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Haefele showcases innovative solution at interzum

 Friday, June 2, 2017

hadeleHäfele inspires with “Micro Living”

Living space is a scarce and ever costlier commodity all over the world.
Saving space and creating comfort and convenience at the same time: Häfele thinks ahead and stays true to its motto “More life per square metre”. At interzum, the company allowed visitors to fully experience furniture technology around all aspects of the megatrend of“Micro Living” and presented an innovative idea for the rational production of intelligent furniture in the industrial context.

 

For many years now, the people at Häfele have been thinking outside the box, focusing on the global trend toward urbanisation, the shrinking of living space and the attendant consequences for the furniture industry. The order of the day for reduced spaces then, is really for furniture that offers greater ease of achieving adaptability, versatility, function and functionality.Häfele‘s Functionality Cube, with its 40 sqm of living space was the initial spark in 2012 for a more intensive discussion of the Micro Living theme throughout the entire industry. Then Häfele’sYouthlab, the futuristic realisation of a youth hostel room, captivated and inspired many planners and furniture manufacturers. Introduced at the Bau trade fair in Munich at the beginning of the year, the MicroApart 20/30 concept developedin collaboration with the interior architect, Kristy Blassy, set entirely new standards in terms of interior “size”. We are talking about 20‒30 sqmof scalable living space in construction grid sizes and a significant gain in functionality, comfort and convenience for furnishings. This showcasing scored Häfele a breakthrough in the public media without the least effort. And it wasn’t only the large dailies that reported on it, but television and radio as well. “Kölnmesse” most recently designated the Micro Living trend as the top contender, and made it a central theme at an Interzum exhibition preview, paying tribute also to Häfele’s contributions.And the special presentation “Mobile Spaces” at interzum also dealt with micro compact living ‒ this time on wheels.

 

As an international market leader, Häfele is an expert in hardware fittings;it knows the furniture industry and furniture better than anybody else; it has the wide-ranging experience and competencies in all areas of furniture building, ranging from outfitting, opening and closing, to electrifying furniture.Against the backdrop of a holistic view of furniture, it has long been the company’s practice to turn its expertise into new products and inspiring ideas – throughout the entire process chain of providing services and, it goes without saying, particularly geared to the needs of the furniture industry.

 

The international trend of “Micro Living”, comfortable living in a small area,is challenging the furniture industry and requires appropriate responses.
 
Market opportunities for the furniture industry

It’s little wonder that it was Häfele,as one of the first with a furniture industry-related concept, who embraced the prospect of addressing these challenges, which entail a promising future.To exploit the growing global market opportunities in this context, the furniture industry urgently needs such new, customized concepts, concepts for furniture that can be produced efficiently and delight with its inspiring functionality.This is where Häfele is consistently expanding its position as system partner and outlined the paths to the future at interzum. Paths, that apply to the new world of general scarcityin residential space, the accompanying price increases, the merging of living areas intooften smaller units.

 

The Häfele Concept: Anidea for the Micro Living furniture system

The compaction of living space and the uninterrupted influx of people into urban areas sets the momentum in living per se. Dividing walls are disappearing, living areas are merging. What is already a reality in the combined kitchen/living room, will soon become the pattern for other areas of the home also. When living areas flow into each other and furniture defines the living zones, the importance of furniture grows. Advanced functions make an impression on spaces and alters them. Furniture technology is becoming the decisive innovator for this new living environment: the fitting defines the furniture.

 

Good and well-thought-out fittings give the furnishings the necessary, space-saving flexibility for daily use, and create the prerequisites for comfortable living and working in small units.Against this background, only a comprehensive and holistic view brings useful and future-proof solutions for the industry and joiners/cabinet makers.

 

The idea introduced by Häfele at interzum, theHäfele Concept for flexible living and working in small spaces‒using the example of a student apartment and a business apartment ‒clearly illustrated where we are headed. Both apartments consist of furniture manufactured industrially in modular grid dimensions. This innovative idea shows how the furniture industry can make common cause with the thriving construction industry‒ an interesting perspective for the future that will give the industry fresh momentum.“Thinking ahead, for our customers in the furniture industry and for users of smart furniture in a new era, that is our credo,” says Sibylle Thierer, the company’sCEO.
 
Experience Smart furniture with Haefele Connect

Häfele Connect is the new system and the key to smart, networked furniture and rooms. The app, which has been developed by Häfele, was presented at interzum for the first time. It links and controls lighting and sound as well as electric drives in furniture, has already been developed for series production and will be available soon. The basis for this are the driver of the internationally successful LooxLED lighting system for light and sound in furniture, as well as a new BLE box which, thanks to its Plug & Play system and a universal connectivity for furniture of all kinds, make future applications very easily connectable as well. The next logical step is to connect smart furniture and smart home. This extended application for all of building technology is already at an advanced prototype stage.

 

The Häfele Connect BLE box uses the app to open the path into your furniture and also into comprehensive room management. Open, illuminate, configure: Häfele showed industry members and joiners/cabinet makers examples of what is already possible today. The Häfele Connect BLE box is connected to the Looxdriver and wirelessly connected with a smartphone via Bluetooth Low Energy. In this way, all electronic furniture components can be controlled, including electric furniture drives. The Häfele Connect app functions as a user interface for iOS and Android devices.

 

What is already possible today: Switching on and off lights, multiwhite lights and RGB lights as well as dimming them, and setting the colour temperature and light colour. In addition, various light scenes for different occasions can be pre-set and retrieved at the touch of a finger. Operation of the sound components in the room is also part of the system.
On furniture, the control of TV lifts, electric sliding doors or other electric drives can be managed by a simple tap.

 

With the app, additional BLE boxes within the room are found and integrated in “My Networks” on your smartphone and/or tablet. All stored scenarios are individually expandable or combinable.

 
Because of this, smart furniture has already become a reality. The system is upgradeable for all existing Loox systems and will be available starting in July.

 

In the near future: Smart Home complete with Häfele Connect

At interzum it was shown in great detail how the Häfele vision of “Smart furniture meets Smart Home” will very soon be reality. A Häfele Connect hub, a digital communication all-rounder so to speak, understands the entire digital world. It can communicate with nearly all protocols, wireless technologies and systems from the most diverse manufacturers via Bluetooth, WIFI, KNX and others. It communicates with practically anything that transmits – for example with air conditioners, blinds, TV devices and smart kitchen devices.

 

Found at the Häfeleinterzumbooth, the playful access to a new, networked world that visitors could experience first-hand was the highlight in the hustle and bustle of the trade fair.
 
HäfeleLoox – Lighting, Sound, Smart Home
The door opener for new worlds

Light and sound in furniture have become a best seller. The third generation of the Loox LED lighting system from Häfele and its comprehensive range of sound and entertainment components is making these two worlds merge together. Loox has now also become the door opener for Häfele Connect, providing access to future-oriented Smart Home experiences with a BLE box for intuitively controlling furniture lighting and electrically operated fittings using a convenient app. The Loox drivers also act as the ideal basic interface when doing this, providing problem-free connections for the numerous new applications. The modular system components are perfectly compatible, and are fitted extremely easily without tools using Plug & Play. They impress with their quality, flexibility and convenient operation.

 

Light in furniture and equipment enters into a beneficial symbiosis with the room light, and provides comfort and harmony at all times. The perfect interaction of its components creates a new integrated effect – which is impressing increasing numbers of customers. In conjunction with the Loox LED lighting system, this “fourth dimension of furniture” always succeeds in having the right “light colour”, extremely harmonious, simple and economical.

 

Häfele Connect BLE box – the app whisperer

The new Häfele BLE boxes are supplied with power by a 12 or
24 Volt driver via two leads. They are the app whisperers in the Loox world, and make it possible to control individual lights (on/off, brightness, also the colour temperature with multiwhite lights, and also the light colour with RGB lights) and electric fittings and store light scenes or time-controlled changes to the brightness and the light colours. One single BLE box or an entire network of BLE boxes is controlled using a smartphone or tablet. Safety aspects are also taken into consideration with the time-controlled presence simulation.

 

Let there be music – the Häfele sound systems

The trendy, invisibly installed Häfele sound systems 105 and 420 turn furniture into an alternative CD player or radio. They are equipped with a Bluetooth receiver and up to four sound transducers (exciterspeakers). The exciterspeakers turn every hard surface such as wood, glass or metal into a sound carrier, which makes music and speech audible in astounding sound quality. The music selection and the volume are conveniently controlled wirelessly via Bluetooth using a smartphone, tablet or laptop. Interesting furniture with added value for customers who enjoy music with the sound system from Häfele.

 

All the rage: Wireless inductive charging station

When the smartphone’s power runs out, there is the wireless charging station that is invisibly installed in the furniture. The mobile device is simply placed on the furniture in a suitable location, and it is recharged with energy. More and more manufacturers are integrating this new inductive charging technology in their devices, and others can be upgraded using adapters.

 

Unique colour coding – installation is child’s play

The powerful 12 Volt and 24 Volt drivers are at the heart of Loox. These have been technically revised, and are now available with an overall height of just 16 mm in all three performance classes. Energy efficiency class VI is also fulfilled, which is important for the market in the USA. The drivers can be used worldwide, because they can handle the different mains voltages and frequencies problem-free and safely.

 

Standardised plug connections with unique colour coding make this system particularly user-friendly. They provide maximum safety during installation, and ensure that correct connections are always made. Lights from different systems are operated using one driver with the aid of a converter. These can be fitted to the rear panel of the cabinet without problems.

 

In addition to different lights and switches there are other additional components for even more flexibility and convenience during installation and use such as the multiswitch box, the multidriver box, the three-way distributor with switching function, the 6-way distributor, the 4-way extension etc. International certificates and test symbols make Loox ready for worldwide use.

 

Modular LED lights and switches

The highlights in the lighting product range include modular LED lights. The LED 2025 and LED 2026 12 V lights for drill hole sizes of 58 mm and LED 2040 for 35 mm drill holes consist of a standardised light fixture as a basic element with pluggable leads in three different lengths and installation rings or bezels with different designs and finishes. The high illuminance of the LED 2025 allows it to be used in working areas, whereas the LED 2026 is more suitable for living areas. The LED 2040 is the small, compact version of the modular system. All three lights are available in the three standard light colours of 3000, 4000 and 5000 K.

 

Ultra-flat, dimmable down lights with the impression of a recess mounted light, new dimmable and extremely powerful recess mounted lights and surface mounted downlights made from steel with a considerable amount of design freedom and innovative Loox LED strip lights for different lighting moods also created a stir at interzum.

 

Modular Loox switches can be used in all LED systems, and are easy to upgrade and quickly installed with pluggable cables.

 

Switching facilities are provided by a capacitive switch for concealed installation in wood, glass or stone, among other things, making continuous light control possible. The universal door contact switch is designed for hinged or single-leaf sliding doors. With the 1-10 V dimmer interface, the lighting in the furniture can also be connected to the normal commercial wall dimmer, which makes simple and intuitive central operation possible. Flat, modular switches (touchless on/off switching, touchless dimmer switch, touch dimmer switch, door sensor switch) for mounting with downlight are new in the product range.

 

Powerful LED striplights with outstanding colour fidelity

Outstanding luminous efficacy, low light colour tolerance and replacement purchasing reliability with regard to colour fidelity characterise the new LED strip lights: the LED 3030 24V silicone strip with 120 LEDs per meter (can be shortened every 50 mm, available in 2700, 3000, 4000 and 5000 K), the LED 3031 multiwhite silicone strip light with 2 x 60 LEDs per metre (can be shortened every 100 mm) and the LED 3032 24V multiwhite strip light with 2 x 84 LEDs per metre (can be shortened every 71.4 mm). Like all Loox strip lights, the new strip lights can be also connected without tools using a clip connector. The remainder can be re-used.

 

More lights can be controlled

The multidriver box can interconnect 12 Volt, 24 Volt and
350 mA systems, allowing them to be operated via a single switch. This means that more lights can be controlled, irrespective of the Loox LED system environment you are currently using.

 

Saving and additional convenience with the multiswitch box
The multi-switch box allows up to three different switches to be connected to any driver in the Loox product range. This is always useful if you wish to control a Loox lighting system from different positions in the room. The two previous multiswitch boxes with and without cross circuit have now been combined in one product. The two types of operation can be selected with the aid of an integrated slide switch.

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