Commercial door hardware must be made using the highest-quality materials because the safety of the people who use doors in buildings and the continuous efficient operations of the business are paramount. This is why it is important for these door hardware to follow the most stringent industry standards.
Among the toughest standards today that ensure top-notch quality for commercial door hardware are the ANSI/BHMA A156 standards. This concise guide will explore six of the most significant standards here. It will feature:
– ANSI/BHMA A156.10
– ANSI/BHMA A156.19
– ANSI/BHMA A156.3
– ANSI/BHMA A156.5
– ANSI/BHMA A156.4
– ANSI/BHMA A156.9
These ANSI/BHMA 156 standards refer to a series of standards that establish the criteria and features that builders’ hardware products must meet and possess to ensure they do not malfunction.
Aside from commercial door hardware, these standards also cover:
These standards are managed by BHMA or the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association, regarded as the sole organization the ANSI or the American National Standards Institute has accredited. With this system, they can develop and maintain unwavering performance standards for those products stated above.
Right now, there more than 40 of these standards, but there are six that must be known and understood when shopping for commercial door hardware.
Pedestrian doors of the power-operated type automatically open when pedestrians come by. You can see them commonly in shopping malls, but they are also present in commercial buildings, hospitals, and other public facilities.
Some of the rules under this standard are as follows:
A swing door’s opening time to 80 degrees should not be lower than 1.5 seconds. There are also required force ranges to ensure proper functioning.
Doors within this standard should remain fully open for five seconds as the minimum time delay after the release of the knowing act equipment. Except when it is located more than 12 feet from the door’s center, an additional time delay of a second for each added foot must be implemented.
There should be signage to inform pedestrians that it is an automatic door, following the required font size, color, and placement. There should also be signs for slow speed activation and emergency stops.
The doors of the power assist and low-energy power-operated variant are also automatic door systems that improve accessibility, but they are unique from the rest as they differ in operation and user interaction. Specifically, the person must initiate the automation, rather than a “sensor” detecting their presence.
The most important clauses in this standard are:
Doors under this standard must have 300,000 cycles, and the actual opening time and closing time must be within -10 percent to +20 percent of the values at the testing’s launch.
To avoid injuries, the force needed to prevent the unnecessary opening and closing pf a stopped door must not be over 15 lbf (67 N), measured at 12 mm from the door’s latch edge at all points during its opening and closing.
Doors adhering to this standard must be aesthetically pleasing, and resistant to chemicals, corrosion, abrasion, and sunlight.
Also known as panic hardware, exit devices are safety components of doors to facilitate safe egress during emergencies, such as leading people to the exit during fire and earthquake hazards.
This standard covers the following important points:
Both the opening and closing forces must be defined and measured to guarantee exit devices work in a way compatible with the human operator and hardware, such as door closers.
Exit devices at Grade 1 should be subjected to 500,000 loaded cycles. Tests must be done to verify strength and durability.
Should outside levers and thumb pieces be present, they must withstand heavy forces and prohibit unnecessary entry. The latchman must also withstand a load of 400 pounds in the egress direction without letting the door swing open. Rules on appearance generally follow those of the other standards.
Cylinders and input devices for locks are crucial components in door locking mechanisms, guaranteeing security and ease of access.
Remember these clauses for this standard:
Forces for the latch’s retraction, and door locking or unlocking must be in place and measured to ensure ease of egress and security. This clause also covers the force needed to insert or remove the key, requiring no more than three pounds.
These hardware are no exception when it comes to durability. For example, Grade 1 cylinders should pass rigorous tests across 40,000 cycles and still be able to operate reasonably.
To give way for carefree operation to authorized individuals, locksets should be counted and guarantee a high level of security from the outside. Tests must be conducted.
Because these hardware involve electrical parts, performance requirements must be met for components such as card readers, keypads, and mechatronic-type cylinders. Tests like ESD resistance, over-voltage, and water should be conducted as well.
Door closers and pivots are likewise indispensable hardware components of some door systems. They play a crucial role in ensuring smooth operations, safety, and temperature management.
For this standard, the important clauses to remember are:
Detailed performance tests should be conducted. The tests must cover various aspects, such as two closing speeds, overload abuse, and range of checking control.
To ensure door hardware will last a long time, they must pass rigorous qualifications. For instance, Grade 1 door closers should pass tests through two million cycles of opening and closing on a test door of a particular weight.
Components under this standard must be aesthetically attractive and resistant to corrosion.
For pivots, there are performance requirements often used in conjunction with door closers. Furthermore, tests for cycles, maximum friction, vertical mismatch, and clearances should be in place.
Should you intend to use doors for cabinet, these standards for its hardware should be present:
This standard covers almost a hundred various types of cabinet hardware, including knobs, hinges, shelf rests, pulls, catches, rotating shelves, standards and brackets, and tracks with guides for sliding panels.
To ensure durability, cycling tests must be done. For instance, 100,000 cycles are necessary for Grade 1 hinges.
Strength tests must be conducted. These are specifically static loads, torques, and impacts tests, depending on the type and function of your cabinet hardware.
Oude is a brand that makes sure it adheres to every clause in those standards, specifically by integrating rigorous manufacturing processes and quality control into its production, research and development, and quality inspection.
This is a legitimate company of door closers committed to safety and reliability as evidenced by their extensive experience and adherence to the standards above, ensuring the high performance of the hardware used to build their commercial door closers. Talk to their team today to learn more.
