Installation, Adjustment, and Commissioning
What you must know
Installation begins with a proper foundation and anchor - concrete pad size, rebar, and anchor bolts rated for the load. Mount the operator plumb and level; align the drive to the gate. For swing gates, set the arm geometry so the gate moves smoothly through its arc. For slide gates, align rack and pinion or chain and set the positive stops. Adjust limit switches, force/torque settings, and speed. Commissioning includes verifying manual release, testing all entrapment devices, setting open/close times, and confirming emergency access.
Traps
Questions test force adjustment: setting force too high defeats entrapment protection; too low causes nuisance reversals. Another trap is limit switch adjustment - over-travel damages the operator; under-travel leaves the gate short of full open/close. Watch for arm geometry errors on swing gates that cause binding or incomplete travel. Also, commissioning is not complete until every safety device is tested in both directions.
Rule of thumb
Adjust force to the minimum that reliably moves the gate, then verify a reversing test with a test object. If the gate reverses on a light push, force is correct; if it crushes a test object, force is too high.
Worked example
After installation, a swing gate reverses randomly. The technician finds the force setting at maximum. Correct action: reduce force to minimum reliable setting and retest with a test object - high force masks the real problem and violates entrapment intent.