Many countries have been defining gold standard as a monetary system whereby the currency used is based on a fixed amount of (Au). In this monetary system, cash and deposits in the bank can be exchanged into gold and the price is fixed. Up to now there are 3 common types of standard and they’ve been practised since the 1700s. These are known as the gold specie, gold bullion standards and gold exchange. To know a bit more about these three different standards a brief explanation is included below:

1. Gold Specie. In this particular gold standard option, the currency unit has a direct connection with the circulated gold coins. In other words, the unit of currency is connected to the unit of value of each different gold coin. Secondary coinage with lower value than gold uses the same rules as well. The presence of gold specie standard was detected in the era of medieval empires. The Byzant (Greek) and the British West Indies are some of the gold standard examples. However, this type of standard is rather an applied system as it’s not formally established. It origins from Spain and it’s known as the doubloon. In 1873, the U.S. legally adopted the system and American Gold Eagle is used as unit.

2. Gold Exchange. This particular gold standard only involves the circulation of coins valued less than gold, for instance silver. The authorities tend to impose a fixed rate for gold exchange on countries that are using the gold standard. Many countries choose to peg their currency units to the gold standard in the U.S. and U.K. For instance, the Japanese, Mexican and Filipino choose to exchange their silver to USD at the price of $0.50 per unit.

3. Gold Bullion. This type of gold standard sells gold bullion via fixed prices based on demand. This method of trading was first carried out by the Parliament of the British in 1925 whereby it resulted in the voidance of the gold specie standard. In 1931, the U.K. government made a decision to banish the gold bullion standard on a temporary basis to curb the excessive flow of gold way past the Atlantic Ocean. The same year witnessed the ending of the gold standard.

The utilization of gold standard has brought about several advantages. One of them is that the power of determining the occurrence of inflation within the country is not totally given to the government. In other words, inflation can be curbed by preventing the issuance of excessive paper currency done by the government. At the same time, the gold and silver exchange rates will develop a fixed pattern whereby global economic uncertainties can be reduced at a great level. However, just like many other monetary systems, gold bullion standard has its own set of disadvantages as well. It’s believed that it might not be able to stabilize the economy during depressive financial condition as it might cause the monetary policy to become ineffective. The belief makes sense, and a lot of economists are afraid that their theory would come true. In gold standard the availability of ( Au ) is the sole determinant to the availability of money.

There is only one way to say this. Don’t fall for ponzi schemes that try to tell you that there is no other fish oil better than theirs and you can find it only on some unknown website. Be suspicious about these so called best fish oils, particularly when these can’t be found in trusted stores like Vitamin Shoppe, Whole Foods, Wild Oats and other natural food stores.

I am also not saying that everything you find in a major store is all of equal quality. Most stores would carry a range of brands offering choice in terms of price and quality. Nevertheless, I would encourage you to still look for a more mainstream brand, a brand name that is easily recognized for its quality. If a supplement has been really of good quality, chances are it has been in the news, and it has won some awards. I can think of ConsumerLab awards and recognition, meeting international standards such as IFOS – International Fish Oil Standards, European Pharmacopeia standards (EPS), Norwegian Medicinal Standard (NMS) or the United States Pharmacopeia (USP). A mainstream brand should at least meet 2 – 3 international standards.

The USP is relatively new for fish oils and most of the major brands are not yet participating in this program. The USP standards are also not as strict as the EPS or NMS since dietery supplements have a different standard in the US compared to prescription medicinal standards. When compared to Europe, there is no fish oil standard in the US. In fact, the Norwegian Medicinal Standard is one of the strictest in the world for dietery supplements. The regulation in the US is much more loose around supplements simply because they are classified differently as “food” and not “drugs”. It is better to look for a product that meets EPS or NMS and the IFOS standards as these are typically of much better quality. When discussing product quality, purity is a significant concern among fish oil supplement users. Some information on international standards is below which outline the limits.

• For heavy metals EPS, NMS, standards are set to 100 ppb (100 parts per billion). However, high quality fish oils are tested down to less than 10 ppb for heavy metals.
• For Dioxins. the NMS and EPS standard is 2 ppt (2 parts per trillion). High quality brands are usually tested down to 0.5 ppt with zero detection of dioxins.
• For PCB,  EPS does not set a standard but the Norwegian Medicinal Standard (NMS) sets the limit to 3 ppt and quality brands test these to less than 1 ppt.

This information should be easily accessible on the manufacturer’s website and 3rd party testing sites if the company is truly transparent about its manufacturing process and testing results. If these are not easily accessible, then you know that they are not of such high quality. If the results are so good, there is no better marketing tool for the manufacturer and they will readily display it on the label and on their websites.

The advantage of going mainstream is such easy access to product quality information and also product recall information if any also being easily available. Another way to recognize a mainstream brand is to look for endorsements by highly qualified individuals including doctors, researchers, and non-profit groups. 

In summary, fish oil supplements are mainstream with over 8000 published medical research articles to date on their uses and it is safe to choose a mainstream brand that has a reputation for quality and transparency.

ISO 9000 is an important marketing tool and is recognized world wide. Maintained by the ISO (international standards organization), it is a family of ISO standards for quality management systems. ISO 9000 grew out of British standards institution’s BS 5750. The ISO 9000 series are managed by several accreditation and certification bodies. Though the standard was first applied to manufacturing industries, it is now employed across a variety of other types of businesses.

Studies show that the history of industrialization has seen lots of standards on quality issues. For instance, during the two world wars, a high percentage of bullets and bombs went off in the factories themselves in the course of manufacturing. In an effort to curb such casualties, UK?s ministry of defense appointed inspectors in the factories to supervise the production process.

In 1959, the United States introduced Mil-Q-9858a, the first quality standard for military procurement. By 1962, NASA developed its quality system requirements for suppliers. Six years later, NATO accepted the AQAP (allied quality assurance procedures) specifications for the procurement of equipments. In 1969, UK and Canada introduced suppliers? quality assurance standards.

During the 1970s, British standards institution (BSI) published BS 9000 (the first UK standard for quality assurance) and BS 5179 (guidelines for quality assurance) norms. During the period, the BSI held meetings with industry to set a common standard. Consequently, in 1979, the institution developed BS 5750, a series of standards for use by manufacturing companies. They were enforced through assessments and audits.

In 1987, the BSI revised the standard to take in service providers and manufacturing industries also. In 1988, ISO adopted the BS 5750 standard without changes and published it globally under the name, ISO 9000.

In 1994, ISO revised the standard. In December 2000, the standard was again reorganized. The new ISO 9000 standard has many resemblances to its predecessors.

Being ISO 13485 certified helps consolidating business and employees’ trust, an essential requirement in the medical device manufacturing industry. ISO 13485 has become the worldwide accepted standard in medical manufacturing industry and certifies the conformity to regulatory requirements. Organizations in the industry are expected to provide proof for quality management system implementation throughout the entire production cycle. This is why getting ISO 13485 certified is so important.

ISO 13485 certification guarantees the conformity to international standards throughout all phases of medical devices’ life cycle: design, manufacturing, installing, technical assistance and sales. This QMS standard also covers other post production aspects like storage, distribution, provision of associated services. Furthermore, disposal and decommission of used/damaged medical devices is regulated by this ISO.

This standard is based on the ISO 9001 QMS standard, adapted for the medical device manufacturing environment. Being certified for both standards ensures competitiveness, transparency, effectiveness and will only bring more trust to potential business partners.

For manufactures, the certification means expanded market access. Being able to work with a worldwide network of potential customers and business partners is one of the top reasons why any company should require certification. National and international regulatory authorities prefer manufactures with a third-party audited and certified quality management system in. Investing in such a system speeds access into those countries that require it. Expanding production or sales operation to a new country with this QMS is difficult and in some cases, impossible.

Investing into implementation and recognition of ISO 13485 has the potential of saving a lot of money. First of all, by providing proofs for meeting high quality standards, finding potential customers takes significantly less time. All major companies which buy medical equipment require credibility and commitment to qualify for all business partners.

Although this standard does not emphasize the need for continual improvement, pointing strictly to meeting the quality requirements and achieving customer satisfaction, implementing it the company will get process control which will allow it further development and improvement.

The latest version of this ISO highlights more the need for effective risk management and risk-decision management. Risk management of any medical device must be fully documented and applied during the entire life-cycle of any product. Proving that the risk was fully understood and documented will help companies get not only ISO 13485, but also ISO 14971, which is the ISO standard for the application of risk management to medical devices.

Gigabit Ethernet stands for exactly what the name implies: a 1 Gigabit per second internet connection. In computer networking, higher speed is always necessary and advantageous for the business or individual using it. For larger businesses that rely heavily on the use of network connections and transfer of data, a 1 Gbps connection is necessary. This article talks about what a 1 Gbps Ethernet is, as well as a quick history.

There are several types of copper cables and fiber optics that can be used when installing this type of connection. All of which are modified for high-speed use. It should be noted that the copper cables used in this system are very different from those used in slower connections; the same goes for the fiber optics.

Among the other types of cables used to connect to a 1 Gbps line is the single-mode optic cable. A laser fiber optic cable can also be used for high-speed data transfers. These allows for miles of data transmission in only one cable and without needing to connect to routers or switches or network hubs. These cables can transmit data with very little interference, compared to other networking methods.

This type of network connection has practical applications for businesses and universities. Campus buildings, for example, can be installed with this setup to increase the transmission output of the data within the university. Needless to say, the advantages this has to the industry are really great.

The first of its kind came out in the late 90s. In 1998, Gigabit Ethernet was released in the market faster than the 100-Megabit connection data stream of Fast Ethernet. It was originally designed to be an optical-only technology, meaning that only fiber optic cables are supposed to be used. A year after its release, its developers have amended that. They upgraded the technology to include twisted pair standards such as the 1000BASE-T copper.

The IEEE, or the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers developed this technology. They used the 1000BASE-T standard to utilize the four copper twisted pairs, which were originally included in a CAT 5 cable. A different standard was devised almost simultaneously by the TIA, or the Telecommunications Industry Association. It was called the 1000BASE-TX.

It is important to note that there are also vendor-specific names for these connections. The cables that are going to be used will vary, as well. For example, in a 1000BASE-TX connection, the ISP will have to use CAT 6 or better cables, instead of a CAT 5. There is confusion in the market between the 1000BASE-T and TX connections. These two, while they both offer a 1 Gbps Ethernet connection, are two different technologies made by different developers.

By the start of the twenty-first century, the Gigabit Ethernet technology started to evolve. This technology was officially introduced to the market in the year 2002. Standards of 40 and 100 Gbps connections were used in 2007. In 2010, this connection was finally approved by the IEEE. Today, the 1-Gbps infrastructure is used by countless businesses and individuals that require transfer of great amounts of data.

Fiat standard may consist of three distinct types, such as: utopian, the involuntary and the manage currency standards. In actual practice, only the last two are observed existing at the present time.

Utopian Paper Standard. For purposes of academic interest, this type is included for discussion.

The underlying philosophy behind the proposed adoption of this standard is that money today is desired primarily for what it will bring the individual in the form of goods and services it will buy, and not for represents, whether in a specific weight and fineness of gold or silver. As envisioned by its advocates, the seal of the government and the attribute of legal tender are all that are necessary to make money issued under this standard acceptable. Thus, following this line of thinking, it is contended that there is no necessity of building up stocks of gold as is required in the case of the gold standard.

On the other hand, its main objection lies in the fact that the money sought to be put into circulation is undefined in terms of any commodity and therefore, irredeemable. As such, critics point out that this standard presents the grave dangers of limitless inflation.

The Involuntary Paper Standard. When a nation, whether on a gold or silver standard, finds herself in a serious predicament of not being able to redeem its money, such a situation brings on its path the consequent result of an involuntary paper standard.

This situation is oftentimes observed as the result of a war. Thus, in spite of the desire of the government to redeem its paper money, circumstances prevent it from doing so. Nevertheless, the government and the people still cling fervently to the hope that it could one day return he gold or silver standard as the case may be.

Sieving in its most elemental definition is the separation of fine material from coarse material by means of a meshed or perforated surface. The technique was used as far back as the early Egyptian days as a way to size grains. These early sieves were made of woven reeds and grasses. Today the sieve test is the technique used most often for analyzing particle-size distribution.

Although at first look the sieving process appears to be elementary, in practice, there is a science and art involved in producing reliable and consistent results. In order to better understand sieving, there are several areas of sieve specifications that should to be explained, including:

1. What Are Test Sieves?

Test sieves are measuring devices used to determine the size and size distribution of particles in a material sample using wire mesh of different openings to separate particles of different sizes.

Test sieves usually consist of wire mesh held in a frame. In most laboratory applications the frame is round and is made from stainless steel or brass. The standard frame sizes are three, six, eight, ten, or twelve inch diameters and metric equivalents. The woven mesh can be made of stainless steel, brass, or bronze. For most applications stainless steel is the most common material used.

2. What Are the Limitations of the Test Sieve Procedure?

The main limitation with the construction of test sieves is the inherent nature of a woven product including control of sag when mounted and the uniformity of construction of the holding frame. It is also essential to maintain consistent sizing across all the openings in a piece of mesh.

Because of the inherent variations of openings in any woven product there are limitations to the degree of uniformity achieved in the opening size across the mesh in a sieve. This results in a practical limit to the range of openings and to the precision of results from a specific sieve.

The sieve test requires particles to pass through the sieve mesh. The practical limit for using a test sieve procedure is a particle size of 20¼ (microns).

3. What Are the Test Sieve Standards?

The first sieve testing standards were developed by W.S. Tyler Company before 1920. This original work predated any published activity by the standards organizations and the Tyler designation is the de facto standard in many industries. In 1925, ASTM International prepared the official standard for Test Sieve Size, Test Sieve Construction, and Test Sieve Mesh in the United States. European Standards were developed by a German university group in 1977 and are known by the designation DIN 4188. These were followed by British Standards (BS 410). The International Standards (ISO 565) were developed by the International Standards Organization in Europe. This was designed to be the universal international standard. However, in practice, all of the standards are in operation.

Sieve testing standards relate to the construction of the sieve frame and mesh mounting as well as the tolerances allowed in the variability of mesh openings. Basic principles are common to all of the standards and variations in terminology and in details are small. These small differences, however, can often lead to confusion. The following is a synopsis of the principles behind these standards.

Test sieve frame standards include the following:

1. Rigid construction

2. Cloth (mesh) mounted without distortion, looseness, or waviness

3. Joint between mesh and frame to be filled or constructed so that particles will not be trapped

4. Frame will be of non-corrosive material and seamless

5. Bottom of the frame sized to easily slide into the top of same sized sieve, thus enabling stacking

6. Cloth opening to be a minimum of 0.5 inches less than nominal diameter

The wire cloth (mesh) standards include the following list of nominal size openings in inches, millimeters (microns), and sieve number. The following specific dimensional examples come from the ASTM E11 Standard:

1. Permissible variation of average openings (depending on opening size and ranges from ± 2.9% of nominal size for 125 mm mesh to ± 15% for 20¼ mesh)

2. Not more than 5 % of the openings can exceed 1.04 times the nominal size for 125 mm mesh to 1.45 times the nominal opening for 20¼ mesh

3. Maximum individual opening (for any opening) ranges from 1.0472 times the nominal size for 125 mm mesh to 1.75 times the normal mesh for 20¼ mesh

4. Wire diameters are specified and range from 8 mm for 125 mm mesh to 0.020 millimeters for 20¼ mesh

More recently, methods based on laser and energy technologies, sedimentation techniques, image analysis, and centrifuge-type methods have gained acceptance. However, procedures using test sieves are still widely used. The sieve-test result remains the basis or standard against which newer techniques are checked. In addition, the equipment cost for the test sieve procedure is significantly lower than the capital investment needed for newer methods.

4. What Are Sieve Certifications?

Sieve certifications are statements that a test sieve meets or exceeds published criteria. It is an assurance that a new sieve will perform in a predictable way. The closer the tolerance required in a manufacturing process, the higher the level of certification needed. Similarly, a master set of test sieves against which working sieves (sieves in everyday use) are checked for wear and predicted performance need a high level of certification. When test sieves are part of a process that is required to meet traceability prerequisites, such as a specific ISO level, a certification will document the needed traceability.

Many sieve manufacturers provide a certificate which states that the sieve was manufactured in conformance with a specific standard (e.g., ASTM, ISO). This Manufacturing Conformance Certificate does not reference nor does it certify conformance of the mesh. Most manufacturers supplying a Conformance Certificate will analyze the mesh and provide a mesh certification for an extra charge.

A Mesh-Certified Sieve will be provided with a certificate that states the sieve was manufactured in accordance with a specified standard and it was submitted for laboratory analysis and is certified to conform to that specific specification/standard (e.g., ASTM, ISO).

There is a third level of tolerance which certifies that the manufacturing standard is met and that the mesh was submitted for laboratory analysis. It also certifies that its openings fall in the middle of the specific standard/specification (e.g., ASTM, ISO). This is effectively a 30% better tolerance than the mesh of a Fully-Certified sieve. This is known as a Mid-Point Sieve. These three levels of sieve certification enable the comparability of performance of one sieve to another of the same size.

Until the development of the Mid-Point Sieve, high levels of comparability were achieved by providing sieves that were optically matched to a user’s standard sieve. A time consuming and costly procedure was needed to accomplish this level of comparability and the results were not significantly better than those achieved by using Mid-Point Sieves.

Mesh-Certified Sieves, Mid-Point Sieves, and sieves carrying the Manufacturing Conformance Certificate are all made with mesh that already conforms to official standards. However, there are three lower grade levels of sieve mesh available when tolerance levels are not as stringent.

The first is Market Grade. These sieves have a weave that uses a larger diameter wire resulting in a high strength square-mesh cloth suitable for general purpose screening. There are no official standards for Market Grade test sieves. The second, Mill Grade, is a class of woven mesh using smaller wire, which results in larger open areas in the screen mesh. There is also a Twill Weave in which the weft and warp wires alternatively run over and under two wires rater than over and under alternate wires as in standard mesh. As none of these have official standards against which to measure the expected performance, none of these are provided with a mesh certificate.

5. Sieve Calibration

Quality control of the sieving process is essential, and for people involved in material processing and particle characterization, sieve calibration can be a confusing topic. It is beneficial to understand what sieve calibration is, why a working sieve should be calibrated, and how to calibrate a sieve.

A. What Is Sieve Calibration?

Sieve calibration is the process of checking a working sieve’s performance. (A working sieve is a test sieve that is used regularly to perform a particle size analysis.)

B. Why Calibrate a Working Sieve?

Since working sieves are used daily for tests, they are also cleaned regularly. Although frequent use in itself can cause changes in mesh openings, much of the damage sustained to working sieves occurs during cleaning. Often, the operator hurries to clear the mesh of residual particles by strongly tapping the frame. This tapping can distort the mesh. Operators also use brushes to remove residual particles after a test. This process often distorts sections of the sieve mesh. These alterations of the sieve will change the results obtained in subsequent tests, hence the need for calibration.

Excessive damage such as tears or large distortions of the mesh weave can be detected by visual inspection. Damaged sieves can be taken out of service when the damage is observed. When the change is small, visual observation may not detect a variation in the test results attributable to the sieve’s change. A way to determine if changes have occurred is to compare the sieve’s performance against a known standard. This is sieve calibration.

In addition, in operations with tight particle size specifications, calibration of new test sieves is performed to establish a performance baseline for the sieve.

C. How is a Test Sieve Calibrated?

The base point of a sieve calibration process is the use of a fixed standard and there are a number of approaches used. The most common is the use of a master stack of sieves, a master sample, or calibration spheres or beads.

A master stack of sieves includes one of each of the sieves used in the processes. A master stack should consist of Mesh-Certified sieves. In the event of tight tolerances for the sieve tests it is recommended that Mid-Point sieves be used. The following steps are used for this method:

1. Prepare two samples of the material selected for the calibrations process

2. Place the master stack of sieves on a sieve shaker

3. Load one of the samples into the top sieve

4. Run on a sieve shaker for the predetermined time

5. Prepare a percent-retained analysis of the result

6. Place the stack of working sieves (sieves with sizes to match master stack)

7. Repeat steps three through five for the second sample of the material

8. Compare the results of the two analyses

9. Check variance from the master stack against acceptable tolerances

10. Replace the working sieves that are out of tolerance

Some users only calibrate one sieve at a time and compare it to one sieve from the master set. This procedure can be done before putting new working sieves in service.

In some processes master samples are maintained of all material that is subject to sieve testing. The results expected from working sieves were established through the use of a master sieve stack or other calibration techniques. In this method a sample from the master is used and the following steps are taken:

1. Place the stack of working sieves to be checked on a sieve shaker

2. Load the selected sample from the master sample into the top sieve

3. Run the sieve shaker for the predetermined time

4. Prepare a percent retained analysis of the result

5. Compare the results to acceptable tolerances for the sieves in this stack

6. Replace the working sieves that are out of tolerance

The used sample may be returned to the original master sample. Depending on the type of material, deterioration may occur during the sieve test. Where this occurs the test sample is discarded after use.

As with the use of a master stack, some users only calibrate one sieve at a time and compare it to a performance tolerance chart for that sieve size. This procedure can also be used for new working sieves before putting them into service.

Calibration spheres, in sizes for each of the sieves to be calibrated, are used to determine the actual results obtained by each sieve tested. This method is simple and gives a precise result on the mean aperture size. The result is traceable to NIST and NPL standards. It is a good check for standards reporting and for setting internal standards. The procedure for this calibration is as

follows:

1. Select the sieve to be calibrated

2. Empty the contents of the bottle containing the appropriate standard onto the sieve

3. Shake evenly over the surface for one minute

4. Calculate the percent passing through and read the mean aperture for a calibration graph

The method specified by ASTM is to optically inspect a sample of the openings, measure the apertures and the wire, and compare the results with the ASTM E11 Standard. Traditionally, this has been accomplished visually using a microscope. However, there are new computer-based image analysis systems that are beginning to have limited use for sieve calibration.

6. Summary

Sieves have a long history as the base for measuring and analyzing particle size in material. In spite of the advent of new technology-based methods, procedures based on sieves continue to be the main basis for particle size determination. In order to produce reliable and consistent results, it is evident that sieving requires an understanding of not just one, but a combination of integral factors such as test sieves, limitations of the test sieve procedure, test sieve standards, sieve certifications, and sieve calibration.

Go karting is a fun activity that has become a preferred pastime for people of all ages. It is a great way of spending holiday afternoon outings for people who want to experience the thrill of track racing. Highly popularized by the likes of Michael Schumacher and John Webber, the formula one legends, go-karts brings in the sensation of fast races but with reduced dangers and glamour. However, just like any other motoring event, it comes with its own safety concerns. There have been instances of serious injuries and even fatalities reported in the media. While it is the responsibility of the organizers and track owners to ensure safety measures are enforced, as a parent or as a participant you should always exercise vigilance and ensure compliance with the basic safety rules and procedures.

Do not ignore the helmet and the safety belt

Physics and common sense dictates on the importance of wearing a safety belt. While cruising even at a slow speed of thirty or forty miles per hour, the impact after a collision with a hard obstacle can be severe to the driver. The same case applies when it comes to helmets and their importance cannot be under-emphasized. Go karting can be fun but can be hazardous even after a minor accident. The safety belt and the helmet should be the first things you should have on before you hit the ignition. They can, and will indeed, save you from the agonies of avoidable injuries.

Recommended age and height

It is common place for parents and guardians to wish to bend the rules when it comes to abiding by the minimum recommended age and height of their children. Most will lie about the age of their children just to give them a chance of participating. In most facilities go karting is restricted to children above 9 years old and the minimum restriction on height is 150 centimetres. In other tracks, the age limit might be as high as 12 years. These limits, though, sounding prohibitive are not anyway punitive. They are meant to protect your children and are reached after considering the cognitive abilities of young kids and operational requirements of these small machines.

No alcohol allowed

This might sound like an old cliche that has been ignored for ages but when it comes to the go kart racing track, alcohol is prohibited in the strongest terms possible. This is indeed the cardinal rule of motoring and is a major cause of accidents. The prohibition of alcohol is meant for your own protection and the protection of other track users.

Respect the marshals

The track management has qualified staff to ensure go karting is fun, incident free and fulfilling. They will come to your assistance when the need arises and will be the first responders in case of an accident.

Respect the laid down procedures and also the staff for they are there to ensure you are safe and that you stick to the basic go karting etiquette.

Music is truly an international language, reaching out to people of all ages and backgrounds. There are certain piano songs that are sure to please whenever they are heard. The following list of the best piano songs of all time includes a little something for everybody.

First on the list is ‘The Entertainer’ composed by Scott Joplin. This jaunty ragtime classic is still instantly recognizable, thanks to its appearance in the 1973 film, ‘The Sting.’ ‘The Entertainer’ gets toes tapping every time.

‘As Time Goes By,’ composed by Herman Hupfeld, is another classic popularized in the cinema. Not only is the song itself featured at the end of, ‘Casablanca,’ but it is also used as a recurring instrumental theme throughout.

Originally published in 1924, ‘It Had to be You’ is still one of the best known torch songs. Composed by Isham Jones with lyrics by Gus Kahn, ‘It Had to be You’ has been featured in numerous films and performed by numerous artists.

‘Don’t Get around Much Anymore’ is a Duke Ellington big band jazz standard that translates beautifully to a piano arrangement. The song enjoyed renewed popularity performed by Harry Connick, Jr. in the film, ‘When Harry Met Sally.’

Sometimes a more recent piece can instantly achieve status as a standard. Billy Joel’s ‘Piano Man’ is such a song. ‘Piano Man’ is a great sing-along favourite.

‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin,’ a Cole Porter composition, has been performed by a wide variety of artists. However, the song is best known as a signature tune for Frank Sinatra.

A sentimental gem, ‘Moon River’ is a classic collaboration between Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini. As is the case with many standards, ‘Moon River’ gained its popularity from the cinema. The tune was originally featured in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ but over the years has been used in many other films and television shows as well.

No list of top piano songs is complete without Gershwin. ‘I Got Rhythm’ is a standout in a long list of popular work by brothers George and Ira, as is their Broadway song, ‘Fascinating Rhythm.’ Both of these songs typify the Gershwin style that profoundly influenced the jazz scene of the time.

Finally, ‘Your Song’ by Elton John (lyrics by Bernie Taupin) might be a considered a pop tune, but it’s certainly become a standard. Elements of jazz and folk combined with deeply sincere vocals and lyrics make this a song that will always please.

SAE Housings and Flywheel Dimensions needs to be understood by the mechanic, farmer, or DIY individual, as its necessary to correctly identify tractor engine components for repair, engine replacement, or transmission replacements. SAE is an abbreviation for the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and their standards or guidelines. SAE has many standards, and this tractor repair tip will touch on one SAE standard-the standard that provides guidelines on housings and flywheel dimensions.

To begin with, where is this used?

According to SAE, “This SAE Standard specifies the major dimensions and tolerances for Engine Flywheel Housings and the Mating Transmission Housing Flanges. It also locates the crankshaft flange face or the transmission pilot bore (or pilot bearing bore) stop face in relation to housing SAE flange face”

To fully understand this, let’s look at this example.

A customer wanted to remove a Fiat CP3 engine on a Laverda 152 Combine, and replace it with a Perkins 1006.6. The first item that needs to be confirmed is if the Perkins 1006.6 engine will bolt onto the Laverda combine’s transmission. To do this, he compared the two SAE housings numbers. If the two SAE housings Designations are the same, then the Perkins will bolt onto the Laverda’s combine transmission. If not, then of course, this will be a bad idea.

For example, a SAE housing mark can be SAE 21. This is a 12 tapped hole housing configuration, with specific dimensions. This number SAE 21 will be embossed, or casted onto the flywheel housing, and the transmission housing. Both will need to be SAE 21 for there to be a perfect fit.

Standard SAE flywheel dimensions are designated by five measurements, which when compared, will specify one SAE number. These five measurements are XD, XB, XE, XF, AND XG.

XB is the external diameter of the housing from one bolt pattern to the other bolt pattern, measured from center to center.

XD is the external diameter of the housing from the internal tip of the housing to the other. Similarly, the other abbreviations are similarly specified. A local search on the internet for SAE Housing Dimensions can provide such a chart in an easy printable format.

These standards are fully utilized by all major transmission, engine, and flywheel manufacturers such as Allison, Dana, Clark, Spicer, Rockwell, Fuller or Funk. It’s not surprising therefore, that these companies are OEM transmission, engine and flywheel suppliers for most of the world’s largest manufacturers of engines and transmissions.

So, the next time a situation comes up to change your engine, or your transmission, compare the SAE designations before buying or beginning your repairs.