Roller door or roller shutters today, are commonplace in our lives. While they were first limited to sheds, garages and commercial shops, roller shutters today, have a wide variety of applications. The primary purpose of a roller shutter is to provide security and prevent the entry of dust, light, rodents, burglars, etc. Roller shutters come in many different styles and materials to cater to different openings and projects.

How do roller shutters work?

Roller shutters consist of a corrugated sheet curtain that is made up of interlocking slats. These slats are continuous and when lifted to open, roll up into a bundle at the top of the door. Roller shutters are operated either manually or remotely.

As your shutter is lifted or opened up automatically, the corrugations flex, allowing the steel curtain to roll up on itself. There are several torsion springs hidden inside the roll. These springs bear a lot of the door’s weight making for smooth operation. Roller shutters also come with locks attached to long bolts on either side for increased security and stability.

Different parts of a roller door

While most of us are familiar with roller shutters and have a vague idea of how they work, there are a number of parts and components that go into the working of a rolling shutter. Let’s take a closer look at them:

Cheek plate

Also known as end plates or head plates, they are a pair of load bearing plates that support the roller onto which the shutter rolls. These plates are adjusted to fit the entrance or building framework using the necessary fittings so that they can bear the full load of the shutter curtain.

Flag post

Your shutter’s cheek plate is welded either at a vertical angle or directly atop the guide giving it the look of a flag post. The vertical angle is also secured to the building structure. This provides your shutter additional support during operation and helps ease the installation process as well.

Roller assembly

The roller is a component that comprises a steel tube fitted with a tubular motor at one end and a shaft at the other. The roller assembly is held in place by a full-width roller and is responsible for holding the entire shutter curtain in place.

Tubular motor

Tubular motors are fitted at one end of the roller assembly. The head of the motor protrudes from the barrel and consists of a manual override eye (if a manual override facility is provided). In addition, the tubular motor also consists of an electrical wire feed and a pair of limit switches that help control the maximum travel distance of the curtain. The motor is also fitted with an operational brake that can hold the shutter curtain stationary in its upper position.

Safety brake

The safety brakes halt your shutter’s descent if the motor fails to operate. Your tubular motor’s operational brake engages with your shutter to keep it stationary in its upper position. However, if it fails, the safety brake activates and brings the shutter to a complete stop before it comes crashing down. Depending on the make of your roller shutter, there can also be a micro-switch present that can disconnect the tubular motor from the electrical supply.

Bearings- Bearings are also referred to as U-cups that give support to the barrel and are fixed to the cheek plates. Bearings are only fixed when the safety brake is not fitted in place.

Guides- Guides are fitted along the walls on either side of your roller shutter. The curtain runs up and down these guides.

Curtains - The curtain is the central part of the roller shutter. As mentioned before it consists of several connected metal slats and is the material that runs in between the guides. The metal slats are most often made of steel or aluminium but in some cases can also be made of polycarbonate.

Bottom rails - The end bit of the curtain (i.e.) the final few slats are in the shape of T or L and provide additional rigidity.

Finishes

Roller shutters are known for being manufactured using galvanised steel. However, newer technologies and processes have given rise to multiple other roller shutter options including aluminium, polycarbonate, etc. All of these materials are powder coated with paint to give your roller shutter an extremely aesthetic appeal.
Now that you are well-versed with the anatomy and workings of your roller door head over to Dura Ultima to find the roller shutter that best suits your needs.