Gate & Control Solutions: Best Solutions Available
Security gate controls are a must have if you wish to control the movement of people, vehicles, and goods in and out of facilities. An automatic security gate is required to restrict access to authorized personnel, amongst many other reasons.
Making the right choice on which security gate-type on control system you use can be tough considering it’s your first line of defense to an intrusion. In this case, you’re not just choosing between a manual or automatic gate system. We will be pointing out several factors you should consider before making your final decision. Remember that factors, such as the designs and configurations, influence your choice as they have unique advantages and downsides
Nexlar is here to help you make the right decision by explaining the type of gates and their controls.
Reasons Why You Need A Commercial Security Gate Controls
Security gates are used in many industries for the primary purpose of security. These gates serve one universal function: to regulate access beyond a certain point. Having a security gate system ensures that only approved vehicles or persons can go past that point. If you feel your facility needs such restrictions, you should get a security gate.
Most common places you can find a security gate include:
1. Parking lots
2. Industrial or commercial factories
3. Airports and Seaports
4. Chemical plants and Public Utilities
5. Schools and Universities
Securing a perimeter is the first rule to ensure the security of your property, both physical and digital. Large facilities holding precious cargo need to be protected from the public for obvious reasons. Premises that are directly accessible by the public are at a distinct disadvantage.
Limiting your entry points with a security gate allows you to monitor what enters or leaves a facility. They also allow you to operate/ control access remotely. Effective access control promotes the safety and well being of both your business and staff. In addition to preventing malicious actors from finding their way into sensitive areas and stealing valuable goods or data, it also prevents the public from wandering accidentally into areas where they may be at risk.
Commercial Security Gate
Commercial gates usually have stricter security requirements when compared to residential security gates. In most cases, industrial-grade gates are placed at the entrance of your facility as this is the most crucial point for security. Factors such as the size of the facility and the size of vehicles expected to enter or leave the premises can affect your choice of gated security.
They are built to handle the high traffic flow that accompanies commercial facilities. This makes them faster, more durable, and easier to operate.
Most commercial security gates are made of aluminum which is durable, lightweight, and resistant to corrosion.
Type Of Commercial Security Gates
Swing Gates
Swing gates are typically used to secure entryways with a flat open space behind or in front, giving the gate enough room to swing in a wide half-circle. When choosing a commercial swing gate, it’s best you go for one made of high-grade aluminum alloy extrusions.
Swing gates can be designed as a single or double drive gate, based on what gate size you can accommodate. Swing gates are the perfect replacement for old steel gates as they are lighter and easier to operate both manually and automatically.
Using an aluminum gate also prevents corrosion, and it can be painted to match the colors of the business.
Advantages of swinging gates
1. Generally less expensive: most swinging gates cost less than sliding gates.
2. Easy to install: swinging gates can be installed easily, thanks to their easy mechanism.
Features of Swinging Gates?
1. Swinging gates can be secured by a latch or lock using a padlock, keypad lock, or deadlock.
2. Some users added railheads as an attractive finish and to prevent people from climbing over the gate.
3. Available as single leaf framed gates, double-leaf framed gates, single leaf short gates, single leaf tall gates, double-leaf short gates, double-leaf tall gates.
Slide Gates
Slide gates are designed based on counterbalance. This allows the gate to move smoothly as it slides in a linear motion, closing and opening beyond its vertical support.
Slide gates are mostly used in environments where there is a need for large openings but not enough room in front or behind the gate.
The most common users of slide gates are airports, military bases, chemical plants, border stations, etc.
Sliding gates come in four types, namely:
1. Cantilever slide gates
2. Overhead slide gates,
3. v-groove slide gates,
4. Ground track box frame rolling slide gates.
Advantages of Automatic Sliding Gates
1. Safer operation: There is a smaller possibility of the gate interfering or making contact with objects of vehicles when in motion. They are less vulnerable to accidents in extreme weather conditions such as storms and in high winds.
2. Can operate in tight spaces: Sliding gates open by sliding along the property fence line. Whether single or double slide gate, it doesn’t require space in front or behind to function properly.
3. Easy Maintenance: It is generally easier to clean off debris and clear snow from the path of a sliding gate.
Features Of Sliding Gates
1. Higher level of security: Sliding gates have been proven to be less vulnerable to attacks when compared to swing gates. This is because there is reduced access to the weakest point of any gate (usually the hinges), and it’s generally more difficult to open with force.
2. Suitable for Wider Openings: Sliding gates are a more efficient choice for wider opening as only one sliding gate is required.
3. Raised Surfaces: Sliding gates are applicable in different environments, including raised surfaces. Sliding gates arent affected by uneven surfaces, and in some cases, they are the best option.
Pivot Gates
Vertical pivot gates operate on single pivot points installed on one side of the facility’s entrance. During the opening process, the gate lifts on its pivot like a railroad crossing arm until it stands upright. Once it has reached its full height, it can allow vehicles of different sizes and heights to pass through safely without bumping into it.
Advantages of Pivot Gates
1. It is suitable for all environments: unlike sliding or swing gates, Pivot gates can be installed on very rough and uneven planes.
2.They are smaller: unlike swing or slide gates, pivoting gates do not require an enormous amount of storage space. In most cases, pivot gates can be safely stored in lengths of about ten feet. This is why most parking lots prefer pivot gates.
3. Speed: because of its lightweight, pivot gates open and close faster than most other automated gate types.
4. Less management required: Pivot gates are installed using bolts, and they are secured in concrete which makes them extra sturdy and resilient to impact.
Barrier Arm Gates
Barrier arm gates are ideal where there is a need for a higher level of security or traffic control. A Barrier Arm Gate, also known as the Boom Gate, carries a pole that hangs to one endpoint at a vertical boom which is offset by some distance.
The gate opens and closes by ascending and descending using a geared motor to ensure gradual movement. The pole is also countertop-weighted to support the distribution of weight.
Barrier arm gates are commonly seen in parking lots, restricted areas, and in situations where there is too much vehicle flow that needs calming.
Advantages of Boom Gates
1. Durability: Boom barriers are made to last even in tough conditions. They are also one of the cheapest east automatic gates in the market. A boom barrier gate is very durable. They are made with lightweight aluminum or can be made from different materials and designs. It is also a perfect fit for businesses as it can easily be used with any control system to provide reliable and affordable protection.
2. Minimal space requirements: Boom barriers only need small spaces for installation and operation. They are installed so that vehicles of all types and sizes can pass through.
3. Power failures don’t impede operations: although boom barrier gates are connected to an electricity line, they do not lose function if that line gets cut or when there is a power failure. Some Boom barriers carry an inbuilt battery, and they can be opened manually.
4. Automatic barrier gates are simple, reliable, and efficient: With only a few moving parts, barrier gates are one of the safest automated security gates available.
5. Turnstile gates are mostly used in crowd control: Unlike the other gates that have come before this, turnstile gates provide restricted access to people rather than vehicles.
Turnstile gates offer more access control to a building by detecting and preventing unauthorized entry. These doors allow individuals to enter a public space or building if they have a keycard or if their biometrics have been registered in the system.
Advantages Of Turn Style Gates
1. Operational Flexibility: Turnstiles accommodates a wide array of credential readers, allowing companies or businesses to use any type of access control system, including barcodes, magnetic stripes, biometrics, or proximity cards.
Turn slides can operate in a single direction or can be non-directional. Management can schedule specific modes to activate at certain times of the day to meet the traffic requirements during that period.
2. Easy Installation: When choosing a turnstile gate, you can specify the layout, size, number of users, and traffic pattern for the perfect fit. In small areas, one or two turnstiles are sufficient; however, you should have more turnstiles in areas where you expect high traffic.
You should consider building modular barriers or fencing to fill in the remaining space between the turnstiles so people can’t gain access without passing through security.
3. Better security: Turnstiles provides better crowd control by detecting and restricting unauthorized entries. Unlike regular doors, turnstiles can limit the number of people entering or exiting a building. It also keeps track of the time access was granted, making it easier to map out employees’ movements.
Since you cannot control how long a turnstile gate stays open, you can have a security guard to prevent unauthorized personnel from gaining access (tailgating).
Vertical Lift Gates
Vertical lift gates are hydraulically operated; vertical lift gates are the perfect fit if you have insufficient space to accommodate swing or slide gates.
These gates only require vertical clearance without instructions like overhead electrical wires, which makes them an ideal solution if you’re working with tight space and no horizontal space.
Vertical Liftgates are well suited for high-security applications like detention centers and heavy use sites such as ports, delivery docks, transportation terminals, and airports.
Advantages of Vertical Lift Gates
1. Multiple lane applications
2. Fast opening and closing operation
3. Customized height and width sizes are available for large gates
4. Programmable relay outputs
5. Extraordinary high security (great for prison applications)
6. Low maintenance and repair costs
7. The aluminum frame makes it durable and resistant to corrosion.
Bi-Fold Gates
Bi-fold swing gates are similar to a regular swing gate, but it doesn’t need as much space to open. Instead, each leaf is cut in half vertically and joined by special hinges, so it folds in half rather than swing open or close. This process requires about half of the space required to accommodate a swing gate. Bi-fold gates can be installed and automated by a range of standard gate motors and linear screws used to secure their hydraulic rams, underground motors, or articulated arms.
Advantages of Bi-Fold gates
1. Saves Space: As we mentioned earlier, bi-fold swing gates are mostly used in situations where there isn’t sufficient space for a sliding or swing gate.
It is also used in situations where the ground is curved, short, or sloping.
In situations where there are obstacles close to the gate, such as parked vehicles, a building, or goods, it’s preferable to use a Bi-fold gate rather than a sliding or swing gate.
2. Bi-Fold Gates Open Faster: With the reduction in the space needed to move when opening or closing, bi-fold gates can grant or restrict access faster than sliding or swinging gates.
3. They are Available as a Trackless System: New improvements in gate automation technology now allow no-fold gate systems to be installed as a trackless system. Using a trackless system reduces the need to clean up dirt that previously would have lodged in the tracks.
The trackless design also means you can enjoy unlimited overhead clearance with no special drains below.
Anti-Ram Gates
Anti ram Gates are designed to provide maximum perimeter entry security. While gates are installed to restive access, some people will try to breach these gates by force, so anti-ram gates are designed to withstand forced entry and protect the facility at all costs.
These are security measures designed to stop an intruder at all costs. When someone uses a vehicle to ram-raid a building, or when a vehicle loses control, anti-ram gates protect the property and its staff from vandals or harm.
Types of Controls used in Automated Gate Security
Remotes with a receiver in the gate
Handheld remotes are the most popular and basic method of opening an automatic gate. Remote controls rely on radio frequency technology and can be designed in many forms, such as full-sized or key fob remotes.
Handheld remote controls let you control your gate when you’re in close proximity to the gate, depending on the variation of its radio frequency.
Stand Alone Keypad Control
A digital keypad system lets you use a preregistered code to control the gate. You can install a front-facing keypad that allows you to open the gate from the outside. You can also have another keypad on the inside so you can open and close the gate when leaving.
It’s smart to go for a keypad made of stainless steel because they are more resistant to weather elements and are durable.
One major advantage of a keypad system is that they are easy to install and operate. However, they can be easily manipulated by hackers.
Telephone Entry System
An audio telephone entry system allows visitors to communicate verbally with the person inside by pressing the call button on the gate. Security personnel on the inside then presses a button at the master station to open the gate.
Newer telephone entry systems include cloud-based smartphone apps, enabling managers to communicate and control gates from any location.
RFID Access Control
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a technology used in gate security and door lock systems. They provide a reliable and consistent user experience with trackable data. RFIDs work by sending and receiving data over radio frequencies.
To use an RFID gate locking system, you’ll need an RFID tag, antennas, an RFID reader, and a transreciever.
To control an RFID gate, the user’s credentials usually carried in a fob, keycard, or RFID chip contain unique identifying information called a tag. Once the user is in the proximity of the gate’s reader, the reader collects the information stored as the user’s RFID tag and sends it using antennas and transceivers to authorize or deny access. Gate tags or toll tags are forms of RFID tags used for crowd control.
Alfred 360 Gate control full solution
Alfred 360 is a complete security system that offers users full control over who enters or leaves a gated property. With Alfred 360, you can say goodbye to keycards and remotes. Instead, you control your gate with maximum convenience.
Smartphone technology, license plate reader, and windshield tagging make controlling the gate easy and effortless for registered guests. With smartphone technology, security managers/ property owners can remotely grant access to vehicles or visitors at any time. Its license plate reader scans and unlocks the gate to identified employees, delivery trucks, and other registered vehicles.
With this technology, it is possible to keep accurate data on the entry and exit of visitors/ contractors. The system also alerts you to the presence of a vehicle or pedestrian at the gate. When a visitor or contractor exceeds the time limit you’ve set on a visit, the system alerts you by sending notifications to your mobile devices via emails or text.
These and other amazing features make Alfred360 gate control the perfect fit if you’re looking for complete and convenient control over your gate security.
Conclusion
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