Most people never notice an automatic door system until it stops working. You can make a hundred trips through the front of a grocery store without a thought for the mechanism. But on the hundred-and-first occasion, when the door seems to be making a point of ignoring you and just standing there, all of a sudden people have questions. 
It’s Physics, Not Sorcery It may seem like the door somehow knows when to open. There isn’t. A microwave or infrared sensor registers a bit of mass or motion, then send a signal to the motor to open the door. A shopping cart and a human set it off in precisely the same manner. That\'s why a bird can trigger the door while someone standing outside the detection zone may not. The sensor has no way of knowing your intent; it is only concerned with the detection zones put in place at installation. Put those in the wrong spot and you end up with a door that is either flapping open for no reason, wasting energy, or fail to detect visitors during busy periods, causing delays. Choose Your Mechanism Wisely Not all automatic doors are created equal. In retail you will see sliding models because they don’t waste floor space. Medical facilities tend to go with swinging doors for the better seal and accessibility. Folding doors are ideal where installation space is limited. But every one has its Achilles heel. Sliding doors can become obstructed by dirt or debris, the hinges on a swinger will eventually give way under strain, while folding doors may lose alignment after prolonged use. Choosing the wrong system for the application often leads to higher maintenance costs. When the Power Goes Many property owners overlook one important question: what does the door do in a go here blackout? By code the system should fail safe allowing occupants to open the door manually during emergencies. If it locks up solid, that is more than an inconvenience, it is a liability. A qualified installer should explain the fail-safe operation before completing the installation, including any backup power options. Routine Maintenance Matters Lubricating tracks and recalibrating sensors is about as much fun as it sounds. However, neglecting maintenance for a year can result in noisy or sluggish operation. It is a small thing, but when you have several thousand visitors a day, a half-second delay means a line is forming at the entrance. A once-a-quarter inspection is cheap insurance against having to make a service call. Accessibility Comes First For the person with a wheelchair or a stroller, or one with both hands full of groceries, the automatic door is not a luxury. It is what allows them to enter rather than put up with a heavy handle. Current building codes have the numbers to back this up, from clear width to opening force. To disregard them is to lock someone out of a place they are entitled to be in. Good design simply means planning for everyone's needs. You simply do the math on who is using the door and build for them.
It’s Physics, Not Sorcery It may seem like the door somehow knows when to open. There isn’t. A microwave or infrared sensor registers a bit of mass or motion, then send a signal to the motor to open the door. A shopping cart and a human set it off in precisely the same manner. That\'s why a bird can trigger the door while someone standing outside the detection zone may not. The sensor has no way of knowing your intent; it is only concerned with the detection zones put in place at installation. Put those in the wrong spot and you end up with a door that is either flapping open for no reason, wasting energy, or fail to detect visitors during busy periods, causing delays. Choose Your Mechanism Wisely Not all automatic doors are created equal. In retail you will see sliding models because they don’t waste floor space. Medical facilities tend to go with swinging doors for the better seal and accessibility. Folding doors are ideal where installation space is limited. But every one has its Achilles heel. Sliding doors can become obstructed by dirt or debris, the hinges on a swinger will eventually give way under strain, while folding doors may lose alignment after prolonged use. Choosing the wrong system for the application often leads to higher maintenance costs. When the Power Goes Many property owners overlook one important question: what does the door do in a go here blackout? By code the system should fail safe allowing occupants to open the door manually during emergencies. If it locks up solid, that is more than an inconvenience, it is a liability. A qualified installer should explain the fail-safe operation before completing the installation, including any backup power options. Routine Maintenance Matters Lubricating tracks and recalibrating sensors is about as much fun as it sounds. However, neglecting maintenance for a year can result in noisy or sluggish operation. It is a small thing, but when you have several thousand visitors a day, a half-second delay means a line is forming at the entrance. A once-a-quarter inspection is cheap insurance against having to make a service call. Accessibility Comes First For the person with a wheelchair or a stroller, or one with both hands full of groceries, the automatic door is not a luxury. It is what allows them to enter rather than put up with a heavy handle. Current building codes have the numbers to back this up, from clear width to opening force. To disregard them is to lock someone out of a place they are entitled to be in. Good design simply means planning for everyone's needs. You simply do the math on who is using the door and build for them.