Category: Case Studies

Midwest Manufacturing Facility Replaces Rolling Steel Doors with MAXDoors

The Challenge – How to Replace Rolling Steel Doors

Constant replacement of rolling steel doors sent this customer on a search for more durable long lasting industrial doors for their manufacturing facility. Their current steel doors were only lasting a few years due to forklift accidents, truck traffic, corrosion of steel door slats and high winds causing slats to bow and bind up the door guides. In addition, our customer was facing excessive door maintenance costs, service calls and extended downtime. The customer did not want to continue using rolling steel doors as they had become the most expensive door to maintain.

The Solution – MAXDoors

MAXDoor engineers met with the customer to find the best solution for their specific door needs. MAXDoors are vertical lift fabric doors designed and built to last 20-25 years and are less expensive to buy, maintain and keep in operation than rolling steel doors. MAXDoors are 2-5 times stronger than rolling steel doors. Designed with traveling horizontal beams, the doors are made of strong rectangular aluminum tubes that do not bow in high wind. Our door guides are made of structural steel angles that are bolted to the side frame. There are no springs or counterweights on a MAXDoor. Instead, there are multiple lifting belts that raise and lower the door. Lifting belts have a long service life even in dirty, cold or wet environments. MAXDoors are designed to provide a long service life with minimal maintenance/operating cost.

The Results

Most important – a very satisfied customer! Here is what they are saying about their experience with MAXDoor:

  • Cost reduction and the elimination of door downtime has been significant since installing vertical lift fabric doors by MAXDoor. This door is so easy to maintain and keep in operation even when collisions occur.
  • Performance improvement as MAXDoor operates at maximum efficiency with a long service life. MAXDoor is designed for high cycle operations, i.e., hundreds of cycles per day.
  • The MAXDoor can be less expensive than a rolling steel door for smaller door openings. This was an eye opener for our customer.
  • The fabrics used on MAXDoors come in a variety of colors as well as fabrics for special environments including high temperature, cut-proof and anti-static.
  • The 4” or 6” deep dual layer curtain fabric is all one piece. There are no openings that will allow cold or wind into the building. The fabric overlaps the interior and exterior guides attached to the side frames. A rubber loop of EPDM rubber is used to weather seal the bottom of the door.
  • Improved safety at the facility gave our customer peace of mind. Accidents happen and companies strive to do all they can to minimize hazards. The MAXDoor lifting belt and horizontal beam design limit safety issues in real life collisions with trucks and forklifts.
  • Made in the USA – Our customer was thrilled that they could order MAXDoors and have them operational in weeks rather than months.

Ask The Experts Today

If your facility is struggling to manage its energy costs, safety standards, and more; then it’s time to explore a door that can quickly create a strong return on investment – MAXDoor.  Contact us today to speak with an industrial door application expert.

MAXDoor Saves Shop That Had Doors Ripped Off From Tornado

The Challenge

A tornado tore through a mining truck shop in the western United States. All existing seven doors were ripped away and destroyed leaving behind only the side framing.  The doors that needed to be replaced must handle a high wind load and have superior overall strength.  In addition, the customer wanted natural light to come through the doors to enhance the shop’s safety factor and improve working conditions. The vertical lift fabric MAXDoor was chosen for the door replacement.

The Solution

Design, build and install the MAXDoor UL model vertical lift fabric door with white fabric allowing more light into the shop.  Made with aluminum rectangle tube horizontal beams, this model provides the highest wind load resistance.  These high strength beams do not twist under load like other extruded beams. An affordable door option and a long service life.  MAXDoors are designed to utilize existing steel framing resulting in a faster installation.  In addition to a dual layer 4-6-inch-deep curtain, a weather seal is provided on the interior and exterior sides of the door guides.  Unlike the single layer fabric or rubber doors that blow into the shop, this is a door for harsh conditions.  The fabric overlaps the door guides by almost 2” per guide so there is very little leakage.  When the wind blows, the weather seal gets tighter.

The Results

Following the installation of MAXDoors on the customer site, they now get to enjoy the following:

  • Service life of a MAXDoor is 20-25+ Years even in a toxic and corrosive mining environment
  • Installation is quick and efficient as MAXDoors are built with the installer in mind
  • No springs in MAXDoors means low maintenance and service call savings
  • Very High Wind Load capability
  • Doors do not blow into the shop and that saves floor space for equipment and improves safety
  • A very satisfied customer!

Get Help From Knowledgeable Experts

If your shop is in need of the best industrial doors, then now is the time to explore how the vertical lift fabric doors from MAXDoor can be customized for your particular application.  Contact us today or call 248-915-5838 to speak with the experts today!

MAXDoor – The Choice for a Composting Facility

The Challenge

A new state-of-the-art composting facility being built in the Midwest required tough industrial doors to be installed on the building to allow the facility to operate year-round in an indoor controlled environment.  A variety of organic materials such as yard clippings, food waste and sludge would be delivered to this high volume composting facility.  The doors for this facility need to be the toughest to meet the climate-controlled conditions inside the facility.  The doors need to be designed for high-cycle operations and must operate at a high speed to accommodate the numerous truck deliveries on a daily basis.  When collisions occur, the doors must be easy to fix to ensure continued daily operation.

The Solution

MAXDoor – the toughest vertical lift fabric door was selected.  MAXDoors tolerate corrosive environments and seal tight when closed limiting the amount of hot or cold air, pollens, and debris from entering the building.  Steel side frames ensure that MAXDoors maintain their strength during numerous cycling operations.  If a collision occurs, the horizontal beams are designed to flex and give way. Beams are quickly put back in place resulting in minimal downtime and no maintenance expense.  Multiple lifting belts are used providing additional safety and a slim chance of a door drop.

The Results

  • Minimize overuse of cooling and HVAC systems for indoor climate-controlled facilities
  • A door that will stand up to high-cycle daily operations
  • MAXDoors seal tight allowing for better air circulation with less toxins
  • Costly repairs and door downtime is drastically improved
  • Service life of a MAXDoor is 20-25+ Years even in a toxic and corrosive environment
  • Improved safety due to multiple lifting belts
  • Rectangular tube horizontal beams resist high wind

Industrial Door Application Experts

To learn more about how a MAXDoor can improve safety and lower costs at your facility, Call (877) 436-0302 to speak with an industrial door application expert or contact us through our website.

Hazardous Waste Management Facility Chooses MAXDoor

A leading hazardous waste management plant had been using rolling steel doors at building entryways.  These steel doors were allowing air from toxic environments to leak in and around the doors causing corrosion to the doors resulting in costly maintenance repairs.  The steel doors were also being hit with frequent collisions and the plant was experiencing too much downtime.

New doors needed to be purchased.  The company did not want to invest in more rolling steel doors that have such a short service life and need constant repair.  In addition the air leaking in and around the doors was creating a safety hazard.

The Solution

Purchasing and installing a vertical lift fabric door – a MAXDoor –  would tolerate a corrosive environment and greatly improve protection from toxic air.  This door operates much faster than a steel door resulting in less toxic air escaping and less contaminants entering the building.  The MAXDoor has a tight seal when closed. Repairs and downtimes are always an issue with steel doors, however a MAXDoor can take a hit and continue to operate until a minor repair can be made.

The Results

  • Much improved safety for the waste plan and the workers
  • MAXDoors seal tight allowing for better air circulation with less toxins
  • Costly repairs and door downtime is drastically improved
  • Service life of a MAXDoor is 20-25+ Years even in a toxic and corrosive environment
  • A very satisfied customer!!

To learn how a MAXDoor can revolutionize the safety and energy savings at your facility, contact us today or call 248-915-5838.

High Temperature Resistant Fabric Door Case Study

The Challenge

A leading manufacturer of quality water works products, such as valves and hydrants, contacted MAXDoor with an unusual request.  A high temperature fabric door was required at their manufacturing facility.  This door needed to withstand temperatures of 500 degrees plus.  The door also needed to be installed upside down with a rail at the top to bring components onto the heated conveyor system.

In the current situation all the intense heat from the booth was escaping into the factory making working conditions next to impossible.  In addition, with all the heat loss, the energy bills were exorbitant.

The Solution

  1. MAXDoor engineers designed, and custom built a 8’ x 9’ door with high temperature resistant fabric.
  2. The MAXDoor was designed to be installed as an upside-down door separating the oven-heated booth from the rest of the factory.
  3. Installed the door so that the rail at the top allowed parts to enter the booth for heat treatment.

The Results

After installation of the new MAXDoor, the following results were achieved:

  • Overall energy savings
  • Overall improved quality of valves and hydrants
  • Stopped the heat from escaping into the plant
  • Improved workplace environment
  • Elimination of heat loss

Take The Next Step

If your company is seeking results like this from its industrial door applications, then reach out to the experts at MAXDoor to discuss a solution that is right for you.  Contact us today or call 248-915-5838.

Fire Stations Plan for Energy Efficient Buildings

A MAXDoor Case Study on Energy Efficiency

MAXDoor was contacted by an architect on the east coast of the U.S. regarding the need for a NetZero fire station that required doors with no infiltration of outside cold air.  Currently the bi-fold doors being used were allowing significant leakage of air around all the sides and bottoms of doors. Instead, they needed a door that would increase the R-value especially during the cold winter months.

The MAXDoor Solution

In order to meet the requirements of the customer the existing bi-fold doors were removed and a new MAXDoor vertical lift fabric door was installed that provided a tight seal and eliminated the energy loss problem.

Why MAXDoors?

MAXDoors are the ideal choice when environmental separation is needed at critical facility entry ways and access points because:

  1. The sealing of a MAXDoor is excellent and are used on clean rooms without any additional weather seals.
  2. There are many choices for the fabric used on a vertical lift fabric door such as color, low-temperature material, high-temperature material, and 18–42 ounce fabric weights.
  3. A high-speed MAXDoor helps to increase overall efficiency

Key MAXDoor Features

Some of the most popular features of MAXDoors as requested by customers are:

  1. The ability to increase energy savings.
  2. Elimination of drafts and heat loss.
  3. Light colored fabric that allows natural light into a facility.
  4. A low “U” value is very important.
  5. A long service life of 20-25 years.

Industrial Door Help From The Experts

Contact the experts at MAXDoor today for a quote, or, talk to one of our industrial door application experts about your needs.