What Would You Do if You Had More Time?

Ever since the ancient Egyptians first divided the day up into 24 more or less equal parts, people have been wishing for more time. Just one more hour to meet that impossible deadline. Just a few more to finish that assignment. But no matter how desperately we may wish for the sand to fall more slowly through that hourglass, time is the one thing that, thus far, Mankind has failed to manipulate.

What would you do if you had more time? Spend more time with the kids, perhaps. Or get more work done to really impress the boss. Or maybe it’s something as simple as finally finishing Call of Duty.

While we can’t give you more time, we can provide you with the tools to use the time you do have more effectively.

CENTURION’s 5x Better campaign is a unique drive aimed at making installers’ lives easier through user-friendly and intuitive access automation products. We took five of our product, made them better and, over the course of the next two months, we’ll be launching the new and improved offerings through a series of roadshows and product days hosted across the country.

Each product improvement focuses on a specific benefit to the installer.

Smarter – the SupaHelix

Designed as a replacement for the SupaNova multi-user receiver, the SupaHelix offers everything you could wish for in an access control solution: from intuitive and robust remote control programming, to a capacious memory (up to 10 000 individual remote buttons) and advanced onboard diagnostics and logging. It’s a complete access management toolkit!

Simpler – RDO II

The compact and reliable RDO roll-up garage door operator now comes with an onboard multichannel code-hopping receiver, making for supremely easy learning of individual remote control buttons.

Stronger – NOVA remotes

With an updated carbon look and durable silicone buttons designed to withstand a lifetime of pressing, the award-winning NOVA range of remote controls is likely to hold onto its title of South Africa’s favourite remote control.

Quicker – the Pinion SPYDER

The Pinion SPYDER is CENTURION’s innovative new solution to help installers get the all-important gap between the gate rack and the motor pinion just right, ensuring smooth and reliable operation and saving them valuable time onsite!

Easier – NOVA HELIX

Featuring link and master learning, lightning-fast response time and a built-in timer (to name but a few features), the NOVA HELIX range of remote control receivers puts a fresh new spin on an access control staple. Available in single- and multichannel variants.

Visit our website to find out when the CENTURION 5X Better roadshow is coming to your town.

Who is FAAC? An Interview with Jacopo Malacarne

If there’s one word that perfectly describes the recent joining of forces of CENTURION and global access automation powerhouse FAAC, it’s heritage. With eighty years’ industry experience between them, both of these companies have come a long way with the markets that they serve, and their names have become synonymous with innovation, with reliability and with service excellence.

Or perhaps the word is legacy: a word that looks to the future rather than the past. What does the road ahead look like now that South Africa’s leading access automation manufacturer is part of the largest access automation brand in the world? Who exactly is this powerful multinational machine that has its roots in 1960s Italy and today, half a century later, has branches all over the world?

One thing is certain: when European flair meets African strength and endurance, it’s pure magic.

In this exclusive interview, FAAC Group Business Unit Director Jacopo Malacarne tells us more about what the future holds.

Charl Mijnhardt: FAAC has been around for a great many years. What would you say is the secret recipe that has enabled it to withstand the test of time?

Jacopo Malacarne: FAAC SpA was founded in 1965, or 51 years ago, by a stroke of genius of Mr Giuseppe Manini. At the time, the Italian economy was growing very quickly, companies were founded, new products and services were offered for the first time and families were looking for a better life style and convenience. Of all those newly-born companies, not all followed the growth strategy of FAAC, some of them later disappeared, and therefore FAAC must have really had some positives in its value proposition. I would say a) the capacity to attract talents and motivate people around the founder b) steer from a family-owned company into a professionally-structured company with clear skills and responsibilities c) technical intellectual curiosity that paved the way to multiple patents for new state-of-the-art mechanical and electronic solutions d) a sense of pride.

CM: That’s quite a story. If you could give us the “executive summary” of what FAAC’s core business is, what would it be?

JM: FAAC was indeed born as the first national manufacturer of slide and swing gate openers for residential applications. Slowly, over the decades the business scope expanded to include vehicular and pedestrian access control solutions in commercial and industrial applications. As far as vehicles are concerned, automatic barriers, motorways barriers, industrial doors, fast rolling doors, automatic retractable bollards were all developed internally over the years. For pedestrian use, it is worth mentioning the development of swing and slide automatic doors, innovative complete automatic doors, hospital doors as well as software-based hands-free or tag-based access control solutions.

CM: What was the main driver that led to the decision to acquire CENTURION, a South African manufacturer?

JM: We recognised some time ago that, as an international company with more than 24 commercial subsidiaries worldwide and the necessity to diversify revenue generation, FAAC was not present enough on the African continent. We should either have developed a tailor-made product offer for such a continent, and later have built a commercial presence, or we were to acquire a local successful company. Our first thought was of CENTURION who, before developing into an independent manufacturer, was a customer of FAAC’s in the early ‘80s. CENTURION has, since then, become the clear market leader not only in South Africa but also on the African continent below the Saharan belt. The match was perfect, in other words. 

CM: Are you expecting to bring any new products into the African market? Are there solutions that could be a good fit for this market?

JM: Yes, we believe that certain selected products may be brought to South Africa and the surrounding countries and distributed by Centurion Systems. FAAC has developed for other markets’ needs a full complement of security-related vehicle access control solutions; automatic bollards, of different sizes, crash-rated automatic bollards, for counter-terrorism purposes, capable of stopping a 7.5 tonne truck driving at 30mph (48kph) or 50mph (80kph) are fully available to CENTURION. Additionally, high-performance barriers are now available for sale to Africa.   

CM: What about taking South African products to new markets? Do you foresee CENTURION growing its footprint internationally?

JM: The exercise is two-fold . Some products by CENTURION may indeed be distributed by the FAAC sales network in selected countries. We are studying this at the moment and the results will soon be effective. We also want to offer CENTURION FAAC’s technological competence and off-the-shelf solutions to short-cut development processes to embark on as well as access to international subsidiaries to fasten its commercial development outside South Africa.

CM: What are the main benefits of two “superpowers” like CENTURION and FAAC joining forces?

JM: An enriched product offering to meet larger customer base demand, stronger technological competencies and skills in mechanical and electronic design and manufacturing, economies of scale in managing the supply chain, wider commercial network to channel FAAC and CENTURION products.   

CM: Do you foresee any challenges? What are they?

JM: Acquisitions in general may change the scenario for the companies involved: market, customers, products and sometimes people. Change, per se, is not loved by everybody, some fear negative consequences more than the future benefits discussed above.  In our case it is different. Relying on apopular saying from the world of sports, “a winning team, like CENTURION, is never changed”. The challenge therefore is to communicate effectively to CENTURION employees, suppliers and customers that the acquisition by FAAC, in our very specific case, not only will maintain the business scenario as before, but will only enhance and accelerate CENTURION’s future growth opportunities.  

Want to know more about the FAAC acquisition? Check out this interview in Hi-tech Security Solutions.

6 Crucial Things to Ask Your Installer

If you’ve ever dealt with a toddler – and I speak from experience, having a two-and-a-half year old nephew – you’ll attest to their inherently inquisitive nature. In a matter of mere minutes, they can make the word “why” take on more or less the same quality as long fingernails being dragged across a blackboard. “Why is the sky blue?” “Why do dogs go ‘woof’?” “Why are you pulling out tufts of hair and banging your head against the wall?”. That sort of thing.

But, as it turns out, they might just be onto something. I mean, how often have we not uttered the lamentation: “If only I knew then what I know now…”? And yet, we are so often afraid to ask, mainly because we don’t know which questions to ask. We simply don’t feel empowered enough.

One would think that the logical first question to ask when having a new gate motor installed is: “What will it cost?” but, in the words of that Greek sage Plato: “A good decision is based on knowledge, and not on numbers”.

Here are the six things you really should be asking your installer:

Does he offer after-sales support?

In other words, if things do go pear-shaped with regards to the installation, can you depend on him to come and sort it out? A good installer will offer a warranty on his workmanship, and not just on the product.

Are there products that could complement your installation?

Of course, there are times when a standalone gate motor will do just fine but, in the world of access control, a full bouquet of products will offer you enhanced security, convenience and functionality.

Think of your gate motor as a juicy piece of lazy-aged steak; it’s delicious on its own, but add a nice claret and the experience overall just feels richer. Be sure to ask your installer about ancillary products like keypads, tag readers, GSM devices and intercom systems.

How can he make your installation safer?

If you were buying a new car, chances are you’d ask the salesman whether it comes with airbags, ABS, that sort of thing. While most modern gate motors come with features like built-in anti-crushing protection, it’s always a good idea to ask your installer to fit additional safety devices such as infrared gate safety beams.

Does the operator require routine maintenance?

The reality is, any mechanical system accumulates a certain amount of wear and tear over time; it’s an inevitable side effect of moving parts working against each other and the various forces of nature.

Your maintenance schedule will generally be directly proportional to how frequently you use your gate motor, but a routine service every two years or so is recommended, just to ensure that everything keeps running smoothly under the hood.

Is he able to provide you with a users’ guide?

While the installer might not necessarily want to leave you with the complete installation manual – this is, after all, his domain – you should at the very least insist that he give you the users’ guide. As the name suggests, this document contains all information relevant to the end-user, such as the setting up of various features and the coding of remote controls, and even some basic diagnostics.

Does he have references?

Remember, you’re essentially putting your home and family’s security in the hands of this person, so it’s important to be sure that he’ll do a proper job, and that there are past clients that can vouch for his work. Ask for a list of references before giving the go-ahead.

CENTURION Remains a Favourite at IFSEC West Africa 2013

So Brandon and Scott – our resident globetrotters – have just returned from IFSEC West Africa 2013, a little worse for wear but nonetheless eager to regale us with tales of adventure from the heart of the continent.

This has been the third consecutive year that CENTURION has exhibited at this show and, thanks to the support of our Lagos office and staff, we are really seeing a rapid increase in the gate automation market in Nigeria. In fact, so overwhelming has the response been that we will be returning there in April for a full week of comprehensive access automation training presented by our well-known and beloved training manager, Chris Grobler.

According to Brandon, seen below looking every bit the part of the suave debonair, the markedly positive thing about this year’s exhibition and the people visiting was the enthusiastic response to the name and brand “CENTURION”.

From left to right: Exports Sales Representative for Africa, Brandon Horn; Exports Manager, Scott Wilson; CENTURION West Africa Branch Manager, Ademola Okulaja.

 

He went on to say that clients are now specifying that they want CENTURION equipment as it has local product support and backup.

There were close on 70 new trade clients and interested homeowners and businessmen wanting CENTURION products guarding their homes, businesses, etc. And, as always, we’re more than happy to oblige!

The CENTURION Stand

 

All in all, the show was a great success, generating many new clients and reassuring our existing clients of our powerful presence in Nigeria and West Africa in general. Thank you to all who visited our stand, we really enjoyed getting to know each and every one of you and look forward to seeing you all at IFSEC West Africa 2014!

Photon Sees the Light!

You know that excited, almost electric feeling that’s in the air right before a summer storm on the Highveld? Like every atom and molecule is abuzz with activity, like the very air around you is alive?

Well, I can tell you in no uncertain terms that this was the kind of atmosphere around the CENTURION office earlier today as we prepared to announce the release of Photon – our brand new infrared gate safety beams with a wireless transmitter.

Photon officially became available for purchase from CENTURION and its agents on Valentine’s Day, 14 February 2013, a day that will go down in history as the day that automated gate safety became easy.

But before we go into what makes Photon so awesome (and trust us, it is AWESOME), let’s have a recap of why you need gate safety beams installed in the first place. Think of it as Gate Safety 101.

It’s quite simple, really: You wouldn’t drive your car without wearing a safety belt (we hope not, at least), and you won’t jump out of a plane without a parachute, so it stands to reason that you shouldn’t let your automated gate run without putting some measure of safety in place, either. As we have stated in many previous articles and posts, an automated gate – wonderful and convenient as it may be – is still a mechanical system and as such carries with it the risks normally associated with moving parts.

Infrared beams have been found to be the most effective means of protecting against crushing, dragging and shearing in an automated gate setup. They are relatively inexpensive and are for the most part reliable but, due to the high cost of installing them – a result of having to route metres of cable, often under driveways – many installations have thus far simply gone without. It is also understandable to a degree that many homeowners would be hesitant to have their driveways defaced for this purpose.

That’s where Photon comes in.

As mentioned before, Photon has a wireless transmitter so the only wiring necessary is from the receiver to the gate motor and, with the receiver traditionally being mounted closest to the motor, no digging or tunnelling is required. As Photon’s slogan declares: Simply attach, align and you’re away!

Photon also boasts brand spanking new operating features such as Installer Mode: a Mode of Operation that makes the installer’s life that much easier by providing a 4KHz tone once alignment of the beams is obtained, taking all the guesswork out of installing beams.

Then there’s also Open Collector Mode, a feature tailor-made for sites where power draw is a factor (think solar powered installations). In this mode, the receiver relay is disabled and switching is done via a transistor, bringing the overall power consumption on the receiver’s side down by about half.

This really is just a superb product. I recommend getting yours now! Contact your local CENTURION agent or visit the Photonproduct page for more info.

The Virtues of the VECTOR2

“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower” – Steve Jobs

The VECTOR2 linear swing gate operator is, to put it bluntly, a leader. It leads (confidently, one might add) in terms of design, in terms of intuitiveness and in terms of ingenuity. Let us not forget that not too long ago swing gate motors still relied upon micro-switches for position control and offered precious little by way of functionality. If you wanted any special features such as an extended automatic closing or a wider pedestrian opening, you’d have needed to order a custom-programmed microchip.

Archaic!, you say. Barbaric even. Be that as it may, until quite recently swing gate motors were mere pistons working mindlessly to provide only the most rudimentary of automation solutions.

Even in today’s intensely technology- and convenience-driven milieu, very few operators truly stand out in terms of intelligence.

The VECTOR2, however, is quite different as you’ll soon discover; for within its LCD controller – one that is no larger than an average hardcover novel – is housed the sort of intelligence that has the power to redefine an entire industry. Every facet of the VECTOR2 operator’s firmware has been designed to be intuitive to the point of precognition, even adapting its behaviour to accommodate any hardware variations that it encounters.

What follows are some examples of how the VECTOR2 makes life easier for installer and end-user alike.

It Practically Wires Itself

As a general rule, there is a hard and fast way that any given device needs to be wired in order for it to work and, when it comes to gate automation, incorrect wiring could very well metamorphose your beautiful wrought-iron gate into the world’s frilliest wall.

So, does the same bleak fate then await you, oh VECTOR2 owner, if you happened to inadvertently wire, say, your master motor’s sensor wires to the slave motor’s sensor inputs on the controller? Will the operator start moving drunkenly back and forth, unable to determine whether it is the master or the slave?

Nein.

The VECTOR2 controller is intelligent enough to pick up on this little miscalculation and rectify it electronically, saving you the time and effort of spending countless hours trying to trace the fault. It is entirely possible to mix channels in this fashion without adversely affecting the operation of the gate.

State of the Art Position Control

The VECTOR2 makes use of a double-redundant opto-electronic system for position control which, in layman’s terms, basically means that the controller always knows exactly in which position the operator(s) is/are. So intelligent is this system, that it even counts pulses if the gate is moved with the operator in the disengaged state.

But what is the benefit of this?, you ask.

Well, let’s say that a leaf delay of 20mm  is active because an electric striker lock or mechanical lip necessitates one gate closing before the other. This scenario in itself would not normally pose a problem.

But imagine, if you will, the following conundrum: your gates have somehow fallen out of synchronisation. Perhaps you were doing some maintenance on your master gate that necessitated disengaging the operator so that you can move the gate around freely by hand. The problem might now arise that the master gate is now closer to the fully closed position than the slave - and remember, with leaf delay enabled the slave always closes before the master.

Or at least, this would have been a problem were it not for the aforementioned opto-electronic system.  In a situation such as this, the VECTOR2 controller will keep the master stationary and move the slave past the master until there is a gap of precisely 20mm of piston stroke between them. Upon this gap being achieved, the master will be activated and the desired leaf delay will be intact.

Fully Intuitive Setup

Traditionally, the only way to get a motor to reverse direction (i.e. to change from, say, in an inward opening configuration to an outward opening configuration) was to swap the motor wires around; especially in a double-leaf swing installation, this made for rather a hairy setup procedure. Fortunately, the VECTOR2 controller possesses the ground-breaking intuitiveness to automatically detect in which direction the gate should be opening – as well as which gate it should attempt to open first during the setup – and reverse the wires electronically.

So space-age is the technology inherent in this controller, that if it is unable to move one gate in either direction, it will automatically detect that perhaps it is trying to move the incorrect gate and not only swap the motor wires electronically, but effectively swap channels! This sort of fully automated process saves valuable time onsite.

In conclusion, one can surmise that the VECTOR2 linear swing gate motor is truly a marvel of modern engineering and ingenuity; its sleek, slim line design, easy-to-install construction and fast operating speed rivalled only by the incredible intelligence housed within its controller.

CENTURION Uses Key Technologies to Help Keep You Safe

“And slowly, and surely, they drew their plans against us”

 

This iconic line forms part of the introduction to one of the most famous radio plays ever to be recorded, the Orson Welles adaptation of H.G. Wells’ unnerving sci-fi tour de force, The War of the Worlds. Of course, the conspirators Wells was referring to here were malicious otherworldly intelligences intent on destroying our planet and/or enslaving the human race. It was gripping stuff; so gripping, in fact, that it sowed widespread panic when it was broadcast sometime during the beginning of the previous century.

So how does the father of modern science fiction’s ominous opening words – so utterly ripe with foreboding – relate to the current security situation in South Africa?

It’s quite simple, really. The reality is that yes, South Africa sleeps, but it is an uneasy sleep plagued by nightmares of home invasions and crooks lurking about in the night. In this sense, we are akin to War’s protagonist (and indeed, all of mankind), our eyes darting nervously about as we await the imminent invasion and the terrible fate that awaits us.

But it need not be that way. If there is one prevailing theme throughout the history of mankind, it is the triumph of good over evil. We, the average citizens of this country, the home and business owners, are Good, while the criminals represent the forces of Evil.

Centurion Systems has developed a number of key technologies to aid the forces of Good in this eternal struggle, and to help South Africans sleep more soundly, secure in the knowledge that their homes and families are safe. It is worth noting that CENTURION is a South African company with South African sensibilities, always in tune with the unique security needs of the country.

CENTURION’s ongoing influence in the fight against crime is clearly evident in the following technologies:

 

Intruder-detection Alarms

As children, the majority of us were told cautionary tales and feared the “bogeyman”: an exaggerated evil entity that would come for us if we misbehaved. But, in our childlike innocence, we knew that switching on the light would render the bogeyman powerless and banish him to the realms of shadow whence he came.

In the slightly imagination-stripped world of adulthood, the bogeyman takes the shape of criminals wanting to get their hands on our possessions – or otherwise cause us harm – and the entrance gate is the typical point where they would try breach perimeter security. From following hapless homeowners into their properties to obstructing the gate safety beams so that the gate stays open, criminals have devised all sorts of clever ways of gaining entrance.

The Intruder-detection Alarm feature-set is CENTURION’s interpretation of “switching on the light” and catching the bogeyman in the act.  These alarms – consisting of the Break-in Alarm and Ambush Alarm – work by sounding the onboard buzzer of your D-Series operator (D10/D10 Turbo, D5-Evo, SECTOR, VECTOR2) whenever the infrared gate safety beams are interrupted, or remain interrupted for a predefined period of time.

Consider, if you will, the practical application of these alarms: A potential intruder has been staking out your house for a couple of nights and knows your habits, your comings and goings. Then, one night, the criminal sees you enter your property and decides to stick some insulation tape over the lenses of the beams, thereby keeping the gate open and affording himself ample opportunity to enter the yard.

But the joke’s on him, because you have enabled the Ambush Alarm which promptly picks up that the beams have been obstructed for the preset period of time, and it triggers the alarm which you have relayed to your security company. The armed response chaps arrive and arrest the would-be burglar. Threat neutralised.

 

ChronoGuard

As you can most probably deduce from its name, ChronoGuard was named after the Greek word for time, “chronos”, which is also used as a prefix in English words related to time (think: “chronological”).

Yes, the ChronoGuard is a timer, but it is a timer that opens up a world of access control possibilities.

 

Take, for example, the Auto-activations feature offered by ChronoGuard. Using the onboard Real Time Clock and Calendar found in CENTURION D-Series controllers, this feature allows you to set up to 100 unique time periods that can be used to perform a myriad automatic activations. Among them:

·         Opening your gate during busy times, such as in the mornings, so that your gate motor’s battery is not run flat from continually opening and closing

·         Interfacing with an irrigation system to water your garden at certain times of the day

·         Automatically switching on a security light only at night so as not to waste electricity

The possibilities are virtually endless.

Then there’s the Time-barring functionality. This security feature is useful to anyone from home-owners to managers who want to restrict access to their property after work or during weekends. Time-barring can be used to inhibit signals from remote controls or even physical triggers, so criminals won’t be able to simply short-circuit wires in order to get the gate to open.

From a practical application perspective, this is very handy since employers who have issued their staff with remotes can configure their D-Series gate motor or traffic barrier to work during normal office hours, but ignore inputs from remotes after hours. Hey presto – you now have a highly effective access control system without having to buy any expensive additional equipment. All that is needed is your CENTURION D-Series operator.

Code-hopping Technology

 

“And slowly, and surely, they drew their plans against us”

That menacing line makes a final appearance. Criminals have always attempted to use our own tools and technology against us and, at times, it even seemed as though they had succeeded.

“Code grabbing” is one way in which tech-savvy crooks have been doing this; taking the wonderful convenience of remote controls and using it for their own dark purposes. What basically happens is this: a homeowner stops at his entrance gate and presses his remote, oblivious to the fact that in the bushes nearby a crook is hiding wielding a makeshift signal-grabbing device. The crook than uses this device to “grab” the code transmitted by the homeowner’s remote, and so gets carte blanche for helping himself to the homeowner’s possessions.

In an effort to combat this malfeasance, CENTURION has implemented code-hopping technology. What this means, is that every code transmitted by the CENTURION transmitter is completely and randomly different to the previous one, making code-grabbing more or less impossible. It is worth noting that this is the same sort of secure technology currently employed by leading vehicle manufacturers.

From the development and implementation of these innovative technologies it is clear that in actuality it is us drawing our plans against the criminals, and not vise versa.

Securing the Masses: An Exploration of Modern Access Control

With the London Olympics now in full swing, the eyes of the world are once again fixed on the safety of the masses. It is this knowledge that has led us to ask the following pressing questions:
What new developments have been made in the world of security? What bold innovations are being implemented in a field that warrants such aggressive attention and constant evolution, and what trends are leading the way in terms of technology, usability, expandability and functionality?

After all, as the great thinker and innovator da Vinci famously said: “Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation...even so does inaction sap the vigour of the mind”.

This is an utterly apropos statement considering that security, when employed to its full potential, should be a mercurial force that is able to adapt to the times. Security as concept should be a shape-shifter, rearranging its various elements and changing its guise to best suit the socio-economic climate.

Think about it.

Five hundred years ago the biggest threat was that your castle would be attacked by the neighbouring kingdom (that is, of course, assuming that you were a member of nobility) and the need arose for some means of fortification. While weapons such as trebuchets and catapults could pack quite a wallop even from a distance, particular attention was given to securing the entrances and thus drawbridges, portcullises and barbicans became the norm.

Today, intruders do not announce themselves with trumpets, war drums and battle cries – indeed, you only become aware that they have paid you an unsolicited visit once you arrive home to find your belongings gone. The modern criminal has undoubtedly become wilier, more resourceful, and as such one would like to believe that security has similarly evolved to catch the proverbial curveballs these evildoers like to throw at us.

So what has been making waves in this arena?

The popularity of biometric authentication has certainly been on the increase, with futuristic-looking fingerprint readers gracing the entrances of many a high-security establishment. Indeed, in a marvellous display of forward thinking, certain banks have started implementing fingerprint identification in the entrance airlocks, requiring patrons to scan a thumb before being granted access. This is a brilliant innovation since it allows banks to have the fingerprints of those entering the premises on record should things go awry, effectively putting them one step ahead of criminals. The advent of biometrics is perhaps a sign that we are slowly transitioning out of an age in which we were separated from technology by virtue of biology, and into an era where our own DNA has become the access card. It was an inevitable – and necessary - change, and one which is lauded for its dependability and efficiency by those in the know. After all, DNA is something that – thus far, at least – is completely unique to the individual. What can be more secure than that?


Perhaps not surprisingly given our hectic lifestyles and the ever-present “rat race”, modern security trends seem to favour mobility. People want to monitor and control what’s going on at home or at the office while they’re on the go. In this age of instant coffee and fast food, there is no time to stop and worry about security. Much like our favourite caffeinated beverage, security should be something that is instant.

Enter GSM technology.

Ever since mobile phones became a natural extension of our arms, industry players have been looking for ways in which to bring security to the cell-front. This breakthrough came with the advent of GSM-modules – intelligent devices that can be used for the activation of any number of electrical devices, and can also be configured to provide text message notifications when the unit’s inputs are activated. The security benefits of this innovation are phenomenal. As an example of this, imagine being able to arm the alarm of your house in Cape Town while you’re vacationing in Rome; or receiving a SMS notification that someone is tampering with your gate’s infrared safety beams. GSM technology has made this possible.

And what about the access automation front, you may ask, how have things progressed since the days of manned booths and punch cards?
If you are among those concerned that access automation has been stagnating for the last decade or so, you’ll be relieved to know that some remarkable advances have been made in this arena, with everything from integrated timer technology to pedestrian access control forming part of the list of available solutions.

But let’s take a moment to discuss the abovementioned timer technology, lest the importance and usefulness of it be ignored.
Imagine, if you will, that you are the owner of an engineering firm the employees of which have all been issued with remote controls. At first glance this seems like a convenient access solution that leaves very little room for error. However, this means that workers now have access to the premises not only during working hours, but whenever it suits them. As you can well imagine, this leaves the system vulnerable and open to abuse. Timer functionality, and the feature known as “time-barring” in particular, addresses this security concern by allowing the user to inhibit certain inputs during pre-configured time periods. In laymen’s terms what this means is that you can set up the system so that the remotes given to staff will only operate during working hours, and will be inhibited during weekends and after work.

The field of security is, at the very least, one that is brimming with possibility. As much as criminals would like to believe that they are in the lead, the hi-tech innovations discussed above as well as countless others not mentioned in this article seem to indicate the contrary. We are in the midst of an exciting transformation, a security renaissance as it were, that could see us enter a whole new age; one in which biology might just come into play as the ultimate access control device, as evidenced by the rising popularity of biometrics.

The Countdown to IFSEC 2012 Has Begun...

With just shy of two weeks to go before the biggest day on the security industry calendar kicks off, preparations in the CENTURION camp are in full swing.  Excited much?  We sure are!

IFSEC is the definitive security expo, playing host to possibly the largest collection of industry players in the Southern Hemisphere and, naturally, CENTURION will be there to showcase all the cool stuff that our engineers have been working on over the last couple of months.

You heard right.  In addition to all the CENTURION stalwarts you’ve come to know and love, we’ll also have some new ones on display at IFSEC 2012. And while we’re keeping mum about what they are, suffice it to say that we’re changing the face of gate automation and access control one groundbreaking device at a time.

Of course, fan favourites like the whisper-quiet XTrac garage door operator and the ultra-fast D10 Turbo slider will also be there doing what they do best:  automating the future.

So come visit us at the Gallagher Convention Centre from the 19^th to the 21^st of June, and see for yourself why, after 26 years, we’re still The Automatic Choice in gate automation and access control.

Grand Designs Live 2012 Entertains In Grand Fashion

This past weekend saw South Africa’s foremost contemporary lifestyle show playing host to the who’s who of home improvement and, of course, CENTURION was there to fly the flag for gate automation.

And fly it high we did, with regular showstoppers such as the D2 Turbo and G-SWITCH-22 making quite the impression with turbo speed and ultra-intelligent access control capabilities respectively.  The XTrac garage door operator wowed visitors to the CENTURION stand with its whisper-quiet operation, while the SMARTGUARD keypad remains a fan favourite as a staple of keyless access control.  Nary a soul left the stand that wasn’t amazed at how easy this versatile device is to install.

We also offered visitors the opportunity to have their CENTURION remotes serviced right there at the show, and we daresay we left many a Grand Designs patron happily clicking away on their good-as-new (and ultra-secure, we might add) transmitters.

We’re thrilled to report that we’ve made many new friends and garnered many fans during the course of this show  - here’s to many more years of making The Automatic Choice!

Our stand at Grand Designs Live 2012

Common CENTURION Gate Motor FAQs

In today’s post, we’ll be answering some frequently asked questions with regards to CENTURION gate motors and access control products, including ancillary equipment such as beams.  We’ve consulted our technical support crew in order to amass a database of the most commonly encountered technical queries. Please feel free to post your own questions in the comments sections and we’ll try to answer them as speedily as possible!

D2 Turbo

Q:  How do I connect infrared beams to the D2 Turbo?

A:  Always connect the transmitter negative to the SAF COM terminal.  This is to facilitate the beam test functionality.

Q: Can I fit steel rack for the D2 Turbo to run on?

A:  We prefer nylon rack as it runs more quietly and is more cost-effective, but you can fit steel rack. 

Q:  Can I fit a 7Ah battery or must it be the special 5Ah that is not as common as the 7AH?

A:  Yes you can.  The 5Ah gives us the desired result and keeps the initial purchase price as low as possible.

Q:  If I replace the controller, do I have to reprogram the remotes?

A:  You can use the same memory module that is used for the D5-Evo, D10 and SECTOR, to back up the memory.  This will not only restore your remotes, but any special settings you may have had on the unit.

Q:  How do I restore the D2 Turbo to factory defaults?

A:  1) Remove power from the controller. 2) Remove all wire links.  3) Reapply power while holding down the black run button. 4) The SAF OPN, SAF CLS and LCK LEDs will be illuminated to indicate that the controller has been successfully defaulted.

G-SWITCH-22 and G-WEB

Q: On G-WEB, my SMS credits have run out. How do I synchronise?

A:  There are two ways.  You can either SMS the word “connect” to the module you want to synchronise the website with, using any mobile phone, or you can purchase G-WEB SMS bundles directly from Centurion Systems.

Q:  How do I default my G-SWITCH-22?

A:  Power down the unit, bridge inputs 1 and 2 to Ground and bridge the set link, then power up the unit.  Remove all the wire links as well as the jumper.  The unit is now defaulted.

Q:  In what format should the mobile number be when I assign a module on G-WEB?

A:  The number must be entered in the international format.

A10

Q: During setup, how do I get the gate to start by opening?

A:  CENTURION gate motors must always start a limit setup by opening first.  With most operators, you can simply swap the motor wires around to change the direction of travel.  However, with the A10, you need to adhere to the following procedure to change the direction should the gate start by closing:  1) Fit the jumper and press the reset button.  2) Press and hold the test button until L1 has flashed once, then release. 3) Press and hold the test button until the status LED has flashed twice, then release.  The gate will now start by opening.

XTrac

Q: How many cycles can the XTrac do in standby mode, i.e. when it goes into the battery low state?

A:  As soon as the mains fail, the operator will start to beep once every 30 seconds to indicate the transition into standby mode.  In this state, you can do 12 to 30 operations depending on the size of the door, door balance, and duration of the power failure.

When the batteries are close to being drained, the unit will start to beep twice every 30 seconds and the unit will be able to do about two to three cycles before being completely shut down.

Q:  If the batteries are fairly flat, how long does it take them to be restored to full voltage?

A:  It can take up to 15 hours to fully recharge the batteries, assuming that they started from shutdown voltage levels.

NOVA

Q:  How do I program a NOVA remote control to latch?

A:  Power down the receiver, momentarily bridge the erase pins, reapply power and press the desired transmitter button.  Remove the bridge. 

Q:  How do I know if the battery in my NOVA transmitter is flat?

A: The LED will flash rapidly whenever a button is pressed.

We will of course be back with more product FAQs, but until then please feel free to post your questions here or contact our Technical Support Team on 0861 003 123 (Sharecall.  RSA only).

Remote Controls: A Genesis

There is a popular (though probably misquoted) saying that declares that nature – and, by extension, humanity - should either “adapt or die”.  Although this axiom was probably not intended to be taken literally, it does hold a certain amount of truth when it comes to security.  As technology has advanced to become more sophisticated, more futuristic, so also has crime.  It’s almost as if criminals are using the very technology that we developed to keep them at bay, against us.  There’s been a definite evolutionary trend in crime. 

The good news is that we’re still ahead.  This blog post will look at how that staple of access automation – the remote control – has evolved to combat crime and how we are still on the winning side.

Dipswitch Days

Back when the world was young, dipswitch technology ruled with an iron fist.  Dipswitch-based devices were easy to use and configure and could be employed for a plethora of applications.  All that the user needed to do in order to synchronise a remote with a receiver was to set the little plastic switches in the same configuration on both devices and – hey presto! – the remote was programmed.

Now, it doesn’t take a great stretch of the imagination to see why this system might be considered vulnerable.  With the ease of setup and use came glaring security flaws which could not be ignored, and so fixed code remotes saw the light.

Fixed Codes:  The Next Generation

The advent of fixed code remotes dramatically increased the security of remote control systems.  There were no visible switches that a mildly determined criminal might copy - all the coding took place safely within the airwaves.  For a while, it truly seemed that this was a system that crooks could not circumvent.  Criminals being criminals, they eventually devised a means of “code grabbing” the transmissions and creating cloned remotes, thereby allowing them easy access into properties.

But once again, goodness prevailed and – in true comic book superhero style - a revolutionary new technology dealt the hoodlums of the world a crippling blow.

Rolling Code Technology:  The Final Frontier

Many of you reading this might be using CENTURION NOVA remotes and know them as the robust little blue and grey transmitters.  What you may not know is that NOVA employs an ultra-secure encryption technology known as rolling code, or Keeloq™ encryption.  This means that the code transmitted by the remote is always different to the previous one, with a possible 16 billion combinations.  In addition to this, it also passes through a sophisticated encryption engine which makes code-grabbing impossible.

So, dear citizens, rest easy knowing that – while we may not wear masks and capes like traditional superheroes – we’re still looking out for you.    

Breaking Borders: CENTURION West Africa is Open for Business

Friday the 13^th might be an ominous omen for some, but team CENTURION was undaunted as we valiantly opened the first branch beyond our borders in Lagos, Nigeria on Friday, the 13^th of January 2012.

Known as CENTURIONWest Africa, the Lagos branch will be distributing to Nigeria and the surrounding countries as well as handling repairs and technical queries related to all CENTURION gate automation and access control equipment.  Under the leadership of the very able Mr Ademola Okulaja, CENTURION West Africa is bound to build upon the already formidable reputation of the Automatic Choice in access automation, Centurion Systems. 

The opening of CENTURION West Africa is just one of the ways in which we are breaking borders and bringing our range of ultra-reliable, secure and feature-rich products to Africa and the world.  Through product training, research and constant innovation, we will continue to break both literal and figurative borders.

The Lagos branch can be reached on +234 (1) 463 3115 or at Ademola.Okulaja@CenturionWestafrica.com.

Give your remote control an extra button...or two!

On this blog alone you’ve probably come across the word “security” a couple of dozen times – and there’s a very good reason for that.  In the early 1940s, the influential psychology professor Abraham Maslow came up with the now-famous Hierarchy of Needs, which depicts in pyramid-form the basic human needs in order of importance (with the bottom of the pyramid being the most important).  In this hierarchy, Safety – which includes security of body, resources, family and the like – is ranked as being one of the most important human needs, second only to physiological needs such as eating and breathing.  That’s how paramount security is.

The aim of this blog is to help you be more security-conscious by arming you with useful tools, tips and guidelines and by providing new and innovative ways of assuring your own safety and the safety of your loved ones and possessions.  In today’s post, we will be looking at a useful feature inherent in some of our remote receivers, the so-called “shift” function.

What it is

 The shift-button functionality allows the user to artificially increase the number of buttons on a multi-button remote control by using a two-button combination.  In other words, activating a certain gate motor function will now involve pressing two buttons instead of one.

The Benefits

Although the CENTURION NOVA range of transmitters uses secure rolling code technology which makes code-grabbing impossible, making use of combinations rather than single-button activations is bound to up the security ante even further.  In addition, the shift system allows a three button transmitter to gain an extra function and operate four functions and likewise a four button transmitter gains two extra buttons and can operate six functions. 

Another benefit of using the shift button system is that it requires both hands to operate the two button combination.  How many times have you not activated the Holiday Lockout function by accident and was left scratching your head as to why you suddenly can’t open our gate?  With the shift button system, this is far less likely to happen as it now takes two hands to enable the Lockout.

How to do it

With your receiver in Learn Mode, simply press and hold the shift button, and then press one of the other buttons to create a new button.  This combination will then be pressed whenever the associated function needs to be activated.

Perfect Your VECTOR2 Installation!

The VECTOR2 is one of the easiest-to-install and most user-friendly swing gate operators on the market today.  A revolutionary planetary gearbox, DC motor and centrifugal braking system make the VECTOR2 a reliable, robust and versatile gate motor that can be used to automate gates for domestic as well as light-industrial applications.  The setup is veritable child’s play, with an LCD interface guiding the user through all the steps via an exceptionally user-friendly wizard.

To summarise, installing and setting up the VECTOR2 is easy as pie, but there are still some things you, the installer can do to ensure the initial and continued reliable operation of your gate motor.

1.       What’s your angle?

In all aspects of life, be it in a business sense or when deciding what to cook for dinner, one needs an angle.  A strategy, an approach.  The same is true when it comes to installing your VECTOR2 operator, but this time we’re talking geometry.  Don’t worry, you don’t need to go digging for your old high school maths textbooks, just look to the accompanying installation manual or pocket guide for guidance.  The swing angle is important, as this is used to determine the maximum weight that the gate can be for a given operator, be it V400 or V500.  The wider the swing angle, the less the load can be.  For instance, a gate opening to 120° that is 2.5m high, must not weigh more than 65kg if you wish to automate it with a V400.  The VECTOR2 installation manual contains a table denoting the different swing angles and corresponding length and weight.

2.       Dimensions

This is a crucial part of the pre-installation process and one that is sadly often overlooked.   The function of the A and B values is to serve as guidelines as to the ideal mounting points on the gate and pillar, i.e. the locations that will allow the actuators to operate with a minimum of strain upon the gearbox.  The respective values will also depend upon the gate opening angle, the gate size and the stroke length, and is tabulated below.

For gates opening to an angle of 90° or less, the A value is obtained by measuring the distance from the centre of the pillar to the centre of the gate hinge, while the B value is obtained by measuring the distance from the centre of the pillar to the point on the mounting bracket where the actuator is to be mounted.  The VECTOR2 installation manual contains tables denoting the various possible A and B dimensions and corresponding swing angles, length, weight, etc.

3.       The winds of change

Wind loading refers to the force exercised upon the gate by the wind blowing against it, and is determined by factors such as the coverage of the gate (is it solid or does it have slots?) as well as the length.  The A and B values also come into play here, as higher combined values usually result in the operators being able to handle higher wind speeds.  Once again, a reference table is available in the manual.

4.       Get the cable right!

If the sensor harness isn’t tied off correctly, it can wreak all sorts of havoc.  The sensor signal might not be relayed to the encoder reliably and you’ll hear the tell-tale “clack-clack-clack” sound of a failed DOSS.  Alternatively, the controller might not even complete the setup if this cable is in distress.  Tie the cable off in such a way as to allow for a 350mm loop between the cable exit at the back of the operator and either the mounting bracket or the junction box, to minimise the flexing of the harness.

It is recommended that VECTOR cable be used for all VECTOR2 installations for the following reasons:

·         The cable is shielded, reducing the chance of the sensor signal being scrambled if the VECTOR cable is routed in the same conduit as high voltage lines such as electric fence wiring, etc.

·         It should make it much easier for the installer to complete an installation since only one cable per actuator needs to be pulled

·         The cable is multi-stranded, making it more reliable when terminated on either end

·         The cable thicknesses are correct for the DOSS and motor

Follow these few simple guidelines and you're guaranteed a VECTOR2 that swings gates precisely!