Success story in car service
Hyperion 3D boosts productivity and saves energy
The AMAG Group AG is Switzerland’s largest import, trading and service organisation in the automotive sector. The AMAG Group and its approximately 6500 employees are passionately committed to keeping their customers on the road. However, should they ever require assistance, drivers of vehicles whose brands are imported, sold and serviced by AMAG can turn to one of more than 80 licensed garages across Switzerland. AMAG Schaffhausen is one of them. The seven entry bays at the AMAG workshop are located along the driveway leading into the inner courtyard. Previously, the doors were operated manually – much to the annoyance of employees and residents alike. AMAG needed a solution that would improve the productivity of its door system. It found this in collaboration with BBC Bircher Smart Access.
Starting point
On entering the site, drivers would sound their horns three times and a member of the workshop team would open the door to the next available repair bay. This was simply part of the daily routine at AMAG Schaffhausen. Although this sounds like a practical approach, in reality it was incredibly cumbersome. Workshop staff were constantly having to stop what they were doing to operate the door. What’s more, they were often left feeling cold due to the draught blowing in as a result of the doors being left open for unnecessarily long periods of time. The resulting bottlenecks in productivity were clear to see. Local residents also took little pleasure in the frequent hooting of horns and considered the noise a real inconvenience. The constant manoeuvring of vehicles inside the narrow inner courtyard had left AMAG Schaffhausen unable to consider an automated solution thus far. A radar sensor would not provide a reliable means of activation given this situation. It would not solve the problem and might even make the situation worse. Due to safety considerations, a more convenient solution using hand-held transmitters was not an option either.
Solution
Based on the information provided by the AMAG management team, it quickly became clear to BBC Bircher’s consultants that this was an ideal application for Hyperion 3D. As Hyperion 3D uses the motion vector of an object to detect if it intends to pass through a door, the sensor system was the right choice here in order to avoid doors opening unnecessarily due to crossing traffic. What’s more, the workshop’s energy needs can be reduced significantly with the energy-saving system. Two LBGate light barriers for each door enable the solution to provide protection against collision damage. A timer built into the control system deactivates the sensors outside workshop hours. This prevents unauthorised access to the building. Hyperion 3D works with the open, stop and close signals from the manual door control system. Although no provision had been made for activation sensors originally, the upgrading of the AMAG doors was completed without a hitch. To avoid energy losses, the industrial door is to remain closed whenever possible, and in particular should not be opened to allow people inside. Visitors, staff and customers can enter the workshop through the existing wicket doors.
Benefits for the Customer
- Automated on-demand opening based on 3D analysis of the area around the door
- Door system is significantly more productive
- Noticeable reduction in door opening times and energy costs
- Reliable detection of people: visitors, staff and customers enter the workshop through the wicket doors
- Good relationship with local residents as a result of the removal of the noise source
- Increase in productivity due to higher availability of staff
- Automated closing pulse for greater convenience
“ The system is helping us enormously to reduce draughts and save on heating costs, because the doors close after just 15 seconds. Our mechanics are pleased, because they are not having to get out of cars or put down their tools constantly to open a door. With approximately 60 cars passing through every day, this represents significant added value. ”
– Timo Böhm, General Manager at AMAG Schaffhausen
