Sliding Gate Automation

Sliding gate automation is usually included on the sliding driveway gate.

This single slide gate is wider than the width of your driveway. It slides to one side of the drive opening on wheels that run along a track.

A single electric gate opener is mounted to one side of the drive entrance. The motor is positioned so that a cog on the motor’s output shaft meshes with a toothed rack mounted along the inside of the gate. Therefore, as the electric gate motor turns, the cog rotates in the rack and draws the gate along.

A sliding gate opens along a length of straight gate track more than twice the width of the driveway. This starts at the pillar or gate post on one side of the opening and crosses the drive past the opposite pillar. The track is long enough for the gate to slide along to completely clear the drive entrance.

Are Sliding Automatic Gates The Best Choice?

Sliding gates are ideal where space for swing gates to open into the driveway is limited. If the driveway bends, cars are parked near the gates, or plants in the garden or the house are too close, swing gates will hit them as they swing open.

Additionally, sliding gates are the perfect alternative to swing gates where a driveway runs uphill onto your property. This prevents swing gates from opening as they will hit the ground as they open onto the rising drive.

However, sliding gates shouldn’t be used where the driveway slopes across the entrance. This means that the gate is sliding uphill one way and downhill in the opposite direction. As gravity will try to pull it downhill and resist its movement uphill, the sliding electric gate opener is put under extra stress.

If you have a short driveway, you have a lot of cars parked on it, or it curves or rises towards the house, sliding gate automation systems might be the best choice for you.

A sliding gate is a type of gate that opens and closes by moving horizontally, parallel to a fence or wall, rather than swinging inwards or outwards. This design makes them highly space-efficient, especially useful for properties with limited driveway space, sloped driveways, or areas where a swinging gate would obstruct vehicles or landscaping.

Sliding Gate Automation

There are generally two main types of sliding gates:

• Tracked sliding gates: These gates have wheels that run along a ground-level track. They are typically less expensive and easier to install.
• Cantilever sliding gates: These gates are suspended above the ground and slide along rollers that are hidden behind the fencing. They don’t require a ground track, making them ideal for areas with uneven surfaces, heavy snow, or debris that might interfere with a track.

Sliding gates are commonly made from various materials like steel, aluminum, wood, and composite, offering a range of aesthetic options to suit different architectural styles. Sliding Gate Automation refers to the process of motorizing a sliding gate so that it can be opened and closed remotely, without manual effort. This significantly enhances convenience, security, and accessibility for residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural properties.

Key Components of a Sliding Gate Automation System:

• Electric Motor (Gate Operator): This is the “heart” of the system, providing the power to move the gate. Motors vary in size and power depending on the gate’s weight and intended usage frequency. For tracked gates, the motor often drives a chain or rack attached to the gate.
• Control Panel/Unit: The “brain” of the system. This unit manages the motor’s operation, interprets signals from various input devices, and integrates safety features. It allows for setting parameters like opening/closing speeds.
• Remote Controls/Access Devices: These are used to trigger the gate’s operation from a distance. Common options include:
  • Remote fobs
  • Keypads or card readers
  • Intercom systems
  • Smartphone apps
  • Vehicle detection loops (magnetic sensors embedded in the ground)
• Safety Sensors: Crucial for preventing accidents, these sensors detect obstacles (vehicles, pedestrians, pets) in the gate’s path. If an obstruction is detected, the gate will stop or reverse its movement to prevent collisions. Examples include:
  • Infrared beams (photocells)
  • Safety edge sensors (pressure-sensitive strips on the gate’s edge)
• Limit Switches: These tell the gate opener when to stop the gate’s movement at the fully open and fully closed positions.
• Power Supply: The system requires a reliable power source, typically from the main electricity supply. Many systems also include battery backup options to ensure operation during power outages.
• Gear System (within the motor): This mechanism converts the motor’s rotational force into the linear motion needed to slide the gate.

Benefits of Sliding Gate Automation:

• Enhanced Security: Automated sliding gates provide a robust barrier, making it difficult for unauthorized individuals to force entry. They often incorporate advanced locking mechanisms and can be integrated with other security systems like CCTV and alarms.
• Convenience: Users can open and close the gate with a simple press of a button from inside their vehicle or home, eliminating the need to manually operate the gate, especially during bad weather or at night.
• Space Efficiency: As mentioned, sliding gates themselves are space-saving, and automation further enhances this by making operation effortless in confined spaces.
• Increased Property Value: An automated gate adds a touch of sophistication and convenience, enhancing the curb appeal and potentially increasing the resale value of a property.
• Safety: Integrated safety sensors significantly reduce the risk of accidents by preventing the gate from closing on people, vehicles, or pets. Many systems also comply with safety regulations (like UL325 in North America).
• Durability and Weather Resistance: Modern automated sliding gates are built with robust, weather-resistant materials and sealed components, ensuring long-lasting performance even in harsh conditions.
• Customization: Automated systems allow for various access control options and can be tailored to specific needs and aesthetic preferences.

Sliding gates are best where space is limited, and a sliding gate doesn’t need space on your driveway.

If you already have an installed sliding driveway gate and would like to install a sliding gate operator on your driveway gate, please send some pictures to us.

We have many different brands, models, types, and capacities of sliding gate openers in Royal Gate’s storage.

To get an estimate with our best recommendations, we have to know some basic information about your driveway gate design and dimensions. It is too important to choose a heavier gate opener if your driveway has a slope.

You can contact us to get any information that you may need regarding your inquiry and the accessories that you may need.

Our experienced installers and technicians are ready to help you repair and install your driveway gate operator.

–> To have in-site technical services:

• If you have an account with us, please send your request directly from your customer panel.
• Please click here to send your information and request directly to our customer hub, and let us know your preferred dates to schedule a visit.
• If you are in Greater Vancouver, BC, our technician will come to your address and resolve the problem.
• To have on-site technical services for your installed automatic driveway gate, if you have an account with Royal Gates, please send your request directly from your customer’s panel.
• If this is your first service request, and looking for our recommendations, please send some pictures from the gate operator, main control panel, and receivers or your remote control to us using WhatsApp at 778 384 2800 or by email to retcc.ca@gmail.com.
• You can click here to send your information and request directly to our customer hub, and let us know your preferred dates to schedule a visit.
• You will be contacted within one business day.

–>  To get an estimate for your required driveway gate, you can click on “Fast Estimate”.

• If you want to continue please submit the form, your request will directly come to our customer hub and we will make contact with you, within a maximum of one business day.
• To create a custom quote, need more information like design, dimensions, your address, name, and email.
• You can click here to send your information and request directly to our customer hub, and let us know your preferred dates to schedule a visit (If necessary).
• If you are in Greater Vancouver, BC, our technician will come to your address.
• Please send some pictures of the driveway, posts, and the electric sources to us using WhatsApp at 778 384 2800 or by email to retcc.ca@gmail.com.
• You can click here to send your information and request directly to our customer hub, and let us know your preferred dates to schedule a visit.
• You will be contacted within one business day.