DescriptionThe Samson Adone is a premium industrial and commercial specification double-skinned, steel, insulated folding door system. Designed primarily for external openings, this highly adaptable folding door is manufactured to suit various structural apertures, available with either a single-direction fold or a bi-parting double leaf arrangement.
The system is distinguished by its top-hung design, which eliminates the need for a bottom floor track. This "trackless" floor configuration ensures an obstruction-free threshold, making it ideal for facilities requiring smooth forklift traffic or where ground tracks would be vulnerable to debris and damage.
The standard double skinned steel panel features a 52mm depth and can be manufactured to substantial dimensions - up to 11.5m wide and 6m high in this specification. (For even larger openings, our Apollo door system offers enhanced structural capabilities). The Adone's robust construction ensures security while the insulated core delivers thermal efficiency essential for modern commercial buildings.
Advantages & Operational Flexibility
A folding door offers significant advantages over traditional industrial roller shutters or sectional doors. The Adone allows for partial opening; users can fold back just one or two leaves for pedestrian access without exposing the entire building interior to the elements. This feature preserves internal temperatures, reducing heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer.
Folding Door Opening Configurations
90-Degree Folding
Leaves fold perpendicular to the opening, sitting inside the building. This is the standard configuration for maximizing clear drive-through width where internal wall space is limited. |
180-Degree Folding
Leaves fold flat back against the internal wall. This option provides a completely clear opening free of obstructions, ideal for tight manoeuvring areas. |
Pedestrian Access & Wicket Doors
For facilities requiring frequent foot traffic, the Adone offers superior personnel access solutions:
- Dedicated Traffic Leaf: Depending on the leaf configuration, the leading panel can serve as a full-height pedestrian door.
- Wicket Door Insert: A pedestrian door can be built directly into a full-sized panel. This can be a "cut-in" wicket door or a full-width panel sectioned at pedestrian height.
Both options allow staff to enter and exit easily without operating the main door system, extending the mechanism's lifespan and maintaining building security.
Manual & Electric Drive Options
Manual Operation:
Most Adone doors are specified as manually operated systems. The high-quality top-hung roller system ensures that even large doors are effortless to manoeuvre once the locking mechanism is released. With no bottom track to accumulate dirt or friction, the door glides smoothly, making manual operation practical for most daily use cases.
Electric Operation:
For larger installations or high-frequency use, electric operation is available for both single and bi-parting configurations. The chain-driven automation system is robust and reliable, placing minimal stress on the drive motor.
- Motors: Single and three-phase options available based on door size and usage cycles.
- Controls: "Hold-to-run" (deadman) control is standard for safety, given the multiple pinch points inherent in folding doors.
- Safety Compliance: All electric systems are fully compliant, utilising rubber seals and gap-sizing to prevent finger entrapment. Advanced safety edges and sensors can be specified for automated or remote-control operation in public areas.
Colours, Finishes & Glazing Options
The Samson Adone allows for extensive customisation to match corporate branding or architectural requirements.
Panel Finishes:
Choose between a Stucco Embossed (textured) or Smooth front face finish.
Standard Colours & Woodgrains:
A wide range of standard RAL colours is available, alongside premium laminated woodgrain effects (e.g., Golden Oak, Walnut) for a sophisticated aesthetic. We can also price for special colours where required to suit specific needs. External face and internal face colours can be different to suit the client's requirements on site.
Glazing & Ventilation:
The 52mm panels can accommodate various window inserts to improve natural light and visibility:
- Round (porthole), square, or rectangular double-glazed windows.
- Full-vision aluminium framed sections for maximum light ingress (creating a "fully glazed" appearance).
- Ventilation grilles can be integrated for buildings requiring airflow (e.g., substations or plant rooms).
Fixed Panels:
Stationary matching panels can be incorporated to fill wider structural openings or create a side-pass door, ensuring a uniform appearance across the building façade.
Maximising Internal Building Space
The Samson Adone is engineered for facilities where internal space is at a premium. Its unique folding mechanism provides significant spatial advantages over alternative door types.
- Zero Internal Tracking: Unlike sectional overhead doors, the Adone requires no internal ceiling tracks, leaving your roof space completely clear for lighting, crane hoists, or tall racking systems.
- Minimal Headroom Required: The compact top hung roller mechanism allows the door to be installed in openings with highly restricted headroom.
- Workflow Efficiency: Because the door opens horizontally, vehicle drivers have full visibility of the clearing aperture instantly, allowing for faster, safer entry and exit compared to vertically rising doors.
Low Maintenance & Long-Term Reliability
One of the primary reasons businesses choose the Adone steel folding door over traditional roller shutters is the dramatic reduction in maintenance requirements and operational downtime.
- Trackless Floor Design: Without a bottom floor track, there is no risk of debris buildup, forklift damage, or water pooling, the leading causes of industrial door failure.
- Minimal Moving Parts: Unlike roller shutters that rely on complex internal spring mechanisms, folding doors utilise heavy duty, easily accessible hinges and top-hung rollers, resulting in far less wear and tear over thousands of cycles.
- Even Weight Distribution: The top hung system spreads the weight of the robust steel panels evenly across the aperture, preventing structural sagging and ensuring smooth operation for decades.
UK Safety Standards & Compliance
Safety and legal compliance are critical when specifying heavy-duty industrial doors for the workplace. The Samson Adone folding door system is fully compliant with all current UK safety regulations.
- UKCA & CE Marked: Fully certified to meet all UK and European safety directives for industrial doors (EN 13241 compliant), providing peace of mind for site managers and building owners.
- Anti-Finger Trap Protection: Built in 50mm safety gaps between folding leaves, filled with heavy duty EPDM rubber seals, completely eliminate pinch points during operation.
- Fail-Safe Mechanisms: Manual overrides and reliable locking mechanisms ensure the door remains secure and operable even during power failures.
ApplicationSmall, medium and large openings where headroom might be an issue and internal tracking is a problem. Folding doors offer a great degree of flexibility in how the door leaves are arranged to suit site restrictions. Folding doors offer insulated double skinned panels and are great for any openings which are not required to be opened very often, but where pedestrians access frequently.
Example of measuring diagram for Adone 4+4 configuration
Example of measuring diagram for Adone 4+1 configuration
Example of measuring diagram for Adone 2+4 configuration
InstallationSamson Doors offers complete flexibility in how you purchase and install the Adone folding door system. We can supply the door on a supply-only basis for self-installation, or provide a comprehensive survey and professional installation service throughout the UK.
Supply & Installation Options
- Supply Only: Ideal for experienced contractors or builders who prefer to manage their own installation schedules. Complete installation manuals and technical support are provided.
- Full Survey & Installation Service: Our experienced installation teams can conduct a site survey, advise on the optimal configuration, and complete the full installation to CE compliance standards.
Pre-Order Process
Unlike off-the-shelf products, every Adone door is made to measure. Our technical team will guide you through the specification process to ensure the door is correctly configured for your application.
- Initial Consultation: We discuss your opening dimensions, usage requirements, colour preferences, glazing options, and whether manual or electric operation is most suitable.
- Technical Drawing: A full manufacturing drawing (including elevation and section views) is produced for your approval before production begins. This drawing shows panel arrangement, opening direction, fixing points, and all critical dimensions.
- Manufacturing: Once the drawing is approved, the door enters production. Lead times vary depending on specification and current order book (typically 4-6 weeks for standard configurations).
Installation Requirements
The Adone is a top-hung system, which simplifies installation compared to traditional folding doors with floor tracks.
Structural Requirements
- Head Fixing: The top track must be securely fixed to a structural lintel or steelwork capable of supporting the full weight of the door. The track exerts concentrated loads at the bracket positions, so adequate structural integrity is essential.
- Headroom: Allow a minimum of 150mm above the clear opening height for the track and trolley mechanism.
- Side Room: When the door is fully open, the folded leaves will occupy space along one or both sides of the opening (depending on configuration). Calculate side room as: (Number of leaves × 52mm) + 150mm clearance.
- Floor Condition: As there is no bottom track, the floor must be level and smooth to ensure even leaf alignment. A tolerance of ±5mm across the opening width is acceptable.
Installation Sequence (Overview)
- Track Installation: The galvanised steel track is fixed to the head structure using the supplied brackets. Ensure the track is perfectly level using a spirit level or laser.
- Trolley & Panel Assembly: Trolleys are attached to the top of each panel. The panels are then lifted into the track sequentially, starting from the leading edge.
- Hinge Connection: Panels are connected via the die-cast aluminium hinges. Hinge pins are inserted and secured.
- Floor Guide Adjustment: The adjustable floor guide (parking position) is positioned and fixed to maintain leaf alignment when the door is closed.
- Locking Mechanism: Lever bolts, floor bolts, and locking handles are fitted and adjusted for smooth engagement.
- Final Checks: The door is operated through several cycles to confirm smooth movement, correct alignment, and effective sealing.
Documentation & Support
Every Adone door is supplied with:
- Detailed step-by-step installation instructions (with exploded diagrams).
- Maintenance handbook outlining lubrication schedules and adjustment procedures.
- CE Declaration of Conformity.
- Technical support hotline for installation queries.
For complex installations or sites with challenging access, we strongly recommend our professional installation service to ensure full compliance and warranty validity.
