JDL Automation
Automatic Security Barriers Norwich: Total Vehicle Access Control
For countless businesses, industrial estates, car parks, and private residential communities across Norwich and Norfolk, controlling vehicle access is a daily necessity. An automatic security barrier is the fastest, most effective, and most reliable solution to manage traffic flow, prevent unauthorised parking, and secure a site’s perimeter.
Unlike a heavy-duty gate, a barrier is designed for high-volume traffic, providing a rapid-acting deterrent that separates public roads from private property.
Total Traffic Control
Manage vehicle flow efficiently in car parks and private roads.
High-Duty Performance
Rapid-action booms designed for intensive daily use and durability.
The JDL Barrier Installation Journey: Our 6-Step Process
At JDL Automation, we specialise in the design, installation, and maintenance of robust vehicle barrier systems. We understand that a barrier is a critical piece of your site’s operation; when it fails, it can cause chaos. That’s why our local Norwich-based team delivers meticulous installations and provides responsive, long-term support to keep your site moving safely and securely.
The Initial Consultation & Site Survey
Bespoke Design & Transparent Quotation
Planning & Preparation
Professional, Safe Installation
Commissioning, Testing & Handover
Ongoing Maintenance & Local Support
JDL Automation
The Initial Consultation & Site Survey
The journey begins with a detailed assessment of your site. When you contact JDL, we’ll arrange for one of our specialist engineers to visit your property. A barrier installation is a precise science, and this survey is vital to designing a system that is both safe and effective.
Our engineer will analyse several key factors:
- Roadway Width: This determines the required length of the barrier boom (arm). We’ll measure the exact clear opening.
- Traffic Volume: Is the barrier for a staff car park used twice a day, or is it for a 24/7 logistics hub with constant HGV traffic? This “duty cycle” dictates the type of motor and gearbox required.
- Vehicle Type: We identify what kinds of vehicles will be using the entrance—cars only, or a mix of vans and large lorries? This impacts the boom height and whether a “skirt” (hanging trellis) is needed for added security.
- Environment: We assess the ground conditions for the barrier plinth and note any potential issues, such as overhead height restrictions (which may require an articulated “knuckle” boom).
Using the data from our survey, we design a complete access control solution tailored to your operational needs. This is where we define how you want to control the traffic.
We will present you with a range of access control options:
- Simple Control: For basic in/out, we can use remote key fobs for staff or residents.
- Intercom Systems: GSM or video/audio intercoms allow visitors to call a reception desk or a specific office to be granted access.
- Coded Entry: Digital keypads are a simple solution for sites with shared access codes.
- Token or Card Access: Proximity card readers (like those used for doors) can be integrated for staff to simply “tap and enter.”
- Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR): For ultimate convenience in high-traffic staff car parks, ANPR cameras read vehicle number plates and open the barrier automatically for authorised vehicles.
- Traffic Flow & Safety Loops: We will almost always recommend induction ground loops. A “safety loop” installed under the barrier prevents it from ever lowering onto a vehicle. An “exit loop” can be installed to automatically open the barrier for any vehicle leaving the site, ensuring free-flowing exit.
Once we have finalised the perfect combination of barrier hardware and access controls, we provide a clear, itemised quotation. You’ll see exactly what is included, from groundwork to final commissioning.
Planning & Preparation
With the plan approved, our team moves into the preparation phase. Our goal is to minimise disruption to your business. We schedule the installation for a time that works for you, often working around your peak hours.
Behind the scenes, we pre-configure access control systems, ensure all hardware is in stock, and create a detailed plan for the groundwork and electrical teams. This meticulous planning ensures the on-site installation is as fast and efficient as possible.
Professional, Safe Installation
This is where our technical expertise shines. Our JDL engineers arrive on-site, fully equipped and focused on two things: precision and safety.
The installation process follows a strict order:
- Groundwork: The foundation of a reliable barrier. We excavate and pour a solid concrete plinth (base) for the barrier cabinet to be bolted to. This ensures it remains perfectly stable and vibration-free.
- Ducting & Loop Cutting: We professionally cut the required induction loops into the road surface with diamond saws, lay the cables, and re-seal the surface neatly. We also run armoured power and control cables in safe, discreet trenches.
- Cabinet & Boom Installation: The main barrier cabinet is securely bolted to the new concrete plinth. We then install the boom arm, carefully balancing it to ensure a smooth operation that puts minimal stress on the motor.
- Access Control Integration: We install all the system’s “brains”—the keypads, intercoms, and readers—and wire them back to the main control panel.
JDL Automation Ltd
Commissioning, Testing & Handover
WHY US?
A broken barrier causes chaos. As DHF trained engineers, JDL Automation delivers robust, high-duty barrier systems designed specifically for the traffic demands of your Norwich site. With our rapid local support and preventative maintenance plans, we ensure your business keeps moving without interruption or unauthorised access.
A JDL installation is not complete until it is fully commissioned and rigorously tested. This is the most critical safety step.
- Safety Loop & Sensor Testing: We repeatedly test all safety devices. We place obstacles in the barrier’s path to ensure the safety loops and photocells instantly detect them and reverse the boom.
- Access Control Testing: We test every single access method—every fob, the keypad codes, and the intercom connection—to ensure they work flawlessly.
- Force Testing: As DHF trained engineers, we ensure the barrier is operating within all safety parameters defined by the Door & Hardware Federation and the Machinery Directive.
- Full Handover: Once we are 100% satisfied, we provide a full handover to your site manager or security team. We demonstrate how to use the system, how to add/remove users, and—most importantly—how to safely use the manual override in the event of a power failure.
Ongoing Maintenance & Local Support
A vehicle barrier is a hard-working machine, often operating thousands of times a week. To ensure its longevity and, critically, its safety, regular maintenance is essential.
JDL Automation offers comprehensive planned preventative maintenance (PPM) packages. Our engineers will visit your site at scheduled intervals to service the motor, test all safety loops and sensors, clean components, and ensure your barrier remains compliant with all health and safety regulations.
As we are based right here in Norwich, you also have the peace of mind that if an issue ever does arise, our responsive repair team is only a short drive away, ready to get your site secure and operational again with minimal downtime.
Contact JDL Today
JDL Automation
Don’t let unauthorised vehicles disrupt your business or compromise your security. Contact JDL Automation today for a free, no-obligation survey for your new automatic security barrier.