Simply Junior

Contrary to popular opinion Cloud Computing is NOT just a new computer architecture – it’s much more than that.

It is a new computer architecture and a new business model. It is the combination of the 2 that allows you easy access to computer resources when you need them, paying only for what you use.

Cloud Computing Is Akin to the Development of Electric Utilities

An analogy that is sometimes drawn is with the development of electricity. In the early days of electricity there were no electrical utility companies. There was no concept of the electrical grid with a third party generating the electricity and then selling it on to a large number of clients. If you wanted electricity you had to make it yourself. Factories requiring electricity had to install and operate their own electrical generators. This required significant amounts of capital and operating expertise. Then people started to build generators big enough to serve multiple factories and start to sell it. All the factory owner had to do was plug into the service and pay for what they used.

Reduced Capital Requirements And Lower Fixed Costs

The factories reduced their capital requirements and no longer had the high fixed cost of retaining the expertise to run their own generators. Cloud computing is a bit like that – plug in via the internet and get all the computing power and resources that you need, but only pay for what you use.

Cloud Computing – A Definition

The Cloud is that collection of computing resource (applications, servers, data, etc.) held out there “on the internet,” accessed via your broadband connection with a pay-as-you go business model wrapped around it. It’s a great concept: one that will make computing easier, cheaper and more available for all businesses particularly small to medium sized businesses.

No Need For A Server In The Office With Cloud Computing

With Cloud Computing you won’t buy expensive servers and install them in your office. Instead the server(s) and application(s) that you use will be out in the Cloud. You won’t necessarily own them, just as you don’t own the electrical generating plant that supplies your electricity. You will just plug in and pay for what you use. Without the need to purchase a server or your applications your up-front Capital Cost will be much lower, or perhaps even zero. Instead you will pay a monthly fee for the use of server resource, applications and their IT Support.

But The Biggest Benefit Of Cloud Computing Is Agility
Lower capital requirements and lower fixed costs is all that it will take to “sell” Cloud Computing to most companies. However the main benefit will really be agility – the ability to rapidly scale computing resource to fit the business need – more, or less, servers and workstations within days. No longer will business plans be held back (to the same degree) by the ability to implement IT infrastructure projects. Those companies that really succeed with Cloud Computing will certainly take the savings but make real use of the business agility that it delivers.

Have you considered outsourcing for your small business? If you are like the majority of small business owners, the answer is probably not. In fact, many small business owners fail to realize the unique and cost saving benefits that global sourcing can provide their company.

While business owners are often offered countless tidbits of business advice, rarely does the advice offered include the suggestion of turning to other countries to fill staffing and manufacturing needs. This tip, however, is often one of the most useful that a small business owner can encounter. Outsourcing can easily save a great deal of money without requiring an owner to compromise on quality or production needs.

Several years ago, global sourcing was an option only for the largest companies. Negotiating with factories was difficult and finding skilled labor was almost impossible. A lot has changed in the past couple of decades. The worldwide market makes it easy to outsource manufacturing, skilled labor and call center needs to a variety of countries including China and India. Each company will need to carefully consider their manufacturing and staffing needs to best determine how outsourcing can benefit them. Nearly every small business start-up will find, however, that global sourcing can offer a large variety of cost saving solutions for their business.

Small business owners are often enjoyably astounded when they discover the many opportunities that are available. In fact, outsourcing can successfully accommodate a wide range of business needs. Factories can easily produce almost any product. These goods produced in other countries are often available at much lower price than many business owners are able to anticipate. This is not all. Outsourcing can help with various labor needs. There are many talented professionals available in a skilled labor workforce that can help to affordably meet many company needs and objectives. Call center work is also available at a fraction of the cost.

Business owners that have not considered global sourcing may be missing out on a valuable and cost saving opportunity. Before starting any small business, it is wise to consider the bounty of opportunities available through outsourcing and to determine how they can benefit your company.

As you may be aware, there are a number of different types of large scale mixers. There are a variety available depending on the requirements of a given job or task. In a previous article, we did an in depth study of planetary mixers, their advantages, drawbacks, and how they generally function. This article will take on a similar role with regards to ribbon mixers. Where are they used? How do they work? What are their pluses and minuses? Knowing that you, the reader, are dying to find out – we will continue without further ado.

The ribbon mixer is a (typically) large batch tool used primarily by companies that work in factories and/or require processing. The mixer operates by a series of blades operating at different angles revolving around a single central axis. The overall effect is a device that looks like it uses metallic ribbons to mix materials.

To help visualize, the main shaft of a ribbon mixer is not significantly unlike the design of the average washing machine. This clever design leads to the effect that different items are mixed in different directions with only the single shaft revolving. One of the great advantages of the ribbon mixer compared to other styles is the amount of material that can be mixed. Most types of mixers typically need to be filled about halfway in order to operate properly. Filling too much can clog up the machine; filling too little can prevent the material from being mixed altogether. In the case of the ribbon mixer, almost any amount (high or low) can be put in the bin and lead to an effective mix. However, despite its relatively simple design, ribbon mixers often require more power and more time to accomplish the same task as other mixers. Another drawback of the ribbon design is that it can lead to problems if the mixer is used for material that is or may become sticky. These mixtures tend to attach to the ribbons (blades) and require a great amount of care and maintenance to avoid. Given the design, which typically only allows easy access from above, cleaning is difficult and time consuming. The mixer is best utilized when mixing materials that contain numerous fine particles that must be mixed evenly for the final product. For this reason, it is extremely popular in manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries.

Like many other forms of industrial mixers, ribbon mixers are often very task specific. They do certain jobs very well, but are not always recommended for more general tasks. This could even be said of processing equipment as a whole. In an industry that creates many products which might be considered commodities, the ability to create these items with the greatest efficiency can lead to the highest profits. Creating equipment that best fills certain rolls can lead to greater outputs in a shorter period of time, even if the initial cost is higher. General tools may be initially cheaper, but one must consider that the costs associated with the greater time required, adjusting the equipment for each task, and the manpower required to perform the aforementioned tasks.