Start with daily use
Answer four questions before you speak to anyone: what moves through the bay, how many times a day it cycles, who controls it, and what happens to your operation if it is stuck. Those four decide the door, the operator, the controls, and the maintenance interval — and most people are out by a factor of two on the cycle count until they actually count it.
Specify the operator with the door
A stronger motor will not rescue a bad door; it will just fail more expensively. Have the balance, weight, track, controls, safety devices, and emergency release looked at as one system, because that is how they behave in service.
- Cycle volume
- Door weight and lift type
- Control station
- Safety devices
- Emergency release
Use maintenance to protect uptime
Set your intervals by counted cycles rather than by date. A calendar interval over-services the quiet bays and under-services the one you cannot afford to lose. And ask for what was found in writing — that record is what justifies a planned replacement in next year's budget instead of an emergency one this year.