Motion Control Engineering & Manufacturing Resources

Sunshine and warmer temperatures mean outdoor cooking is on the agenda. However, your backyard might not be up to the task of hosting your coworkers, your group of close friends, or your book club for a nice dinner. 

If you want to design a product with a heavy lid or door, it’s useful to research how engineers have solved similar problems with other products.

The user experience for a product with a heavy lid or cover can range from awkward to annoying to downright dangerous.

Picture holding an industrial toolbox lid in place while reaching in one-handed, maybe twisting your back in the process. Or what if it comes down suddenly when your arm or fingers are in the way? The bruises won't be pretty, and the damage might be much worse.

This is why many designers add gas spring lid supports to their lid design. Others lean toward using counterbalance spring mechanisms or other mechanical spring solutions.

Does the lid of that grill, smoker, or barbecue pit you designed fly backward or slam shut unexpectedly? Blame the cheap hinges!

As a kid, you might have marveled at the flip-up bar countertop at your parents’ favorite restaurant. But a lot has changed since then, and bar lift gates have improved significantly. 

Today’s work environment is changing, and innovative ergonomic solutions are important to remember no matter where your workspace is located. 

Flip-up countertops and other counterbalanced hinge solutions offer multiple advantages for hospitality spaces and other business applications.

Lift assists for bar and countertop openings are essential features in modern taverns, kitchens, and restaurants. Beyond just looking cool, they have many functional purposes.

While not always visible to the naked eye, custom heavy-duty hinges are hard at work in various industries every day. 

Heavy-duty gas spring hinges may be currently installed on your product. However, now the hinge is malfunctioning because the strength of the gas spring has weakened over the lifespan of your product.