I know we talk a lot about customer service – its what we do after all – so it was brilliant to get this feedback out of the blue :-
” I would just like to thank you very much for FDB’s help over the past few weeks. All the staff have been extremely efficient, helpful and friendly” from one of our UK Panel Builder customers.
So whether you need standard locks, latches, handles, swinghandles, hinges or gasket – or something more custom in the way of panel fittings - we will do our best for you – and if you need a custom service package of specification, assembly and logistics then we can do that too under our Rocfast banner which has customer service at it’s heart.
In the world of prestige interiors and offices, hinges can be either featured or hidden and it is this latter aspect which is addressed by our new range of “invisible” hinges. These allow the door to be opened a full 180° whilst remaining very strong and unseen when closed. This is achieved by virtue of morticing the mechanism of a hinge into the door and frame and having precision engineered involuted arms or members.
The HES3D-190 suits substantial entrance doors to places like hotels, institutions and aspirational homes. The flawless smooth movement and rock solid engineering reflect well upon the prestige of the building and they are fully adjustable on three axes so that a perfect fit for the door can be maintained from installation on through many years of service.
For many designers the 190 variant would be massive overkill for interior doors – which is why we also have it’s smaller relation the HES3D-120 which looks to all intents and purposes like the HES3D-190 but is about half the size. Not only does it retain its big brothers good looks but also all of its functionality. Allen keyed screws allow the hinge to be adjusted up, down, left, right, in or out. It is designed for doors up to 30kgs when two hinges are used and predictably the solidity of the mechanism is remarkable. The load of the door is distributed between seven links which allow the arms to move sweet-and-free and completely without play.
In use it has particular advantages. The body of the hinge is not as deep as other hinges in this class which may have positive ramifications for the type and design of door used.
Like its bigger brothers, installation is a one man job. The two halves of the hinge are installed on door and frame and then simply brought together on a locating pin to drop into a slot with gravity. A simple enhancement like this can really reduce the hassle on a multi-door installation. The HES3D-120 comes in either a silver or champagne gold finish at a very competitive price.
Our new motor transport vehicle fasteners include hinges, slam locks and quarter-turn locks to suit the specialist needs of this industry. These include a strong requirement for permanently secure fastening protected against vibrations and the mechanical demands placed upon these components by heavy duty use in challenging environmental circumstances. This could well include dust, mud, rain, heat and abusive treatment, even vandalism.
Re-development of a run-down waterfront area in Cape Town South Africa into prestigious shops, hotels, flats, cafes, etc. called for a range of public information kiosks with compact concealed hinges to permit access for installation/maintenance. Here at FDB Panel Fittings we were delighted to provide our 4-100 90 degree weld-on hinges with central guide which resist sagging during adjustment.
The situation called for double-sided kiosks with back to back 55 inch LCD screens mounted in a 2.4m high by 1m wide housing just 200mm deep – so internal space was at a premium and strength/rigidity essential. Aesthetic design was paramount in the presentation of this installation which was intended to offer a larger than life interactive experience to visitors and to suit the contemporary styling of the wider development itself.
It is satisfying that we were able to play a small but significant part in this successful project by supplying from our comprehensive range of specialist panel hinges.
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The new D-SNAP technology handbook available free illustrates how this innovative fixing and assembly system for the sheet metal and panel building industries can save time and money without using tools for construction of enclosures and mounting of hardware such as handles, hinges etc.
Snap technology provides a unique alternative to traditional fastening methods. It is currently used in the assembly process of industrial enclosures and has the potential for use in many other areas; for example, household appliances, industrial machinery, HVAC equipment, automotive and furniture industries. Fasteners that incorporate snap technology can be manufactured easily, and are very secure and extremely economical. They also offer a high load-bearing ability. Snap technology offers many advantages when compared with traditional fastening techniques. For high-volume production it is possible to incorporate snap technology into products for blind assembly, and then to integrate the products into an automated assembly process using robots.
Because it can be installed as a single piece, the snap fastener offers advantages for the user. The main advantages are time and money savings in the assembly of enclosures and switch cabinets. Additionally, when the need for the costly storage of panel parts is eliminated, the overall manufacturing process speeds up. Also, storage outlay for fasteners used in process is noticeably lower, since the snap fasteners are delivered as pre-assembled components and are immediately ready for installation. Over and above this, the user profits from the superior functionality afforded by a system where no parts can get lost after installation.
Combining snap fasteners with functional components such as locks, hinges, handles etc., – plus the special design of the snap fastener itself creates a much larger range of applications that can go beyond just the joining of panels.
Notes by Terry Cantle – free copies of the D-SNAP technology handbook may be obtained from by contacting us here or by telephone on 020 8568 1616.
This concealed pin hinge is ideal for nested doors such as 19” cabinets and wall mounted racks. It is also suitable for quick access side panels on stand-alone cabinets. The space saving design enables a simple clip-in fitting at both the top and bottom of the door with “no tools”, while a manually operated sprung pin allows for easy and quick installation/removal. The ingenious simplicity of this hinge assembly ensures that with 2 of these low cost items per door and a 5 second installation, panel hinging may be quickly accomplished.
The hinge pin body incorporates an integral spacer/bearing washer for smooth operation and can be easily and quickly clipped into a 10mm dia hole with clever ramped clips to accommodate thicknesses from 1.4mm to 1.6mm. It is ideal for light duty panels or doors such as found on housings and 19” cabinets for electronics, e.g. for computers/servers in telecommunications, internet etc from factory and building control systems to aerospace, military and astronomical observation.
The Traditional British 76mm Panel Hinge has been a mainstay of the UK’s panel building industry for many years so we are pleased to now offer an updated and re-engineered series of these well-known panel mount “bullet” hinges, featuring improved low friction washer and cost reduced manufacture using the latest die-cast processes which provide enhanced rigidity with superior surface finish.
We expect them to find application on control panels and enclosures etc. where their availability in chrome, black powder coat and self-colour will enable specialist panel builders to readily source the most suitable version for quick and simple fitment.
These die-cast lift-off block hinges feature M6 rear blind fixing to standard UK mounting centres and are interchangeable with other standard 76mm items, so ensuring a convenient non-handed installation.
We are pleased to announce that we have far exceeded a 3000 plus inventory of specialist industrial access hardware for electrical enclosures, cabinets, electronic racks, control panels, HVAC equipment, lockers/furniture, amusement machines, retail displays, telephone and vehicle security.
Our Panel Fittings range now features locks of many types from quarter-turn through compression locks/latches and combination to pin tumbler, padlocks and rod locks. Standard handle types are catered for, including grab handles, T, L, swinghandles and winghandles. Many items are available in stainless steel 303, 304 or 316, making them suitable for use in chemical, food processing or marine situations where corrosion resistance, coupled to rugged performance are critical factors.
We have been leading specialists in the panel hardware arena for over 30 years and pride ourselves on providing “The Full Package”. As Terry Cantle explained: “We work hard to ensure that we provide real added value – not only with our product, but also by consulting closely with customers in order to provide a proven and reliable single source. We not only ensure specifications are met, but also that costs are minimised.”
Alongside locks and handles the natural complement is a standard range of hinges which in this case provides a huge selection of internal, external, lift-off, piano, weld-on, bolt-on and clip-in types – again with stainless steel variants if required. The innovative D-SNAP technology for tool-less panel joining and hardware fitment parallels traditional technologies with the added potential to save costs and time.
In the world of enclosure hardware we have always focused on the main areas of enclosure locks, hinges, handles and gaskets - and have recently added mechanical combination locks and digital code entry locks. Our hinge offering has also been supplimented with glass door hinges, decorative and heavy duty hinges - so that now we are confident that in the Panel Fittings world we can offer something for everybody and are one step nearer to our aim of having “panel fittings for every enclosure”!
We have been excited by the possibilities of the SNAP-LINE® range for use in fabricating flat pack enclosures as illustrated by the videos available on our website and Youtube channel. The D-SNAP technology has been designed for quick easy use and has been applied to a full range of components from panel joiners to hinges and swinghandles so that a complete assembly may be produced for flat transport and simple assembly on site.
We now offer the full range of locks/handles, hinges, compression latches, quarter-turns, swinghandles, joining elements, pull handles and slam latches which are likely to interest specialist enclosure or cabinet builders who are looking for a simple labour saving way to rationalise panel punching and subsequent assembly. The SNAP-LINE® system features a unique clip-in and tool removal system covering metal thicknesses from 0.8mm up to 2.7mm in convenient steps to suit normal industrial practice with degrees of sealing offered by hinges and locks/handles to achieve up to IP65 where specified.
This unique modular technology requires only rectangular hole punching to suit the relevant component which can then be pushed into place by hand to achieve a firm positive fit. The system can be used to fabricate complete cabinets by means of joining elements which can hold sides to back, panels to frames – other components then complete the assembly with snap-in hinges and door closure/security items and so on. The technology that enables this involves careful use of detail design criteria and spring utilisation to ensure a “locked-in” tight fit once installed and a robust assembly when in use.
An excellent example is the 40mm long cast hinges with 180° capability and sealing capacity to IP65 with RH or LH operation which are particularly applicable where full door opening is required, either for maximum door clearance, e.g. for insertion of equipment – or for access to the rear of the door. They may be used on standalone enclosures/racks or on suited style side-by-side installations with three versions available – with M5 cast in screws, with screws on one leaf and SNAP-LINE® fitting on the other leaf – or with SNAP-LINE® (D-SNAP®) technology on both leaves to enable a simple “blind” push-in fitting that does not require access from the rear – this can provide up to 90% savings in hinge assembly time.
The D-SNAP® range of panel assembly joiners, locks, hinges etc is designed to enable specialist cabinet builders to quickly fabricate housings with flat sheet into a robust structure. These specialist joiner components operate to fasten two or more sheet metal panels together by simply pressing and snapping the joiner into prepared panel cutouts. They are ideal for fastening cabinet components, e.g. removable top or base and for robust firm fixing of panels of similar or varying thickness, e.g. multi-component motor control cabinets.
The 1-044SL is intended for permanent assembly or joining of cabinets side by side whereas the 1-045SL is specifically for situations where one panel may require regular removal, e.g. for maintenance. The 1-046SL also allows one panel to be removed; it is the ideal solution where lighting panels for example have to be removed. The fixed side is fastened with screws enabling the joiner to be used with materials such as wood or for retro-fit installation where hole purchasing is not a possibility.
D-SNAP® joiners will adjust to varying thicknesses of panel and use standard 30x10mm cut-outs enabling rapid assembly after painting. Where removable panels are needed then pull-off forces may be chosen from 15N/30N/50N dependent upon component.
As a finishing touch a low profile SNAP-LINE® swinghandle is ideal for enclosures and control panels where “no-tools” snap-in fitment and resistance to vibration will be appreciated. Features of this D-SNAP® technology unit include clamping ranges from 0.7mm to 5.3mm, LH and RH application and blind assembly, all in a low cost package which – like the D-SNAP® hinges – can save up to 90% of assembly time compared to other swinghandles. Fitment is by means of a simple 110x25mm cut-out – removal is also accomplished quickly and without tools.
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I know we talk a lot about customer service – its what we do after all – so it was brilliant to get this feedback out of the blue :-
