1,2 Combination

Howlong, NSW Australia

Envico Doors - Combining High speed efficiency with added protection from temperature loss.

 

Envico Doors recently came up with a High Speed Door solution for a customer in Howlong, NSW Australia (Located 30min from Albury).

 

The construction and design of their new freezer storage warehouse meant that the only forklift entrance was via an opening located on the external wall of the facility. With the internal temperature of the freezer running at -20 deg and the external ambient temperature ranging from anything up to + 40 deg, Envico was asked to come up with an access solution that would provide resistance from temperature loss whilst also allowing automated activation and high speed efficiency for fork traffic.

 

The two options the customer was considering were to build an additional anti-room to provide a barrier between the freezer and ambient temperatures, or implementing a high speed freezer door capable of providing similar protection. Given that this was the only forklift access to the area the reliability of the door was also of the utmost importance and the use of quality components by Envico was paramount to the ongoing service that this door will provide.

The main challenges Envico faced in the design were to provide a solution that not only minimized any temperature loss from the facility but also reduced any ice and moisture build up on the curtain itself.

 

By installing the Envico IGLOO - Specialty High Speed Freezer Door which uses an insulated curtain containing layers of polyester staple fiber needled into a woven polypropylene carrier cloth in conjunction with the existing sliding panel door by use of a combination spacer frame, Envico was able to create a high speed door that increased productivity whilst also providing the added protection of a “night door”. The sliding panel door could be closed behind the high speed door during down periods to further protect against temperature loss, this also provided the doors curtain with a period of respite which allowed any minimal residual ice build up to thaw.

 

Since the installation there has been minimal ice and moisture build up on the curtain and the door is providing a valuable, cost effective solution to forming a barrier between freezer and ambient environments.

It’s a KNOCK-OUT

Growing pressure on producers to adhere to strict timeframes means a company can ill afford to lose access to an area or be left waiting for repairs on a damaged door. With this in mind Envico Doors have implemented a “Curtain knockout” feature and “Automatic relocating” system to their Rapid Roller Door range.

 

From the company’s Director and Designer Mark Brunton “It is important to us that our range is durable and reliable enough to withstand the rigors of the food industry. We have developed these features to be included in all our roller door range and have aimed at giving the customer minimal down time as a result of collisions and to reduce costs associated with repair and maintenance”.

 

The system works via the doors flexible soft bottom edge which if contacted with force flexes to the point of breakage and is dislodged from the doors tracking system. It is then automatically re-inserted back into the track by the “re-location” system on the doors next down cycle. This process ensures that there is no disruption to production and repair costs are kept to a minimum.

 

High Speed Doors are often implemented in areas of high traffic and restricted movement, meaning they are subject to collisions by forklifts and the abuse of low temperature environments. Along with these features Envico Doors have maintained their focus on quality by using high end components

which include their association with SEW Euro-drive and Allen-Bradley electronics.

 

David Hills Site Engineer at Enza International, New Zealand’s largest producer of apples in the South Island has 35 Envico Doors installed within their facility and begun their affiliation with Envico back in 1999. Since then he says “the Envico door is robust in design… and has proved to be reliable with minimal ongoing maintenance costs”.

It seems delivering the knockout punch has become more difficult considering the integrity of the Envico range and they look determined to provide a product that will withstand the test of time, whatever the application.

The CONDOR

No longer an endangered species

Features: Obstruction detection
Benefits: Increased safety to personell, reduces risk of collision

 

No, we are not talking about the largest North American land bird but rather the CONDOR sensor by BEA. Envico High Speed Doors have combined the existing safety features of their door range with the Condor sensor, providing not only a form of activation but also added saftey benefits.

 

The director and designer of Envico Mark Brunton says “We understand the growing focus on industry to provide a safer workplace environment. It is important for us to grow with this trend whilst maintaining our focus on reliabilty and durability, the Condor sensor allows us to do just that”.

 

The CONDOR is a waterproof sensor which uses microwave technology to detect motion, it has the ability to discriminate pedestrians from vehicles and is unaffected by parallel vehicle traffic.

However it is the Active Infrared Technology that allows the sensor to detect any object that stays in the presence detection field and keeps the door open.

 

Mark Brunton “Previously other manufactures have relied on built-in sensors in a doors solid bottom rail to come in contact with an object and automatically retract. At Envico we have employed a soft bottom edge system which is a safety feature in itself but also has the benefit of reducing repair costs after accidental collisions. The Condor sensor allows us to keep this feature whilst providing a safety field where the door is not required to come in contact with any object or person to remain open or retract. This not only provides further safety to personnel but increases the protection of the door by reducing the risk of collision”.

 

With the help of the CONDOR sensor Envico High Speed Doors are working to ensure that company employees remain off the endangered species list.