Weber Knapp Blog

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.

When talking about today’s motion control solutions, engineers tend to think in terms of motors and cylinders. True, those can provide movement, but so can mechanical motion control, which has come a long way in terms of complexity and quality. 

Ergonomics is a recognized factor in employee health, productivity and workplace safety. Facilities that do not budget for and pay attention to ergonomics see employees with repetitive stress injuries, distracted from their work, and less than thrilled to be there.

Staff efficiency is improved when priority is given to ergonomics. For example, investing in an ergonomic keyboard means a typist can improve speed, cut back on mistakes and spend more time typing and less on breaks. 

If you’re designing a product with a hinge, there’s a decent chance you want it hidden away from the world.

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.

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. 

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.

Why bother with chemistry and electronics when you can get great performance from sturdy, reliable mechanical motion control?