According to the findings from MSI Reports, the demand for fastacting warehouse doors in the food, drink, and retail sectors, in particular, will continue to grow, partly driven, it seems, by more stringent health, hygiene and energy legislative issues.
Probably the greatest concern warehouse operators have after safety is energy-related and it is not always just about energy costs.
Sudden drops in temperature, for example, can adversely affect production machinery like injection moulding and printing machines. It can also lead to staff complaints and higher absenteeism. Possibly another issue exercising minds of potential buyers is the initially costly expense of high speed doors compared with the more traditional, slow-moving roller shutter doors but it is their running costs and the impact they have on the working environment which must be considered to discern their true value and costsaving nature. In short, as when choosing forklifts, think in terms of life-cycle costs.
Paybacks on the fast-acting roller doors can be remarkably short. After a Bradford-based bathrooms manufacturer installed three internal Sara PVC highspeed doors, for example, the doors paid for themselves within months through energy savings alone. It is, however, important to conduct an energy audit and this is where the leading equipment suppliers can be helpful with free advice. Energy savings will, of course, depend on many variables, like temperature, winds/vacuum, atmospheric pressure and rain, but not least is the effectiveness of the loading bay door seal. The larger the gap between vehicle and door the greater the energy loss.
This is the first line of defence against the elements which is why warehouse operators should carefully consider this vital interface. According to tests carried out by Hanover University, a good dock shelter seal can produce energy savings of 80% or more.
It is also important to consider carefully the remote control operations, like inductive loops radio and radar in comparison with manual push button or pull cords. In a frenetic operation where doors frequently open and close the manual approach to door control should be avoided because not only would time be lost in dismounting/mounting forklifts each time but valuable energy losses would result. Some doors are much faster than others, which improve protection against forklift collisions and conserve energy better. Typical roller door speeds are about 2.5 mt/sec but door specialist Efaflex produces one model with an opening speed of 4mt/sec. Even so, forklift drivers moving too fast can still collide with fast doors. To this end, Efaflex has developed its EFASCAN laser scanner as the world’s first laser scanner for horizontal use on fast doors. The scanner reacts quickly within the dynamic detection zone but it does not open the door if vehicles or people are simply passing along the frontage. It fully protects against accidents and prevents door damage – a common problem arising from forklift collisions.
Without such sensors operators should consider crash-out doors that allow quick reinstatement after a collision.
Having a reliable door is not much good without a reliable after-sales service, and here one must try to obtain reactions from buyers who have had a long experience with a particular door supplier. If one has a selection of different makes of doors then look to those who offer a complete after-sales package whatever the door makes so as to simplify administration.
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