You’re Guide to Buying a Vehicle barriers

You’re Guide to Buying a Vehicle barriers 

Whether you need to enhance security at a building or increase safety at a specific locale or job site, you will need vehicle boom barriers to help you achieve your goal. Access control is the mechanism that is used for controlling, restricting and monitoring the movement of assets, vehicles and people in or out any building. A drop arm Automatic Boom Barrier is commonly used for controlling the unauthorized entries of any personnel while enforcing access control system. It assures that one token one-person policy is followed 24 x 7. The levels of security that a boom barrier offers depends on style and type of products being used. For example, if the Automatic boom barrier is used with a lockable sliding gate, then it is easier to keep a check on each and every person or vehicle entering. You should know that these are not meant to be used as a pedestrian passage, as a boom barrier is a horizontal bar that is positioned on a pivot that moves up and down. This technology can also be integrated with other systems like visitor management, ANPR, CCTV, BMS and more which eventually saves costs and offer better security services.

If you are a system integrator or gate automation installer or even a gate barrier distributor (like SSA Integrate), it is important to know how to select the best gate barrier system on behalf of the customer. Majority of the datasheets and catalogues are not really useful unless you already know what you are getting into.

What Are Vehicle Barriers? 

Vehicle barriers refer to any device that causes cars to slow down, usually purposefully but not necessarily. They are most often used in areas with high pedestrian traffic, especially when children and seniors make up a large portion of that pedestrian traffic, such as schools/ roads zones. However, you can find them in many places, including highway mediums, parking lots, railroad crossings, commercial districts, private communities, and construction sites. 

What Are Boom Barriers?

A boom barrier, also known as a boom gate, is a bar, or pole pivoted to allow the boom to block vehicular or pedestrian access through a controlled point. Typically the tip of a boom gate rises in a vertical arc to a near vertical position. Boom gates are often counterweighted, so the pole is easily tipped.

What are the primary benefits of an Automatic boom barrier?

1. Enhanced Security:

Security is one of the most crucial things nowadays for residential and commercial buildings. When there is boom barrier installed, the gatekeeper can ensure that entry is given to the people based on their credentials. If a particular vehicle is blacklisted from entering the premises, then its entry can be easily blocked.

2. Traffic Flow can be Managed:

For controlling the flow of traffic on and off your property boom gates are the best option. If your space has limited parking, then also boom barrier can be a great help to maintain the number of vehicles. When the parking is full, you can prevent any more vehicles from entering the premises.

3. Efficient Use of Space:

With a boom gate, you can make the efficient use of space because installing sliding gates or swinging gates needs larger area. A boom barrier requires a small amount of vertical space in order to swing upwards. The most important thing is to get the boom barrier installed from a service that does the job once and for all.

What you should consider before buying a vehicle barrier?

At SSA Integrate, we always strive to share our research and learnings with our customers and the gate automation professional community. Here is our attempt to provide you with a checklist that captures the essential questions and the likely answers to look for. This guide must help you avoid the common mistakes and traps that the uninformed fall into.

The questions are presented under

1.   What is your use case?

2.   What are the physical attributes?

3.   How do you want to control access to the facility?

4.   Safety features to consider

5.   Additional features to consider

What is your applications?

Before purchasing a boom gate, one has to decide where it will be installed, and the operating model. There are boom gates that are specifically designed for a simple application like parking areas, traffic control to the large railway and industrial crossings. It is necessary to understand the application, space availability and use frequency.

If you are system integrator ask Your Customer

1.    Is it for commercial or industrial or residential use?

2.    Is it for heavy traffic or low traffic area?

For high-frequency and limited space

Buying a barrier gate for under-ground or multistoried car parking lots presents the challenge of limited space and high-frequency usage. Most of these structures need continuous opening and closing of barrier gates. Some of the must-have requirements for these facilities are – 100% duty cycle, arm articulation and easy access control system integration.

Magnetic Access Pro barrier has 3.5m width boom and improved opening and closing time, that can be adjusted to 1.3, 1.8, or 2.5 seconds independently of one another.

For high frequency wider space

For the installation at traffic junctions and toll gates on highways, there is a requirement for barriers that support the lifting of extended boom lengths. They are required to block access to tunnels and lanes but also to manage traffic junctions with alternating traffic flows. Some of the must-have features you should look for include – 100% duty cycle, Traffic lamp integration, support for extended beam sizes.

Magnetic Traffic H1 Horizontal Barrier has multiple application for high frequency wider space.

Magnetic Access XXL Barrier are excellent for extra-wide or multi-lane entrances and comes with MHTM™ drive capability. With its barrier width of up to 10m and the optional security grating or security grating with climb-over prevention Access XXL offers range of functions.

Magnetic Access XL2 Barrier are ideal for extra-wide or multi-lane entrances and comes with optional security grating or security grating with climb-over prevention. The opening and closing time for Access XL2 can be set at 6, 8, or 10 seconds independent of one another.

For long life and energy efficiency

Commercial use barrier gates are used very frequently and require constant energy supply. Two most important features required by the barriers operating in such operational environments are long operational life and energy efficiency.

What is the duty cycle?

The duty cycle for an automated gate operator is the number of times the gate can open and close without overheating the motor. Duty cycle is normally expressed in percentage. 100% duty cycle is meant for continuous use, eg: high intensive use cases like a shopping mall, toll plaza etc.

There are two most common categorisations: Residential (40-70% duty cycle) and commercial (100% duty cycle). As you can imagine, a gate barrier in a mall will be used much more time than one in an apartment. When calculating the required duty cycle, calculate for the worst-case scenario.

If you are system integrator ask Your Customer

1.    What is the average usage (open/close cycle) per day? (consider worst-case scenario)

What is Barrier Operator?

Barrier operators mostly come housed in the barrier body mounted on the floor or foundation plate. The barrier operator usually comes with a motor that operates on either hydraulic or electromechanical motors. Some latest products like FAAC b680H also have hybrid motor technology with a Hydraulic Brushless motor in one barrier operator. Hydraulic motors are usually more suitable for heavy-duty, high frequency usage.

Hydraulic vs Electromechanical Motor

Hydraulic Motor

·        Hydraulic controllers are very reliable and pose very few maintenance issues if installed properly.

·        They are a very effective deterrent in case a vehicle runs into the barrier or in stopping tailgating vehicle.

·        Cold can be a problem; too cold weather can cause oil thickening in the hydraulic unit. However, this can be solved with a temperature control unit.

Electromechanical Motor

·        The electromechanical unit is much quieter than the hydraulic motor.

·        A bit slower than Hydraulic but they offer more control, one can set variable speed for how quickly the beam rises.

·        Most security professionals find the electro-mechanical unit easier to maintain.

·        The Electro-mechanical units require at least 220v/single-phase power, which is typically 12-15 more amps of power than what the hydraulic motor requires.

What are the physical attributes

Arm length

Boom gates come with different beam lengths and boom barrier shapes to suit the width of the passage you wish to control. Beam length from 2 metres to 12 to 13 metres, which are especially suitable for use when companies have oversized vehicles, such as mine sites and rail crossings. They come in round or rectangular shapes, wherein rectangular is a bit more expensive

If you are Customer ask Your Vendor / System Integrator

1.    What is the drive-way width?

Arm articulation

Arm articulation makes it possible to articulate the rigid beam to a maximum height according to the ceiling. They are used in parking garages or in areas with limited or low overhead clearances.

If you are system integrator ask Your Customer

1.    What is the height of the installation area or overhead clearance available?

How do you want to control

Barrier access control

Another most important requirement you need to decide is how you want to control the boom barrier – with reader, remote controller, or push button. They can be configured with UHF readers and tags, with a control switch for security officers, remote controllers and receivers, or with push buttons or biometrics.

Biometrics readers:

The barriers can be controlled with biometric-readers like fingerprint, face, Iris options.

Swipe Card Readers:

Access control via RFID cards. Type: Magnetic, proximity cards, and proximity cards with a magnetic stripe, key-chain FOB.

Support for GSM module:

This module helps you open the gate barrier remotely by making a call to the SIM inserted in the GSM module.

UHF readers & tags:

This feature allows the barrier to be opened when a vehicle approaches the barrier with authenticated tags.

Remote controller & receiver:

The barrier gates operated using the remote controller and a radio receiver installed in the barrier.

Switch to Exit Button:

For the facility security team to control the to and fro access.

If you are system integrator ask Your Customer

1.    What kind of access control is required to the facility – biometric or remote or ANPR or RFID tag or swipe card based?

2.    Is the entry/exit point manned, does the security team need an exit button for the manual opening?

Safety features to consider

Anti-crushing sensor

Gate boom barriers feature safety components like sensors for automatic detection of approaching vehicles, anti-crushing sensors that reverse the beam on impact if the barrier boom automatically closes on the vehicle. The anti-crushing sensor only stops repeated impact only after hitting the object once. That’s why you need to have an additional detection mechanism in place – Photocells.

Photocells

Photocells (motion sensors) are electronic devices that improve security by automatically detecting vehicles or obstacles to enable automatic rising of booms. This infrared setup will have a transmitter and receiver at each of the ends of the driveway and whenever an obstacle is detected the barrier will prevent the gate from closing and raise the barrier boom.

Micro Drive Break:

The barriers can also be equipped with a flange set (FLVB02) is designed especially for the parking industry. It enables the ejection of the whole barrier boom after it was hit by a vehicle. The beam can be simply reinstalled after the crash.

Loop detector

Barrier gates come with other solutions like vehicle detection loops (inductive loop), which are installed on the barrier that detects vehicles and passing or arriving at a certain point. The loop detectors are connected to create a magnetic field, and the vehicle is recognised when it enters this field.

Barrier Housing

The barrier housing is attached by four foundation anchors via two attachment profiles. The housing of Magentic barrier is painted RAL 2000 and comes with an IP 54 protection rating.

Battery back-up

If you want the barrier to operate even at the time of main power failure. Look for a continuous duty cycle(in hours) supported by the battery backup.

Opening and closing speed

Most conventional barrier gates provide running speed from 1.5 seconds to 6 seconds.

If you are system integrator ask Your Customer

1.    What is the average opening time?

2.    Look for 1.5 seconds+

The shape of the boom/beam

Magnetic offers a variety of boom lengths, numerous extras like illumination elements and expansion sets, allowing the tailored implementation of Magnetic barriers for various uses. The booms come with skirt elements made of plastic and aluminium, over-climb protection and break-away flange. The types of booms offered include Varioboom, Microboom and Articulated booms. Also the round booms and soft booms. SSA Integrate will guide you what actually you need.

Support for modular beam/boom

What if the barrier needs more length than the standard beam length? When there is support for modular beams, the total length can be extended. Look for a boom extension set.

Colour of the gate barrier

Many manufacturers support your preferred colour for the enclosure. Ask for the supported colours.

International standards or regulations

Look for compliance with international standards (European/ISO) when it comes to safety and quality.

Maintenance and operating cost

You can always buy a cheap gate barrier but watch out for maintenance and operating cost. Operational cost is as important as the capital cost not just in terms of money but the availability of spare parts and technicians.

Enclosure rating

Gate barriers are of course installed outside and the motors and the other internal components should be protected from dust, water and other solid objects. Look for the international standard Ingress Protection(IP) ratings like IP 54 or IP 56.

Temperature Range

Again consider the worst-case scenario, watch out for maximum and minimum temperature tested and supported. Look for -20°C ÷ +55°C.

Integrated flashing traffic light and reflector kit

These optional modules help especially at night.

Anti-vandalism valve or Anti-panic unit

Most barriers come with safety features that stop forced opening or closing, and the anti-vandalism valve protects the hydraulic system in case the beam is forced. While an anti-panic unit is used for the manual opening of the barrier arm in the event of a power failure. Since an anti-vandalism valve prevents manual/forced movement of the beam, both anti-vandalism and anti-panic units cannot be installed together in a barrier system.

Pedestals

The pedestal is required when you need support for holding the access control device. For truck entry gates you need a dual height pedestal while a single height pedestal is used for car access. SSA Integrate will give you perfect solution as per your needs.

Buyer’s Checklist

You can find a checklist with the most important questions below:-

Type	Value
Application	Is it for commercial or industrial or residential use?
	Is it for heavy traffic or low traffic area?
Duty Cycle	What is the average usage (open/close cycle) per day?
Arm Length	What is the drive-way width?
Arm Articulation	What is the height of the installation area or overhead clearance available?
Access Control	Is the entry/exit point manned, does the security team need an exit button for the manual opening?
	What kind of access control is required to the facility – biometric or remote or ANPR or RFID tag or swipe card based?
Photocells	Do you need automatic detection of vehicles to avoid collisions?
Loop detector	Do you need to automate vehicle exit?
Shape/Color	Do you need customised barriers?
Integrated flashing light	Is there a need for integrated flashing light?
Reflector kit	Is the reflector kit included in the barrier package?
Anti-vandalism valve	Is there a chance of forced operation?
Anti-panic	Manual opening in case of power supply failures?
Pedestals	What kind of vehicles are managed by the entry/exit point? Trucks or Cars?

Complete table of available accessories:-

Protocol	Access	Access Pro	Access L	Access Pro L	Access Pro H	Access XL2	Access XXL	Parking Pro	Magnetic Toll
Lane width up to 3.5m(toll 3.00m)	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Lane width up to 5.0m	–	–	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	–	–
Lane width up to 6.0m	–	–	–	✔	✔	✔	✔	–	–
Lane width up to 8.5m	–	–	–	–	–	✔	✔	–	–
Lane width up to 10.0m	–	–	–	–	–	–	✔	–	–
Usage with boom skirt	–	–	–	–	✔	✔	✔	–	–
Variable I/O assignment	–	✔	–	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Fast opening speeds (<2.2 sec)	✔	✔	–	–	–	–	✔	✔	✔
Variable opening times	–	✔	–	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Variable closing times	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Network connection*	–	✔	–	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Integration of interfaces in the future	–	✔	–	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Low ceiling height (articulated boom)	✔	✔	✔	✔	–	–	–	✔	–
Parallel operation	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	–
Advertising space in barrier boom	–	✔	–	✔	–	–	–	✔	–
Usage with pedestrian traffic	✔	–	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	–	–
One standard colours	✔	–	✔	–	–	✔	✔	–	–
Three standard colours	–	✔	–	✔	✔	–	–	–	–
Special colours optionally available	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔