

Opening the door leaf with a remote control is hard to surprise today. The offer of opener models on the market is off the charts, there are enough installation masters, plus automation for garage doors has become more affordable. How to stay aware of the wide range of drives?
Types of Garage Opener:
Automatics for garage doors works on a simple principle: the opener transmits the rotating force to the mechanism, which is responsible for lifting and lowering the blade. Depending on the way of its transmission, models are of two types:
- ceiling
- shaft
To better understand the specifics of the application of different types of models, let’s consider their features in more detail.
Ceiling Automatics For Garage Door
- This type is the most common among sectional designs for garages. They have a relatively small power, usually within 100-400 W, and their pulling force is 600-1000 N. The drives are mounted to the ceiling behind the frame (hence the name), and in operation use a rail to transmit the force, which, like the opener, plays a key role for the movement of the web.
- Automatics for garage doors of the ceiling type: opener and rail
- Automatics for garage doors of the ceiling type: opener and rail
The structure of the drive rail may vary depending on the model. Usually it is a curved metal profile, at the ends of which there are spinning gears that hold the tensioned chain or belt transmission. A carriage with a fixed bracket is fixed to them, the other end of which clings to the upper sandwich panel.
By turning one gear, the opener starts to move the chain or belt. Attached to them, the carriage is driven towards the drive when it is necessary to raise the cloth, and from it to lower it. On this principle works ceiling automation for garage doors.
Jack shaft Garage Door Opener
This type of electric drives is used most often on industrial sites, where it is necessary to lift the canvas weighing up to 750 kg. For work with heavy loads, there are three-phase models.
Gross automatics for garage doors of industrial type
Volume automatics for garage doors of industrial type
Very interesting information about openers here.The opener of this type is attached to the same wall of the room as the sectional structure, and is connected directly to its shaft. The rotational force of the opener is transmitted directly to the gate, bypassing intermediate elements (as is the case with the drive rail, which has automatics for garage doors). Very interesting information about openers here.
Advantages and disadvantages of each type of opener
Ceiling drives have these main advantages:
- significantly lower cost compared to industrial shaft models;
- possibility to install in rooms with low lintel (from 125 mm);
- lower power consumption;
- all models can be connected to an external emergency release mechanism.
The disadvantages include the following:
- low operating intensity (6-8 cycles per hour);
- the maximum height of the leaf, which can lift the automation for garage doors, is usually no more than 3.3 m, and the area – up to 18.6 m²;
- for installation in rooms with a large lintel (more than 900 mm), it is necessary to use an extension of the pulling bracket. For particularly high rooms it will not be sufficient;
- the drives have enclosure protection ²P20: they are not protected against the ingress of small objects, dust and water.
As for the shaft opener, they have the following advantages:
- can work on gates of any height or width, the limitation exists only on the area and weight of the leaf;
- most models have a shell protection at the level of ІР65-67;
- openers can be installed on almost any type of installation of sectional construction.
Of the disadvantages, the following can be emphasized:
- significantly higher price;
- have a higher level of power consumption;
- most models cannot be unlocked from the outside if there is no power supply;
- opener are problematic to install on low-mounted doors and the minimum lateral distance for them is from 310 mm, depending on the model.
All types of works that we have listed can be produced by our company Westfield-Garage Door.