Entry Gates

Secure the Perimeter. Automate the Flow.

Industrial-grade slide, swing, and barrier gates engineered for high-cycle reliability and uncompromising perimeter security.

Not ready for a full quote? Talk to an engineer first.

Overview

ZEI installs and services industrial-grade entry gates — slide, swing, barrier, and crash-rated — engineered for high-cycle reliability and integrated with access control, LPR, and intercoms. Every install is UL 325 compliant with photo-eyes, edge sensors, and proper safety loops.

Technology Partners

  • LiftMaster gate and access operators
  • ASSA ABLOY door and access solutions
  • HID Global access control technology
  • 2N intercom and access systems
  • Brivo cloud-based access control
  • LiftMaster gate and access operators
  • ASSA ABLOY door and access solutions
  • HID Global access control technology
  • 2N intercom and access systems
  • Brivo cloud-based access control
Representative real-world environment where ZEI deploys entry gates
In the field

A representative environment where ZEI engineers, deploys, and supports entry gates.

Problems We Solve

Where current systems fall short.

  • Gates that fail repeatedly on high-cycle commercial sites
  • Unsafe gate operation creating injury and damage risk
  • Disconnected gates that don't share access logs or events with the rest of the system
  • Slow entry creating queues at peak times
  • Perimeter weaknesses where vehicles can drive through low-rated gates
Core Capabilities

The Frictionless Entrance

Control vehicle access without creating bottlenecks or compromising safety.

High-Speed Barrier Arms

Keep traffic moving.

Rapid-opening barrier gates designed for high-volume parking garages and toll lanes.

Heavy-Duty Slide Gates

Industrial protection.

Crash-rated and cantilever slide gates for logistics hubs, data centers, and critical infrastructure.

UL 325 Certified Safety

Safety is non-negotiable.

All installations include photo-eyes, edge sensors, and loops to prevent entrapment and vehicle damage.

Access Integration

Unified perimeter.

Tie your gates to long-range RFID readers, LPR cameras, or mobile credentials for seamless entry.

Typical Components

What gets installed.

A real deployment is more than the headline product. These are the components we typically specify and integrate.

Gate operators

Slide, swing, and barrier operators (HySecurity, FAAC, Magnetic, LiftMaster Commercial) sized to gate weight and duty cycle.

Crash-rated gates

ASTM F2656 / DOS K-rated gates for critical infrastructure and high-threat environments.

Loop detectors

Inductive loops at exit, safety, and free-exit positions, properly cut and protected.

Photo-eyes & edge sensors

UL 325-required entrapment protection on every commercial gate.

Reader / LPR integration

Long-range RFID, mobile credential readers, and LPR cameras tied into the access platform.

Power & UPS

Conditioned power and battery backup so gates fail safely during an outage.

Telephone entry / intercom

Cellular or IP intercoms at the gate for visitor access without a guard.

Integrations

Connects to what you already run.

Our entry gates integrate with your existing identity, communication, and security systems for unified operations.

Active Directory integration
Active Directory
Slack / Teams integration
Slack / Teams
HR Platforms integration
HR Platforms
VMS Systems integration
VMS Systems
Alarm Panels integration
Alarm Panels
Fire Systems integration
Fire Systems
Building Mgmt integration
Building Mgmt
Custom API integration
Custom API
Deployment Process

How it gets built.

Every project follows the same engineering-led sequence — designed, documented, and delivered with no surprises.

  1. 01

    Site survey

    Measure gate opening, slope, soil, traffic volume, and integration with existing access systems.

  2. 02

    Engineering

    Operator and gate sizing, footing design, loop layout, and safety device plan.

  3. 03

    Civil work

    Footings, sleeves, conduits, and loop cuts coordinated with the GC or site contractor.

  4. 04

    Gate & operator install

    Gate hung, operator mounted, balanced, and aligned for clean travel under load.

  5. 05

    Safety & access integration

    Loops, photo-eyes, edges installed and tested; readers / LPR integrated; programming complete.

  6. 06

    UL 325 acceptance

    Full safety test sequence documented; staff trained on manual operation and emergency release.

Engineering Considerations

What our engineers look for.

  • UL 325 compliance (photo-eyes, edge sensors, secondary entrapment protection) is mandatory and verified at acceptance.
  • Gate operator is sized to actual gate weight, frequency of cycles, and wind load — not "good enough."
  • Crash rating (K4 / K8 / K12) is chosen against an explicit threat model, not by vague preference.
  • Free-egress logic ensures vehicles can always exit on power loss, even if entry is locked.
  • Maintenance access (drive belts, motor, controller) is designed for safe service without lane closure.
Maintenance & Support

After the install.

Service tiers built around what your facility actually needs — not a one-size-fits-all SLA.

Essentials

Annual operator service: lubrication, belt / chain tension, safety device test, and adjustment.

Pro

Semi-annual service, priority response, and inventory of common wear parts on hand.

Managed

24/7 monitoring of gate health (cycle count, motor draw, errors), 4-hour critical response, and predictive replacement of wear parts.

Architecture Options

Gate Mechanisms

Selecting the right gate operator for your site.

Slide & Swing Gates

Maximum security for full perimeter closures.

  • High security deterrence
  • Crash-rated options available
  • Ideal for overnight lockdown
  • Requires more physical space

Barrier Arms

High-speed traffic control.

  • Rapid open/close cycles
  • Prevents tailgating
  • Ideal for parking garages
  • Lower maintenance overhead
FAQs

Frequently asked.

Slide, swing, or barrier — which gate is right?

Slide gates work well where the building line is close to the property edge and provide the highest perimeter security. Swing gates are simpler and lower-cost where there's setback. Barrier arms are for high-cycle traffic control where deterrence — not crash prevention — is the goal. We pick based on threat model, traffic volume, and site geometry.

What does "crash-rated" actually mean?

A crash-rated gate is tested against vehicle impact at a specified weight and speed (K4 / K8 / K12, or M30 / M40 / M50 in the new ASTM rating). Standard commercial gates do not stop a determined vehicle; crash-rated gates do. They're appropriate for embassies, utilities, data centers, and similar high-threat sites.

How often do gates need service?

High-cycle commercial gates (parking garages, logistics yards) typically need quarterly service. Lower-cycle commercial gates do well with annual service. Lubrication, belt / chain tension, and photo-eye verification are the most common maintenance tasks.

Can the gate work with our existing access control?

Yes. Most gate operators accept dry-contact inputs from any access system, or they integrate via API with cloud-managed platforms. We treat the gate as another door in the access plan: same credentials, same audit log, same identity sync.

What happens during a power outage?

Per UL 325 and standard commercial practice, gates fail safely — either fail-open for free egress, or fail-secure with manual release. Battery backup keeps the gate operating through short outages. Critical sites add UPS or generator on the gate circuit.

Let's build your system.

Tell us about your facility. Our engineering team will design a system tailored to your security, connectivity, and automation requirements.

Request a Quote