If you are installing a new industrial door, you’ll need to consider which safety devices to include. Here’s a quick overview to help with your selection:
Types of Industrial Doors we’ll cover
– Overhead Sectional Door
– Roller Doors
– Automated Gates (such as Sliding Gates and I-Beam Gates)
Types of Safety Devices
– Contact (where the door is controlled through direct interaction)
– Non-Contact (where the device is triggered without making contact)
– Warning Devices
What should influence your choice
– Vehicle or Pedestrian Traffic
– Light, Medium, or Heavy Use
![Automated door safety choices](https://americandoor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/automated-door-safety-choices.jpg)
Sensing Edge
Types available: electric and pneumatic
How they work: when the edge contacts an object, the door stops, and then runs in reverse.
![Sensing edge](https://americandoor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/safety-edge.jpg)
Control Station
Types available: push button, key switch
How they work: typically, they have an “Open”, “Close”, and “Stop” or some combination. They are manually operated by a person who is in sight of the door and watching for safety hazards.
![Linear Keypad](https://americandoor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/linear-keypad.jpg)
![Key Switch](https://americandoor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/key-switch-surface-mount.jpg)
![3-button Control](https://americandoor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/3-button-control.jpg)
Photo Eye
Types available: dual sensors, photo eye and reflector
How they work: when the light beam is broken, the door opens, stops and opens, or won’t close.
![Photo Eye](https://americandoor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/photo-eye.jpg)
Light Curtain
Types available: a variety of sizes for different protection zones.
How they work: when any of the light beams are broken, the door opens, stops and opens, or won’t close.
![Safety Light Curtains](https://americandoor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/safety-light-curtains.jpg)
Loop Detector
Types available: it’s a two part combination of an electronic sensor and custom installed wiring.
How they work: the loop wire creates a magnetic field that is sensed by the loop detector. Large metal objects create resistance in the field that are picked up by the loop detector. When a vehicle enters the loop zone, the loop detector senses it and conducts a predetermined behavior –
open the door/gate freely (as in a free entrance or exit) or prevent the door/gate from closing (when used as a safety feature).
![Loop Detector](https://americandoor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/loop-detector.jpg)
Motion Sensor
Types available: there are many kinds, including radar, vibration, infrared, and sound. The most commonly used is microwave.
How they work: they can be used to open the door freely, or as a safety to prevent it from closing.
![Motion Sensor](https://americandoor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/motion-sensor.jpg)
Light
Types available: green/yellow/red, flashing and strobe, and other configurations.
How they work: they can be set for a variety of indicators:
– Door is closed
– Door is operational
– Door is getting ready to close
– Door is open
![Traffic Light](https://americandoor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/traffic-light.png)
![Strobe Light](https://americandoor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/strobe-light.jpg)
Horn
Types available: there are many kinds. They all emit some volume of sound.
How they work: they can be set to sound off when the door is in operation or when it is about to be in operation.
![Horn Strobe](https://americandoor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/horn-strobe.jpg)
No matter what configuration you may need to optimize the safety and accessibility of your automated door, American Industrial Door can help. We can custom design a system that meets YOUR needs. We service all of Long Island and the 5 boroughs.