Friday, March 27, 2020

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) adoption and implementation in higher education (HE) environment differs from the for-profit environment (An Example)


ERM adoption and implementation are necessary for every setup of an organization. But, the task is challenging and it needs to employ sequential and systematic risk management strategies. ERM implementation may vary with the organization. And here we'll discuss how its implementation differs in two environments, one is in non-profit HE and the other one is business which exists because of its profit motives. Some of the varying aspects of consideration are:

1. Motive: ERM adoption and implementation in any for-profit organization like that of LEGO are done to adequately increase the company's growth rate by creating and managing the identified risks. Taking risk while having its perceived knowledge improves resilience. The growth of any company or organization is volatile and as per Mark L. Frigo and Hans Læssøe (2012), LEGO adopted it as a part of its strategy and attained growth more than ever. They made bigger investment risks by ERM adoption in their financial planning process and even prepared for uncertainties. While ERM's adoption and implementation in HE environment vary completely in its motive. More of the motive for ERM adoption in a not-for-profit environment is the positive credit rating to have a better reputation as per Anne E. Lundquist. While a for-profit organization's motive is inclined towards financial goals, ERM's implementation in a not-for-profit environment can be considered having more ethical implications.

2. Strategy: Since the motive of ERM adoption in HE is more focused on reputation maintenance, the strategic direction employed here varies from that of the corporate sector. AS per Mitroff, Diamond, and Alpaslan's (2006), in HE, ERM is less developed and is employed to minimize losses due to the risks posed like that of crises and crimes. While in for-profit organizations, ERM's strategic direction enables and even empowers the organization to take bigger risks in real-time to attain higher profits.

3. Direction: The direction and approach of adopting ERM in a for-profit sector are more likely to create a model that can enable the organization to take bigger risks by making huge investments and gain maximum profit from the same. But, ERM in HE sector is still developing and the focus mainly revolves around creating a model based on best practices. Also, they focus on keeping the organizational and functional structure unaltered. Mission success and good governance are what is aimed at with ERM in HE. As the variety, type, frequency and volume of risk differ in both the types of organizations, the strategic models need to be customized.

4. Individual risk: While the risks in a for-profit organization are more constrained regarding financial risks, the responsibility and the people affected are collective. Whatever be the result, it will affect all the population. So, the result gets distributed among all the individuals associated. But, in HE, the risks like that of crimes can put any individual at risk while keeping all others unaffected. So, the ERM strategies laid need to consider safeguarding individuals associated with the organization.


Saturday, July 27, 2019

Giant Green QR code


China's giant green QR code: Connecting ecology and technology


The smartphones have digitalized and globalized and of course, made the payments cashless China is no doubt the leading force in the same. And China's love for QR codes is immense. This can be visualized in the amazing Chinese's village maze Xilinshui in Northern Hebei Province. 130,000 Chinese junipers halve been carefully tailored to design this tech-savvy massive QR code. The shrubs and the trees with a height ranging from 80 centimeters to 2.5 meters are beautifully arranged in the square field with each side being 227 meters in length. The giant QR code can be scanned from the air. Scanning this ginormous QR code redirects the user to the village's tourism account on WeChat, Xilinshui has already been recognized as the most beautiful village in Hebei in 2015. And with this green tech code, it has designed an eco-friendly digital connector bringing in more tourist attraction.

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Fear of Flying

Fear of flying: Why bother trying?

5 WAYS TO GET RID OF FLYING FEAR

Are you all set for boarding the flight? Excited, yet frightened. Do not be worried about it, but Be concerned. Solutions co-exist with the problems. It is important to understand, whatever may be the fear, it can be dealt with.

We have summed up a few go-ahead measures which will help you conquer your fears. Here they are:

1. Know the Unknown: Fear as a general term and in general being is from something or anything that you do not know about. An acquainted person is likely to be fearful. Find out your fears, know them, face them and overcome them. While penning down your fear triggers, some of them might vanish while others may need you to work upon. Fear can be from turbulence, taking-off, landing, aircraft malfunctioning, medical emergency or any other unwanted things. Recognize them and have access to the knowledge as to how is the aircraft is designed and the airline's personnel trained to handle such situations. You will be helped by the knowledge because a back-up plan is always there. It is just that you have to believe to get relieved.

2. Be Learned: Be learned and step-on with knowledge. If it's your first flight, fear and anxiety can be natural. You may fear how to board, when to board, how to get passport and tickets verified, where and how to keep the luggage, safety concerns, length of the flight, etc. Gaining knowledge about your concerns will help you learn how to deal rather than worry about those things.

3. Talk to the right personnel: If you are wandering in the world of assumptions, you may derive help from What if analysis. Every single person has his/her own fears, and experiences with flights. They can definitely guide you, but having multiple opinions based upon a third person's experiences cannot help you justify or pacify your anxiety. It is important to talk to the right person before you actually are on a flight. No one will be able to tell you better about the services and the emergency handlings than the airline's personnel. They also have the helpline numbers to answer your queries and make you comfortable and assured about a safe flight.

4. Think Positive; Behave Positive: Having an optimistic attitude is just how you can overcome any fear, including flying fear. Anxiety, fear, stress is all in our minds. They get intensified or pacified by the chemical messengers working on in our system. Whatever crystal we lay in the mind, it will build a scaffold on its own. Soothing activities like listening to favourite music, watching some inspirational videos might help you calm down. Why think about what we do not want to happen? It is good to be concerned and prepare well rather than over thinking the negative thoughts which might never even happen. Or you can well analyze the facts and compare as to how many events of which you are frightened to have actually happened around the globe. The ratio and the probability might help you get settled. Thinking positive will bring in positive energy flow and even in case of an unwelcome event, you will be able to manage yourself and the things around you better. At least do not intensify your fear with negative thoughts.

5. Exposure: Each flight is important and will land with varied and vast experiences. If it is your first flight, it will best to be accompanied b a friend, family member or a colleague who is not new to taking up flights. It is not going to reduce your fears, but will definitely help you in managing them well enough not to be worse enough for you as well as co-passengers. Still, it may not be possible in every case. So, even if you are alone and even if your fear is continued from past experience, go ahead without any confusion. Confusions can lead to false assumptions. Gain exposure, gain experience and last, but not the least, do not forget to feel you breathing. Once you realize your breath, you will gain sense and behave responsibly.

Thursday, May 23, 2019

HOW TO CUT A POLYCARBONATE SHEET


Polycarbonate Sheets:
Polycarbonate sheets are strong, tough corrugated and lightweight thermoplastic sheets having wide applications in various industries. They are highly resistant to heat and electricity.
Without getting them broken, they can be molded or formed and deformed easily.
Why would you need to cut a polycarbonate sheet?
Polycarbonate sheets are widely used in the construction of noise barrier walls, glazing, dome lights, etc. since they can provide insulation from electricity and sound. Protective windshields, corrective lenses, medical equipment, bottles for liquids, optical disks, lightweight cases for luggage, electronic items like toys, computer cases also find the usage of polycarbonate sheets. Durable and lightweight items can be made using polycarbonate sheets. Knowing how to cut polycarbonate sheets will let you make durable creative and innovative things with ease.
So, one in the construction industry or using it to doing it yourself (DIY) self crafting purposes may need to cut a polycarbonate sheet to be able to put it to utilization.
We will now learn how to do them so. Polycarbonate sheets come in a varied range of thickness. Depending upon the same, materials and methods used as the cutting tools may vary.
Materials needed to cut a polycarbonate sheet:
    Hand shears
    Mechanical saw (circular saw, vertical band saw, hand-held jigsaw)
    fine-toothed blade
    Duct tape
    Marker
    Measuring tape
    Sharp utility knife
   C-clamps
Step by step method to cut a thin polycarbonate sheet:
1. Paper thin polycarbonate sheets can be cut in a jiffy.
    Fix the sheet onto the flat surface using duct tape. The sheet should not be stretched. It can alter the line of cut.
    Measure the cut and mark it clearly with the marker.
    Outline the cut using duct tape.
    Since the sheet is paper thin, you can cut it with a sharp utility knife easily. Now, you have the desired cut out from the sheet.
2. If the sheet you desire to cut is a bit thick but less than 0.125 inches equivalent to 0.3175 cm, you may need a hand shear to cut the sheet.
    The protective plastic cover of the sheet should not be tampered with. This is necessary to protect the sheet from any mechanical damage that may occur to the sheet while cutting.
    Fix the sheet onto a flat surface using 2 x 4s to provide it support on both sides of the cut.
    Identify, measure and mark the cuts clearly using a marker. Mark edges on both the sides for straight cuts. Then join the marks with a small straight line.
    For the straight cut, a circular saw is used. Install the fine-toothed saw blade in the saw. The approximate speed of the saw should be 3400 RPM. If the diameter of the blade is between 10 to 14 inches, it should be in the range of 60 to 80 teeth.
    Initiate the saw and cut it. Do not stop the saw in the middle of the action or until the cut is finished. The blade will do its work. You need not force the saw. It may crack the sheet.
3. If curved cuts are desired in the sheet, you will need the hand-held jig saw.
    Fix the sheet onto the flat surface in a similar manner as discussed above using 2 x 4s for supporting the sheet.
    Identify, measure and mark the cut areas on the sheet.
    Install the fine-toothed blade in the saw in a manner so as to have a minimum of 10 teeth per inch.
    The saw speed should be adjusted at 12000 strokes in a minute.
    Initiate the saw and cut it. Remember not to stop the saw until the cut is finished. You may not want to crack the sheet.
4. Curved cuts can also be performed using the vertical band saw. This saw is used for larger sheets, cut on which cannot be performed on a normal small sized saw table.
    The sheet will need to be supported by the side table supports. Fix the sheet properly and ensure that it is well supported.
    Identify, measure and mark the desired cuts.
    Install the fine-toothed blade that has approximately 10 teeth per inch in the saw.
    Observe the speed of the saw and set it at a rate of not more than 7500 feet per minute. You can use the operation manual instructions for setting the speed.
    With a vertical band saw, the sheet has to be moved in the blade at a constant speed. Do not push in the sheet too fast. Since the sheet is a thermoplastic, moving in the blade at a faster pace can heat the polycarbonate earlier than required. And this heated resin will melt. The molten fluid can be accumulated in the teeth of the blade and it might break.
5. For yet thicker polycarbonate sheets, use the circular saw. The thickness of the sheet can be more than 0.125 inches but not more than 0.50 inches.
6. For performing cuts on the polycarbonate sheets which are thicker than 0.50 inches, i.e. 1.27 cm in thickness, you may use a table saw.
    Identify, measure and mark the desired cut.
    You may use a duct-tape to frame the marks.
    Install the fine-toothed saw blade as per the kind of cut desired.
    You will have to manually move the sheet into the saw. Remember to keep your speed steady. Neither increase the speed nor decrease it. Keep it constant to avoid the plastic sheet from getting cracked or the saw blade getting broken.
    Do not stop until the cut is complete.
You may use some light machine oil to lubricate the blades for smooth functioning. Moreover, it is a good tip in the maintenance of the saw blades.
While performing cuts in the polycarbonate sheets, a considerable amount of dust is generated. It is advisable to use the protective gears to avoid inhaling the dust which may be harmful to health.

Making of a greenhouse: How to choose the best


How to build a greenhouse using polycarbonate
Why use polycarbonate to fabricate a greenhouse?
Having a kitchen garden in the backyard is what we can think of if we want o use fresh veggies. If you are fond of pretty flowers, how amazing it will be if you can have them at your own home. But growing vegetables or plants intended for medicinal purpose or just to add delight with ornamental plants and pretty flowers need proper care and maintenance too. A greenhouse is a perfect thing to think of if you want to do gardening.
Since multiple options for greenhouse materials are available including glass, varied kinds of plastics, fibreglass, acrylic, we will have to make a choice of the material. One such option that is very efficient and light on the pocket is the polycarbonate. It has other advantages too like that of being lightweight, having better insulation and retention properties. Even lesser heat tends to loose from the greenhouse fabricated using polycarbonate. You can do it yourself. Yes, you can make your own greenhouse that suits your size and pocket. And you will enjoy while you make it because the outcome will be much pretty.
So, let us start with this interesting craft and fabricate a greenhouse.
Materials Needed:
    Measuring tape
    Carpenter's Square
    Polycarbonate sheets
    Drill driver
    Screwdriver
    Spirit level
    Wooden sleepers
    Batten screws
    Mechanical saw
    Fine-toothed blade
    Hand Shear
    Markers
    Glazing tape
Step by step procedure:
1. Choose the location:
You may want the greenhouse in your home backyard or in the garden or on the rooftop if you are planning for terrace-farming. The ideal location would be based on the direction of the sunlight. Try to choose a position where the greenhouse can get plenty of sunlight from one direction in the morning and from the other direction by sunset. Still, the choice can be done according to the space available too.
2. Mark the chosen site and prepare it:
Mark the chosen site using a paint. You may use a carpenter's square for more accuracy. Drain the floor well to create a level area.
3. Making trenches and positioning bearers:
Mark three locations parallel to each other. Locate the bearers and dig trenches.Now, make three bearers using the sleepers. Lay the end of the length to end and secure them with batten screws. Before that, make sure that the sleepers are properly aligned.
Now position the bearers on the marked site in a parallel position. Use a spirit level to check if the level is proper or not. In case, the spirit level indicates an improper level, use blue metal gravel and add it in the trench. Else wise, you can use sleeper blocks for elevation.
Once the level is fine, position the blocks.
4. Attaching Sleepers:
Sleepers will have to be positioned across the bearers. Check for the square. Secure the position with the batten screw. Use the screwdriver to do this. Sleepers should be well-aligned one against the other and properly secured.
5. Preparing the base:
Once the sleepers are attached well, position the base. Assemble them to form the base frame. Tally its diagonal lengths to ensure it is a square.
How to check the base frame?
To check whether the frame is in a perfect square, the lengths are measured in diagonals. Take a measuring tape and measure the length of one end to the other end which is located to it diagonally. Now repeat the measurement for the other two diagonally located corners. Cross check the measurements. The two lengths should be the same. In case there is a variation amongst the two recordings, do necessary adjustments and ensure a square before proceeding further.
6. Building wall frames:
Build upright wall frames. You can use wood, but aluminium fabrication is a better choice owing to its strength, lightweight and resistance to corrosion. Plenty of other choices are also available and you can choose the best that suits your purpose.
7. Adding wall panels:
Since we have chosen polycarbonate to be used as our wall panels, we will have to first cut the polycarbonate sheets as per our required lengths. Polycarbonate panels are available as either single-walled, double-walled and triple-walled panels. You may need to choose the one you need for your glasshouse. You can get the panel coated for protection from UV light. If you do not get polycarbonate readymade panels, you can easily fabricate them on your own.
To cut out the polycarbonate sheets to create wall panels, fix the sheet on a flat saw table. Measure and mark the cut. Install the fine-toothed blade in the saw. The settings of the saw blade are done in accordance with the type of the desired cut. And the speed of the saw is also adjusted in accordance. Now, while moving the sheet into the saw, do not stop in between before the cut is made. Otherwise, the sheet might crack. Once the wall panels are cut in desired lengths and shapes, they have to be installed in the frames.
Install the panels. Being light in weight, it is easy to install polycarbonate panels in the frames. Leave one side panel for the louvre window.
Cap the panel end to avoid moisture getting built-up. And also seal the joints with the help of glazing tape.
Since the polycarbonate when subject to temperature variations can expand or contract, drill the fastener holes larger in size as compared to the fasteners themselves.
8. Checking the perfect square:
Use a carpenter's square to check whether it is in a perfect square. It is rare that it will not be square, but still, if it is not so, you can try repositioning.
9. Securing the floor:
Once the greenhouse is in position, you will need to fix it to the ground. Secure the base with batten screws.
10. Roof installation:
Before installing the roof, make sure to include a window or a vent. Assemble the roof panels. Keep in mind the cross-ventilation and the air flow.
11. Beautify:
Once your greenhouse is ready, you can make racks inside, keep benches to keep the gardening tools and other necessary items. You can beautify your glasshouse as much creatively as you like.




The 9 advantages of a polycarbonate greenhouse over a glass one
Having a greenhouse installed is a great idea one can think of. And to make an idea great, it takes in a lot of decision-making. There are so many choices available in the market which further complicates the thing. But a correct analysis of the facts and the features involved can clear the road to our destination. With each choice arises a question and a question always has an answer. We just need to speculate what we need so a better outcome can be generated with the right choices.
Every would-be greenhouse installer will have multiple choices for the multiple things used in the installation process. One such major choice is to decide whether to have the greenhouse made of glass panels or that of polycarbonate. Both are available for glazing a greenhouse. For a better insight into choosing between glass and polycarbonate to be used, we have arrived at 9 amazing advantages of having polycarbonate used over the glass.
#1. Light on pocket:
Budget is the most important and the starting factor in initiating any project. So, if your budget is limited, polycarbonate panels will weigh light on your pocket when compared to the rates of glass. Not just the rates of polycarbonate are less than the glass, but also installation cost and the manpower required for polycarbonate panels is lesser than that of glass.
Ease of handling and maintenance of polycarbonate greenhouses saves not just the money but much of your time too which goes in installation, maintenance and repair.
#2. Durable:
Polycarbonate has another advantage of durability over the glass. It does not shatter as does the glass. Unlike glass, polycarbonate panels will not shatter. They can withstand the impact of the normal things a greenhouse can have to face. Hailstones, any heavy flown or thrown objects hitting the windows of the greenhouse. And if you have children playing nearby, it is almost certain you may not want to be complaining about the broken windows with the hard hits from their balls or other likely objects.
#3. Better insulation properties:
One of the main deciding factor to use polycarbonate coverings over the glass for your greenhouse can be the insulating properties of polycarbonate. Polycarbonate walls provide far better insulation to the greenhouse than the regular glass. It retains heat meant to be trapped in more than the glass. So, the average temperature of a polycarbonate greenhouse will be on higher mercury level as compared to that of the glass greenhouse. The plants will stay warmer in polycarbonate greenhouse. Temperature maintenance in seed starting and stem-cuttings is very important. This improves the proficiency and the productivity of the greenhouse.
The thermal efficiency of glass is poor than polycarbonate. So, polycarbonate is a thermally more efficient choice. And the twin layer available in double-walled polycarbonate further enhances the thermal efficiency.
Better heat retention makes polycarbonate greenhouses more efficient. This also extends the time for which seasonal vegetables and fruits become available like any other perennial vegetables or fruits.
If a greenhouse is a part of a commercial set up, year-round availability and higher yield are what you might be looking for. And polycarbonate greenhouses will ensure your profits and that too in a pocket-friendly manner.
Moreover, when the greenhouse is already warm enough, you may not need to install in the heaters, as the case may be with glass greenhouses. It will also save electricity. Again, will save you money.
#4. The longevity of the greenhouse:
The strength of the polycarbonate and its high impact resistance tends to have a longer life than glass greenhouses. Polycarbonate can resist much damage which glass cannot.
#5. Ease of installation and handling:
Owing to its lightweight, polycarbonate walls and roof are much easier to fit in the greenhouse frame. Even a single handler can do this in case of polycarbonate while multiple people are required to install glass panes.
Even handling of polycarbonate is easier than that of glass. Not much care is required while working with polycarbonate. In case replacement of any panel is required, it is much easier to do in case of polycarbonates.
Polycarbonate greenhouses can be made if one wishes to make it on his own using his creativity and a little knowledge. While glass greenhouses require skilled workers to do the job.
#6. . Protection from UV rays:
Polycarbonate walls ensure protection from harmful UV radiations. They filter the harmful rays before the light reaches the plants.
#7. Diffusion of light:
Polycarbonate is plastic and plastics diffuse more light than glass. So, in a polycarbonate greenhouse, the light will be more evenly spread as compared to that from a glass greenhouse. Equal quantum of light received by all the plants will not require you to keep shifting plants from area of more light to the lesser one or the vice versa. While in a glass greenhouse, frequent shifting is necessary to maintain efficiency. Time will also be saved.
#8. Customization options:
Polycarbonate panels are available as single-walled, double-walled or triple-walled panels depending upon the percentage of light retained by them. Double-walled panels retain a higher amount of heat than the single-walled ones. So, even amongst the polycarbonate panels, you have many choices to choose from. While glass panels do not allow such custom offers.
Moreover, polycarbonate panels come in a variety of shapes and sizes and you can choose the one that solves your purpose. Glass greenhouses are mounted on metallic frames while polycarbonate ones generally employ wooden frames. Wooden frames can add up to your style. You may decorate it to add elegance. Creativity has no limitations.
#9. Protection to plants:
Polycarbonate panels protect the plants from the direct scorching sun rays by diffusing it evenly inside the greenhouse. Even the cranny areas of the greenhouse receive an equal amount of sunlight. Glass greenhouses can even burn the plants by overheating.


Concrete Scarifier? When to use it

What is concrete scarifier?
A concrete scarifier is a surface preparation equipment. You may also come to know of a concrete sacrifier with the names, surface planer or a milling machine. They are used at construction sites to prepare the surface by removing the concrete. It has widely used because of its high productivity. They are used for scarring the concrete surfaces. Cutting tools available in varied sizes, shapes and styles are made to rotate around the drum are what brings about the desired scarring.
But deciding when to use a concrete scarifier needs analysis and deep insight. We have highlighted some points that might help you choose better.

What are the other surface preparation pieces of equipment available?
Other than the concrete scarifier, grinder and shot blaster are also available as options. But choosing the right machine is crucial and dependent upon the final outcome.

How to make the right choice?
Each equipment comes with its own pros and cons. But in cases such as surface preparation with other options also available, the choice does not depend on benefits offered. But, it depends on the situation. Some situations may require some particular equipment, while others may need alternatives. So, it is important to understand the situations or conditions where particular equipment is best employed. We choose the equipment keeping in mind the efficiency, effectiveness and the desired outcome. The time that will go in the surface preparation with particular types of equipment is also taken into consideration.

When is using concrete scarifier over other available options is an ideal choice?

Though no machine can be said as better than others, yet machines work ideally when they are chosen for the particular tasks ideally. Choosing a machine needs proper evaluation. Moreover, multiple machines can be used simultaneously to get the desired result.

    When a quicker action is sought:
Scarifiers can remove concrete at a much faster rate than the grinders. So, when timely action is sought, pummeling action offered by the scarifier's cutting tools due to the high speed of rotation can be put to use. When demolition is required in lesser time, scarifier is a preferred choice over the grinder.

    When rough profile outcomes are desired:
The cutter chips installed in concrete scarifiers are very aggressive and leave rough surfaces. Moreover, cutting depths can be adjusted in accordance with the need. The flails of the scarifier break the concrete into small chips hitting it hard enough. So, when the desired surface is rough, concrete scarifier is the better option to go with.
Whenever scarring the concrete is to be done at sites with less lighting or more visitors, you may not want anyone to slip into. So, the rough surface left by the scar caused by the scarifier will prevent such events from happening. A rough surface is easily visible and noticeable.

    Uneven sidewalks:
Sidewalks may become uneven with time or exposure to bad environments. Uneven sidewalks may result in risks for the walkers which can be reduced as well as prevented from occurrence. So, a scarifier when used to reduce the dangers associated with sidewalks may be more productive.

    When removal of thicker concrete is required:
When concrete thicker than 3mm is to be removed, A concrete scarifier is an ideal choice.

    Budget:
The tooling cost of concrete scarifier is lesser than that of the grinder. Moreover, it is time efficient. So, employing a grinder for a particular purpose will need more time and more time would mean more cost paid to the manpower. Concrete scarifier here is a pretty much inexpensive choice and saves both times as well as money.

    Thickly coated floors:
The floors which are heavily coated when need scarring can be done both with the grinders as well as the scarifiers. But choosing a scarifier over a grinder can be an ideal choice for its quick action and better efficiency in terms of roughness owing to its aggressiveness.

    The final outcome:
When the thicker coatings are to be removed and the resultant floor needs polishing, scarifier is not a good choice. This is so because the surface for the coating does not need so much of the rough surface.
To remove an epoxy coating to resurface the floor and give it a decorative texture, scarifier will be a better option rather than using a grinder.

    Higher productivity:
The scarifiers have been designed in a manner so as to hold a number of cutters. The cutter shafts are held by the moving drums. A number of cutters scraping the surface in one go results in better and higher productivity. The production rate of a scarifier ranges in between 350 square feet per hour to 1500 square feet per hour.

    Slip-resistant walkways:
In areas with higher rainfall or humid climates, walkways may lead to road mishaps by slippery surfaces. If slip-proof sidewalks are to be made, the friction required is high and nature also needs to be more aggressive. Then, the best choice would be concrete scraper. Owing to its rough resultant, it can groove the walkways well enough in a manner so as to avoid the associated hazards.

    Alignment of concrete joints:
When concrete joints are not in proper alignment, they need the scarifier to make the necessary corrections.

    Uneven surfaces:
A scarifier impacts the floor vertically. When surfaces are uneven, they can effectively and efficiently be used to impact the high crests to reduce them to the desired even floor.

    The textured finish is desired:
While resurfacing a concrete floor, if the desired outcome is a textured surface, a scarifier is the best choice.

    Multi-purpose:
Since the productivity ranges are wide, sizes are variable and with customization options being available at the disposal, scarifier can be used variedly in different situations.
So, it is good to ensure the outcome and efficiency before choosing a scarifier over other available options.

HOW TO PROPERLY USE A POWER TROWEL


Introduction to Power Trowel:
Even as a small tool, trowel comes to mind when we need to smoothen some surface by spreading the construction material. But power trowel means the trowel used for spreading the construction material in order to smoothen the surface is the heavier machinery that uses electrical and mechanical power to achieve at the desired outcome. More power is needed while working with concrete. Concrete is a hard material to work upon and more power is needed to smoothen the surfaces made of concrete. Imparting smooth finish to the concrete slabs is where the use of a power trowel comes in light.
Types of Power Trowel:
On the basis of the controlling methods, power trolls are broadly classified into two types. These are:
1. Ride-on power trowels: These type of power trolls are operated manually. An operator sits on the machine and uses several press buttons to execute the actions.
2. Walk-behind power trowels: These are also operated manually, but the operator operating the machine does not sit on the machine. Instead, he walks behind the machine.
Different power trowels also vary in the blades they use. They use different blades, for the main objective is the same: levelling the surface and smoothening it, yet the conditions in which they are used differently. So, the blades installed are also different.
For the operators who need assistance on how to effectively an properly use a power trowel, we have summed up some basics to give insight and light into efficient usage of power trowels.
    Choice of the power trowel:
The first challenge is to make the right decision and choose the right power trowel that fits our requirement. If you want to level a smaller area of concrete, say less than 1000 square feet, what may help you is a pushable trowel. But if you need to get working upon the larger concrete slabs, ride-on trowels will suffice your requirements. For small purposes, just 24 to 36 inches blades are used. Customization is possible when talking of blades. We have a choice of float blades and finish blades or we can use a combination of both to get the smooth concrete floor in just a single go. But for larger slabs, we will need bigger blades ranging between 36 inches and 48 inches. But for corners, we might most commonly use the same blade of 24 inches.
    Checking the concrete:
Once the blade is selected in accordance with the job, what needs our attention is the concrete. The timing to start the trowel is crucial. We will need to check it if it is ready for the power trowel. One can learn this if he is a regular worker. But, for newer people, it is important to know when is the concrete just ready to be able to bear and respond to the power trowel. It needs to be firm but still not hard enough to work upon. The power trowel has to do the setting work. So, it should not be completely set. Stepping on and just off the concrete slab is the most common and obvious test for a beginner or someone who has not yet mastered the skill. The footprint less than 1/8th of an inch is the perfect indicator to initiate troweling.
   Know the trowel before you use it:
It is well more important to know the instrument before using rather than doing an unfinished job. Learning equipment needs the operator to have knowledge of the composition. What are the parts equipped in the machinery and how to operate them are the questions that need to be answered before initiating the trowel? Let us now learn a trowel's components
o    The Handle: It is a steering device for the operator to give direction to the trowel.
o    The Gearbox: The connection between the engine and the spider assembly that has the job to supply the power.
o    The Engine: It is the power that propels the trowel.
o    The blades: These are located as a part of the assembly and sets into a continuous motion utilizing power from the engine.
o    Assembly is quite well known as spider-assembly.
o    The safety ring ensures protection to the blades.
Troweling ensures that there is no excess water in the concrete and it can further be processed for levelling.
    Floating and Levelling: Now you may want to bring evenness to the surface. Here comes the choice of the blades. You may use any single blade or may even use the combination of both depending upon the desired outcome. Flat pans are available for initial stages of troweling. Floating is done to evenly distribute the machine load over the concrete so as to obtain even levelling. Also for the blades to perform well, the speed of the trowel should not be more or less than 3/4. Remember to keep the blades flat to avoid digging into the concrete and ensure flat and even surface. Try going at 90 degrees across to confirm no bumps are left and the surface is smooth. Mud-slinging of the concrete should not happen and this is prevented by the blades. Hybrid blades are a more flexible option to use. They can decrease the time that goes into the whole process.  Even distribution of the machine's weight above the concrete base is the basic essential key to the whole process. Evenly distributed weight only can create a smooth finish.
    Finishing: Floating blades are flexible and can be easily replaced with the finishing blades. Finishing blades are used to finish the job. Now the blades need not be kept flat. Rather they need to run at a full pitch as well as the full speed. If the desired job is on the porous concrete, what you will need is the maximum possible pressure. Now you may make the choice of smoothening. You can enjoy a glossy finish or give it a classy matte finish.