lack of awareness and high cost of UV curable coatings and limited depth of curing are restraining the growth of the UV curing system market. Risks related to hazardous effects of mercury present in UV mercury lamps, slowdown in production of manufacturing industries due to COVID-19 and cracking defects on UV curable coating products are few challenges that the manufacturers are facing.

Major UV Curing System companies include:

Baldwin Technology (US),

Dymax (US),

Nordson (US),

Excelitas Technologies (US),

Heraeus (Germany),

Phoseon Technology (US),

Hönle (Germany),

DELO (Germany),

IST Metz (Germany),

American Ultraviolet (US),

Hanovia (US),

Omron Corporation (Japan),

Uvitron (US),

Atlantic Zeiser (Germany),

Benford UV (US),

Miltec UV (US),

Thorlabs (US)

Top 2 Players in UV curing system Market:

HEREUS

Heraeus is a technology group focusing on precious and special metals, medical technology, quartz glass, sensors, and specialty light sources. The company offers UV curing systems through its subsidiary, Heraeus Noblelight.

Heraeus Noblelight is a key player in designing and manufacturing xenon & krypton arcs and flash lamps. It offers its services to including steel, electronics, chemicals, automotive, and telecommunications industries. The company has more than 100 subsidiaries in 38 countries, including Germany, China, the US, and the UK.

NORDSON

Nordson offers precision dispensing, fluid management, and related technologies. Its microwave-powered ultraviolet (UV) curing systems offer durable and cost-effective performance for curing liquids, powders, coatings, adhesives, and sealants.  Such UV curing systems deliver application flexibility with a range of precisely focused and flood reflector geometries in wood, plastic, glass, and other heat-sensitive substrates. The company offers products and systems in dispensing, applying & controlling adhesives, industrial coatings, sealants, paints, polymers, and biomaterials. It offers products for aerospace, agriculture, lawn, garden, appliance, automotive and transportation, chemicals, construction and architecture, defense, medical, electrical, electronics and semiconductor, and energy. It has manufacturing sites in the US, Belgium, Germany, India, Netherlands, Thailand, the UK, and China. Nordson conducts business through 2 divisions: advanced technology solutions and industrial precision systems. UV curing systems with several applications related to coating and drying using UV LED is offered by the industrial coating systems segment.

[melssblog]

Benefits of UV Curing

UV Curing technology has benefited many industries, providing superior bonding, improving efficiency, and ensuring lesser errors and wastage.

About UV Curing 

UV radiation is widely used in industrial processes, in medical and dental practices for a variety of purposes, such as killing bacteria, creating fluorescent effects, curing inks and resins, phototherapy and suntanning. Different UV wavelengths and intensities are used for different purposes.

Applications in the Medical Industry

The medical industry is the biggest industry that finds use for precision spot UV curing of adhesives. Innovative and intelligent, lamp and LED UV curing systems are used for precision spot and area curing of medical device assemblies and additive manufacturing. UV curing systems are ideal for assembling a variety of plastics, glass, stainless steel, rubber and joining similar or dissimilar substrates as part of a controlled UV assembly process. The lamp UV curing systems include features such as Closed-Loop Feedback technology, irradiance adjustment and a selection of band-pass filters to meet UV process requirements.

Ideal Medical Device Manufacturing Applications include:

Catheters

Anaesthesia Masks

IV Delivery Systems

Cannulas

Angioplasty Accessories

Medical Coatings

Endoscopes

Arterial Locators

Medical Filters

Hearing Aids

Atraumatic Guidewire Tips

Rubber Silicones

Hydrogels

Blood Oxygenators

Respiratory Masks

Needles

Chest Drainage Devices

Sensing Devices

Tubing and Connectors

Syringes

Tubing Drainage Sets

Benefits to the Electronics Manufacturing Industry

UV curing is widely used in electronics applications for low-temperature, high-speed, repeatable adhesive bonding, component marking, encapsulation, masking and more. High volume UV assembly applications require precise control of irradiance, spectral output and temperature to achieve the throughput and yields necessary in an automated process. Spot and area curing systems meet the demands of electronics assembly for many applications, including,

Automotive electronics

Bluetooth headsets

Cell phone assembly

Compact camera modules

Digital projectors

Fibre-optic components

Liquid crystal displays

Micro speaker assembly

Optical data storage

Smart cards

Inkjet Printing and Marking Technology

Fibre optic cables are essential components of modern telecommunications infrastructure. These cables consist of multiple fibre-optic cores, fibre-optic bundles, bundling material, ripcord and even electrical conductors.

Fibre-optic cables must comply with a number of regulatory standards for marking the cable jacket. Cable jackets are typically made of medium-density polyethylene and high-density polyethylene as well as polyurethane (PU) and polyamide (PA), all of which present challenges for ink adherence.

Traditional marking or printing technologies for fibre-optic and electrical cables include embossing printing, indent printing, hot foil printing, hot stamp printing and sinter printing. Some of these technologies introduce unwanted stress into the fibre cables, while others are not entirely compatible, or in the case of an indent printer, can introduce safety concerns in the workplace.

UV-curable inks present an attractive alternative approach for marking fibre-optic cables. With this technology, ink is jetted onto the cable assembly using an appropriately sized and compatible inkjet engine, then it is cured with intense UV light. To enhance inkjet adherence to the jacket material, corona or plasma treatment is applied to the cable jacket immediately upstream of the inkjet head. Also, when using UV-curable inks, there are lower concentrations of solvents and no need to discard ribbon backing material as with indent or hot press printing.

The Equipment

OmniCure series small-area and large-area UV curing systems are designed to provide an exceptionally uniform area of high optical power with a range of wavelengths, configurations and sizes to address a variety of applications. Leading-edge UV LED technology also delivers improved energy efficiency and extended service life.

The Future

UV Curing technology is already witnessing automation which promises to improve the boundaries further. UV light sources fulfil a critical role in disinfecting our environments and protecting our populace from dangerous viral and microbial contamination. UV technology is currently used for touchless disinfection in a variety of applications to ensure the highest level of protection and efficiency.

UVC disinfection is a non-contact, chemical-free disinfectant method to kill bacteria or viruses and prevent them from replicating while offering a green process with vast environmental and social benefits.

MELSS brings you cutting-edge solutions in UV Curing solutions, representing Excelitas, USA In India 

For more information on this, please E-Mail tpg@melss.com. Visit us at www.melss.com 

[heatedwetblanket]

The Deconstruction of Denial (high school musical 2 fan fiction) (ao3 link here)

Summary: This fic picks up shortly after "I Don't Dance," and it goes a little more in depth with what happened between Ryan and Chad since I wasn't satisfied with how HSM2 cast both characters aside to focus on the love triangle between Troy, Sharpay, and Gabriella.

words: 3243

author’s note: I wrote this about two years ago in an attempt to delay working on my college apps. I successfully used up an entire day to write this instead of applying to the UC system lmao.

Something’s off.  Sharpay has just decided that something’s off.  

The rowdy commotion coming from the baseball field acts as an open invitation for Sharpay to investigate.  Once she arrived at the ballpark, however, the game had already ended—both the players and the audience had begun to mingle with each other.  Her eyes quickly dart around the scene: watching, waiting, observing.

It doesn’t take a particularly fashionably inclined person to notice when one switches their entire outfit.  Such simple observations could be made by anyone. The only thing that’s needed to pick up on the details is an affinity to observe.  Sharpay loved to observe.

She spots the baseball players sitting together.  Ryan and Chad are amongst them.  Ryan is in red and Chad is in white.  No, shouldn’t it be the other way around?  Sharpay’s eyes focus on the shorts that were a bit too big for Ryan’s slender frame and Chad’s jersey polo that was oddly creased.  Sharpay began to feel irritated for not paying close enough attention to what her brother was wearing before he stormed off. Was this a trick of the eye?  At a glance, their body language is completely natural for the situation: sweaty, flushed, and tired. But, Chad’s face looked noticeably red for someone with an extensive career in competitive basketball.

After the country club closed, both Sharpay and Ryan are brought back to their estate by their esteemed chauffeur.  Sharpay gives Ryan a knowing look, wordlessly inviting him into her room.  Once Ryan finished his nightly routine, he knocks on Sharpay’s door and is promptly greeted by Sharpay and a small assortment of nail polish in her hands.  She ushers him into her quarters as she closed the door behind her.  Taking a confident breath, she starts the interrogation.

“Which color do you think I should ch—?”

“Light pink with a sparkly silver accent nail.”

Ryan’s eyes lock onto hers, communicating that he knows his sister didn’t invite him over to simply discuss the intricacies of an at-home manicure.  

Sharpay nods.  “Good choice.  I think it’ll go well with the outfits I have planned for the week.”

“That’s why I chose them.”

“You’re a bit snappy today.”

“I did a lot today.”

“Expand on that.”  

Silence fills the room.  As Sharpay carefully examines her nails, she exhales sharply and frowns.

“Huh.  One of my nails chipped while at that baseball game.” 

Ryan’s eyebrows raise.  Her emphasis on the baseball game made Ryan realize that Sharpay didn’t want to discuss their earlier fight regarding the talent show. Without a word, he mutually agrees to a truce between him and his sister for the night.

He knew that Sharpay didn’t arrive until after the game’s end.  Sharpay was testing him.  Sharpay unassumingly reaches for her gel nail polish and her UV curing light—letting her words hang in the air.  Ryan knew that his sister’s actions were anything but unintentional.  He decides it’d be best to continue the conversation before his sister makes another remark.

“I didn’t expect to get as invested in that game of baseball as I did.”

“Yeah, I heard your little rivalry with Chad was pretty...”  Sharpay pauses to search for the right word.

“...pretty captivating.”

“Captivating is a bit of a stretch, isn’t it?”

“Oh not at all!  It’s the opposite, really.  You and Chad seem to match each other’s energy.”

Ryan cast his gaze to the other side of the room, seemingly distracted from Sharpay’s words.

“What’s the deal with him?” Sharpay asks.

“The deal with who?”

“You know who I’m talking about.”

Ryan pauses for a moment.  “Since he was Troy’s closest friend, I figured he’d be at least a little talented on stage.  You know, birds of a feather flock together.  At the very least, basketball players are quick learners.  I need him for the talent show.”

“There are other capable and willing Wildcats out there for you to choose from.  Chad’s the only one who didn’t wanna join the show.”

“Why settle for anything less than the best’s second in command?”

Ryan dances around her questions beautifully—speaking in circles as he tries to distract Sharpay from her own malicious curiosity.  They both know what they’re doing.  They both stand their ground.  Ryan’s avoidance only incentivizes Sharpay to press Ryan further, forcing Ryan to continue his sharp yet civil act.  After the moon has risen well into the sky, Sharpay stops hammering him with questions, leaving the air stagnant and tense.  A couple moments of uncomfortable silence later, she finally caves.

“I’m gonna sleep now.  You can leave.”

“Your nails look good.”

“You’re too kind,” she sighed.

“You’re in my business too much.”

“You can leave my room.”

“Gladly.”

Ryan opens the door and gracefully closes it behind him, as if to show Sharpay that her words had no effect on him.

---

Ryan bolts to his room and practically melts into his king-sized bed.  His silken sheets and matching pillowcases soothe his sore body and racing mind.  His physical exhaustion has finally caught up to him, and Ryan is having trouble fighting for consciousness against the sweet lull of sleep.

That is, until he jolts awake, remembering the hesitant lips of Chad Danforth.  Ryan’s heart stops as he covers his eyes with his own hands—only to painstakingly rub them down his face in utter shock.  He tosses and turns, clutching a pillow to his chest and squeezing it tight, unsatisfyingly noticing that the pillow did not feel remotely similar to Chad’s skin against his own.  That didn’t stop Ryan from longing, however, burying his face into the pillow and inhaling slowly. His pillow feels too light.  His arms feel too empty.  His body is too cold.  Ryan lets his thoughts wander, asking himself if Chad was feeling the same thing that he was right now.

Ryan suddenly pulls the brakes on his train of thought.  This was the first time that he had ever thought about Chad—let alone wish he was in his arms.  Furrowing his eyebrows, Ryan asks himself why he had never noticed Chad before.

It was always Troy and Chad.  Troy and Chad.  Troy, and then Chad.  Troy was the captain, and Chad was the co-captain.  Troy was first in command, and Chad was the second.  Their dynamic—Ryan realized—mirrored his own relationship with Sharpay.  Sharpay and Ryan.  Sharpay, and then Ryan.  Sharpay was the lead, and Ryan was a supporting role.

Chad was always in the shadow of his better half.  Ryan was always in the shadow of his better half.  They were both an afterthought; they were both a distant echo.  Even though Ryan knew how it felt to be just out of the limelight’s reach, he still failed to look around the stage when he was in the audience.  He did not ever notice Chad as anything out of the ordinary.  Not until today.  Not until he had no other choice but to do so.  Not until Chad was placed right in front of him.

They were aware of each other’s existences, but not in any meaningful way.   Before, Ryan thought of their relationship as mutual acquaintances who have always kept their distance and stayed in their own lane.  Before, Ryan only had a shallow perception of Chad.  He was someone who was always out of reach—deep within the bubble of competitive sports.  Ryan believed that Chad was someone who wasn’t safe from the manner in which he disrespected theater.  Ryan purposefully kept his distance.

After their junior year of high school ended, Chad was noticeably more bearable to be around.  His bad qualities started to fade away, leaving a supportive friend and a talented basketball player in its wake.  All of these events have changed Chad.  All of these events have led Ryan and Chad to meet eye to eye.

The baseball game was perfect.  Ryan’s team lost, but he admitted to himself that it was entertaining in every possible way.  In Ryan’s mind, it couldn’t even be considered a game.   It was a risky conversation disturbed by the formalities of baseball.  A personal debate that was reduced to breathy whispers and glances from across the field.  When both Ryan and Chad were on the same base, the sheer tension was palpable.  No matter how many times Chad repeated his mantra of “I don’t swing that way,” he couldn’t quite convince Ryan nor himself of his heterosexuality.  It was almost funny.

Ryan reflects back on the last thing Chad said to him on the field: “Hey, Evans.  I’m not saying I’m going to dance in your show.  But if I did, what would you have me do?”  

That’s when Ryan won.

A shiver ran down his spine.  Ryan wanted to scream right then and there in the middle of the baseball field.  His mind was spinning.  Why would you say that if you were straight.  Why would Chad ask me.  

Chad was so focused on denying and isolating and defending his actions that he forgot to conceal his attraction.  He forgot to pretend that he wasn’t enjoying his time with Ryan.  Chad built up walls of reassurance, and one suggestion from Ryan knocked all of them down.  Behind his cold exterior, Ryan saw someone who was helpless.  Ryan wanted to help him. Ryan wanted to help.  Ryan wanted him.  Apparently, Chad wanted him, too.  He wanted Ryan badly.

Snide remarks and eye rolls.  Calloused hands.  Witty.  Easily flustered.  Easy to read.  Easy to like.  Easy to want.

It all made sense when he stared into those hungry eyes.  Ryan snickers to himself.  It all made sense.

---

“Good morning, Ryan.  It’s half past eight, and you’re needed at the country club.”

Ryan’s eyes flutter open.  He finds his curtains completely open, letting the sunshine flood into his tidy room.  He looks over to the family maid, thanks her for waking him, and remorsefully leaves his bed.  

Immediately upon arriving at his family’s country club, Ryan rushes to the dance room with a grand piano in the corner.  He turns on the lights, checks the equipment in the room, and begins to brainstorm for his new gig as the choreographer for East High’s talent show performance.

Kelsi enters the room shortly after Ryan had made himself comfortable.  They warmly greet each other, but then quickly get to work—a determined glint in both of their eyes.

Wrapped up in their choreography, they only snap out of their trance when their classmates start trickling in for rehearsal during their allotted lunch break.  Ryan and Kelsi let their early peers eat while waiting for everyone to show up.  Each time the door opens, Ryan looks up at the door in anticipation.  Each time the person that walks through the door isn’t Chad, Ryan quickly glances away.  Every second is excruciating as Ryan’s eyes shift between the hands on the clock and the door.  

Chad shows up on time.  Ryan looks at him.  Chad doesn’t meet Ryan’s gaze, although his uncomfortable stance showed that he’s aware of Ryan’s stare.  Before Ryan knew what to think of the situation, Kelsi draws Ryan’s attention back to rehearsal—directing everyone to begin some warmup exercises.

Rehearsal went by smoothly; the only unusuality was that Chad was the first one out the door.  After the last person left the room, Ryan sighs.  Kelsi gives Ryan a concerned glance, but Ryan doesn’t open up any further.  Their idle chatter slows as they both notice their own exhaustion.  Kelsi tells Ryan that she’s going home for the day, and Ryan walks her out towards her car.  He waves as she drives away, waiting until her car has left the parking lot before making his way back to the dance room.

Once he returns, he sprawls himself out on the cool floor and covers his eyes with his forearm in an attempt to collect his thoughts and process the last few hours of his day.  His peaceful state didn’t last long, however, as the sound of the door opening jolts Ryan back to reality.  Ryan hastily props himself up and turns towards the entrance to see Chad in the doorway.  Ryan’s eyebrows raise in curiosity.

“Hey.  You got a minute?”

Ryan squints at the clock on the wall, realizing he’s expected to play golf with his family five minutes from now.  “Not at the moment.”

Chad adjusts his posture, hesitating.  “Then can I talk to you later?”

“Sure.  When?”

“My shift ends at eight.  I can meet you outside this place if that works for you.”

“Deal.  See you then.”

“Yeah.  See you.”  Chad lets go of the door and walks away without looking back.  Ryan watches Chad’s figure as the door closes.

---

As Ryan navigated the rest of his day, Chad’s words were etched into his brain. He glanced at his watch at every given opportunity, annoying his family to no end.  No matter how much Ryan wanted to fast forward through the day, time remained unrelenting—inching forwards at an unbearably slow pace.

As the sun began to set, Ryan grew more anxious.  At five minutes to eight, he makes his way over to the spot they both agreed upon.  Ryan sees that Chad is already there, waiting for him.  Chad immediately spots Ryan and waves him over.  Ryan waves back.  He quickens his walking pace until he and Chad are both in front of the building’s door.  

“You’re early,” Chad starts.

“You are too.”

“I was impatient.” Chad pauses.  “It’s nice to see you again.”

Ryan can’t help but smile at the sincerity in Chad’s voice.

“I guess I can say the same.”

The anxiousness grows in Ryan’s mind as he waits to see which direction Chad will take this conversation.  Leading up to this moment, Chad seemed to be well-intentioned, but doubts still plagued Ryan’s mind.

“I’m glad,” Chad replies. “Hey, dude, I wanted to ask you about something—”

Ryan extends his hand, looking expectantly at a confused Chad.  He quickly closes and opens his hand, inviting Chad to take it.  After a moment, he does. Ryan immediately pivots and begins walking, which catches Chad off guard as he stumbles after him.

Ryan guides Chad towards a nearby bench adjacent to a charmingly placed light post.  Ryan takes the opportunity to readjust his hands, lacing his fingers between Chad’s.   The ambiance is comforting, and he can see Chad’s shoulders relax a little as a reaction to the new environment.  

They both sit down, fingers still intertwined.  Chad smirks to himself, seemingly amused by one of his thoughts.  He then initiates a childish game of footsie.   Ryan catches on, lightly kicking him back.  It starts off playfully enough, but both parties begin to grow more and more invested in their game.  Chad bites his lower lip in concentration as Ryan begins giggling at the absurdity of the situation.  Noticing an opening, Chad seizes an opportunity to playfully kick Ryan in the shin.  Ryan lightheartedly yet over-dramatically pleads for a truce, and once Chad lands one more kick on him, he subsides.  Ryan shoves him in response.

“You suck.”

“Actually, I think I’m pretty good at kicking you.”

“You’re good at swallowing, too.”  A moment of silence immediately followed.

“That was out of pocket.  I don’t have anything to say now.” Chad laments and crosses his arms.  Ryan cracks up at his reaction.  “I walked into that one, too.  Fuck you.”

“That was very in-the-closet of you.”

“I can see that you’re empathetic of my situation.”

“Well, your situation should be more original.  I’ve already been there and I’ve already done that.  Find a new gig or something.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.  That’s the whole point.  That’s why I wanted to meet with you.”

Ryan stops his banter.

“I want to know what comes next,” Chad admits.

Relieved to see Chad’s honest vulnerability, Ryan trusts Chad enough to sincerely confide with him.  He takes a moment to prepare what to say whilst repressing the urge to retort back with a cum joke.

“I’ve been thinking about what you said yesterday.”  

Chad chuckles.  “I said a lot of things yesterday.”

“That’s true.  I was talking about on the field.”

“Huh.” Chad averts his gaze.

“Don’t sulk like that.  What you said was important.  It was funny to see you so in denial, but it was important.”

“No, that’s the embarrassing part—how crystal clear my fucking closet was.”  

Ryan chuckles a little in response. “You’ll get over it eventually.”

“Yeah, sure, thanks.”

“I’m being for real!  At least it’ll be a funny memory.”

“I guess.”  They both fall into a comforting quietness.

“But that’s besides the point," Ryan interjects.  "You want to know the next step, and I’m just gonna be frank and tell you there is none." Ryan presses his back against the bench and slides down, worsening his posture as he stretches his legs outwards.  "This shit is a nonlinear and pattern-less mess, and I wish there was an easy formula to follow, some next step to climb.  There isn’t.  If there was, I would’ve told you by now.  Yeah, uh, it’s a lot,” Ryan laughs nervously.  “It’s actually quite overwhelming, and navigating a new part of yourself is rough.  It was rough for me, at least.  But, unlike my past self, you have me to help you.  If you want help, that is.  I understand if you don’t.”  Ryan exhales shortly to collect himself.  “Are you okay with that?”

Chad’s concentration is broken by the presence of a question.  It looks like Chad is internalizing every word that escapes Ryan’s lips—thoroughly digesting and comprehending the information.  Chad looks down at his hands as he fiddles with them.  He feels Ryan’s eyes on him.  He knew his answer, but he felt nervous sharing it.  Finally, he responded: “I’m okay with that.”

“Also, I do have one more question,” Ryan admits, sitting back up.

“Ask away.”

“Are you always that rough?”

Chad snaps his face to look Ryan directly in his eyes; his flash of embarrassment was quickly turning into playful anger as he saw amusement plastered on Ryan’s pretty little face.  “Hey, listen, alright? Beneath the bleachers and in a fucking locker room aren’t the most private places in the world, okay?  Leave me alone.”

“Alright, alright.  I was just thinking about some other things we could do.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Something a little more refined, if you will.”

Chad sarcastically rolls his eyes.  “You’re giving me a hard time on purpose.”

“It’s fun to tease you.”

“Come on, man.  At least cut me a bit of slack.  You talk too smoothly.”

“You’re just easy.”

“Shut up.”

“Make me.”

“Like that!  Exactly like that!  Literally how’d you do that?”  After a moment of earnest bewilderment, Chad’s gaze shifts downwards.  Without the conscious effort of moving, Ryan and Chad had effortlessly gravitated towards each other.  Chad’s eyes were fixated on Ryan’s lips.  Ryan smirks.

“Gay-ass.”

“You’re one to talk,” Chad retorts.

“Shut up.”

Chad closes the distance between his lips and Ryan’s, cupping his hands around Ryan’s face.  It’s soft and sweet.  The unexpected gentleness makes Ryan’s face burn red.  Chad pulls back, looking directly at Ryan—admiring him.  Ryan’s flustered expression gives Chad a mark of pride and a boost of confidence.

“I made you shut up,” he playfully remarks.  Ryan rolls his eyes as a small smile crept up his face.  Chad chuckles into another kiss, and Ryan leans in, too.

---

i appreciate you for reading all of this. hope it entertained you :)

[tubetrading]

From Concept to Reality:  Epoxy Insulators Shaping the Future of Electrical Engineering

In the rapidly advancing field of electrical engineering, the demand for reliable and efficient insulation materials has never been greater. Epoxy insulators, known for their superior performance and durability, are becoming the cornerstone of modern electrical systems. As a leading transformer insulators manufacturer, Radiant Enterprises is at the forefront of this technological evolution. This blog explores how epoxy insulators are transforming the landscape of electrical engineering, from their conception to their real-world applications.

The Importance of Insulators in Electrical Engineering

Insulators play a critical role in electrical engineering by preventing unwanted flow of current and ensuring the safety and efficiency of electrical systems. They are essential components in transformers, cables, and various other electrical installations. The choice of material for these insulators significantly impacts their performance, durability, and overall effectiveness.

Why Epoxy Insulators?

Epoxy insulators offer numerous advantages over traditional materials such as porcelain and glass. These include:

High Dielectric Strength:  Epoxy materials provide excellent electrical insulation properties, making them ideal for high-voltage applications.

Mechanical Strength:  Epoxy insulators are highly durable and resistant to mechanical stress and environmental factors.

Thermal Stability:  They can withstand extreme temperatures, ensuring consistent performance under varying conditions.

Moisture Resistance:  Epoxy insulators have low water absorption rates, reducing the risk of degradation over time.

From Concept to Reality: The Manufacturing Process

Conceptualization and Design

The journey of creating an epoxy insulator begins with conceptualization and design. This involves understanding the specific requirements of the application, whether it is for transformers, cable terminations, or other electrical components. Engineers at Radiant Enterprises collaborate with clients to design insulators that meet their exact specifications.

Material Selection

Choosing the right epoxy resin is crucial. The selected resin must offer the necessary electrical and mechanical properties while being cost-effective. Our team of experts evaluates various epoxy formulations to find the best match for the intended application.

Prototyping and Testing

Once the design is finalized, a prototype is developed. This prototype undergoes rigorous testing to ensure it meets all performance criteria. Tests include:

Electrical Testing:  Assessing dielectric strength and insulation resistance.

Mechanical Testing:  Evaluating tensile strength, compressive strength, and impact resistance.

Thermal Testing:  Measuring performance under high and low temperatures.

Environmental Testing:  Ensuring resistance to moisture, chemicals, and UV exposure.

Manufacturing

Upon successful testing, the insulators move into the manufacturing phase. Radiant Enterprises employs state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques to produce high-quality epoxy insulators. This includes:

Mixing and Molding:  Combining epoxy resin with hardeners and additives, then molding into the desired shape.

Curing:  Allowing the molded epoxy to cure and harden, forming a solid insulator.

Finishing:  Trimming, polishing, and coating the insulators to enhance their performance and appearance.

Applications of Epoxy Insulators

Epoxy insulators are versatile and used in a wide range of electrical engineering applications. Here are some key areas where they are making a significant impact:

Transformer Insulators

As a premier transformer insulators manufacturer, Radiant Enterprises provides epoxy insulators that ensure the safe and efficient operation of transformers. These insulators offer high dielectric strength and are resistant to thermal and mechanical stresses, making them ideal for both power and distribution transformers.

Cable Termination Insulators

Epoxy insulators are also crucial in cable terminations. They provide the necessary insulation and mechanical support to ensure reliable and safe connections. Radiant Enterprises, one of the leading cable termination insulator manufacturers in India, produces insulators that meet stringent industry standards and are designed for durability and performance.

Electrical Equipment

Beyond transformers and cables, epoxy insulators are used in various other electrical equipment such as switchgear, circuit breakers, and bushings. Their versatility and superior properties make them suitable for a wide range of applications in electrical engineering.

Why Choose Radiant Enterprises?

Radiant Enterprises stands out as the best transformer insulator manufacturer and a top player among electrical insulation manufacturers in India. Here is why:

Expertise and Experience

With years of experience in the industry, Radiant Enterprises has the expertise to design and manufacture high-quality epoxy insulators. Our team of engineers and technicians are skilled in developing solutions that meet the specific needs of our clients.

Commitment to Quality

Quality is at the core of everything we do. From selecting the finest raw materials to employing advanced manufacturing techniques, we ensure that every insulator we produce meets the highest standards of performance and reliability.

Innovation

We are committed to innovation and continuously invest in research and development to stay ahead of the curve. Our state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge technologies enable us to develop new and improved insulation solutions.

Customer-Centric Approach

At Radiant Enterprises, we believe in building long-term relationships with our clients. We work closely with them to understand their needs and provide customized solutions that exceed their expectations.

The Future of Epoxy Insulators

The future of epoxy insulators looks promising, with ongoing advancements in materials science and manufacturing technologies. Here are some trends to watch:

Smart Insulators

The integration of sensors and smart technologies into insulators is an exciting development. These smart insulators can monitor their own performance, detect faults, and provide real-time data to help manage electrical systems more efficiently.

Eco-Friendly Materials

As sustainability becomes increasingly important, there is a growing focus on developing eco-friendly epoxy formulations. These materials aim to reduce environmental impact while maintaining or even enhancing performance.

Enhanced Performance

Ongoing research is leading to the development of epoxy insulators with even higher dielectric strength, thermal stability, and mechanical durability. These advancements will further expand the applications and capabilities of epoxy insulators in electrical engineering.

Conclusion

From concept to reality, epoxy insulators are revolutionizing the field of electrical engineering. Their superior properties make them indispensable in ensuring the reliability and safety of electrical systems. As a leading transformer insulators manufacturer and a prominent name among electrical insulation manufacturers in India, Radiant Enterprises is dedicated to advancing this technology and providing our clients with the best possible solutions.

Whether you are looking for the best transformer insulator manufacturer or reliable cable termination insulator manufacturers in India, Radiant Enterprises has the expertise and products to meet your needs. Our commitment to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction sets us apart in the industry.

Experience the future of electrical insulation with Radiant Enterprises. Let us help you turn your concepts into reality with our high-performance epoxy insulators.

[whumpwillow]

Vampire whump scenario that I may have thought way too much about:

They’re not an evil vampire & only drink animal blood, they have friends & a family (I’m thinking sort of like the vampire diaries thing here with friends/family) … one day they are captured by hunters & tortured with beatings, sunlight/uv light & poison. Its laced into the blood they hunters give them and it’s usually something that would kill them, but the hunters have worked out how to lower the dose age to make the vampire ill & weaker, and it also impedes their healing. It could also be something hunters have invented…. The friends/family eventually find them, but they can’t be touched skin to skin by the other vampires because of the drugs/poison. There’s no cure for it, so they have to work through it until it very slowly works it’s way out of their system, the wounds and burns can’t heal until their system is clear and they’re also scared to take blood in case it poisons them again.

ohohoho! now this is a CONCEPT

[mia-studyhaus]

Article Review - What Is Cancer?

Here is my summary/reflection on this article:

1. The explanation about cancer is presented in a simple manner, by showing the difference between normal cells and abnormal cells in terms of the cell cycle. There are two types of cancers mentioned: solid (form masses) and blood (accumulate in blood).

2. The development from primary cancer to metastasis and their effects on nearby cells as well as the other parts of the body was shown.

3. Cancer has been becoming more common in recent years due to a variety of reasons. Genetic (People are surviving and living longer — likely that genes for cancer are being passed down across generations and that cell damage accumulates over age). Environmental (UV radiation, exposure to harmful chemicals, ionizing radiation). Lifestyle (Excessive smoking and consumption of alcohol, physical inactivity, diet)

4. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world. However, these days, more options are available for treatment other than radiotherapy or surgical removal. Chemotherapy and biologics (immunotherapy, hormonal cure, antibody therapy) are new developments. The current methods are also being improved to be more precise and minimally invasive. Most interesting to read was CAR T-cell therapy, where the body’s own immune system can be programmed to kill cancer cells. After the pandemic, mRNA technology (nanoparticle delivery) has also been considered exploring as an option. AI is also a possibility in the sphere of diagnosis, modelling and treatment schemes.

5. In the last 40 years, survival rates have improved for many cancers. Yet, some types still see high mortality. Survival rates also depend on a combination of genetic, environmental, monetary and situational factors.

In conclusion, this article is a good start for anyone who wants to understand what cancer is. It can also serve as an introduction for students learning biology and medicine topics in schools.

Disclaimer: This is purely a concise reflection on the points presented in the article. These are not my opinions at all. I am only posting knowledge.