News and Updates from Summit
As 2021 comes to a close, we want to thank everyone who has helped Summit Automation have another successful year. In a year full of great pinnacles our company has reached, we’d like to share some exciting news regarding durability and reliability.
One of our OEMs recently cycle tested one of their door systems with our automation, and the results are pretty incredible! They cycled their door 40,000 times – that’s 40,000 opens and 40,000 closes, which equates to about 50 years of use – and passed with flying colors. In fact, not only did the motor from our system endure all of that, but when we brought it back to our factory and analyzed it, we found zero cosmetic and performance failures or issues.
Because we always want to make sure we provide the very best in automation solutions, as do the door manufacturers we work with, another similar test is underway, only this time through 250,000 cycles! The main objective is for the OEM to learn when the door rollers fail, and they felt our durable and reliable motor was up to the task of such intense cycle-testing.
We value the relationships we have with our testing partners, door and window manufacturers, and customers, and are proud to offer the finest automation systems on the market. From everyone at Summit Automation, we wish you and yours the happiest of holiday seasons!
Why We Are the Top Automation Choice of Installers
The work of door and window installers can make or break a project, just as the automation system chosen can do the same. We recognize their importance and dedication, and create products that address the challenges installers experience, as well as provide resources, training, support, and certification to ensure smooth installation of Summit Automation components.
We have a state-of-the-art training facility with multiple door and automation configurations to make learning a hands-on experience. If our on-site program isn’t practical for installers, we also offer on-site training with certification (for a fee) where we come to you and perform a training installation at your project/showroom. Once becoming certified, installers have access to 24-hour live support, all-encompassing instruction manuals, and online videos to deliver assistance exactly when it is needed. We go above and beyond to make sure installers have the most recent technical information and support for newly released products available. After a Summit Automation system has been installed and commissioned, rarely are adjustments needed, normally a simple soft reset does the trick at final trim.
Also, when we introduce next generation hardware and software, we strive to have everything backwards compatible to prevent obsolescence issues. Installers appreciate our commitment to constant research and development – done in our manufacturing facility – so we can bring to market the best that technology can offer to the door and window automation industry.
To those installers interested in working with Summit Automation, we welcome you to visit our website to see what we do, and to contact us to set up a time to visit our facility, where you will learn more about what we offer to enhance your existing business. To our current installers, we thank you and value the partnership we have with you. After all, it is the installation professionals that help us with our passion to… Bring Doors to Life!
In addition to motor placement and RO prep, Summit Automation also offers the most comprehensive list of controls and options to operate your doors. We even offer custom controls around your specific application, thanks to having our own Electrical and Software Engineer on staff. No two Customers are alike, just like no two homes are alike; therefore, providing both the Architect and the Builder with custom options around your needs is not only a necessity, but a source of pride for our team as well. We look forward to your design challenges and working closely with you!
High-Touch Surface Care
There are countless high-touch surfaces in every household. Since our specialty is window and door automation, we’ll focus on those in this article. When you have one of our systems installed for opens and closes, you have a leg-up against the nasty invaders. While we offer features like voice and wave control that make touching the doors and windows all but unnecessary (even with folks coming and going), you probably don’t use the benefits of automated operation all the time, and guests might not even know you have it.
“High-touch surfaces” refers to a concept we all are quite familiar with, but probably didn’t have a name for it until February 2020 (thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic). According to the CDC, these are areas that are handled frequently throughout the day by numerous people. With the holidays coming up, and gatherings with more than a handful of people becoming safer because of widespread SARS-CoV-2 vaccine use, we must be mindful of keeping these surfaces clean and disinfected before, during, and after our get-togethers. Even though the COVID-19 sickness has been the most discussed health concern for almost 2 years, influenza, viruses that cause gastroenteritis, germs, and bacteria can also linger, and make you, your family, and your guests sick.
It’s probably no surprise to anyone that door handles should be sanitized, but with increased awareness of them being “high-touch” and potential sickness-spreaders, people have adopted other ways to manually open doors, including not touching the handle at all. For this reason, we recommend cleaning and disinfecting around the handle, lengthwise above and below, and the vertical surface of the door that is within arm’s reach both up and down. If there is glass in the door, you might see fingerprints that prompt you to clean it, but germs and bacteria don’t leave such marks, so you might want to add it to your sanitizing list. Sometimes people place their hands on the door jamb when they walk through a door, so don’t forget this area too.
When it comes to windows, the lift, latches, or “lip” to push open are akin to a door handle, and sanitizing these are a must. The locks (sash or otherwise) could also use some attention also. The stools (many believe them to be called “sills”, which are actually outside the house) and glass in the window are very important to clean and disinfect. Probably without even realizing it, many of us touch these two areas when opening a window. Finally, the casing and apron can’t be forgotten about, as they are high-touch. There are many different types of windows, and even though they all operate using the same basic idea, the specific parts of each, as well as the surrounding areas, will differ from home to home. Some good advice is to open the window yourself and ask your family (including children) to do the same, and watch where your and their hands and fingers make contact. Consider what you see when making a list of window-related high-touch areas, so you know what to clean and disinfect accordingly.
With a bit of extra attention and vigilance, you can help keep your family, friends, and guests to your home “cootie”-free this holiday season. At the very least, when you make sure windows and doors are added to the multitude of high-touch surfaces around your house that need your cleaning cloths and sanitizing skills, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that you did your part to stop the spread of germs and bacteria.
Training
We held another training class recently, and we have added these new MMR candidates to the field. Thanks for coming out to learn from Summit Automation! Feel free to register with your Territory Sales Manager for either a group training session or your personal team’s training session. We like to have 3+ trainees in each class but we can accommodate around your needs. The training classes are four hours of education, followed by four hours of hands-on. training/installation.
