Electric gates are elements that are increasingly present in factories, shops and even private homes. Despite being systems that stand out for advantages such as comfort and safety, also require very specific maintenance and tend to present operating problems quite regularly.

In the following article, we will analyze the different types of electric gates that exist, what characteristics each of them have and how they can be optimized to avoid failures.

Types of electric gates and their operating mechanisms

The different models of electric gates relate to The reduction mechanism they use and with the right installation for proper operation. These are the different types of gates that exist:

Sliding doors

The sliding doors work with endless crown reducers. Their design is simple and functional, since they only have transmission parts with a toothed crown in contact with the auger that moves the teeth reducing the transmission speed. The movement of these reducers is straight, so the transmission can be done at 90º.

The crown reducer It is installed at the top of the door and, through a system of pulleys and belts, its movement is transmitted to achieve a linear displacement.

Access grilles

Access grilles are another type of electric gates that use the same system of no-crown reducers for their operation. The reducer is placed at the bottom of the grilles and makes the movement through a pinion in the motor and a toothed rack. In this way, the linear movement of the door occurs.

Sectional garage door

A sectional garage door is based on a linear reducer, a device designed to convert the rotational motion of a DC motor low voltage in a linear one. In this way, this type of electric gate can be raised, adjusted or tilted with the push of a button.

One of its great advantages is that requires less installation space than other systems. In this case, it is the linear reducer that closes and opens the swing door.

Access doors to stores and supermarkets

These electric gates use for their operation a planetary reducer, whose elements are a central gear that connects to a planet carrier or carrier, and a crown or outer ring thanks to which the central axis of the system can become the center of rotation for the ring. In this way, it is possible to change the direction easily.

The planetary reducer that is placed on access doors to stores and supermarkets It is hidden inside the fixing tube to the floor and, therefore, creates a very aesthetic effect. In these gates, it is the movement of the gearmotor that produces that of the door.

You might be interested in: Automations in automatic doors: reducers for control and precision of movement

How to extend the lifespan of electric gate and door mechanisms

The most common faults in electric doors are:

• Noises
• Vibrations
• Burnt engines
• Gear breaks due to locking

To reduce these failures in the operation of an electric gate and extend the useful life of its mechanisms, it is important to carry out a detailed study of the required application cycles, torque and speed for proper operation.

In addition, the use of control electronics with starting and braking ramps makes the mechanism suffer much less, thanks to the restriction of voltage or electrical intensity programmed at the beginning and end of the movement. When starting off, a larger torque is needed, since it starts from a static state, so the torque is greater.

Another solution that is commonly adopted for the maintenance of the mechanism is current cutting, which is applied when the system detects a peak of consumption for a certain amount of time. By disconnecting the power supply, the motor is prevented from burning out in the event of any fault.

Equally, we must also value the use of brushless motors at busy doors, since these they do not use brushes and, therefore, have a longer life.

The noise of electric gates and how to avoid it

Many installations with this type of automatic doors present a significant problem of noise and vibrations in the environment. Its cause is directly related to the type of motor used, the materials of the powertrain and the vibration treatment that go from the mechanism to the chassis.

To avoid these faults, the use of brushless motors indoors is essential to reduce vibrations. In addition, we cannot forget that these motors have a much longer lifespan, which represents added value for your installation.

In addition, the use of plastic gears in the kinematic chain also avoids the friction of metal-metal couples that generate excess noise and vibrations. It should be noted that Plastic absorbs the vibration produced by speed of system operation.

Another good option is the use of helical gears, that they generate less vibrations and looseness by its coating coefficient of the upper tooth. In the same way, the use of metal chains in the transmission generates more vibrations, which can be increased by the tension given to them for their operation.

Finally, it is necessary to take into account the need for reinforce the anchor base with the use of silentblocks installed between it and the reducer. These elastic polymer gaskets absorb vibrations that may occur at the joint between the different mechanical parts.

Free download: Guide to avoiding annoying noises and vibrations in your reducers

How CLR can help you improve the performance of your automatic doors

In CLR we are experts in the development of customized and personalized elements for electric gates that they adapt to the needs of our customers and are the result of the hard work of our engineering departments.

We have developed important projects in this area, including the one we carried out for a company dedicated to the manufacture of operators, automations, motors and accessories for automatic doors that it needed improve the quality of your automatic doors and make them quieter.

From CLR we help them to carry out a gearbox in which different motors and output shafts could be attached and that, at the same time, was quiet and offered a long lifespan. As a result, the customer was able to optimize their systems with a product that met their specific needs. You can know the full success story here.

For more information about our solutions for electric gates, contact us.