Why Automate Gates?

• Automating a gate turns it from normally open to normally closed
  
• You don't have to leave your gates open
  
• You don't have to get out of your car to open or close your gates
  
• Your gates are closed when not in use and open when you need them to open
  
• They gates are operated regularly so don't seize up
• GSM controls allow you to operate your gates from anywhere in the world with a mobile signal

Sliding Or Swing Gate Automation?

Gates come in many designs but for driveway gates there are two common configurations. These are either sliding or swing gates.

So what are the advantages and disadvantages or each type of gates?

Sliding gates are usually made up of one, larger gate that slides across the driveway entrance. Swing gates are usually twin gates that open in the middle and swing open into the driveway. However, sliding gates can be made to look like two swing gates.

How Much Space Do The Gates Need?

Any opening gate requires space to move into and this is where sliding gates and swing gates are very different. Sliding gates need to slide along a continuous, straight track across the opening between the pillars or posts until the gate has completely cleared the opening. Swing gates move through an arc from hinges on the pillars into the driveway (usually), so nothing can be left in this space to stop the gates from fully opening.

What Are The Differences In Operation?

Sliding gates are moved along a track on wheels by a motor with a toothed cog on its side. This meshes with a toothed rack mounted along the length of gate and moves the gate when rotated.

Swing gates are moved by motors mounted on the pillars or sunk underground, by mechanical arms and rods that connect to the gate. This is often inefficient as the force applied to the gate is usually close to the hinge rather than at the opening edge where much less force is required to move the gate. When swing gates have no gaps in their surface (fully boarded), a strong wind blowing on them will significantly increase the force required to open them.

Which Is Faster?

To open fully, swing gates move a shorter distance than a sliding gate. With a 4m gap between pillars, a sliding gate moves more than 4m,while the opening edge of each swing gate moves 3.141m to open 90 degrees. Despite the differences in motion type (sliding vs rotating) and motor action, swing gates are slightly quicker to open because of this.

Which Is Safest?

Any gate automation system installed without due consideration for its use, who will have access to it, and where the possible danger areas are, is not safe.

Sliding gates move across stationary surfaces so they have the potential to cause shearing and crushing injuries. Swing gates can cause pinching and crushing injuries at the hinges and impact and crushing injuries as the gates swing open.

Sliding gates should not be installed on slopes as they require more force to push uphill and higher breaking force to stop them accelerating downhill.

Swing gates and sliding gates both have risks but a qualified installation engineer who fully understands the unique safety requirements of your installation will assemble and install the safest possible gate system which type of gates you choose.

The Different Types Of Swing Gate Automation

Swing gate automation kits use either articulated arm, ram or underground gate motors.
Needs room for the arm as the gate opens	Need very little space to operate in	Do not need a lot of space to operate and can open gates to 180 degrees with optional chain drive
Easier to install	Require careful alignment	Require careful installation with drainage
Slightly more expensive	Most cost-effective gate automation	Normally the most costly solution
More obvious when installed	Slimline	Almost invisible
Quicker to operate	Can open larger gates with leaves up to 7m	Versions available to open leaves up to 5m
Can normally be manually released from outside the gate with optional cable release	Can only be manually released from inside the gate	Can be manually released from outside the gate
More easily installed on large piers with gates hung away from the rear face	Require a shorter distance between motor mounting and gate hinges on pillars	Require a carefully positioned hole for foundation box and drainage
Electromechanical	Can be hydraulic	Can be hydraulic
Many models with built-in controls making for a compact installation	Separate control box	Separate control box
230Vac and 24Vdc versions with obstacle detection for safer operation	230Vac and 24Vdc versions with obstacle detection for safer operation	230Vac and 24Vdc versions with obstacle detection for safer operation
Good option for new installers	Cost-effective solution for more experienced installers	Need experience to install underground motors