Have you ever considered what makes one integral blind unit different to any other? It can be easy to assume that because they all perform the same function – to provide shading and privacy, as and when required – they are all essentially the same. Look more closely, however, and the variations become apparent, with often relatively minor characteristics, product features or clues demonstrating particular manufacturing techniques that make a significant difference.

All these things impact on the overall quality and long term performance of an integral blind. In turn, they will determine how well an integral blind performs once installed in the homeowner’ s windows and doors. And this has implications on end-user satisfaction, the likelihood of disputes arising and the need for costly call-backs. So what should you look for?

Quality design and engineering

When we think of what makes one car brand better quality than another, often it will be the way it has been engineered and built that springs to mind first. German cars like BMW, Mercedes and Audi are traditionally known for being well-built and that comes down to the way the vehicles have been designed and engineered to function reliably over a long lifespan – robust to withstand daily use and sometimes extreme conditions and be functionally dependable. And that is a price worth paying for a large proportion of consumers.

Integral blinds are no different in this respect. ScreenLine ® systems for residential windows and doors were first developed by Italian firm Pellini S. p. A. in the early 1990s, but the company’ s history in solar shading products actually goes back to 1974. That heritage shines through in today’ s

systems, which continue to be the global leader in engineered quality.

The process for creating new ScreenLine ® products can take years, and that reflects the demanding durability and endurance goals that their designers and engineers set. For example,

ScreenLine ® systems are tested to exceed 20,000 cycles of raising and lowering as standard, and the brushless internal motor within the MB System is certified by renowned German testing organisation IFT for over 216,000 full cycles( VE 07 / 2 standard).

Quality aesthetics

Italian design is renowned around the world for its aesthetic strengths and that is also evident in ScreenLine ® systems. The technical team has succeeded in ensuring the width of the header rail and side guides is kept to a minimum, which is not the case for all integral blind systems. Integral blinds may disappoint end-users if a larger proportion of the glass area is lost than expected, chiefly because light transmission and views are more obstructed when the blinds are raised. So it is important to consider this aspect of an integral blind’ s design.

The look of the user interface makes a real difference to end-users too. The manually operated ScreenLine ® C System, for example, has a cord-pull and winder that is visually unobtrusive to ensure it does not interfere with

the visual dynamics and clean sightlines that many integral blind buyers are looking for. And the cordless magnetic slider that controls the ScreenLine ® SV( Sliding Venetian) System is both ergonomically designed and as small as possible to keep its presence low-key while at the same time as being practical.

The appeal of the control device for the W Smart battery-operated and MB System brushless motorised blinds is also optimised. Both feature a device with a contemporary design that is very much in line with other home tech systems, such as smart thermostats and video doorbells.

Quality manufacture

Using world-class systems, products and components is fundamental to the quality of integral blind units, but so too is the way that they are assembled in the factory. All the integral blind IGUs we manufacture are dual sealed to optimise gas retention in the long term, and