Where once maximum comfort was the prerogative of the first-class traveller, an increasingly discerning travelling public is looking for a little more out of their transport providers. And if we are to be tempted from behind the wheels of our private motor vehicles and on to public transport, are we going to settle for ‘cattle class’ standards of passenger accommodation? Probably not.
One of the things that will make a difference to public perception of mass transportation is the level of personal comfort on offer. We get that from our cars – infinitely adjustable seating, adjustment controls that are smooth to the touch and easy to operate with a general feeling of quality. Luxury coach operators, first-class railway carriages and high-end air travel are there already but now, according to leading supplier of engineered access solutions Southco, designers are looking to meet the demands that travellers will be making for club-class travel at economy ticket prices.
Dennis Estes, Industry Manager for Transportation from Southco explains: “Comfort and a positive user experience is becoming the key focus across all areas of mass transportation and passengers who have experienced the utilitarian aspect of economy travel are becoming more willing to pay a little more for comfort. The leading players in the transportation industry are already recognising this and with their substantial development budgets they are defining new levels of user experience to achieve the differentiation that will attract the mass travellers.”
So how does the operator ensure that positive user experience? Logically it is in the area of seating, probably the single most important factor for passengers judging the comparative comfort of their travel options. Features in the seating – headrests, arm rests, foot rests, foldable tables, entertainment systems with foldable screens – can all affect the traveller’s perception of travel comfort and each requires effective positioning control features to make them work.
As a leading global player, Southco is leveraging its experience and expertise honed within the automotive industry into the mass and commercial transportation sector, leading its thrust with a new range of CEMA ST Series constant-torque position control hinges across a range of different applications.
Estes explains: “We have developed this sophisticated range of positioning control devices to meet the needs of both the operator and the user. From the operator’s point of view, we look to creating components that can withstand continual repetitive operation with minimum maintenance and maximum reliability. For the user, we offer smooth operation, a quality feel and ‘ownership’ of their personal comfort levels with controls that allow them to be relaxed on their journey.”
The key differentiator of the CEMA hinges is their maintenance-free design which provides the ideal solution for designers looking at multiple seating installations such as aircraft or railway carriages. The reliable positioning torque eliminates the need for secondary mechanical supports and the high strength and rugged construction of the multiple torque satisfies a variety of end-use applications. They are designed to be smooth in operation, giving a feeling of precision and quality, and they are precision-engineered to ensure vibration resistance to minimise noise nuisance in transit.
Estes continues: “Maintenance costs are a key consideration for mass transportation operators so we are very much aware of the need to eliminate costly service issues in installations which will see the use of dozens, if not hundreds, of the same component. The long-life performance of our constant-torque range means that the hinges will offer a lifetime performance without any need for adjustment. They have, in fact, been tested to over 20,000 cycles whereas all other products we have seen need to be adjusted after around 5000 cycles.”
The CEMA range features a compact design that allows robust positioning technology to be packaged in even the smallest applications. The all-metal construction includes steel, die-cast aluminium and aluminium alloy components. They are available in torque values ranging from 0.35kg/cm to 51kg/cm suiting them to applications including head rests and seat monitors to larger wide-screen monitors, and they accommodate working loads up to 1200N.
Southco’s full portfolio of positioning control hardware includes torque hinges, detent hinges, stored motion devices and bi-stable mechanisms, all designed to offer long-lasting product performance enhanced by refined ergonomic motion. For more information on Southco’s range of control hardware visit www.southco.com, email info@southco.com or call +44 (0)1905 346722.
Southco is a leading global provider of engineered access solutions, including mechanical and electronic controlled latches, locks, and kinematic systems as well as captive fasteners, hinges, handles, and other accessories for applications in the marine, networking, telecommunications, computer, automotive, aerospace, mass transit, off-highway/construction, RV/caravan, industrial machinery and HVAC industries.
Southco is strongly focused on customised engineering solutions and global support for its key customers. The company aspires to be a virtual engineering centre for its customers’ engineered-access solutions and is committed to providing outstanding quality and overall satisfaction. Southco’s promise to its customers is to connect, create and innovate to provide the best solution for every access engineering problem.