When installing swing or sliding gates, it is necessary to determine which automation will be better for them. Modern systems are easy to maintain, virtually silent, and inexpensive. That is why the presence of automation these days is an indispensable attribute of a comfortable life. If you are interested in the cost to replace garage door rollers, we recommend that you also pay attention to the choice of a device for automatically opening garage doors in order to simplify the opening process as much as possible. In this article, you will learn how to choose the right garage door automation.
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Factors That Influence The Choice Of Automation For Sliding Gates
It is difficult to answer the question of how to choose automation for sliding gates since everything depends on the needs and capabilities of the users. However, there are several factors to consider when choosing.
- area and weight of the canvas;
- type of supporting system (the ease of movement of the sash depends on it);
- geometric correspondence of fixed elements
- counterweight size;
- frequency of operation;
- climate and time of year when the drive will be used.
When thinking about which automation to choose for sliding gates, you must also take into account a number of parameters:
- Power reserve. It must be large, otherwise, the drive will not work in unfavorable climate conditions.
- Gear material in the gearbox. The most reliable are metal ones.
- Limit switch type. When operating gates in winter, magnetic gates will be the best option. The mechanical type freezes in the cold, preventing the gate from opening.
If you are thinking about replacing garage door rollers and opening mechanisms, it is worth considering in more detail the plan for selecting a solution.
Canvas Weight When Choosing an Electric Drive
To choose the right drive for sliding gates, it is important to know the weight of the sliding gate. If it is in the range of 200-500 kg, then a device for lightweight structures will be required. Such doors are installed in houses and cottages. In this case, the canvas can be made of corrugated sheets, plastic, or metal mesh. The opening size is 3-5 meters.
If the weight of the structure is 500-1000 kg, then the choice should fall on systems for weighted sliding gates. The size of the opening in these cases can reach 6 meters. The canvas is made from corrugated sheets, wood, metal mesh, or metal with artistic forging. For gates of this type, a drive with a significant power reserve is always used.
Automation for heavy sliding gates requires high demands. Such a drive must withstand a blade weighing 1800 kg. The opening size can reach 5-8 meters.
Intensity Of Use
It is expressed as a percentage. For example, there is a drive with an intensity of 30%. The opening size is 5 meters. The time spent on opening the sash takes approximately 30 seconds (the same amount is spent on closing). As a result, a complete cycle takes a minute. In order to find out how many cycles the gate can complete per hour, you need to multiply 60 minutes by 30%. The result will be 18. So, exactly 18 cars can be passed by the structure in the specified time. This is a lot for home gates.
However, which sliding gate drive is better if the operating intensity exceeds 18 cycles per hour? For such cases, industrial devices are used, where the gearbox and motor are cooled by oil. These are expensive drives with a long service life.
Counterweight Size
In this context, we are talking about self-supporting sliding gates. A counterweight balances the canvas. Usually, it is 40-50% of the opening size. If you take a reduced counterweight, the load on the roller bearings and the friction force will increase. The mechanism will require more effort to open and close the gate, which will negatively affect its service life in the future. In the case where the counterweight is less than 40%, it is worth choosing a motor that has a larger power reserve.
Drive Power
The specifications for the electric drive indicate the weight of the sashes it is designed for. However, manufacturers advise using automation with a power reserve of 30%. Firstly, when working at full strength, the drive will heat up very much and wear out faster. Secondly, if the gate is one continuous sheet, then the mechanism will have to overcome wind resistance, and accordingly, more power will be required. And thirdly, in winter the load on the drive increases, and without a reserve it may not start at all.
Selecting Automation Depending On The Type Of Gate
The standard automation kit includes the following tools:
- a drive that ensures the movement of the gate;
- control block;
- an access control system that acts more like a security device.
The drive, in turn, can be electromechanical or hydraulic. The first is distinguished by its simplicity of design and budget cost. Repair and maintenance of such a device are cheap. The hydraulic drive has a more complex design, and it itself is much more reliable. A person whose choice falls on this automatic gate system will have to spend a lot of money on installation and maintenance.
Regardless of the type of design, any automatic drive is equipped with a protective system against interference in the power supply network. Built-in units regulate the speed of movement of the sashes using force sensors and fixing devices.
Each type of gate has its own type of drive. For the design to work smoothly, it is necessary to make the right choice in favor of one or another automation.
Drives For Sliding Gates
For these structures, only one type of automation is used. It consists of an electric motor, a gearbox, and a gear, which transmits force to the shutters through a rack, causing the latter to begin to move. The drive itself is mounted on the foundation next to the gate or on a specially made pedestal. When deciding which sliding gate drive to choose, you need to take into account the weight of the leaf.
Automation For Sectional Doors
When arranging sectional garage doors, the weight and area of the leaf are taken into account. Automation of such gates involves the use of two different mechanisms – a chain or axial drive. The first is used for light-weight and small-sized canvases, for example, in cottage garages. The axial drive is produced for large gates with a high frequency of use.
Wrapping It Up
Gate automation is one of the main tasks that arise when arranging the entrance to a territory. The service life of both the automation kit and the design itself depends on a properly selected drive. Therefore, when replacing garage door rollers, it is very important to pay attention not only to the quality of the rollers, electric drive, and gate but also to their technical characteristics and their combination. We recommend contacting STI Garage Door if you need assistance with garage door installation or repair.
