Weber Knapp Blog

When it comes to high-end kitchen appliance design, great performance is as important on the outside as it is on the inside.

When most people hear “ergonomics,” they picture office workers at desks. But ergonomics – designing or modifying the working environment for the worker’s health and comfort – is just as important in the construction industry.

Most restaurant injuries don’t come from knives or open flames – they come from something as ordinary as a countertop. Lifting a heavy bar pass-through dozens of times during a shift strains backs, spills drinks, and leaves staff scrambling to recover.

When most people think of Weber Knapp, one thing might come to mind: hinges. And it makes sense. For decades, the company has been a trusted source of precision-engineered motion control solutions, especially heavy-duty and counterbalance hinges. But here’s the thing – hinges are used in such a wide variety of applications.  

Today’s buyers want more features built into their products. They also want designs that either don’t take up much space or use space in a smarter way. So how does a product designer balance both?

Think about the products you use every day. The ones that work best usually feel simple, even if there’s a lot of engineering behind them. That’s the idea behind user experience (UX): how people interact with something and how easy it is to get the result they want.

Some lids close gently. Others seem to wait until your hand is nearby, then drop like a trap. 

Designing anything with a moving part involves one constant: something must control the motion. 

Whether it’s a heavy lid, a compact panel, or a rotating arm, the hinge often carries the responsibility. But in many innovative projects, a standard hinge simply doesn’t cut it.

Off-the-shelf hardware rarely fits one-of-a-kind applications. When working with unconventional forms, materials, or functionality, you need solutions that go beyond basic pivoting.

Every designer and engineer knows the struggle: A sleek product vision looks great on screen, but when real-world motion comes into play, it can quickly turn into a clunky, frustrating user experience. The marketing team wants eye-catching visuals. Engineers focus on technical feasibility. End users expect intuitive interaction. Somewhere in the middle, safety and long-term usability demand their due.

When drop gate hardware fails, it’s rarely just one issue. The lid doesn’t close cleanly. Movement becomes unpredictable. Hardware starts to loosen under repeated use. Over time, the entire system becomes harder to rely on.