All of us at one point have searched for budget travel tips to get us to our dream destination without breaking the bank. This is entirely doable given the technology that is available to us today. This article covers three tips that should help you plan your vacation and stay within your budget.1. First of all, try to plan your vacation during off peak travel times. On average, airlines tend to charge 25% more if you fly on peak days. But if you leave mid-week, say on Wednesday, and plan to come back on Saturday, you will save some serious cash. Additionally, catch a flight that flies at a non-peak hour and your savings will add up. Airlines tend to charge a premium for flights that leave between 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Yes, people who fly sometime out of that eight hour window are generally inconvenienced because it is a pain to plan for a 6:00 AM flight but you will probably stick to your budget if you do this. To add to this, you will encounter much fewer crowds at the airport.2. You can score big on airfare just by knowing the secret code. Many airlines are trying to entice customers by giving their customers special promotional codes for deals on their airfare which is not advertised to the general public. You either have to be part of their frequent flyer program or you may have to register via their website. Many airlines are also offering their Twitter followers special discounts. To take advantage of these unique savings, sign up for any e-mail offered by the airline that you want to fly, or follow the airline via Twitter.3. Hotels are feeling the pinch nowadays too. To take full advantage of this, once you find a hotel that you like, give them a call. And not through their 1-800 customer service phone number. Find the phone number of the location where you want to stay and talk to someone at that location. Ask if there are any special promotions or perks not listed on their website. More often than not, this person will have the authority to give you special treatment.Just by following these three simple techniques, you should be able to find a few travel bargains. It really is easy to sign up for an airline’s e-mail list or to follow them on Twitter. Traveling during off-peak season takes some planning but is also easy to do and you might be happily surprised what extras you can get just by asking the hotel desk clerk. By following these budget travel tips, you will be able to travel cheaply and have a great time in the process.
Commercial Real Estate Depreciation – How Is It Calculated?
Commercial properties rarely depreciate in value, but there are several factors that could trigger its depreciation. So what are the factors that can affect the value of your property and how are you going to calculate the depreciation of your real estate property? This is what this article will be talking about, so it would be better for you to read this article. Read on to understand the different factors that will help you calculate the depreciation of your commercial property.Here are the factors that will affect the price of your commercial real estate property:Location – the most important thing that you need to understand when calculating the depreciation of your real estate property is its current location. If your space is located in a prime location, then you will be able to get better value for it. However, if the location of your property depreciates, then we can say that the value of your property will also depreciate in value. This is something that you always need to consider when checking the depreciation of your property, which will help you get its real value.State – another factor that will be used to calculate the depreciation of your commercial space is its state. For newly built spaces, the price of the property will be higher. However, if the last renovation was done a couple of years ago, then we can say that the value of your property will be a lot lower.Economy – the last thing that will determine the depreciation of your commercial space is the economy of the market. The better the economy is, the better value can be expected from your commercial space. The main reason why there are people who are having problems with the real estate property that they have is because the economy is too unstable.These are the three things that will help you calculate the depreciation of your commercial real estate. It would be better if you have a real estate agent with you; because they will help you understand and calculate the real value of your commercial space. This will also save you from all the problems that you will encounter whenever you are planning to sell your property or have it rented by other people. You don’t have to spend a lot of time just to be able to calculate the value of your property, because you can always get a real estate agent who will help you with it.Commercial properties are not that hard to manage, but you won’t be successful with it without proper knowledge. This is the reason why you are always being advised to get a professional who can help you get better results. This will save you from all the problems that you will encounter, and you can be assured that you will always be successful with your investments. It won’t be hard for you to look for an agent, for as long as you know the things that should be considered when looking for one.
The Future of Manufacturing Education
What is CAD/CAM Software?Computer Aided Design. In reference to software, it is the means of designing and creating geometry and models that can be used in the process of product manufacturing. Computer Aided Manufacturing. In reference to software, it is the means of processing a designed part model, creating machine toolpath for its various components and creating an NC program that is then sent to a CNC Machine tool to be made.The purpose of CAD-CAM is to automate CNC programming and allow innovators, designers and cnc businesses to manufacture products, bringing them to market faster and more profitably than ever before. It is the concept of producing goods faster and for less.Manufacturers of The FutureIn 2013 and beyond, thousands of students in North America alone are currently planning to enter careers in Manufacturing. From Advanced Mechanical Design, Fabrication, Aerospace Engineering and Aircraft Manufacturing to Industrial Engineering, Automotive and CNC Machining, these students will be the future of Manufacturing moving forward. They will be the innovators, the creators and architects that will design and make all of the products we use on a daily basis. As design and manufacturing technology advances, so does the look and usability of the products we buy and use. Costs are driven down and the speed in which products are brought to market increases. This means that we can buy products from dishwashers to cell phones cheaper while enjoying a broader selection to choose from.While software providers are constantly moving forward in the development of CAD/CAM software, adding new automation and making it more intuitive than the last software revisions, you will agree that there needs to be a swiftly moving system of keeping these students on par with the cutting edge of CNC automation. Thus ensuring their survival once they land in shops and manufacturing businesses around the world.Here are some of the real-world challenges that educators and schools face when including manufacturing CAD/CAM technology in their curriculums.Focused Manufacturing CurriculumsA common challenge for CAD/CAM in Education has to do with the type of applications or even industries being taught along with the curriculum segments revolving around software as it relates to that specific industry or application. In 2008 a panel of manufacturing and business professionals were interviewed by O & P.com, an online resource for Orthotics and Prosthetics companies. The interviews focused on CAD/CAM software in education and the results were surprising. These business professionals really felt that there was a serious lack of professional training available in the area of CAD design and CAM machining technology.Some of them had even gone so far as to provide seminars on the subject at schools and universities in an effort to get educators more involved in the subject so that there would be some support for the industry moving forward. It makes sense. Even now in 2013 there is no CAD/CAM software product that caters to the design and manufacturing of prosthetics as an example. The closest form of CAD/CAM for a specific application would be special dental prosthetic products that cater to the dental industry. But what about the rest? Software is used for CNC automation in just about every available type of application today without schools having to find custom-specific application type systems.The solution has to be available where CAD/CAM providers work directly with the educator, teacher or school to develop curriculums that deal with specific applications in order to tune down the product and be more application focused. While many CAD/CAM providers will help, education still suffers because of budgets and the high price of implementing software for such cases.Educational Budget CutsMany states are currently looking at budget cuts for fiscal years 2014 and 2015 that will drop higher education budgets below 2008/2009 levels. The dollar amount spent per student in 2013 is down by more than half in over 50% of the US. In fact, 26 states will spend less per student in fiscal year 2013 than the year before and 35 are still spending at levels lower than before the recession, after adjusting for inflation. The truth is, we are going nowhere fast when it comes to financially investing in the manufacturers of our future. The solution is for CAD/CAM providers to change the way they think when it comes to supplying education with cutting edge cnc machining software products. We have to be smarter and make technology software implementation easier for schools at all levels than ever before. Many providers offer educational discounts, yet the costs are still well out of range. Not only this but what about the student that graduates and enters the workforce? If the student was trained on a $15,000-$20,000 CNC Programming system, how are they going to take a seat with them to their new employer? CNC Software for milling, turning, routing, water jet, plasma or laser can cost a substantial amount of money. There must be a solution to make NC programming technology more accessible to graduating students.Keeping Curriculums FreshAnother challenge for educators focuses on existing curriculums having to be continuously updated and modified in order to keep them current with manufacturing technology as it is developed moving forward. Again, CAD/CAM providers must have programs in place which not only address educational implementation, but that allow educators to keep them updated on the fly. Ultimately, teachers need an abundant volume of resources available to them, preferably online and accessible by mobile devices. This includes tiered tutorials, corresponding and example CAD Part Files, videos, knowledge based support, help files, Machine Post Processors and all other product support and training resource that empowers the teacher. Educator support should also be a phone call away. Educators that have existing curriculums should be able to easily adapt what they have to include CAD/CAM. This way implementation is simple and saves a lot of time.The SolutionGoing into 2014 the manufacturing industry is experiencing more growth. This means that the demand for CAD-CAM software will be higher. As will the need for CNC programmers that understand and know how to machine with software. This is exactly why a “Manufacturers of The Future” program is needed for education. A program that supports schools, teachers and ultimately the students. Thus, ensuring that these students will have the software they were educated on before they begin their new journey into the manufacturing workforce.Schools & TeachersA”Manufacturers of The Future” program is a solution for schools and teachers at all levels that prepares students for CNC manufacturing because it addresses the challenges that today’s schools and educators face when it comes to implementation, curriculums and plain old affordability when they are already working with tight budgets. A successful program for supporting education would include the following:
Makes individual and multi-station lab licenses very affordable
Access to 2, 3, 4 and 5 axis cad-cam cnc software
Provides no-cost Technical Support and Training Solutions to teachers
Regularly updates training material to add resources
Provides cnc machine post processors
Keeps educators informed and successful
From access to online knowledge based cad-cam support portals to multi-level software tutorials, training video products and specialized one-on-one training, educators need this level of support.StudentsWith a Manufacturers of The Future “Work Ready” campaign, students receive the support they need in low cost professional cad-cam software versions so that they are ready and are more valuable as they start working in manufacturing.
“Work Ready” allows graduating students their software at reduced costs
Available multimedia training solutions that they can take with them
Continued Education & Advanced Online Operator Certification
These three items are critical for success. Students can achieve more in their professions with them. As a student or teacher there are solutions that exist to help teach and educate manufacturing students. A Manufacturers of The Future and a Work Ready type program created and provided by CAD-CAM vendors that get together to provide a dynamic multi-level support system that accommodates all levels of CAD/CAM products will be phenamenal. This would be the most productive and helpful method possible. Who will step up and answer the call? These are exciting times for education and the future of manufacturing.