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Platform on sun and daylight control, shutters, patio covers and closures
At Sunmaster, we are driven and ambitious. And we are going to show it in 2021! It is a great year to introduce innovations, as it is our 50th anniversary year!
Chris Kollen proudly lays before us a prototype casing of a new screen that exudes half a century of expertise in the field of "vertical flat-hanging awnings. "The sleek, square-shaped casing is, of course, the first thing that catches the eye," he opens the conversation. "However, it's the technology that you don't see, where the real innovation is."
Admittedly, the cubist design is eye-catching, with the blind attachment of both the headboards and the front cover, simply stunning and sleek. An underframe that is one with the casing when raised completes the beautiful design! We ask Chris about the story behind the technical changes, which he says provide the real innovation.
"It may be assumed as common knowledge that when ZipScreens are used, the air between the glass and the screen heats up and provides heat transfer. Therefore, the fact that there is less ventilation, mainly caused by the fact that there is no gap between fabric and side guide on a ZipScreen, 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 the case and wall to 7 mm," Chris explains.
Through the design of the bottom frame disappearing into the cabinet, we realize additional weighting. "This extra reinforcement allows the fabric to hang unprecedentedly tight, even at the smaller widths. By cleverly packaging the weighting steel, rattling noises are excluded from steel against aluminum," Chris continues. "Furthermore, we make it easy for the fitter by feeding the cable out of the casing through the smart opening at the rear. The distance between the wall and back wall of the screen enclosure gives room for the motor cable, so it no longer pushes the enclosure forward, as you often see. There is also a provision in the casing to give the cable an extra stroke, keeping the extra cable neatly in place. With one operation, the extra cable can be removed from its fixation and the extra length can be used to get more clearance on the top tube during overhaul work."
The engineering behind the blind mounting of the headboards and the blind mounting of the front hood serves not only aesthetic purposes, we learn. Chris explains, "We listened to the things that mechanics get annoyed about during assembly and overhaul work. Some of these annoyances include having to work with small screws to secure hood parts. These sometimes end up in the bushes under the ladder. With wide screens, it often happens that the front hood suddenly comes at you after you have loosened the last screw. The fitters are short of hands, especially in windy conditions. The design of this new screen incorporates features that keep the front cover in place. No more falling parts and fast work are the advantages. The front hood itself hinges into the cabinet by means of a bead connection, which not only ensures a tight seamless fit to the top hood, but also ensures that the front hood stays in place after the front hood is released. Only after tilting upward a fraction will the front cover detach from the top cover. Just as safe!"
The new screen was created through close cooperation between Sunmaster's newest team members, Arjen van Midde and Patrick Linthorst, Research & Development Department and its dealers. Arjen and Patrick are the new product designers in Nijkerk and proud of the first innovation. "It is wonderful work to do, especially when you consider that through smart design you are solving problems that dealers have been facing for some time. The fact that soon people will consciously choose this sleek design is an even greater honor," Arjen said. When asked if there is more news to expect in 2021, he answers with a laugh, "I can't say too much about that yet, but in any case, expect a very stylish articulated screen from us, which in terms of design perfectly matches the new ZipScreen."
In conclusion, Chris says, "Sunmaster is the inventor of the patriotic screen industry and that will never change. That's why we think it's important to keep innovating so we can show that screens are part of our DNA. This new screen will be a nice crowning touch to our upcoming 50th anniversary." Got curious? Keep an eye on us!
