26 septiembre 2019
Our Pre-built Beam Towers make the installation quicker and easier
When using active infrared beams (AIR) for perimeter protection, it is good practice to mount them into towers rather than on to walls or poles. This enhances the security level as the housing protects them from possible vandalism and conceals the mounting location making it very difficult for potential intruders to determine the number and height of beams installed. Another key benefits of using towers is the ability to host several supplementary components into a weatherproof enclosure, which can be mounted in a tidy and organised way. Some components are included in the pre-built tower package, such as brackets and heaters, others are optional such as fans, an IP module to connect the beams to a networked security system, or battery box and wireless transmitter for wireless applications. The installation of the beams into towers can be relatively time consuming, which is why at OPTEX, we like to provide you with the option to order pre-built beam towers.
Assembled by our trained technicians and tested
The towers are assembled by our trained technicians and supplied completed so that all you have to do is to install the towers in their final location, connect the power (if required) along with the alarm cables, align the beams and the installation is complete.
Easy order process
The process to order pre-built beam towers has been made as easy as possible:
The first step is selecting the tower structures choosing between the height (height varies 0.5m -3m) and the design 180°(single sided) and 360° (back to back), free-standing or wall-mounted pre-built towers. The 2m tower can house up to 2 SmartLine beam units (to be ordered separately), and the 3m tower up to three beam units which can be either hardwired or battery operated (in this instance there is no heater installed and requires purchase of additional accessory).
You will need to choose the right unit for the distance between towers: for instance for a wired applications 60m (SL-200-QDP-BT) , 100m (SL-350-QDP-BT) or 200m SL-650-QDP-BT. For wireless applications: 100m SL-350QFR.
The assembled pre-built beam towers are supplied complete with the beams, brackets, two heaters, motherboard/ tamper switch and mounting components.
Optional accessories can be purchased separately and built in the tower for you. All of these can be specified at the point of order and be installed by our trained technicians.
• Power supply units 12 or 24 volt.
• Anti-climb top tamper which protects the tower from attempts of climbing on top of the tower structure
• Fan module 12 or 24 volt., recommended for applications where the towers will be installed in hot temperatures and extreme environments
• Connectivity modules for IP or wireless applications Common accessories which are also available for purchase:
• Concrete floor brackets for soft earth digs, TWEB for the TW tower 360°, double-sided free-standing towers; or STWEB for the ST tower 180°, single free-standing tower.
• Tower head extension for lighting or fixed camera
We offer a very competitive standard fee for assembly of the pre-built beam towers and a 5-year warranty on all the beam and tower components. Find out more by contacting our sales team.
Quick guide on our fibre optic intrusion sensors
Fibre optic sensors are designed to detect people climbing above, crawling under or cutting through a fence - making them a technology of choice to protect fenced perimeters. They can also detect the action of drilling through a wall, which is equally important to protect buildings which contain valuable assets and have no sterile zones around them such as banks with external cash machines
How does it work?
A laser pulse is sent by the Alarm Processing Unit (APU) through the glass-fibre cables; different types of disturbances on the fence or wall will generate different light patterns which can then be analysed. Cutting a fence will create a distinctive light pattern, which can be differentiated from the pattern created by, for example, someone climbing the fence.
What are the key benefits of using fibre optic?
- immunity against lightning, EMI/ RFU
- intrinsically safe so can be used in hazardous areas
- can cope with extreme temperatures and environment
- low cost of ownership – some our systems have been in place for 20 years
Type of cable installation
- fibre optic cable can be inserted in a conduit. This is the recommended approach for large perimeters requiring extra protection against harsh weather or against potential damage from wild animals
- fibre optic cable can be installed directly onto the fence, which is aesthetically more pleasing and will be better suited to residential applications.
- The cable / conduit could be installed as a loop on each zone, which provides the highest level of reliability for the detection. The cost implication of having more fibre optic cable has to be weighed against the level of security it creates
- The cable can be installed in a straight line in the middle of the zone, using less material however the level detection won’t be as accurate as with the loop installation
Alarm Processing Unit on the fence or located remotely
- Some sites require to have all the security equipment stored off site, in a separate location for increased security. We offer alarm processing units that can be located up to 20km away from the perimeter.
- For other installations, the equipment can be on the fence in a weather-proof enclosure box. This is usually the case for smaller perimeters in residential or commercial applications
Configuration parameters
To calibrate the system there is the need to tune out noise, vibration that the fence or wall will be submitted to: wind, vibration generated by nearby traffic or small animals climbing the fence / wall
The minimum number of tuning parameters provided with our calibration software is 6 for our entry level system (FD-322) and all the other systems offers over 30 parameters.
Some of our devices can also take the input of an anemometer to adapt the detection sensitivity according to the strength of the wind.
Maintenance
The electronic system should be maintained on a yearly basis, but most importantly the structure on which the fibre optic cable is mounted should be well maintained and the environment around the perimeter should be regularly checked. Fence panels, especially chain link or weld mesh panels can flex over time and this will affect the performance of the sensing cable. Damaged panels or loose mesh should be repaired.
Vegetation could have grown right next to the fence and pushing against it. The environment might have changed, altering the level of noise around the perimeter: there could be more traffic, construction works etc
Any weakness in the perimeter?
As a last piece of advice, we recommend to look at any potential security weakness in the perimeter. Are there trees or tall structures around the perimeter that could allow an intruder to jump over the fence or wall. Is Are there any access gates that are not fully secured etc
All these elements should be taken in consideration to provide the customers with maximum protection.
Here is a feature comparison table for all the fibre optic sensors that OPTEX via its company Fiber Sensys provides.
For more information on our fibre optic sensors visit our product selector.
Custom painting the colour of our sensors
Purely for aesthetics reasons or for increased security, some customers would like to camouflage OPTEX sensors into the environment in which they have been installed. A large selection of our intrusion detection sensors can be custom painted, including our LiDAR range, our short range outdoor PIRs and dual tech sensors such as the BX, VX and WX series. Some of our sensors though, like our IR beams and beam towers cannot be customised as the housing has been treated with special UV resistant material and the properties of the material would be affected by any coating. It is recommended that you check with your distributor or directly with OPTEX whether your sensor is suitable for customised painting.
What do we mean by customised painting ?
Customising the sensor means the body of the detector will be coated with either a single colour or with a pattern simulating the background surface where the sensor will be installed. Any colour variation and many design options can be achieved: the coating can replicate a wood texture, foliage, marble or natural stone, metal, carbon fibre and many more.
Can all the parts of the sensors be coated?
The plastic housing can, but some parts might not be suitable for custom paint, usually the parts next to the lens which are made of a different material
When can a customisation be done?
The customisation is only available to newly purchased sensors and requires on average 10 working days. Once you have selected the right sensors suitable for your protection needs you should analyse the precise locations where they will be installed in order to establish what will be the background like. At this stage share with our team the RAL code for the colour or a high res image of the background where the sensor will be installed. The process of customisation is arranged by OPTEX.
Don’ts
We strongly recommend that you don’t try customising the sensors yourself; applying spray paint will not work, it will damage the sensor and it will invalidate the warranty.
The cost for the customisation of the sensor varies based on order and type of sensor. Contact our sales team to find out more and discuss your needs.