Solutions
What We Do
We fabricate iron gates and automate them, we install phones and intercoms, we install city-block sized camera systems, retrofit complicated access control systems, build fiber networks and head-ends for communities, and a lot more. We have the expertise to accomplish multi-faceted jobs across many industries. Our decades of install and service experience allow us to attain a professional quality for a broad range of equipment and software, from perimeter to interior.
How We Do It
Our goal is to meet the customer’s needs, first and foremost. Whether a project is design built by us or if we are doing takeoffs from your plans, we look for the details that impact longevity and ease-of-use. We’re not looking for the up-sale or unnecessary add-ons, we position ourselves opposite to contractors who are change order artists looking to make a quick buck. We believe honest good quality work will keep us busy. CG Systems strives to best match your requirements with efficiency and practicality in mind.
For Who & Where
Commercial / Retail / Schools & Universities / Federal Facilities / Airports / Healthcare / Small Business / Industrial / High Rise / Multi-Family / Apartments / HOAs
Jump to Section
Access Control
Telephone Entry
Visitor MGMT
IP Cameras
License Plate Recognition
Networking / Wireless
Our Process
Example Project completed by CG Systems for General Dynamics SATCOM, located in Torrance, CA.
Gate & Iron Work
The Fab Shop
California Gate started in the fabrication shop over three decades ago. New installs & replacement gates go through the iron shop to ensure the precision & hardiness required for automated gate systems to function well. Engineering a gate project involves detailed planning and hard-earned experience, and there’s a lot to anticipate when it comes to gates: we know what works, and we’ll tell you if it doesn’t. We design, fabricate & install many types of vehicle gates, pedestrian gates to match, and wrought iron fencing.
Gate Installations
Careful planning is needed for a smooth gate installation, with or without automation. We think of wind loads, post footing depth and thickness of the steel, load calculations, hinge type; it’s also important that a project meets ASTM F2200 and UL325 standards for anti-entrapment. Cities require permit and drawings for automated vehicle gates: we can take care of that part for you, as well as give you an informed idea if a city will allow automated gates at your property at all. Whether you need a swinger or slide gate, bi-parting or a single gate leaf, or if you’re concerned about rust on the California coast, reach out and we’ll help. We are a general contractor, but we subcontract for specialty and uncommon designs, such as laser cutting, glass components, or custom wood / metals.
Wrought Iron Steel
Woodclad
Laser Cut Steel
Wood Inset
Specialty Metal
Glass Inset
Gate Automation
Gate automation takes precision to work, and every job is different. So we our managers and techs are trained with a different mindset. We don’t sell a gate frame or a motor as products, we sell our workmanship and decades of experience in thousands of installs and servicing across Southern California. See below for types of operators we use and the types of automation we can do.
Barrier Arm Operators
We install and maintain barrier arm operators at police departments, distribution centers, airports, military bases, business parks, hospitals, and community entries. Depending on the scenario, we can provide operators & concrete work, heavy-duty crash barriers, barrier & spike unit combos, signage & lighting, and articulating or custom arms.
Swing
Slide
Tandem
- All-O-Matic
- DoorKing Systems
- EPS
- FAAC / Magnetic
- Federal APD
- HySecurity
- LiftMaster
- Maximum Controls
- Viking
Rollup
Overhead
Access Control
RFID Vehicle Antennas
RFID is used in all kinds of ways in access control: one of the most common is the toll roads and FastTrak. CG Systems uses lower powered readers, typically by Infinity RFID. These readers are essentially a larger pedestrian/ mullion card reader, connected to the same control panels, but built for vehicles. If you want to open your gates without clicking a button or rolling down the window and swiping a fob, this is the way to go. Destroyed-upon-removal “tags” are attached to vehicles (we help you with this too) and allow for access controlling communities, distribution centers, parking structures. Bulk quantities of tags tend to be cheaper than remote clicker transmitters.
Fob/ Card Readers
To us, the words “access control” bring up an image of swiping a fob on a reader. Card readers are the go-to for pedestrian access control. These systems have significant benefits: you have tracking & management of users—but also you won’t need to replace expensive locksets / keyways / metal keys. Reports for residents, guests, vendors, and employees can be built to view entry and exit logs, database changes, set security levels, holiday schedules, and more depending on the system. Formats and communication standards abound—Weigand vs OSDP, MIFARE, 125Mhz, iClass, NFC—Choice of reader depends on site layout, quantity of access points, network availability, personal keypad codes, vehicle access integration, spa / BBQ / fireplace / lighting controls.
Telephone Entry / Intercom Systems
Among the numerous brands and types of phone / intercom systems, the classic telephone entry system (TES) most are familiar with is the DoorKing 1837. Intercoms are usually used in junction with a guard, concierge, receptionist, while TES units are usually designed for guest-entry and resident access control. The product we use depends on the job circumstances: number of access points, database management, reader or camera integration, number of users, and so on. We can setup IP video stations, simple 2-wire intercoms, or guest entry phone systems for your property.
Server Hosting / Database Management
Pay Parking / Parking Guidance
- Pay Stations
- Electronic Signage
- Guardhouse Installations/ Lane Configurations
- Barrier Arms & Automation Controls
Visitor Management Systems
IP Camera Systems
24/7 Surveillance
Keeping an eye on your property with clear HD cameras can help identify criminals or trespassers. There’s also a preventative aspect to having commercial quality IP cameras adorning your property’s perimeter. We design camera systems to effectively capture problem areas and choke points while maintaining a cost-effective solution. Difficult remote locations can quickly increase the cost due to long cable runs and line-of-site wireless networks. A well designed system will provide an extremely high quality live and recorded video image.
Camera Resolutions
- 700TVL ≈ 0.4-megapixels ≈ 976 x 494
- 1.3-megapixel ≈ 720P ≈ 1280 x 720 pixels
- 2-megapixel ≈ 1920 x 1080 pixels
- 3-megapixel ≈ 2048 x 1536 pixels
- 5-megapixel ≈ 2592 x 1944 pixels
- 5-megapixel ≈ 2592 x 1944 pixels
- 8-megapixel ≈ 3264 x 2448 pixels
Camera Types
- Dome Cameras - fixed lens or motorized
- Bullet Cameras
- Box Camera with Interchangeable Lens
- Panoramic - Multi-Lens
- Fisheye - 360-degree views
- PTZ Cameras - Pan-tilt-zoom
Note that pixels is in terms of size or resolution and doesn’t indicate quality. Camera sensor, noise software, noise reduction, dynamic range, and lenses all greatly impact image clarity.
Network Video Recorders (NVR)
NVRs are the new DVRs, to put it in layman’s terms. They’re built for IP cameras with hardware to handle video at larger resolutions & bandwidth (video cards and processors do most the work).
A Video Management Software (VMS) is the primary interface a customer will manage their IP Camera System. It’s worth considering the VMS in terms of the practical use of the system by the end-user. Common complaints of lower-end systems are that they aren’t intuitive and finding a recorded event is time consuming. Higher-end VMS cost more but are worth the better user experience and serviceability.
Camera / Access Control Integration
A single server and interface for cameras and access is a useful technology integration we implement for properties with sizable systems. It can be done for any size project, but this integration involves combining access points and overview camera locations (ideally, in the design phase), which opens up more insight when managing a property. Depending on the software, we can setup an interactive camera and access locations that can show a reader entry display the video clip from the camera location.
License Plate Recognition (LPR)
LPR Cameras
License Plate Recognition (LPR) cameras are specialty cameras specifically designed to record images of vehicle license plates. LPR cameras are required when license plate capture is desired at night because of the challenges created from vehicle lights. LPR cameras are unique in having extremely high shutter speeds, as well as software settings to compensate for the harsh lighting conditions caused by vehicle headlights and taillights.
Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
LPR cameras can also be used in conjunction with OCR software that translates the images into text to catalog. This software is generally utilized to meet a few primary uses, depending on customer requirements. Cross referencing existing database of customer authorized vehicle license plates can be done, or integration with another database (generally for access control). Transaction reporting/analysis for activity reports can also be utilized. Any LPR and OCR system that accurately captures and translates 90% of license plates or higher is considered a very good system.
Networking Solutions / Wireless
Technology is a ubiquitous part of our lives, and underneath it all is the network infrastructure that allows for remotely controlling hardware. For our solutions to be integrated and managed easier, adept networking skills are necessary. Whether it’s fiber or copper, wireless IP, Wiegand, RS485, we’ll put together a plan for efficient and reliable infrastructure for whatever you’re trying to build.
Some of the items we consider for a network are shared bandwidth capability of the IP network, potential network disruptions, network security, physical infrastructure, trenching, boring, conduit, poles, line-of-site views; each scenario is different and so we will come prepared.
The IP Network must be designed to meet the all the data requirements on the network with a variety of infrastructure options:
Fiber Optic Cabling – Single Mode or Multi-Mode (inside or wet location rated)
Twisted Pair Copper – Cat5E or Cat6 (inside or wet location rated)
Wireless IP Network – Point to Point or encrypted Wi-Fi
Bandwidth Required – 100MB, Gigabit, 10 Gigabit
Future Expansion Capability of Network
Structured Cable / Low-Voltage Systems
Fire Alarm
Fire alarm systems are also included in our repertoire as the industry is often adjacent to the work we do. Installing large amounts of low-voltage cabling and hardware can be integrated into certain access systems as well. If you have a large cabling project and don’t want to juggle multiple contractors then we’d be happy for you to let us handle it.
Audio-Video Systems
Make no mistake, two-wire audio wiring doesn’t mean A/V is easy; matrix switches, zoning setups, indoor/outdoor speakers, wireless speakers, modern touchscreen interfaces, all add complexity to what it takes to integrate audio-video for a project.
DAS / Mesh Networks
Distrubed Antenna Systems (DAS) is a network of wireless antenna nodes across an area to more effectively deploy, in our usual circumstances, access and camera hardware. We have deployed mesh networks for effective surveillance coverage on apartment buildings, expansive beach and park Wifi systems.
