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McLaren aims to close the gap

After a frustrating start to the season, McLaren is preparing to bring key updates to its racing cars.

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The McLaren team has been left perplexed as to why the cars lack pace, particularly in qualifying, in the first stages of the 2018 Formula One world championship.

A disappointing start

Fernando Alonso is currently sixth in the F1 championship after securing three points finishes, but both McLaren drivers have failed to qualify within the top ten at all three grand prix. races.

The expectations were high, and McLaren anticipated they would be fighting for podium finishes and wins this season, especially following the engine change from Honda to Renault. Renault were extremely confident of the reliability and power of their 2018 F1 engine.

Alonso finished in fifth place at the Australian grand prix, and seventh at Bahrain and China. His teammate Stoffel Vandoorne has failed to fare any better and has qualified behind Alonso at all three races, scoring points for eighth and ninth places in Bahrain and Australia respectively.

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While the Renault engine continues to perform well for teams such as Red Bull, questions are being asked as to how McLaren can improve its season.

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Car updates

Eric Boullier, McLaren’s racing director, has blamed the delay in launching the upgrades on reliability problems. Scheduled for production in the Spanish grand prix in May, it is hoped the upgrades enable McLaren to meet its ambitions for the 2018 Formula One championship.

Engineers from other teams have claimed the McLaren car is running with excessive drag, meaning the chassis was as much to blame as the engine in lack of speed in the straights. This suggests that McLaren has misinterpreted the chassis quality, and why the car remains slow despite switching to Renault.

McLaren has reassured fans that it is investigating all aspects, in order to secure better results in the F1 season going forward.

Formula One teams try to discover the ideal balance between drag and downforce to create an efficient racing car. If they attempt to reduce the drag, downforce will also be reduced, so a balance must be found that creates more or the same amount of downforce while producing less drag.

How a Cloud-Based Phone System Can Solve Five Real-Life Problems

Everyday business telephone system issues can impact operations efficiency and overall profits. Problems often arise – from losing business as clients are left unsatisfied to spending a fortune on technicians and outdated telephone systems.

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Here are five real-life problems from business owners and how a cloud-based phone system can provide the perfect solution.

1.      Losing Business Due to Dissatisfied Customers

According to recent statistics, British companies are losing up to £11 billion each year from poor customer service.

Communications enhance the customer experience, and your system will need to perform well. Cloud-based systems provide call management software which offers businesses valuable call data as well as providing a wealth of personalised services.

2.      Costly International Calls

If an international call is forwarded to you, it can quickly mount up to a large bill for your business.

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Businesses can avoid these expensive costs by commissioning an international VoIP wholesale provider such as https://www.idtexpress.com/ to implement a VoIP solution. VoIP utilises the internet to keep businesses connected and does not use traditional phone lines. Calls can even be forwarded to the nearest employee, providing effective customer service.

3.      Expensive Expansion and Technicians

Managing the cost of growth in your business is a difficult challenge, with maintaining telephone systems a costly expense. Upgrading the system, fixing issues and adding new employees to systems can all add up to large bills.

However, these issues are solved by using a cloud-based phone system. This system offers scalability, with users being added easily as your business grows. Maintenance can also be carried out remotely, avoiding costly call-out charges.

4.      Outdated and Unused Desk Phones

Forwarding landline calls to mobile devices can cost a fortune for small businesses.

By using a cloud-based phone system, calls can be directed automatically to an employee’s smartphone, eliminating the requirement for costly outdated and unused phones at the office.

If your company prefers desk handsets in the office, web-enabled handsets are a far more cost-effective option than traditional models.

5.      Missed Calls and Lost Business

According to statistics, small-to-medium-sized UK businesses lose around £90 million each year from missed calls.

Cloud-based phone systems provide features for missed call reporting, listing the extension numbers and offering opportunities to return the call. A call-management application can save companies invaluable business opportunities.

What Causes Glass Damage?

Having damaged or broken glass not only looks awful but will vastly decrease the warmth, insulation and security of a building. Broken glass is not very good as insulating, also drawing the attention of potential vandals and burglars. How does glass get damaged to the point where the windows need replacing or repairing?

To help understand why a double-glazed window might crack, it’s helpful to know how one is made. There are two panes of glass placed either side of a vacuum or a layer of inert gas. This makes a barrier to either repel or contain heat to maintain your property at a stable temperature. As a sealed unit, the pressure is constant inside the gap with the air pressure on the outside of the glass. The period when most breaks occur is during the winter where the extremely low temperatures of outside are on one side of the glass while the warmth of our central heating is on the other. It is this temperature difference that can cause issues.

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1) Weather

Windows in particular are a more delicate defence against the outside elements. The glass withstands hail, rain, wind, snow, excess heat and UV rays. Over time, the seasonal changes with rising and falling temperatures will affect the integrity of the glass in the windows. Humidity is a particular problem for deterioration of window sashes. In the UK we see a lot of rain and high moisture which can lead to eventual cracking of glass and window components. For a Gloucester Double Glazing Company, visit https://www.firmfix.co.uk/

2) Physical Impacts

We need glass in our homes and workplaces to let in the natural light and a refreshing breeze. Glass nowadays is incredibly strong and durable, withstanding reasonable impact but it will still break or crack if it is hit by a solid object with force. Most glass damage is caused by people, whether it’s a cricket ball or intentional vandalism. In some instances, large birds have flown into glass and shattered it.

3) Window Age

As with anything, the passing of time and wear and tear will lead to a deterioration in the condition of a window. Even the most cared for glass in a mild climate will not last forever. It’s not just the glass but the window’s components that age. Even glass that’s never been the victim of impact or harsh weather can develop cracks over time due to the natural contraction and expansion of structures.

The better the strength of the glass, the less likely it is to experience a crack. A thick sheet is more resistant to stress than a thin sheet for obvious reasons. When choosing new windows, bear this in mind and opt for a thicker pane of glass. Square or round windows have the lowest risk of suffering a crack or break due to its greater flexibility. A shorter pane of glass has less space to flex than a larger piece of glass. The window shape least likely to suffer breaks would be a tall, narrow window.

How to fix a leaking radiator

Leaking radiators can be annoying and highly damaging. The water leaks can cause damage to carpets, floorboards and walls, so it is important to fix the leaking radiator as soon as possible to prevent further damage. Read on for tips on fixing a radiator quickly and easily.

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Find the Source

The first thing to do when faced with a leaking radiator is to find the source of the leak. To do this, you need to dry the radiator with a towel. It should be easy to find the source of the leak once the radiator is totally dry.

You should check each fixture on the radiator to identify the likely source. The source is most likely to be in one of three places: the radiator body, the bleed point valve or the supplying water pipe.

Leaking Valves

A leaking valve is the easiest radiator problem to fix because it usually occurs when the valve is half open. You normally need to fully close the valve, and the leak should stop. To repair it, you need to drain the system to below the leak and turn off the supply. Undo the union nut and open the bleed valve to let the water drain. Use tape to bind the valve tail and tighten the union valve while opening the bleed and lockshield valves. If you aren’t sure about bleeding a radiator, look online for a handy guide such as this one.

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Leaking Because of Corrosion

Sometimes a radiator will leak because of corrosion. This is often because sludge builds up inside the radiator and corrodes it from the inside; this is called a pinhole leak. It is hard to fix this, but a temporary measure is to add a plastic resin to your feed and expansion tank to stem the flow. Note that this type of sealant shouldn’t be used in a sealed heating system. This is only a temporary solution until you buy a new radiator, such as one of the modern aluminium radiators from stockists such as http://apolloradiators.co.uk/Category/3/header/3/radiator-ranges.

If it all this DIY sounds too difficult, you could call in professionals. By using a pro, you can be sure the job is done properly and safely. You also have the peace of mind that you can call them back should anything not go according to plan with your radiator.

What Are the Advantages of Industrial Robots?

No one can foresee the long-term social consequences of automation, but one thing is certain: for many businesses automation is a necessity, not a choice.

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Those in which quality control is paramount are a case in point. Robots and automated production lines overseen by A.I. can produce identical items again and again with almost no variation. If the predictability of the product is vital to safety – as in aerospace, for example – it is almost impossible not to embrace it.

Likewise, when robots can replace human workers in unhealthy, hazardous or monotonous environments, there are compelling moral and economic arguments for automation.

Robots have been in use for several years – welding, paint spraying, fettling, drilling, packing and palletizing – but most of these machines have been cumbersome and expensive. These two factors have limited their productivity and the range of tasks they could perform.

Lighter, Faster, Cheaper

By combining other new technologies, it has become possible to deploy faster, cheaper, more agile robots. An example is the recent availability of effective metal bonding adhesive (see http://www.ct1ltd.com/product-applications/metal-to-metal-adhesive/). Replacing unwieldy welding, soldering and riveting attachments with lightweight adhesive injectors allows new levels of precision and dexterity, both for electronic fabrication and general mechanical assembling.

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Consequently, modern robotics can offer higher productivity and lower overheads than both manual CNC machines and the previous generation of automated devices. Many enterprises will be unable to compete without them.

Labour costs are also changing. Offshore labour in places like China is not so cheap anymore, and exchange rates will exacerbate this trend. The balance of costs between robotics and manual labour can only shift further toward robots in years to come.

Maintenance

As well as the high initial costs of cumbersome first-generation robots there were also high costs in maintenance. Again, simpler lighter machines – enabled by technologies like metal bonding adhesive – are diminishing those overheads. Modern robots often run 24/7 without needing interventions from human supervisors.

Such robots are also safer, avoiding some of the potential inconvenience posed by a growing body of legislation around factory automation.

Programming

Smaller robots can work in tighter spaces and therefore undertake more tasks. Combined with easier and more adaptable programming interfaces, your robot can produce one product today and a different one tomorrow, constantly adapting to demand.

The Battle of the Somme

The first ever use of tanks took place during the Battle of the Somme in World War One. The British army launched a huge offensive against the German which included the use of tanks for the first time in human history. The location was Flers Courcelette in France, where just over 40 of these early tanks managed to advance more than a mile into enemy lines. Sadly, they were too cumbersome to hold their positions against the German counterattack and many succumbed to mechanical breakdown. The tanks showed promise though and the commander of the Allied forces, General Douglas Haig asked the war department to manufacture hundreds more.

The 1st July 1916 saw the British attack the German forces in the area of the Somme River. Previously, hundreds of thousands of shells had pounded the opposing positions and 100,000 soldiers had entered the no-man’s-land from their trenches hoping to find the area cleared. However, far too many German machine guns had remained functional after the shelling onslaught and a massacre ensued. Tragically, by dusk, around 20,000 British soldiers lay dead with double that number badly wounded. It was to be the single worst day of war casualties ever recorded in British military history.

Confidence was badly knocked, so after the tragedy, Haig kept to smaller but almost useless advances. To move forward just 100 yards was costing the lives of 1,000 Allied soldiers. The introduction of tanks did little to break the deadlock during the Battle of Somme and the heavy rains that arrived in October of that year just turned the region into a quagmire. On 18th November, General Haig ended the offensive. After four months of slaughter, this battle was a disaster.

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Tanks have come a long way since those bloody days of the First World War, to become a forceful, menacing, much-feared armoured vehicle. Even though they weren’t hugely effective during their debut in 1916, the unexpected sight of such beasts did strike fear and awe into the hearts of the German troops. If you’ve ever wanted to experience the thrill of driving one of these incredible machines, try a Tank Driving day with https://www.armourgeddon.co.uk/tank-driving-experience.html

The only positive from the Somme was that it had diverted German troops away from the Battle of Verdun. The Somme saw the Allied advance only 5 miles and over 600,000 French and British men dead, wounded or missing in action. The Germans also paid heavily with more than 650,000 casualties. Haig faced much criticism for his dogged determination to keep pouring men and resources into the deadlocked western front. However, the western front did eventually crumble due to an exhausted Germany, so perhaps the tactic had some merit after all and those lives were not in vain.

 

Six More Frequently Asked Tank Removal Questions and Answers

Do you still have some questions about tank removal? Read on for six more frequently asked questions and their answers.

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1. Why do underground tanks corrode so easily?

Most underground tanks, whether they have been storing heating oil or petroleum, are made from iron-based metals. These materials will always attempt to return to a stable form – what we see as rust. The speed at which a steel tank will rust is dependent on a number of factors, including the pH level of the soil, the location of the tank, any damage to the tank and the levels of moisture in the soil. Corrosion will always be occurring, but the speed at which something corrodes can’t always be predicted. A steel tank will rarely survive more than 20 years underground but can erode much quicker.

2. How is a tank tested?

A tank removal company will test a newly discovered tank to check for which substance it was (or still is) holding. This will be done by boring holes into the soil and checking the soil around the tank. This is based on the assumption that some oil or petroleum will have leaked.

3. What happens if a leak is discovered?

If a leak is discovered, the company you hire to remove the tank will still be able to do so and will also perform a clean-up of the area. They will remove and dispose of any contaminated soil for you.

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4. How do I find the right removal service?

A reputable tank decommissioning service should have plenty of experience in this field. Professionals such as http://www.ashremediation.co.uk/tank-decommissioning/ will be able to advise you at every stage of the testing and decommissioning.

5. How long will it take to remove the tank?

A residential oil tank can be removed in a matter of one or two days, but a bigger commercial petrol tank may take considerably longer. Your tank removal company will be able to give you a good idea of how long the job will take.

6. I have converted the fuel in my home from oil to gas: should I remove my oil tank?

Ideally, yes. The tank will need to be decommissioned either way and will be either removed from the site or filled with inert foam.

Groupon’s New Service for Restaurant Marketing

Marketing for businesses that rely on local business customers had few options in the 20th century. You could be in the local Yellow Pages, or buy an ad in the local newspaper or have a local TV ad made. The Internet has revolutionized business, but also made advertising more challenging for small businesses and restaurants. It’s quite a dilemma. National level marketing often wastes money on reaching the eyes of people that may never even visit your town. Social Media pages, like Facebook or Twitter, are really only effective for people who are existing customers. Local television advertising is even becoming less effective, because of services such as Amazon and Netflix. “Cable Cutting” often deprives people of local network television. 

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