A Guide To Crash Doors and Their Benefits

Crash doors, also commonly called impact resistant doors, are used in many applications where there is a need to get between two rooms quickly and easily.

Crash doors have a number of advantages including strength, high operating efficiency, heat conservation, infection prevention and noise pollution. They are specifically designed to offer reliable, safe and durable operation to meet the demands of retail and industrial environments.

Let’s explore each of the benefits these types of doors offer in more detail.

They withstand high traffic and heavy impacts

The most essential feature of a crash door is that they are built to withstand heavy impacts. High traffic areas such as retail environments will have cages, forklifts and other equipment frequently passing through so they need to be strong and able to endure high impacts.

Dortek crash doors are constructed from GRP, which is plastic reinforced by fine fibres made of glass. GRP is known for its high mechanical strength and durability.

Crash doors are designed for heavy duty areas and usually come equipped with door protection which can include polypropylene bumpers. These help to guard against aggressive traffic and prevent damage to the door face.

They support hygiene

Retail, food, manufacturing and commercial kitchen environments all place hygiene as a key priority. Premises should permit good hygiene practices, be easy to clean and disinfect and should offer protection against external sources of contamination, such as pests and bacteria.

The benefit of crash doors is that they’re constructed with a high-density glass fibre reinforced polyester core that prevents water absorption and bacteria. The smooth, hygienic GRP surface is easy to keep clean. They are ideal for wash down areas due to the fact that they will not swell, rot, rust or warp.

These doors are also valuable for pest control as they prevent access from unwanted visitors entering the premises, particularly where there is food.

They help improve operational efficiency and productivity

Large retail stores experience high volumes of traffic every day. Suppliers and employees move around these stores frequently which is why a typical door would be unsuitable to this environment. A crash door is specially designed to increase productivity and to enable smooth and easy access. Doors can also come prepared with kick and push plates as well as hold open devices.

GRP is a naturally insulating material which helps maintain temperature controls. Features like these are very beneficial, especially for areas that are humid or for food or household items that are sensitive to temperature. Crash doors are an economical way to reduce both heat loss and noise pollution in working environments.

Crash doors constructed from GRP are also extremely lightweight and impact resistant with long lasting built-in colour. The outer skin of the door has a gel coat finish which is chemically bonded to the glass fibre. This ensures that the door will never require repainting or refinishing. All these factors give the doors low life cycle costs and means they are often proven to outlive their usage.

The main benefits of Dortek crash doors are:

Two sets of crash doors in a supermarket.

  • Robust Design – a durable, hardwearing construction which is built to last in high traffic applications
  • Double action hinges tested to 1 million cycles
  • Hygienic – smooth, easy to clean, non-porous gelcoat finish which does not harbour bacteria and is resistant to water and cleaning chemicals
  • Easy to Operate – lightweight, 180-degree swing hinge system which is user friendly
  • Automatic Self Closing – crash doors will automatically close behind the person using them
  • Cost Effective – helps reduce building energy costs by keeping temperature-controlled zones isolated
  • Efficient – helps improve traffic flow and enable people, forklifts and trolleys to move around buildings quickly
  • Reduces Contamination/Noise – separates areas to help reduce contamination, dust, fumes and noise pollution
  • Pest Control – helps prevent access for pests or birds.

Have a look at our product brochure or contact us for more information.

 

Product Showcase – Hermetic Sealing Sliding Doors

Dortek hermetic sealing sliding doors are specifically designed for use in areas where hygiene and the control of air leakage is critical.

The hermetic door has a unique patented track system which enables it to seal perfectly when closed helping to reduce cross contamination and expensive air handling costs. Air leakage has been tested independently and results up to 400 Pa pressure are available.

Grey hermetic sealing sliding doors.

Hygienic Flush Finish

The door blade is manufactured from high technology engineered GRP/FRP using a unique closed mould process. This creates a strong, uniform product with no seams or joins on the door surface and no voids, holes or crevices within for bacteria to harbour.

Hermetic Sealing

Dortek hermetic doors have a patented track system, which works in combination with the door’s weight, works with a continuous neoprene gasket to create a perfect seal against the doorframe. This seal has been independently tested and found to be more than 99% effective, leaking less than 0.2m³/hr of clean air with a typical pressure differential of 20 Pa.

Smooth Sliding Action

The doors smooth, controlled, sliding action helps to reduce air disturbance and the consequent movement of airborne micro-organisms. The door cuts through the air causing minimal disturbance, whereas traditional hinged doors can disrupt the airflow in a clean area each time they’re opened.

Intelligent Automation

The intelligent automation senses if an obstruction is present and prevents the door from closing thus eliminating the need for a dirty safety strip. Additional safety is provided by means of a photo cell fitted across the door opening. Our range of automations can be integrated with a range of access control systems including touchless sensors for effortless, hands free operation.

Patented Track System

The unique patented track system is angled at 45 degrees and special indentations allow the bearings to roll down enabling the door using its own weight to seal perfectly against the frame and floor.

Floor Sealing System

A tough neoprene gasket seals perfectly against a level floor without the need for a raised threshold. Guiding and sealing cams are fitted outside the clear opening eliminating the requirements for a floor track, allowing free unrestricted access for wheeled traffic.

X-Ray & Fire Protection

Our hermetic sealing sliding doors can be supplied with up to 60 minutes fire ratings, sound insulation and lead lining.

For more information have a look at our Hermetic Doors page or fill out our form to make an enquiry and someone from our team will get back to you.

A blue open hermetic sealing sliding door.

Meet Our Process and Quality Engineer, Linus

Please tell us a bit about yourself!

I am a Swedish guy at the age of 24 and just recently graduated last summer as master of science in chemical engineering. Now, I am the Process & Quality Engineer here at Dortek for the factory in Ystad, looking into the manufacturing process to see where we can find improvement that benefits both our products, the workflow, environment and factory in general.

What first inspired you into the engineering and architectural industry?

It all started in school during the science classes, learning to explain how phenomena around us works. Then the technical side is how we can use these phenomena into something useful which, is the real driver for me as an engineer. Once I heard about Dortek manufacturing fibreglass doors, the first thing I could think about was the manufacturing process that is centralized around chemistry.

What made you want to work for Dortek?

As a chemical engineering graduate I was eager to find a wide role, and in this position I am involved in both process and quality, which works hand in hand. If we get the process right, then quality will come. Also, I had no clue about how Dortek make GRP doors and found it interesting.

How has COVID affected your role within Dortek?

Since I am mostly involved in the day to day production I have been to the site each day since I started. We have unfortunately had outbreaks which have resulted in us needing to wear masks which fog up your protective glasses, but that is it. In general, it has not affected my role much.

What do you like about working with Dortek?

We work very closely together here in Sweden, as well as with the production team in Ireland which is great. Since I am young, there is a lot to learn in general about business and this has been a great start!

What are your interests outside of work?

I have recently started playing Padel, a new popular sport here in Sweden, a mix between squash and tennis and it is really addictive. Other than that I enjoy being with my friends, family and girlfriend as well as my cat. Also, I like reading about what happens on the stock market and discussing it with friends.

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