Motion Control Engineering & Manufacturing Resources

User experience is essential to positive customer interaction, and mechanical motion control is essential to UX in many settings. From the hotel room to the manufacturing floor, motion control systems have fundamental impacts on how customers perceive a purchase or experience. 

If your business is in any industry where customers regularly interact with moving parts, here are three near-universal tips for good mechanical motion control design.

When designing industrial-grade, heavyweight products, factoring in motion control is crucial to both the product’s longevity and the end user’s safety. When used correctly, gas, spring-assisted, and counterbalance hinges significantly reduce the risk of injuries that can result in insurance claims or liability issues.  

The most durable and versatile products can turn out to be intimidating to the user if the wrong type of heavy-duty hinges are used. Ask anyone that lifts heavy lids all day -- spring-assisted hinges are necessary for the safety and efficiency of your entire staff.

Customer expectations can certainly change in a 112-year span.

Summer time means eating outside on the picnic table, surrounded by family and friends. But who loves moving the heavy table once the meal is done? No one.

Cue Weber Knapp's Vectis™ Technology counterbalance hinges - the future of hideaway tables, work benches, seating, and more. 

One of the goals when improving a living or commercial space design is to save space while adding functionality and flair. It’s quite the challenge to balance ergonomics, functionality, convenience, and comfort while saving space. 

Are you looking for office furniture that can serve multiple people of all sizes, at all times of the day? Hot desking (aka “hoteling”) is a growing trend that allows business owners or office managers to reduce overhead by not letting desks sit idle. Instead, employees reserve a desk as needed for their in-office days. 

Does the lid of that grill, smoker, or barbecue pit you designed fly backward or slam shut unexpectedly? Blame the cheap hinges!

Heavy-duty hinges are all about doing a job smoothly and repeatedly without compromising the quality of the overall product. Particularly in medical and scientific applications, hinges are critically essential to the continued functionality of often-expensive equipment. 

As a result, there are many hinge design guidelines specific to these industries that can make or (literally) break your project's success. Below, we'll discuss five considerations for heavy-duty hinges, and the guidelines that ensure they function perfectly.