Sep 26, 2026Access Control Guides
Controlled Automatic Sliding Door Entrance: A Worked Design Example
A worked design walkthrough for a controlled automatic sliding entrance: how the reader, access controller, electric lock, exit switch and safety sensors are specified and connected on one door.
Automatic sliding doors are widely used in offices, retail stores, hotels, hospitals and other commercial buildings. Automatic opening gives convenient pedestrian access, but many projects also need controlled entry, secure locking and safe automatic operation at the same time.
This article works through a typical project so you can see how access authorisation, door activation, electric locking and safety detection come together as one entrance system.
The Application Scenario
Consider an ordinary office building with an automatic sliding entrance. During working hours employees need convenient access, while visitors should not be able to walk into restricted areas. The project requirements are: authorised staff enter with an RFID card or PIN; unauthorised people cannot activate the entrance; people inside can leave easily; the door stays secured when closed; safety sensors protect pedestrians while the door moves; and the system operates with the existing automatic sliding door operator.
The System, Device by Device
Outside the entrance, an RFID reader or keypad reads the credential and sends it to the access controller. The controller checks whether that credential is authorised at that time, and only then issues an open command.
An electric lock secures the sliding leaf when the door is closed and releases when a valid credential is presented. Because an automatic sliding leaf is not a mechanical door, the lock has to be selected specifically for sliding-door use and for the escape behaviour the building requires.
The automatic door operator receives the open command from the controller and drives the leaf. The operator remains responsible for how the door moves; the access system only tells it when to move.
Inside, a touchless exit switch or push-to-exit button releases the door for people leaving, so that free exit does not depend on carrying a credential.
Why Safety Sensors Are Still Necessary
Access control decides who may open the door. It does nothing to protect someone standing in the path of a moving leaf. Presence and safety sensors detect people in the door area and hold the leaf open until the area is clear.
This is why an access control reader is never a substitute for a safety sensor. The two functions are different and both are needed on a controlled automatic entrance.
A Typical Configuration
Outside: RFID reader or keypad, feeding the access controller, which drives the electric lock and issues the open command to the automatic door operator.
Inside: a touchless exit switch or push-to-exit button for people leaving the building.
At the same time: safety and presence sensors connected to the door operator, holding the leaf open whenever someone is detected in the door area.
Where This Configuration Is Used
The same pattern appears in many building types. Office buildings control staff entry while keeping exit free. Retail stores separate public frontage from stockroom access. Hotels restrict back-of-house areas. Hospitals emphasise hygienic touchless activation and reliable presence detection. Each project changes the devices, but the structure stays the same.
What to Confirm Before Installation
Confirm that the door operator accepts an external open command, that the wiring can reach both the reader and the lock, that the electric lock suits a sliding leaf, that the exit device is on the correct side of the door, and that local fire and escape requirements are satisfied.
Confirming these points before ordering avoids the usual installation problems: a reader that cannot speak to the operator, a lock that holds an escape route, or safety sensors that were treated as an optional extra.
Frequently asked questions
Can one controller manage both entry and exit?
Yes. Many controllers support an entry reader and a separate exit device, and can be configured for free exit, controlled exit, or controlled in both directions depending on the project.
Do sliding doors need a different lock from swing doors?
Yes. The lock must suit a leaf that slides rather than swings, and the choice between a magnetic lock and an electric bolt should follow the escape requirements that apply to the building.
Will adding access control stop the door opening automatically?
It changes how the door is triggered rather than how it moves. With access control, the door opens when the controller issues a command after a valid credential, instead of on general approach detection.
Building This System With AURWEN
AURWEN supplies access controllers, motion and presence sensors, safety sensors, touchless switches, push buttons, keypads, remote controls, electric locks and automatic door accessories, with long experience serving international automatic door customers.
If you are planning a controlled automatic sliding entrance, tell us your door type, the credentials you want to support and the local escape requirements, and we will help you define a suitable configuration.
