Selection starts with the scenario, not the product
The right door comes not from a catalogue but from the number of people passing through it. How many people pass a day, are they carrying trolleys or loads, is the entrance exposed to wind, and is the door on an escape route? The answers to these four questions largely determine the model and the motor class.
Types and where they suit
- Single or double leaf sliding: the most common solution. Standard at shop, office, hospital and hotel entrances.
- Telescopic sliding: where side clearance is narrow but a wide clear opening is still required, the leaves stack over one another.
- Curved and circular: designed together with the architecture at prestige entrances.
- Hermetic sliding: used where airtightness is critical, such as operating theatres, laboratories and clean rooms.
- Swing door operator: preferred for automating an existing hinged door, in narrow passages and at doors that require accessible entry.
Look at the clear opening width, not the catalogue
Catalogues mostly quote the frame dimension; what concerns the user is the clear opening width left when the door is fully open. If a shopping trolley, a stretcher or a pallet truck has to pass, that dimension must be settled from the outset. A clear opening left too narrow at a pedestrian entrance creates a queue in front of the door at peak hours.
Sensors: opening and safety are separate jobs
The motion sensor above the door sees the approaching person and opens it. What stops anyone being struck while it closes is a separate safety sensor, usually placed on the leaf as an active infrared curtain. Safety requirements for pedestrian doors are defined in EN 16005. When requesting a quote, these two sensors must be asked about separately.
Energy, climate and noise
In street-front shops the entrance door is the single largest source of heating and cooling load. An adjustable hold-open time, a partial opening feature in winter mode and a proper brush seal line lower heat loss visibly. Quiet operation, meanwhile, is directly related to the quality of the motor and the track.
Escape route and power failure
If the door is on an escape route, an arrangement is needed that opens automatically, or can easily be opened by hand, when the power is cut. Battery backup, an uninterruptible power supply and leaves that can break out are assessed at this point. When it is not discussed at project stage, this is the most expensive issue to solve afterwards.
A good automatic door makes its presence felt only on the day it breaks down.
