Answers, briefly.
If something here is not covered, write to us and we will answer it directly rather than send a brochure.
How do I choose between a speed gate, a barrier and a turnstile?
Start from what the entrance has to do. Where appearance and fast flow matter (a corporate lobby, a hotel, a museum), choose a speed gate or a flap barrier: sensors guard the lane and the wings close behind each person. Where the lane must take wheelchairs, pushchairs or luggage, choose a swing barrier, with passages up to 1000 mm. Where budget, robustness or outdoor use come first (sports venues, gyms, works entrances), choose a tripod or half height turnstile. Where the barrier itself has to be the fence, on an unstaffed perimeter, choose a full height turnstile.
What is a speed gate?
A speed gate is a motorised pedestrian barrier with glass wings that open on authorisation and close behind each person. It is the fastest form of entrance control and the one usually chosen where appearance matters as much as security.
Is a speed gate the same as an optical turnstile?
Every speed gate is an optical turnstile, but not every optical turnstile is a speed gate. Optical turnstile is the broad term for any lane that uses infrared sensors to detect who passes. Some have no physical barrier and can only raise an alarm. A speed gate adds glass wings that open on a valid credential and close behind the person, so an unauthorised attempt is stopped, not just reported.
Do speed gates slow people down?
No. Speed gates are built for busy entrances: the wings open as the credential is read and close behind each person. A Keyable speed gate opens in 0.7 seconds (adjustable), for up to 50 people per minute per lane, as published by the manufacturer. A lane without wings is marginally faster, but it only detects an intruder, while a speed gate also stops one.
What is the difference between a swing barrier and a flap barrier?
A swing barrier's arm swings through an arc and needs clearance either side, which is why it offers the widest passage. A flap barrier's wings withdraw into the housing, so it needs no clearance and can sit hard against a wall.
Which barrier gives the widest passage?
The swing barrier. Its arm is the longest in the range, which is why it is the usual choice where an accessible lane is required.
How wide must a lane be for a wheelchair?
A standard 600 mm lane takes most wheelchairs, but it is tight. For comfortable passage with wheelchairs, pushchairs and luggage, 700 to 900 mm is recommended. The usual layout is one wide lane next to the standard ones. Keyable swing barriers offer passages up to 1000 mm (KSB1312TD) and 1100 mm (KSB1418D).
What is a tripod turnstile and where is it used?
A tripod turnstile has three arms at 120 degrees around a rotating hub, admitting one person per authorisation mechanically rather than by sensor. It is the standard choice for stadium concourses, works entrances and outdoor sites.
When do I need a full height turnstile?
When the barrier has to be the fence. A full height turnstile is a floor-to-ceiling rotating cage with no gap above or below the rotor, so it cannot be climbed or crawled under. It holds unstaffed perimeters rather than lobbies.
Can one building use different types of barrier?
Yes, and most larger buildings do. A common layout is speed gates in the main lobby, where visitors form their first impression. Tripod or full height turnstiles then go at staff, service and perimeter entrances, where robustness matters more than appearance. Each entrance gets the level of security it actually needs.
Which barrier suits an outdoor site?
Several tripod and swing variants are rated by the manufacturer for indoor and outdoor duty, and full height turnstiles are built for exposed perimeters. Finish matters as much as the type: electroplated and powder-coated bodies hold up where bare steel will not.
What temperatures can the barriers work in?
From −20 °C to +60 °C, according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
How do barriers stop tailgating?
Infrared sensors read across the full height of the lane rather than at a single beam, so a second person following the first is detected and the barrier closes on the entry. Tripod and full height turnstiles do the same thing mechanically, through their geometry.
What is piggybacking, and how does it differ from tailgating?
Both mean two people passing on one authorisation. Tailgating usually describes someone slipping in behind an authorised user, often unnoticed. Piggybacking describes two people passing together on purpose, for example when a colleague lets in someone who forgot their card. It looks harmless, but either way the system no longer knows who is inside. Keyable barriers read the whole lane with infrared sensors and close when a second person follows.
What alarms do the barriers have?
Infrared sensors along the lane detect behaviour, not just presence. The barrier raises an alarm when someone follows too closely, walks in the wrong direction or tries to enter without authorisation. If a person is detected in the closing path, the wings stay open. If nobody passes after a valid read, the lane closes again automatically.
Do the barriers open in a power cut?
Yes. EN 17352 requires motorised pedestrian barriers on escape routes to leave the way out clear, so on power loss glass wings release to free passage, tripod arms drop to vertical and full height rotors are released to turn freely.
Can the barriers be connected to the fire alarm?
Yes, and they must be: connection to the fire alarm system is a legal requirement in the EU and in Serbia. A signal from the fire alarm panel overrides access control and puts the lanes into free passage, so people can leave without showing anything. We make the connection and test it during commissioning. The barriers also open on power loss, as EN 17352 requires.
What is EN 17352?
EN 17352 is the European standard for powered pedestrian entrance-control equipment: speed gates, swing, flap and sliding barriers, and other automatic lanes that let authorised people through one at a time. It sets safety requirements and test methods for hazards in normal use and in the event of a fault. It covers the equipment’s whole life, from transport and installation to dismantling. It was published in 2022. Keyable equipment is specified against it.
Is the equipment CE marked?
Yes. All supplied equipment is CE marked and a Declaration of Conformity is issued with every order.
What credentials can these barriers read?
QR codes from a phone screen or from paper, NFC, RFID cards and wristbands, and face recognition on selected models. The reader is chosen with the barrier and can be matched to a system you already run.
Are readers included with the barrier?
No. Barriers are supplied without readers, scanners or displays, so each lane can be fitted with exactly what the project needs: a QR scanner, an RFID/NFC reader, a display or face recognition. Keyable supplies its own readers and controllers, or the barrier can work with readers you already use.
Can the barriers work with the access control system we already have?
Yes. Keyable barriers communicate over TCP/IP and HTTP, with an API, and can be connected to access-control, ticketing and POS systems. The readers have a built-in relay and a standard I/O output, so they can control almost any gate. The reader is chosen to match the cards or credentials already in use, and face recognition is available as an option. We confirm the interface for your system during the site survey.
Can we validate tickets without a separate ticketing system?
Yes. Keyable’s QR ticketing software generates and validates tickets at the gate. Rules can be set by number of uses, date, time window and which gates a ticket is valid for. That covers single-entry tickets for concerts and attractions, date-limited passes for hotels and clubs, and timed entry and exit for pools and play centres.
Can the barriers work when the network is down?
Yes, on a turnkey delivery. The lane holds a cached list of who may enter and keeps deciding locally, buffering every entry and reconciling when the connection returns.
What kind of floor do the barriers need?
A solid, level floor. Speed gates, flap barriers and tripod turnstiles can often be fixed into an existing reinforced concrete slab with chemical anchors, without new foundations. Full height turnstiles carry higher loads and normally need a dedicated foundation. The floor must be level across the lane, because a slope of a few millimetres can stop the wings from closing properly. Where the existing floor is not suitable, the barriers can be mounted on a pedestal made specifically for them. We check this during the site survey.
What needs to be ready before installation?
Power and data cables brought up through the floor at the position of each cabinet, before the floor finish goes down, so that no cable crosses the walkway. Usually that means mains power to each lane, a cable to the access-control system and, where required, a cable from the fire alarm panel. We supply dimensioned drawings with the cable entry points before work starts.
How long does installation take?
From a few hours to a few days, depending on how many lanes are installed. On a prepared floor with the cables in place, one lane is mounted, wired and set up within a few hours. If new concrete has to be poured, it must cure before the barriers are fixed. The exact schedule is agreed after the site survey.
Do you supply hardware only, or do you install?
Both. Supply only covers the equipment, the drawings, the CE marking and the declaration, delivered to site. Turnkey covers the same equipment plus software, installation, commissioning, staff handover, maintenance and an extended warranty, under one contract.