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Software-driven intelligence provides users with options that were unavailable with previous standalone products
Standalone locking products, powered by electronic components and made more adaptable with built-in software, are bridging the gap between basic lock and key offerings and more sophisticated networked access control systems.
Electronics is at the heart of this trend combining smart systems with standalone locks, said Tom Harris, vice president-product management for YSG Door Security Consultants, Charlotte, N.C. "It's a complementary trend for the locking business," he said, adding, "It provides what people need - a higher-value product."
The addition of software-driven intelligence gives users some options they didn't have with previous stand-alone products.
Programmability translates into flexibility, noted John Schum, vice president-sales for DynaLock, Bristol, Conn. He said putting sophisticated microprocessors on board a locking system, such as a delayed egress door lock, can allow users to provide critical security and life safety functions while also complying with differing local codes.
The applications that drive these systems "have advanced by leaps and bounds," commented Mike Groves, vice president at Federal Lock & Safe, Arlington, Va. Whether tied to an existing access control system or used as a standalone product, Groves said the electronics-based systems address the need "for people to know who is coming and going."
And the fact that the...