The Arrestor

arrestor crash test close-up

The Arrestor is a unique vehicle access control barrier. It is a breakthrough design combining superb aesthetics with very high vehicle stopping power. The Arrestor is certified by the U.S. State Department to its highest vehicle stopping power rating (K12). It achieves its stopping power from energy absorbing bands anchored inside the barrier's lightweight steel shell. To the end user, this means no more unattractive massive steel plates or large aboveground support structures. The Arrestor is available in various widths, and can span one or more traffic lanes. It is ideal for Anti-Terrorism Force Protection (ATFP).

If aesthetics are an issue, this is the barrier for you. You can select conventional high-visibility colors, or our custom palette of over 250 colors. We can also apply our digital finishing process to make the barrier match your building's, with the look of granite, marble, brushed aluminum, or other architectural materials… we can even add graphics or logos. The Arrestor is truly a good-looking, aesthetic vehicle access control barrier. Such barriers are sometimes called anti-ram barriers.

Adding to its aesthetic appeal is the fact that the Arrestor is flush with the roadway when in the down (road open) position. This means authorized vehicles pass quickly because there is no "speed bump" effect. And for those customers who prefer to leave their barrier down and raise it only during periods of heightened security, the barrier is essentially invisible.

Finally, if the Arrestor is ever struck-deliberately or accidentally -the in-ground foundation survives intact. Simply replace the aboveground portion and you are back in operation.

The Lightfoot

A shallow-mount version of the Arrestor barrier The LightFoot is a new vehicle barrier with an interesting origin. One of the world's premier art museums asked us to install one of our Arrestor model barriers. However, further evaluation of the proposed site revealed an underground facility immediately beneath the barrier's location. This meant there was only about 12 inches of excavation depth available, one-half of the Arrestor's required depth. A shallow-mount, yet versatile, vehicle access control barrier was needed.

The museum wanted the Arrestor's aesthetics and operational features, so we went The LightFoot back to the drawing board and developed the LightFoot... whose name comes from its shallow depth, as well as the versatility, adaptability, and changeability of its design.

The LightFoot requires an excavation depth of about 12 inches. In addition, the LightFoot can be mounted "forward or backward" (that is, angled toward or angled away from approaching vehicles). Finally, the LightFoot is available in over 250 colors, or with an optional digital The LightFootfinishing process that allows the barrier to mimic virtually any material (granite, marble, brick, brushed aluminum, and more). Now that's versatility! The LightFoot is truly a good-looking, aesthetic vehicle access control barrier.

What's the catch? With a barrier this versatile what do you have to give up? Well the answer is stopping power... the LightFoot is rated K4, while the Arrestor is certified K12. (See How Does the U.S. Government Certify Barrier Stopping Power?) For many customers, the K4 stopping power is more than adequate, as it will stop a van or passenger car at speeds >60 mph and a 15,000-pound truck at 30 mph. It's still an anti-ram barrier. What are your site protection requirements? Perhaps the LightFoot is the solution you have been looking for.

The Gater

The Gater is our newest certified anti-terrorism vehicle barrier. The Gater (the name is a word play on both gate and alligator) is an all-electric vehicle barrier that has the U.S. State Department's highest crash test rating (K12). The Gater is available in various widths, and can span one or more traffic lanes.

The Gater has stanchions with in-ground foundations that are installed on either side of the roadway, and a beam extending  across the roadway that can be raised and lowered. When open, the beam is vertical, so all vehicles regardless of height have unobstructed access. That beam can be used alone for vehicle protection only, or it can have a gate attached to prevent pedestrian access. The gate can be either ornamental, or a high-security, anti-climb gate.

The Gater has a hollow aluminum beam that spans the roadway. This beam contains multiple energy absorbing bands, instead of the large and heavy steel components found in conventional anti-terrorism gate arms. Stanchions on either side of the roadway engage the beam when it is in the down position. The Gater achieves its stopping power from the energy absorption properties of these non-metallic bands, and from the way the vehicle's impact energy is directed into the ground by the stanchions. See the crash test photo below for a striking example of how the bands stopped the impacting vehicle even though the lightweight aluminum beam was destroyed. (By the way, that's the truck's radiator wrapped around the beam.)

A 24-volt DC electrical control system (with any input voltage) operates the Gater. A battery backup system supplies a minimum of 24 hours of operation in the event of a power failure. This all-electric feature (no hydraulics) means excellent performance and very low maintenance when the barrier is installed in extremely cold climates.

As with the Arrestor model barrier, we offer the Gater in conventional high-visibility colors, or our custom palette of over 250 colors. We can also supply our digital finishing process to make the barrier match your building's façade, with the look of granite, marble, polished steel, or other architectural materials… we can even add graphics and logos. In addition, we offer aesthetic covers for the stanchions that can be either painted or have a digital finish applied. These hide the stanchions to reduce the industrial look of their exposed steel beams, and help them blend with a building.

We developed the Gater in cooperation with AutoGate, Inc., one of America's premier manufacturers of vertical pivot lift gates. Their all-electric operator is renowned for providing years of trouble-free service. And, if the Gater is ever struck deliberately or accidentally the in-ground foundation survives intact. Simply replace the beam (or beam and gate) and you are back in operation
 

The B-Cube

The B³ (pronounced "B-Cube" and standing for "Basic Bollard Barrier") is a low cost, yet aesthetic perimeter security system that can be installed in phases as budget and security requirements evolve. The B³ is what is called a passive (rather than active) vehicle barrier. That is, it does not retract into the ground to allow vehicles to pass. Thus, the B³ is not suitable for vehicle roadways or entrances requiring frequent vehicle passage. Instead, we developed the B³ for one or more of the following circumstances:

• You want a barrier system that can be easily upgraded if security conditions change
• You have a limited budget and require a perimeter security system that can be installed in phases over several budget cycles
• Your perimeter security is more or less permanent, but you need occasional vehicle access (such as for construction, maintenance, or VIP vehicles)

The B³ system consists of four components:

1. An in-ground socket into which the bollard is inserted
2. A family of bollards with different vehicle stopping power ratings, all of which fit into this same standard socket.
3. A cover plate for the socket if no bollard is installed
4. A trim ring to finish off the top of the socket when a bollard is in place.

Here are some of the typical ways you might use the B³ system:

Install sockets and cover plates during construction — or as the first phase of a security system upgrade — then add the bollards later on. Install sockets and cover plates and keep the bollards in storage, installing them in the sockets if security conditions warrant (VIP visitor, specific threat, etc.) and removing them when the need passes.Install sockets and low stopping power bollards (or even dummy bollards), and then replace the bollards with higher stopping power ones if security conditions change. Install the system in those locations where you might need occasional vehicle access, and you can tolerate manual bollard removal.Install the system in locations where aesthetics are important, and use one of over 250 colors. Or use our digital finishing process to complement your facility's architecture by making the bollards look like granite, marble, polished steel, or virtually any material. B³bollards are goodlooking, aesthetic vehicle access control barriers.