Minimal to Invisible
Roman, International Shower Enclosure designer and manufacturer, is proud to unveil a major breakthrough in sliding system technology. Roman have developed a version of the recently launched Decem Sliding Door with what can only be described as an “invisible” frame and sliding mechanism.
The project started out looking at ways to make the product even more minimal, but after working with material suppliers it quickly became obvious that greater strides were possible. The mainframe sliding profile has seen aluminium replaced by optically clear PVC extrusion, but the real breakthrough is in the bearings. Technology within plastics has moved on to the point where Roman can now create moulded rigid PVC ball bearings in clear material which replicate the strength of Stainless Steel.
Roman’s Designer Dr Daniel Westin said that “the ball bearings were the key. Once we had proved them in clear material, then the other castings and mouldings were simpler. This has been an amazing project – to go from minimalism to being invisible was a great design journey. One of the major challenges we had during the process was injury as we kept walking into the prototype. That is why we left the handle in Chromed Brass for launch – without that it is too big a change for the user and customers in showrooms. Bizarrely we have been asked for frosted glass versions for exactly that reason, which seems to go against the strides made!”
Now that the product is proven, Roman see the technology being applied to many other product sectors. Interest has been received from the architectural community and some obvious applications are within furniture and partitioning, whilst Daniel says that the military uses are obvious.
Roman’s MD, David Osborne, commented that “we are often asked how much more minimal we can make products – I think this is the definitive answer. Effectively your level of cleaning dictates how much you actually see the product. Branding is our major ongoing concern as the product doesn’t give you many opportunities to make the Brand visible!”