IQS Resource Center

May 3rd, 2018 Scientists have predicted that the maximum number of people the Earth can sustain is somewhere between nine and ten billion. Current population is estimated to hit nine billion by the year 2050. So, humans have roughly 32

Since the energy crisis of the 1970’s, Americans have been searching for ways to use our natural resources safely and efficiently. And since the release of the documentary, An Inconvenient Truth in 2006, buzzwords and catchphrases like global warming, climate change,

Remember the days when you had to get up off the couch to adjust the thermostat? Or when you worried all morning at work, wondering if you’d turned off the coffee pot? Or perhaps that time you pulled a lump

Since the earliest days of the internet, community and security have been key topics associated with both the growth of the digital age and the difficulty of finding a secure place within it. A noble, albeit elusive goal, the tech

Since the very first science fiction hit the shelves, the world has fantasized about flying objects. For nearly a century, books, radio dramas, movies, and television shows have depicted flying cars. And the most famous flying car to date? Probably

In the last one-hundred years, transportation advancements have steamed past the rail cars of the 1800’s to bring us automobiles that will soon reach complete and total autonomy and passenger aircraft that can crush the sound barrier. In this rapidly

There always has been and always will be an energy race. No matter the decade, millennium, or generation, humans have always found themselves in search of the next big thing to power their lives. In antiquity, the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians,

In the movie The Martian, Matt Damon is stranded on the planet Mars after his crew is caught in a rip-roaring sand storm. The crew is forced to evacuate the planet, leaving Damon to fend for himself and survive the

For the last 150 years, space exploration has captured people’s imaginations. When Sputnik launched in 1957, people would run outside to watch it cruise overhead in the night sky. When Apollo 11 landed on the moon, an adoring public watched

The safety truck is an innovative concept that solves some of road safety’s biggest issues. Semi-trucks share roadways with passenger automobiles, and the disparity in size and weight leads to violent collisions, often caused by the difference in sight lines,

Blockchain technology is still relatively new to most people. If you ask the random person walking down the street what the blockchain is, they’ll likely look at you like you’re speaking a foreign language. The blockchain is the technology that

Global warming, climate change, whatever you want to call it, has become a hot-button political issue, especially in the United States. Politicians use it as a rallying cry whether you believe in it or not. It’s almost to the point

Even if you’re a casual follower of the news, no doubt over the past couple of years you’ve seen a story or two about Brexit. Short for Britain Exit, Brexit is the messy divorce between the United Kingdom (UK) and

Are you a Facebook user? If you are, then you can count yourself amongst a global community that includes roughly 2.2 billion other monthly active users. That’s pretty wild to think about especially when considering that is active users per

Communication over distance has come a long way since the first days of the telephone. Current technology allows us to communicate with people anywhere on the planet thanks to the Internet. But what is the tech that allows us this

When you think of renewable energy, what comes to mind? Water? Wind? Indeed, these two examples have proven the most popular in recent years. In fact, as it stands now, hydropower is the cheapest renewable energy in use today. Wind

Since the invention of the assembly line, manufacturing has continued to improve its capacity for production. Robots and automation have slowly been pushing the human worker out of the factory. But, there must be a tipping point where machinery can

When most people think ‘facial recognition,’ their minds probably drift to the latest iPhone security feature, which lets you unlock your phone by looking at it (and theoretically makes it impossible for anyone but you to unlock). But, facial recognition

On our wonderful planet, there are multiple natural resources that help make life easier. We use trees for making paper products and they provide us with oxygen. We use natural gas to heat our homes and coal to help us

Stephen Hawking achieved a remarkable amount of things, personally and professionally, throughout his amazing life. While many people are familiar with him as a personality and perhaps as a scientist who made incredible discoveries about space, not many fully grasp

Of the more than 17 Million new cars sold in the United States in 2017, nearly 200,000 of them were electric vehicles, according to market reports. While that may seem like a drop in the bucket, it’s actually a huge

Sometimes we take for granted all the things we know about our solar system. After centuries of intrepid exploration and scientific breakthroughs, we now have nine (err, eight?! Sorry, Pluto) planets in our own Milky Way. We also understand why

Cities such as San Francisco, Chicago, and New York have extensive public-transportation systems. They carry millions of people by train, bus, boat and light rail. The recent expansion of private vehicle options like Uber, Lyft, and Google Bus give commuters

Everyone has been there – the lightning-fast Wifi in your home office becomes laggy in your bedroom, or maybe it works great streaming Netflix in the living room but won’t stream a step-by-step cooking show in the kitchen. Those international

When we think cellular network connectivity, we generally think “4G LTE,” which is the current fastest signal available. Many people associate the ‘number’ of the service (ie: 3G, 4G, 4G LTE) as the speed, which isn’t entirely incorrect. However, the

In our world of non-stop data transmission and high-speed information sharing, new tools are constantly appearing to aid in collecting, combining, and curating massive amounts of data. The most recent innovation is Data Virtualization, a process that gathers and integrates

Technology surrounds us. From the phones in our hands to the televisions on our walls and the appliances in our kitchen, new tech comes at us from every angle. Many of us fail to fully understand just how advanced those

The Higgs Boson is better-known by its colloquial name, “the God Particle,” so-called because for a generation, scientists had to take it on faith that it existed. And while the God Particle name may ring bells for many, it still

May 3rd, 2018 Have you heard of carbon nanotubes? Probably not. They sound like futuristic technology that has lots of vaguely high-tech properties. And that is pretty much exactly what they are. Carbon nanotubes are made from similar materials to

Elon Musk is no stranger to media fanfare and making grandiose claims. The entire story of his underground tunnel operation, the cheekily-named Boring Company, stems from a day when Musk was sitting in Los Angeles traffic marveling at how bad

Elon Musk is no stranger to media fanfare and making grandiose claims. The entire story of his underground tunnel operation, the cheekily-named Boring Company, stems from a day when Musk was sitting in Los Angeles traffic marveling at how bad

The ways in which computer technology is redefining our perceptions of reality is staggering. By now, Artificial Intelligence is a subject of common knowledge. Most people have at least heard of Siri and many of us speak to Siri everyday.

Bad news. Our computers may be stealing all our power. As technology continues to expand and computers (in all their forms – mobile phones, laptops) continue to be the predominant method of communication, there will come a time when the

As technology continues to take leaps and bounds in all areas of business, manufacturing is also benefiting from these improvements. Although it may not initially seem this way, these technological improvements have the potential to transform your life. In this

Buckle up, because the coming year will usher in a number of absolutely world changing technological advancements in industrial manufacturing. These trends have to potential to revolutionize the way business is conducted across the globe and the way we as

Once every century (give or take), society and technology undergo a massive revolution. Suddenly we see major changes coming hand in hand with scientific discoveries. The wheel, fire, papyrus, Guggenheim and his press, the steam engine – all enormous, incredibly

It’s astonishing how much incredible technology available now, and will be in the near future. This year has shown us some of the coolest technology is becoming less the stuff of sci-fi movies and government labs and more items, such

The idea of virtual reality has been around for years. Sci-fi nerds have dreamed of being able to step onto virtual planets and meet with alien beings. But until recently, virtual reality technology has been extremely limited, both in availability

We are becoming more accustomed to jaw-dropping video game technology, Amazon’s Alexa speakers, and nifty Android and iOS apps that seem to let us do just about anything. While commercial technology continues to make leaps and bounds each year, what

Most people have heard of the blockchain, but very few actually know what it means. When you ask someone what it is, they’re likely going to spew out a bunch of words and phrases that won’t make any sense. Or

They are everywhere. I’m willing to bet you can’t remember the last time you didn’t use one – or something that was powered by one, at least. I’m talking about lithium-ion batteries. They power everything from your phone, to your

Do you remember a time before computers? Even if you were alive before the personal computer completely changed the world, do you remember it? What did we do? How did we learn? How did we communicate? Children born after the

Disruption has always been a part of business. Old business models become irrelevant, and new business models replace them. When the new models first appear, they are almost always met with resistance. Change is hard, and people want to stay

Most people who have used social media have experienced the process of searching for something online only to find it show up as an advertisement on their social media feed. It has become commonplace for people to have their internet

Technology trends in recent years have moved ever-faster and taken us further into the sci-fi future than our ancestors could have ever predicted. From smart home-enabled devices that control our thermostats and refrigerators from across the country to secure, democratic

If you work in information technology, you know everything is constantly changing. Once the majority of people are comfortable with one technology, the next one is ready to push that one out of place. One of the most recent innovations

If you thought the future of transportation was just electric cars and autonomous vehicles, well, there’s a push to take things a little higher. Certainly, gasoline-free, self-driving cars are all the rage right now, and rightfully so. We are deep

Do you know any risk takers? An adrenaline junkie or someone who lives life on the edge. You know the type – they climb mountains, jump out of planes, and of course walk around with less than 20% battery life

Cloud computing is an increasingly popular term, just as using the cloud for storage, applications, and business servers is an increasingly popular practice. Businesses of all sizes are implementing cloud technology to reduce sunk costs, overhead, and physical space dedicated

Since the inception of the assembly line, manufacturers have continually searched for ways to improve their efficiency. In the past few decades, robots have taken over some of the functions of human workers, mostly in repetitive, routine tasks. This has

Since the first tin-type photographs in the 1800’s, photography has come a long way. Kodak 110’s, Polaroid instant photos, 35mm, digital cameras, cameras in our smartphones – it’s quite a camera world out there! So, what is the newest enhancement

Most people know that dolphins use echolocation to find things in their environment. The clicking noises they emit bounce off objects under the water and travel back to the smart mammal. This helps them measure size and distance between them

Fresh water is the most important resource for human life on earth. People can survive far longer without food than without water, and virtually all of our food sources require fresh water to grow or create. Global climate change and

Over the years, many high-tech screen technologies have come and gone. From traditional tube televisions to projectors, plasma screens to LCD and now oLEDs, the consumer market has seen all manner of screen formats, definitions, and materials. As the smartphone,

As climate change and global warming are bearing down on the planet, the calls for renewable, sustainable sources of energy are becoming too loud to drown out. We need ways to generate power that don’t rely on burning fossil fuels

Of all the science-fiction-sounding names that have come to fruition in recent years, perhaps none is as mysterious or seemingly fictitious as time crystals. The name evokes something between Back to the Future and Donnie Darko, and the reality is

Everybody knows ‘the speed of light’ is fast. The only thing faster is Chuck Norris, who, the legend goes, can turn out the lights and be under the covers before the room gets dark. But just how fast is light?

It seems like every day we are hearing about new technologies designed to improve previously introduced technologies. Innovation is moving so fast that our tech is upgrading within a few years of introduction. Think about how quickly we moved from

Alexa. Siri. Google Assistant. Even if you remain one of the few who has yet to utilize big techs three most widely used assistants, we are reasonably sure you are at least aware of what they are and their capabilities.

The U.S. has a long- established love of the automobile. Making our choice clear with highways instead of rail lines back in the 1950’s. Fantasizing about the open road and idolizing fast cars and Route 66. Romanticizing just as much

If you’re a particular age, then you might have memories of riding a scooter. Those flimsy, two-wheeled scooters that gave you freedom on the sidewalk in front of your house before your acquisition of a bike opened up the whole

The world was formally introduced to the concept of “drones” through the use of unmanned, remote-control airplanes used in tactical military missions around the turn of the 21st Century. It seemed like science fiction, and much of how they worked

Digital technology has provided society with hundreds of advances that make life easier and better for everyone. From the personal computer to the internet to the smartphone to the Internet of Things, we are increasingly living in a technologically driven

Big data is a big term that can mean a lot of different things, depending on who you ask. Everyone thinks of something slightly different when they hear the phrase, and almost everyone is “right.” With the amount of data

Machine learning and artificial intelligence (known as A.I.) both sound like futuristic terms for some dystopian future where robots take over the planet. Or at least like two different names for the same thing. There are lots of similarities and

We often think of 3D printing as a new technology with futuristic implications, but we rarely stop to consider how far it’s come or where it could be in another few years. 3D printing was invented by Charles Hull in

The problems of overpopulation and environmental issues have our world leaders considering what the next step is to ensure the survival of humanity. What are we to do once the population has reached the critical tipping point? What about if

You’ve heard about “smart” thermostats and how they are revolutionizing homes around the world. But are they really worth it? Do they provide that many advantages over traditional thermostats? And is it really worth spending the money and time replacing

As technology continues to progress, we are given the opportunity to explore new and more exotic types of programming, software, hardware, and systems. One innovation that is growing at a rapid pace is hologram technology.   What Exactly Are Holograms? Holography

Let’s get this out of the way: ever since the 2001 movie A.I. (and actually way before then, too), people have believed that artificial intelligence would soon emerge in the form of a race of robots that imitate human behavior

It’s been six years since consumers met Google Glass. To put it nicely…they were a flop (more on that in a bit). But we’ve come a long way since then. We now have fitness trackers, smartwatches, and even smart shoes.

April 24th, 2018 Technology is rapidly and constantly improving and evolving. Consumer gadgets get faster, better, brighter, smaller, larger, and more capable with every improvement in software and hardware. No matter what you’re shopping for, chances are the newest version

The term cyborg became popular after the release of the movie The Terminator in 1984. “The 600-series had rubber skin. We spotted them easy, but these are new. They look human… sweat, bad breath, everything. Very hard to spot.” One

Not so long ago, solar power was something of a dream for those who were ahead of the curve in the environmental movement. It appeared to be an option for the wealthy and for those who had committed themselves to

Recycling has become a normal part of everyday life for almost all Americans. Though the concept of recycling has been present for millennia, the modern recycling movement was really accelerated in the 1970’s. The symbol for Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (The

In the history of business and manufacturing, automation has become commonplace. In many ways, people have been replaced by machines in the manufacturing, retail, restaurant, and corporate settings. At the same time, opportunities have arisen for employees who specialize in

The issue of the environment is as current as it has ever been. And while global warming seems to occupy the news and the public imagination more than anything else, there are other environmental concerns which still have a critical

Image: B&W Megtec What is Air Pollution? Since the advent of civilization, people have discovered different methods to reduce the stress of humans, increase the standard of living and make life easier. While these inventions have brought a lot of

What is a Clean Room? Clean rooms are enclosures designed to facilitate very sensitive research, fabrication, and any other operation that must take place in the absence or near absence of dirt, dust, moisture and other atmospheric conditions. Clean rooms

Wire Mesh is a factory-made product created from the intertwining of lustrous wire that has been merged and interweaved to form consistent parallel spaces with symmetrical gaps. There are several materials used in making wire mesh, however, the major materials

Pipe Fabrication, also known as tube fabrication, is a broad category of industrial processes that manufacturers use to cut and shape pipes. Tube Fabrication covers cutting and sawing processes such as circular, band, friction, and more.   Pipe cutting is

You’ve undoubtedly heard of semiconductors. They really are everywhere. But while most people have heard of semiconductors, very few people know much about them. We intend on changing that. Consider this your introduction to the world of semiconductors. By the

Since the world’s first artificial nuclear reactor came online in 1942 – the Chicago Pile-1 at the University of Chicago – the history of nuclear power and the reactors that produced it is equal parts triumphant and troubled. It is

Seeking to become a dominant force in global high-tech manufacturing, the Chinese government launched what’s being called “Made in China 2025.” By using subsidies, mobilizing state-owned enterprises, and pursuing intellectual property acquisition, the program aims to catch up with, and

Climate change is a difficult subject to discuss. Ranking right at the top of the most divisive political topics, it brings charged, passionate debate from those who believe it’s very real, and those who claim the earth always has and

IQS, otherwise known as Industrial Quick Search, is a free web listing offering comprehension information about manufacturers and contractors that design products for different buyers. This list creates an internet marketplace targeted at providing well-precised, first-hand data on industrial materials

During the 2016 presidential campaign, plenty of rhetoric surrounded the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Much of the debate centered on whether Asia-Pacific trade agreement was a good or bad deal for the United States. Although President Obama was a long-standing champion

Manufacturing has come a long way. Just a few years ago, the idea of manufacturing something in your home was unheard of. If you wanted something, you had to buy it. Or, you had to work with a company to

If you haven’t heard of it by now, you will soon. 3D printing is taking the world by storm. It’s an innovative new technology that can be used in a variety of industries, including health, automotive, tech, finance, even agriculture.There

In the late 19th century, the world was transformed by the Industrial Revolution and the introduction of the steam engine. In total, there have been four major waves of industrial revolutions. The second was the introduction of electricity and assembly

Plastic packaging is one of the worst environmental crises our planet faces today. Many forms of plastic packaging are single-use and difficult to recycle or are not eligible for recycling in many places. While single-use plastics are falling out of

From its use as a coloring pigment in ceramics in Ancient Egypt, to its discovery as a key ingredient in much of our modern technology, the mineral, cobalt, has a long history. Even though this brittle, silvery-blue metal is in

In the 1996 film, Star Trek: First Contact, there’s an exchange between Enterprise Captain Jean Luc Picard and another character about the economies of the 24th century. Captain Picard notes that “The economics of the future are somewhat different.” We

In May 2017, the computing world endured one of the single largest hacks in history. The WannaCry ransomware wreaked havoc on systems across the globe. China, Russia, the United Kingdom, and even the US – few countries were spared. Some

When this country began, our hunter-gatherer, farming ancestors worked to live. Not a single iota of energy was wasted in a day. Wasted time equaled starvation. In this new century, our country is working from the fruits of the industrial

Global warming & climate change. These terms are often used interchangeably. However, they have differing, distinct meanings. Global warming is the increase of mean temperatures on the Earth. Climate change affects ecosystems, habitats, plants, and animal life. As scientists have

One of the key ingredients to maintaining a positive global marketplace is collegial trade between countries. Many partnerships are strong and create a win-win situation for all concerned parties. But, there are still many countries who cannot come to an

In 1982, a family in the U.S. bought a microwave oven. In 2012, thirty years later, the microwave was still working. In 2017, a young lady purchased an iPhone upgrade and a protective case. Four months later, with a splintered

We’ll be honest: this article is going to primarily appeal to those who love engineering. Is that a small group of people? Probably. But engineering is critically important, if you’ve ever considered a career in engineering, this article is for

Gender inequality in the workplace is nothing new. When women entered the workforce during World War II, it was out of necessity. During the feminist movement of the 1960’s, women entered the workforce by choice. However, their options were quite

Even though we are well into our second decade of widespread internet use, the term ‘cyber attack’ is still a relatively new and daunting one for many people. Many individuals and small businesses trust in their off-the-shelf antivirus software, which

As the news continues to report hacking incidents, both personal and corporate, we are becoming more aware and concerned about the privacy of our digital devices. We want to be sure our private information stays private and can’t be easily

April 6th, 2018 Since 1955, the United States Government has recognized the need for legislation to clean up air pollution. Subsequent revisions to the initial legislation strengthened the laws regarding allowable amounts of car emissions, factory smog, and other sources

How can you tell if you are getting the short end of the stick from your SEO agency? It may not be obvious, so watching out for these suspicious behaviors can help you avoid getting ripped-off.

To succeed in a world in which customers seek out manufacturers and products online, you need a great PPC strategy to draw them in. While it can be tempting to take the easy route of pay-per-click with Google (when a

Customers surf the worldwide web every day without thinking much about those few letters behind the backlashes and the www-dots. However, those combinations of letters, ‘HTTP’ and ‘HTTPS’, are incredibly important, and it matters which one you choose to use

Why is link equity so important? What is Link equity? Link equity is the value that a site provides another site with a follow backlink to that site to increase organic rankings on Google. The challenge is determining the value

What if there was a way to proactively safeguard your company’s reputation and be notified of any mentions of your business or customers in the news? What if it was free and easy to use? Google Alerts lets you keep

“Bounce rate” is a term that describes the percentage of visitors who left from the entrance page of your site without ever interacting with any of the content on the page. A good website should have a very low bounce

5 Tips for Understanding Website Referral Traffic   The first step in gathering website metrics is to install and begin leveraging tracking tools on your website. Google Analytics is arguably the most popular analytics package available for individual site owners and

Next Gen Manufacturing Directories Ensure Informed Product Decisions Manufacturing organizations have historically relied on a combination of re-seller channels and traditional marketing efforts such as print advertising, trade shows, and industry events to expand their businesses. Although those efforts may

According to a 2016 study by Doubleclick (the display advertising arm of Google), the average user click through rate across all online advertising formats and placements is 0.17%—meaning that users execute less than 2 clicks per 1000 impressions.

For quite some time since the introduction of Google+, managing local listings and content across commercial properties has confused many local business owners and search engine marketers alike. Launched in 2014, Google My Business is Google’s new unified interface designed to make life easier for local businesses and increase exposure to brand names within Google searches.

According to a recent study from Google, 96 percent of online consumers visit a website and then leave without completing a purchase action. The aim of remarketing, also known as behavior-based marketing, is to encourage those lost conversions to come back and engage in more meaningful site interactions.

Why switch to HTTPS? A helpful guide to securing a website   The Perks: Over the last few years, many websites have made the jump from HTTP to HTTPS, and with good reason—HTTPS, or secure sites, encrypt sensitive data that

  Analyze Your Website & Business Goals The first step in setting up your goals in Google Analytics is to analyze your website. How is your website going to help your achieve your business goals? It should be giving prospects

Your website is the electronic storefront for your business. It represents you and your products. The goal of your website is to take a prospect and turn them into a customer. Google Analytics is a great way to get information

According to Statista, there are 2.46 billion social media users worldwide. More than 81% of the U.S. population had a social media profile in 2016 and, on average, Americans spent over 300 minutes a week on social media. Needless to

Online reviews lead to better local search rankings and more referral traffic. Furthermore, positive reviews generate organic traffic. Read more here…

Managing the Rising Costs of PPC for SMBs Google AdWords, the largest pay-per-click (PPC) advertising platform, was launched in 2001, offering marketers a method for measuring online rankings across search engine results. Google said recently that Google AdWords has “well

With the holiday shopping season just three months away, it’s the perfect time to clean and refresh your website and digital content, particularly when it comes to material not created by you. With recent news about how bogus product reviews

Enhanced Google Negative Keyword Program Would be First Among the Leading Industrial Search Engines & PPC Services IQS, a global industrial manufacturers directory, has officially announced the availability of a Google Adwords ‘Pay-Per-Click’ (PPC) option as part their marketing program

At their core, search engines are internet encyclopedias allowing users to find and filter out relevant information. With any given search engine, it takes users skill to find exactly what they are looking for. Users must understand how a search engine

Customers and prospects who visit your website do so based on a variety of intentions: some are there to purchase, others are simply doing research, and some might be applying for a job with your company. Your website can attract

While many B2B organizations struggle with thinking of Twitter as a viable marketing tool, the platform has become an essential tool for connecting with customers, business partners, and industry in general. In a 2015 B2B marketing study by the Content

Four Ways to Put Standard Industry Classification to Work for You For over 60 years, the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) System has served as a widely accepted structure for the analysis of businesses participating in the U.S. economy. Marketers have

“Hey Siri, what’s the capital of North Dakota?” “Alexa, order me a twenty-five- pound bag of gummy bears…STAT!” “Okay Google, play Vanilla Ice’s greatest hits.” The future is hear (yeah, that’s a terrible pun). Searching the internet used to require

Content marketing is a term thrown around a lot these days, but it’s rarely defined. The name is a little bit confusing, because when people hear “content,” they think one thing and when they hear “marketing,” they think another. This