If locks haven’t been your first consideration in physical security projects—they probably should be. Mechanical and electronic locks are critical components for protecting the premises from intruders and segmenting a visiting population by access permissions.

Still considered an integral first line of defense in physical security, locks are versatile, with many configurations. They have fully entered the smart category with mobile credentials and real-time management and control through cloud connectivity. Sustainability can also be part of the equation, with products that reduce power consumption and reuse existing infrastructure.

The possibilities for mechanical and electronic locks keep expanding and are worth exploring as added revenue in physical security projects.

Mechanical locks are sleek, high-tech devices that offer fortified security with aesthetic appeal. They offer a host of shapes, styles, finishes and other options. They’re suitable for a variety of openings—for example, deadlocks can secure narrow-stile aluminum and glass doors.

Mechanical openings can make the switch to electrified configurations to provide a valuable and necessary upgrade path for customers’ future needs. These products provide a viable path to adding more advanced technologies when customers are ready. For example, battery-powered keyless entry for deadlocks, deadlatches and exit devices can often transition to contactless card readers and mobile credentials for increased door protection, accountability and access control security.

Electrified openings have improved with better hardware strength, compact footprints and energy-efficient operations. Wireless is more viable than ever with longer, stronger signal range; complete encryption from end to end for cyber-secure openings; and faster transmission speeds for complete communications coverage.

When high-traffic, high-security openings are part of the project, electromagnetic locks may be the best bet. Electrified trim allows users to reuse their existing mechanical locksets, and electrified deadbolts/deadlatches can be easily integrated into an access control system for new connectivity possibilities. Like other physical security products, moving to electrified openings takes an evaluation of the user population and traffic, as well as codes, regulations and other local or national building requirements.

Upgrading options

Digital technologies also make it easier and more cost-effective to upgrade exterior openings from mechanical locks to keyless, electrified and wireless options. Here are some examples:

• Openings can be electrified quickly with an electric strike. These components can also be integrated into an existing access control system with a card reader or keypad.
• For ease of egress, touch sense devices operate electromagnetic locks with a light touch and may serve specific market needs.
• Adding an exit device paired with existing trim and an electric strike, or an exit device with electric latch retraction, is an easy upgrade.

Interior spaces also present a wide range of possibilities. Even glass door designs, which are increasingly popular with architects and designers, can maintain their aesthetics while keeping openings secure. Consider these options for interior doors:

Mount electromagnetic locks with glass door brackets at the door header, along with a keypad or card reader.

Use wireless readers for glass entrances, which eliminate visible wires and the need for a separate control pedestal.

For style and security, consider surface- or recess-mount digital locking systems, which have the latest touchscreen technology and keyless access control.

Cloud connectivity continues to enhance these and other physical security products as users move to locks with mobile credentials or integrate with other parts of the system such as video surveillance, detection and environmental sensors and intercoms. Cloud adoption in the physical security industry has been gradual but is now accelerating across many product categories. The future for most physical security solutions appears to be a blend of on-premises and cloud-based solutions, according to a report from Genetec Inc., Montreal, “State of Physical Security 2024.”

Think about expanding the customer’s footprint with the wide range of locking products available. For example, storage rooms may deploy simple offline keypad locks while data centers or healthcare, pharmaceutical or other sensitive rooms can deploy online Wi-Fi and wireless locks for recordkeeping and accountability.

The security industry is expanding its own boundaries, and much of that is the result of digital transformation, integration between formerly disparate products and standardized communications. Get familiar with the wide range of locking and access control products that can provide easy upgrade paths for customers, expand projects and drive them to greater profitability.

shutterstock / New Africa