A counterbalancing mechanism makes it possible to open heavy lids, covers, surfaces, and equipment with little to no effort on the user’s part. From single users to entire industries, counterbalance systems offer benefits that are worth considering for numerous motion control needs.
Before we get into specifics, let's start with the basics: What is counterbalancing?
If you look at many products with heavy lids, you’ll find a counterbalance hinge - at least, if that lid is easy to open. (“Find” is a deceptive word, because often these are hidden or concealed hinges.)
That lid could weigh 80 lbs., but you only feel 2 lbs. of force when you try to open it. You’re lifting “only” 2 lbs. because an engineer expertly designed the lid with a counterbalance.
If the designer wants to, he can create a lid that opens with 3 lbs., 10 lbs., or 15 lbs. of applied force - basically any number he wants (though that number is sometimes determined by price point). That’s one of the most exciting things about a counterbalancing system - it can be designed to operate in numerous ways depending on your application.
You might ask, “How does a counterbalance work?” We could go into a deep dive into the specifics of this technology, but a simple explanation is best for most purchasers.
We define a counterbalance as a weight or force that offsets or mitigates another weight or force.
In essence, a counterbalancing system incorporates various types of springs to take the effort out of lifting and supporting a lid, pass-through countertop, cover, or electromechanical equipment. It’s not just the spring itself - it’s how an engineer applies geometry and other design techniques to support the lid.
The system counteracts the weight of the lid and balances it in a way that achieves the desired result.
In a general sense, there are three types of counterbalance hinge systems:
While your choice of counterbalance system largely depends on the application, there are some elements with the mechanical option that are hard to ignore. A mechanical hinge:
There are numerous advantages that come with great counterbalance system design. These include:
These systems work great with experimental design. They can be designed for specific life cycles -- you can specify that you want your product to last 5,000 cycles, 250,000 cycles, or whatever else you want!
Lids can be made to stay open, to coast open, pop up, etc. You can combine multiple types of hinges, springs, and so on. It all depends on your preference.
The best way to determine the right counterbalance design for your product is to speak to a knowledgeable design team. With the right feedback, you can determine what you can do with the budget you prefer (and your sales/marketing team’s guidelines).
Counterbalance systems are common in a wide variety of applications, including:
Really, any product or equipment that requires a certain type of motion control is fair game for counterbalancing technology. Again, this is where collaboration with a counterbalance technology expert early in the design phase can get you the perfect result, tailored to your industry and product needs.
Learn more about how motion control and counterbalancing can impact your business!
This article was originally published in 2019 and was recently updated to reflect industry trends.