Automatic Gates for Commercial Buildings and Industrial Estates
A fully automated gate system can provide a high level of security, control vehicular and pedestrian access at different times of the day for different people and keep track of who's coming and going.
Things to consider:
- Number of users and life expectancy of the operator.
- Is a swing or sliding gate more suitable?
- How will visitors get in or out?
- What happens if the power goes out?
- Placement of an intercom and gates to avoid traffic congestion during peak times.
- Is it necessity to lock the gate electrically?
- Safety of all users including: residents, visitors and the general public.
- Security - preventing cars sneaking in behind others and controlling pedestrians.
Number of Users verses Life Expectancy of the Operator
Its important to consider the number of vehicles that will be using a gate and choose an operator and gate fabrication system that is made to last the distance. If there's less than 18 vehicles likely to use the gate on average per day then a residential operator will be fine, any more than this and an operator made for being used more will be necessary.
... more about Life Expectancy of an Automatic Gate Operator
The No-weld gate fabrication system is ideal for gates that get a lot of use because it doesn't suffer from metal fatigue that can cause the welds on a welded gate to crack and fail.
Is a Swing or Sliding Gate more Suitable?
Sliding gates are better for driveways that slope up from the road or you don't want to loose any part of your driveway to a swing gate but you do need space for it to slide. Swing Gates are usually cheaper the sliding gates ...
... more about choosing between Swing and Sliding Gates
Authorised Users Access Control
Users may have:
- Hand held keyring sized remote controls allow each user to open a gate. These are best used with a management system that assigns remote controls to user individually so they can easily be removed from the system even if lost or stolen without having to reprogram the entire system.
- An RFID key card or tag touched on a reader will open a front entry gate. These are a more economic alternative to remote controls with a management system for assigning cards or tags to users individually.
- 3G/4G Access Controls use Mobile Phones as remote controls by registering users mobile numbers into the system and they just dial a preset number to open the gate or use an App on their Smart Phone.
- A Digital Keypad can also be used where everyone can be issued a separate pin number although these tend to be vulnerable to people sharing numbers so isn't the highest form of security.
With all these systems If a card, tag, remote control or mobile phone is loss it can be taken out of the system to prevent anyone that finds it to open the gate and a new one added. This can be done separately for each one. With digital keypad pin codes they also can be removed separately and new one entered.
Visitor Access control and monitoring who's coming and going.
Visitors, delivery men and tradesmen require an intercom system. This may be a single wireless call system for the receptionist or security guard or multi call system to individual offices, businesses, manager or security.
A Video Intercom or Surveillance system at the gate is also very handy for users to screen visitors giving them the choice of whether to let a visitor know if they are available or not. A video surveillance system can also have 24 hour digital recording to keep track of who is coming and going and capturing events such as someone driving into the gate or activities of vandals
Some access control systems can also log who is coming and going by the id of their remote control, RFID card or mobile phone.
Power Out Considerations
What happens if there is a power failure? Ideally the gate will continue working regardless, even with a lot of users, which requires a continuously rated battery back up system like that used with our 24V continuously rated operators.
Placement of an Intercom
An intercom should be placed away from other vehicles using the gate so if a visitor has stopped to use the intercom and an authorised user wishes to get in they don't get stuck behind the visitor if they may not be able to gain access.
Separate Entry and Exit Gates
To allow higher volumes of traffic to flow more smoothly a separate entry and exit gate is recommended, particularly if a RFID card system in use because the card reader is best located on the right hand side so users can reach it from their drivers window. If a two way gate is used, incoming vehicles will need to enter the outgoing lane to use the card reader.
It is also more desirable to have the outgoing gate opening outwards so vehicles won't have the gate opening towards them.
An in ground vehicle loop detector also works more effectively with a separate EXIT gate because then incoming vehicles are not detected.
Safety of All Users
Keeping pedestrians out of the path of vehicles using the entry gates is important for their own safety particularly if there is young children or aged, so a separate pedestrian gate with its own access control is necessary. Having visitor car parks outside the entry gates is normally a council requirement, meaning visitors will be entering on foot so and Intercom system should be placed so visitors have safe access to it too or if this isn't possible then a separate Intercom system placed for pedestrians only.
Pedestrian gates should have a self closer that not only closes the gate but controls the speed the gate closes too, as this is much safer than simple spring loaded hinges that can slam closed very fast particularly if they get some wind behind them. Gas struts fitted to the pedestrian gate like a linear gate motor are the most effective mechanisms for this type of self closer and are relatively low cost.
Safety Photocells are also mandatory for gated communities to prevent an automatic gate closing on a vehicle. If pedestrians do use the driveway gate and it is a single swing gate there can be a situation where they may get trapped behind a gate so there must be a secondary safety system in place too such as the motor itself having built in obstruction detection so if this happens the gate will stop and then reverse letting the person free without harming them.
... more about Safety Photocells
Level of Security
It is ideal if the gate motor has the ability for the Safety Photocells to also control the closing of the gate. This way once a vehicle passes through the gate will close immediately after them reducing the chance that another unauthorised vehicle will follow them in. Having a fast closing gate will also help with this although to prevent this happening entirely gates generally cannot close fast enough so a barrier arm is used instead, although barrier arms control vehicles only they cannot stop pedestrians, which is where gates work best. The combination of a gate and barrier arm with fencing placed to make it difficult for pedestrians to walk though the driveway gate is the most effect security solution, although having video surveillance cameras monitoring the gates 24 hours with recording as well covers a situation where someone does sneak in by foot so firstly you can see who it is and secondly see how they did it so perhaps a way to prevent anyone from doing it again in future could be implemented.
Does a Gate need an electric lock?
Sliding Gate operators lock the gate too so no extra locking device is needed.
Swing gate operators for Commercial Gates do need an electric lock because the likely hood that someone will be pushing on the gate to try and get in is very high. Magnetic clamps are recommended for Commercial Gates and are best used to lock a single gate to a receiving post. If you have a double swing gate then a magnetic lock is necessary to lock both gates to the ground, this does require a hard stop in the middle of the driveway.
You may also have a Small Side Pedestrian Gate and would like to tie this into the automatic gate operator system. A magnetic lock is also the best solution for electrically locking Pedestrian gates that get a lot of use because they will take a lot of abuse and continue to work.