Avoiding Common Mistakes With Industrial Equipment

If you work in an industry that requires the maintenance of controlled environments with climate control, hermetic seals and so on, high speed roller doors can be a great boon. The rapid opening and closing of these doors minimises unwanted heat exchange and can effectively keep outside contaminants out, particularly when used in an airlock-style tandem system. 

However, such specialised industries naturally require specialised equipment, and not just any set of rapid roller doors will do. High speed doors suitable for use with controlled environments should have a number of properties to maximise their efficiency and account for accidents.

Speed of operation

Obviously your high-speed doors should be as fast as possible, and when used with climate-controlled or sterile environments, speed is essential. However, you should not just opt for the fastest set of doors you can find, as the increased friction and impact stresses placed on the door can cause malfunctions and necessitate frequent and expensive repairs and maintenance. Look for the right balance of speed and durability -- if high speed is essential, consider choosing a flexible curtain-style door instead of rigid metal or plastic ones, as they tend to have better shock absorbency.

Air tightness

To maintain a controlled environment inside your doors, they should be as close to airtight as possible when closed, so look for high-speed doors made from cohesive materials that minimise gas exchange (once again, curtain-style doors are generally best for this). You should also make sure your door is capable of maintaining unequal air pressures on either side, to account for the overpressure commonly found in controlled environments.

Self-repair

However well-sealed your door is, an errant forklift crashing into your door can knock the door out of its guide rails and cause it to stick or malfunction, leaving your carefully controlled environment open to the outside world. As such, if you are using a large number of forklifts and other transportation vehicles, you should invest in a door with a self-repair function to minimise the impact of these accidents. These door have special mechanisms that automatically thread a misaligned door back into its guide rails once fully opened, minimising the amount of time the door spends open and avoiding the need for quick repairs.

Wicket doors

On the other hand, you may only have minimal vehicle traffic running through your doors, with most employees going through on foot. If this is the case, you might consider choosing a high-speed door with a wicket door installed -- this small, secondary door can be opened to allow pedestrian passage without opening the door fully, minimising heat and gas exchange before the door needs to be opened fully.

If you have questions, contact a company like M.T.I.-Qualos Pty Ltd.