While working company specializing in Anti-Ligature systems for custodial and mental health environments, I led improvements to an existing product line by designing, testing and externally validating a new insert for a legacy product line.

The initial requirement was to take the ‘knuckle hinge’ and increase the ligature resistance without causing an binding or
friction. The risk was being caused by a PVC foam tape which would eventually compress allowing for a gap larger than
0.4mm to be created. To solve this I developed an insert made from Teflon FEP 9495 a V-0 plastic with better stability than
UHWMPE.

This is now produced in Teflon by injection molding in a family tool. This component is now in every hinge sold and has sold
14,000 units to date. It meets both UL10c and Architecture+ approval. It has also increased the fire rating of the doors to
FD30.

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