academy expanded metal mesh mariani

'Photo: amazon.com Both experienced home chefs and culinary beginners are always on the lookout for cookware that helps them produce mouthwatering results. The best cookware brands offer a wide variety of vessels in myriad shapes and sizes that are made with substantial materials such as cast iron buy welded gabion box , hard-anodized aluminum, stainless steel, and ceramic. Additionally, many cookware products feature nonstick coatings to reduce the time and effort involved in cleanup chores. Supplementary features add value to todays cookware. Ergonomically designed handles made from cushiony materials provide secure and safe handling. Contemporary cookware brands offer a plethora of attractively designed cookware in scrumptious colors to enliven the cooking experience. Ahead, discover the best cookware brands to meet and even exceed your culinary needs. Photo: amazon.com About the Brand: The durable quality and culinary performance of All-Clad cookware come from its multiple bonded layers of stainless steel and aluminum construction, with options for nonstick coatings and copper cores. Price Range: $ to $$$$ Today, All-Clad has become one of the leading brands for cookware, bakeware, appliances, kitchen tools, and accessories. Materials include non-coated stainless steel in polished and brushed finishes, as well as hard-anodized aluminum and pieces with nonstick coating applied over the metal. All-Clads copper-core cookware features layers of copper bonded with stainless steel to improve heat dispersion and control, resulting in even cooking. The graphite core pieces contain layers of graphite to amplify heat conductivity. Cooks enjoy the graphites weight, which is 80 percent lighter than copper. The FUSIONTEC pieces have steel cores with attractive ceramic exteriors for function and beauty from oven to table. Top Products: Shop for more All-Clad cookware at: Photo: amazon.com About the Brand: The Calphalon company pioneered the production of hard-anodized aluminum cookware. This cookware brands product line has grown to encompass a broad selection of cookware and bakeware made from a variety of materials. Price Range: $ to $$$ Since Calphalon originated in professional kitchens, the company has always been dedicated to consumer education. With a history of supplying cooking schools and offering in-store cooking demonstrations, Calphalon continues today to offer its culinary expertise to its customers. Although the Calphalon company built its reputation on high-quality hard-anodized aluminum cookware, they also offer a wide array of cookware, bakeware, cutlery, hard-anodized aluminum china welded mesh panel , ceramic, stainless steel, and nonstick materials. Additionally, Calphalon carries an extensive line of kitchen appliances, such as coffee makers, blenders, and countertop convection ovens. Top Products: Shop for more Calphalon cookware at: Photo: amazon.com About the Brand: Since 1973, Cuisinart food processors have made prep work easier for home chefs, since expanding to offer a large selection of cookware, bakeware, kitchen gadgets, outdoor-grilling tools, and more. Price Range: $ to $$$ Today, Cuisinart offers a vast array of high-quality cooking and baking products for home chefs. The Cuisinart line of cookware includes saucepans, griddles, chafing dishes, saut pans, roasting pans, skillets, stainless steel pvc coated hexagonal wire mesh quotes , and more. Cookware materials include stainless steel, uncoated cast iron, enamel-coated cast iron, and hard-anodized aluminum. Offering a large selection of cookware pieces in multiple shapes and sizes, Cuisinart cookware meets the needs of home chefs for a plethora of everyday and specialty cooking projects. Top Products: Shop for more Cuisinart cookware at: Photo: amazon.com About the Brand: A pioneer in stylish and colorful cookware, the French company Le Creuset is known for durable, high-quality cast-iron cookware. Price Range: $$ to $$$$ Since 1976, Le Creuset has committed to creating beautiful yet functional beloved Dutch ovens, high-quality cookware, and more. The brand uses chip-resistant, enameled cast-iron materials in its products to produce durable, heirloom-quality pieces that last for years. The array of vibrant colors and signature gradient finishes make Le Creuset cookware distinctive and desirable for stylish kitchens around the globe. Although they are priced at the upper end of the spectrum, long-lasting Le Creuset pieces may serve multiple generations of cooks. Today, the Le Creuset product line produces vivid, durable enameled cookware in a broad array of materials, including stoneware, silicone, enamel-coated steel, and cast iron. In addition to enamel, and ceramic. Additionally temporary construction fence requirements , many cooks realize the long-lasting benefits of STAUB cookware. Theres products for cooking and baking, and different sized pieces available in cocottes, braisers, oval and rectangular baking dishes, and more. In addition to enamel-coated cast-iron cookware, Staub offers a variety of ceramic pieces in lovely hues with diverse shapes and sizes, including prep bowls, serving bowls, trays, pitchers, and mugs. STAUBs colorful ceramic tableware pieces include salt and pepper sets, egg cups, butter dishes, and utensil holders. Top Products: Shop for more STAUB cookware at: Photo: amazon.com About the Brand: Lodge specializes in unbreakable, long-lasting cast-iron and carbon-steel cookware thats easy to maintain and may make food taste better. Price Range: $ to $$ Founded in Pittsburg, Tennessee, in 1896, Lodge Cast Iron offers an assortment of cookware pieces in uncoated cast iron. When properly seasoned and used according to Lodges instructions, the cookware is nonstick, easy to clean, and will last a lifetime. Ideal for roasting, baking, searing, and frying, Lodge cookware can be used on stovetops, outdoor grills, or open campfires. Moreover, Lodge offers an assortment of specialized pieces for outdoor grilling, as well as a wide selection of accessories, including cookbooks, utensils, dish towels, silicone handle mitts, camp-cooking equipment, and more. Top Products: Shop for more Lodge cookware at: Photo: amazon.com About the Brand: The T-fal company was the first to introduce Teflon-coated nonstick cookware to the public, liberating home cooks from the chore of scrubbing stuck-on food from pots and pans. Price Range: $ to $$ T-fal offers nonstick cookware in sets or as individual pieces, including fry pans, saucepans, Dutch ovens, and more. The fry pans are constructed with T-fals patented Thermo-Spot technology, which features a central red dot to alert the cook that the pan is ready for cooking. Available in a variety of attractive colors, T-fal cookware is dishwasher safe and designed ergonomically for easy handling. The nonstick interiors are scratch resistant for long-lasting durability. Top Products: Shop for more T-fal cookware at: Photo: amazon.com About the Brand: Stylish and colorful, nonstick cookware and bakeware from TV personality Rachael Ray is available at a budget-friendly price. Price Range: $ to $$$ Rachael Ray is a longtime television personality and cooking show celebrity who doesnt claim to be a chef. She offers numerous product lines, including kitchen gadgets, dinnerware, pet food, home furnishings, and purses, as well as cookware and bakeware. The brightly colored nonstick cookware delivers a stylish, upbeat vibe to the kitchen. Easy-grip handles are designed ergonomically, and the materials are durable and easy to care for. Wash Rachael Ray cookware by hand, as the nonstick coating provides easy cleanup for tough messes. Rachael Rays cookware and bakeware are constructed from strong materials such as hard-anodized aluminum, stainless steel, and enamel. The handles on the pots and pans are covered in easy-to-grip silicone for confident handling. The lids are made from heat-resistant glass to offer cooks a clear view of simmering ingredients. Top Products: Shop for more Rachael Ray cookware at: Photo: amazon.com About the Brand: GreenLifes goal is to make cooking healthier through the use of a nonstick ceramic material thats non-chemical and nontoxic. Price Range: $ to $$ GreenLifes 16-piece set cookware offers a healthy alternative to Teflon for nonstick cooking. Their patented Thermolon ceramic nonstick coating is free from perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, known as Teflon). However, Teflon is approved by the FDA for use as a nontoxic coating for cookware and bakeware. GreenLife is committed to environmentally friendly practices. Their cookware is made from recycled aluminum, and the production of the nonstick ceramic coating creates 60 percent less carbon dioxide emissions than traditional coatings create when curing. GreenLife cookware helps promote healthy cooking because the nonstick ceramic surface requires only a few drops of oil to facilitate food release. Comfortable cushioned handles provide confident control for cooks. The forged bases of pots and pans prevent wobbling on the stovetop, and glass lids allow users to view the cooking process. Top Products: Shop for more GreenLife cookware at: Photo: amazon.com About the Brand: Circulons TOTAL Nonstick System utilizes raised circles along with three layers of premium nonstick material to ensure food releases completely from cookware surfaces. Price Range: $ to $$$ The Circulon TOTAL Nonstick System is available on both interior and exterior cookware surfaces, and the company states that their nonstick surfaces last 10 to 15 times longer than those on competitors cookware products. Circulon applies the nonstick system to aluminum hard-anodized aluminum and stainless steel pans, and the nonstick surfaces are reported to resist scratches and wear, even when cooks use metal utensils. Utilizing heavy-gauge construction processes, Circulon produces cookware that features fast and even heat distribution, eliminating hot spots and promoting satisfactory cooking results. Their product line includes a broad array of cookware and bakeware items along with tea kettles and cooking utensils. Top Products: Shop for more Circulon cookware at: Photo: amazon.com About the Brand: Tracing its roots back more than 120 years, Farberware is a reputable brand that offers reliable quality in aluminum, stainless steel, and ceramic cookware and bakeware. Price Range: $ to $$ Farberware developed a comprehensive line of cookware and bakeware in aluminum and stainless steel with nonstick and ceramic surface coatings. One of the companys best-loved products, the stovetop coffee percolator was a fixture in many American kitchens throughout the 20th century. Today, Farberware cooking vessels feature nonstick coatings on aluminum, hard-anodized aluminum, stainless steel, and ceramic materials. And, yes, they continue to offer their iconic stovetop coffee percolators. Priced in a budget-friendly range, the cookware is available in sets or individual pieces. Farberware continues to supply home cooks with durable, innovative cooking and baking products, making the company a trusted American brand. Top Products: Shop for more Farberware cookware at: Photo: amazon.com About the Brand: Anolon was the first cookware company to add nonstick coating to hard-anodized aluminum cookware, and their high-quality nonstick technology continues to make the brand a standout in the world of cookware. Price Range: $ to $$$ Anolon introduced Santoprene, a rubberized material for their SureGrip handles that helps give cooks confidence and control when handling their cooking vessels. Continuing to innovate and improve its products, Anolon offers a nonstick, stainless-steel hybrid material via its AnolonX SearTech system. Stainless steel mesh is inlaid with a high-quality nonstick material to produce exceptionally durable, long-lasting interior and exterior cookware surfaces. With their large selection of cookware and bakeware items, Anolon offers well-crafted cooking vessels, including Dutch ovens, woks, saucepans, fry pans, steamers, roasting pans, and more. Materials include forged hard-anodized aluminum, stainless steel, stainless steel hybrid inlaid with nonstick material, and stainless steelclad aluminum. Top Products: Shop for more Anolon cookware at: Photo: carawayhome.com About the Brand: Caraway cookware features elegant and contemporary designs in delicious colors along with a commitment to chemical-free, nontoxic materials and ethical manufacturing practices. Price Range: $$ to $$$ Founded in 2018 by CEO Jordan Nathan, Caraway cookware is designed in New York City and manufactured in ethically managed factories in China and India. Caraway is committed to producing chemical-free products using eco-friendly manufacturing processes. Their cookware is made in safe facilities in which workers receive benefits, fair wages, and ethical treatment. Additionally, Caraway utilizes sustainable packaging with zero single-use plastic material. Caraway cookware is made with no harmful chemicals that could leach into foods. The ceramic-coated aluminum cooking vessels offer slick, nontoxic surfaces to ensure that food releases freely. The product line includes saucepans, saut pans, fry pans, and Dutch ovens, available in sets or individual pieces. Top Products: Shop for more Caraway cookware at: Choosing cookware brands was based on extensive research into the quality and variety of the products offered from many brands. While not every home cook has the same cooking needs or budget, there are cookware options that can deliver high-quality results at a variety of price points. Even though materials like aluminum and stainless steel tend to be less expensive and have more expected limitations on lifespan and baking temperatures, we included brands and their top products with these materials that offer value and quality at a budget price point. For others who have a more expansive budget, there are top brands on the list that deliver long lifespan and longer durability.\n', 'According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are more than 132,000 K-12 schools in the U.S. alone and these learning centers educate an estimated 76.4 million children and adults each year. Related: Physical Security: Are We Protecting People or Trapping Them? For many school buildings built before 2006, wired glass is in extensive use and was used to help provide a firestop in hallways, stairwells, classrooms and areas where people pass through. However, through a hard series of lessons, wired glass when broken can cause severe injury. First introduced in the 1890s, wired glass is made by placing steel wire mesh in the glass while it is still soft during the manufacturing process. One of its purposes is to help hold the glass together under fire conditions to provide a temporary block to fire spread in a building, which \xa0may help contain a fire and also provide time for people to leave the building. Because of this, one of its more popular applications has been installations in stairwell doors, elevators, gymnasiums, hallway doors and sidelights in school buildings. To look at an installation of wire glass in a door, one would assume it would make the glass stronger. In fact, the wire is a weak link in the glass and it may be broken more easily when impacted. Although it was known that wired glass would break more easily than even standard annealed glass without wire, it was given an exemption in various building codes, as there really was no alternative. Generally, safety glazing is required to comply with the Consumer Product Safety Commissions standard 16 CFR 1201 , but as noted, an exception allowed polished wired glass in doors and windows that are part of a fire-resistance-rated assembly to comply with the less restrictive standard, ANSI Z 97.1 .\xa0 For this reason, many people believed it was a type of safety glass when, in fact, it was really only annealed glass with wire in it. By 2006 and after a lengthy, multi-year process, the International Building Code Council removed the exemption for wired glass, which meant it must comply with the more stringent impact requirements of 16 CFR 1201. This effectively banned the installation of traditional wired glass from all areas subject to human traffic (close to the floor or stairs) in schools, known in the Code as Group E and defined as a structure for the use by six or more persons at any one time for educational purposes through the 12th grade. Allowable uses could be areas that considered to be out of reach of most human traffic such as transoms. While new installations would not meet code in schools, existing installations can remain as long as they met the existing code when originally installed. But this reality presents a serious problem. Imagine the result of a hard charging teen moving quickly through a hall and instead of hitting the panic bar on a door, their hand and arm goes through wire mesh glass. Since annealed glass is so easily broken, wired glass may cause severe damage to arm or leg muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves and blood vessels, both during the initial impact and even more so when there is an attempt to pull the victim away. The presence of wired glass in a school may mean it is only a matter of time before a serious injury occurs. In fact, multi-million lawsuits against school districts, cities and private educational organizations have been won by families who had a child severely injured by wired glass. A complete building survey should be conducted as soon as possible to identify all areas with wired glass that are accessible to routine human traffic. In fact way back in 2006 the New York State Education Department Office of Facilities Planning ( NYSED Facilities & Planning Newsletter 73 March 2006 ), states: We strongly recommend that all existing wire glass locations be evaluated for potential impact and injury. There are several alternatives available to remedy locations determined to be at risk, such as replacement with impact and fire resistant materials, coating the glass with specialty films and installing protective bars or railings. Since ordinary glass shatters when exposed to fire and wired glass is no longer an option for schools, the only options are to replace glass sections that would likely be impacted by people in areas of travel fire-rated glass or to retrofit the wired glass with some type of safety film. Fire rated glass sections average about $100 a square foot in costs without installation. Back in early 2000, being aware of the problem, the Window Film Committee of AIMCAL (which became the Manufacturers Committee of the IWFA in 2010) had a well-known fire testing laboratory complete a test of a generic 8-mil film thick as applied to wired glass and concluded that, the retro-fit addition of the safety film to fire-rated glazing systems tested did not have any effect on the performance of the wire glass during fire exposure. In general, window film is Class A Fire Rated and has passed ASTM E-84 Flame Spread/Smoke Testing criteria. Class A Fire Rated Window Film Products provide one hour or greater protection and can help control the spread of fire. Class A material involves organic, solid materials such as wood, paper, cloth, rubber or plastics (window films) that do not melt or burn below a specific temperature. The ASTM E84 fire-test is conducted in a rectangular fire observation chamber, a tunnel roughly 25 feet long, which provides a linear area for fire and smoke to propagate after ignition and be analyzed. The purpose of this test method is to determine the relative burning behavior of polyester film by observing combustion characteristics that are defined, such as: Smoke Generation, Time to Ignite, Rate of Burning and Flame Front. In the event the wired glass was to shatter, the safety and security window film may hold broken glass fragments together in place, reducing or eliminating the risk of injury as a result of dangerous glass shards. The IWFA recommends that safety and security window film be applied to at least the side of a wired glass installation which is subject to human impact. An 8-mil security clear film without any coatings is expected to have a puncture strength of 170 pounds or more.\xa0 Such an installation could be further reinforced by the application of edge silicone around the circumference of the installation.\xa0Window film installed in the interior of a building may have a lifespan exceeding 20 years. For exterior windows with wire mesh, plain safety and security window films should be installed on the interior, as opposed to films with energy-saving features, which could contribute to spontaneous glass breakage due to heat build-up in the wire. Exterior solar security window film may be installed if energy savings is also required. Given the complexities of options in building codes and the technical nature of window film products, it is important to consult with a window film manufacturer about a products fire and safety ratings and listings. Darrell L. Smith is the executive director of the International Window Film Association. He also serves on boards or committees of the National Fenestration Rating\xa0Council, National Glass Association, the Protective Glazing Council\xa0International, and the Glazing Industry Code Committee, and represents the industry in dealing with the California Public\xa0Utilities Commission , the California Energy Commission, the International\xa0Code Committees, and the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental\xa0Protection Agency. Note: The views expressed by guest bloggers and contributors are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, Campus Safety magazine.\n', 'Siddall & Hilton Products plans to knock down old works buildings and put up new one sin its quest to become a world-class manufacturer. The company, subject to a management buy-out (MBO) in 2019, employs 60 people on its 4.5-acre site in Brighouse. It has a number of manufacturing, storage and office buildings on both sides of Foundry Street, some of which are more than 150 years old and are no longer fit for purpose. Siddall & Hilton has obtained planning permission to begin work on phase one of the three-year project, which will see the creation of new amenities for staff. Office staff have moved into temporary buildings while the site is redeveloped. The first phase represents a 4m investment and will see the demolition of a number of the older buildings, to be replaced by a new portal-framed building, HGV service yard and factory extension, with work is due to start on site in 2023. The redevelopment has been planned to ensure that the business remains operational throughout the work. Later phases will include the refurbishment of the old Tower Works site and the conversion of a shed to permanent office accommodation. The scheme has been designed by Darren Till, partner at TJP Architects in Pontefract. Siddall & Hilton chief executive Ian Thurley said: Since the MBO three years ago, the business has gone from strength to strength. We have already embarked on a major investment programme, from commissioning a new state-of-the-art 2m welding machine last year, replacing a roof and refurbishing existing machines to expanding the team and implementing ongoing training programmes to upskill colleagues. This significant investment in redeveloping the entire site will bring all our facilities up to the latest standards as we continue to compete on the world stage. Not only will it see us expanding our operational site capacity, but also improving process flow and future proofing the buildings as well as creating a better working environment. One of our key strengths is our skilled workforce in Brighouse and the scale of this project is a further demonstration of our commitment to our people and continuing to invest in the town. With a 127-year history, Siddall and Hilton Products has become the UKs largest manufacturer of welded steel mesh for high-security fencing, general fencing and industrial mesh panels. In 2021-22 it turned over 25.3m, despite Covid disruption, and processed more than 22,000 miles of wire a month. Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk\n', 'Youll see it catching the sunlight on the edges of buildings. Or on the sets of sci-fi films. Perhaps in fencing alongside a railway line And theres even likely to be some within your home boiler. Yes, expanded metal or metal mesh, as it is sometimes referred to is everywhere. And it was pioneered by Hartlepool-based firm The Expanded Metal Company. The business has been manufacturing expanded metal mesh at its 25,000-plus sq m site on Longhill Industrial Estate since the 1890s. Indeed, the company was founded by John French Golding, the inventor and patentee of expanded metal: his first British patent was issued in 1884. Golding forged partnerships with Hartlepool industrialists Mathew Gray, Christopher Furness and Robert Irving Jr, who together with WB Close, brought the manufacture of expanded metal to Hartlepool. Since those halcyon days, The Expanded Metal Company has been developing and manufacturing expanded metal for use in filters, architectural cladding, walkways, screens, grilles and a host of other applications. The companys ExMeshTM security products division supplies security fencing, anti-vandal measures and mesh gates to sectors including transport, defence, telecoms and energy. And the business has a long-held reputation for innovation. Its ground-breaking anti-climb solutions were featured on Tomorrows World (remember that?). Hartlepool-made aluminium mesh clads New Yorks New Museum, which was named one of the architectural New Seven Wonders of the World. And its SecurilathTM security mesh, born in the aftermath of the Strangeways Prison riot, now protects critical infrastructure worldwide. However, the last six years have seen The Expanded Metal Company really gain ground and walk the walk as a true international leader in metal mesh. Since being acquired by EIH Capital Partners LP in 2016, the firm has seen overall sales increase by 38 per cent and export sales increase by 41 per cent despite the challenges of Brexit, the Covid pandemic and the supply chain challenges many manufacturing businesses have faced. So whats behind the success? There are many factors, according to managing director Philip Astley. The Expanded Metal Company had a proud tradition and was still very much part of Hartlepools industrial landscape in the mid-2010s, he explains. But a period of under-investment had affected staff morale, our brand wasnt flying high in domestic and international markets, and the manufacturing processes and product range needed reinvigoration. From 2016 onwards, we have worked hard to transform the working culture of The Expanded Metal Company for instance, by introducing town hall meetings and investing in workforce training and development. We wanted to create something that staff could feel part of and proud of. Across all functions, the teams are focused, energised and motivated to increase productivity, attract new business and boost our domestic and international presence. And in 2016, we also set out to reenergise our marketing and business development activities, from reaffirming our industry presence via public relations and social media, to launching an e-commerce website in 2018, which has opened up an extensive new revenue stream. Well receive orders in the middle of the night for our home improvement meshes from people who have never dealt with us before and have found us online! Its a fantastic opportunity and is generating new sales. A key catalyst for change was a major investment programme totalling up to 1m which began in 2018. This included building upgrades, the refurbishment of specialist manufacturing equipment (much of it unique in Europe), the acquisition of new machinery and the replacement of existing lighting with more energy-efficient LED lighting systems. We have worked hard to improve our facilities and we are continuing to make enhancements to our production environment and offices, says Philip. The Expanded Metal Company has also further embedded itself into the Tees and wider North-East and, indeed, UKs manufacturing communities. The firm is a member of Make UK and the North East of England Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC), and Philip became a board member of the Engineering and Manufacturing Network (EMN) this year. A number of networking events have been held at the companys site, where the team have shared the firms journey and proudly demonstrated its manufacturing processes. And The Expanded Metal Company has worked with a number of North-East companies to support its marketing, digital and sales efforts. Northumberland-based marketing company Horizon Works undertakes creative, content, digital and social media activities; Stockton-headquartered Just Williams provides sales training for the team; Middlesbroughs award-winning Ithica Films brings expanded metal products to life through stunning video content; Teesside visualisation tools specialist Animmersion has created eye-catching animations and 3D images of the companys metal meshes; and Middlesbroughs MGC is behind the firms e-commerce website. We are delighted to be collaborating with innovators on our own doorstep, says Philip. We certainly dont need to look anywhere else for marketing, digital and sales support. Like many manufacturers, The Expanded Metal Company has experienced several years of change and challenges. And The Expanded Metal Company is laying down the foundations for future growth. Investing in skills and expertise means supporting a new generation of expanded metal specialists, says Philip and that means creating opportunities for young people in Hartlepool and the wider region. Four apprentices are part of its 90-plus strong workforce and seven former apprentices are forging their careers as permanent staff, in roles including product development, maintenance and administration. Generations of people from the Tees Valley have contributed to the success of The Expanded Metal Company, Philip concludes. And the team we have now in Hartlepool is building on their legacy. We hope John French Golding would be proud of what we have achieved. For\u202fmore\u202finformation\u202fvisit expandedmetalcompany.com .\n', 'Vascular stents are specially designed hollow metal mesh tubes that are inserted into a collapsed blood vessel via a catheter and permanently support the vessels walls to prevent another closure. They are reported to have excellent therapeutic effect and have a high rate of success in treating coronary and peripheral artery disease. Currently, stents made by braiding or laser cutting techniques occupy most of the market share, but these techniques have certain disadvantages such as the high cost of equipment, high production costs, and poor geometric properties such as more nodes on the surface and a greater metal surface area, which can significantly increase the risk of thrombosis and restenosis rate after stent implantation. Lower cost near net-shape processes are being explored for biodegradable stent materials but to date there have been very few reports on production of stents using Metal Injection Moulding (MIM) (see PIM International Vol. 6, No. 4, December 2012 ). More recently, researchers at the Departments of Vascular Surgery, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University (Changsha), and the Department of Vascular Surgery, Fuwai Hospital (Beijing), in conjunction with the State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, and the School of Microelectronic and Materials Engineering, Guangxi University of Science and Technology (Liuzhou), all based in China, have been studying the use of MIM to produce stent scaffolds using 316L stainless steel powder. The MIM 316L stents were implanted into the iliac arteries of adult dogs using a standard angioplasty technique. The MIM processing parameters, stent properties, status of experimental animals, and endothelialisation of implanted stents were investigated, and a molecular biology evaluation was carried out. The results of their investigation were published in the paper: Biocompatibility of vascular stents manufactured using Metal Injection Moulding in animal experiments by Chang Shu, et al. in the Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China Vol. 32, 2022, 569-580. The authors reported that the gas atomised 316L stainless steel powder used in this study had a D50 = 12.5\xa0m particle size, and that this was mixed with a multicomponent binder comprising paraffin wax and low-density polyethylene (LDPE). In order to study the effect of carbon content fluctuations on the mechanical and corrosion properties of the sintered MIM 316L stainless steel, the authors added 0-0.4 wt.% graphite. Injection moulded tensile test specimens were subject to solvent debinding and thermal debinding followed by sintering at 1340C and 0.1 Pa. Results of the testing for tensile strength, elongation and hardness of the sintered 316L MIM samples with different carbon contents are shown in Fig. 1(a). It was found that increasing the carbon content from 0.1 wt.% to 0.30 wt.% saw an increase in the tensile strength from 480 to 585 MPa, which then decreased to 460 MPa at a carbon content of 0.35 wt.%. The hardness of the sintered sample increased with increasing carbon content, while the elongation decreased, particularly when the carbon exceeded 0.30 wt.%. Corrosion testing of the MIM 316L stainless steel was done in different solutions (NaCl and HCl) (Fig. 1(b)). The corrosion resistance was found to decrease with increasing carbon content, particularly in the NaCl solution, with the corrosion rate increasing when carbon content exceeded 0.3 wt%. Nevertheless, the corrosion resistance of the MIM 316L stainless steel stents with a carbon content below 0.2 wt.% was found to be acceptable. The authors stated that carbon combines with Cr to form carbide, which degrades the Cr content in the 316L stainless steel matrix and hence accelerates corrosion. In HCl solution, the corrosion rate is considerably higher than that in NaCl solution when the carbon content is not greater than 0.2 wt.%. However, beyond this, the corrosion rate in HCl solution is lower than that in NaCl solution. The authors plan further investigations to elucidate this mechanism. They also stated that because mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of 316L stainless steel are extremely sensitive to the fluctuation in the carbon content, this needs to be precisely controlled to satisfy the performance requirements of MIM vascular stents. The authors used 316L stainless steel stents with ultra low carbon content having good corrosion resistance to produce the actual MIM stents shown in Fig. 2, which were used in in-vitro toxicity and in-vivo reliability studies. The as-received MIM stents exhibited good shape retention with no nodes, stains, cracks, or other defects on the surface. Some of the residual 316L stainless steel powder observed on the side surfaces of the stents (as can be seen in Fig. 3 (e) and (f)) were removed by an electrical polishing process. The MIM vascular stents showed a completely austenitic structure with grain sizes ranging from 20100\xa0m. The composition and size of the grains on the outer layer were similar to those in the centre, which indicated that MIM technology could produce a completely homogenous microstructure. In-vitro cytotoxicity testing to evaluate the safety of the MIM 316L stainless steel stents showed no obvious cell toxicity and the MIM stents were successfully implanted into the aortas of dogs. In-vivo biomedical behaviour of the MIM vascular stents using digital subtraction angiography (DSA) showed that no migration, twisting, collapse, infection, acute or chronic thrombosis, stenosis or obstruction of the stents was observed during the entire observation period of up to six months. The results implied that the MIM stents showed good performance and biocompatibility; however, the authors stated that longer observation periods were still warranted. The authors concluded that compared with laser cutting and braiding, MIM technology considerably improves the utilisation of stent materials. To the best of their knowledge, this study is the first to validate the biocompatibility and safety of MIM vascular stents in experimental animals. However, they recommend that further studies be carried out in other material systems, as well as an investigation into mechanical fatigue reliability and biological safety. www.journals.elsevier.com/transactions-of-nonferrous-metals-society-of-china\n', 'As part of its commitment to driving operational excellence and manufacturing efficiencies, leading\xa0welded steel mesh manufacturer\xa0Siddall and Hilton Products has invested in two innovative automation projects designed to further streamline its processes and accelerate the companys journey to being recognised as a world-class manufacturer. The Yorkshire-based business, which is the UKs largest manufacturer of industrial welded mesh and perimeter fencing panels, partnered with Sewtec, a global market leader in bespoke machinery and automation, to develop a robot to automate the process of packaging and banding its finished product it is believed to be the only robot of its type in the UK. The innovation follows the commissioning of Siddall and Hilton Products EVG-LGR102 welding machine in August 2021 which has a significantly faster throughput than other production lines on site, causing subsequent bottle necks in the process as conventional product handling methods were simply not quick enough, resulting in inefficiency and unnecessary downtime of around 10%. Sewtec was identified as an automation partner and, together, the two businesses developed a technical solution to the issue with a fully integrated pallet de-stacking device introducing pallets into the production line automatically. A five axis robot has also been integrated into the production line to pick & place and rotate if necessary the mesh after welding and automatically stack on to a pallet; once the pallet is fully assembled, it is automatically transferred to an in-line automatic banding machine where edge protection is applied and the product banded, presenting a complete pallet/package at the end of the production line for either warehouse and or dispatch. Having started the automation project in June 2021, it passed the factory acceptance stage and was installed into the production line in summer 2022. It is now fully operational. Siddall and Hilton Products robot which automates the process of packaging and banding its finished product is believed to be the only robot of its type in the UK Andy Dawson, operations director at Siddall & Hilton Products, explains: Were well aware that a utomation will play an important role in helping us realise our determination to be a world-class business with these projects marking our first significant step into robotics. Following the commissioning of our newest 2m welding machine last year, the need for a swifter, automated stack and wrap palletiser came into start relief in some instances the line is 90% faster than conventional mesh welding machines when producing standard panels, and our operators have needed to keep stopping the line whilst they unload and pack the products. Having looked at different automation companies, we were really impressed by Sewtec in terms of their concept, level of know-how and communication. They have more than lived up to our expectations and, all being well, this is only the beginning of what we can achieve together. By investing in this sophisticated technology, we have been able to recover the efficiency losses of around 10% whilst also improving the overall health and safety of our employees through a reduction in manual handling. It is forward-looking projects such as this which will help make us more competitive globally and form a vital part of our ambitious growth plans. Andy Perks, head of sales at Sewtec, commented , Were really pleased to be working with Siddall & Hilton Products. The two businesses align perfectly and were off to a great start on this automation journey. With so much scope for future endeavours together, we are confident there will be further exciting projects ahead. Processing over 22,000 miles of wire a month, Siddall and Hilton Products is the UKs largest manufacturer of industrial welded steel mesh for high-security fencing, general fencing and industrial mesh panels. With a heritage stretching back 127 years, the company is continuing to grow its workforce with the recruitment and training of new mesh operators as well as a range of development programmes to upskill its team. Read more of our Automation articles here\n', 'Welded steel mesh manufacturer Siddall and Hilton Products, which employs 60 people in Brighouse, has unveiled major plans to completely redevelop its 4.5 acre sites in the town with a 9m investment as it pursues its commitment of becoming a world-class manufacturer. The business, which dates back to 1895, has a number of manufacturing, storage and office buildings on both sides of Foundry Street, some of which are over 150 years old and are no longer fit for purpose. Siddall and Hilton Products has now been granted planning permission to begin work on phase one of the three-year project which will see the creation of new amenities for staff. The office-based team has temporarily moved into portakabins while the site is redeveloped. Initial works will provide new facilities including showers, locker-rooms and a canteen for employees, with a briefing room and a training space above. This will be followed by several major demolition and construction phases. The first phase represents a 4m investment by Siddall and Hilton Products and will see the demolition of a number of the older buildings, to be replaced by a new portal-framed building, HGV service yard and factory extension, with work is due to start on site in 2023. The redevelopment has been carefully planned to ensure that the business remains fully operational throughout the work. Later phases will include the extensive refurbishment of the old Tower Works site and the conversion of one of the sheds to provide permanent office accommodation. Once this has been completed, the company plans to remove the portakabins and build two warehousing units adjacent to Birds Royd Lane. Other enhancements will focus on improving vehicle movements around the site to minimise vehicular obstructions on Foundry Street and to significantly improve safety for pedestrians and other road users close to the works. Overall, the project will enable the company to streamline its manufacturing processes by providing a much more efficient workflow, as well as creating a safer, greener and more modern environment for its employees and the local community. The scheme has been designed by Darren Till, partner at TJP Architects, based in Pontefract. A CGI of Siddall & Hilton Products redeveloped site in Brighouse Ian Thurley, chief executive, explained: Since the MBO three years ago, the business has gone from strength to strength. We have already embarked on a major investment programme, from commissioning a new state-of-the-art 2m welding machine last year, replacing a roof and refurbishing existing machines to expanding the team and implementing ongoing training programmes to upskill colleagues. This significant investment in redeveloping the entire site will bring all our facilities up to the latest standards as we continue to compete on the world stage. Not only will it see us expanding our operational site capacity, but also improving process flow and future proofing the buildings as well as creating a better working environment. One of our key strengths is our skilled workforce in Brighouse and the scale of this project is a further demonstration of our commitment to our people and continuing to invest in the town. With a 127-year history, Siddall and Hilton Products has become the UKs largest manufacturer of welded steel mesh for high-security fencing, general fencing and industrial mesh panels. In 2021-22, the last financial year for which figures are available , the business achieved turnover of 25.3m, despite ongoing Covid disruption, with its manufacturing team processing over 22,000 miles of wire a month.\n'