Andy Billingham MD at EMKA (UK) recently described how they have historically developed industrial hardware for customer applications with high-quality standard and custom products in a responsive process that brought many technologies in-house. This, and the varying environments and operating practices which they are called upon to meet, have encouraged focus on niche applications from data centres to agriculture, specialist vehicles to rail and wider afield.
The time of making do with a basic and limited set of traditional style standard components is no longer the case since industrial hardware manufacturers now provide sophisticated materials and designs to suit specific customer niches – and, where required then the possibility to quickly adapt/develop new designs to suit.
From HVAC specialist panel hardware that called for are heavy-duty vibration resistant latches, lift and turn latches, pull handles, pull with quarter turn and 180° hinges and P type gaskets through to heavy duty weld-on or bolt-on hinges with concealed fittings and removable hinge pins to accommodate both the weight of large doors and the need to remove them quickly.
Railway and Commercial vehicle related products include compression locks and latches, safety latches with visual open/closed status indication, low profile flat design swinghandles, RIC compliant quarter turns, flush mounting quarter turns, floor-mounted latches, stainless steel components, protected latches for high-speed trains, special cams and escutcheons, safety hammers, slam locks, and deadbolts.
Gasket seals in EPDM, NBR and silicone are appropriate for use on specialist/general-purpose industrial enclosures and cabinets such as electrical and electronic housings. Sealing profiles are available for specialist vehicles used in sport and leisure, rescue and service vehicles, railway carriages and many other applications.
