In a warehouse or distribution centre, a second of a door being open results in potential heat loss, a security threat, or a disruption in operational flow. High-speed roller doors have been an ideal solution for facility managers trying to strike the right balance between Throughput and a controlled environment. Not all high-speed roller doors are of equal value, and the consequences of selecting an inferior high-speed roller door can be much greater than the price of the door itself.

You might be wondering what the definition is for a high-speed roller door. An industrial roller shutter door typically opens at a speed of around 0.2 meters per second. High-speed roller doors open much faster, doing so in a range of 0.8 meters per second up to 2.5 meters per second or even higher for specialized applications. While this appears to be a minor distinction, when it comes to the hundreds of forklift movements made per day, the time saved and a reduction in open-door time is significant.

The other specifications important to consider for high-speed roller doors include the opening and closing speeds of the door itself and the door’s control system.

For loading bay applications with a high level of foot traffic, closing at a controlled and safe speed is far more important than being an extra feature on the door’s control.

Flexible PVC is used for high-speed doors as opposed to a traditional roller shutter door, which uses steel slats. Fabric weight and reinforcement determines the level of limitation placed on the door by wind and usage. For cold store applications, high-speed doors can have insulated PVC curtains installed and offer significant improved thermal control over a single PVC unit.

When high-speed forklift movement is a feature of a facility, inevitably some impact will occur with the doors. Having a self-healing door fabric can minimise the impact of everyday occurrences.

Self-repairing doors eliminate the downtime and expense of traditional doors that require manual reset after each strike. Safety-focused design of commercial high-speed doors also meets UK health and safety requirements for obstructed power-operated doors and gates. Safety-focused designs reverse the closing door if they detect an obstruction. For highly used dock areas, the savings from self-repairing doors often pay for the doors within one year. Automated control systems can integrate warehouse management systems. Consider the safety requirements of the control system sensors.

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Design of High-Speed Doors

Look for high-speed doors with safety features that stop and reverse the closing door if an obstruction is detected in the door opening. These safety-focused designs also meet UK health and safety requirements for obstructed power-operated doors. Automated control systems can integrate warehouse management systems. Consider the safety requirements of the control system sensors.

Environmental Concerns

High-speed doors have many applications in industries that require control of environmental conditions. However, each application has its own unique requirements. The variations include:

• For refrigerated stores, curtains require insulation and anti-freeze motor enclosures.
• Washdown areas need motor and control systems enclosures rated for an IP65 or IP66 level of protection.
• Exterior installations: Prioritize wind resistance. Be sure to ask for the door’s wind load rating in accordance with EN 13241.

Maintenance and Service Intervals

As high-speed doors operate at thousands of cycles per day, an appropriate maintenance plan is essential. While evaluating potential suppliers, ensure that you consider the cost of the door beyond the purchase price. You will also need to consider the availability of spare parts, service engineers, and the supplier’s recommended service interval. If a door operates at 200,000 cycles per year with a curtain life span of 500,000 cycles, the replacement should be factored into the total cost of ownership from the beginning.

Procurement Recommendations

Your operational cycle rate and the environmental exposure and integration of the door will influence the recommendation of a supplier. The recommended specification involves curtain weight and drive systems. Cheap doors may typically lack adequate safety guarding. The loss of productivity due to downtime or the safety incident can substantially exceed the additional cost of the door in an industrial environment.