Allegis is proud to sponsor a day of hands-on safety education at the Minnesota State Fair.

An industrial lid that will not stay open is a safety and productivity problem. A lid that opens too aggressively or refuses to close is also a problem. The difference often comes down to how the gas spring was specified and mounted. 

Allegis gas springs - also called gas struts or gas shocks - are pressurized supports designed to assist the opening of doors, lids, hatches, and access panels. Selecting one requires more than matching the panel weight to a force value. The hinge position, center of gravity, mounting points, stroke, extended and compressed lengths, end fittings, operating temperature, and duty cycle all affect performance. 

Allegis gas springs use compressed gas to generate extension force, helping lift and hold an industrial panel open. Allegis offers gas springs in a range of lengths and forces, with compatible ball studs, brackets, and accessories for application-specific mounting.

A gas spring is not specified the same way as a conventional coil spring. A coil spring is commonly described by a spring rate,  k, in force per unit of deflection. A gas spring is usually selected based on its nominal extension force under defined conditions, along with its force progression, stroke, and installed geometry. Product drawings and supplier data remain the controlling source for a specific part.

How to Calculate the Required Gas Spring Force 

For a hinged panel, begin with torque about the hinge rather than dividing panel weight by travel. At a given panel angle, the gravitational torque is approximately:

Because the moment arm changes as the lid moves, evaluate more than one position. The most demanding point may be near closed, where the gas spring has limited leverage, or near open, where hold-open stability matters. A CAD motion study or a simple geometry model can reveal the force and clearance envelope.

A practical force-sizing sequence

1. 1. Calculate the panel torque at critical positions, including near closed, mid-travel, and fully open.
   2. Determine the perpendicular distance from the gas spring line of action to the hinge at each position.
   3. Calculate the total gas-spring force needed to balance the torque at those positions.
   4. Account for the number of springs, friction, desired hand force, tolerances, temperature effects, and dynamic loading.
   5. Compare the result with the manufacturer’s force data and progression curve, then test the selected configuration.

Avoid adding multiple safety factors without understanding their effect. Excess force can make a panel difficult to close, overload brackets, or cause rapid opening. The appropriate allowance depends on the mechanism, consequence of failure, and verified supplier tolerances.

How to Specify Stroke and Installed Length

Configurability used to mean a menu of variants. In today's access ecosystem, it means something deeper. What engineering teams should expect from their access partners has changed with it.

“Configurable” is one of the most frequently used words in electronic access control. It appears in nearly every product brief, supplier presentation, and capability statement in the category. It's also one of the least defined.

The same term is used for very different realities. For one supplier, the configurable menu includes three keying options. For another, it is a custom-engineering effort with long lead times. Third, it means firmware-level reconfiguration of hardware already in inventory. The word is overloaded, and its meaning depends entirely on context.

This wouldn't matter much if the requirements behind the word hadn't changed. They have. Industrial equipment is being rebuilt around connectivity, mobile management, building-system integration, audit visibility, and faster lifecycle expectations. The access control inside that equipment isn't a key lock anymore. It's a system that has to flex across hardware, software, integration, and lifecycle. The bar for what “configurable” should mean has risen with the equipment around it.

What follows is a working definition for engineering teams who want a sharper test to apply when an access partner uses the word.

Five Dimensions of Redefined Configurability

	1. Architectural, not catalog-level. Configurability used to mean choosing a variant from a list. Pick your keying scheme, pick your finish, pick your security tier. In a modern access platform, configurability is architectural. The product is engineered to bend within proven platforms, and the variants live in the platform's design rather than in a catalog matrix. The strongest signal of this is when configurations can be applied to existing inventory via firmware updates, rather than requiring custom engineering or extended lead times.
	2. Hardware and software, together. Configurability used to be a hardware story. A different lock, a different finish, a different latch geometry. In a modern access system, hardware is half of what gets configured, and sometimes it's the smaller half. Firmware behavior, user permissions, access policies, audit configuration, mobile experience, and integration depth are all now configuration decisions. A configurable access platform isn't just one whose hardware varies. It's one whose software, permissions, and policies vary too, configured per application without bespoke development.
	3. Across the lifecycle, not just at the order. Configurability used to be set at the order and locked in. The choice was made, the part shipped, and any later change was part of a replacement program. In a modern access system, configuration persists through the product's life. Permissions get adjusted in the field. Audit policies change as the operator's compliance requirements shift. Integration paths can be redirected without re-engineering the access architecture. Hardware itself can be reconfigured through firmware updates from stock. The configuration the customer received on day one isn't necessarily the one they're running on day five hundred.
	4. System-aware, not component-only. Configurability used to mean configuring a part: a lock with these options, in this form factor, with this keying. In a modern access system, the configuration spans the way it integrates with everything around it: the customer's BMS, their third-party access control platform, their mobile management ecosystem, and their cloud back-end. Configurable means configurable in context. The access system has to fit into a wider operational architecture, and the configuration includes how it plugs into that architecture.
	5. Engineered, not transactional. Configurability used to be a transaction. A checkbox on an order form, an option in a product configurator. In a modern access system, the configuration is a design conversation, and that conversation often happens before the specification is locked. Configuration decisions get made jointly between the OEM's engineering team and the access partner, with both sides contributing input on what the application actually needs and what the platform can flex to accommodate. The partner isn't a supplier responding to a spec. They're an engineering participant in forming it.

This Looks Like in Practice

Picture an engineering team modernizing a commercial HVAC unit. The product is being rebuilt around connected operation: mobile commissioning, BMS integration, remote diagnostics, audit trails for technicians and service partners. The access points on the product are part of the redesign.

The access decisions, viewed through the new definition of configurable, look like this. Some access points stay simple: in-stock product, configured at the order with a specific keying scheme and security tier. Others need more. The main service panels require mobile authentication, detailed audit logging, and integration with the customer's existing access control platform. That requires a configurable platform with both adaptable hardware and software. It also needs to be reconfigurable from inventory through firmware updates rather than custom development. Camlock Systems' CAMACTIVE platform is a wireless access control system with cloud-managed permissions, audit logging, and API integration. It's built to meet these requirements, and it's the kind of system Allegis brings to projects like this.

As the product line evolves, new variants enter without redesigning the access architecture, because the platform is built to flex. Permissions and audit policies are adjusted through the product's life as service models change. Integration paths can be redirected when the customer's BMS is upgraded. Throughout, the access partner participates in the engineering conversation, not as a supplier filling an order but as a contributor shaping what the access system needs to do.

The result: an access system that fits the product, integrates with the customer's ecosystem, develops with the product line, and stays configurable through its life. All five dimensions of configurability are working at once. This is what configurable should mean now.

The shift underway in emergency vehicle design is structural. Modern apparatus must manage multiple competing requirements within the same physical space. Crew comfort is closely tied to the management of noise exposure and long-term hearing health. Thermal control is tied to HVAC efficiency. Acoustic performance and contamination control must both be addressed, with neither taking precedence. Electrical evolution introduces new heat sources and new sensitivities, while manufacturing teams need solutions that install cleanly, repeat consistently, and preserve structural integrity and long-term performance under changing design conditions.

The industry is moving toward multifunction protection systems that operate across these variables simultaneously. That means materials and insulation strategies are being evaluated differently. Performance is measured over time, not just at installation. Moisture resistance becomes critical in environments where condensation and washdown cycles are routine. Acoustic materials must maintain integrity without introducing contamination hazards. Thermal insulation must support energy efficiency during extended idle periods, when HVAC systems carry a greater share of the load.

This is where high-performance insulation solutions like Thermobreak® come into the conversation. Thermobreak is built on a closed-cell polyolefin structure designed to deliver stable thermal performance while resisting water absorption and vapor transmission, two factors that directly affect long-term reliability in vehicle environments. In addition to resisting water absorption and vapor transmission, Thermobreak is designed to withstand environmental exposure, maintaining performance through temperature swings, repeated cleaning, and decontamination cycles. The intentional design of Thermobreak makes it an ideal solution for emergency vehicles, delivering consistent performance in environments exposed to condensation, temperature swings, and regular cleaning cycles.

The material platform goes beyond thermal insulation alone. Thermobreak is offered as a system that includes thermo-acoustic and gasketing solutions, allowing engineers to select materials based on the specific demands of each zone within the vehicle. Acoustic variants are designed to reduce noise and vibration while retaining performance in the presence of moisture, avoiding degradation that can occur with more traditional materials. Performance consistency over time becomes a defining characteristic. Thermal conductivity remains stable without requiring additional vapor barriers, and water absorption remains below 0.1 percent by volume. Such stability supports predictable system behavior across years of service rather than only at initial installation.

Equally important is how the material integrates into manufacturing. With Allegis, Thermobreak is available in sheets and rolls, and can additionally be converted into pre-formed components, with optional facings and adhesive backings that simplify installation steps and improve repeatability, and support consistent manufacturing outcomes. In an environment where production efficiency and consistency are under pressure, integration matters as much as performance.

Where This Goes Next

From Iron to Intelligence:

Understanding the Industry Shift 

At CONEXPO 2026, the industry's scale remained unchanged, but the focus of discussion had shifted. Equipment is still central, but the conversation now centers on how machines function within larger systems—integrating technology, labor, and data rather than just meeting spec sheets.  

No single breakthrough prevailed, but multiple forces are reshaping equipment design and field performance. Intelligence, connectivity, and new constraints are redefining what the industry requires on the jobsite. 

This shift changes how performance is defined. Power, capacity, and cycle time still matter, but integration with digital workflows, system protection, and operator support are now core metrics. Equipment outcomes increasingly depend on how well each subsystem works together in actual job-site conditions. 

AI is now embedded in daily workflows, especially in preconstruction and planning. Estimating, takeoff, and scheduling tools are using AI to speed up decisions and reduce variability. Manual, experience-driven processes are being replaced by data-driven cycles with faster feedback. 

On the equipment side, AI is showing up less as a standalone feature and more as an embedded capability. Operator assistance, predictive insights, and machine optimization are being integrated directly into the equipment experience. This changes how value is delivered. Instead of selling discrete technology features, OEMs are embedding intelligence into the core functions of their machines. For product leaders, this creates pressure to think beyond mechanical performance and consider how software and data enhance usability, consistency, and outcomes. 

Automation Reshapes How Work Gets Done   

Automation advances, but its role is defined by workforce realities. The industry is not moving toward fully autonomous jobsites soon. Instead, systems extend operator capability, reduce skill barriers, and boost repeatability. Semi-autonomous features and assisted operation are gaining traction by delivering immediate value without overhauling existing work.  

This has direct implications for how machines are designed and used. Equipment must be more intuitive, predictable, and easier to operate within varying experience levels. Interfaces, controls, and access points all affect whether automation delivers value. Key takeaway: usability and adoption, not just ability, now drive product design success. 

 

Workforce Constraints Shape Product Decisions   

Workforce constraints—labor shortages, training gaps, retention—are now major factors in shaping equipment specs and technology priorities. Decisions previously based on performance alone now also consider operator support in real conditions. 

This drives greater focus on ergonomics, safety, and ease of use. Reducing fatigue, simplifying tasks, and ensuring predictable interactions are essential. For OEMs, these priorities are vital for deploying and maintaining equipment with a limited workforce. Machines aligned with real operator workflows to perform better. 

 

The Connected Jobsite Takes Hold 

Jobsite connectivity is expanding, linking equipment, workflows, and decisions into integrated systems. Machine data now feeds management tools, giving contractors a complete view of performance, utilization, and cost for better decisions. 

For OEMs, these priorities are vital for deploying and maintaining equipment with a limited workforce.  Reliability now encompasses machine operation, data delivery, and connected workflow support.

 

 

The show emphasized integrated technology. AI, automation, and connectivity are now part of machines’ core design, shaping how they operate from the ground up. 

This requires a new product development approach. Systems should be designed for integration, so mechanical, electrical, and digital components work together. OEMs must shift from component-level to system-level thinking. 

Adoption Is Grounded in ROI   

Reliability Becomes a System-Level Requirement    

Balancing Standardization and Customization