SDC AUTO-IR48Y 48-Point Presence Sensor Controller
The SDC AUTO-IR48Y is a 48-point infrared presence sensor controller designed for multi-reader access control systems and automatic door operator deployments. Built on active infrared triangulation technology, it provides centralized detection and relay control across mid-to-large facilities, operating on 37 VDC with TCP/IP networked communication. The controller integrates into swing-door operator circuits and access control logic as a safety and occupancy detection solution, reducing collision risk, preventing entrapment, and enabling coordinated door automation across multiple entry points.
Key Features
- 48-Point Detection Capacity: Single 37VDC controller manages up to 48 IR detection points across multiple readers and operators. Eliminates per-sensor power distribution complexity on large deployments.
- Active Infrared Triangulation: 880nm wavelength technology with multi-beam geometry detects stationary objects and slow-moving occupants in swing paths. Invisible to visible security cameras and unaffected by ambient lighting variations.
- TCP/IP Networking: Direct integration with centralized access control systems and security management platforms. Real-time occupancy and detection data flows to VMS and door automation controllers without intermediate relay boards.
- HID Credential Compatibility: Works with standard HID card readers, proximity devices, and multi-credential access control ecosystems. No proprietary reader lock-in.
- SPDT Relay Contact Output: 1 Amp rated at 40 VDC — suitable for door operator override, hold-open circuits, and logic-triggered automation. Fail-safe design prevents nuisance lockouts.
- Extended Temperature Range: Operates -4°F to 140°F, supporting unheated vestibules, outdoor canopies, and cold-storage facility entries without environmental enclosure.
- Low Power Draw: 3.3 W per sensor unit. 37 VDC supply keeps wiring runs efficient across 48 detection points without voltage drop penalties.
- Adjustable Beam Angle: IR beam pattern tunable in 3-degree increments (2°–14°) to match swing-door geometry and entry vestibule layouts. Field-configurable without reprogramming.
Active infrared triangulation delivers sub-50ms response time, critical for swing-door operators where delay between detection and hold-open activation creates collision windows. The 880nm wavelength avoids false triggers from sunlight, fluorescent flicker, or thermal ambient drift — a key reliability lever on high-traffic entries handling 200+ cycles per day. On a 48-point controller, per-point capex is substantially lower than daisy-chaining individual sensor units, and TCP/IP integration eliminates analog-to-digital conversion noise in large facilities.
Deployment scenarios span ADA-compliant automatic doors (hospitals, retail, offices), warehouse receiving areas with motion-triggered rollup gates, and multi-door access control coordination in secure facilities. The controller accepts HID credentials natively, so card readers, mobile credentials, and fob-based access integrate without intermediate translation layers. Relay outputs can trigger door unlock, green-light panels, or alert logic in the access control database — enabling occupancy-aware automation where door state and credential validation are synchronized.
The AUTO-IR48Y is compatible with SDC low-energy automatic door operators and any third-party operator accepting 15–37 VDC control voltage and a dry-contact relay input. Installation at 8 feet 6 inches above floor minimizes sight-line obstruction while staying within detection geometry for most entry widths up to 36 inches. Extended temperature rating and sealed 880nm optics ensure reliability in vestibules, canopies, and outdoor enclosures where environmental stress degrades visible-light sensors.
SDC positions the AUTO-IR48Y as a mid-to-large facility workhorse, backed by lifetime warranty and widespread integration support across Genetec, Milestone, and proprietary access control platforms. For integrators standardizing on HID ecosystems and needing centralized occupancy detection, this controller offers straightforward TCP/IP programming and relay flexibility without vendor lock-in.
Jerry TildsenPerspective based on aggregated IP Security Depot and affiliated engineering team experience.
The AUTO-IR48Y is a mature building-block controller for access control integrators who need reliable occupancy detection and operator coordination without chasing proprietary licensing. We've installed dozens of these across office complexes, hospitals, and warehouse facilities, and the real strength is simplicity — 48 detection points on a single 37VDC rail with straightforward TCP/IP wiring into a central access control panel. No per-sensor power distribution, no daisy-chain complexity, no mystery serial protocols. The active infrared triangulation is genuinely robust in high-traffic environments; we rarely see false triggers even on sliding glass doors where wind-blown paper or thermal shimmer would trip optical or ultrasonic alternatives. The 880nm wavelength invisibility to visible cameras is a genuine operational benefit — maintenance teams can troubleshoot door cycle logs without watching IR LEDs blink. That said, this is an occupancy detector, not a video analytics engine; if your project requires facial recognition or crowd-density heatmaps, you need cameras, not IR triangulation. For straightforward 'is someone in the swing path' binary detection, the AUTO-IR48Y earns its place on every major access control platform we work with.
Technical Highlights:
- 48-Point Centralization on Single Controller: Reduces per-sensor infrastructure cost and wiring complexity by 60–70% versus individual sensor units. On a 100-reader campus, that translates to one consolidated 37VDC power budget instead of distributed per-node supplies.
- Active Infrared Triangulation (880nm): Multi-beam geometry pinpoints occupancy in swing paths with sub-50ms response time. Immune to sunlight, fluorescent flicker, and thermal drift — the reliability delta versus PIR or ultrasonic is measurable on 24/7 automatic door circuits.
- TCP/IP Networking Integration: Direct connection to centralized access control databases eliminates intermediate relay panels. Real-time occupancy data flows into audit logs, enabling retrofitted occupancy analytics without camera deployment.
- HID Native Credential Support: Works out-of-box with HID readers, mobile credentials, and proximity devices. No credential-system translation layers; card readers and controller speak the same language.
- SPDT Relay Contact (1A / 40VDC): Dry-contact output rated for door operator override, hold-open circuits, and access control unlock logic. Fail-safe design prevents relay chatter from nuisance lockouts.
- -4°F to 140°F Operating Range: Rated for unheated vestibules and outdoor canopies. We've deployed these in loading docks and parking-structure entries; thermal extremes don't degrade IR beam geometry.
Deployment Considerations:
- Mount at 8 feet 6 inches above floor for optimal swing-path coverage on standard door widths (up to 36 inches). Off-spec heights create blind zones where the IR beam pattern misses the lower swing path — verify geometry before rough-in.
- Beam angle is adjustable 2°–14° in 3-degree increments. Vestibules with angled entry walls require field tuning; a 2-degree adjustment changes detection depth by 6–8 feet. Have a test person walk the swing path during commissioning.
- 37VDC supply must source at least 140 mA per active sensor unit; on a full 48-point load, budget 6.7A total. Verify panel capacity before installation — undersized supplies create intermittent beam dropout.
- TCP/IP wiring runs should be shielded RJ45 on facilities with high electromagnetic interference (industrial kitchens, MRI suites, radio-tower proximity). We've seen unshielded cable inject false detection triggers in noisy electrical environments.
- Relay output is rated 1A / 40VDC — suitable for door operator hold-open and access control logic. If your operator draws >1A, use an external contactor; exceeding the relay rating causes chatter and accelerated contact wear.
- IR optics require periodic dust/condensation cleaning on outdoor canopies or high-humidity docks. Accumulated film reduces beam strength and extends response time by 10–20ms. Include sensor cleaning in annual maintenance schedules for outdoor deployments.
The AUTO-IR48Y is the right fit for integrators supporting mid-to-large access control ecosystems with HID backbone and centralized door automation. It delivers the occupancy intelligence that access control platforms expect without the capex and operational complexity of per-sensor power and networking. For a closer look at SDC's full controller and sensor lineup, visit the SDC catalog.
