Weber Knapp Blog

Picking the right hinge for the right application can often seem like a difficult puzzle. You have to consider the cycle life, environment, and cost, which can often leave you at a standstill. 

But, there’s one hinge option that balances all three factors to provide a reliable and cost-effective hinge solution: spring-assist hinges. 

While some industries have been using motion control solutions for years, other industries could still benefit from modern hinge designs – ceramics being one of them. 

Not all manufacturers get to boast that they’ve been around for a century. But Weber Knapp can, and it’s thanks to our dedication to innovation and diversity. The technology has transformed since the 1900s, and so has the way we optimize your product. 

Yes, Weber Knapp specializes in motion control engineering and counterbalance hinge design, but we’re also experts in education and opportunity. 

A record 522,000 manufacturing jobs remained open in the United States in September 2019. So if you hear someone say, “Where are the jobs around here,” they probably haven’t considered the urgent need for more skilled laborers in manufacturing -- especially here in Western New York. 

When trying to include an innovative or safety-minded motion control design in your product, there’s a sneaky-confusing word you should know: torque. 

Torque is very important.

If you’ve been following our blog you’re already familiar with Vectis™ Springloaded Counterbalanced Hinges and what they can offer but, maybe you still aren’t sure what applications they can really be used for or, maybe you’re just landing on our website and getting to know Vectis™. So, in the spirit of sharing our counterbalance knowledge, we’ve tasked our very creative Design Engineers with imagining an application using Vectis™ Hinges and bringing that application to “life” in order to show you some of the countless applications these counterbalance hinges can be used on. Following you’ll find four applications that are perfect for Vectis™ hinges as imagined by our engineering thinkers, dreamers, and inventors:

The Dresser with a Hidden Surprise

The Vectis™ team traveled to Atlanta, GA to attend the 2017 Hearth, Patio, & Barbecue Associations HPBExpo – North America’s largest indoor-outdoor living showcase.

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.




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