Prior to the Safedrive®, industrial doors were often operated by chain or gear-driven systems. In Europe, these door designs used a separate anti-fallback device (safety brake) to prevent uncontrollable door closure in the event of chain or drive failure. Meyer designed an anti-fallback device with a patented damping device to activate on door acceleration, such as following a chain break or detachment.
The energy was absorbed by the damping device and the door would come to a controlled, safe stop.
Industry Breakthrough
While chain-driven systems are still used today, they come with complications and limitations; speed, barrel construction, door set-up. The obvious evolution to alleviate issues associated with chain-driven systems and alike was to combine the anti-fallback device into the drive to create one compact solution which fitted directly onto the barrel shaft of the door.
Meyer successfully solved this problem with the design of the first Safedrive®, which not only incorporated a twin worm configuration anti-fallback device within the drive unit’s gearbox (allowing for a far simpler door construction resulting in easier and quicker installations), but it was also not activated by speed, allowing new applications across the door industry.
1974: The Safedrive® hits the Market
Known in Europe as “der Sichere” (“the Safe One”) the Safedrive® previewed at R+T 1974 at Messe Stuttgart. Later that year Meyer’s patent was granted and in 1975 the Safedrive® was officially launched to the industry, solidifying its place in the industry.
Two Decades of Growth
The Safedrive® quickly became the preferred choice for industrial door manufacturers. It offered simplicity, cost efficiency and expanded application potential, while enabling door companies to expand their own product range by utilising its technology. Its non-speed dependent anti-fallback device made the Safedrive® ideal for use with high-speed doors, revolutionising the industry.
1996: Advancing Safety and Performance
GfA reengineered the Safedrive® in 1996, replacing the original twin worm configuration with the design we know today, with improved drive efficiency and enhanced damping when activated. This design allowed for the expansion of the Safedrive® range into new markets and applications, demonstrating GfA’s continuous drive for innovation.
2009: Introduction of the Safedrive® Fi
The Safedrive® Fi featured a built-on frequency inverter, offering the advantage of adjustable output speed, soft-start, and soft-stop. This transformed the use of frequency inverter drives across the industry and became the benchmark for high-speed door technology, opening up further application types.
2011: SG186F Gearbox Introduction
The SG186F gearbox, launched in 2011, delivered up to 5000Nm of torque and expanded the range and size of doors to which the Safedrive® can be applied.
Today and Beyond
Now, Safedrive® solutions exist for almost every application; offering options for speed, door size, environment, and frequency-of-use. With plug-and-play functionality as standard, and the broadest range of output speeds and torques of any direct drive on the market, GfA is the go-to manufacturer for industrial door drives.
Fifty years on, the Safedrive® remains a benchmark for safety and innovation. Looking to the future, one thing is certain: the spirit that led to the creation of the Safedrive® will continue to drive GfA forward globally, shaping the next generation of industrial door automation.
www.gfa-elektromaten.co.uk
01926 452452
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