Start With How the Doorway Is Used
It’s helpful to understand how your opening works day-to-day before evaluating different models. An opening used every few minutes by forklifts, for example, has very different needs from one used a few times an hour. Keep track of daily cycles, write down the types of vehicles, and measure the clear height and width of the opening. These numbers determine the motor size and curtain type.
Think About Internal and External Positions
Doors situated between the same building areas, such as internal doors, are designed to do different things compared to doors situated on the outer walls of the building. Internal doors can separate different temperature zones or direct traffic. On the other hand, external doors must withstand the weather, including wind and rain, and deal with break-in attempts. For an externally located door in a windy area, make sure the curtain and guide system of the door has a sufficient wind load rating. When considering the use of high-speed doors for an outer wall of the building, a sturdy frame, along with a good locking system for out-of-hours security, would be a good additional feature to consider.
Choose the Right Curtain Material
High speed doors often use a flexible fabric curtain with clear vision panels, so drivers are able to see traffic on the other side. Some facilities require an insulated curtain to protect stock from extreme temperatures or help maintain building heat. Some applications require a lightweight curtain to minimise cycle times. Many high speed doors use a mechanism that releases the door from its guides if the door is hit by a vehicle. This saves an expensive repair and helps keep the production line operating.
Check the Safety Features
Doors that open and close quickly need to be equipped with safety features to protect staff on foot or in vehicles. Safety edges, photocells, and light curtains can stop and reverse a door if something is in the path of the door. Warning lights can provide advance notice of a closing door. These, along with safety features described above can significantly reduce the chances of a collision. The supplier should be able to provide you information to show how their door meets the current standards of machinery safety and what documentation is available with the door.
Plan the Control and Access Options
The trigger mechanism plays a large part in both the speed and security of a loading bay door. Radar sensors and loop detectors are good for high use, rapid access while pull cords and push buttons are better for less use. Many sites integrate loading bay doors with access control to allow only authorised drivers to open the door. A door that is always open for anyone to use is very convenient, but it leaves a loading bay unsecured when the building is empty.
Consider Maintenance and Support
A door will see thousands of cycles a month. How quickly can spares be supplied? How often should it be serviced? Are there worn parts? It is cheaper to organise a service call to prevent a breakdown. Who will train your staff to properly use the door and report faults? These are questions you should be asking.
Allow for Installation and Site Disruption
Prepare for some disruption to your site with a new door installation. Find out how long the work will take and if the opening can be kept secure to protect the site overnight. Make sure your team prepares the area appropriately. Look at the floor and wall adjacent to the door opening and check for irregular surfaces or damaged steelwork. These can also impact the fit of the door. Following these tips will help your team manage door installation disruption and maintain as little downtime as possible.
Look at Energy and Environmental Control
Every time a doorway is left open, warm or cold air escapes. Fast opening and closing reduces that loss and helps control heating bills, keeps cold stores cold and ensures the safety of temperature-sensitive stock. Fast opening and closing doors block the entrance of dust, fumes and bugs which can contaminate food and drugs, and affect the operation of electronics. Ask for performance data on air leakage to judge for yourself how much a door will help your facility.
Compare Total Cost, Not Just Price
The least expensive door is rarely the best value. Factors such as energy savings, fewer vehicle impacts, lower maintenance costs and better security add to the real cost over the life of the door. The quotation you receive should include installation, controls and safety devices and servicing so you can better compare the quotes.
A Simple Way to Decide
Note your daily routines, your environment, safety needs, security needs and service expectations, and ask potential suppliers to tell you how their doors meet these. A brief list prepared this way should help you to select the right door, and provides your site with a door that fulfils a number of functions without becoming a weak point.