Don't Be Duped! Helpful Hints and Advice for CD Duplication.Written by Larry Denton
Whoa! Your boss tells you he needs a hundred copies of his presentation on CD--by tomorrow morning. Since he wants to impress clients he also wants professional-looking labels on CDs as well. A simple marker won't cut it this time. Maybe it's time for a desktop duplicator or to hire a duplicating service. Since most household computers are now equipped with a drive that has capacity to burn discs, it is no surprise that disc duplication has become big business. But sorting through tons of information about formats and CD duplication systems can be a nightmare. CD duplication is no longer a difficult, tedious or expensive process requiring exacting technological expertise. Since most desktop computers now come equipped with a standard drive with capacity to burn discs, it is no longer a rarity to find people making "mix discs" of their favorite songs using CD-R media. And it is likely, at some point, that you are going to want to make multiple copies of one of your projects--be it a work presentation, a business card, or a demo of some sort. The term "CD Duplication," taken literally, means to copy CD-ROM's. Actually there are two different methods to make those copies: Duplication and Replication. Duplication is process of "burning" data onto a pre-manufactured CD-ROM. This process requires use of CD-Recorder to add data to a blank disc. Recorders are included in many personal computers, but they may also be added to a PC as an external disc drive. These devices require user to burn one disc at a time, a process that takes between 1 and 74 minutes depending on speed of recorder. A more automated form of duplication can be accomplished by buying a stand-alone CD Duplicator (no computer hookup required). This device can make many copies of CD-ROM master simultaneously and can produce 65 or more CD-ROM discs an hour. If you have a relatively small project, fewer than 1,000 copies, this may be device for you. Starting at less than $1,600 these disc makers are perfect more independent musicians and even churches who often duplicate sermons and music to make them more available to parishioners. Replication, on other hand, is process of "stamping" data onto an injection molded CD-ROM. This process requires creation of a "glass master" from customer-supplied disc. Using a high-speed stamping process data is actually built into construction of each copy, not added later. Due to expensive equipment requirements, this is certainly not method used by average computer owner.
| | Aerial Infrared Roof Moisture SurveysWritten by Gregory R. Stockton
Aerial Infrared Roof Moisture Surveys INTRODUCTION IR P/PM (infrared predictive/preventive maintenance) is not limited to annual infrared surveys of electrical switchgear. For instance, infrared thermography can be a very effective tool for roof asset management. IR roof moisture surveys are performed on roofs to quantify extent of roof moisture (water) that is inside roof system. Infrared thermography is not leak management. No matter how water got into substrate, purpose of this type of survey is simply to find and document where water is located. Extending life of a roof will save owner expense and aggravation of re-roofing or re-covering. Re-roofing means that roof is taken down to decking and replaced completely. Re-covering means that waterproofing layer(s) are removed, wet insulation is removed and replaced and a new waterproofing layer is put down. The cost of an infrared roof moisture survey is three to five CENTS per square foot. It cost between three and five DOLLARS per square foot to repair/replace roofs, so knowing exact location of subsurface water is extremely useful information, since only those areas that are damaged need to be repaired. This information is used to plan budgets and when needed, as a bid document for contracting repairs and/or replacement of roof. Keywords: Infrared, Thermography, Roof, Roof Asset Management, Infrared Roof Moisture Survey. ROOF MAINTENANCE IN GENERAL The ravages of sun, wind, rain, snow, chemicals, leakage, rapid changes in temperature and time - will eventually cause every roof to fail. Some roofs last 40-50 years…when they are well maintained. Owners may believe that a roof warranty will somehow protect them from having to do maintenance. Not so, as roof warranties are written by roofing manufacturers for purpose of protecting themselves from liability. For example, often a warranty is written so that if improperly installed or defective roofing materials are used on a roof and water leaks into electrical switchgear room causing an explosion, roofing manufacturer will replace materials, roofer will reinstall materials, but building owner has to pay for replacement of switchgear and any downtime that resulted from failure. Also, roofer’s and roofing manufacturer’s liability, in case of roof failures are also reduced by vaguely written roof warranties, which do not define words like "regular" or "routine" maintenance. Not accepting roof warranty is not answer, since roof will not be installed unless owner agrees to warranty. To eliminate these problems, building owner should have an agreement with a qualified roofer or roof consultant to inspect and maintain roof (in accordance with terms of warranty) at least once a year. Waterproofing problems manifest themselves in two ways: Leakage and entrained moisture contamination. Leakage is pretty simple, although leak inside building rarely directly relates to exact spot on roof, since water flows down slope of roof to a spot that is not sealed and into building at that point. Most leaks occur where waterproofing is sealed or where there is a penetration of roof. Since most types of roof systems absorb some amount of water, it is harder to find exact spot of water contamination in insulation because it may not leak into building until it has absorbed all water it can hold. There are three types of surveys that are used to find water in a roof. Nuclear gauges-which count neutrons, capacitance meters-which measure resistance, and infrared-which measures heat. Both nuclear gauges and capacitance meters are used to take spot readings on a 10' X 10' or 20' X 20' grid on roof. These measurements are used to extrapolate where water is from readings obtained from gauge. They are good for types of roofs that do not gain or lose much solar energy and therefore, do not lend themselves to infrared. BASICS OF INFRARED ROOF MOISTURE SURVEYS During day, sun radiates energy onto roof and into roof substrate, and then at night, roof radiates heat back into outer space (See Figure 1). This is called radiational cooling. Areas of roof that are of a higher mass (wet) retain this heat longer than that of lower mass (dry) areas. Infrared imagers can detect this heat and "see" warmer, higher mass areas, during "window" of uneven heat dissipation. Figure 1) Areas of roof that are wet retain heat longer than dry areas. Some roofs and insulation types or combinations do not absorb any water. These roofs leak straight into building. Even roofs, which have insulation types that do absorb water, some do not exhibit a good infrared signal, primarily for two reasons. 1) The surface is too reflective, and/or 2) roof’s ballast is so thick (or dense), that daylight radiation is not absorbed into substrate (insulation), therefore it cannot be emitted back into atmosphere at night. Even with a strong infrared signal, factors on roof can affect analysis and interpretation of data. Some of these factors: water between multiple layers, old patches, heavy flood coats, reflective coatings, heat-producing equipment under roof –or heat blowing down onto roof, stains, ponding water on roof, heavy build-up of ballast at parapet walls and along edges, etc. These roofs should be inspected by other methods as described above. WALK-ON INFRARED ROOF SURVEYING To perform a walk-on or on-roof survey properly, a crew of three to four people is needed: an experienced infrared thermographer and helper, an experienced roof consultant or roofer and building owners' representative for access and security. The crew walks around roof(s) and when an area of suspect moisture is found, roof consultant verifies it is wet and then helper marks edges of area directly on roof with marking paint as instructed by thermographer. The crew needs authorization and access to all areas and levels of roof(s) from either ladders or roof hatches and plenty of time to collect data. The infrared images are stored on videotape or digital media and printed (See Figure 2).
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