When talking about access control, two segments are distinguished, each specialized according to the components: the mechanical and the electronic. However, most companies in both industries in many cases are unaware of the full scope of both mechanical and electronic products and solutions to achieve complete access control.
by José Luis Ordoñez*
In the near future in an antique store, a child finds a small piece of metal with a certain figure and a hole in the center, when he asks his mother she tells him that this is called "Key" and that in the past that was the most popular way to secure doors of all kinds. The boy found it very difficult to imagine that this was something similar to the biometric equipment they used in their time.
This anecdote would seem remote, but the reality is that it must be just around the corner. It is shocking that the convergence between both worlds (the mechanical and the electronic) is already taking place today to control access. And although it is difficult to believe it for people in the electronic environment, for the most part the mechanical part is still indispensable mainly when talking about vital or risky accesses since you can count on a very sophisticated electronic system but it must always be supported and / or complemented by the mechanical part.
Background
By way of making a general distinction of both worlds, it is worth mentioning that it is not so simple since there are many shades of gray where certain equipment can be mechanical, electronic or even both. It is precisely these points of convergence that makes the 2 sides of the coin (both types of companies) talk and interact day by day, so it is prudent to make a very general overview of both worlds. Let's clarify that it is not the reason for this article to expose conscientiously each of the components of the two types of access control but rather to highlight the points of convergence.
Overview of mechanical access control
This sector has a huge number of products but in general and speaking of the commercial and non-residential market (to simplify the comparison) we have mechanical solutions such as doors with their respective frames of all sizes and materials, through an endless number of locks and bolts of different technologies; there are also the door closers with their wide range of models and needs.
We can not leave aside the panic bars with their respective variants, without forgetting the hinges and other miscellaneous that are indispensable and that are often not taken into consideration until they require in the projects. All these equipment with their different standards, grades and norms are what make up the mechanical universe among many others, which for space are not mentioned and are equipment that we need to contemplate for both mechanical and electronic Access Control.
Overview of electronic access control
Here it is necessary to first make the distinction that exist today in Electronic Access Control two aspects that are physical and logical access control.
Of the main equipment to mention we can talk about controllers or control panels, which are sometimes a PC. All of them with a large number of options and scopes from a door to a number of them, we can not leave aside their necessary network interfaces, reader, communication, expansion among many others that they need; also indispensable are readers whether magnetic stripe, RFID (Proximity or Smartcard), contact chip, barcode, biometric fingerprint readers, hand, iris, veins, facial recognition, among many more, some of them need their counterpart that would be cards, tags, key chains, etc.
It should also be taken into account the large number of peripherals that are required for its operation such as electromagnets, plywoods, turnstiles, electronic locks, release buttons, sensors, vehicle barriers, power sources, among many others.
Current convergence in access control
This sector of Access Control is one of the fastest growing in recent years due to its great versatility, comfort, convenience and convergence with other systems both in the area of security and in the area of Human Resources, maintenance, IT, etc. And it is that this system is being taken in many projects as a basis when talking about integration with other systems due to its nature and interaction with all users on a daily basis.
To talk about convergence or coincidence that is one of its synonyms, in Access Control we can talk about that there are devices that do this function of belonging to both mechanical and electronic worlds.
* The "wildcard" device par excellence between the mechanical and electronic worlds is undoubtedly the electronic lock since it works as an important piece in both parts and is the perfect way to migrate from the mechanical to the electronic world. In European countries such as Germany there is already talk of a percentage close to 50% of sales in electronic locks in companies that were traditionally mechanical.
* Another equipment that is frequently used in both markets is undoubtedly the door closers that although it is an invention from back in 1880 by Lewis C. Norton (LCN), it is an indispensable item to keep most of our doors closed. Today there are many brands, models and functions, even some of them with electrical or even electronic parts. It is important to emphasize that no matter how good the equipment you have contemplated for the control of a door in the electronic area, the basis that must be broken is to ensure that the door remains closed.
* The emergency bar is another team that was born more than 100 years ago (1908) and was created by Carl Prinzler, Henry H. DuPont and Vonnegut (Von Duprin) following a misfortune in a theater in Chicago. And that was born clearly mechanical today there are electrical and even electronic, among many models and technologies. It is clearly a basic component when we talk about a commercial Access Control.
* Of course when we talk about Access Control the frame of reference par excellence is a door and that is why this device must always be the first to be foreseen for any Access Control project and not only it if they must not contemplate both mechanical and electrical and electronic devices.
Summary
We can say that the convergence in Access Control requires by its very nature and by the demand of the end user that the professionals who are dedicated to this branch know at least in a general way the points of convergence to explore the best alternatives.
At a commercial level such as schools, corporations, hospitals, stadiums, governments, universities, cinemas, etc. The market trend is that from the security that Access Control carries moves around the desire for convergence and integration between mechanics, electronics, physical security, IT, the physical and the logical or virtual.
Different international studies and market trends show us what the future scenario of Access Control will be and it must have the following elements at least:
* Integration and full and non-partial interoperability with security systems and new IT technologies.
* Growth of electronic solutions (hand in hand with IT) versus mechanical ones.
* Access Control as an investment and soon return on it.
So in a visionary way it can be glimpsed that the "key" talking about the symbol of the mechanical area will continue to be the queen as a synonym of security in the very short term, however it will lose market against electronic solutions, proof of this is the amazing growth of biometric solutions that are so requested today, where for example firms such as Frost & Sullivan have carried out a new assessment of the global biometrics market that predicts an increase from US $ 4.49 Billion, in 2010, to US $ 14,685 Billion in 2019, to cite a tangible example.
*José Luis Ordoñez is part of the Security Technologies office in Mexico City of the company Ingersoll Rand.
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