Sapa’s extrusion company churns out aluminium solution for complex seating product

CareFlex approached Sapa’s extrusion company in the UK to find out whether an aluminium solution could be found for a particularly complex product. The answer was yes.

Recognizing that each user has specific and problematical needs, CareFlex manufactures specialist seating for a range of people with different requirements. This includes those recovering after a fall and those with neurological or musculoskeletal conditions.

The company's revolutionary SmartSeat™ Pro is a highly adjustable, modular seating system for users with complex postural and pressure management needs. Sapa Profiles UK produces an extrusion from a single die that is an integral part of the SmartSeatPro™.

The multi-adjustable back of the chair has three upper backrest components that can be altered in height, depth, and angle and can be offset and rotated. Each of the elements includes built-in adjustable wings that can be positioned individually to contour the seat back to the user’s shape.

The extrusion was designed to perform several key functions within the chair; including unlimited height adjustability and repeated functionality use.

The extrusion fulfills another function in that it hides the ancillary equipment used to control the “Back Angle Recline” feature. Taking advantage of the hollow extrusion, the profile is designed to house the gas spring or electric actuator, hiding unseemly cables from view and creating a clean look to the back of the chair.

Quick turnaround
CareFlex first contacted Sapa in late summer 2014, with design discussions taking place in November 2014. The product was delivered in March 2015, a quick turnaround that has proved invaluable to the success of the new product.

Senior design engineer Chris Northcott of CareFlex says the development of the SmartSeatPro™ also benefited from Sapa’s fabrication services in the UK. Three sides of the profile are drilled, to fix the mount bracket of the gas spring or electric actuator in place. In addition to the drilling, the extrusions are painted black to match the rest of the metalwork and give a more pleasing aesthetic.

“We initially chose Sapa over other suppliers because of their range of services,” says Northcott. “They extruded the profile, carried out fabrication and also powder-coated it. In the long-term, Sapa offered a cost-effective, turnkey solution with the added benefit of ongoing support.”