Motion Control Engineering & Manufacturing Resources

Modern product design is heavily influenced by motion control. Many of today’s flashy or high-end products take advantage of innovative hinge mechanism design to stand out from the crowd.

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.

Much like IoT has invaded just about every household, commercial, and industrial device, more and more markets are making use of motion control and lift assist technology. Buyers in a growing number of industries not only appreciate, but also expect motion control to take their product to another level, whether it’s an:

Product makers who want to take their design to another level have more motion control options than ever.

Off-the-shelf solutions don’t fit every design. To improve user experience, resolve a safety issue, or stand out from competitors, everything you put into your product design should fit like a glove.

There are many reasons a design engineer would want to calculate center of gravity. One of the big ones? Keeping your lid, door, or cover from slamming into something -- or someone.

Product improvement and differentiation should be a priority for anyone involved with an ongoing project.

When it comes to weight and motion control, developers certainly have their options. Two of the most popular options in high-stress, high-performance applications are gas springs and counterbalance spring hinges. Like with many other competing technologies, there’s a debate over which is the better value.

Motion and perceived quality are closely linked. When a lid, cover, or door moves smoothly with just the “right” amount of effort, users can tell it's a high quality product.

Like so many other manufacturing technologies, counterbalance systems make life easier for the end customer. Matched with the right application, they can be a game-changer for user experience and safety.