Maintaining Building Safety and Control Using Radars

The evolution of building automation is demanding increasingly robust sensors to detect the presence of vehicles at various locations. Radars from Banner Engineering enable the reliable detection of vehicles, offering significant advantages for asset management, resource allocation, site safety, traffic control, and loading-dock monitoring. Application needs and deployment requirements can be diverse, ranging from indoor to outdoor and partially protected environments. Here are several examples of typical challenges and associated solutions.

Accurate Vehicle Detection at Loading Docks

The common practice of installing individual sensors for each dock door requires significant material costs, complex installation, and additional maintenance points. For facilities managing multiple adjacent doors, this approach creates inefficiencies that can complicate inventory and maintenance.

A single Q90R2 Radar Sensor uses two independent detection zones to monitor both dock doors, eliminating the need for separate sensors and reducing inventory. Built for demanding environments, radar technology provides dependable performance regardless of weather or other environmental factors. Banner Measurement Sensor Software enables quick setup and allows for real-time adjustments, tailoring detection zones to specific dock configurations and adapting to changing hanging needs.

Below Dock Mounting with Distance Indication

Mounting sensors below dock doors allows convenient access for maintenance, but introduces challenges. Environmental factors, such as noise and temperature fluctuations, can disrupt detection. Additionally, low-visibility conditions generally make it difficult for drivers to gauge distances, while dock staff rely on clear notifications to coordinate loading and unloading efficiently.

The T30R Radar Sensor provides reliable detection and accurate distance measurement in all weather conditions, unaffected by noise or temperature changes. Banner Measurement Sensor Software allows fast, customized detection zone setup for precise long-range performance tailored to dock layouts. The WLS27 Strip Light with Pulse Pro I/O, mounted outside the building, gives drivers a clear distance indication, improving efficiency and adding a layer of protection in low-visibility conditions.

Detecting Parking Spot Availability in Parking Garages

Installing a system that will provide both vehicle detection and easy-to-see indication to help drivers see available spots requires a complex system of sensors and separate indication devices, requiring hardware to connect detection and indication devices, leading to costly and complex installation and multiple maintenance points.

The K50R Pro Sensor integrates vehicle detection and bright LED indication into a single unit, simplifying installation and reducing hardware costs. Customizable LEDs provide clear, immediate visibility of available spaces, minimizing driver frustration and congestion (green for open, red for occupied, and blue for ADA). Banner Measurement Sensor Software offers a free, easy-to-use solution for batch configuration, enabling rapid setup for large-scale systems and reducing deployment time and complexity.

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

Shared electric vehicle services require a method to keep unauthorized non-electric vehicles from parking at charging stations. 

A K50R radar sensor installed inside a charging station or a plastic box to prevent potential vandalism can detect the presence of a vehicle parked at that station. 

Drive Thru Vehicle Detection and Monitoring

Drive-thru applications require reliable vehicle detection to alert employees to a customer’s presence at a window, count the number of cars passing through, monitor time spent in the drive-thru, and more. Commonly used in-ground loop detection systems require costly, invasive installation and maintenance methods, such as pavement cutting. Other detection sensors fail to perform reliably when mounted inside fixtures or exposed to inclement weather.

The K50R Radar Sensor offers above-ground installation, eliminating the need for disruptive pavement cutting, while its ability to penetrate materials allows mounting inside enclosures or existing structures for a discrete installation. Easily customizable 40° x 30° sensing zone with programmable background suppression and weather immunity provides complete detection where it's needed. Discrete output allows easy integration with existing queue management systems.

Tolls and Gates

Traditional in-ground loop detection systems require cutting into concrete and necessitate lane closures during installation and maintenance, disrupting traffic flow at tolls and gates. Additionally, the reliability of other detection sensors can be affected by weather conditions.

 The K50R Radar Sensor easily installs above-ground, preventing disruptive installation and maintenance. Rugged IP67-rated housing and a wide -40 to 65 °C operating range provide dependable performance in outdoor environments. 40° x 30° coverage detects all vehicle sizes, while programmable background suppression eliminates false triggers.