BIFOLDING CURTAINS

Simplex standard strip doors have a temperature range from 140 degrees down to 20 degrees F. Simplex USDA Low-Temp strips go from 150 degrees F. down to -30 degrees F. Simplex Super Low-Temp strips go from 150 degrees F to -40 degrees F.

Simplex Hook-Bead mounting bars were developed for long runs of curtains or the widest of our strips. The front plate comes off and the material is mounted by inserting the bead over the mounted bar, then replacing the front plate. These are not the kinds of applications you find in refrigeration or in many strip door applications. The standard Round-Bead mounting bars are designed so that by loosening a thumb screw at the end of the rail you can easily slide strips out and replace them or rotate them so that wear is distributed.

Continuously overlapping strips provides for a better seal in the strip door. Mounting the strips in and over-under arrangement provides for better passthrough. Which arrangement you need to use depends on your application. Consult Simplex or your Simplex dealer if you have any questions.

Strip-on-strip contact will eventually cause scratches on the strip, reducing visibility, which can be a safety concern. Ribbed strips minimize the amount of contact between strips, reducing the problem of scratches and prolonging the clarity of the strips.

There are actually five terms that are often used interchangeably when it comes to electrostatic discharge, and they all mean different things. ESD is an acronym for electrostatic discharge. Many times it is erroneously used as a term for something that is “electrostatic discharge safe.” This is incorrect.

Anti-static, conductive and dissipative are all terms that subdivide ESD into more detail. Something insulative is not considered ESD safe.

Materials are labeled with these terms based on individual surface resistance. Surface resistance is a measurement of how easily an electric charge can travel across a medium. Conductive materials are those that have a surface resistance of less than 1 x 105 ohms/square. Dissipative items have a surface resistance of more than 1 x 105, but less than 1 x 1011 ohms square.

Antistatic materials are generally referred to as any material which inhibits triboelectric charging. This kind of charging is the buildup of an electric charge by rubbing or contact with another material.

An insulative material is one that has a surface resistance of greater than 1 x 1012 ohms square.

A USDA designation means that the strips can come in direct contact with raw food. Simplex USDA Low-Temp strips can come into contact with raw food because they are USDA-approved.

The strips in a strip door typically wear at different rates depending on their location. In most applications the middle strips experience more wear because this is where the strips come apart when someone or something passes through. There are other applications where the strips on the outside may experience more wear. By regularly rotating the strips in a strip door you will more evenly distribute the wear and prolong strip life.

All strip vinyls exposed to sunlight will yellow over time, but we use U.V. stabilizers in our vinyl formulations to keep the strips clear for an extended period. Simplex strips will maintain their color and clarity for between three and five years in direct sunlight, and between five and seven years in indirect sunlight.

Use a vinegar-based Windex cleaner. It makes the strips last longer. Do not use harsh ammonia or bleaches. The cleaners degrade the plasticizer and the strips will become stiff. You can also use a 20% solution of alcohol in water.

This is a common problem. There is a citrus-based cleaner called Goo Gone that we find works very well in these applications. After the sticker has been removed, follow up with an application of vinegar-based Windex.

Vinyl has a memory. Once it has been folded or rolled, it will retain that shape for some time. All our strips are shipped flat in the box. Simplex strips hang straight from the first day to the last.

No. Spray-on inhibitors wear off in a short time. The ESD-resistance properties in Simplex materials are part of the formulation of the vinyl. That means the ESD-resistant properties are permanent. They do not wear off.

In cases where you are trying to keep out dust and birds and insects, it might be preferable to be able to push the strips aside during the short periods you are moving large amounts of inventory or machinery into the contained area. When moving pallets stacked with light boxes that are not tied down, or carts with loose boxes or objects, sliding the strips out of the way allows this inventory to pass through without being knocked off.