Awning and Canopy

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Both awnings and canopy offer you the chance to create a calm, protected outdoor space to enjoy, whatever the weather. Therefore, finding a professional contractor to install awnings and canopies for your beloved home is very important.

What is the Difference Between an Awning and a Canopy?

When purchasing an outdoor covering for their property, some people are unclear as to what the difference is between an awning and a canopy. First, let’s outline what’s the same about them.

Awnings and canopies are made from similar materials to each other, that are designed to be durable and weatherproof, but there are several material options to choose from to suit your individual needs.

Despite their similarities, awnings and canopies also have their differences too.

Awnings

Awnings are sheets of material attached to the exterior of your home, fixed above a window or a door, and overhanging a porch, patio or walkway. They can offer shade and protection from the sun both outdoors and indoors, blocking the light from entering through windows, thus preventing artwork and furniture from fading, and also keeping it cool indoors.

Unlike canopies, awnings are a permanent fixture to the outside of your home and do not require any disassembly, though this does reduce flexibility. There are two main types of awnings: window awnings, and retractable awnings, which can fold away when they are not needed.

Because of their permanent state, awnings can act as a dry storage space for wet or muddy shoes and bikes; a preferable location over a hallway.

Awnings vary in length, but are are generally smaller than canopies. However, it’s important to choose the right size for your requirements. If you require a space to hold parties and BBQs, then a bigger awning may be better, or possibly a canopy.

A range of colours, patterns and styles are available to suit the architecture of any house. Remember that awnings are a permanent structure and therefore it’s advisable to choose some that complement the current style and decor of your garden, taking into account your garden furniture and window dressings.

Awning are also widely used as a fixture for motorhomes and campervans, offering a relaxed dining area.

Canopy

Canopies are often large, free-standing coverings, used to provide shade and protection from the elements for a seated, outside area. They are made from a large canvas of a durable fabric, strung over a metal frame and between supporting posts. However, they can sometimes be placed directly next to your windows and doors, which is perhaps why people sometimes confuse them with awnings.

Canopies tend to be bigger than awnings, making them more suitable for gatherings, parties and BBQs.

They are portable, and are easily disassembled and stored away when not in use. Because they are transportable, they are also ideal for outdoor events, festivals or trips to the park.

Because they are not anchored in one place, canopies offer more flexibility than awnings, allowing you to choose exactly where you want to set up your shaded space.

Usage and Benefits of Awning and Canopy

Awning and Canopy have a relatively fixed usage. It is commonly used for:

preventing harsh light and shadow from entering the house
keeping the temperature of the house low
protecting furniture from sun damage
keeping a pouch cool and comfortable

Our method and technology for awing and canopy service

We offer installation services of awnings for a wide variety of uses.

Polycarbonate Awning

Glass Awning

Aluminium Composite Panel

RETRACTABLE FOLDING ARM AWNINGS AND RETRACTABLE PATIO COVER SYSTEMS SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON

Category	RETRACTABLE FOLDING ARM AWNINGS	RETRACTABLE PATIO COVER SYSTEMS
Maximum width	Maximum width for a single unit with one motor and one piece of fabric 52 1/2 feet (1600cm) in one piece (Palermo Plus model)	Maximum width with using one piece of fabric and one motor 42’7″ (1300cm) for all models
Adjacent units	Multiple units can be butted together with a 5″-6″ (12.7cm – 15.24cm) gap between units	Multiple systems can be butted together and caulked with no gap so no rain or snow enters between systems
Maximum projection	Maximum projection 16 foot (Roma model). Largest in the world	Maximum projection 29’6″ (Siracusa, Sassari and Rimini models) largest in the world
Wind load	Maximum wind load tested to Beaufort scale 5 (Palermo/Palermo Plus/Bologna models)	Maximum wind load tested (Beaufort scale 10). Most models
Drainage	Front water drains off front bar and can splash on hard surface	Front water drains to front and then down through internal, invisible gutters and downspouts (most models) OR off the side(s) of the fabric using single sided or alternating sides
Rainfall	For LIGHT rainfall only – less than .30″ (7.6mm) per hour per the American Metrorological Society	For HEAVY rainfall – more than .30″ (7.6mm) per hour per the American Meteorological Society
Water	Fabrics are water RESISTANT and include Para, Sunbrella, Dickson & Sattler	Fabrics are water PROOF (Ferrari 502 & Ferrari 602) or water RESISTANT (Para only)
Hail & Snow	Not hail or snow load approved	Tested for hail. Not snow load approved
Powder coating	Qualital® powder coated frames & hood available in white, ivory, sand and brown with sand and brown having a $200 surcharge	Qualital® powder coated frames available in all RAL colors with each model available in a standard color or colors and other RAL colors available for a surcharge
Fire retardancy	Non fire retardant fabrics are standard with fire retardant fabrics available for a surcharge	Fire retardant fabric is standard on all models
Posts, Arms and Guides	Spring loaded arms with no posts	Belt driven system with posts (no posts on the Rimini and Firenze models) and guides
Enclosed	Sides and front of lateral folding arm awnings cannot be enclosed as doing so would damage the system when opened and closed	Sides and front of retractable patio cover systems can be completely enclosed so the area can be air conditioned in the summer and heated in the winter and also allowing for a bug and pollen free area
Drainage options	Front water drainage only	Front or single sided or alternating side water drainage available
Free standing or attached	Cannot be free standing unless attached to a custom made structure	Any model can be free standing. Standard free standing models are the Forli, Trento and Vicenza
Model names	Models include Genova, Palermo, Palermo PLUS, Bologna, Venezia and Roma	System examples include Ferrari, Firenze, Firenze PLUS, Forli, Monza, Monza PLUS, Ravenna, Rimini, Sassari, Sassari, Salerno, Siracusa, Trento and Vicenza models

Before and After

Façade of a Building

The Problem

Design a mounting solution for an awning covering a window in a home.

Understand the problem

Analyse to understand the problem in the best way possible

Understand the design of a generic awning there are certain elements to the design

Extract the Input

How to extract Input ?

Reverse engineering
Images

Reverse engineering -Measurements

Taking physical measurements of the problem space.

Form of Input Data.

Measurements should be converted into a CAD model

Well defined model is not required
Extracting data which is most important.

Requirements:

Functional
Structural
Assembly
Maintenance
Environmental
Aesthetic
Safety
Reliability
Ergonomics

Structural requirements:

To sustain the loads on awning from wind and self-weight and impact loads due to debris falling on awning.
To maintain stability of structure.

Environmental requirements:

To withstand environmental conditions of rain, heat and cold without deterioration in material property.

Assembly requirements

An assembly mechanism

to mount the frame of awning to the wall
Be able to dismantle the assembly if required

Aesthetic requirements

To maintain the look of the façade of the building and not look out of place..

Concept development:

Now that the requirements are understood. Next step is to generate concepts.

How to Generate Concepts ?

Learning From Research and Gather Ideas
Brainstorm and Ideate
Synthesis of Ideas into concepts
Should meet requirements

Awning -Concept

Concept of mounting 1

Awning is connected to the Wall by a Link with pin joints at either end

Link is Aluminium channel

Concept of mounting 2

Awning is connected to the Wall rigidly through the Red frame on either side of Awning

Bracket is Wooden

Comparison of Concepts

Concept 1	Concept 2
Uses a link to connect the Awning to the wall	Uses a structural bracket which connects the awning to the wall
Uses Pin joints -temporary	Uses Permanent joints
Easier to dismantle	Cannot be dismantled
Lighter	Heavier
Additional brackets for mounting pins	No additional brackets for pin mountings
Inferior in Aesthetics	Superior in Aesthetics
Can take lesser loads	Can take larger loads
Cheaper	Costlier

Concept Selection

Concept 1 is inferior to concept 2 in aesthetics but superior in assembly requirements.
Concept 2 is stronger but that extra strength may not be required for the conditions.
Concept 1 is cheaper and light weight.

Selecting a concept and the reasoning behind it ?

Ease of installation
Simple and light
Cheaper

Although in this case Concept 1 has been considered superior but this might not be the case in all other instances of design

Engineering Analysis

Analysis of the Design with respect to Engineering principles

1.Engineering mechanics

2.Strength of materials

3.Machine design

Converting the design problem to an Engineering problem

Formulating the engineering problem

Goal

Get the reaction forces
Use reaction forces to calculate stress in the member

Arriving at the Design load

Wind loads
Self weight

Wind Load direction

Wind velocity

Wind pressure calculations

150 km / h =42 m / s

Generic formula for wind pressure , P = 0.613 V^2

Source : Wikihow

Considering the area of application faces a year round probability of storms then the maximum velocity of wind

For a sever storm is maximum 150 km/h

Calculated Pressure (N/m^2) –

= 0.613 * 42^2

= 1081 N/m^2

Calculate the Load from pressure

Projected area of the Awning is 1 metre X 0.7 metre = 0.7 m^2

Load acting = Pressure X Area

Load = 1081 * 0.7 = 756.7 N or 76 kg

Self Weight calculation

Self weight , Sheet = 11 kg

Frame = 10 kg

Total Design load = Wind load + Self weight load

= 76 +11+10 = 100 kg

Assumed :

Although the Weight will act vertically downwards, the Load due to self weight is a fraction of the wind load.

Considering Overload factor as 1.5

Cause of Overloads?

Debris falling onto the awning
Extreme gale force winds
Material variations
Dimensional variations

Load to be considered = 150 kg = 1500 N

Static Force and Moment analysis

Procedure

Find the Force and Moment equilibrium equations
Solve to Find the Unknowns using Simultaneous equations method.

Free body diagram for system

Load acting is 1500/ 2 (at one side) at centre of the link.

Free body diagram

Kinematically it is a structure -Triangle

Geometry

Free body diagram –Using Method of sections

Resolving the load into vertical and horizontal components

Resolving the Fce force into vertical and horizontal components

Free Body Diagram

Equating Forces

Equating all Forces in X direction to 0 due to static equilibrium

Dimension

Equating moments about C

Σ M = 0

Sign convention for moment

Clock wise –negative

Counter clockwise –positive

-(Rva)(487.7)-(Rha)(109.8)

+ (731.7)(487.7-337) + (164.9)(109.8-76) = 0

-(Rva)(487.7) -(Rha)(109.8) +115840 = 0 3

Finding Fce

Rha–(164.9) +(0.857*Fce)=0 >> Rha= (164.9) -(0.857*Fce)
va–(731.7)+(0.515*Fce)=0 >> Rva= (731.7) -(0.515*Fce)
-(Rva)(487.7) -(Rha)(109.8 +115840 = 0

Substituting Rhaand Rvain equation 3 to find Fce

-((731.7 -0.515*Fce)(487.7)) –((164.9 -0.857*Fce)(109.8)) +115840 = 0

-356850 + 251.2 Fce –18106 + 94.1Fce + 115840 = 0

-222904 + 345.3 Fce = 0

Fce = 222904 / 345.3

Fce = 645.5 N

Finding Rva, Rha

Rha= (164.9) -(0.857 * 645.5) Rha= -388.29 N (opposite direction to what was assumed)

Rva= (731.7) -(0.515 * 645.5 Rva= 399.3 N

Final FBD of Link AD

Link AD

Finding Rhe, Rce

Rve= 332.2 N

Rhe= 553.2

Axial Force on link

From the reactions already calculated find the component of force in the axis of the link

This will be an input to calculate the strength of the link.

Calculation for Compression loading

Fce = 645.5 N

Next step is to calculate the Compressive stress and Buckling stability and design the section of the link and see if it exceeds the Tensile strength of the material

Net load = 645.5 N

Calculation for Compressive stress

Hence design is safe in Compression

Buckling

What needs to be calculated?

Whether the load which is acting on the link exceed the Critical load which would buckle the link?

Formula :

Critical Load =𝜋2𝐸𝐼/𝐿2

E –Youngs modulus

I –Moment of Inertia of section

L –Length of Column

Calculation for buckling stability

Inputs :

1.E -Elastic modulus –Aluminium -69 GPa

2.I –Moment of Inertia – I = 1.232e-008 m^4

3.L –Length of Link –0.57 m

Calculating using formula

𝑃𝑐𝑟= 3.142∗69∗109∗1.232∗10−8/0.572 = 25 kN

Critical Load is much larger than 645.5 N , hence the link is safe from Buckling.

The Link is Strong in buckling and compression with very large margins.

This means that the section of the link can be reduced to reduce weight and maintain strength and stability.

Re-calculating Compressive stress

Stress = Load / Area

Stress = 645.5 N / 6.4e-005 m^2

Compressive Stress = 10 Mpa

Re-calculating Buckling critical Load

𝑃𝑐𝑟= 3.142∗69∗109∗7.253∗10−10 / 0.572

𝑃𝑐𝑟= 1518 N

Safety factor = 𝑃𝑐𝑟/ Load = 1518/654.4 = 2.3

Design of Pin -Shearing vs Bending

Mode of failure of joint:

Shearing off ,
bending

Which is more likely to happen?

In this case it would be shearing of as the length of the pin is not long

Design of pin joint for strength

Probable failure mode of Pin :

Failure due to Shear failure

The Pin has to be designed keeping in mind this Shearing action

Force acting on the Pin

Stress area of pin.

Shear Stress calculation

Stress = Force / Area

Stress = Force acting on the Pin / Shear Area

The Pin diameter is 6 mm

Area = 28.26 mm^2

Force = 654.5

Stress = 654.5 / 28.26 = 25 N/mm^2 or MPa

Steel Shear strength = 240 N/mm^2 (MPa)

Design is safe in Pin Shear

FEA Analysis of Awning

This analysis can be done by FEA analysis of the Awning frame with shown boundary conditions.

Setting up the Analysis

Material –Steel with Yield strength 240 Mpa

Boundary conditions

Load case

Loading : 1500 N

Area : Across the top surface of the full frame

Results

Stress:

Max Von mises Stress at centre = 100 MPa

Well within the Acceptable limit of yield strength of generic steel

Results

Displacement:

Max Displacement at centre –2.2 mm

Summary

Formulated the Load on the awning
Used Static analysis to find the Reactions at the Pins
Analyse the Link for compressive strength
Analysed the Link for buckling
Analysed the Pin for Shear failure.
FEA analysis of Awning Frame

Formulation for Link angle

Angle of link

The same equations can be used to generate simple FORMULATION to find the optimal link length and inclination considering the Awning remains the same

Resolving the Fce force into vertical and horizontal components

Equating Forces

Equating all Forces in X direction to 0 due to static equilibrium

Σ Fx= 0

Rha= (164.9) -(Fce.sinθ) A

Equating all Forces in Y direction to 0 due to static equilibrium

Σ Fy= 0

Rva= (731.7) -(Fce.cosθ ) B

Rewriting Equation 3 from earlier section

-(Rva)(487.7) -(Rha)(109.8) +115840 = 0 3

Substituting A and B in equation 3

-((731.7 -Fce.cosθ )(487.7)) –((164.9 -Fce.sinθ)(109.8)) +115840 = 0

-(356850-487.7. Fce.cosθ) –(18106 -Fce.sinθ.109.8) +115840 = 0

-259116+487.7. Fce.cosθ+Fce.sinθ.109.8 = 0

487.7. Fce.cosθ+Fce.sinθ.109.8 = 259116

Fce(487.7.cosθ+109.8.sinθ)= 259116

Fce= 259116 / ((487.7.cosθ+109.8.sinθ))

Formulation –Length

Formulation –Buckling Critical Load

𝑃𝑐𝑟= 3.142∗69∗109∗7.253∗10−10 / (𝐿2

𝑃𝑐𝑟= 493.4 / (𝐿2)

Formulation –All equations

Fce= 259116 / ((487.7.cosθ+109.8.sinθ))

Rha= (164.9) -(Fce.sinθ)

Rva= (731.7) -(Fce.cosθ )

L= 487.7/ sinθ

𝑷𝒄𝒓= 𝟒𝟗𝟑.𝟒 / (𝑳)𝟐

Shear Stress on Pin = Fce/ 28.26

Now only with input as angle , all the above can be calculated

Case studies

At θ= 30 deg

Fce= 500

Buckling critical load = 518

L = 0.975 m long

Not desirable , Link is too long

At θ= 70 deg

Fce= 750

Buckling critical load = 1800

L = 0.519 m long

Shear Stress on Pin = Fce/ 28.26

= 26 MPa

Desirable , Link is short.

At θ= 90 deg

Fce= 1355.3

Buckling critical load = 2074.5

L = 0.487 m long

Shear Stress on Pin = Fce/ 28.26

= 48 MPa

Link is Shortest

Detail Design

This is the stage when the Design is refined and specifications are laid out.
Preparation of Bill of Materials
Each and every dimensions of each part is finalized at this point.

Bill of materials

Next Steps :

Preparation of Drawings for the Parts for Fabrication and manufacturing
Refining the Details to suit manufacturing requirements
Tweaking Dimensions for Fit and clearances
Dimensional Engineering –GD& T

Procedure to find reactions -Solving Link AD

Reactions to be found Rha, Rva, Rhc, Rvc,

1.Force equilibrium of Force in X and Y

1.Output two equations in terms of Rha, Rva, Rhc, Rvc

2.Moment Equilibrium of Force about Point D

1.Output one equation in terms of Rha, Rva, Rhc, Rvc

3.Moment equilibrium of Force about Point B (load point )

1.Output one equation in terms of Rha, Rva, Rhc, Rvc

4.Replace values of Rha and Rhc in equations of moment balance

5.Arrive at two equations containing Rva and Rvc

6.Solve to find the remaining terms.

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