When using a notebook, you can hold your body in a position that can have a particularly bad effect on your body: it can cause back, neck, arms, and hand problems. These health hazards are caused by sitting in front of the laptop without a break, or in a cramped, inappropriate position. What is the correct posture and how should we position the computer when working on it for long periods? How can a notebook riser help improve body positioning? That's what this blog post is about.

The notebook and ergonomics

Ergonomics is the science that deals with the relationship between technological devices and humans, specifically how the devices around us can create an environment that is both mentally and physically appropriate.

From an ergonomic perspective, the laptop you buy is important. Consideration should be given to the design of the keyboard, touchpad, connecting elements, the weight of the devices, and the size of the screen. These are basic things if you want to work in healthy and suitable conditions.

Once you have the perfect laptop, the next step is to choose a notebook riser and workstation. But what exactly is a laptop riser for? Let's find out!

What does a notebook riser do?

A laptop riser allows the notebook to be placed at the right height, at eye level, so that the user doesn't have to hunch over the device. This feature protects us from back, shoulder, and neck pain.

It is best to use the notebook riser at the desk, but if this is not possible, an additional stand should always be purchased. A stand can help to create the right conditions when sitting on a sofa or armchair. On the one hand, this is necessary because, on a textile, such as a blanket, or your lap, the computers can overheat more easily because of lack of ventilation.

On the other hand, by elevating the laptop, we can work in a healthier position, avoiding poor posture and spinal problems. Most notebook risers can be customised, so everyone can adjust the height and angle of inclination to suit their physical abilities and circumstances.

What is a good laptop riser?

A good laptop riser is adjustable in height and has a non-slip surface. The 3M™ Notebook riser is one of these. There is also a version that not only raises the screen to an ergonomic position but can also be used as a laptop stand.

When choosing a laptop riser, you should consider its load capacity and the available height settings. The more adjustment options you have, the more likely you are to find a position that is comfortable for you. In general, risers are stable and universal in design, so they can easily fit most laptops.

The risers are very often equipped with extra features. For example, a cooling fan to keep things cool and prevent overheating, USB ports to make everyday work more convenient, models with built-in storage, and some with cable organisers. So it depends on your usage habits which stand you should choose.

Beyond the notebook riser

A notebook riser can help a lot in creating a healthy working environment, but beyond that, there are a few things to look out for. The height of the desk must be adjustable, as is the height of the chair, and it's good to be able to adjust the backrest and armrest. There are adjustable monitor stands that can be used when working at a desk. A mouse pad with wrist rests helps to reduce hand fatigue and hand pain when typing.

When using a laptop, it's also good to think about the health of the eyes and make sure that unauthorised people can't look at the screen. That's what the privacy filter is for, to prevent people from reading what's on the screen from the side.

Flanker offers tools for both office and home use. Click to see what workstation accessories are available in our web catalogue!

Special tools are needed to buff and polish surfaces. A polishing machine can be used to give surfaces a new look. The polishing pads are placed on the polishing machine to do the actual work. We have collected the most important things to know about it in our current article.

Types of polishing machine

A polishing machine, although very similar, is different from an angle grinder. These machines are considered entry-level tools. Should you be puzzled about what to use for a specific polishing project, start with this one. There are also pneumatic electric polishers, which represent the professional category. They have the advantage of much smoother operations due to the oscillating movement. These are more expensive than entry-level machines, but they provide much better results.

When choosing the optimal tool, the amount of daily use is important. If you use it a lot, it is advisable to choose a lighter model so that your hands endure less opposition during polishing. This is particularly important, as the operator's movements will be the result. Equally important is the noise level of the machine, especially when used outside of the industrial environment. Polishing can be carried out using both electric and battery-powered polishers.

The polishing pads

The polishing pad, also known as the buffing pad, is a soft disc-shaped pad that is placed on the polishing machine to do the actual polishing. The pads come in different colours that indicate the strength of the disc. For the finest work, blue is recommended, followed by orange, white and finally black.

There are many applications for which different polishing pads are recommended. Some are specifically designed to remove polishing marks and achieve a high gloss finish. Others are fine finishing pads for accurate results. Some pads are used to repair scratches and damage caused during the manufacturing processes. Finally, there are pads for simple dirt-removing tasks.

The surface varies, with some pads having a convoluted, grooved surface. The material can change too, as some pads are made of wool. Pads can differ according to the attachment logic too.

Polishing fluids are essential during the process. This special fluid substance ensures that the polishing process achieves its purpose, for example, to remove all the fine scratches from the surface of the vehicle. There are polishing compounds that are specifically designed to remove scratches, some that are used to clean headlights, and some that are used to polish aluminium and chrome parts.

Polishing in practice

Polishing is the process of removing scratches. In general, we differentiate three separate stages. During the first one wider damages are removed and then comes the elimination of medium-level scratches, which is followed by the eradication of broom scratches. Three types of pads and polishing fluids should be used during this process, one for each separate step.

Try a slower speed of 700 rpm at the beginning, on a smaller surface. It is best to continue advancing at a steady pace, or slow pace, moving the polisher back and forth and left and right. It is important to keep changing the pads. Let them rest and make sure they are cleaned properly. It is important to bear in mind that the polishing capability of the pad will diminish over time, so switching from slow to fast speeds, using more polishing material or applying more pressure to the machine is not the answer. This is why continuous replacement is necessary.

The cleaner the pad, the better the result. As the pad traps the paint and the polishing fluid too, it is worth cleaning regularly. The pads can be washed in a washing machine but can also be cleaned very effectively using dry air. However, they should not be dried on radiators or stoves as their structure does not react well to heat.

Used pads should therefore not be thrown away, but be aware that as they wear, they will provide diminishing results over time.

Check out our web catalogue for our polishing products.

There are now many professional tools available for cleaning surfaces. Depending on what you want to clean and what kind of dirt you want to remove, the optimal cleaning tools may vary. Using a bristle disc and a bristle brush, removing rust, paint and discolouration left over after welding is child's play. Let's see what you need to know!

What are bristle discs and bristle brushes good for?

Both the bristle disc and the bristle brush can be used to clean a variety of surfaces. The characteristic of the bristle brush is that the axis of the tool and the plane of the surface being cleaned are parallel, i.e. the brush head itself is perpendicular to the object being cleaned. In contrast, in the case of a bristle disc, the disc is in line with the tool axis, which is perpendicular to the surface.

But what can these tools be used for? They are excellent for removing rust, paint, glue residue, weld discolouration, contour sanding, deburring, refinishing, cleaning seams and edge sanding. They are also efficient on wood, composites, brass, aluminium, bronze, cast iron, carbon steel, stainless steel and other metals.

Types by fineness

Both the bristle disc and the bristle brush are available in different fineness ranges, typically between P36 and 1 micron. The finer the brush, the gentler it is to work with and the smoother the result. The brushes do not need to be pressed against the surface with great force, and even a little pressure is enough to achieve the planned result. They are typically made of ceramic abrasive grains, so they are much gentler than wire brushes, but they are still excellent for surface treatment, polishing, dirt removal and sanding.

These are A, C and S-type brushes. The A brushes typically have much stiffer and harder bristles, which means they can do a more efficient job. The best feature of C brushes is that they can adapt even when the surface is not even, as they have a curved bristle-type disc. The S brushes have stiff bristles that can move in both directions of rotation, making them very effective at spreading the material.

Advantages of the bristle disc and the bristle brush

There is a choice of tools for those who want to sand and clean certain surfaces. These range from more powerful solutions to more delicate ones. The latter category includes the bristle disc and the bristle brush. They are much gentler than, for example, wire brushes, they adapt well to the shape of the object and do not contain metal wire threads and do not scratch the surface. Whether it's a bristle wheel or a bristle brush, in both cases the disc is easy to attach to the grinder and is simple and practical to use.

Bristle disc and bristle brush from Flanker

Flanker offers a variety of bristle brushes and bristle discs. For example, there is the type A radial bristle brush, which is great for applying to detailed and uneven surfaces. We also offer the P120 type C bristle brush with curved bristles. When it comes to bristle discs, there is the P80 bristle disc, which has minimal vibration and noise, and the RD-ZB radial bristle disc which might also come in handy. Contact us for more options and offers!

For more than two decades, Flanker has been at the service of those who want to find the most reliable, best-quality tools, accessories and solutions. We also serve the printing, paper, packaging, automotive and electronics industries. Have a look at our web catalogue!

Hot melt adhesive solutions are very popular, which is no wonder, as they are easy to use, reduce production costs, increase productivity, and minimise waste. The hot melt adhesive is based on resin, which is a solid material that turns into a liquid state when heated, making it much easier to spread. Let's find out what you need to know about these kinds of adhesives!

What is a hot melt adhesive?

The history of adhesives dates to ancient times and the first adhesive is thought to have been sealing wax, used to seal important documents, but it was also used to glue leather, letters, and paper. Over time, synthetic materials were introduced, the first being phenol-formaldehyde resin, which was mainly used in the woodworking industry. In the 1950s, epoxy resin became also widely used, which had excellent strength properties.

Hot melt adhesive is an easy-to-handle and effective adhesive, based on ethylene vinyl acetate, polyamide, and polyolefin copolymer. It is essential to know that adhesives based on polyurethane undergo a cross-linking process after pressing and cooling. The adhesive is available in several types and sizes. For example, in light yellow, brown, gold/yellow and transparent. It can be purchased in the shape of granules, cubes, and sticks. It can help to make glueing processes very quick and efficient.

The hot melt adhesives are suitable for quickly forming bonds between the glued elements. They require a special device called a glue gun. The function of the glue gun is to melt the loaded solid glue by increasing the temperature. The speed at which the adhesive bonds between the elements depends on the thermal conductivity of the surface materials to be bonded and the amount of adhesive.

Once the adhesive has been applied to the surface, it is advisable to apply light pressure on both sides until it dries, making the bond more secure. As the material cools it bonds the surfaces together.

In terms of bonding, it has the advantage of providing a very stable bond with good impact strength and, during the cooling process, it can be flexibly formed.

How does a glue gun work?

Glue guns are available in several designs. You can buy the simpler models from a simple DIY shop, but some are designed to stand up to industrial conditions. These guns are powered by electricity, and the adhesive can be dispensed by pressing and holding the appropriate button.

Some very small models fit into the palms easily. Their main function is to heat the glue, typically PVC-based, to between 100 and 150 degrees Celsius. These can melt only a small amount of glue at a time, so are suitable for small areas and delicate work.

There are also standard 50W guns, which require the insertion of an 11 mm glue stick, which is discharged in molten form through a 2 mm nozzle. Some models are supplied with several heads, i.e. the shape of the nozzle can be varied.

To choose the right glue gun, you need to think about what you want to use it for. For example, it is important to know what temperature it can be heated to, as this will determine what kind of stick can be used for glueing. This also affects the temperature of the melted material, which in turn affects how it solidifies and how adhesion develops.

It is important to get the appropriate glue stick for the gun because if you don't, the glue will not melt properly thus affecting the outcome.

If you want to buy a glue gun for hobby use, lower-priced models are available, but if you want to buy a glue gun for frequent and continuous use, it is advisable to buy a more advanced one.

Hot melted adhesives: areas of use

Hot melted adhesives loaded into a glue gun has several advantages, such as being very practical and easy to use, and can therefore be used in a wide range of situations where glueing cannot be avoided. It is widely used in the paper industry, packaging, woodworking, certain stages of furniture production, the hygiene industry, textiles, the automotive industry, and industrial-level printing.

These adhesives can also be applied to wood, veneer, cardboard, leather, fabric, plastic, polyester, steel, and aluminium.

Flanker has been at the service of various industries for more than 20 years. Have a look at our web catalogue!