Industrial Door Replacement for a Thermo Fisher Workshop
Thermo Fisher planned an industrial door replacement during a wider workshop renovation. The existing SEPPES zipper door had been in use for about eight years and was still serviceable, but the renovation created a practical opportunity to renew the entrance and update its access controls.
The replacement opening measured W2350 × H3000 mm. SEPPES retained the zipper-style high-speed door concept and configured radar activation on the interior side with card-reader access on the opposite side.
Send SEPPES the existing-door information, measured opening, traffic pattern, control interfaces, maintenance history, and changeover window. The team can assess a zipper high speed door or another configuration for the updated entrance.
Project Snapshot
| Project item | Confirmed detail |
|---|---|
| Customer | Thermo Fisher |
| Application | Workshop entrance renovation |
| Existing door | SEPPES zipper high-speed door |
| Recorded service history | About eight years and still serviceable |
| Replacement size | W2350 × H3000 mm |
| Interior activation | Radar |
| Opposite-side access | Card reader |
| Door type | Zipper high speed door |
Planned Replacement Is Different from Emergency Failure
An industrial door does not need to stop working completely before replacement is considered. Renovation, process changes, access-control upgrades, spare-parts planning, appearance, and future maintenance can all justify a planned change.
In this case, the existing door remained operational after about eight years. The customer chose to coordinate replacement with workshop renovation. That timing reduced the need to organize a separate future installation and allowed the entrance controls to be reviewed as part of the updated workflow.
The eight-year history is a fact about this specific installation. It is not a universal service-life promise. Door life depends on cycle frequency, impacts, environment, component selection, maintenance, repairs, and operator behavior.
Why Retain a Zipper High Speed Door?
A zipper high speed door uses a flexible curtain with shaped edges that travel through side guides. This provides a relatively sealed doorway while supporting fast opening and closing for routine workshop movement.
Many zipper designs can guide the curtain back into the tracks after certain minor accidental dislodgements. This is why the category is often described using the search phrase **self repairing high speed doors**. “Self-repairing” does not mean the door can repair torn fabric, bent structure, damaged controls, or every impact. Any collision should be inspected before normal operation resumes.
Read more about the SEPPES self-repairing zipper door and the wider high speed door range
Two-Sided Access Logic
Interior Radar Activation
Radar allows approaching traffic inside the workshop to request opening without stopping at a physical switch. The detection field, direction recognition, hold-open time, and false-trigger risk must be adjusted during commissioning.
Card Reader on the Opposite Side
The card reader limits opening requests from the controlled side to authorized users. The reader sends a request; the door controller then checks its operating and safety conditions before movement.
Safety Is Independent of Authorization
Access authorization and movement protection serve different purposes. A valid credential allows access, but photocells, light curtains, edge protection, warning devices, or other specified safeguards protect the opening during movement.
The NIOSH [Hierarchy of Controls](https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hierarchy-of-controls/index.html) provides a useful framework for evaluating workplace risks. Door sensors and access controls should form part of the site’s wider risk-control plan rather than being treated as the complete solution.
