© 2006 Door & Access Systems
Publish Date: Winter 2006
Author: Tom Wadsworth
Page 46-48

News From the DASMA Annual Meeting
Marco Island, Fla.
Jan. 23-25, 2006

Keynote Speaker Predicts the Garage Door of 2016

John Russell, keynote speaker for the DASMA General Membership meeting on Jan. 24, provided attendees a glimpse of revolutionary advances in technology. Russell made a bold prediction for the garage door world, based on his knowledge of emerging technologies.

In 10 years, Russell said, all garage doors will be white, but with a special film on the door exterior. On the inside will be a control panel that allows the homeowner to change the color of the door to any one of 500 colors.

About 150 members from more than 50 companies attended the meeting.

THE FUTURE IS HERE: With the four DASMA officers in the background, Russell wanders into the crowd during his presentation. From left: Randall Renne (Raynor), Rick Sedivy (DoorKing), Bearge Miller (Miller Edge), and Bob Cookson (Cookson).

Rolling Door Division Advances Concept of Balanced Fire Protection

The role of rolling steel fire doors in offering “balanced fire protection” in buildings dominated discussion at the Rolling Door Division meeting. More than 20 DASMA members from 17 companies attended the Jan. 23 meeting.

The International Building Code (IBC) has allowed sprinkler systems to reduce or eliminate certain fire-resistant products, including rolling steel fire doors, in some buildings. The division contends that rolling fire doors are essential to offering balanced fire protection.

The division has now published a new Technical Data Sheet (TDS 278). The document outlines various scenarios involving rolling steel fire doors, describes “sprinkler trade-off,” and briefly overviews applicable code provisions.

Vickie Lovell, president of the Alliance for Fire and Smoke Containment and Control (AFSCC), updated the group on ways the AFSCC is supporting traditional building fire-protection design. After the presentation, the division reiterated its support of AFSCC.

A BALANCED PRESENTATION: Vickie Lovell, AFSCC president, reported to the Rolling Door Division on current AFSCC activities concerning fire-protection design for buildings.

LOOKING FOR BALANCE: Members of the Rolling Door Division listen to a presentation on balanced fire protection. From left: LeRoy Krupke (Overhead Door), Horatiu Barbulescu (DBCi), Bob Cookson (Cookson), Bray Allen (DBCi), Tom Dvorak (SIMU), Pat Hunter (C.H.I.), Jim Overholt (C.H.I.), Ira DaVall (Chamberlain).

How to Survive Your Deposition

“It Only Feels Like Torture – How to Survive Your Deposition,” was the title of a special presentation to the DASMA Product Liability and Safety Committee on Jan. 24.

About 60 attendees heard Mark Tone of Chamberlain and Naomi Angel, DASMA’s general counsel present 10 tips for testifying in legal cases. (See related story on page 82.)

THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK: Mark Tone of Chamberlain shares tips on “How to Survive Your Deposition” at the Product Liability and Safety Committee meeting.

“Unattended Operation” May Come to Vote

The DASMA Operator & Electronics Division may soon vote on a proposal for regulating unattended operation of residential garage doors.

In January, the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 325 Standards Technical Panel reviewed and developed provisions governing such unattended operation. UL’s concern was prompted by the market presence of devices that can automatically operate a garage door without someone in the line-of-sight of the door. Some devices operate via timers or Internet access.

At its Jan. 25 meeting, the Operator & Electronics Division discussed alarm signals, controls, and entrapment protection as well as a definition for “unattended operation.” Barbara Kelkhoff, division chair, believes that a proposal would undergo balloting in the first half of 2006.

MUCH DISCUSSION: Greg Sanders of Simu U.S. contributes to discussion at the Operator & Electronics Division meeting on Jan. 25.

NEW MEMBER: The Operator & Electronics Division welcomed two new members to the division: Micanan, a maker of commercial garage door and gate openers, and BioMetrx, a maker of fingerprint-activated door controls. Pictured: George Manaras, Micanan president.

Committee Considers New Certification Program for Garage Doors

The International Code Council (ICC) is developing a standard that may require labeling of all doors and windows in high wind regions. Pat Hunter of C.H.I. Overhead Doors, chair of the Commercial & Residential Garage Door Technical Committee, says his group is responding by developing a code-compliant garage door certification program.

The committee hopes to submit a proposed program to the Commercial & Residential Garage Door Division by January 2007. A final program may be rolled out in time for the 2009 International Residential Code (IRC), which is expected to reference the new ICC standard.

The committee, among the busiest of all DASMA committees, is also working on a wide range of issues relating to updating several Technical Data Sheets and ANSI/DASMA door standards. A wind-load calculator was also recently posted at the DASMA Web site as an aid for estimating wind loads on garage doors and rolling doors.

The Jan. 24 committee meeting was attended by about 40 representatives from 25 member companies.

A TECHNICAL POINT: Mark Westerfield of Clopay makes a point during discussion at the Commercial & Residential Garage Door Technical Committee meeting.

CHECKING THE DATA: Tony East of Amarr Garage Doors checks some information on his laptop during a busy committee meeting.