Gate motors have become an essential of any top-class security system. They add bulk to your already existing security gates, making them less easy to break into, well encouraging those who haven’t yet installed security gates to purchase a package deal. Not only is a gate motor an excellent security feature, but they boost the value of properties, as they make access to and from a location more efficient, which is a vital feature of operations for any commercial site.
With the way technology has drastically improved in the last decade, the gate motor has been a significant beneficiary. In the past, motors opened and closed gates utilising short-range frequency. Still, with the innovation invested into the gate motors on the market today, they are almost unrecognisable. All these innovations, in some way or another, have improved either their security robustness or the efficiency and ease of use of these products.
With how these gate motors have improved, they are more crucial to improving the operations of commercial sites today than ever before. In this article, we will evaluate this argument by looking at how these motors can benefit commercial sights, from their security aspects to how they can improve efficiency. We will also highlight some important factors to consider before purchasing your gate motors from Glow Innovations, the best installer of security and motors in South Africa.
The Role Of Gate Motors In Security
Whether it be for a residential setup or, for our purposes, a commercial setup, gate motors are primarily bought for the added security they provide. Whereas in a residential location, there will generally only be one entrance and exit to worry about, on a commercial site, one can expect several entrances or exits, depending on their needs and site layout. All these areas must be well-guarded, and security should be equally present at all these access points.
In this situation, gate motors can be highly beneficial. Let us review how below:
Perimeter Security
As mentioned in the introduction, a commercial layout, especially if the space is being used as a manufacturing plant or a warehouse, will have several access points around the property’s perimeter. Every access point is a potential security risk as it may offer those without authorisation to enter your commercial property.
In the past, you may have had to hire several security guards to man each gate, which may have been costly, and due to human error, may still have allowed for breaches in your security perimeter. Gate motors are a better security solution here, as not only do they provide the same amount of security to each gate, and they can also be controlled from a central point, reducing the amount of security staff needed.
Furthermore, gate motors make security gates more robust and erase the need for locks on gates (which can easily be broken or lock-picked). Gate motors also make it impossible for security gates to be forced or pried open and require them to be removed entirely from their tracks, which would be difficult with large commercial gates in place.
Integration With Other Security Measures
Another way in which gate motors can improve the overall security of your commercial site is by being integrated with already existing security features that may already be in place. Although this may not have been possible in the past, with the technological improvement in modern gate motors, you can look to integrate them in several ways. Let us review some of our favourites here:
Security Cameras: Today, you can have your gate motors work in unison with your security cameras. This means that as a motor starts to operate, it can automatically send a signal to the camera to record any events taking place in that particular space.
Access Control: Employees must usually sign in at many commercial sites using an ID badge or some biometric check. Gate motors can implement this at the entrance or exit, making it impossible to access the site at all without the correct security requirements.
Alarm Systems: You could even program your gate motor so that if it begins to operate within certain preordained times, it automatically sets an alarm. This can be incredibly helpful when you expect no one to be on your commercial site, e.g. after working hours.
Efficiency And Gate Motors
Above, we showed only some of the numerous ways in which gate motors could improve the security of your business space. However, that may not be enough for some to purchase a motor soon. But what makes gate motors an intelligent purchase is how they can also help improve the efficiency of your business space. As any good business owner will tell you, improving efficiency is the key to a successful business.
In this section, we posit that the most essential way a company can improve their operational efficiencies by utilising gate motors is by improving traffic flow and logistics at the entrances and exits of a business. Let us look at some of the ways security motors can help with this:
Traffic Flow And Logistics
Many inefficiencies can be found when a commercial site may have security gates installed without gate motors. Here let us review two ways in which installing a motor for security gates can vastly improve the efficiency at these checkpoints:
Automating Security Processes: By simply providing those who require access to your commercial space with the means to operate the motor, they will not have to wait on you or other staff to enter your site. This can be done in multiple ways. Either using a password, a gate remote, or programming their bio-identifiers into the motor’s memory systems. By automating the sign-in process, you are vastly improving the efficiency of security checks.
Minimising Congestion At Access Points: As most business owners will tell you, their commercial site may need to be accessed for several reasons, from delivery of goods to allowing employees to enter or securely letting guests or customers in. Without a sound management system, this could lead to congestion at entrances or exits, as it takes time to confirm why parties need to enter or exit.
However, gate motors can cut through this with those who require regular access, like delivery drivers or employees being given the means to access beforehand, and allows you to better control the movement of guests or clients, who may only need one-time access.
Integrating Management Systems: Another feature of your gate motors that you may need to be aware of is its ability to track and log who goes in and out of your site daily. By retrieving these logs, you can better determine how to use your gate and who may need more or less access, as well as hold everyone accountable when entering your site.
What To Consider When Getting A Gate Motor
At this point, you may now be more excited about purchasing your gate motor from Glow Innovations and letting them install it at your commercial site. But before contacting them through their website, you need to evaluate what sort of gate motor would work best for your business.
To do this effectively, you should consider several factors to help you get a gate that works in your situation. With the market today so full of innovation, there are not only a lot of features to consider, but you will also want to purchase a brand of motor you can trust.
Luckily with Glow Innovations, you can rest assured that we only stock and install the best brands on the market, so you need to consider the features you will need. To help you better make that decision, let us look at some of the most critical points of consideration in this section.
Type Of Gate And Property Layout
Commercial properties vary depending on the business’s purpose, so this should be one of the first aspects you evaluate. If your commercial site is a factory or manufacturing plant, your set-up may look different to that of a warehouse or a parking garage. Checking where you would need access points, how you would like the motors to be accessed, and whether they need to be integrated into existing security features installed will help you make better decisions about the system you need.
Not only should you investigate the layout of your commercial site, but you will also need to know what sort of security gates you already have or need to have installed. Gates can be as varied as the motors that drive them, from how they open to their size and even what sort of tracks they run on. All these will help you refine your choice of gate motors.
Traffic Patterns
Another vital thing to consider when installing your gate motors is how much traffic you expect daily. Whether your business has constant deliveries, a large staff body or is frequented by customers will all play a role in determining what gate motors work best for you. Not only will this help you pick out the right security features, but it will also help you decide on the size and power of the gate motors. For those commercial setups that expect much traffic, consider a more robust engine that can handle the frequency of operation.
Possible Challenges To Consider
In the final section of this article, we also wanted to discuss some challenges you may face when purchasing gate motors. Although there is no questioning that they will help improve your commercial site’s security and efficiency, we at Glow Innovations believe that educating yourself about the possible challenges is also essential.
In this section, we want to highlight two of the most common challenges that gate motor owners face:
Maintenance
Despite all their technological innovations, it is important to remember that gate motors are still machines. Like with any piece of machinery, regular maintenance is necessary to have the gate motors running smoothly and extend their product life. Regarding the care of commercial-sized motors, you will need to bring in an expert technician to service them, as this cannot be done in a DIY style. This may take time and cost extra, but ensuring your gates function correctly will be worth it.
Security Threats
It is critical never to underestimate the skill of criminals. Although gate motor manufacturers work hard to improve their products’ security, some may access these gate motor systems illegally or unauthorisedly. Being aware of these potential security risks can help you proactively make decisions regarding the motor systems you purchase or where you have the motors installed on your property. Our team at Glow Innovations always recommends keeping them as far away from public access as possible.
Glow Innovations: Protecting Your Commercial Site
In this article, we helped evaluate gate motors’ security and efficiency benefits and highlighted some of the factors you should consider before purchasing. At Glow Innovations, we believe that having a suitable motor in place will only improve your business.
If you are interested in purchasing a gate motor, look no further than Glow Innovations. We are one of the most experienced installers of security gates and gate motors in South Africa. So don’t hesitate to contact us today and find out how we can help you get a gate motor to protect your property.