Adhesion and Automotive Tape

In looking at the specs for two types of 3M Automotive Tape, you'll see two different levels of adhesion. So, what is adhesion, and what does it mean to tape buyers?
First, adhesion (as in adhesive) refers to the degree of stickiness exhibited by tape. Consider, for example, the difference between a PostIt Note and duct tape. The first can easily be pulled away, while duct tape demands that you pull hard if you want to take it off. We would say, then, that the PostIt Notes exhibit low adhesion and duct tape exhibits high adhesion.
And since we have all kinds of uses for tape, and can have different time spans in mind, it makes sense to choose the adhesion level that works best for your purposes. If you're tacking a small piece of chrome onto your dash, you might use something like 3M Automotive Attachment tape. On the other hand, if you're sticking a fender back on your '57 Chevy, then you'll want 3M's VHB tape, which is strong enough to compare with light riveting or spot welding.
How can you tell which is which, when it comes to choosing a type of tape? Look in the technical specifications section and compare the numbers of the descriptive terms used. For example, 'good' adhesion refers to a lighter or less sticky tape, and 'high' or 'excellent' refers to a stickier tape, one that's harder to pull away from the surface to which it's attached.
This bonding strength isn't the only factor to consider in buying tape, but certainly ranks as critical. After all, if you can't get it to stick one thing to another, it does you no good.
Incidentally, do you know the difference between 'adhesion' and 'cohesion'? As Benjamin E. Russ is of the University of California at San Diego explains in Scientific American, "There are two fundamentally different components of tape's sticky nature; adhesion and cohesion. Adhesion is the binding force between two different materials, whereas cohesion is the binding force between two similar materials... Hence, the 'stickiness' of tape is caused by a combination of the molecular forces of the glue material sticking to itself as well as holding onto the substrate."
Take a moment next time you're shopping for 3M Automotive Tape, or any other type of tape, to consider the key role of that sticky stuff on one or both sides of your tape.

Here Are Five Best Automotive Technology Schools in the United States

Automobile technology is ever changing and becoming increasingly complex. There is a growing need for educated mechanics that understand the technology and can determine the cause of mechanical problems. If you are mechanically inclined, you may want to consider attending an automotive school. The five best automotive technology schools in the United States are discussed below.
1. Universal Technical Institute (UTI) - UTI offers the basic classes, but also offers manufacturer specific electives that allow students to become experts in a specific make of car. Some examples include Audi, BMW, Daimler, and Mercedes-Benz.
2. NASCAR Technical Institute (NTI) - NASCAR and UTI have teamed up to open NTI. This allows for more highly skilled technicians that can work on the intricate engines in NASCAR vehicles. Students take a wide variety of classroom courses that qualify them to become and entry level technician. They can also take NASCAR and Ford specific electives to make them more specialized.
3. Nashville Auto Diesel College (NADC) - NADC has been around for over 80 years. They pride themselves on providing the upmost hands on training. In addition to the basic diesel curriculum, they also offer curriculum in collision repair and refinishing technology.
4. Lincoln Technical Institute - Lincoln offers many different certificate and diploma programs. Students can major in automotive mechanics, collision repair, diesel technology, and high performance automotives.
5. Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (MMI) - There are far too few motorcycle technicians in the country. MMI offers a 36 week program that teaches students the basic mechanics and everything they need to know about motorcycles. In addition to the core program, you can choose to specialize in Harley Davidson, BMW, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Suzuki.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the automotive industry is expected to grow well into the next decade with a growth rate that is about 4% over the national average. Graduates from accredited programs typically work in dealerships, manufacturing facilities, and repair shops. Many even go on to open their own garage.
With the current amount of advanced technology and computers in automobiles, the days of backyard mechanics is almost gone. This is causing the need for skill mechanics to be at an all time high. It is important to note that even with a degree from an accredited automotive technology school, your education is not over. You will likely have to have continuing education courses on new technology that arises.

Automotive Repair Shop Software Review - For Repair Shop Owners

Automotive repair shop software is a tool that is designed to reduce to the barest minimum of time you spend on administrative activities, so that you can actually concentrate on the job, improve business work flow and make more profits.
Advanced technology and knowledge has moved car shop management activities and control to a higher level where you can handle much more jobs, work faster, and net more profits.
You can actually move your shop from the traditional time wasting method of filing carbon copy forms, and doing everything manually to tracking all activities electronically.
Good automotive repair shop software will handle all your jobs from the beginning to the end, thus making your shop administration far less boring.
The following are the features that make this software indispensable for every car repair centers that want to really jerk up their productivity.
1. Appointment Scheduling: You can easily plan your appointments with customers ahead of the time, and get information about when customers are due to arrive for their jobs and the time you allow for them.
2. Track Work in Progress: With a simple color code you can track the status of each job and know how they are progressing.
3. Check Your Level of Profitability: You can easily determine when you are making profit or otherwise with the right color code.
4. Car Parts Sales: You can sell auto parts over the counters without the input of the full details of customers, a great time and money saver.
In the situation where you have a lot of customers to deal with, automotive repair shop software will show you who you sell what to, and all the details associated with it.
You can also get all the information you need about customers' histories, that will help you to quickly confirm and determine important issues like refund, recalls, etc.
5. Parts Management: The software can take care of issues like inventory control, price matrix, restock invoice tracking, etc, which will help you to have total control over parts movement and prices, and minimize losses altogether.
6. Marketing Management: A great marketing tool that will help you do follow up on customers by giving you information on them and helping you to send reminders, thank you cards, appointment scheduling time, etc.
Automotive repair shop software makes all your workshop activities a breeze. It turns every complexity into a simple process that will make your job less burdensome and more profitable.

Automotive Mechanic Job Description

Automotive Mechanics are responsible for repairing and maintaining all types of motor vehicles, such as motorcycles, small passenger cars, large diesel buses and trucks or tractors. The automobile is made up of many parts that some mechanics so that some of them choose to specialize in specific repair works like auto body repair, engine work, or electronic systems. General automotive mechanics usually do preventive maintenance like rotating tires, changing oil filters, replenishing fluids, and diagnosing engine problems. They troubleshoot automobiles that don't run properly, following guidelines formulated by the manufacturers, diagnosing, repairing or replacing defective parts.
The job of automotive mechanics used to be simple but because of the high level of technology involved in modern transportation, their job has also evolved. Vehicles today use computers and integrated electronic systems to regulate almost all aspects of vehicle operations, from fuel supply system to climate control within the vehicle. Because of this, in addition to traditional skills and tools that they need to practice their profession, they now need to know how to use computers in computerized shops, working with the vehicles' electronic and computerized system. On board computers tell the automotive mechanics whether the vehicle is performing well or not. They use sophisticated diagnostic tools and equipment to tell them what is causing the problem and how to correct it, or replace the defective part when found. They follow a checklist of items to inspect to ensure that every part that is essential to the vehicle's operation is functioning properly. Parts include hoses, belts, plugs, and fuel and brake systems.
Automotive mechanics must undergo special certification process so they can learn new technologies in maintaining and repairing not only engines but every part of the automobile that can break down. There are mechanics who choose to be certified on specific brands or makes of vehicles.

Automotive Advertising Agencies Don't Know What They Don't Know But Social Media Has The Answers

Automotive advertising agencies are being asked to deliver more for less by a consolidating auto industry in response to reduced sales volume, profit margins and automotive advertising budgets. The solution, as is often the case, lies in the leveraged use of technology applied to a constant in the auto industry -- change. Another constant that can be found in the auto industry is human nature. These two constants, change and human nature, power the explosive growth of the use of social media by automotive advertising agencies. Unfortunately, the change is happening at warp speed on the Internet Super Highway and agencies don't know what they don't know when it comes to new technologies and applications being developed to monetize social media.
Attempts to provide a presence for automobile dealers on social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter fall short for the same reasons that these online communities of friends are so successful with consumers. People hate car dealers and they often turn to advice from like minded consumers on social networking sites to get away from them. Automotive advertising agencies that impose on these personal conversations with self serving sales messages are often ostracized and even virally attacked as an intruder. The potential damage to the online reputation of their auto dealer clients represents a risk to reward formula that has forced many agencies to abandon social media as a viable channel to deliver a retail sales or service message.
Fortunately, the same social media that teaches consumers how to buy a vehicle can provide automobile dealers with the information and the tools that they need to sell them one. Social networking portals developed by advertising professionals, automotive vendors and auto dealers allow their members to share best practices with the common philosophy that a rising tide floats all boats. Each online community boasts its own personality and rules of the road to keep members in their lane. The temptation to sell to each other is controlled by the same social pressures that exist on consumer facing social networks for those that forget why they are there -- to listen and learn so they can presume to teach their auto dealers how they can sell cars and service to their online friends.
In addition to sharing best practices, many automotive advertising agencies use social media to discover new technologies and vendor applications that have not yet been discovered by the mainstream auto industry. Recent discoveries that I can contribute to my searches on social media include an automated video production platform that produces scalable interactive videos from pictures using human voice to narrate them that are placed on the auto dealer's website and pushed through a dedicated API with YouTube onto the world wide web. An equally revolutionary discovery was a consumer centric inventory marketing platforms that offers auto dealers free listings and free leads with the ability to purchase real time market analytics and social networking profiles that empower the salesperson to answer the customer's questions even before they ask them. Each of these vendor applications were introduced to the market through automotive advertising social networking communities that enabled them to listen and learn from their members about how they can improve their products and services before they introduced them to the general market. My access to these automotive advertising solutions was only possible as a result of the time I invested on social media looking for them so that I could stay one step ahead of the competition.
Online blog talk radio stations hosted on automotive advertising networking portals provide a another social media forum for finding and reviewing new automotive advertising solutions. Regularly scheduled blog talk radio shows with live interviews of the developers of bleeding edge automotive advertising applications allow their online audience to ask vendors questions in an open forum. These open exchanges of ideas in a problem solution format help the vendors as much as the automotive advertising decision makers that follow the shows. A new mobile sales presentation platform with an integrated training component was recently discussed on a blog talk radio show to solicit feedback from the audience. Their insights were used to modify the platform before the vendor began their beta test it in the real world saving thousands of wasted dollars and man hours that would normally be required to mature their application.
The opportunity for automotive advertising agencies and auto dealers to listen, learn and contribute to social networking communities allows them to discover what they don't know while allowing them the opportunity to share what they do know. Auto dealers are people too/ The same efficiencies and extended resources that attract consumers to social media to research their next vehicle purchase is sourced by automotive advertising agencies who need to stay one step ahead of the competition in a consolidating auto industry that demands more for less. Automotive advertising agencies don't know what they don't know but they can definitely find out on auto industry focused social media. After all, what are friends for!

Get Advanced Automotive Locksmith Supplies To Provide Better Services

If you are interested in becoming an automotive locksmith, you need to get the most advanced tools to decode and change the advanced remote keyless entry system. You will need equipment like key blanks, fobs, program software, decoding and key cutting device.
If you have licensed yourselves as automotive locksmith, the first thing you need to do is get yourselves the integrated tools to replace or make the new locks for vehicles. You can provide better services to your clients, if you are equipped with the efficient tools. The recent models of vehicles are enabled with the technologically advanced remote keyless systems, so you must have tools that you can use to cater to the requirements of your clients. Different equipment needed for replacing the transponder keys are key cutting machine, key blanks, remotes, software, picks and decoders.
Vehicles are equipped with the transponder keys that use radio waves transmission to communicate with the system installed in the vehicle. In order to provide better services, make sure you know everything about the transponder keys. There is a transponder that lies inside the head of the key and transmits radio signals to the system that is installed right behind the steering wheel in the car. This device works as a receiver and responds to the signals emitted by the key.
The micro chip residing inside the key comes with an encrypted code which is also assigned to the receiver. This code is defined to each key and its receiving system individually. When the transponder in the chip transmits the signals, the receiver identifies them and verifies the code of the key. When the code is matched with the receiver, the keyless entry system performs the given functions.
The keyless entry system has a remote, also known as fob, that comes with or without buttons. Some systems correspond only when the user presses the buttons whereas others detect the radio frequencies within the range and respond to them. The range of the radio waves vary for different models of the vehicles. The system that detects the radio signals itself has a relatively shorter range in comparison to the ones that have manually operated remote keys.
The automatic remote keyless entry system locks the car doors as soon as the keys pass the specified range limits. With the push buttons remote keys, the user has to press the buttons to lock the doors. Besides locking the doors, the keyless entry system starts the engine without inserting the keys into the lock. Some keys are programmed to activate/deactivate the car alarm, shut down/start up the fuel pump and open the trunk for the driver.
When an owner loses his transponder key, you will have to program a brand new key. For that you must have a stock of key blanks. Key blanks are the new keys that can be programmed to match with the system installed in the car. These blanks are laser cut to match with the ignition and then programmed in accordance with the system to enable it to operate the vehicle. To make key blanks work, you will have to get a key cutting machine and software to program them.
In addition to that you will need a range of automotive picks and decoder tools in order to open the vehicles without damaging the locking systems. If you search online, you will find a few companies that offer automotive locksmith supplies at affordable prices. These companies offer the latest locksmith tools for different makes and models of vehicles.

Marketing Strategies for Automotive Repair Shops

If you own a business and you want to invest for something new, it is best to choose for automotive repair shop especially if your current business is connected with this kind of industry. However, before engaging with this kind of business, you must know the proper marketing strategies first so that you can be at peace that what you are planning to invest will turn into success.
Nowadays, the industry of automotive is one of the most established businesses globally. Since every person worldwide use cars and other vehicles in their everyday life, the business for repairing their autos can secure your future.
As mentioned above, you need to know the marketing about this kind of business. Do not worry because these strategies are very easy to follow and carry out. Some of the most useful marketing strategies for your automotive repair shop are the word of mouth, direct mail, creating website or blog and press release.
The second marketing strategy is through direct mail. You can send postcards and mails within your neighborhood and this can help you promote your business with the possible clients that will soon need your services.
The third marketing strategy in this business is to create website or blog. Since the Internet is a place where almost people go to search and look for several things, you can also use it to promote your business. There a lot of individuals surf the net just to look for repair shops that can fix their cars. You can even write detailed information with regard to automobiles and even some reviews about it. With this way you can promote your business in bigger audience.
The last marketing strategy is through the use of press release. You can do it either off-line or on-line. When you do it off-line all you have to do is to write a good press release with regard to your business and send it to any local newspapers. With online, you also do the same and post it on your website or blog.