Category: News
HTC parking & security helps ExpertCare with face masks.
Help with helping! So why not bring any protective aprons, glasses and face masks along to your GP or other care providers who can really make use of them.
#coronahulp #helphelpen #Coronavirusnl
the full text is below:
Smart Speedgates management saves money and results in satisfied customers
Allows customers to predict, prevent and immediately know what’s going on and who needs to take action in up to 70 percent of Speedgate failures in car parks. This has been made possible by monitoring 150 Speedgate parameters. The Internet of Things technology has allowed for new types of management and maintenance.
Text: Peter Bekkering
Speedgates are always involved with providing vehicle access. They’re used in parking facilities, but also in security environments like courts and barracks. In design versions in facades, but often also in fencing, for example in industrial estates or harbour areas. They’re sometimes used for night closures, but usually for full and continuous use.
The most important requirements a Speedgate needs to satisfy are reliability and security, according to Stefan Morssink, Business Innovation Manager at HTC parking & security since January 2015: “Continuity is of great importance, particularly in car parks. After all, any disruptions can equate to a loss of income. Plus safety is truly essential with usage during the day and night. If your Speedgate doesn’t work, that means your car park is left unprotected.” He mentions another safety aspect: “Speedgates are, by definition, installed on the boundaries of private and public land. There will always be lots of people and playing children at car parks, with all the associated risks.” HTC parking & security adheres by the strict requirements set by the German TÜV inspection, in addition to the NEN-EN13241-1, in order to guarantee safety and carries out force measurements on security sensors during all maintenance activities.
Nevertheless, the company still wanted to further improve the Speedgate for parking facilities with the Xense. Morssink: “There were three reasons for this. First of all, the changing world, where people are now getting more and more used to having everything instantly available and accessible via their smartphone. People expect the same with professional equipment. And secondly, the rise of Smart Maintenance. Instead of carrying out preventive and interim corrective maintenance activities once a year, the aim is now to prevent corrective maintenance by correctly predicting faults (‘predictive maintenance’). We’re hoping this switch from corrective to predictive will prevent 70 percent of faults. Plus, in addition to the annual preventive service, it will mean almost no more downtime”. Thirdly, we’ve clearly recognised the fact that we can make management much more effective for many parties in the parking world, making sure management costs and the Speedgate’s Total Cost of Ownership become cheaper. We have conducted extensive research with municipalities, HOA managers and commercial management parties in order to provide what parties really need. We specifically looked at how you can integrate “remote management” into a professional parking organisation with Jochem Somers (Technical Operations Manager) from Q-park. In addition to the aforementioned prevention of downtime through predictive maintenance, having immediate knowledge at your disposal that a “safety device” is displaying deviant behaviour, like remaining open at night, is essential. We’re also expecting to be able to completely filter out incorrect error messages by users and to reduce the lead time of repairs by days in the event of a fault and collision. It also needs to be possible to reduce the deployment of external parties by, for example, helping to make their own service organisation more effective. In addition, the Speedgate data will help management parties to analyse user behaviour and organise the car park more effectively. All of this should help HTC parking & security make the switch from a satisfactory completion to satisfied users. “We want to use this to get a better handle on the user experience. By users I mean the end users, the servicing and maintenance parties, as well as our partners abroad. An impressive 150 parameters can be monitored in the gate thanks to the technology built into the Xense speedgate. “This allows us to see whether the properties of individual actuators and sensors are changing. For example, we’ll be able to see whether a photocell simply needs cleaning, or whether it actually needs to be replaced.
Such a remote diagnosis will also immediately indicate who can carry out the maintenance activities: the user himself, the first-line service party or the specialist and to possibly provide that party with remote assistance” All new Xentry Speedgates to be delivered will be equipped with the Xense Core, the digital base module, with effect from 1st October. “Service engineers can use this module with a connection tool to help them conduct maintenance activities. Users also have the option of taking out a Xense service subscription. The Speedgate will then be connected to the Internet in a highly secure manner, making the range of described options available to prevent downtime and to be able to quickly and effectively resolve any possible faults. This has made Speedgates so reliable that we’re installing these with a 5 year guarantee.”
The technology in the Xense also makes other services possible. The installation of a small camera in the gate offers the possibility of combining video images with data from sensors. “When the speedgate suffers a fault, we can irrefutably establish what happened and who or what caused it.” This will help managers to effectively deal with damage cases with insurance companies and subsequently recover damages from the perpetrator.
In short, the use of Xense technology on Xentry Speedgates helps to remotely manage car parks more effectively and therefore be more highly appreciated by the parking motorist and service employees.
I More information: www.htc-ps.com
Detailed information is in this edition of Parkeer24.
HTC feels it’s incredibly important to constantly work on improving ourselves. We do this based on the Lean principle, whereby activities which don’t add value (wastage) are eliminated as much as possible. This can include illogical process steps or unnecessary walking movements. We thereby constantly ask ourselves ‘how can it be done smarter or better?’ For example, when assembling the panels for the Speedgates. We’ve mapped out the production time and any possible wastage in order to answer that question. This analysis clearly showed we could make some improvements in relation to the mechanic’s movements between the workbench, the stock rack and the tool panel. Just like surgeons are handed all the instruments they need, a mechanic must also have all the right tools within easy reach. We devised a concept whereby all the necessary tools and materials move along with the mechanic in order to realise this. Like an automated ‘operating theatre assistant’. It goes without saying you can’t develop a concept like this in a matter of days. It was preceded by several brainstorming sessions and sketches. The employees then started working on developing a prototype in the form of a pyramid-shaped tool panel (including a power and air connection) on a swivel arm. It soon became apparent it wasn’t just convenient to have all the tools and materials within easy reach, but that there was also a need for digital project information. Equipping the tool panel with an interactive computer screen meant the project department could digitally share all relevant technical information with the mechanic in the workshop. This is very convenient and much more effective and sustainable than printing paper instructions. The help and expert advice provided by our tool partner Klijn Machines and Tools B.V. ultimately allowed us to transform the prototype into an innovative solution for even more efficient assembly of the panels for our Speedgates. The number of steps the mechanics have to take in one day has been drastically reduced. This has resulted in their work now being done in a much smarter, easier and better way. And perhaps even more important: we can achieve greater efficiency in the same amount of time, without having to work harder or hire extra staff. A fantastic improvement project we’re incredibly proud of.
The ‘IJdock Palace’ houses approximately seven hundred workplaces, nineteen court rooms and 26 cells, in which the suspects are briefly locked up on the day their appeal is filed. There are bare isolation cells, but also padded cells. The walls of these are covered with soft materials so the detainees can’t hurt themselves
HTC Parking + Security has supplied 6 Speedgates for this complex with, among other things, plating.
Solar panels for staff. We call that smart looking ahead.
The time had come on Friday 6th December: the official ‘Solar power transfer’. Our employees were also able to generate their own solar energy one month after the 1,104 solar panels had been put into use on our factory roof. A good time to officially stop and think about this. Installing these solar panels perfectly fits in with our sustainability philosophy. That’s because working on a sustainable, liveable and green future is important to us. We do this in various different ways. These include investing in top quality materials, efficient production methods and innovative technologies. And now with solar panels on our factory roof, which means we can produce our Speedgates in a completely energy-neutral manner. One important condition here was that our employees would also be able to benefit from this sustainable solar energy. And that’s exactly what we did! Our successful collaboration with Zonnestroom Nederland has resulted in several HTC parking & security employees now also being able to experience the advantages of solar panels on their own roofs. They can now cost effectively generate their own electricity. Nice for the wallet and incredibly sustainable. This sustainable project hasn’t just allowed HTC to take good care of the world and society around us, but also of our employees. We call that smart looking ahead. Something which truly comes natural to us. Whether it concerns advice to our customers, our company vision or the involvement of our employees. We always look at the bigger picture in everything we do, so everyone can benefit from new possibilities, insights and techniques.
From safety equipment to making an entrancee | Urban Planning & Architecture
From safety equipment to making an entrance
A Speedgate is often used because of its intrinsic feature to be able to quickly open and close an entrance. Having said that, it can certainly also be used to realise more goals than simply security and vehicle regulation. The Speedgate can result in a genuine “wow” effect in the car entrance. That’s the message Stefan Morssink, HTC parking & security’s business innovation manager, wants to portray to architects. “The vehicle entrance is often people’s first and last user experience where a building is concerned. You can create a great entrance and provide the user with the perfect experience with the right Speedgate.”
HTC Parking & Security’s speedgate can provide a real “wow” effect.
Morssink would like to emphasise that Speedgates can be supplied at customisation levels which would far exceed what an architect might come up with. “HTC has four different basic types of Speedgates. We choose a suitable basic type and adjust its interpretation and finish, depending on the placement (indoor, facade, fencing) and an architect’s specific objectives. For example, we also build large glass Speedgates which form an integral part of a glass facade, to allow trucks to drive in and out of workshops.”
Norman Forster
Sometimes HTC needs to go a few steps further in order to realise functional and aesthetic objectives. “Norman Forster had designed a free-standing picket fence for a multinational in the US which is building a new campus, containing ‘invisible’ 12 m wide gates for the main entrance. They ended up at HTC after a careful search for someone who could realise this for them. “We have developed a new type of Speedgate, whereby the panels are in front of the columns, in order to resolve this for Forster. This has resulted in the fencing continuing seamlessly looking from the outside in. The Speedgate is truly high-end where its design, speed, security and management are concerned.” “These types of high-end Speedgates from HTC are now also increasingly being used for expensive stores and private projects in London, where the company has its own branch, as well as in the Netherlands,” according to Morssink. “These stores want all of their facades and entrances in busy shopping streets to be in absolute tip top condition. The Speedgates are often included in the fencing of wealthy individuals’ homes, who are very fond of aesthetics and privacy.”
Car entrance as a business card
HTC’s speedgates are often used in both commercial and homeowners’ associations’ car parks. “All too often the car entrance is still a neglected part of the design. In practice, we still see far too many tight and cluttered car entrance designs.” HTC uses the ‘Making an entrance’ slogan. Morssink: “This means we also want to help the architect to functionally and aesthetically define the access. Naturally with help from BIM models. That means you look into how you can help the various users to effectively and easily use the access and speedgate. This translates into the location, shape and dimensions of the entrance and exit, as well as the positioning of the Speedgate within it. But also in tools for vehicle guidance, interpretation of use and wayfinding.” A Speedgate as a car entrance can really create a “wow” effect in a car park, according to Morssink. “That’s why we’re now also working on Speedgates with, for example, all sorts of different LED lighting solutions, not only for aesthetic, but also for functional reasons.” Morssink has also noted that apartment buildings make more combined use of the car parks for storing both vehicles and other valuable objects like (mobility) scooters. “Architects want to include the car park in the complex’s secured areas. We already have certified high security Speedgates at RC4 and RC5 level, but can also supply Speedgates at RC2 and 3 level, which allows us to comply with the Police’s quality standards.”
Smart city, smart building, smart entrance
HTC has noted that the usage requirements and management of Speedgates in apartment buildings, utility buildings and office buildings are changing. “Remote management, digital security and ease of use are becoming increasingly important. Just like video incident registration, which allows the manager to identify any perpetrators of damage to the Speedgate and hold users accountable for their behaviour.” HTC has responded to this need with Xense, IoT (Internet of Things) technology which can monitor an impressive 150 parameters in the gate. This helps managers and service parties to prevent downtime and allows them to effectively resolve faults. “Xense has made the Speedgates so reliable that we supply these with a five year guarantee.” “The Speedgate is now a fully-fledged part of physical and digital security, thanks to the RC certification and the Xense technology, for high security government, companies and private individuals’ objects, where security is essential. Digital security and physical security can now be integrated.”
The customer’s needs & objective
Designing a vehicle entrance with a Speedgate starts with determining the objectives of closing the access point:
- Rapid and controlled granting of access (vehicles, bicycles);
- Specifically securing the entrance (bullet & burglar resistance);
- Providing protection & privacy (wind/water/insight).
We then look at which aspects and to what extent these are of value to the client:
- unctional aspects (speed, noise, quality, management, service, data, safety, performance of the entrance, etc);
- commercial aspects (COP, COO);
- emotional aspects (architecture & aesthetics, simplicity & convenience);
- social aspects (meaning of active & passive for users).
Secured by Design
A Speedgate’s operating principle means the speed at which it opens and closes a perimeter is one of its most important safety factors. After all, the protective shell is opened for as short a time as possible. The design parameters which HTC uses to differentiate its Speedgates are the certified resistance levels against burglary (RC2 to RC5), the option of ballistic protection (FB6) and anti-climb protection, but also safety-related parameters like reliability and safe use. We would like to demonstrate this at the exhibition using an Xentry 3 with an RC2 and an RC4 wing and a trackless Xentry STS with anti-climb protection.
Speedgate as a Service
Sustainability, talked about by many companies, realised by HTC. By being the only party to be able to guarantee a performance level for 15 years, to guarantee the return of products and materials and to maximise the reuse of materials. We do this by offering the product as a service, whereby HTC retains ownership (and is therefore responsible for all servicing and maintenance) and you will only periodically pay a fixed fee based on usage. This will allow you to avoid any investment, you’ll know exactly how much the use of the Speedgate is going to cost across the duration of use, but, above all, it will provide you with complete peace of mind, as you will be refunded if HTC doesn’t meet the guaranteed uptime. In addition, this variant will meet all (future) sustainability requirements which have been set for the (re)use of raw materials.
Would you like to visit us?
You will find us in Hall 12, stand 12.230. You can order a free admission ticket on the Intertraffic site via this link. We look forward to welcoming you there. This link will provide you with a free admission ticket
Making an entrance sustainable
HTC is improving the speedgates’ environmental performance by making three aspects more sustainable. Firstly, the products have been improved in such a way that they can be used for longer. The products are constructed using components which can be exchanged and reused at a modular level. The service is also offered with as little environmental impact as possible. HTC’s service can be used remotely by using IoT. And finally, the products aren’t just sold, but also offered, which means the customer will only be paying for their use. HTC remains fully responsible for servicing, maintenance, reuse and recycling.
Intrinsic motivation
“We’ve become intrinsically motivated because we can clearly see our children no longer have the same perspective in the world as we do” Stefan states during the interview with Circo. HTC wants to change this by making the use of materials and energy more sustainable. There’s definitely also been a clear shift in the market, with customers now increasingly thinking long-term. “People aren’t just looking for an attractive price when buying, but also want an attractive price so they can continue to enjoy carefree use of a product for 20 years.” It’s also quite striking that possession no longer appears to be a condition for convenience and availability, and is even seen as a burden. The younger generation in particular prefers to pay for the use of a product.
Circo Track
HTC participated with a Circo Track, whereby a circular proposition was developed. This process also mapped out which changes in services and products are going to be needed in order to meet this proposition. Would you like to know more about this Circo Track and what it has resulted in for us? Watch the full interview with Stefan below.
Curious about our sustainable solutions? Read more about Speedgate as a Service or visit our Sustainability page.