3 Factors To Consider When Designing A Durable Product

                        

 

The quality of the locks, gaskets, and hinges you select can determine the efficiency of your overall design. Compromising on the material and quality of these articles can cost your client thousands of dollars in product loss or container replacement, which can damage your reputation. Choosing attachments that fit your clients’ needs is therefore a crucial part of the design process that requires you to choose parts can handle the work they need to do.

Here are three factors you should consider when choosing the right hardware for your design:

Weather Conditions

External factors can directly compromise the integrity of the locks, hinges, and gaskets that help give your product value as a secure container. When considering a design, take into account the weather conditions that your product may need to withstand:

  • Temperature fluctuation – Dramatic rises and drops in temperature can cause materials to expand and contract, which can lead to damage, breakage, or a decrease in design functionality.
  • Moisture – Humidity and precipitation provide ideal conditions for rust to form on metal attachments. Water can also destroy or damage high-tech articles, such as biometric locking systems, if they aren’t designed to withstand it.
  • Extreme temperatures – Over time, consistently hot or cold environments can cause structural damage to improperly designed attachments. Consider the effects that a frozen lock or a melted gasket could have on your product.

Selecting attachments that can endure extreme and everyday weather conditions can make the difference between a product that lasts a lifetime and a product that needs to be frequently replaced.

Frequency of Use

A piece of hardware that’s used a hundred times a day demands a particularly high level of quality. Frequent and repetitive use requires an attachment with moving parts, such as a hinge, to stand up to additional friction. The fastening tools that secure the object to the container need to be structurally sound as well – over time, the repeated impact of a lock or latch clicking in and out of place can jar it loose.

Hardware without moving parts can also be structurally compromised by frequent use. A freezer door gasket, for example, might wear down as the door opens and closes dozens of times per day over the years. Its sealing capabilities could then decrease, resulting in increased energy costs to maintain the internal temperature or even a loss of product if the temperature rises too much.

Resting Time

Just as a frequently used product can risk deterioration, a product that sits untouched for weeks, months, or even years at a time can fail as well. Articles in high-moisture environments are at particular risk for corrosion, which can reduce the mobility of hinges, locks, and other attachments with moving parts. In extreme cases, an increase in corrosion or rust over time can cause the article to break, compromising both the contents within the container and the container itself. Consider using attachments made of stainless steel or high-performance plastics, which are more resistant to the damage caused by lack of use.

Materials That Last

After considering the functional needs of your design, prioritize the selection of durable, easy-to-use hardware to help your product reach its full potential. Choosing high-quality hinges, gaskets, and locks can help you create a design that withstands any elements it encounters.

Contact us today to discover how durable attachments can add value to your product.

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