Clearview National April 2017 - Issue 185 | Page 107
HARDWARE& SECURITY
Electromechanical evolution
» » JEFFREY BENNETT, COMMERCIAL
Leader for Allegion in the Middle East, Africa
and Turkey, discusses why we are seeing a
convergence of electronics into mechanical door
hardware.
‘Electromechanical’ is still quite a new
term in the door hardware industry, and the
convergence of electronics and mechanical
hardware that has given rise to this word’s
popularity in the industry has only recently
truly taken off.
What we are seeing now is security, facilities
and buildings managers valuing this technology,
customising their door access controls so it is
unique to their buildings and operations, and
making it a necessary addition to the safety and
security of buildings and occupants.
But why has this perception changed? And
exactly what has happened to cause this change
in the way of thinking about these products?
The first reason is that technology is
becoming more relevant to the vertical markets
it is targeting and, as such, an evolution with
these products is taking place – in quite a rapid
fashion, too.
When electronics first burst onto the scene
of mainstream door access and control, they
were viewed more as gadgets as opposed to
something that offered real substance. The
consensus around the market was that it made
your building look and feel more aesthetically
pleasing if your occupants could swipe through
a door with a keycard or transponder, but
realistically, mechanical lock and key would
essentially do the same job. Mechanical locks
also seemed like more affordable options, due
to the high outlay of wiring and ‘first systems’
costs.
Cycle forward to today’s world,
however, and things are much different.
The constant development of electronics
married to the take-off of the Internet of Things
(IoT) has led to real and tangible benefits and
solutions, while costs have gone down. Wireless
solutions are in abundance, battery life is ever
improving and easy retrofitting is the name of
the game currently. Return on investment has
never been higher – not just in monetary terms,
but in security and safety terms, too.
Take for example the SimonsVoss access
control systems: They have been developed to
give door access at the tap of a button from our
web app, timed access scheduling plus remote
door lockdown. You can immediately see how
electromechanical has gone way beyond just
aesthetics and focused more on how to help
raise security and control.
The internet and wireless technology
has, of course, created new possibilities and
that is the second reason why the trend of
electromechanical convergence has taken place
– there is much greater control and scope for
development. Whether access is scheduled or
in real time, information can be tracked and
security can be reviewed to improve processes.
In the event of a breach, that breach can be
addressed immediately.
In areas like the Middle East,
where security is an everyday concern
and buildings (particularly new commercial,
public and hospitality buildings) are of high
value, it is even more imperative that door
hardware intelligently delivers building
security.
Access points and panic exit points, such
as staff-only entrances, are particularly
vulnerable given the number of people that
can be cycling through these areas every day.
That’s why products like the Briton 571 EL,
which brings the two functions of access
control and panic exiting together, have been
born.
The world is getting more complex,
so we at Allegion will continue to lead
in electromechanical convergence and
innovation. Dave Petratis, Chairman,
President and CEO of Allegion puts it quite
succinctly: “Electromechanical convergence
doesn’t mean we’re asking customers to
completely convert to electronic security
products – we’re encouraging them to use
electronic solutions to complement their
mechanical. We’re discussing both mechanical
and electronic to balance the physical security
needs with unique applications that are
secure, cost-effective and convenient to use.”
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