Yes. Please contact our technical team via the about page and we will
arrange an in-person or online demonstration of the hardware.

Safe load limits of AE Hardware are determined by three factors: i) the strength of the hardware; ii) the strength of the art object to which the hardware is attached; iii) the strength of the fasteners used to attach the hardware to the art object.
Artist Engineering has conducted laboratory testing of the hardware, in isolation from the art object and attachment method, to determine its failure limits and modes and to validate targeted working loads. Artist Engineering cannot, however, test the strength of every art object or every fastener. To provide a baseline reference, we have tested AE Hardware in industrially graded softwood and hardwood substrates under controlled conditions, allowing users to compare their specific artwork structures to known material behaviours. Refer to the document AE Load Testing Report for summarised test results and indicative load ratings.

AE Hardware ships from our warehouse in Australia to all parts of the world, except the United States, which is serviced by our West Coast warehouse. Delivery times vary according to location, but we ship with DHL and can reliably predict delivery within 5 days of shipment (pending unforeseen delays such as customs holds).

Artist Engineering charge calculated import duties and taxes at checkout. This is variable for all parts of the world, except the United States, where a flat 25% import duties and taxes fee is charged on all orders. Australian orders are not subject to any import duties, GST (10%) is added at checkout.

AE Hardware is adaptable to any 2D, wall-based object. Alongside unframed artworks, as well as those with thin frames where contact with the surface of the work is high risk, the hardware is also suited to works where the frame or glazing is considered part of the object, for example Diasec mounted photographs, or sensitive acrylic box-frames.

Given the infinite variability of the art object substrate, condition, surface construction and medium and weight distribution, there is no safe 'rule of thumb' to prescribe the maximum or recommended spacing between AE Bracket locations. Artworks must be assessed on an individual basis. Avoid installing AE Brackets on vulnerable areas of the artwork structure that display material weakness, defects, pre-existing damage, or brittleness.

AE Brackets accept a maximum 4.5 mm diameter (9G) fastener. The length of screw should be considered according to the depth of the artwork substrate. Screw threads should be selected according to the substrate material and condition (for example, a degraded softwood stretcher may better suit a fastener with a deep, coarse thread). AE Brackets can also be fastened into metal substrates with appropriate pilot holes and fastener selections.

No. AE Hardware is designed to fit within standard travel frame clearances of 75 mm (3 in.) in width and 152 mm (6 in.) in height. If your travel frame is shallower, AE Grips can be removed and stowed between the travel frame and exterior crate walls during transit.

AE Grip screws feature a standard 4 mm hex drive head. The AE Hex Driver is the perfect tool for the job, but the screw head is compatible with any 4 mm or 5/32 in. (3.97 mm) Allen key, hex driver or hex bit.

Flat and spring washers are integrated into the AE Clip eyelet, eliminating the need for any additional washers.

Every AE Clip and AE Bracket is laser-etched with a QR code linking to our user guide page. Wherever the hardware is, the instructions are, too.

Yes. Besides protecting the commercial value of intellectual property, Artist Engineering believes firmly in the rights of creative producers (across all fields) to their original works, and strongly opposes theft or imitation.

AE Hardware exists to make a significant contribution to the preservation of art objects — our products are fixed at a low price point to make that accessible for everyone. We consider discounts for artists’ studios, please email us via the about page for enquiries.

We are responding to requests from the conservation community and have a short-list of accessories and products which may follow in the years to come. Few industries are as collaborative as ours, and contributing to the field is what has driven the development of our hardware since day one. If you are interested in contributing to our next research and development phase, please contact us via the about page.