Gilgen automatic door operator now fire door approved

An automatic swing door operator from Gilgen Door Systems has become one of the first of its kind to be independently tested and approved for use on fire doors.

The Gilgen FD 20 swing door operator fitted with safety sensors recently passed stringent fire safety tests carried out through Exova Warringtonfire, one of the World’s leading fire safety and resistance testing specialists. The tests examined the resistance of the operator when fitted to fire doors exposed to extreme fire and heat up to 1000°c.

Following successful tests the FD 20 was approved for use on timber fire door sets providing up to 2 hours protection and metal fire door sets providing up to 1 hour protection, thereby meeting the requirements of BS EN 1634-1:2014 regulations.

The news is seen as highly significant for estates managers and construction industry specifiers as Rob Archer, National Technical Manager for Gilgen Door Systems, explains: “Hospitals and healthcare facilities by their very nature need to provide easy access and escape in the event of an emergency through the installation of powered fire doors. However, when specifying this type of equipment managers should be aware that Gilgen Door Systems is one of the few, if not only, manufacturer to have approval for the use of automatic swing door operators with safety sensors on fire doors.”

The approval for the FD20 covers installation to a number of passive door sets including EI120 (FD120) Timber door Timber frame with Intumescent protection, EI60 (FD60) Metal door Metal frame and EI60 (FD60) Timber door Metal frame with Intumescent protection.

Since its launch in 2013 the highly versatile Gilgen FD 20 has proven an ideal solution for facilities such as hospitals, education facilities and transport hubs that experience high pedestrian footfall and require easy and hygienic access. Incorporating a powerful yet silent-running electro-mechanical drive the FD 20 can automate doors up to 250kg and is even suitable for externally facing doors facing wind speeds up to 50MPH.

Of Swiss design the FD 20 incorporates high quality components chosen for their performance and durability. The master switch and illuminated program selector buttons are integrated into a high quality aluminium housing for intuitive operation. An extensive range of configurations is possible for single and bi-parting doors, emergency exit, fire safety operation and bespoke solutions. Safety features are built in as standard and the drive is tested to EN16005 and BIN 18650.

Gilgen Door Systems has over 50 years proven experience in designing, manufacturing, installing and maintaining automatic door systems. Its comprehensive range includes automatic sliding, folding and swing doors, hermetic doors, privacy screens, fire doors, security doors and escape way solutions.