Welcome to CAD CAM Information



Application of CAD CAM Technology in Dentistry

The latest innovations in technology made almost all things possible in this world. Technology has affected our society and everything that surrounds it in many ways. It helped develop a more advanced economy and has allowed progress in all aspects of modernization. Almost everybody appreciates all the improvements in technology. There a lot of difficulties that can easily be resolved by technology and nothing is too small for modern technology to influence.

At present, almost everything is possible with the latest innovations in dentistry. Huge advances have been made in the field of computer aided dental technology in Albuquerque area and many parts of the world. Presently, CAD/CAM technology is used by many dental specialists and dental lab technicians to help them fabricate precise shapes and sizes for dental restorations which includes inlays, onlays, crowns, and bridges. CAD/CAM stands for computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing. A computer aided design program in effect inputs pertinent information and instructions into a specialized machine which then produces an output according to those specifications.

The CAD/CAM technology technique has been used by the modern day dentistry to manufacture vast range of dental products. In general, the equipment relies strictly on a ceramic material that creates seamless and flawless products that perfectly fits a patient's mouth.

The CAD/CAM technology in a dental clinic allows the dentist to take appropriate images and measurements and design the item to be manufactured in a short period of time.After that, the patient can immediately check if it perfectly fits her without being required to wear a temporary crown for several days while they wait for the new one to be manufactured.

The Advantages of CAD/CAM Technology

* If the CAD/CAM equipment is readily available in the dental office, your Albuquerque implant dentist does not need to create a molded impression of your teeth.
* A temporary restoration or a return visit to the dental office for a permanent restoration is no longer required. If the equipment for CAD/CAM technology is available in a dental laboratory rather than the dental office, then it is necessary to have a two-visit restoration session.
* The introduction of CAD/CAM technology enables the technician to mill high strength materials that provide advantages of strength and aesthetics.
* The porcelain ceramic materials at present work very well in the milling chamber. This will provide strength, durability, and high aesthetic value.


The Cost of CAD/CAM Technology

The cost of having a restoration fabricated with CAD/CAM technology depends on several factors. These include the following:

* The type of restoration.
* The choice of material for the tooth replica.
* The focus of the dentist.
* The cosmetic requirements.
* The location of the dental specialist.
* The type of dental insurance you have.

The CAD/CAM restoration materials may be more costly as compared with the traditional dental materials. The dentist who chose to use the latest technology in her dental clinic must make a significant investment in the equipment and this investment may drive the cost of the procedure to go up. However, the use of CAD/CAM technology doesn't automatically mean that the procedure's price will rise. In line with this, it is very important to talk your dental specialist to discuss all the matters important to you regarding this matter.

If a patient is interested to undergo an immediate restorative treatment and if they are looking for a more natural appearance of dental crown, inlay, onlay, veneer, or bridge, then they may choose to explore the exciting latest technology behind CAD/CAM dental technology.

Youralbuquerquedentist.com will provide the best dental service that will fulfill your dream of having a perfect set of teeth you've always dreamed of. Your Albuquerque implant dentist will be more than willing to provide you with the important information you should know regarding the latest innovations in cosmetic dentistry.

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Can We Hook Up a Human Brain and Spatial Reasoning to a Computer CAD CAM Program

You know what I need; I need a way to hook my brain up to a CAD CAM design computer, because like many designers, I see things in my head, and we all need to get these concepts onto either a piece of paper by drawing them, or better yet, we need to be able to get them onto a computer, and into some design software so we can manipulate them from there. I have no doubt that in the future we will indeed have such tools.

After all, I am writing this article using voice activated software, they call it speech recognition, and whereas, I will have to spend two or three minutes re-reading this article and slightly editing the minor mistakes, I can tell you that it is about 98 to 99% accurate, and it speeds up my time by three to five-fold. In other words most all the work is already done, think of this incredible time savings and efficiency. The productivity increase is truly astounding.

Now then, since it takes a lot longer to draw a picture, probably because they say a picture is worth 1000 words, I just imagine that many people who have inventions, innovations, and new designs never get them onto paper because they don't have time, or they're not very good at drawing or sketching. It takes a long time and practice to become a good artist, and people that have high spatial reasoning ability, obviously, probably do have the least some sketching skills. Nevertheless you can't be 100% the best at everything you do.

In my estimation, this is the last era of fine literature. Literature using words and symbols seems to be a very slow way to distribute information and ideas. It seems it would be much better to put out thoughts, ideas, and concepts using multimedia. The challenge is that most multimedia software today is hard to manipulate, and you have to practice and practice to become good with any particular software suite.

Posing for a quick video is not so difficult, but it does take time. And obviously it is getting easier to use because more and more people are uploading YouTube videos, which have graphics, and animation. But what we really need is something you can hook up to the computer, a device which is attached to your brain, perhaps a helmet or cap, which allows you to take the image you are thinking about and put it onto the computer, then manipulate the rendering into full motion. That's what I need now.

If you'd like to discuss some of the theories on how to hook a human brain up to a CAD CAM for designing purposes, I'd love to have a dialogue with you.

Lance Winslow is the Founder of the Online Think Tank, a diverse group of achievers, experts, innovators, entrepreneurs, thinkers, futurists, academics, dreamers, leaders, and general all around brilliant minds. Lance Winslow hopes you've enjoyed today's discussion and topic. http://www.WorldThinkTank.net. Have an important subject to discuss, contact Lance Winslow.

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CAD/CAM Makes a Difference in Today’s Jewelry Industry

While the 8os and 9os saw the introduction and use of computerization in the administration of the jewelry industry, in this decade the use of CAD/CAM is perfecting design and prototyping by its speed, accuracy and flexibility.

"The use of CAD/CAM for jewelry has moved beyond the 'forward
thinking' jewelers into mainstream, as this digitalization process has
increased quality and versatility to the point that jewelers who are
not using CAD/CAM in their design process are simply not competitive
in today's marketplace," said Charles Berman, managing director of jewelry designs by Bermark Design Ltd in Thailand.

The tremendous escalation in the price of gold, platinum and silver, coupled with tough and competitive business environment, has increased the need to control every detail of jewelry design. This is only possible using CAD/CAMM. Moreover, its digital format allows designs to be emailed, output, corrected, re-output, in any location around the globe.

CAD/CAM does not hamper the design process; rather, it enables and enhances design as it combines human creativity with better tools, resulting in superior products. It ensures the highest professional standards as it provides symmetry, consistency and quality as is expected in our high-value products, which are often passed on as heirlooms.

CAD Engineering

CAD engineering is widely used to design and develop products to be used by end consumers or intermediate goods used in other products. CAD is used extensively in engineering process, right from the product conceptualization stage spanning across most stages of the manufacturing process.

CAD is used in almost all engineering based industries like architecture, automotive, consumer, electronic, electrical, machinery, ship building, aerospace, aircraft and construction, to mention only a few. Architects use CAD to design buildings while using the software package to enable drawings and designs. CAD enables civil engineers and architects in a variety of ways like aiding them in architectural, electrical, structural, and interior designs, to mention only a few.

Engineering industries, especially mechanical engineering based companies, use CAD in a variety of ways. Right from creating engineering drawings to 3D modeling, CAD is used in most of the manufacturing process. 3D modeling and pro-engineering packages allow engineering companies to design products or components for machinery, taking care of even the minutest of details. The entire process saves time and money and ensures precision and accuracy. With increasing sophistication in many industries, the design concepts done using CAD are directly fed into the manufacturing process using Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) systems. Electrical and electronic engineering industries use CAD for things like PCB designs and wiring layout designs. CAD is also used to design the overall layout of a manufacturing unit.

It wouldn't be far fetched if one were to say that CAD has revolutionized the entire engineering process. CAD engineering enables quicker product turn around times, as a result of which we see more and more new products hitting the market everyday. CAD engineering is responsible for the advent of robotics into the manufacturing sector, with more and more engineering processes being automated for increased accuracy and production.

CAD provides detailed information on CAD, CAD School, CAD Software, CAD Drawings and more. CAD is affiliated with Digital Architectural Rendering.

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CAD Software Comparisons

There are more than 30 varieties of CAD software available in the market, which are sourced from different software developers. Apart from these, customers also have the option of downloading freeware and shareware available easily on the Internet. Customers who want to buy CAD software should conduct a comparative study analysis to select the most suitable software among available options.

CAD software can be compared using different product criterion such as cost of the software, developer's profile, after sales technical support and future upgrades. This can be done by using an excel spreadsheet or other software. Product analysis software is also available in the form of freeware, which can be used to compare and select the most cost effective CAD software.

CAD software systems are also compared based on features such as two dimensional (2D) or three dimensional (3D), CAD or CAD+CAM, operating system compatibility ( windows, UNIX, Solaris, and SunOS), microprocessor requirements ( Pentium, Celeron), hard disk space & RAM memory requirements, and supported formats(IGES, DXF, STL, SLA, Gerber, HPGL, CadKey & APT, CATIA CL, Excellon, Gerber).

Customer reviews can also be used to compare different CAD software. Reviews are written by CAD software users who describe their experiences about different brands manufactured by different software development companies. A number of websites are completely dedicated to provide information about CAD software reviews, which can be used to gather information on the benefits and drawbacks of different software programs.

After comparing, different brands of CAD software are rated on a scale of one to five, which is commonly known as star ratings. A rating of four and above indicates that the software is good and can be purchased. Software systems that are rated below three usually do not have advanced features and may have inherent defects. Customers who do not have in-depth knowledge about software systems should opt for CAD software that is rated in the range of four to five.

CAD Software provides detailed information on CAD Software, AutoCAD Software, Free CAD Software, CAD/CAM Software and more. CAD Software is affiliated with Manufacturing Business Software.

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CAD CAM Software

Manufacturing processes across industries has undergone a sea change thanks to the advent of sophisticated technologies like Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM). CAM is a system which uses computer technology to assist in the manufacturing of products.

Using CAM industries have become highly automated. Modern day concepts like robotics being used in manufacturing process owe their origin to CAM. CAM enables a high degree of precision to be achieved, which is humanly impossible.

Certain sophisticated CAM systems can keep track of even the materials and automate the entire ordering process, apart from aiding such tasks as tool replacement. CAM is generally linked to CAD systems. The integrated system usually takes the computer generated design and feeds it into the manufacturing process. The entire system works under a multiple computer controlled environment, with specific computers being assigned for specific jobs for instance, like milling or drilling.

The use of CAD CAM also enables the production of custom designed products to suit particular client requirements. CAD CAM technology is the most preferred process for manufacturing customized products, because it is a relatively cheaper process and less time consuming process rather than doing the same manually.

CAD CAM software has literally changed the way tasks are done in factories, with increasing numbers of robotic arms and machines being used in factories. These machines are usually assigned to do repetitive tasks, which require a high degree of precision. A good CAD CAM system results in decreasing production costs and over heads for a manufacturing unit. It is also a cost-cutting tool, which ultimately results in increased profits to a factory. CAD CAM software is extensively used in a wide variety of manufacturing industries. They touch every facet of our lives, without us being aware of it, most of the times. Such is their impact that newer product designs and production processes keep springing up every day.

CAD provides detailed information on CAD, CAD School, CAD Software, CAD Drawings and more. CAD is affiliated with Digital Architectural Rendering.

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GiveMePower and TDS Begin Shipping New Windows Mobile 2003 Field Solutions

CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment 2003

CALGARY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 20, 2003

CAD, GIS & GPS Bundled On World's Toughest

Handheld PC For Rugged Outdoor Use

GiveMePower Corporation (OTCBB:GMPW)(OTCBB:GMPWE), a developer and marketer of desktop, mobile and wireless software solutions for the $17.5 billion CAD/CAM software industry, today announced that it and Tripod Data Systems(TM) (TDS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trimble (NASDAQ:TRMB), have begun shipping bundled hardware and software solutions that combine GiveMePower's PowerCAD(R) mobile CAD solutions with TDS's Solo(TM) line of GIS (Geographic Information System) software on the TDS Recon(TM) rugged handheld computer running Microsoft's new Windows Mobile(TM) 2003 operating system. Starting at $1,579, three new Recon/PowerCAD bundles are designed to serve a wide range of customers who require the ability to remotely manage AutoCAD(R)-compatible drawings and ESRI-compatible maps in harsh outdoor environments. The ability to connect GPS receivers (not included) extends the system's capabilities to allow real-time location and Global Positioning System navigation. Primary uses include land surveying, civil engineering and construction, facilities and asset management, law enforcement and military applications.

GiveMePower will be exhibiting the new Recon/PowerCAD solutions in Intel(R) Corporation's booth (839) at CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment in Las Vegas Oct 21-23, 2003. For more information, visit the joint TDS-GiveMePower information and ordering site at www.givemepower.com/tds. About GiveMePower Corporation

GiveMePower develops markets and supports affordable, high-performance desktop and mobile/wireless software solutions for the $17.5-billion CAD/CAM software market. An Intel(R) PCA Developer Network member, Microsoft Mobile Solutions and Windows Embedded Partner, and an IBM Business Partner, GiveMePower is the first company to offer full-featured 2 and 3-dimensional, AutoCAD(R)-compatible design and digital blueprint processing for desktop and laptop PCs, as well as the latest Windows CE(R) and Windows CE. NET(R) equipped Pocket PC's, Pocket PC cell phones, tablet PC's, handheld PC's and industry specific devices utilizing Microsoft's latest Windows(R) operating systems. For more information, visit www.givemepower.com.

All trademarks property of their respective owners. (C)2003 GiveMePower Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

With the exception of historical information, the matters discussed in this press release are "forward looking" statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. The actual future results of the Company could differ from those statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, the continued demand for the Company's products and services, worldwide economic conditions, changes in governmental regulations and policies, the emergence of competitive products and services, unforeseen technical issues and those risk factors contained in the Company's filings with the SEC

RDI delivers first SPARC-based portable workstation to incorporate a 12-inch, high-resolution display

CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 5, 1996--RDI Computer Corp. Wednesday announced that its highly regarded PowerLite 110 portable workstation is now available with a 12.1-inch diagonal, 1024 x 768 active matrix display -- the first such display delivered with a SPARC-based portable.

Called the PowerLite ExtraView, the newest portable workstation from RDI expands the screen area by 28 percent over 10.4-inch displays and 65 percent over 9.4-inch displays. The larger, sharper display is ideally suited for geographic information systems (GIS), computer- aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM), software demonstration and similar applications.The 12.1-inch 1024 x 768 display offers 4,096 colors and 16 gray scales. A 12.1-inch, 800 x 600 active matrix display is also available for those applications requiring a large image size as well as high color definition. This display supports 262,144 colors and 64 gray scales for superb contrast and shading.

The new 12.1-inch ExtraView LCD panels offer increased brightness, reduced reflectiveness and lower power requirements than smaller displays.

RDI is offering the PowerLite ExtraView at the same price as its PowerLite 110 with a 10.4-inch display. Complete specifications, features and other information is available on RDI's home page, located at http://www.rdi.com.

``With the 12.1-inch ExtraView, we can now support emerging applications that require a larger display, SPARC performance and true portability,'' said UC Moon, president, RDI. ``Our pricing enables users to receive all these features at the same price point as the 10.4-inch PowerLite, while opening even lower price points for the entry level PowerLite.''
Powered by the 110 MHz microSPARC II processor, the PowerLite 110 is one of the most technically advanced and feature-rich portable workstations available.

Incorporating up to three 1.2 Gigabyte (GB) 2.5-inch hard disk drives for an internal disk capacity of 3.6 GB, memory capacity up to 128 Megabytes (MB), TGX graphics acceleration, fax/modem card, full-size keyboard, floppy drive or PCMCIA, the PowerLite 110 weighs only 7.5 lbs. and fits in a standard briefcase or portable computer carrying case.

The PowerLite is plug compatible with Sun Microsystems' SPARCstation 5, offering Ethernet, serial ports, keyboard, external monitor output and even SBus support with the PowerLite Peripheral Expansion Unit (PXU).

The PowerLite 110 is available with either SunSoft's Solaris 2.5 or Solaris 1.1.2 operating systems, unmodified to ensure 100% binary compatibility. RDI's mobile computing software environment, Virtual Workgroup Architecture (VWA(tm)), allows easy, automatic administration of connections to Sun and UNIX networks.

The PowerLite ExtraView is available starting at $12,995. The list price for a PowerLite ExtraView with a 1024x768 LCD is $17,995. The list price for the PowerLite 110 with 10.4" display is now $9,995, reduced from $12,995. For information about upgrading existing systems, customers should contact their sales representative or RDI. Deliveries begin in June and new orders will be shipped 45 days ARO.

RDI Computer designs, develops, manufactures and distributes a diverse line of portable Sun SPARC-based workstations called PowerLite. RDI's PowerLite products provide the power of full desktop workstation functionality and the flexibility of mobile computing. The company's products are sold worldwide through local, national and international VAR, distributor and reseller channels.

With headquarters in Carlsbad, RDI has sales offices throughout North America and Europe. For sales information, the company can be reached at 619/929-0992 or 800/RDI-LITE, or e-mail: info@rdi.com. The company's Web site is http://www.rdi.com. -0-

NOTE TO EDITORS: ExtraView is a trademark and PowerLite is a registered trademark of RDI Computer Corp. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Texas Instruments - Brief Article

TI's major restructuring has been completed, while the company is continuing a minor cost containment program. The restructuring has brought about a new focus on differentiated products, from CASE and CAD/CAM to its microprocessor business.The company has moved aggressively to increase semiconductor license revenues. Between 1986 and 1990, quarterly license revenue averaged $35 million. Over the last year, license revenue has averaged over $64 million. Semiconductor revenues is derived primarily from Japan (38%) and the U.S. (28%), with smaller contributions from Europe (19%) and Asia (15%). The semiconductor business unit has made several investments with new (for TI) partners: Acer, KobiSteel, and HP, Canon and the Singapore government.The information technology group's minicomputer business is a "major weakness." The group is investing heavily in CAD/CAM products.

Parametric Technology Corporation Announces Immediate Availability of Pro/ENGINEER Solutions Release 20; Highlights Include New User Interface, New Sk

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 28, 1998--Parametric Technology Corporation (NASDAQ:PMTC), one of the world's leading providers of software solutions for mechanical product development and enterprise information management, today announced the immediate availability of the production release of Pro/ENGINEER Solutions Release 20. The latest release of PTC's flagship product development software includes a new user interface, a new sketching environment, and the new 3D Notes communication tool, as well as a series of improvements to assembly design functionality, drawing creation, and graphics performance. "Parametric Technology continues to lead the mechanical CAD/CAM/CAE software industry with our Pro/ENGINEER Solutions," said C. Richard Harrison, president and chief operating officer at Parametric Technology. "Release 20 includes significant enhancements to user productivity that -- in addition to our recent pricing changes -- continue to make Pro/ENGINEER more accessible to the new and casual user. In addition, the intuitive new user interface and other enhancements of Release 20 will help to increase the efficiency of experienced Pro/ENGINEER users."

The New User Interface

In an effort to advance user productivity, Pro/ENGINEER Release 20 includes a new top-level user interface that is easier to learn and more efficient to use, allowing users to more effectively harness the software's power. The new look and feel of the user interface includes a menu bar that consolidates all top-level commands into a familiar industry interface, a customizable tool bar, and consolidated dialog boxes. The number of menu picks for commonly used commands has been reduced by approximately 50 percent. "Pro/ENGINEER now boasts a modern user interface which combines the best that the Windows-style guide can offer with the best of its cascading menu scheme," noted industry consultant Charles Clarke in a recent issue of CADCAM Magazine. "The package features menu bars and customizable one-pick tool bars, and because it borrows from Windows, it is instantly familiar to any desktop application user. Experienced Pro/ENGINEER users will find application access easier through dialog boxes, familiar keyboard shortcuts, and single-click access to common and user-definable commands."

Intent Manager

Adding emphasis to the user productivity theme, an innovative new sketcher, called Intent Manager, allows engineers to quickly "sketch and stretch" their ideas without interrupting the creative process. The Intent Manager makes intelligent assumptions and provides immediate visible feedback to the user during sketching. The sketches are always fully and automatically dimensioned, without any user intervention. This ensures the accurate capture of the product's design intent, through an easily modifiable sketch.

3D Notes

In addition to user productivity, Release 20 enhances design management capabilities with a new communication tool called 3D Notes. This tool allows users to easily display important product information within the context of the 3D model. The introduction of 3D Notes offers countless applications by harnessing Web communication capabilities within the modeling environment.

"This production-proven release of Pro/ENGINEER Solutions links power with grace," added PTC's Harrison. "With Release 20, Pro/ENGINEER has achieved a new level of ease of use for one of the industry's most popular product development software packages."

Representatives from Parametric Technology will be demonstrating Pro/ENGINEER Solutions Release 20 in Booth 301 at the Autofact trade show in Detroit from September 29 through October 1, 1998. In addition, a brief guided tour of Release 20, including the new interface and selected other enhancements, is available at http://www.ptc.com/products/demos.

About the Company

Parametric Technology Corporation develops, markets, and supports a comprehensive suite of integrated product development and information management solutions. The Company's Pro/ENGINEER Solutions provide the software tools to automate the mechanical development of a product from its conceptual design through production. The Company's enterprise information management solutions include the Web-centric, Java-based information management technology of Windchill(tm), including Windchill Information Modeler, Windchill Foundation, Enterprise Document Manager, and Enterprise Configuration Manager. All software solutions are supported and complemented by the strength and experience of the Company's professional services organization (PSO), which provides training, consulting, and support to customers around the globe.

Except for the historical information contained herein, matters discussed in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in reports filed by PTC with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the company's most recent reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q.

Taking My Two and a Half Year Old Daughter Fishing, or Should I Say Rock Throwing?

Have any of you had the pleasure of taking your 2 1/2 year old daughter fishing for the first time? Well actually, it was a rock throwing trip more than a fishing trip, but it showed me what love is. Who knew that a little girl throwing rocks into a flowing river would have anything to do with love?

I find it so ironic that I used to think I knew what love was. That was before Cameron came into this world though. Since she's been around, things have changed. Hell, I was married for 7 years and didn't have a clue what love was about. I of course would have told you that I did. And I truly believed that I did as well. It's not that I was consciously lying to everyone around me. Not at all. I really, really, really thought I knew. But then I found myself standing next to a flowing river with my daughter, on her first river fishing trip. I was tossing a worm around trying to fool a trout, and after watching me for about 5 minutes, Cameron had seen enough of this "fishing" thing. It was time for rock throwing to begin. And she threw rocks for the better part of 2 hours, while dad spent the time drowning a worm. I was so engulfed in being with her, talking to her, showing her the few trout that I did mange to catch, that I suddenly realized: This is what love is.

Not caring that someone was throwing rocks into the water in the place where I'm trying to catch a fish, is love. At least in my weird, messed up perception of the world. There's no doubt about it. There was a time that a little kid throwing rocks into the water where I was fishing would have sent me into a tirade. But not this time. I was as happy as she was, and I suppose that's what it's all about. Although if that kid weren't my daughter, I'm not sure the realization would have been the same.

Not to mention the fact that anytime I say, "Cam, do you want to go fishing?" now, she starts jumping up and down screaming, "Yes, Yes, Yes". For a guy who has a fairly serious fishing addiction, this little jewel of information may be better than discovering what love is. She will happily go fishing, or I should say rock throwing anytime that I feel like it. That has to be one of the best things to ever happen to me. Well, to be truthful, Cam is the best thing that ever happened to me.

Trevor Kugler - Co-founder of JRWfishing.com Trevor has more than 20 years of fishing experience, and raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country....Montana.

Forex Signals Review

Forex Signals, known familiarly as FXOS, issues bulletins once or twice a day, depending on market conditions. Each Forex Signal contains just three numbers for each of the major currency pairs: exact entry, stop-loss, and take-profit. It does not contain charts, graphs, editorial or anything else. The information provided and its presentation are the most basic of the basic. There is no guesswork and no strategy decisions to make.

The maximum number of currency pairs for which a subscriber can receive Forex recommendations is six: EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, USD/CHF, USD/CAD, and AUD/USD. These six pairs (one pair is one signal) are automatically generated for all but their top-of-the-line product, for which you can select the pairs. This has some significance because of Forex Signal’s unique fee structure, a type of pay-per-signal pricing.

With Forex Signals, there are no yearly or monthly fees. Instead, the subscriber deposits a sum of money, starting at $100 USD, which is converted into credits (1 credit=$.05 USD). Each currency pair is assigned a number of credits ranging from 0.5 for USD/CAD to 4 credits for EUR/USD. These credits are deducted from your total deposit. So, if you received a EUR/USD signal once a day for ten days, you would have 40 credits deducted from your deposit.

You can add money and change receipt specifications at any time. You determine how you want to receive the signals (e-mail or text message), which days you receive the signal, and for how long. Thus, you customize the subscription terms of the service.

To begin, FXOS offers three products, the Mini, the Standard, and the Pro. Each product requires a minimal set-up fee: $17.95, $34.95, and $87.95 respectively. The difference between the three is the amount of flexibility and level of participation in a credit-back program.

As you might expect, the Mini package has the least flexibility. It does not allow you to choose currency pairs and has no credit program. The Standard does not permit you to choose pairs either, but it does offer credit allowances. Both the Standard and Pro give you free credits on your initial deposit, 5% or up to $50 for the Standard, and 15% or up to $150 for the Pro. They also will credit back your signal cost if the advice does not yield a profit. That should give subscribers some level of confidence in the company’s predictions.

The sign-up process is quick and easy. FXOS accepts online payments through PayPal, bank transfers and Western Union wire transfers.

Forex Signals is simple service. If you want to know how the advisors arrive at their advice, or you want to get more information about the current conditions in the FOREX market, you won’t find it here. Forex Signals does offer beginners a solid FOREX glossary and does an admirable job of describing their products and answering any questions you might have.

Naturopathic Medicine Schools Integrate Various Healing Methods

The promotion of good health, rather than the curing of disease, is a growing concern of a more health-conscious public today. Naturopathic medicine plays an important role in the general health of the population, and naturopathic medicine schools are receiving greater recognition now than ever before.

The practice of naturopathy takes into consideration the influence of nutrition and exercise on a patient's physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing, while the main focus of traditional Western medicine has been to discover what has gone “wrong” with or how to “fix” a diseased body.

Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) are those medical and health care practices and therapies not considered to be part of conventional medicine. However, these practices and therapies have evolved due to understanding gained through well-designed scientific studies and research, adoption of therapies by conventional medicine, and changing approaches to traditional health care. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is found in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and is the government agency working for greater recognition of alternative and complementary healthcare treatments and practices in the U.S. through research and dissemination.

Complementary and alternative medicines are not parallel entities. Complementary medicine is often combined with traditional medical therapies to promote total health. Alternative medicine, on the other hand, replaces conventional medicine with complete and independent alternative medical systems of theory and practice developed long before conventional medicine. Alternative medicines include homeopathic medicine, Chinese medicine, naturopathy, Ayurveda, mind-body medicine, manipulation (chiropractic, massage), energy therapies (placing of hands), bioelectromagnetic-based therapies (use of electrical current), and others.

Today, hospitals and physicians are more often practicing the integration of complementary and alternative medicine into conventional Western medicine. Hospitals and health maintenance organizations are recognizing the many benefits of CAM therapies, insurance companies are covering some CAM therapies, and integrative medicine centers are forming close ties with medical schools and teaching hospitals.

Managing a CAD Outsourcing Project

We must first emphasize that here we are talking about outsourcing CAD projects, which is significantly easier than outsourcing software development or IT services (earlier articles of mine have explained why).

This article also assumes that selection of the CAD providers has been completed with due diligence (the methods are described in an earlier article).

As I mentioned in those prior articles, one of the most important ingredients for successful outsourcing is management of the ongoing project by you, the client. To quote from those articles (here 'outsourcer' means 'provider'):

"This may sound obvious, but probably the biggest stumbling block to offshore outsourcing is that after all the contracts have been signed, companies abdicate responsibility for projects to the provider..."

--- Deepak Khandelwal, McKinsey, Worldwide

TASKS IN OUTSOURCING MANAGEMENT:

(1) You have to assume moral responsibility for the project.

A very senior executive should be made the champion of the CAD project. S/he will need technical and administrative people to help with the project, and these people should be informed of their induction explicitly. Let's call this group of people "the task force".

(2) The task force should define the objectives of the proposed CAD outsourcing.

Subjects to address:

* Which input documents will you be giving the provider? (Consider rough, dimensioned sketches, specifications and photographs of included objects, written instructions on what you want in the output, libraries of CAD symbols, design rules for elements not in the libraries of CAD symbols, drawings or sketches showing how the objects in the target area interface with the immediate environment, sample output documents).

* Which CAD platform do you want the work done on?

* Which output documents to you expect?

* What is the weekly project schedule?

* At what interval do you want the provider to send you the work in progress?

* What is the procedure for acceptance of the product?

* What is your payment schedule?

* What is the payment method? (Check, credit card, wire transfer?)

(3) The task force should put the above documents into a contract.

The contract should also contain non-disclosure clauses. The provider should sign and return the contract.

(4) Put robust communication mechanisms in place.

* Email is fine provided mailbox capacities are large. Without a doubt the provider should have a broadband connection, and if your CAD files are large and frequent, so should you.

* Instant messenger programs are good for discussion sessions.

* For frequent large volume transfers, one of you should have an ftp server.

* If voice communication is required, try Skype (free).

* Both you and the provider should have access to a scanner for digitizing sketches.

* You must also have each other's postal address and telephone numbers.

(5) Have a procedure in place for conflict resolution.

(6) As far as possible, do not let go of existing staff because you are outsourcing.

Identify unfulfilled skill needs in your organization when you first think of outsourcing. Explain to the relevant staff that you plan to outsource and that you will train them in those skills. If nevertheless some want to leave, they are responsible for their departure and not you.

(7) Be ready with support services and materials for your providers.

* For instance, you might have to send the provider files that are in a format for which they do not have the opening application. You should have the software and staff to convert the document into a format compatible with the provider's application.

* At the beginning of the exercise, the provider will typically have many technical questions. The task force should include staff whose time is specifically reserved for providing the answers.

* Be readily available to help as much as you can. This builds confidence in the provider's mind as well as a relationship between you and the provider.

(8) Develop a partner relationship with the provider.

* You should be partners in achieving the overall goal... this could be cost reduction, process improvement, more time for your core business, expertise, flexibility and so on.

* Discuss this goal with the provider, ask for their views and treat them like a department of your company.

* More research facts: In the first year, the important issues are the contract, performance measurements and relationships (in that order); by the third year, it's performance measurements, relationships, the contract.

(9) Budget for the outsourcing exercise.

Use this valuable observation to help you plan:

" ... end users engaged in outsourcing indicate that, on average, users spend from 5 to 12 percent of the total contract value on managing the relationship"

--- The Yankee Group (in a recent study)

CONCLUSION

* What we've just described represents the latest thinking on managing a CAD outsourcing project.

* The ideas are state-of-the-art and custom-made for today's world.

* We hope you use them and that thereby your business experiences a significant increase in efficiency, earnings and competitiveness.