Origin has updated its bespoke aluminium bi-fold door system by redesigning five components for increased strength and durability. The British manufacturer has added a new slave gearbox, fork and carriage assemblies, D and slave handles to the Origin Bi-fold Door. All developed by the internal Research and Design team at the company’s Buckinghamshire headquarters.
A new slave gearbox has been engineered to remove all excess weight, increasing efficiency while maintaining a rack and opinion design for strength and flawless operation. In testing, the new component first endured an impressive 400 hour neutral salt spray test and then went on to operate over 100,000 times without incurring any defects.
Both the fork and carriage assemblies have been redesigned to form solid single piece castings, instead of components made from many different parts, resulting in a 100% increase in strength and durability.
The solid zinc fork has increased strength for smoother running, reducing the force needed to open the bi-fold system by up to 30%. New weather-deflecting technology will help divert wind and rain away from the inside of the home. Designed so it can be adjusted for the best operation, plus it can be colour powder-coated to match the doors.
The carriage has been updated for strength and longevity. New wheels manufactured from higher grade Acetal give greater resilience, whilst being partly self-lubricating, ensuring they continue to operate for well over 20 years. The carriage has been slim lined to ensure a quieter and more efficient operation.
The ergonomically designed slave handle incorporates modern aesthetics, in any colour to match the doors, with the best of British design. In testing, the handle performs 1.5 times better than Grade 4 lever handle specification. In testing, the slave handle completed over 100,000 full operational cycles and withstood a pull of 163kg – over 25 stone! The new D handle, which also comes in any colour, has also been designed with a new pin that allows for an easier installation.
Neil Ginger, CEO and Founder at Origin, said: “We have been manufacturing aluminium bi-fold doors for over 13 years, exclusively designing and assembling the products in-house. Being a British manufacturer with an internal R&D team means we can keep innovating and developing our products to ensure we always supply the best of the best.
“While some of the changes to the design will not be obvious to our customers from the outset, the redesigned components will make a huge difference to how the door functions for homeowners. The tweaks we’ve made to our award- winning system will support the longevity of the product, exceeding our 20 year guarantee – which is already twice the industry standard.”
The new updates for the Origin Bi-fold Door will be available in the UK, as well as the company’s overseas markets in Dubai, America and Europe.