Wanzl installed the Galaxy Gate access control system in the Augsburg-based headquarters of MAN Diesel & Turbo in February 2017. Since then, employees at the company – around 4,000 of them – start their working day smoothly and with ease. The Galaxy Gate welcomes them to the light-flooded foyer of the management building. They take out an access card, scan for admission authentication and the swivel arms swing open. An RFID reader is integrated into the casing of the fully automatic “gatekeeper”. As it confirms their identity, the personnel management system also simultaneously registers employees, meaning a pleasant start to the day for the entire workforce.
Alongside personnel management considerations, entrances are also subject to strict security requirements. Klaus Pudel, Manager of Plant Security at MAN Diesel & Turbo, explains the business background: “Technological expertise and innovation are our capital, and we need to protect them. There can be no compromises. Reliable, secure access for employees is imperative. With Galaxy Gate, we are looking to leading-edge technology to do the job.” To help the elegant entrance system to do its job consistently, its stainless steel casing houses an RFID reader and high-tech equipment in its purest form. Employees use an RFID card to clock in, and the networked software checks the stored information in the blink of an eye. This ensures that only authorised persons are granted access to the building. Once the authorised release signal has been issued, the software-monitored, electric-motor-driven ESG swivel barriers open immediately. The green or red LED display in the handrail makes it easy to see whether access authorisation has been granted. Optional ceiling-mounted sensors can scan people and behavioural patterns, ensuring that the process runs smoothly. Should tampering occur, the access gate responds with optical and acoustic alarms, and immediately closes the swivel arms.
The Wanzl Facility Management Control Unit (FMCU) in Galaxy Gate ensures straightforward integration into existing personnel software systems. This makes time recording and processing significantly easier for personnel management. As such, all access points at MAN Diesel & Turbo are equipped with readers. When leaving the administration building, employees must clock out of the system. If they fail to do so, Galaxy Gate refuses to authorise passage when they next try to enter, because the system has them officially recorded as still being in the building.
Klaus Pudel encountered the Galaxy Gate for the first time at the “Security Essen” trade fair. The elegant construction, made from premium stainless steel and glass immediately caught his eye. “The design fits in perfectly with the atmosphere in our foyer. Appearance, convenience and functionality all play key roles. Ultimately, co-workers, visitors and customers should feel welcome,” commented Klaus Pudel. The Galaxy Gate construction system is flexible, and has also opened up a custom solution for MAN Diesel & Turbo. “The versatility of the access gate has made installation much easier for us. Dimensions and passage widths were easily adjusted to suit our requirements here,” says Klaus Pudel, referring to important factors which were defined during the planning phase. A double system, consisting of a single unit and a tandem unit, now ensures barrier-free access at MAN Diesel & Turbo, complemented by Wanzl partitions made from stainless steel and glass.
