Note from the President:
It is indeed exciting to introduce products that deliver truly unique and useful results. Our introduction of an Attack Resistant Steel Door and Frame Assembly demonstrates AMBICO’s commitment to the development of leading edge products that have only recently become in demand in the marketplace. While our Radio Frequency (RF) Door and Frame Assemblies have been in our product offering for nearly a decade, they have now been enhanced significantly to meet high security standards that have become commonplace.
This attention to new product demands and the precise detail required from our engineering, design and manufacturing personnel is a reflection of the high level of thought, skill and performance that our entire team embraces day by day. We welcome your interest in our industry leading number of high performance door and frame assemblies and we look forward to exceeding the demands of the marketplace in our world-class manufacturing environment
Jack Shinder
President
The AMBICO Solution
The AMBICO Solution showcases AMBICO products and the solutions they bring to architectural projects and designs.
Attack Resistant Opening Solutions
AMBICO in collaboration with ARMOURED ONE identified the need for Attack resistant steel doors in the marketplace due to repeated active shooter attacks and intrusions at schools, businesses and public buildings across North America. This product offers a cost-effective solution to protect the students, faculty, employees and residents by preventing an active shooter from gaining entry into the building. Unlike other ballistic products, this product will not stop a bullet from passing through, but will prevent physical entry during a ballistic and manual forced entry attack. Due to a large number of access points into a school, one of the biggest challenges faced by our engineers is building a product that is reliable, robust and cost effective making it feasible to be installed at a significant number of exterior entry and exit points.
Attack Resistant Doors can be equipped with a variety of features including glazing. These openings often demand a vision lite, and both the glass and the lite kit are designed to be resilient enough to withstand the attack.
The shooter attack test method used to evaluate this is based on two recognized test standards (UL 752 Level 7/ ASTM F476) that were modified and combined per recommendations from law enforcement, homeland security, and active shooter subject matter experts.
The test consists of the following parts:
Modified UL 752 Level 7 using ten rounds of AR15 .223 at a velocity of 3240 ft./sec with eight rounds around an 18″ circle and two shots around a 3″ circle centered on the glass panel, five rounds around the door lock area in a 5″ diameter circle-
Modified ASTM F476 using high energy levels, impacting door, glass, and hardware at each energy level twice.
Failure is established when breach in door opening has occurred or an opening that allows 3” sphere to pass through one side to the other.
AMBICO’s attack resistant door solutions are an excellent option to protect students and staff in K-12 and university environments, as well as other public buildings. We have worked with Armoured One because of their expertise in whole building security, which allows owners to provide safer learning, working, and healing environments.
Learn more about AMBICO’s Attack Resistant Steel Doors at:
Attack Resistant Steel Doors and Frames | AMBICO
Radio Frequency Shielded Doors and Frames
An RF-shielded frame and door assembly reduces the amount of radio frequency and/or electro-magnetic energy that is transmitted across an opening. Similar to acoustic doors, the performance is a measure of the amount of energy, in decibels, that is blocked (attenuated) by the assembly. Most electric and electronic devices produce radio frequency interference that could affect other nearby electric and electronic devices. Radio frequency shielding helps in reducing the levels of electromagnetic energy that penetrates the opening.
The design of radio frequency shielding is such that the range of frequencies is filtered under specific conditions. A high degree of effectiveness can be achieved with properly designed and constructed radio frequency shielding. The blocking or absorbance of radio frequency signals by the shielding is determined by many factors like the material used, the conductivity of the material, the material thickness, the permeability of the material, etc. Even air flow to the enclosure and mechanical strength of the shielding are factors for the shield. While copper is the preferred material for Radio frequency shielding, we often use fabric over foam seal solutions.
RF shielding has various applications in the medical field and data centers, It shields equipment against electromechanical interference that can interfere with equipment performance or cause equipment damage. For example: RF shielding in the MRI scanner is mandatory and serves two functions: 1) to prevent extraneous electromagnetic radiation from contaminating/distorting the MRI signal, and 2) to prevent electromagnetic radiation generated by the MRI scanner from causing interference in nearby medical devices. RF assembly is also required in business offices, test labs, computer data processing, financial centers and security departments. Radio frequency shielding is also highly recommended for government and military buildings to prevent any form of electronic eavesdropping.
Due to the nature of applications where RF shielding is intended, many times end users require sound control as well. This could be to contain noisy medical equipment, or to keep sensitive information proprietary when verbal communication accompanies digital transpondence. Utilizing the RF shielding properties along with our acoustic technologies, AMBICO is able to provide an RF shielded opening with an STC rating. This combination enables facilities to offer an extremely secure space where information, technology and sound are all key. A SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility) room is a good example of a typical application (100 kHz – 1GHz). SCIF rooms are secure rooms where the transmission of electronic transmittance or surveillance is not allowed. They are constructed using materials that block attempts of espionage to keep sensitive information secret.
AMBICO Limited. Single door and frame assemblies provide RF shielding effectiveness, tested as per IEEE 299 “IEEE Standard Method of Measuring the Effectiveness of Electromagnetic Shielding Enclosures.” We offer typical personnel styled door openings that operate using traditional hardware, special hinges and conductive seal systems.
Learn more about AMBICO’s RF assemblies at: Radio Frequency Shielding Doors and Frames | AMBICO
AMBICO in the World
AMBICO in the world highlights architectural projects throughout the world that have used AMBICO products.
In 2017, AMBICO offered its specialized RF assemblies to the Woodbine Converter Station in Nova Scotia and the Bottom Brooke Converter Station in Newfoundland. Both of these were a part of The Maritime Link Project in the Gulf of St Lawrence. The Project included construction of 500MW circuit between the two Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia utilizing subsea HVDC cables (+/-200kVDC), AC/DC Converter Stations and integration into existing 230kV and 345kV transmission systems.
The Maritime Link Project was part of a larger strategy to address the growing demand for more renewable energy. The Bottom Brooke Converter Station converts Alternate Current to Direct Current, which is then transmitted across the floor of the Atlantic Ocean to the Woodbine Converter station in Nova Scotia. The Woodbine converter station converts the current back to Alternate current and pushes it into the local power grid. It enables the transmission of clean, renewable and reliable electricity from Newfoundland and Labrador to Nova Scotia and beyond. The Maritime Link allows Nova Scotia to import hydro electricity from the Muskrat Falls generating station in Labrador, which was developed by Nalcor Energy as part of the Lower Churchill Project.
The design package for both power converter stations was awarded to Root Architecture. The architects discovered that the doors had unique RF requirements, which were met by AMBICO Limited. Both power converter stations received multiple doors from AMBICO. Pairs of 4’0”x7’0” fire rated doors, 3’0”x7’0” and 4’0”x7’0” doors with RF shielding were supplied. AMBICO also supplied some RF shielded oversized 5’0”x10’0” and 6’0”x12’0” doors, which helped protect the converter from outside radio interference.
AMBICO takes pride in its contribution to the Maritime Link Project. The exchange of energy across the Maritime Link marked the beginning of a pivotal time in Nova Scotia’s provincial electricity system.
Learn more about AMBICO’s RF completed projects at:
Radio Frequency Shielding Door and Frame Completed Projects | AMBICO
AMBICO Extended Family
AMBICO Extended Family is a quarterly feature focusing on AMBICO rep agencies around the world.
Mayo Associates was founded in 1986 by Richard (Rick) Mayo. In 2008, Jeff Addis and Tom Stapleton became the new owners. AMBICO has relied on this fine agency to promote and support its products since 1996. The agency covers the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia for AMBICO.
In addition to Jeff and Tom, the team brings an additional 46 years of combined experience in the industry with associates, Andy Gibson, Patrick Manning and Carolyn Stewart.
Their project management commitments include realistic timeline expectations, product installation requirements, and transparent customer awareness. Mayo Associates touches a wide variety of organizations in being an active member of DHI, CSI, ASHE and ALOA.
Mayo Associates believe in cultivating long-standing and mutually beneficial relationships, built on communication, integrity and trust among their associates, clients, and manufacturers. Their belief that “People buy from people they like and trust” has been the central core theme for the agency from day one. That belief, coupled with their mission statement, “Change-Adapt-Survive”, has helped make Mayo Associates into the company it is today!
Follow the link to learn more about our extended family: Connect with an AMBICO Rep
AMBICO’s CEU Courses
Our free Commercial Steel Doors in Resilient Design self-paced course offers architects the opportunity to learn about the benefits of using steel doors as part of a resilient design strategy for applications requiring resistance from man-made and natural disasters such as blasts, tornadoes, and ballistic threats. Completion of the course grants architects with 1.5 LU/HSW credits accredited by AIA.
Learn more about our list of CEU Courses at AIA Certified Online Learning
