Fixed Ops Magazine - 2023 Vol 20 02 - 38

High-performance doors are a part of this equation.
They're designed with energy efficiency in mind. Integral
weather seals on the sides and bottom of the door
help reduce energy loss.
Extreme Cold. Snow. Wind. Rain. Heat.
Keeping these weather conditions out and maintaining
a constant, comfortable environment in the service area
is a must. Fast-opening and closing high-performance
doors keep inclement weather outside, where it belongs.
High-performance doors help keep the service area
at a comfortable temperature, regardless of inclement
weather conditions outside. That
means your dealership's HVAC system
doesn't have to work as hard to
maintain a constant temperature.
advanced light curtain sensors to track traffic entering
and exiting the door threshold and adjust the operation
of the door and alerting system accordingly.
That enables them to accurately sense vehicle and foot
traffic nearby, intelligently track its motion and adjust
the door's performance accordingly.
For example, if a pedestrian is detected near the door
opening, the controller could signal the door to close at
a slower speed and display a unique pattern on its compact
light strips to alert the person to move away from
the door. It's a more intelligent approach to door safety
and security.
SECOND EMERGING
FACTOR: SAFETY
AND SECURITY
Existing door security systems have
several shortcomings that make them
less than ideal for busy auto dealership service areas.
For example, when service lanes get busy, vehicles may
not always clear the door threshold. Pedestrians may
wander into the door area without realizing it. Or vehicles
may be close enough to the door that older sensors
may cause " false positives " - forcing the door to open or
stay open even though it may not be obstructed.
Advances in
technology
make today's
high-performance
doors safer
and more efficient
than ever.
CONCLUSION
If you're planning to invest in doors
for a new facility or to update an existing
one, be sure to look beyond
the " usual suspects " of aesthetics,
productivity and reliability. Advances
in technology make today's high-performance
doors safer and more efficient
than ever. And with ongoing
uncertainty about energy costs, it
makes sense to invest in doors that will help you maximize
the comfort and efficiency of your service area and
manage your heating and cooling costs.
In addition, many high-performance doors are controlled
by older-generation sensors that cover a larger
area than necessary, wasting precious space in the service
area. When the sensor detects an obstruction, it signals
the door to open. It doesn't provide the controller
with any intelligence about whether or not the vehicle
or pedestrian has cleared the door. As a result, the door
may open and close much more often than necessary.
That, in turn, makes it harder to maintain a comfortable
environment in the service area. It also contributes to
higher energy costs.
Next-generation door safety systems like Rytec's
SmartSurround™ utilize artificial intelligence (AI) and
Michael F. Watkins is
Vice President, Marketing
at Rytec High Performance
Doors,
the
leading
independent
U.S. manufacturer of
high-speed, high-performance
doors
controlled-temperature
environments. Watkins
for
commercial, industrial,
food-and-beverage and
has
consulted with the industrial and durable goods industries
and has held management positions in marketing,
business development and new product development.
He received his M.B.A. at Kellogg School of Management,
Northwestern University. He can be reached by
email at mwatkins@rytecdoors.com.
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