On the Hunt for Durability, Efficiency, and Aesthetics

Each year, [DWM]’s staff gathers info on the industry’s best products to share with our audience. We then ask readers to wrap up December by participating in a Readers’ Choice Survey, selecting the products they see as most significant to the industry. This year’s survey drew record participation and a record number of comments to back up those selections.

The feedback told us that among doors and windows, it was durability, efficiency and aesthetics that drew votes. In machinery and software, productivity and convenience were key. When it came to entry doors, voters went for integrated technologies.

Doors – Sliding/Patio:
NanaWall Generation 4 Folding Glass Walls

The innovative design for NanaWall’s Generation 4 Folding Glass Walls relies on the same principle used by high-speed rail systems—an idea that clearly resonated with [DWM]’s readers. The two-point contact of a Gothic Arch Roller System is paired with advanced sills to make the product slide effortlessly. Meanwhile, the design has been tested through over 20,000 operational cycles.

In addition to admiring the design, readers also commented on the product’s durability, aesthetics and quality.
www.nanawall.com

Windows – Metal:
All Weather Architectural Aluminum Series 6100

Officials for All Weather Architectural Aluminum say Series 6100 is the company’s first window system engineered to meet Title 24 compliance using the prescriptive method—an achievement that several readers referenced in their comments. Dual- and triple-glazed configurations are offered for maximum energy efficiency, which also proved to be a big draw.
www.allweatheraa.com

Windows – Vinyl, PVC, Wood, Composite:
Kolbe Windows and Doors Forgent Series

Kolbe’s Forgent Series includes a proprietary Glastra material, which is designed for strength, durability and energy efficiency—all of which ultimately drew readers votes and comments.

“The energy efficiency performance improvement trumps purely aesthetic advantages in my opinion,” one commented.
www.kolbewindows.com

Doors – Entry:
Masonite M-Pwr Smart Doors

Masonite disrupted the entry doors market last year by introducing a product with native smart home features, including power, lights, a video doorbell, a smart lock and a patent-pending technology that connects them to a home’s electrical system and Wi-Fi.

Readers praised the product as an innovation and applauded the convenience, leading one to write, “Integrated functionality is a giant step forward … bringing our industry into the 21st Century.”
www.masonite.com

Machinery – Glass:
GED Expanded CleanCut Cutting and Edge Deletion

GED now offers two new models for CleanCut—the 1800 for cutting and the 1800-D for cutting and deleting. One reader praised this expanded lineup for being “comprehensive,” while another commented on its space-saving abilities and the ability to optimize yields. The CleanCut 1800 Series includes all the cutting-edge technology of the 1700 Series released in 2020.
www.gedusa.com

Machinery – Screens:
Haffner Machinery SAC-845

In a year when voters leaned toward time-saving features, the SAC-845 earned readers’ attention by automating the application of screen mesh to pre-assembled frames. Survey participants cited function and performance, labeling the SAC-845 “a good design,” calling it “smart and efficient.” The machine utilizes barcode scanning or direct ERP input and identification.
www.haffnerna.us

Machinery – Doors:
Pro-Line Automation Systems Pro-Fab PD-500 Series

The Pro-Fab PD-500 Series is a highly configurable family of door panel routers. Clearly that’s something [DWM]’s readers were looking for. The series includes three separate models to meet various production requirements, with options for multi-station “pick-and-place” systems, tilt tables, slug conveyors, trim saws and an integrated jamb fabrication station.
www.prolineautomation.com

Hardware – Locks:
Ferco Fenix Evo

Fenix Evo casement hardware includes the first recessed multipoint locking system, which, according to company information, makes it the thinnest locking casement handle on the market.

After two years of development, officials for Ferco say this brand-new take on casement window hardware includes a modern, sleek design that centers on functionality and practicality.

Perhaps readers were ready for a new, slimmer option?
www.ferco.ca

Hardware – Sliding, Rollers:
Johnson Hardware Multi-Door Bypass

With the trend for big doors sticking around, it comes as no surprise that [DWM]’s readers were drawn to Johnson’s new sliding door hardware. The product is manufactured with up to 16-gauge steel components and holds up to 400 lbs. per panel.
www.johnsonhardware.com

Hardware – Misc.:
Roto Solid C Concealed Hinge

When it comes to Roto’s new concealed hinges, it’s the design that readers said they found most attractive. Made for inward and outward opening entrance doors, the new hinge has been tested for over 400,000 cycles and can be used to build doors up to 280 lbs. in weight.
www.rotonorthamerica.com

Software:
A+W Software

Smart Companion A+W’s Smart Companion serves as a simple, mobile information system and product terminal, allowing employees to scan multiple barcodes at once. It provides support by displaying such things as the production status of individual order items and is praised for its ability to improve efficiency.

When equipped with the A+W Smart Companion app, smartphone cameras allow barcodes to be scanned directly and can be used to access additional information.
www.a-w.com

Mouldings and Millwork:
Menzner Mouldings

Readers cited quality as the major factor for Menzner’s products. The company’s full lineup of moulding and millwork offerings are made using “cutting edge technology and advanced practices,” officials say. The company offers a range of profiles across 23 types of mouldings, including primed poplar, and veneered and surface boards.
www.menznerhardwoods.com

Machinery – Machining, Welding, CNC, Wrapping:
Joseph Machine

This year’s survey results showed that readers were drawn to products that help to boost productivity, and Joseph Machine’s lineup of automated solutions hit the mark. A lineup of saws, pusher-based, multi-step fabrication machines and CNCs are designed to increase output while saving floor space, but they also improve safety.
www.josephmachine.com

Tools:
Door Stud

Readers praised Door Stud for its ability to fill in for human labor. According to the company’s founder, the product revolutionizes the process for installing pre-hung doors or slab doors by allowing one person to work hands-free.

“Great tool for installing,” one reader said.
www.thedoorstud.com

Sealants—It’s a tie!
Adfast Corp. Adseal Production 4550

The Adseal Production 4550 series is a neutral-cure silicone adhesive sealant that’s available in seven standard colors. As a result, “The color match is very good,” one reader commented.

The product is designed specially for door and window manufacturers to be used indoors or out.
www.adfastcorp.com

NovaFlex Qwik-Set Glazing Sealant

Speed must have been on readers minds again this year, because Qwik-Set is a winner for the second year in a row. The product allows for movement of assemblies within minutes of application without silicone transfer or glass shifting, enabling manufacturers to speed up production.
www.novagard.com

To view the laid-in version of this article in our digital edition, CLICK HERE.