New Welding Process Joins High-Strength Metals

New Welding Process Joins High-Strength Metals New Welding Process Joins High-Strength Metals New Welding Process Joins High-Strength MetalsConnecting the pieces, whether it be for a bridge, boiler or small-scale medical device, is perhaps the most basic part of the manufacturing and construction process, and welding is one of the primary methods to do so. But the advent of lighter, high-strength metals used, for example, in automotive manufacturing has made the welders job more difficult because high heat and re-solidification can weaken the material along the bond. Now, Ohio State University materials science professor Glenn Daehn and his team believe theyve devised a solution that joins the new materials without melting.Their system is called vaporized foil actuator welding (VFA), and works using a high-voltage capacitor bank to produce a very short electrical pulse within a thin piece of aluminum foil. The foil vaporizes within microseconds and the resulting hot gas pushes pieces of metal together at very high speed, joining them without melting. The bond is produced by impact so there is elend a seam of weakened metal that is the result of melting.Daehn says his lab works on mostly developing new processes based on what does the world need? Now there is a problem with joining new materials, and he says VFA can help solve the problem, especially in automotive manufacturing.One of the biggest qualifikation applications is in auto body construction, he says. Manufacturers use hot stamped steels with remarkable high strength. There are aluminum alloys is door panels. Joining aluminum to steel and aluminum to aluminum are outstanding problems.Microscope view of copper (top) welded to titanium (bottom) using VFA technique. Image Glenn Daehn / The Ohio State UniversityDaehn developed the process in his Impulse Manufacturing Laboratory within Ohio States Department of Material Sciences and Engineering. VFA tests there have successfully welded aluminum with steel and other metals using collision velocities ranging from 200 meters per second to one kilometer per second.This is not the way commercial welding looks, he says. But we join at full strength and join a very wide variety of materials. And we use much less energy, ten percent to twenty percent of the energy used in fusion spot welding process.Daehn believes VFA will offer a better alternative to resistance spot welding, where a high electrical current passes through pieces of metal. The metals natural electrical resistance creates heat, melts and forms a weld. But the weld loses strength and the process is very energy intensive.Daehn has been working with impulse metal forming for about 20 years. Theres a few different ways of doing things but they all have issues, he says. He began working with VFA seriously about four years ago. Its kind of been known that if you run a pulse current through wire it will vaporize. But it hasnt been used in manufacturing.An aluminum foil actuator, pol yimide tape is used to electrically insulate the conductor from the VFA assembly. Image Glenn Daehn / The Ohio State UniversityThe process utilizes a thin metal conductor. When electrical current stored in the capacitor bank is released, the conductor is heated above its energy of sublimation before it has time to melt, according to the lab. The metal conductor vaporizes directly into a gas and quickly expands. The pressure pulse from the expanding gas drives the weld, joining the two pieces of metal at the atomic level. Seen under a microscope, the bond is illustrated by curls where the veins of the materials loop and wrap around each other.Daehn has patents on the technique, but acknowledges even though it holds promise for commercialization, it is not yet mature enough to draw much interest from industry. Its always difficult to find funding for this kind of work, he says. The culture within manufacturing companies is very conservative.So far, the work has been largely funded thr ough grants from the Alcoa Foundation, the U.S. Dept. of Energy and the National Science Foundation. It is one of the first projects to receive support from I-CorpsOhio, a state program based on NSFs I-Corps commercialization program.Because the work is so new, he also points to the immediate need of establishing standards and certification for the technique. Were trying to build up much of that infrastructure, Daehn says. We see a vision that this technique should join other mainstream techniques.Daehn, who has worked with the auto industry for over 20 years, says the quest to make cars lighter and stronger puts pressure on connections. There are other techniques for joining, including fasteners, which the Ford Motor Co. uses in the manufacture of the all-aluminum F-150 truck. Thats not the way they really would like to join, he says. It is not efficient. You can also use resistance spot welding, but with aluminum it is difficult.Daehn says his team has demonstrated that the VFA te chnique is two to three times stronger with aluminum than resistance spot welding, the technique they use to benchmark against. As they further the process, he looks to escalate its potential by developing equipment that can make multiple welds, scaling the tooling to demonstrate its robustness.VFA also can be fitted to robots for potential work on manufacturing line. We can use our technique and put it on the end of a robot, he says. We can come up with the equipment to make several thousand welds. This holds a lot of promise.Learn more about the latest trends in manufacturing at ASMEs AM3D Conference Expo.One of the biggest potential applications is in auto body construction. Manufacturers use hot stamped steels with remarkable high strength. Joining aluminum to steel and aluminum to aluminum are outstanding problems.Prof. Glenn Daehn, The Ohio State University

The super successful CEO of The Wing has a seemingly crazy email hack that is a major time saver

The super successful CEO of The Wing has a seemingly crazy email hack that is a major time saverThe super successful CEO of The Wing has a seemingly crazy email hack that is a major time saverAudrey Gelman, CEO and co-founder of the ridiculously successful womens co-working space The Wing, has a lot to juggle, with locations in New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago, and new Wings to open soon in Los Angeles and Boston. Oh, and shes also five months pregnant. Wed guess that zu sich inbox was out of control, but as she tells The Cuts How I Get It Done column this week, she actually has an ingenious hack for that, involving color-coding emails into categories with her assistantFollow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreMy assistant Penelope is in my inbox all day. We have a very elaborate color-coding system for my inbox with over 60 categories of emails. And then we have another category for action items that go at the top of my inbox so I know that I have to deal with them that day.Penelope and I created these categories in order to triage and organize all the emails I get in a day. The colors make it easy to go back and find information in my inbox. I know it might sound crazy, but its the best way Ive figured out how to get people answers and responses most efficiently, and not bottleneck information or decisions in my inbox.In fact, the elaborate system, once created, has actually helped her spendless time on email.The system also helps me spend less time on email during the day. When I have a break, even just ten minutes in a cab from a meeting to the office, Ill send a dozen emails.And here we just thought hitting the star button next to an email on Gmail was the best way to prioritize.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Ben jamin Franklins daily schedule that will ersatzdarsteller your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

How to Feel More at Home in a Contract Role

How to Feel More at Home in a Contract Role How to Feel More at Home in a Contract Role More and more smart, savvy professionals are taking advantage of the fact that companies are looking towards the enormous pool of talent to be found outside the confines of full-time, in-house employment. We have technology to thank for the the ever-increasing ways we can maintain seamless communication with the companies we contract for, whether or not we’re physically present â€" or even in the same time zone. But beyond the realization that there is a lot of opportunity for work outside the conventional paradigm of 9-to-5 on-site positions, there is the reality of day-to-day happiness on the job within this new world order. The pros of contract work are many: great flexibility, often higher pay, the lack of feeling tied down - and even freedom from workplace politics. But there are also drawbacks: feeling out of the loop, isolated, expendable, marginalized and, at times, overworked. As social animals, humans â€" whether contractors or full-time employees â€" thrive when certain basic aspects of inclusion are met. Here’s how to advocate for yourself as a contractor, and make sure that the people you’re working with day in and day out see you as a part of the team (whether or not you work in their physical presence). A crucial stage for any employee, onboarding is where new hires get familiar with the people and processes they’ll be working with. As a contractor, this process is no less important, but it’s often overlooked. When you accept contract work, it’s a great time to bring up the topic of onboarding. Ask your hiring manager or HR rep to tell you how they manage onboarding for contractors, remote, part-time and contingent workers. Even if they don’t have a thought-out onboarding process in place, it might spur them to put something together to make you feel welcomed and well-oriented in your new position. Any business needs the commitment and participation of all of its employees, regardless of their status or title. Open communication is a vital component of a healthy company culture , allowing ideas to be shared and helping to make employees feel included. But because contract workers are often brought on as a stop-gap measure to help get a specific, unwieldy project over the finish line, they can be seen as drones who don’t need to be communicated with. If the company you’re doing contract work for doesn’t initiate good lines of communication, it’s incumbent on you to ask for it. Tell your manager that you’d like to know what the expectations are for your role, both short- and long-term. Ultimately, it’s in everyone’s best interest for you as a contributor to be set up for success, and your initiative won’t go unrecognized. Being a remote employee can be an isolating experience. You’re on your own a lot, interacting with your team via messenger or conference tools. And while you might be getting the occasional company newsletter, it’s just not the same thing as being in the office. Ask your manager to help you feel more connected by regularly sharing news and events . For trainings or events that you can’t attend in person, ask to see relevant notes and documents. If a conference or specific training comes up that would require travel to attend in person, make an effort to join. Even if you could justify not going, it’s often a great opportunity to meet with colleagues in person, and that in-person collaboration will boost team bonding. A focus on team building shouldn’t be reserved for special occasions, though. Hopefully your company’s culture promotes team collaboration on a regular basis, as there are many creative and fun ways to encourage teams to bond . If you hear of an employee off-site, feel free to ask your manager if contractors might be included. If they are, make an effort to attend. And if they’re not, be sure to respect the occasional need for full-time staff to bond with one another without temporary or contingent contractors. Making time for regular lunch dates with your team is an easy way to connect . It naturally fosters friendships and can actually help boost productivity . If you’re a remote employee who is hardly in the office, it can be challenging to take advantage of this casual way to build a connection. So make a point to reach out to a few colleagues in advance of any days you know you’ll be on site to plan for a team lunch. For the rest of the year, try a video conference equivalent. It might feel funny to eat lunch in front of a camera at first, but the initial awkwardness will be worth the feeling of being part of the team. A great company culture keeps everyone â€" no matter their status or role â€" involved, motivated and excited. But â€" when you think about it â€" what makes a great company culture ? It’s the people. And you, as a person working for the company, can play a role in advocating for a great experience as a contractor. When you’re engaged, connected and effective in your role, your colleagues will embrace you as an indispensable part of the team.

These professions have the most psychopaths

These professions have the most psychopaths These professions have the most psychopaths CEO is the profession with the most psychopaths. But first off, psychopath doesn’t just mean someone who cuts you up with a chainsaw - though the majority of people who do things like that are psychopaths. What’s the definition? Psychopathy  is a  personality disorder  that has been variously described as characterized by shallow  emotions  (in particular reduced  fear),  stress tolerance,  lacking empathy, coldheartedness,  lacking guilt,  egocentricity,  superficial character, manipulativeness, irresponsibility,  impulsivity  and  antisocial behaviors such as  parasitic lifestyle  and criminality. So which professions (other than axe murderer) have the most psychopaths? What about the least? Via The Wisdom of Psychopaths: What Saints, Spies, and Serial Killers Can Teach Us About Success: Professions with the most psychopathy: CEO Lawyer Media (TV/Radio) Salesperson Surgeon Journalist Police Office Clergy Person Chef Civil Servent Professions with the least psychopathy: Care Aide Nurse Therapist Craftsperson Beautician / Stylist Charity Worker Teacher Creative Artist Doctor Accountant And the next thing that comes to mind is:  Why? Most of the professions on the right require human connection, dealing with feelings and most of them don’t offer much power. Psychopaths, by their very nature, would not be drawn to or very good at these things. On the other hand, most of the roles on the left do offer power and many require an ability to make objective, clinical decisions divorced from feelings. Psychopaths would be drawn to these roles and thrive there. That said… Chef? Really? I guess it pays to tread lightly around anyone who has a set of knives bearing their initials. Join over 205,000 readers.  Get a free weekly update via email  here. Related posts: How To Stop Being Lazy And Get More Done â€" 5 Expert Tips How To Get People To Like You: 7 Ways From An FBI Behavior Expert New Harvard Research Reveals A Fun Way To Be More Successful This article originally appeared at Barking Up the Wrong Tree.

3 ways to react when your manager quits

3 ways to react when your manager quits 3 ways to react when your manager quits Your manager’s sudden resignation  can leave you blindsided, but while things are about to drastically change, there are positive ways to handle the situation.Get some informationJennifer DeRome (formerly Jennifer Winter), who does consulting, writing and editing, writes in The Muse about how to get more information on your manager’s departure after writing about her own experience.“So, doing a bit of covert research can help keep you informed and prepared. Whenever possible, go straight to the source for information (as, in, try to get the story from your boss, not from the rumor mill). If that’s not possible - or plausible if you have limited access to your manager - you’ll need to do a little investigating,” she writes. “Ask around the office, but try to limit your questions to more senior-level individuals you respect.”Hit the ground runningThe sooner, the better.Janet Scarborough Civitelli, Ph.D., career coach and vocational psychologist, told BBC Capital via e mail about how to do this with a new manager after one that you really liked has  left the company.“As soon as possible, find out the expectations of the new boss and make sure your priorities are aligned,” she said in an email. “Get clarity about what your boss would like you to accomplish in the next 90 days. Avoid too much talk about the way things used to be. This is a new day.”If you want a shot at that promotion, make that clearNow is the time.Amy Wolfgang, career coach and owner of Wolfgang Career Coaching, writes on her site about how to let management know that you could be a good fit for your former manager’s position.“Within the first week of the announcement that your boss is leaving (or has left), subtly but directly let the decision makers â€" typically management â€" know that you are interested in stepping in. Schedule a one-on-one with the remaining managers to find out what initiatives your old boss was working on that you can continue,” she writes. â €œAt the same time, drop the fact that you are going to step and do these things and you’re hoping to step into your former boss’ old role. Don’t boast or bash your old boss or talk too much â€" short and direct!”Whether your former manager inspired you more than ever, or it’s a relief to finally see them go, use their departure as an opportunity to keep your eyes and ears open as you move forward. You’re bound to get a lot better at accepting change at work and at home.

A Guide for Training New Employees

A Guide for Training New Employees A Guide for Training New Employees Managing new employees takes time, patience, and a lot of communication. You need to train them on the specific procedures at your company, what is expected of them, how they will be evaluated, and how to avoid common mistakes. You also have to remember that all individuals learn at different rates and in different ways. While the task can seem overwhelming, with the right kind of focus, the rewards can be great, for both you and the new employee. Listen to Their Ideas Even as you train new employees on how things should be done, dont forget to listen to their ideas about how to do things differently. By listening to them, you encourage creativity and innovation. You also demonstrate that you value them as individuals and as contributors and in the process may get ideas from them that would actually improve the department. New employees are in a unique position to bring fresh eyes to a situation and arent bogged down in business as usual. You dont have to accept their ideas for changes, but you do need to listen to them. Protect Your Senior Employees Employees that have been with the organization for a while are a valuable resource. Much like the effect on older children when a new baby is brought home, you need to be sensitive to the needs of your experienced team members. While new employees will take up a big chunk of your time, make sure you dont neglect the rest of your team. Use As Mentors Another way to make sure that the senior members of your team continue to feel valued is to elicit them to serve as mentors for the new employees. Its also a good way to reduce the amount of your time you have to spend training new employees. It also fosters a sense of comradery and team spirit. Set Realistic Goals You need to set specific goals for  new employees and communicate those goals clearly. Just make sure that the goals you set are realistic. Remember, the training phase takes time, but if not properly trained, employees will end up losing time asking questions and attempting to figure things out. When you set goals for new employees,  make sure they match their experience and skill level. Provide Frequent Feedback This is key. New employees especially need frequent feedback  because you  want to correct any mistakes before they become bad habits. Also, if employees are making mistakes it becomes difficult for them to learn related tasks. Be sure to keep your feedback positive and focus on the behavior, not the employee. Don't Play Favorites While managers need to be fair and treat employees the same, its especially important when working with a new employee on your team. Showing favoritism always results in employees competing for your attention and breeds competitiveness among team members. And, while you have a different relationship with the more senior members of the team, dont let that cause you to be less than fair with all of your other employees. Focus on Team Building As you train and develop a new employee, you also want to help them become part of the team. Make sure their schedule includes time for them to interact with others. Beyond the mentoring you offer, provide opportunities for people from both groups (senior-level employees and newbies) to work together. Give  all new employees ample notice of upcoming team events and explain beforehand the parameters of the event and how they can participate. Reward and Celebrate Team and Individual Success As your new employees become better trained and more productive, they will begin to meet the goals you have set for them. Be sure to celebrate those successes at the same time you increase their goals. As they begin to contribute more and more to the overall results of the team,  be sure to recognize and celebrate the improved performance of the entire team. And dont forget to celebrate the success of the senior members as well.

Resume Writing Tips for Workers Over 40 Years Old

Resume Writing Tips for Workers Over 40 Years Old Resume Writing Tips for Workers Over 40 Years Old Writing the perfect resume is never easy, and this task can be even more of a challenge for older workers. If you are over 40 and searching for a job, these resume tips for older workers can help you get your foot in the door. Weve rounded up insider secrets and advice from resume experts, HR professionals, career coaches and other experts from across the country. Resume Tips for Older Workers Focus Your Resume. Focus your search on one or two position types. As an experienced job seeker who has amassed loads of great experience, the tendency is to overwhelm the resume, hiring managers and recruiters with too many skills and experience in attempting to be competitive. Include only those items directly related to the one or two position types you are pursuing. It makes you more competitive when you focus. - Dorothy Tannahill-Moran, career coach at nextchapternewlife.com and mbahighway.com Incorporate Industry Buzzwords. Look at transitional buzzwords if youre looking for a role in a different industry. They offer better search results when recruiters are looking. - Mark Frietch, author, speaker, and social media expertLeave Graduation Dates Off Your Resume. Employers can assume they know your approximate date of birth from your graduation date. If they believe youre over 40, many wont even consider you for an interview. In addition, you should only include up to 15 years of employment. - Anthony Quinones, The Repackaging Expert, midlife transition coach Highlight Key Skills in a Separate Section. Given their tenure in the workplace, job seekers over 40 are more likely to offer a lot of specific accomplishments. Rather than using terms such as seasoned or veteran and the like, these candidates should show their breadth of experience by placing key accomplishments in a highlights section on the first page of their resume, and by using them as focus points in phone and in-person interviews. - Laurie DeSalvo, President of L.D. Writing Resumes and Certified Professional Resume Writer Incorporate QR Codes. Persons over 40 should place a QR code on their resumes, especially if the position they are applying for has nothing to do with IT. It will send the message to the employer that they are current and comfortable with technology. - Bruce A. Hurwitz, executive recruiter, career counselor, advisor at the multimedia resume portal Purzue.comEmphasize Your Contributions. On their resume, 40 workers must show how they can increase production/revenue and/or decrease costs. - Curtis Kessinger, founder of Success Minded Coaching and author of The Ultimate You - Achieving Greatness Target Employers Friendly to Mature Workers. I always tell people over the age of 40 to seek out companies that have a reputation for being particularly friendly to mature workers. Many companies consider a more mature workforce to be a competitive advantage. Employees over the age of 40 bring more experience, more professionalism, and more maturity to any position than their younger counterparts. One way for 40 job-seekers to get a leg up on their younger competition is to look for an employer that considers more life experience an asset rather than a detriment. - Remi Killeen-Weber, HR project manager for Alpine Access Be Honest and Factual. In todays job market you are far more likely to get caught in a lie, which will likely mean your elimination as a candidate. Emphasize where you have been a doer vs. just a leader. Doers are getting jobs in todays market where leaders are often seen as not able to do. - David Lewis is the CEO of Operations Inc., a human resources outsourcing and consulting firm in Stamford, Ct.Quantify Your Accomplishments. Its essential to be able to position yourself as a solution to an organizations problems, as a resource to help them achieve their goals. Write down all the key skills and traits you have that qualify for the job you want, and then write out specific incidences and examples that prove you have these skills and traits. Use percentages, dollar amounts, and quantities wherever possible, as theyre tangible and persuasive. Also, practice out loud telling your stories so that you can communicate them effectively. The brain thinks in terms of pictures, therefore pa int positive pictures that create positive images in the mind of the interviewer. - Ronald Kaufman is a seminar leader, executive coach, and author of Anatomy of Success Emphasize What Youve Accomplished. Stop focusing on the tasks youve performed in your job and stress what youve accomplished. Employers hire and pay for results. - Rick Dacri, president of HR consulting firm Dacri Associates, LLC and the author of Uncomplicating ManagementStay Current. On your resume, emphasize your experience with current trends in your industry to show that your knowledge and skills are up to date. - Kelly Donovan, CPRW, Career Communications Strategist Certified Professional Resume Writer