Doors into the future

Be it the silky smooth glide and characteristic 'shush' of the Starship Enterprise's internal doors or the self-satisfied, smugness of their operation on Zaphod Beeblebrox's Heart of Gold, science fiction writers have long felt that, for doors, the future holds many possibilities.Here Ed Wilks of sara LBS, examines the advances in real door technology

Over the last 20 years the technology that has been available in industrial doors has developed to allow users to specify their needs to an exact science.

Extremely fast operating speeds are now available with smooth operation and safety features that exist to prevent doors closing on obstructions or personnel. Doors can be operated using many different methods and even integrated into a fully automated system when required.While there have been too many advances to cover them all in great detail, there have been a few that stand out as having brought the future of doors to the present.

In industrial environments that rely on efficiency and organisation, a door's operating speed and reliability can play a large role in meeting daily targets. In the past doors had limited operating speeds as high speeds could create vibrations which would cause damage and decrease operating life.

Now, using tensioning technology and smooth acceleration techniques, doors are able to operate at speeds that have made bottle-necking a thing of the past.

The MCC Vector Control system from sara LBS is an example of one such system that has led to operating speeds that can reach 3.2m/sec. The intelligent door control system uses vector control technology to ensure that the door accelerates and moves smoothly, even at high speeds. As well as improving the performance and life of the doors the MCC system offers a high level of operational freedom; different operating speeds and closing heights can be programmed in to account for different cargo loads.

With doors operating at higher speeds, safety features have developed to protect personnel, equipment and goods from damage in the event of doors closing at the wrong time.Many doors use contact safety edges that reverse upon light contact with obstructions; while this reduces the risk of serious harm to personnel it can still cause minor injuries and damage to products.

sara has developed a safety system that completely prevents contact with any obstructions. Known as the non-contact safety beam, it uses pre-running photocells, a beam that detects any obstructions and reverses the closing doors; the photocell runs an inch below the closing door allowing it to begin closing as objects pass through it in environments where the door's opening time needs to be kept to a minimum.

As safety levels and reliability have improved it has been possible to increase the automation of doors. There are a number of methods by which doors can be remotely activated; from push button operation to the use of remote transmitters which open to authorised personnel upon approach, and non-touch activation pads which are suitable for cleanroom environments where contamination risks are high.

Automatic opening is available using photo-cells to detect proximity, in a similar style to sara's non-contact beam, or a radar mounted above the door to detect movement.

Special opening systems can be designed where needed. For example an air lock system can be created, opening two doors in sequence, shielding protected areas from external environments. Doors can also be fitted with traffic lights and warning lights to improve functionality and safety.

As the safety and functionality of doors have improved a number of other features have developed to allow the user to specify a door that is suited to their need. Such features include; wind resistance, up to hurricane force; bottom rail stoppers that prevent the bottom rail rising if pushed, and vermin control; curtain tensioning that powers doors in both direction, providing better operational balance.

With such a variety of options available it is important to speak to an expert who can help to develop the right solution for every scenario. sara, for example, provides the services of trained sales engineers at every stage of the purchasing process - from the original quote to after-sales services.