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How a complaint marked the beginning of a success story!
A beautiful front door immediately catches the eye. In recent years, architects and building owners have increasingly opted for larger and higher doors in PVC and aluminum, usually in dark shades. However, a classic sash covering door with glued sash dares to warp on warmer days and consequently jam. Thanks to Magnetude®, Frager's unique and revolutionary system based on magnetism, this problem is a thing of the past. Moreover, there are numerous other advantages for processor and owner.
Frager has specialized in the development and production of aluminum and PVC door panels for more than 40 years. ‘Investing in innovation’ - these are not empty words for the family business from Wielsbeke (Belgium). They always respond to the latest trends and do not shy away from any challenge to help their customers.
“In recent years, the popularity of larger and taller doors has increased tremendously. In addition, people are increasingly choosing dark colors, even especially black. And this caused problems on warmer days for classic systems with a glued door sash. After all, the large surfaces expanded, causing the sash to deform inward on the side of the lock. This caused the hooks of the three-point locking system to jam and made it impossible to open or close the door. It was raining complaints,” says manager Franck De Munster.
“The task for our R&D department was as clear as it was difficult: how could we allow the door's outer panel to move freely in relation to the sash while still being attached to it. We eventually developed a unique system, where the door panels are not glued to the sash, but are simply mounted via a magnetic principle. We actually got the idea for our Magnetude® from the smartcover of an iPad. That one can also move left and right, although it remains attached to the iPad.”
The problem of warping and jamming was solved immediately, because even when heated up to 80° C the door could still be opened and closed without any problems. During the tests, together with several larger system houses, they discovered that Magnetude® had many other advantages for the production process at the door manufacturers, but also for the builder.
“The production of doors with glued wings takes about 2.5 hours. Afterwards, the door system must dry for 12 hours and it is recommended to wait another 24 hours before transporting them to the construction site,” De Munster explains. “With Magnetude®, the sandwich panel is assembled to glass size, after which the outer panel is placed via the magnetic principle. That completes the job, after barely 6 minutes.” The business manager continues, “It also remains a nightmare, that doors are damaged by other tradesmen on the construction site between the windproofing of the house and completion. With Magnetude®, the infill panel is installed as a temporary panel and the sash overlay panel can be assembled by one man the day before delivery. Should damage later occur to the outer panel, inner panel or glazing, all elements can be replaced separately and in a matter of minutes. This also means that the look and feel of the front door can be easily changed without the use of tools. Furthermore, the door pulls and other accessories are not fixed through, so the inside of the door presents a perfectly even surface, without visually disturbing elements. Last but not least in our contemporary society: burglars don't stand a chance. Even if they were to succeed in removing the outer panel, they are still confronted with a classic door panel fixed with the glazing lath in the glass rebate.”
Frager, meanwhile, continues to develop and optimize the system. A good example of this is Magnetude® Felix with an integrated letterbox container, which is located entirely on the outside. Mail and packages can be easily taken out on the inside through a thermally broken window. No problems with cold, drafts or noise. Furthermore, the technology with magnets is also used for cladding facades and sectional doors. “So you see how a complaint can mean the beginning of a success story,” concludes Franck De Munster.
