Locks and Security News: your weekly locks and security industry newsletter
17th April 2024 Issue no. 701

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Effortlessly upgrade with Cam-Motion technology to make doors accessible to all

For specifiers seeking a convenient and effortless door closer upgrade, ASSA ABLOY’s range of Cam-Motion products not only ensure an environment is welcoming to everyone, regardless of their age or dexterity, but also help satisfy the demands of the latest Industry Safety Steering Group (ISSG) report, which tasks the construction industry with accelerating culture change.

Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the Hackitt report found that the regulatory system for high-rise and complex buildings was not fit for purpose. Since then, there has been a significant drive to make positive change within the culture of the UK construction industry, with a particular focus on increasing competence levels in all aspects of the built environment. The ISSG, chaired by Dame Judith Hackitt, recently shared its third report, which highlighted the need for the industry to accelerate the pace of change and rebuild trust in the sector.

A door should always be an opening, not a barrier. But the reality for elderly, young and those with either a temporary or lifelong disability is that inappropriately designed doors often shut them out. National regulations, such as BS 8300-2:2018, demand inclusivity is built into a new build or retrofit project, but potential barriers to building access and free movement are not always obvious. Doors which require significant force to push or pull open are one major and recurring problem for inclusive access.

Cam-Motion helps overcome this challenge. Combined with a guiderail, it provides the most ergonomic opening, while eliminating the need for projecting link arms with an aesthetically pleasing solution. Unlike most traditional rack-and-pinion door closers, Cam-Motion technology dramatically reduces the forces required so building users don’t have to do the heavy lifting. The required opening force for a door falls much more rapidly with Cam-Motion than with a traditional rack-and-pinion product. Cam-Motion forces mirror the way an individual operates a door, reducing the force sharply as the arm extends and loses strength.

Cam-Motion door closers benefit from independent valves, enabling latch and closing speeds to be set to suit a door’s immediate environment; parents with young children will no doubt appreciate this extra safeguard from slamming doors. The solution’s backcheck functionality stops doors damaging walls and surrounding areas, and all the control valves are thermo-resistant; once all door speeds are set, they stay set, even at extreme temperatures.

David Hindle, Head of Door Closer Sales at ASSA ABLOY, said: “Our Cam-Motion door closers are designed to help conveniently and effortlessly upgrade almost any door, with two models – the DC500 and DC700 — suitable for practically any door, of any size.

“Each model can be fitted to the door or frame, on either the push or pull side, saving designers and architects time at the specification stage, while also simplifying a building’s on-going maintenance once operational. Aesthetic consistency across the range — for single or double doors, in multiple finishes — helps deliver a high-quality feel, with clean and modern design hints.

“From an installer’s point of view, an optional universal concealed mounting plate across our entire portfolio speeds up and simplifies the replacement of old units and puts in place an easy, future-proof upgrade path. Any access points changing use over the building’s lifetime can be easily accommodated, because switching closers is an easy and straight-forward process. And a spindle with up to 14mm height adjustment means small measurement errors during installation, or any wear and tear of the doorset throughout its operational life, are quickly corrected.

“With the latest ISSG report placing the responsibility on us all to accelerate culture change within the built environment, our Cam-Motion door closers help decision-makers ensure doors are accessible to all. Architecture and building design are about creating spaces to enrich lives, yet they can be disconnected from the people most directly impacted. Users may be faced with situations which are uncomfortable and even unusable. For inclusive building access, the comfortable operation of exterior and interior doors is essential, and our Cam-Motion technology helps specifiers to easily meet this need.”

To find out more, please visit https://www.assaabloy.com/uk/en/solutions/products/door-controls/cam-motion, email [email protected] or call 0845 223 2124.

*UK Government, ‘Industry Safety Steering Group third report on culture change in the built environment industry’, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/industry-safety-steering-group-third-report-on-culture-change-in-the-built-environment-industry

18th May 2022