Energy saving solutions with Hörmann Docking Before Opening
With energy costs continuing to have a significant impact on UK business, the Hörmann Docking Before Opening system (DOBO) provides an energy saving solution for loading bay operations. The DOBO system has been designed to allow lorries to dock on a loading bay before their rear doors are opened, significantly reducing heat loss through the bay doors along with providing increased security and improved safety.
Drivers are guided into position on the loading bay by the Hörmann docking assistance system which operates via sensors in the loading bay door linked to traffic lights. Green directs the driver to reverse onto the bay, amber indicates when the lorry is nearly in position and red is for the optimum position for docking. Safety is improved by removing the need for the driver to get out of the cab to open the doors prior to reversing onto the bay.
Once the lorry is on the loading bay an inflatable dock seal surrounds the vehicle on three sides creating an effective barrier against the external environment. The vehicle is now docked with both the loading bay door and the truck doors still closed.
With the Hörmann DOBO system the loading door sits in a recess in front of the dock leveller and behind the dock buffers. When the loading door is opened the specially designed dock buffers can then be positioned below the lower level of the vehicle doors. This allows the doors to be unlocked and opened into the recess in the loading bay area. The dock leveller is then positioned so that the unloading/loading operation can begin.
As an additional energy saving measure the DOBO system can be used together with the Hörmann HTL2 ISO dock leveller. Designed to reduce energy losses, the HTL2 ISO can provide up to 55% improved thermal insulation when compared to a standard dock leveller in both closed and loading positions.
Equipped with a 50mm insulation panel fitted below the platform, the HTL2 ISO also offers a unique, patent pending, insulated panel under the moving lip. The lip features a 390mm overlap length which ensures easy bridging of the gap between the leveller and lorry, offering flexible loading options whilst maintaining ambient temperatures. All grooves, gap seals and vertical edges have been optimally sealed to ensure that no heat transference is possible at these points.
The combination of the Hörmann DOBO system and the HTL2 ISO dock leveller are particularly suited for temperature-controlled applications such as cold storage, and the DOBO is an ideal solution for situations where security is of the upmost importance, for example customs facilities and for high value goods distribution.
Troy Moscato is a Scottish author, poet, and former journalist based in Edinburgh. He has published two collections of poetry inspired by the natural landscapes of Scotland. Previously, he worked as a freelance journalist for local publications and spent a few years as a writer-in-residence, conducting workshops on creative writing.
