CASE STUDIES
Panic bolt
Glass tubes have been used in panic bolts to allow emergency exit from buildings. When the tube is broken, the bolt slides back automatically which releases the door.
However, when training staff to use the bolts or during accidental or real use, the broken glass was difficult to see and dangerous to pick up from the floor.
We were asked to consider alternative materials which would be strong enough to hold the bolt, for example when the door is being shaken on the outside by a potential burglar but weak enough to be broken by the metal hammer in an emergency. Working with our customer and a ceramic manufacturer, we developed a ceramic tube which had the correct strength but broke with a blunt fracture edge. It is white in colour and easily seen when being picked up after use. The ceramic also allows good screen printing of the ''Break Break Break'' message.
