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An existing commercial swing door can usually be automated without replacing it. A swing door operator is fixed above the door on the push or pull side and drives the leaf through a scissor arm or a slide rail. Whether your door suits one depends on the leaf, the frame, the wall above it and a power supply, which a survey confirms.
Usually, yes. A swing door operator is built to be added to a door that is already in place, and GU, who make the DTN 80 operator we fit, publish it for retrofitting existing swing doors in any frame material. What decides whether the job is simple is the door itself, its frame and the wall above it, so those are what we look at first.
For the operators and complete doors we supply, see our automatic swing doors range.
A door that works well by hand is the best starting point.
Still possible, but the operator and arm are chosen around the door.
Sometimes the door itself is the problem, not the lack of automation.
A swing door operator is fixed to the transom or wall above the door, on whichever face suits the way the door opens. The arm that links it to the leaf depends on that face and on how far the wall above steps back from the door. GU publish three ways of mounting the DTN 80:
| Operator position | Arm | Door opens | Lintel depth it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side opposite the hinges | Scissor-action arm | Away from the operator (push) | 0 to 300 mm |
| Side opposite the hinges | Slide rail | Away from the operator (push) | Within 10 mm either side of flush |
| Hinge side | Slide rail | Towards the operator (pull) | Within 10 mm either side of flush |
Lintel depth is the step between the face of the door and the face of the wall or transom the operator is fixed to. Figures from GU's DTN 80 technical data (01/2019).
Stand on the side where you want the operator. If the door swings away from you, it is a push side installation. If it swings towards you, it is pull side, and the hinge knuckles will be on your side. Photos of both faces of the door and the wall above it usually settle the question before anyone visits.
The limit depends on the leaf width, the arm and the closer strength the door needs. GU publish the DTN 80 for single leaves from 700 to 1600 mm wide and leaf weights up to 600 kg, with an opening angle of up to 135 degrees. On fire doors, the weight allowed falls as the leaf gets wider and changes with the arm. For a 1200 mm wide fire door leaf, GU's chart gives:
| Arm and direction | Closer strength | Maximum leaf weight |
|---|---|---|
| Push side, scissor-action arm | EN 7 | 396 kg |
| Push side, scissor-action arm | EN 3 to EN 6 | 256 kg |
| Pull side, slide rail | EN 3 to EN 6 | 198 kg |
| Push side, slide rail | EN 3 to EN 5 | 142 kg |
EN 3 to EN 7 are closer strength sizes: the higher the number, the more closing force the door needs. Source: GU's DTN 80 technical data, permitted door leaf weights for fire protection doors.
The same drive covers pairs of doors with 1450 to 3200 mm between the hinges, and GU tested it to 1,000,000 cycles under EN 16005. Your survey still confirms the figure for your door, because the frame, hinges and fixings matter as much as the operator. Compare the options on our automatic swing doors page or the DTN 80 GU operator page.
Yes, with an operator designed for it. A fire door has to close on its own spring force when the fire alarm sounds, so the operator must make the door easy to use every day without stopping it closing in a fire. GU designed the DTN 80 to overcome the closing spring of fire and smoke doors in normal use.
The operator works against the closing spring, so the door opens on a button or sensor and is lighter to open by hand.
The door closes on its spring force alone, without power, and the fire separation is restored.
A closing sequence control makes the two leaves close in the right order. On the DTN 80 it sits under the operator cover.
With GU's fire set, a smoke switch and a CLOSE DOOR button, the drive (as the DTN 80-F) can form part of a hold-open system.
GU state the DTN 80 meets EN 179 and EN 1125 when combined with their tested panic lock and door hardware.
Fire doors are life-safety equipment. The operator, the hardware and the building's fire strategy have to agree before anything is fitted.
For openings that need a fire-rated sliding door instead, see our fire and sliding door systems.
The same operator can be set up to open the door in different ways, and the right one depends on who uses the door. GU list radar motion sensors, push buttons and access control as ways to open the DTN 80, and it can also run as a door closer that makes the door easier to open by hand.
The door opens as someone approaches, with nothing to touch.
The door opens only when asked, so people walking past do not trigger it.
A card, fob or keypad reader opens the door, so the entrance stays controlled.
The door stays manual, but the operator helps from the moment it starts to move.
On fire doors, the door is held open in normal use and closes when the alarm sounds.
Paired with GU's SECURY ePOWER motor lock, the door locks itself outside opening hours.
Controls and parts are listed in our automation shop. If the change is for accessibility, our guide to how automatic doors improve accessibility and security covers the wider picture.
EN 16005 is the European standard for safety in use of power operated pedestrian doorsets, and a swing door with an operator added becomes one. Safety is assessed for that door in its setting, and the protection it needs follows from the assessment. GU type-tested the DTN 80 to EN 16005, and its controller shows the state of the safety sensors on both faces of the door alongside the radar and switch inputs.
A swing door sweeps an arc. Sensors on the leaf watch the area the door is about to move into, on the hinge side and the opposite side.
The DTN 80 detects obstacles and stops or reverses rather than pushing on.
The assessment and each service visit are recorded, so you can show an insurer or auditor that the door is looked after.
That is a repair, not a retrofit: see automatic door maintenance and repairs. For checks between visits, use our automatic door maintenance checklist, and for planned servicing across a site, our maintenance contracts.
If the door is sound, adding an operator is the lighter job: the door stays where it is and the operator is fixed above it. If the door is worn, draughty or not secure enough, replacing it with an automatic swing door designed as one system can be the better use of the budget.
| Retrofit an operator | Replace with an automatic swing door | |
|---|---|---|
| What changes | An operator, arm and controls are added to the door you already have | A new door, frame and operator are installed as one system |
| Example we supply | DTN 80 GU swing door operator | Yawal TM77 thermally broken aluminium swing door |
| Insulation and sound | Stays as good, or as poor, as the existing door | Door leaf Ud from 0.8 W/m²K and sound reduction up to Rw 49 dB (Yawal data) |
| Security | GU state the DTN 80 can be used on certified swing doors up to resistance class RC4 | Certified up to RC3 security |
| Best when | The door and frame are sound and the problem is access | The entrance also needs better insulation, weather tightness, security or appearance |
Yawal figures from our Yawal TM77 page. RC4 figure from GU's DTN 80 technical data.
Where there is side space and heavy footfall, a sliding door may suit the opening better than any swing door.
Tick off what you have. Photos and a few measurements let us say whether your door suits an operator before anyone visits. This checklist stays on your screen: nothing is sent or saved.
Tick each item as you gather it. Photos and measurements matter most. When you are ready, email sales@nsmotion.ie or call +353 86 382 7196.
Usually, yes. A swing door operator is designed to be added to a door that is already in place, and GU publish the DTN 80 we fit for retrofitting existing swing doors in any frame material. A survey checks the leaf, the hinges, the frame, the wall above the door and the power supply before anything is ordered.
Yes, if the operator is designed for fire doors. The door must still close on its own spring force when the fire alarm sounds. GU's DTN 80 overcomes the closing spring in everyday use, pairs of fire doors need a closing sequence control, and with a smoke switch it can form part of a hold-open system.
It depends on the leaf width, the arm and the closer strength the door needs. GU publish the DTN 80 for single leaves 700 to 1600 mm wide and up to 600 kg. On a 1200 mm wide fire door, their chart allows from 142 kg on a push side slide rail to 396 kg on a push side scissor arm at closer size EN 7.
Both connect the operator to the door. A scissor-action arm folds out from the operator and suits push side fitting where the wall above is set back from the door face, by up to 300 mm on the DTN 80. A slide rail runs along a track on the door and suits an operator fixed almost flush with the door face, on the push or pull side.
The DTN 80 has a manual override, so the door can still be opened by hand, and battery backup is available as an option. On fire doors the door closes on its own spring force without power, which is what keeps the fire separation intact.
NS Motion designs, installs and maintains automatic swing doors from Kilcock, Co. Kildare, for commercial buildings across Ireland. We fit the GU DTN 80 operator to new and existing doors and service what we install. Call +353 86 382 7196 or use our contact page to book a survey.
Send us photos of the door and the wall above it, or book a survey. Our team works from Kilcock, Co. Kildare, and fits and services automatic swing doors for commercial buildings across Ireland.
