There are many things that we take for granted in everyday life, though these are different for every person, they are still part of our daily lives and form part of the things we just don’t have to think about as we go about our daily routines and activities. Something we can all relate to however is automation, especially access automation of things like sliding gates, access controlled industrial high traffic barriers (like those you encounter at shopping centres and airports that allow your vehicle access to and from said spaces), and even garage door motors.

The legacy of Centurion’s commitment is etched in its accolades and achievements. Its products have been showered with accolades like the prestigious SABS Design Excellence awards, attesting to their innovative design and quality. The South African Sustainable Growth Awards bear witness to Centurion’s sustained excellence, with consecutive top-three placements in the 5-year private company category. In 2007, a top achievement arrived with the Entrepreneurs Award, sponsored by Ernst and Young, presented to its Managing Director

Sure, we have to think about them – you need to remember to pay for your parking for instance, and you need to remember your remote to open your gate or garage door – but even these thoughts become automated routines when visiting places like malls. These days one can even pay for your parking at the exit barrier by tapping your phone against a digital interface, simply by using an app with your preloaded credit or debit card details.

When it comes to cutting-edge advancements in such automation, one name stands out on the forefront: Centurion Systems. With a legacy that spans over three decades, Centurion Systems has emerged as a world-renowned force, revolutionising the landscape of automation with their state-of-the-art technologies and innovative solutions that define accuracy and efficiency.

Pioneering automation with uncompromising precision
Centurion Systems has etched its name as an industry leader by ingeniously blending technological innovation with the meticulous demands of automation precision. Their automated solutions are a testament to this commitment, offering consumers an unmatched level of repeatability, and are now available in over 70 countries around the world.

Centurion Systems have recently installed a Hyundai-Wia SE2200LSY slant bed, Y-axis CNC lathe with sub spindle, supplied by Spectrum Machine Tools

Centurion Systems has a large machine shop and machines most of the components used in its products

Established in 1986 by brothers-in-law Pat Dickens and Richard Rohman, the company’s accomplishments are a real family business success story. Both are engineers by trade (Pat an electrical engineer and Richard a mechanical engineer), though Rohman is now the General Manager and Dickens has taken a step back, standing down as CEO in 2019.

Dickens’ wife Anne also played a pivotal role in the business right from the beginning – from being in charge of finances to making lunch for the small team. It was Anne’s father that had prompted the idea of automating access gates by asking Pat to make him a gate controller to operate his electric gate during the first year of business.

“So we designed a battery-operated gate motor, which no one was doing at the time. That’s how we niched ourselves,” said Dickens.

Head of Supply & Manufacturing Carl Du Preez with Plant Manager Zane Richards

Centurion Systems does its own cut-to-size of tube and bar

So, while Pat continued to service UPS and battery equipment during the week, as well as manufacture and build the automation equipment, and before Richard left his day job, the brothers-in-law would install the gate automation equipment on the weekends.

And so the story began, but before long they would realise that they would prefer the manufacturing of the equipment over the installation, and thus made the decision to focus on that and rather sell the equipment to various installers. For about the first five years of business, they would operate from the Dickens’ family home, starting in what was called a Zozo, or garden shed, and gradually they took over more and more of the house including the double garage and even the dining room table. Legend has it that after a rather large scratch was inflicted upon the treasured dining room table, the hint was taken that it was time to find a premises to operate from. And that they did.

Efficiency and innovation define Centurion’s production facility
Fast forward a number of years and Centurion Systems now occupy a substantial shop floor space at their headquarters in North Riding, Johannesburg. The operation consists of a manufacturing facility boasting 20 production lines, categorised into four central areas: The CNC department, essentially the backbone of all the engineering carried out to manufacture the various components for the product lines. A surface-mount technology (SMT) department, where cutting-edge electronics come to life to tell the equipment what to do. An electronics assembly department and a mechanical assembly department where the intricate components converge to form functional components and finished products.

Centurion Systems uses a Fanuc robot to transfer components between two Takisawa lathes

Many different sizes of gears used in the gate motors are machined by Centurion Systems

Over 272 000 sub-assemblies are crafted each month – all of which will be componentry required for final assembly. This equates to an impressive 82 000 finished products per month. A majority of these products are hand-assembled along semi-automated lines, a low-mix -high-volume business.

The in-house design, construction, and upkeep of tools and jigs by the company’s own production-support department allows for an approach that translates into minimal downtime, as machinery and tool repairs are expedited, fostering an environment ripe for innovation in assembly techniques and product creation and testing.

A journey of efficiency: The Workplace Challenge
A number of years ago, Centurion embarked on a transformative journey toward even better production efficiency, an initiative first developed by the Department of Trade and Industry through what is known as “The Workplace Challenge.” This initiative empowers employees to contribute to the business’s decisions, igniting innovation, nurturing leadership, and cultivating workplace skills. The result is a workforce that challenges itself and invests the extra effort to enhance productivity and workspaces, taking pride in their products and the impact they leave on the workplace. Essentially each employee in each department is given the opportunity to work across a number of tasks within their department thereby upskilling themselves as they go. Not only is this a benefit to that employee and the workplace as a whole, but to use a simple example, should an employee not be able to make it into the workplace on a given day, there will be someone who can do his or her job competently, thereby ensuring as little loss of production as possible.

Smaller components that have had various machining operations done

Gears waiting to be sent to assembly

Robotics
One of Centurion Systems’ automation offerings is their in-house robotic solutions. Seamlessly integrating robotics into some of the workflows, these systems have helped redefine efficiency and productivity along the production line. From assisting with loading and unloading for intricate milling operations to increasing overall repeatability of these workflows, Centurion Systems’ robots add an element in speed and consistency. A further strategic infusion of robotics as a strategy for future operations is well underway and this will elevate the facility’s efficiency even further.

The MyCentsys app
MyCentsys Remote allows you to conveniently open and close your gate and/or garage door operator from your phone, and store your preferences for easy navigation. You can also keep an eye on device health, battery status, and mains presence, all from within the app.

Centurion manufactures a wide range of access automation products that include sliding gate motors, swing gate motors, traffic barriers and various accessories, garage door motors, industrial roller shutter operators, various access control devices and intercoms – some of which can be linked to electrical appliances such as gate motors, electric fences and pool pumps – security beams, and a range of accessories. Having all of this integrated into a functional app makes sense.

Other components that have had various machining operations done

Centurion Systems manufactures all of its own DC motion controller boards for its access systems and remotes

Centurion’s R&D: Designing tomorrow, today
The Research and Development (R&D) division houses a team of dedicated engineers driving the evolution of world-class access automation products. The spectrum of skills held by the team ranges from embedded hardware and firmware/software design to power supply and RF/RFID design. The mechanical realm is equally well-covered, with proficiencies spanning 3D modelling, Finite Element Analysis (FEA), and gear design.

Centurion’s approach is its intimate grasp of the intricacies of volume manufacturing. Communication between design and manufacturing ensures that each product is tailored for swift assembly, ultimately culminating in class-leading products offered at competitive price points.

Embracing technological advancement, Centurion has established a remarkable and nearly autonomous Surface Mount Technology (SMT) facility as part of its onsite operations, expertly catering to its myriad electronic controllers. These electronics are after all the brains the components need in order to function.

ISO9001:2015 certified
Centurion’s operations are underpinned by world-class quality assurance. Adhering to the ISO9001:2015 certification, the company’s manufacturing ethos is deeply rooted in precision. Employing bespoke computer-aided tools, Centurion enforces a rigorous 100% test-to-specification process for every product, affirming a high level of quality.

The DC motion controller boards for the access systems and remotes are manufactured in an atmosphere-controlled room on state-of-the-art processing machines that automatically do the soldering and ‘cooking’ of the components onto the boards

An assembly station

Global reach, local touch
With a number of skilled technicians and dedicated sales personnel, Centurion is committed to delivering unparalleled service and support for its products. Anchored by an in-house training facility, the company empowers its clients and its extensive network of distributors and installers that now span across 70 countries worldwide.

A new dawn: FAAC S.p.A joins forces
In 2016, Centurion Systems and global access automation powerhouse FAAC S.p.A united their strengths. This acquisition by FAAC marked a new chapter in Centurion’s journey towards shaping the future of the industry.

For further details contact Centurion Systems on TEL: 011 699 2400 or visit www.centsys.co.za