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In recent years, hands free or touchless door automation has gain much popularity. Nearly 80% of all sickness causing germs spread by hands. What's worse is damp hands can spread 1000 times more germs than dry hands. With statistics like this, and the push to reduce the spread of germs, automatic door openers with touch free activation has bee a priority in building applications like hospitals and healthcare facilities. Still however we have not met mass adoption. Restroom doors found in retail stores, schools, and grocery stores should all have touchless automatic door openers. In this article we will explore how a hands free door opener works as well as the benefits and applications.
The Standard Hands Free Door Opener Set Up
A standard hands free automatic door opener set up consists of an interior side touchless activation switch, an exterior side touchless activation switch, and a low energy handicap automatic door opener. Inside of the handicap door opener header enclosure houses a dc motor and gearbox as well as a microprocess controller. For wireless touchless activation switches a receiver module is wired to the automatic door opener's controller. For hardwired touchless activation switches the wires from the activation switch must be routed to the automatic door opener's controller. When a pedestrian approaches the hands free activation switch, he or she can wave their hand in front of the face plate of the activation switch. The motion of the pedestrian's hand activates the touchless switch. The activation signal is sent from the activation switch either wirelessly or hardwired depending on the touchless switch type. The receiver in the automatic door opener's header enclosure receives the signal and closes it's relay contact, which activates the automatic door opener controller to provide voltage to the dc motor. The dc motor spindle rotates causing the gearbox to turn. At the bottom of the gearbox is an arm spindle. The arm spindle begins to rotate. As the arm spindle rotates the door arm pushes or pulls the door open. The pedestrian then passes through the door way. Once the pedestrian's hand is away from the touchless door opener's detection zone the automatic door opener will close after the programmed hold open time on the automatic door controller ends. The automatic door opener will then gently close the door.
Types Of Touchless Activation
As mentioned earlier, there are two main types of touchless automatic door activation switches on the market today: hardwired and wireless.
Hardwired Hands Free Switches
Hardwired touchless activation switches are what the majority of hands free door switches on the market are. They operate just as well as wireless activation touch free switches, but can be extremely difficult to install since power wires and signal/relay wires must be routed from the activation switch to the automatic door controller. This can add hours to the installation process especially if your hardwired activation switch is mounted to a brick exterior wall or interior drywall and surface mount electrical conduit or concealment is used. Automatic Door and Hardware offers Warhawk hardwired touchless activation switches, which can be integrated with any automatic door opener brand.
Wireless Hands Free Switches
Wireless hands free switches are ideal because installation is extremely easy since no wires need to be routed from the wireless activation switch to the low energy automatic door controller. Instead a wireless receiver is integrated into the automatic door opener's controller. The touchless activation switch features a transmitter which emits a signal that is captured by the automatic door controller's receiver. This communicates with the automatic door opener to activate or open the door. The Warhawk touchless activation switch is one of the only wireless hands free activation switches on the market today. Our Warhawk touchless automatic door switches can be integrated into any automatic door opener brand.
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Hands Free Door Opener Detection Zone
With the Warhawk wireless activation switch, the detection zone is 1 to 12 inches. This allows the installer to adjust the Warhawk touch free switch to the detection zone best suited for each individual door application. Depending on the location of the door in relation to the building's walls or hallway, needed detection zones will vary.
Hands Free Door Opener Frequency
With the Warhawk wireless activation switch, the frequency used is 2.4GHZ. This allows for a seamless and reliable signal that can be captured by the receiver. Unlike traditional radio controlled door accessories that operate on 300MHz, 433MHz, or 900MHz, the 2.4GHz frequency uses a shorter wavelength, allowing the Warhawk signal to penetrate through more material with less chance of interference. The 2.4GHz Warhawk activation switch can also transmit further than a 300MHz, 433MHz, or 900MHz transmitter.
Hands Free Door Opener Applications
In the past 30 years hands free door openers were very popular in Asia. However in the USA market, they were only found in special facilities that had clean rooms such as microchip factories. Now today there is a push for stopping the spread of germs, as a result they have gained popularity in the USA. Today hands free automatic door openers are commonly found in hospital restrooms or hospital operating rooms. Although hands free automatic door openers are not a mandatory requirement yet, here at Automatic Door and Hardware we encourage any public building to at a minimum have touchless automatic door openers for their restroom doors. Especially if your establishment deals with food products such as grocery stores, convenience stores, restaurants. We also recommend schools and universities push for touchless automatic door openers in their facilities because the Warhawk hands free switch can greatly help reduce the spread of germs in commercial buildings that house large groups or gatherings of people.
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Why Choose Warhawk Hands Free Door Openers & The Commander ADA Door Operator
At Automatic Door and Hardware we offer building owners and contractors an all in one hands free door opener kit. This easy to install door opener package includes our state of the art Commander automatic swing door opener and Warhawk wireless touch free activation switches. Unlike other products on the market today, our products feature wireless technology and seamless operation. Trusted by many Universities, Schools, and Hospitals across the country, experience today why Automatic Door and Hardware's touchless door opener is the best choice.
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