The What: Da-Lite is now shipping the Fast-Fold NXT, a rental screen that features a reinvented design that addresses extrusion strength, ease of setup, and the optic capabilities of the surface.
The What Else: To create a better rental solution, Da-Lite interviewed customers all over the world including product managers, stage engineers, owners, buyers, end users, and the technicians that set up the screens every day. This feedback directly led to a number of upgrades.
“Our team took a holistic approach to the Fast-Fold redesign process. We listened to what was important to our customers and designed a work horse that is stronger, faster, and simpler in the ways that make a difference,” said Melissa Rone, senior product marketing manager. “There are a lot of upgrades and changes that we are excited to make available to our customers.”
The new extrusion features more aluminum for more strength and a unique shape that streamlines accessory attachments into a universal channel that also creates ribs for additional strength where it is needed. The new internal hinge gives strength, durability, and clean lines to the product. Rivets are replaced with epoxy improving durability.
Fixed corners with welded inserts are interchangeable and allow the user to set up the screen quickly and easily by making a rectangle and snapping sections together. Fast-Fold NXT also features a new foldable HD Rental surface that is 4K-ready and a new wrap-around binding. The binding is vinyl and easier to attach to the frame with clips, eliminating snaps and the difficulty of replacing them in the field when they fail.
Microtooth Height Adjustment aims to eliminate speedy cranks, and allows the user to adjust the height of the screen in increments down to the centimeter while the screen is still standing. Updated internal organization allows the case to be stored upright or stacked horizontally while protecting the surface. Four wheels and an ergonomic handle make transport easier, and 16 case sizes are condensed down to two.
The Bottom Line: When updating the product, the Da-Lite team eliminated customer pain points like rivets, snaps, and the speedy crank and created a new streamlined design with features to make setup even simpler. Da-Lite is now shipping standard frame sizes up to 10 feet by 16 feet. Larger frames up to 17 feet by 27.5 feet are coming soon.
