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When GPS technology (the GPS stands for Global Positioning Satellite) came into common use just after the turn of the century, it seemed mostly to be useful for telling drivers where to go; and for locating mountain climbers when they got lost. As the technology opened out, though, it rapidly became apparent that the ability of GPS to tell you where something was (a car, a person, a truck) could be reversed: so rather than allowing a driver to find his or her way, the technology was used as GPS vehicle tracking, to tell the vehicle’s owners where it was and where it was going.

The first use of this technology, and an application it still answers with great success, is in theft deterrence. Vehicle thieves have grown extremely wary of taking any vehicle that is marked as being part of a GPS tracking scheme because they know that, even with a re-spray, it will still be found and reclaimed.

This asset protection has extended to cover most of the normal operations of a fleet or work vehicle. Now that fleet and work vehicle owners are able to use GPS vehicle tracking to locate and follow their assets in real time, the misuse of those vehicles has become easy to detect and correct. Overall fleet productivity and efficiency goes up noticeably after a few months of using a GPS system.

Just as GPS technology itself has advanced, so (as we all know, and see every day) has computing technology. That has allowed companies that produce professional quality GPS tracking systems to incorporate ever slicker and more comprehensive reporting and observation suites in the user interfaces of their GPS vehicle tracking programmes.

This is where the GPS tracking system really comes into its own. With a good user front end, comprising plenty of versatile reporting and data compilation functions, a fleet manager or asset owner is able to develop an extremely accurate picture not just of the location, but also of the behaviour, of his or her vehicles. That means increased efficiency in terms of fuel consumption; a better use of routes, which allows deliveries to happen on time more often; and a rapid response system to any unauthorised use of vehicles – either in terms of location or time of use.

Additionally, the owners of fleets or vehicles are able to use GPS vehicle tracking user interfaces to set necessary reminders – like a warning that an MOT is due, or a service or road fund payment. The user interface can also be used to track the working hours of drivers – both ensuring that all fleet employees obey the Working Time Directive; and being available for use as evidence that they are so doing.

The ability to locate and watch vehicles has been a boon to the fleet industries ever since the first GPS vehicle tracking system was installed. With this rise in the quality of user interface, that ability has now become a comprehensive capability to manage and develop all aspect of fleet behaviour.

In the late 18th century the industrial revolution gave man the ability to mass produce goods, thereby creating economies of scale which changed the global society-in such ways that nobody could have dreamed of at the time. Now a new manufacturing technology has been designed which does the opposite.

Additive manufacturing, or 3-dimensional printing, now makes it just as cheap to produce single items, as it is takes to produce huge quantities. This may have as great an influence around the globe, as the Industrial Revolution did.

A 3D printer operates by using a 3D computer file to form a series of cross-sectional slices. Each slice is then printed one on top of the other to make the 3D object.

Before you press ‘print’, you have the opportunity to amend the shape and colour where needed. A 3D printer then begins to create the item, one layer at a time, either by depositing material from a nozzle, or by selectively solidifying a thin layer of plastic, or metal dust, using tiny drops of glue, or a tightly focused beam.

The object that finally becomes visible could be a spare part for your car, a lampshade, or a violin.

A machine, no larger than a desktop printer, sitting in the corner of an office, a shop or even a house, can make small items. Larger articles such as panels for cars, bike frames, aircraft parts, require a much larger machine and a lot more space.

In terms of lamination systems, thin layers are cut to shape and welded together. A variety of technologies are accessible to do three dimension printing, though the major difference is the manner the layers are created to build parts. Some use softening material or melting to fabricate the layers (SLS, FDM), where others lay liquid materials that are cured with different technologies.

The process is currently possible only with certain materials (resin, plastics and metals) and with a preciseness of approximately a tenth of a millimeter.

The technology is being used in the jewellrey, footwear, industrial design, architecture, engineering, and construction, automotive, aerospace, dental and medical industries. It is currently the sphere of hobbyists and workers in a few academic and industrial niches, just as computing was in the late 1970s. However, 3D printing is spreading quickly, as the technology improves and costs become lower.

This new technology capacity is only as limited as the imagination. An artist, or engineer etc., can make the original article, then copy it using a three dimension Scanner and printed out from a three dimension printer, known also as a fabricator or “fabber”, which now costs less than a laser printer did in 1985.

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In today’s manufacturing world, you are going to find that there are many new exciting technologies being introduced. To fully appreciate the changes that are occurring, you will need to understand the two primary targets of any new technology that is introduced into the manufacturing industry. First, precision and efficiency are always top priorities. This means that new technology should be able to cut and produce parts that are safe and near perfect in terms of design. Next, the new technology should make the work cost effective. In other words, it is essential that this technology makes the work cheaper to complete. Even if the technology is expensive to purchase, it should be considered an investment in that it lessens cost over the long run. Laser sintering is the newest technology in metal manufacturing and is often used on materials such as 17-4 stainless steel.

If you are unfamiliar with laser sintering, the first thing you will want to know is that it rids manufacturers of the necessity for many of the old tools that had to be manually operated. These tools were constantly developing, they were expensive to repair, and their precision was at times questionable. The laser is able to cut any material, such as 17-4 stainless steel, to the utmost precision. Because it is automatic, there is no need to pay labor to operate various machines. It is the fastest way to cut parts and it can deal with large runs and short run orders. The versatility of the SLS technology is amazing.

Laser sintering is amazing also because of its ease of use. The laser is connected to the computer on which the design is constructed. These are not the old fashioned drafting programs of the ten years ago. This is a drafting program based on a layering process. This layering allows the specialist to create intricate 3-dimensional designs that replicate the actual 3-d part. The laser takes the design from the program and cuts the 17-4 stainless steel part to the exact dimensions and proportions.

If you are looking for a company that can use laser sintering to produce your 17-4 stainless steel parts, you will want to make sure that you find a company that still understands the old-fashioned concept of customer service. In other words, you need to make sure that you are using a company that is willing to meet your needs in terms of timeliness, efficiency, precision, and regulation.