Airplane seating systems present a unique set of design challenges. Safety testing and millions of passenger miles drive high performance design criteria. Fuel efficiency and passenger density needs require smaller, lighter components. Competition via the passenger experience rewards focus on aesthetics, integrated components, and a smooth premium feel. Finding the right balance between these competing design criteria is the key to success.
With all that in mind, Butterfly Seating aspired to create the market’s most flexible seating system. How do you create a seat to allow airlines to convert coach seating to business class seating between landing of one flight and take off of the next leg of the plane’s journey?
Reell’s DX100 Multi Axis Hinge helped Butterfly Seating create their easy to use airline tray table with a smooth premium feel, enhancing the user experience. Two parallel shafts, each with a precise amount of torque, join both halves of the tray for an integrated pivot point with perfect movement. At just 8mm thick, the DX100 is the perfect hinge for airline tray tables as it integrates into their thin panel design and allows the tray to fold, saving valuable space and increasing design flexibility. The DX100 hinge in Butterfly Seating's meal tray is just one example of Reell products improving performance and customer experience in their seating design
“Because of our seating flexibility and adjustment, Reell is an important partner to help us with reliable movement and position control throughout our designs” says Lars Rinne, CEO of Butterfly Seating.
“The DX100 specifically helped our design team create a thin meal tray that became a key touchpoint for our customers and integrates beautifully into our overall design.”
Whether it’s the DX100 hinge used in Butterfly Seating’s airline tray tables and work surfaces, or a friction hinge needed for another application, Reel is ready to assist you. We are an industry leader in innovative torque solutions featuring the world's most precisely controlled torque technology. Tell us about your application by submitting an Engineering Application Review to get started.