Antti Marine, a major Finland based producer of marine doors, has invented a new solution for online door cabling, the company said in a statement
This is an ethernet-equipped hinge, dubbed “Antti e-hinge.” It is part of the same system of service-free and adjustable hinges introduced by Antti in 2011 – but offers a different choice for online cabling. According to the company, reasons to switch include ease of installation, safety, and its low profile compared to previous options.
According to Markko Takkinen, Commercial Director at Antti-Teollisuus, e-hinge is the optimal ethernet cable solution: “For ship owners and builders, e-hinge is the safest and easiest way to get all the features of their existing online system, without the lead cover. It’s a completely hassle- free and invisible system and doesn’t carry the same risk of damage as the exposed systems they have now.”
E-hinge is identical to a standard door hinge but comes equipped with online access and data transfer. E-hinge simply takes the place of one or more hinges on a standard door – that is, it’s completely invisible and a cinch to install.
Antti first introduced an online door cabling system in 2013, aboard the AIDAstella – but there were tradeoffs. Structural modifications to the door were necessary, and what’s left is an obvious, surface-mounted lead panel on the door leaf and a cable – or cables – stretching plainly from door to frame.
According to Takkinen, the seed for what would become Antti e-hinge was planted by a customer in March 2017.
“A major ship operating company requested we replace the existing lead cover with something less visible and better looking. The idea started to grow immediately.”
Antti chose a Swiss hinge manufacturer as their partner on the project. In close collaboration, e-hinge took its form and met validations for mechanical durability, electrical connectivity and data transfer capability. The final decision to invest in the product was made in early 2019, and Antti moved forward decisively with the final stage of development.
The result was a connected hinge as simple to install as a regular one.
“It worked just perfectly. For builders and maintenance, it’s a return to the old days of offline systems, because the procedure with e-hinge is no different. Doors can be built, installed, or removed with no extra considerations – e-hinge is a service-free system, and even the height of the hinge can be adjusted,” Takkinen says.
Takkinen is quick to point out that, although the standard use-case is to have one Antti e-hinge per door, additional e-hinges can be added for future applications.
“That kind of freedom is the most exciting thing to me.”
E-hinge is now available worldwide, only from Antti Marine.
