Compliance of Automatic Door Operators with National and Industry Standards: Are They Meeting the Requirements?

With the increasing adoption of automatic doors in various buildings, ensuring their safety and compliance with national and industry standards is crucial. Automatic door operators must follow strict design, manufacturing, and operational regulations to ensure safety, reliability, and efficiency. This article explores whether these systems comply with relevant standards and examines the core requirements set by these standards, such as safety performance, mechanical and electrical properties, energy efficiency, and intelligent control systems.

1. The Importance of Standards for Automatic Doors

Automatic doors, as electromechanical devices, span several domains, including mechanical engineering, electrical safety, and automation. Ensuring that they meet national and industry standards is crucial in reducing safety risks such as entrapment, mechanical failure, or electrical hazards. If standards are not followed, automatic doors can become a significant safety risk, posing dangers such as door entrapment or collision incidents, particularly in high-traffic areas.

2. Key National and Industry Standards

2.1 National Standards in China

In China, automatic doors are subject to several national standards aimed at ensuring safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance. These standards include:

GB/T 7026-2015 Automatic Doors: Governs design, manufacturing, and testing protocols for automatic doors, emphasizing safety features and operational performance.

GB/T 19095-2019 Automatic Revolving Doors: Specifically addresses safety and performance for revolving doors, ensuring smooth and secure operation.

GB/T 21238-2007 Door and Window Opening Control Devices: Ensures precise and safe operation of the control systems.

GB 50352-2005 Electrical Design Standards for Civil Buildings: Covers electrical safety requirements for automatic doors, ensuring protection against hazards like electrical faults and fire risks.

2.2 International and Industry Standards

In addition to national regulations, several global and industry-specific standards apply to automatic doors:

ISO 9001 Quality Management System: Ensures consistent quality throughout manufacturing processes, making automatic doors safe and reliable for international markets.

ISO 13849 Safety of Machinery – Control Systems: Details safety protocols for the control systems, ensuring fail-safe performance in emergency situations.

EN 16005 Automatic Door Safety Standard: Predominantly used in Europe, this standard emphasizes safety features such as obstacle detection, emergency stop mechanisms, and force limitation.

ANSI/BHMA A156.10 American Standard for Automatic Doors: Defines requirements for door speed, detection zones, and safety distance, ensuring the safe use of automatic doors in the United States.

3. Core Requirements of Automatic Door Standards

3.1 Safety Performance

Safety is the cornerstone of all automatic door standards. Whether national or international, the following safety features are mandatory:

Obstacle Detection: Doors must be equipped with sensors to detect obstacles and stop movement to prevent accidents.

Emergency Stop Function: In an emergency, doors should immediately stop their movement to minimize injury or damage.

Force Limitation: Door closing forces must be limited to prevent excessive impact on individuals passing through.

3.2 Mechanical and Electrical Performance

To ensure long-term performance and safety, automatic door systems must meet several mechanical and electrical criteria:

Durability Testing: Doors must pass endurance tests to ensure they can withstand frequent use without failure.

Electrical Safety: The system must comply with electrical safety standards to prevent fire hazards and ensure user protection.

Wind Resistance: Particularly for outdoor use, doors must be able to resist wind pressure without malfunctioning.

3.3 Intelligent and Energy-Efficient Design

As smart technologies continue to evolve, automatic doors are becoming increasingly intelligent. Intelligent and energy-saving features are crucial in modern standards:

Smart Sensors: Doors equipped with intelligent sensors can optimize their opening and closing frequency to save energy when no users are present.

Energy Efficiency: Many standards emphasize the need for energy-saving mechanisms to reduce unnecessary power consumption.

4. Testing and Certification Process

To ensure compliance with these standards, automatic door manufacturers must conduct rigorous testing and certification processes. Testing covers:

Mechanical and Safety Tests: To ensure structural integrity, obstacle detection, and force limitations are met.

Electrical Testing: To verify compliance with national electrical safety standards, including fire and shock prevention.

Endurance Testing: Ensures doors can handle continuous usage without malfunctioning.

In China, products must pass CCC Certification (China Compulsory Certification), while in Europe, they need CE Certification to be legally marketed.

5. Future Trends in Standards and Regulations

As technology advances, the standards governing automatic doors will likely continue to evolve. Anticipated trends include:

5.1 Increased Intelligence

With the growth of IoT, future standards may focus more on the integration of smart technologies in automatic doors, allowing for more efficient, adaptable, and secure systems.

5.2 Accessibility and Universal Design

The design of future automatic doors will likely focus more on accessibility, ensuring that they meet the needs of the elderly, disabled, and those with limited mobility.

5.3 Energy Efficiency and Sustainability

Environmental concerns are increasingly influencing industry standards, leading to a greater focus on reducing energy consumption and increasing the use of sustainable materials in automatic door systems.

6. Conclusion

Automatic doors are an essential part of modern architecture, but they must comply with stringent national and international standards to ensure their safety, reliability, and sustainability. From China’s national standards like GB/T 7026-2015 to globally recognized norms such as ISO and EN 16005, these standards guarantee that automatic door systems meet the required safety and operational benchmarks.

As technology continues to evolve, the future of automatic doors lies in intelligent systems, energy efficiency, and inclusivity, ensuring that these doors are not only convenient but also safe and environmentally responsible. Through continual updates to standards and best practices, the automatic door industry can continue to meet the ever-changing needs of modern society.