In the same way that it is important to select the correct tool for a job, so too must the correct gate motor be chosen during automation of a gate. Too often price dictates a purchase. Perhaps it is a lack of understanding about the difference between various products and the potential severity of the operating conditions.
It is easy to underestimate how hard a gate motor in a commercial or industrial installation might have to operate.
* The frequency of operation is typically very high, resulting in problems such as overheating and excessive wear and tear.
* The average industrial gate is large and of heavy construction and difficult to move.
* Gates in these applications are often abused. Besides vehicles knocking into the gate, the running conditions deteriorate leading to undue stress being placed on the automation. Preventative maintenance is often neglected in the gate automation industry.
How is a reliable installation guaranteed when automating an existing sliding gate installation?
The first thing is to make sure that the mechanical gate is correctly installed. The gate must have suitable mechanical end stops, which can withstand the full momentum of the gate particularly when driven under full power of the motor.
The gate should be properly balanced. Not only must it be perfectly balanced vertically, by the top guide rollers, but it must also be balanced horizontally so that it slides open or closed with equal force.
Due care must be taken to ensure that the gate slides as smoothly and lightly as possible. The solution to the problem of a gate which runs badly is not by installing a stronger motor. Remember also that in the event of a system failure or emergency situation, an average person must be able to slide the gate open with relative ease.
There are three factors to consider when measuring up a sliding gate in order to select the correct operator:
1. The physical mass of the gate. Depending on the speed of the operator this yields a measure of the momentum in the system and determines the strength and size of the operator gearbox.
2. The pull force required to move the gate. This is a measure of the rolling friction in the system and determines the power of the operator motor required.
3. The duty cycle of the installation. In an industrial application it is critical to know how often the system is required to operate. Besides the accelerated wear and tear, many systems are susceptible to overheating and consequential thermal shutdown in multiple usage applications.
Make sure that the specifications of the sliding gate operator under consideration fall within these parameters. Secondly, bear in mind the downtime cost implication if a product of inferior quality fails. A good quality product might cost more up front, but it is a better long-term investment.
For further details contact Richard Rohman, Centurion Systems on tel: (011) 462 4499.
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