SELECTION FIELDNOTES

BFT: choose the right movement.

A gate must be considered with its surroundings: geometry, mechanical condition, traffic and users. Describe the real entrance before selecting an operator. The motor, control board, safety devices and access controls perform different functions.

View references

Installers · residential, shared-property and professional entrances.

AI-generated conceptual illustration. Generic equipment, not associated with a brand model. Neither a real installation nor a technical plan.

11references in the loaded catalogue

Before you choose. An advertised maximum weight is not enough to select an operator. The project requires a professional mechanical check and risk assessment; this illustration is not a complete safety design.

Four roles to plan together

ROLES TO PLAN · PREPARATION OUTLINE

Mechanics
The leaf, supports and guidance must suit the intended movement. A motor does not automatically correct a binding gate or damaged track.
Control
The board controls the cycle and receives intended inputs. Record model and version; another board’s settings and accessories cannot be transferred by analogy.
Protection
Hazards depend on the site, movement zones and exposed users. Photocells, safety edges or other measures belong to the assessment, not a ‘complete kit’ checkbox.
Access and use
Define remote control, intercom and pedestrian access. Also plan outage operation and handover of release instructions to the authorised responsible person.

The entrance determines the family

BFT distinguishes entrance operators, barriers and other systems. These families address different geometries; this brief supports selection without importing the UK regional site’s commercial terms.

Situation	Required survey	Avoid
Swing gate	Leaves, posts, swing space, mounting and wind exposure.	Choosing by length alone without checking mounting geometry.
Sliding gate	Track or guidance, run-back space, slope, rack and mechanical condition.	Confusing weight rating with suitability for the actual operating cycle.
Garage / barrier	Opening type, passage, traffic frequency and pedestrian interaction.	Reusing a gate kit without checking the right family and devices.
Existing installation	Motor and board labels, accessories, versions and available drawings.	Assuming a similar remote or photocell is compatible.

Source 1 · BFT Automation UK

A short but decisive site brief

Useful photographs and dimensions
Photograph both sides, mountings and surroundings without handling moving machinery. Add dimensions, material and documented weight if known.
Use and traffic
Describe traffic peaks, users, visitor access and pedestrian route. A villa and shared property need not have the same operating requirements.
Exact contents
Request an itemised motor, board, mounting, control and device list. ‘Kit’ establishes neither supplied quantities nor every measure required on site.
Supervised handover
Plan checks with a competent installer: movement, protection, controls and instructions. Never test obstacle detection with a person in the travel path.

Admit a visitor without confusing functions

Fictional case: an intercom controls a motorised entrance with a separate pedestrian route. The operator wants to accept or refuse a visitor and understand the displayed state.

Separate authorisation
Define who may authorise and which entrance responds. Refusal must not trigger opening; authorisation is not yet evidence that the gate moved.
Verify the interface
Have the intercom-to-board link validated for exact references. Ask which feedback is available and how opening, stopped state and faults are represented.
Plan exceptions
Document outages, pedestrian access and authorised intervention. Safety devices remain separate from a simple app opening button.

A functional example, without a cross-brand integration guarantee. Wiring design, protection measures and tests belong to the professional and the actual site.

Verify the operator, then its board and accessories

BFT Automation UK separates operator, board and accessory manuals. Find the full designation and applicable revision; a regional manual or similarly named variant does not automatically validate the reference offered in Morocco.

Catalogue clarification: code ATHOS_AC25 has a title mentioning PHOBOS AC KIT A25. Do not select the family from this line alone. Request the label, contents and manual; no reference substitution is applied here.

Source 2 · BFT Automation UK

Before selecting the kit

Is the most powerful operator always best?

No. Geometry, mechanics, duty and site conditions must fit model limits. A higher rating replaces neither assessment nor required protection.

Does one pair of photocells make the installation safe?

Not by itself. Impact, trapping and access to moving areas depend on the site. A professional defines and checks the full set of appropriate measures.

Can I reuse all existing remotes?

Compatibility depends on the receiver, protocol and versions. Provide exact references; similar shape or frequency alone is insufficient.

Related guides and tools

From reading to a project brief

Discuss my selection

Prepare an entrance survey Gates, garages and barriers Separate access control and motorisation

Sources, date and limits

Official documents are linked, not rehosted. Preparation advice is editorial; sources validate neither every catalogue reference nor a commercial partnership. Terms and variants still need checking.

Sources consulted on September 27, 2026