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Motion Control Engineering & Manufacturing Resources

Weber Knapp Blog

6 Types of Heavy-Duty Hinges & Where to Use Them in Commercial Designs

Posted by Weber Knapp on Feb 18, 2022 6:45:00 AM

Today’s hinges make life much easier and more comfortable. We have progressed so far from just a plain, 'ol door hinge to advanced solutions for kinematic motion, mechanical spring counterbalance, and spring assist technologies. 

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Topics: Applications, Ergonomics, Motion Control, Design, Appliance, Counterbalance, Engineering, Grill, Hinge, Hinges, Industrial, Lid, Lid Support, Smoker, Aesthetics, Cost, Testing & Prototyping, kitchen, Manufacturing

3 Small Outdoor Kitchen Design Ideas for Professionals

Posted by Weber Knapp on Jan 19, 2022 9:00:00 AM

The outdoor kitchen is quickly becoming a popular addition to the modern home. Where homeowners used to simply flip burgers, they’re now adding smokers, ovens, stoves, refrigerators, sinks, wine coolers, and more to their outdoor setup. 

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Topics: Ergonomics, Appliance, Counterbalance Hinge, Grill, High End Grill, Smoker, Smoker Grill, Aesthetics, kitchen, Hospitality Furniture

What Is A Hidden Hinge On A Refrigerator?

Posted by Weber Knapp on Jan 4, 2022 12:30:00 PM

A quick look at a few higher-end refrigerators will show you how prevalent hidden hinges are in top-tier appliances. As the name suggests, these hinges are invisible to the casual glance and therefore create a more seamless look in the kitchen. 

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Topics: Ergonomics, Motion Control, Design, Appliance, Counterbalance Hinge, Hinge, Hinges, Lid, Testing & Prototyping, kitchen, Manufacturing

Industrial Hinge Design Calculations: Door & Lid Torque

Posted by Weber Knapp on Dec 7, 2021 11:15:00 AM

Complex hinge design is a staple of many high-end, high-performing products. The math required to make your lid, cover, or door work as advertised can be wildly different depending on your application.

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Topics: Counterbalances, Motion Control, Design, Appliance, Center of Gravity, Engineering, Grill, Industrial, Lid Support, Smoker, Safety, kitchen

Is an Ergonomic Mouse Tray Worth the Office's Cheese?

Posted by Weber Knapp on Aug 3, 2021 9:45:00 AM


Have you created a healthy workplace for your employees? The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) advocates for a workplace that promotes good posture through ergonomic office furniture and equipment. Good posture leads to more productive employees with fewer aches and pains, healthier bodies, and fewer sick days. 

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Topics: Ergonomics, Appliance, Safety, office equipment

Vectis™ Imagined Applications

Posted by Leila Bell on Apr 28, 2017 9:18:28 AM

If you’ve been following our blog you’re already familiar with Vectis™ Springloaded Counterbalanced Hinges and what they can offer but, maybe you still aren’t sure what applications they can really be used for or, maybe you’re just landing on our website and getting to know Vectis™. So, in the spirit of sharing our counterbalance knowledge, we’ve tasked our very creative Design Engineers with imagining an application using Vectis™ Hinges and bringing that application to “life” in order to show you some of the countless applications these counterbalance hinges can be used on. Following you’ll find four applications that are perfect for Vectis™ hinges as imagined by our engineering thinkers, dreamers, and inventors:

The Dresser with a Hidden Surprise

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Topics: Motion Control, Appliance, Counterbalance, Counterbalance Hinge, Draw Bridge, Engineering, Hinges, Industrial, Lid Support, Push Cart, Springloaded, Vectis, Hospitality Furniture

HPBExpo - What a Show!

Posted by Leila Bell on Mar 15, 2017 11:06:07 AM


The Vectis™ team traveled to Atlanta, GA to attend the 2017 Hearth, Patio, & Barbecue Associations HPBExpo – North America’s largest indoor-outdoor living showcase.

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Topics: Ergonomics, Motion Control, Appliance, Counterbalance, Engineering, Grill, Hestan, High End Grill, Hinge, Hinges, Industrial, Lid, Lid Support, Smoker, Smoker Grill, Springloaded, Uncategorized, Vectis

Vectis™ - Effects of Vertical Distance to the Center of Gravity

Posted by Leila Bell on Oct 28, 2016 4:43:41 PM


So, you’ve decided that a springloaded counterbalance hinge is the ideal way to take your project to the next level. And, you already know that a Vectis™ Counterbalance Hinge can address your specific design challenges and that a Vectis™ counterbalance hinge will outperform and out last a gas spring. But, what technical considerations do you need to make before you click the DYO tab?


To help prepare you for your visit to the DYO app, over the next several months we’ll be discussing some of the technical decisions you’ll need to make in order to design the perfect counterbalance for your project. This month we’re going to discuss the effects of vertical distance to the center of gravity and what that could mean in regard to the ultimate function of your project.


The vertical distance to the center of gravity can have a big impact on how your lid acts near the open position. The greater the positive vertical distance the greater the tendency for the lid to self-open at larger open angles. Conversely, a negative vertical distance allows the lid to be potentially counterbalanced up to the maximum 90° opening angle. If you do not want the lid to coast open at larger angles, consider reducing the maximum opening angle to something close to the balance angle of the lid. The balance angle is the angle of the lid at which the center of gravity is directly above the pivot. If you are looking at the torque chart on the Vectis® DYO app, the balance angle is the point where the lid torque drops to zero.


For applications where the vertical distance to the center of gravity is sizeable, a large opening angle is required, and minimal coast towards the full open position is desired, rest assured that we can meet your needs with a Vectis® Counterbalance Hinge or a Vectis™ Custom Counterbalance.


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If you’re having trouble specifying a Vectis™ Counterbalance Hinge for your project, give us a call, our engineers are ready to assist you!


Jeremy Redlecki

Product Design Manager

and

Leila Bell

Business Develop Manager

Weber Knapp Company

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Topics: Ergonomics, Motion Control, Appliance, Center of Gravity, Counterbalance, Engineering, High End Grill, Hinge, Hinges, Industrial, Lid Support, Smoker Grill, Springloaded, Uncategorized, Vectis, Medical Equipment