Established in 1988, Mingyi is a manufacturer of a wide range of metal products. We focus on producing locks and fittings for, industrial equipment, vehicles, and furniture industries. Mingyi Builds the whole production line from R&D, Mould-making, die-casting, plastic injection, stamping, inspection, assembly, packing and so on.
Rich Product Variety
Our company can produce cam locks, mailbox locks, flap handle locks, toolbox locks, folding T-locks, cabinet locks, quarter turn locks, hasp locks, garage locks, combination locks, special locks, cabinet hinges, hardware, etc.
Wide Range of Product Uses
Our locks and hardware products are widely used in communication cabinets, power industry, machinery and tools, transportation vehicles, garage doors, office furniture, etc.
Advanced Production Equipment
Our company has a complete production line from R&D, mold making, die casting, injection molding, stamping, testing, assembly, packaging, etc. And we control every link and process, and the company fully implements the ISO9001 quality management system.
Leading Service
We have many years of industry experience and a complete production management, quality supervision and sales service operation system. Whether you want to buy a mailbox lock or a toolbox lock, just send your needs by email and we can customize the product for you.
What is Hinge
Hinges are a jointed and flexible device that is attached to any swinging part. Hinges are mechanical bearings that are used to connect two swinging objects or points to one another and give them the freedom to move relative to each other. Hinges have limited movement, allowing the joint to move only at one angle and restrict the other movements of swinging parts.
Increased Durability
Hinges is engineered to withstand constant use and external factors such as moisture, temperature changes, and pressure. Unlike their low-quality counterparts that may easily wear out or break, high-quality hinges are made from durable materials like stainless steel, brass, or bronze. These materials provide exceptional resistance to rust, corrosion, and other forms of damage that can compromise the longevity of hinges.
Aesthetics and Design
Apart from their functional benefits, Hinges also contribute to the overall aesthetics and design of a space. These hinges are available in a variety of finishes, styles, and designs, allowing them to seamlessly blend with the overarching interior or architectural theme. Whether it is a traditional, contemporary, or minimalist style, high-quality hinges provide a cohesive look that adds value and sophistication to any space.
Ball-Bearing Hinges
Instead of the usual journal-bearing type, knuckle-and-pin assembly, ball bearings are used primarily to reduce friction. Ball bearings minimizes friction by decreasing the point of contact between rubbing surfaces while providing support for radial and axial loads.
Block Hinges
These are generally heavy-duty hinges attached to the parts either through welding or bolting. A block hinge has a barrel made of galvanized steel with a thick, square profile held together by a pin made from stainless steel for additional corrosion resistance.
Bullet or Barrel Hinges
This type of hinge is composed of two barrels with one attached to each of the parts. Separating the barrels is a low friction bushing or another barrel. Bullet hinges do not have a leaf for attachment; rather, it uses welded joints. Bullet hinges have the advantage of being installed at narrow frames while providing strong support.
Butt Hinges
A butt hinge, also known as a mortise hinge, is the most common type of hinge used on doors and windows. It is composed by a pair of leaves with several knuckles attached by a shaft or pin. One leaf is attached to a moving component (the door) while the other is attached to a fixed body (the door jamb).
Butterfly Hinges
Butterfly hinges are like butt hinges but with added aesthetics to the design. They are usually used in furniture doors for adding decorative features where strength is not particularly important.
Concealed Hinges
Like barrel-type hinges, this type of hinge is usually used in furniture doors. This hinge consists of two parts, the hinge cup, and the arm. Concealed hinges, also called cup or Euro hinges, are complicated in construction and have several design features. They cannot be seen from the outside making the furniture have a continuous appearance.
Continuous Hinges or Piano Hinges
Continuous hinges are a variation of the butt hinge but are constructed longer and narrower. Piano hinges have long narrow leaves that run across the whole length of the door or the window to give extra strength and support to the object.
Flag Hinges
The flag hinge consists of a pair of leaves (male and female) with the pin permanently attached to one leaf. The male leaf has the pin permanently attached to the plate which resembles a flagpole, hence the term flag hinge. The main advantage of using flag hinges is its easy dismantling. The male end is secured to the other only by gravity. Flag hinges are also classified as lift-off hinges.
Floating Hinges
This is a type of hinge that allows some translation of one part relative to the other aside from rotating. While behaving like a butt hinge, the door or cover can move away from the fixed part.
Flush Hinges
Flush hinges are designed in such a way that the leaves sit flush against each other. This is achieved by fitting one leaf inside the other. This is an advantage against butt hinges since flush hinges do not need a mortise or a recess on the surface of the body they are attached to. These types of hinges are used in light load applications.
Friction Hinges
Friction or torque hinges are designed to function like a butt hinge but hold its position over extended periods of time. Friction is developed into the barrel which resists motion caused by gravity or other external force. These hinges are particularly useful in display devices and other electronics.
Institutional Hinges
This type of hinge features an offset from the pin. The leaf is formed in a way to create the offset and allow overlaying making it suitable for narrow frames and small clearances. Institutional hinges can be designed to allow an end play of 270°.
Offset Hinges
An offset hinge is a modified butt hinge primarily used to increase the width of doorways. The design is similar to an institutional hinge. Opening the door at a 90° angle sets the door about two inches from the doorway, leaving more space for passage. This simple modification of a butt hinge is a cost-effective way for increasing access space as compared to dismantling and constructing a wider doorway.
Pivot Hinges
A pivot hinge has its pins (the pivot) attached to the top and bottom side of the door against the door frame. This hinge is different from the butt hinge where the pins are located at the sides. Pivot hinges allow a wider range of rotation which makes it suitable on doorways with high traffic on both directions.
Leaf
This is the plate that extends laterally from the knuckle or barrel. This is the part that is being attached to the fixed or moving body either by screwing, welding, or gluing. The leaf attached to the moving part revolves around the pin.
Knuckle or Barrel
This is the hollow cylinder attached to the leaf where the pin is slid through. Considering the hinge as a machine element, the knuckle can also be referred to as a bearing.
Pin
The pin is the rod or shaft that runs through the knuckles which holds the leaves together.
Load
The load to be carried is a key factor to consider when specifying a hinge. This will determine the dimensions and the material required for the application. In obtaining the right load specification, it is important to consider not only the weight of the moving part, which is usually the part being carried, but also external and dynamic loads. Also, the door‘s center of gravity will cause a moment or torque onto the hinge. This moment may cause the door to eventually sag, especially when the door is wide and heavy.
Required or Allowable End Play
Some hinges have limited angular movement such as the geared continuous hinge. The part or may need to revolve a full 180° or just 90° depending on the application. Check if the space can accommodate the door swing and if the swing will affect access through the door. There are different types of hinges to choose from depending on the application.
Hinge Orientation
Hinge orientation is the direction of end play or how the hinge rotates or moves relative to the door. Hinges can be right-handed or left-handed. Choosing between right or left-handed hinges depends on the swing and type of the door.
Installation
Another factor to consider is the method of fastening the hinge to the moving and fixed parts. Hinges can be welded, bolted, or screwed on the frame which typically depend on the type of service or amount of load to be carried. Moreover, hinges can be installed with different mountings such as surface, concealed, flushed, overlayed, and so on.
Hinge Corrosion Resistance
The type of environment, whether outdoor or indoor, will affect the material specification of the hinge. For applications requiring corrosion resistance and high strength, stainless steel is the material of choice especially in salt environments. Plastic hinges are corrosion resistant also, but without the high strength. If stainless steel is too expensive, galvanized steel works as well. Brass and bronze offer good resistance against outdoor conditions and are suitable for decorative purposes because of their natural patinas.
Additional Features
Additional features are special characteristics of a hinge to allow or perform a specific function; for example, springs and pneumatic dampers for spring-loaded hinges. Multiple features can be designed to a hinge which can include pins, grease fittings, bearings, bushings, screw covers, etc.
Casting
Casting is a process where liquid metal is poured into a mold cavity that contains the shape of the product. Casting is one of the earliest metalworking processes used to manufacture hinges. To create a cast hinge, a replica of the desired shape is made onto a piece of wood, metal, plastic, or plaster.
Extrusion
Extrusion is a metalworking process (although applied on plastics as well) where the metal is forced through a die with a desired cross-section. The resulting shape will have a fixed cross-sectional profile. To create a butt hinge, this extruded metal is then milled and cut according to the required leaf length and pitch. Geared continuous hinges, on the other hand, does not need further milling since its cross-section is fixed throughout its length. Aluminum is the material commonly used for extruded hinges. The gauge of the hinge can easily be made thicker by using a die with thicker hollow sections, thus making the hinge stronger.
Forming (Stamping)
Metal forming a hinge involves a thin blank sheet which is cut and subjected to plastic deformation using forming tools such as rollers and dies. Like casting, metal forming through hot forging is one of the earliest methods for producing metalworks. A common forming process is stamping where blanks are pressed onto a die. The dies are designed so that the required pressure exerted will accurately produce the required shape of the hinge. Stamped hinges have higher dimensional precision that can be produced at a lower cost than casted and extruded hinges.
Cutting or Milling
This process involves removing excess material from a metal workpiece using lathes, shapers, drills, or milling machines. Milling is commonly used for producing hinges with precise dimensions. Milled hinges can be made thicker, similar to the casting and extruding process. After the process of shaping the hinge, secondary processes take place. These secondary processes are a combination of heat treatment, galvanizing, coating, painting, polishing, and so forth. Heat treatment gives the hinge the desired mechanical properties like toughness, strength, and hardness. Galvanizing, coating, and painting provides corrosion resistance for outdoor environments. Polishing, burnishing, and buffing is done for decorative hinges.
In the furniture industry, hinges are critical to functionality and design. They enable movement and adjustment in everything from kitchen cabinets and wardrobes to office desks and patio furniture. The precise movement that hinges facilitate adds to the functionality and user experience of various pieces of furniture.
Within the construction industry, hinges play a pivotal role in doors, windows, gates, and more. Whether it's a residential, commercial, or industrial construction project, hinges ensure smooth operation and secure closure, contributing to safety, accessibility, and architectural aesthetics.
In the automotive industry, hinges are everywhere. From car doors and glove compartments to hoods and trunk lids, hinges provide reliable operation, ensuring safety and convenience for drivers and passengers alike.
In the medical industry, hinges are vital components of various medical equipment. They can be found on adjustable patient beds, operating tables, medical cabinets, and even in certain medical devices. These hinges need to function smoothly and reliably, often under rigorous and repetitive use.
Finally, in the aerospace industry, hinges are employed in a wide array of applications. They're used in the construction and operation of aircraft, from the cabin doors and overhead compartments to cargo doors and control surfaces. These high-specification hinges need to withstand the stresses associated with air travel, maintaining their functionality and reliability over prolonged use and in extreme conditions.
