The New Kids on the Industrial Automation Block

There is a saying in Latin that has always found a certain rapport with me; a few words that seemed to contain the universe’s most basic, most inescapable truth: omnia mutantur nos et mutamur in illis – All things change, and we with them.

There is no wisdom more true, no expression more astute, than this one; a simple fact bordering on platitude murmured by an anonymous, long-forgotten sage many centuries ago (and one that I happened upon in a now-defunct science fiction magazine).

It is this inborn knowledge – knowing that security needs have changed and evolved over the years and that different companies have different requirements when it comes to securing their assets – that has led to us adding two new models to the powerful RSO range of industrial roller-shutter operators.

Regular readers of this blog may very well already be familiar with the original Trio of Titans (the RSO5R, RSO5 and RSO9), three roller-shutter operators custom-built for heavy lifting and very much at home in industrial settings such as distribution warehouses and production facilities. I’ve always thought it a sign of credibility when companies make use of their own products, and thus speak of the RSO with even more confidence since several of the entrances to our own production facility are automated using these behemoths.

As I pointed out earlier, different companies providing different services and manufacturing different products have different security and automation needs. Where one firm might literally require their factory door to open and close and nothing more, another firm might require advanced time-barring functionality from their automation solution. Yet a third firm might require battery backup to keep the warehouse secure during lengthy power outages.

Enter the two new kids on the block: the RSO5R3P and the RSO5DC.

Let’s kick off this introduction with the ode to sheer power that is the RSO5R3P. This beast, while on the surface very similar to its close relative the RSO5R, offers significantly higher starting thrust and a higher duty cycle thanks to a beefy three-phase motor. The RSO5R3P offers basic yet undeniably cost-effective automation for roller-shutters weighing up to 500kg.

On the other side of the automation spectrum is the RSO5DC. To whet your collective appetites, allow me to proffer two words: battery backup. To many, this is the Holy Grail of industrial automation: continued operation in the event of a power failure.

And yet, battery backup is a mere amuse-bouche in light of all else that the RSO5DC has to offer.

Timer functionality, independently adjustable opening and closing speeds, Intruder-detection Alarm Modes, automatic closing and multiple Modes of Operation are just some of the advanced features that can be found on the RSO5DC’s intelligent LCD controller.

Readers will also be glad to know that all this brainpower does not come at the cost of strength, and the RSO5DC is capable of automating shutters weighing up to 500kg.

Keep your eyes peeled for more information on the potent RSO range!

The Industrial (Automation) Revolution

It has often been said that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.  Similarly, a business is only as strong as the security with which it protects its assets.  Nowhere is this truer than in the industrial milieu, an arena in which warehouses and factories house the very lifeblood of the undertaking and can, without the proper security measures, rapidly become a company’s Achilles Heel.

Time for a brief history lesson – you might want to take notes as there’s a test afterwards (just kidding!).

CENTURION first entered the industrial arena back in 2003 (although we were producing light-industrial solutions in 1990 already!) with the introduction of our ultra-strong A10 AC slider, a mains-powered beast capable of automating gates weighing up to two tons.  This innovation firmly cemented our place as The Automatic Choice not only for domestic sites, but also for applications requiring a little more muscle.

Then, in 2009, we released the D10 slider, again changing the face of access control.  Most of you will by now be familiar with the D-Series platform and the incredible convenience associated with it; the D10 took industrial automation to a whole new level by combining a monstrous push force of 30kgf with the intelligent and undeniably user-friendly controller that is the basis of the D-Series platform.

Now, you might be wondering what on earth the abovementioned operators have to do with securing distribution warehouses.  Well, nothing as such, but they do serve as a nice little introduction for the beast, the behemoth, the titan that is...the RSO.

The CENTURION RSO:  The power lifter of industrial automation

Cue the dramatic music!

What is the RSO?, you ask, your interest suitably piqued.  Well, put quite simply, the RSO is the power lifter of industrial automation.  It is a powerful and robust roller shutter operator providing all the muscle you need to automate extremely heavy roller shutters.
Three models are available, each with their own unique way of showing weighty doors who’s boss.

The RSO5R provides basic, cost-effective automation for doors weighing up to 500kg.  This relay-driven operator (the ‘R’ in its name stands for ‘relay’, in case you were wondering) includes a 5m hand chain for convenient manual operation as well as a three-button wall pendant.

Next up is the RSO5 – a 500kg operator that also includes a multi-faceted interface board that can be used for the connection of safety beams, access control keypads, pillar lights, proximity tag readers, etc.  This is the perfect marriage of power and intelligence.  The RSO5 also employs a unique double-disc brake system to ensure that the shutter stops safely and reliably every time.

Last, but definitely not least, we have the RSO9.  Adjectives like ‘powerful’, ‘brawny’ and ‘robust’ don’t really do this colossus justice, seeing as it is able to lift extremely heavy roller shutters weighing up to 900kg without even breaking a sweat.  It is ideal for automating the entrances to airplane hangars, loading bays and the like.  Ladies and gentlemen, this thing is a beast.

Right.  Pencils out.  It’s time for that test...