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Platform on sun and daylight control, shutters, patio covers and closures
“At Sunmaster, we are driven and ambitious,” says director Chris Kollen. “And we are going to show that in 2021 as well!” At Sunmaster, they think 2021 is an especially great year to introduce innovations because that's when the company celebrates its 50th anniversary!
Chris Kollen proudly displays the prototype cabinet of a new screen. That cabinet encapsulates half a century of expertise in vertical, flat-hanging awnings. “The sleek, square-shaped casing is, of course, the first thing that catches the eye,” he opens the talk. “However, it's the technology that you don't see, where the real innovation is.”
The cubist design of the cabinet looks attractive and sleek, not least because of the blind attachment of both the headboards and the front cover. A bottom frame, which when the screen fabric is raised forms a whole with the cabinet, completes the sleek design. Z&R naturally asked Chris Kollen about the story behind the technical changes, which he says are the real innovation.
“It can be assumed as common knowledge that when zipscreens are used, the air between the glass and the screen heats up and causes heat transfer,” Kollen said. “The fact that there is less ventilation, mainly caused by the fact that with a zipscreen there is no gap between fabric and side guide, therefore results in a reduced performance of the screen as a heat barrier. We have taken this into account with this new screen, by increasing the ventilation space between cabinet and wall to 7 mm.”
“Through the design of the bottom rail disappearing into the cabinet, we realize additional weighting,” Kollen continues. “This additional reinforcement allows the fabric to hang unprecedentedly tight, even at the smaller widths. By cleverly packaging the weighting steel, rattling noises from steel against aluminum are excluded. Furthermore, we make it easy for the awning technician by allowing the cable to exit the box through a clever opening at the back. The distance between the back wall of the screen cabinet and the wall provides sufficient space for the motor cable, so it does not push the cabinet forward, as you often see.”
“In addition, there is a provision in the case for the cable to have an extra stroke, with the extra cable held neatly in place. With one operation, the extra cable can be removed from its fixation and the extra length can be used to provide more clearance for the top tube during overhaul work.”
The technology behind the blind mounting of the headboards and the blind attachment of the front hood serves not only aesthetic purposes, Kollen explains, “We listened carefully to the mechanics and expressly took into account things that hinder them during assembly and overhaul work.” One such annoyance is the small screws needed to secure hood parts. They quite often end up in the bushes under the ladder. With wide screens, moreover, it can happen that the front hood suddenly comes completely loose once the mechanic has loosened the last screw. Mechanics are then likely to be rather short of hands, especially if there is a bit of wind.
According to Kollen, the design of the new screen therefore includes features that keep the front cover in place. “No more falling parts and fast operation are the advantages. The front hood itself hinges into the case by means of a bead connection. This not only ensures that the front hood is held in place after it is released, but also provides a tight, seamless connection to the top hood. Only when tilted slightly upward will the front cover detach from the top cover, and that's quite safe.”
The new screen was created through close cooperation between Sunmaster's newest team members Arjen van Midde and Patrick Linthorst of the Research & Development department and Sunmaster's dealers. Van Midde and Linthorst are the new product designers in Nijkerk and proud of the first innovation they have collaborated on. “It's wonderful work to do, especially when you consider that through smart design you solve problems that dealers have been running into for some time,” Van Midde said. “The fact that soon people will consciously choose this sleek design is altogether a great honor.”
Whether more news can be expected in 2021, Van Midde cannot yet say. “But in any case, the market can expect from us a modern and stylish articulated awning that matches the new zipscreen in terms of design...”
“Sunmaster has been at the foundation of the Dutch screen industry,” Chris Kollen concludes. “That's why we think it's important to keep innovating so we can show that screens are part of our DNA. The new screen will be a nice crowning achievement for our upcoming 50th anniversary. It won't stop there, by the way. The awning world should just keep an eye on us!”
