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Motion Control Engineering & Manufacturing Resources

Weber Knapp Blog

Revolutionizing Smoker Hinges With Motion Control

Posted by Weber Knapp on Nov 9, 2022 12:00:00 AM

Have you ever looked at your grill design and thought, “I wish this lid wasn’t so heavy and didn’t slam whenever I let go?” 

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Topics: Motion Control, Counterbalance Hinge, Grill, High End Grill, Hinges, Smoker, Smoker Grill, Food Industry, kitchen

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

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