Megadoor lowers costs in cold climates

Bombardier Aerospace is a world leader in the design, manufacturing and support of aircraft for the business, commercial, specialized and amphibious markets. They are headquartered in Montréal, Canada and employ over 30,000 people in a global manufacturing base. Bombardier has the most comprehensive aircraft portfolio and holds the number one position in business and regional aircraft. Since 1997, Bombardier Aerospace has installed over 80 Megadoor hangar doors at five different manufacturing centers around the world.

Megadoor’s first project with Bombardier was in Wichita, Kansas at the Lear Jet facility. In 1997, Lear Jet planned to build a new preparation, paint facility and delivery center, utilizing a design/build process. The design/ build team along with the local Megadoor distributor investigated utilizing the vertical lifting Megadoor to reduce the size of the facility. They quickly realized that by installing the Megadoor system they could eliminate the space consuming sliding doors pockets, greatly reducing the building footprint, which translated into substantial capital investment savings. In addition, the design/ build team was impressed by the excellent seals of the Megadoor. They found that the low air infiltration seals allowed the HVAC systems in the prep and paint booths to work more efficiently; furthermore, the seals minimized the introduction in the paint process of particulates that could require costly rework.

Shortly after the installation of the Megadoor system in Wichita, Megadoor personnel were introduced to the Manager of Bombardier’s facilities in Montréal. He was actively searching for alternative hangar door systems that would work reliably in the Montréal winters. The Facility Manager liked the Megadoor concept, but was somewhat skeptical about the door technology and wanted to visit a nearby installation. So the Facility Manager and a team of engineers visited the Megadoor system installed at an Air National Guard. After seeing the door in action and listening to the base civil engineer describe how pleased they were with the Megadoor performance in the cold, snowy winters, they decided to specify Megadoor for a project. Bombardier was so impressed that they decided to install nine Megadoor systems on their new Completion and Delivery Center in Dorval where customers receive their new Challenger or Global Express jets.

As Bombardier’s production facilities in Dorval expanded, they continued to specify Megadoor. The facility designers were eager to take advantage of the more compact and efficient designs that the vertical lifting Megadoor makes possible. The operations managers were extremely happy with the energy efficiency and reliability of the Megadoor during the cold winter months. Therefore, the next facility expansion in 1999 for the production of Challenger Aircraft in Dorval incorporated 19 Megadoor systems. In 2000, Bombardier constructed the Mirabel facility for production of their commercial regional jets. This facility incorporated twenty six 3-part Megadoor systems for all aspects of production.

Megadoor continues to be a proud supplier of large door systems at Bombardier’s manufacturing facilities around the world.

Benefits:

• Space Savings – Megadoor systems require virtually no side room, enabling architects to place individual production bays directly adjacent to each other. In addition, the Megadoor operates in a vertical plane, so ramp space in front of hangars can be minimized as compared to hydraulic or tilt-up doors, which require a no parking safety zone in front of the hangar door. Together, these features enable architects and process engineers to design compact facilities that maximize return on investment through lower capital investment, facility maintenance, energy costs and production material handling.
• Cold Weather Performance – Megadoor understands that if a door does not open when required, it can delay production and customer deliveries with huge financial consequences. Originally developed near the Arctic Circle, in Northern Sweden, the Megadoor has earned the reputation over the last 30 years as the best cold weather door on the market for large openings. Since Megadoor systems operate vertically, they do not need the floor tracks, required by bottom rolling doors, which commonly fill with ice during winter months, hindering operation. Also, since the system operates vertically in the same plane, you do not need to plow the snow in front of the door before opening it, as required by bi-fold or canopy doors. Ice does not accumulate on the Megadoor exterior surface as it does on conventional doors, because as the door fabric flexes in the wind or folds during operation, the ice just flakes off. Lastly, the Megadoor will not freeze to the ground like other door systems that can be severely damaged if forced openwhile locked in ice.
• Energy Efficiency – With over 100 Arctic and Antarctic installations, the Megadoor has proven to be the most energy efficient hangar door in the world. 80% of energy loss on a closed hangar door is attributed to air infiltration around poor seals. With its dramatically superior seals, the Megadoor reduces this air infiltration more than any other door. In addition, the vertically operating Megadoor systems are faster than other hangar systems, enabling Bombardier to quickly open and close a Megadoor for aircraft production movements. This minimizes the loss of conditioned air, keeping the technicians comfortable and accountants happy.
• Life Cycle Support – Megadoor is proud to have built the world’s largest network of independent and company owned distributors and service providers in the large door industry. In Montréal, Les Portes JPR provides 24hr service with a response time of less than one hour to Bombardier’s Dorval and Mirabel facilities. They perform quarterly maintenance on all the Megadoors to ensure maximum reliability and proactively address small maintenance issues. In Wichita, Overhead Door Company/Hangar Door Company provides similar services to the Lear Jet facility. In addition, Megadoor supports our distributors and end-users with 24-hour technical assistance, expedited parts delivery and six travelling technicians.
• Aesthetics – The clean lines of the Megadoor complement modern architecture, distinguishing it from the common hangar door. The systems were chosen to enhance the customer experience of the stylish Challenger and Global Express delivery centers where owners receive their new jets.

Megadoor Provided: