Until now, we have focused on home security, where a Smart Lock is more than enough. But what happens when our field of action is a professional space?
In an office with 20, 50, or 100 employees, using physical keys is an administrative nightmare (and a huge security risk). Keys are lost, employees leave, and there is no record of who entered the Server Room at midnight.
This is where Access Control Systems come into play. As engineers, we design these systems to control who gets in, where they get in, and when they get in. Let's see what components such a system consists of, what the locking mechanisms are and, most importantly, what cables you should anticipate when renovating your office.
A typical, professional system consists of 4 main parts:
Depending on the type of door (wooden, aluminum, glass) we use different locking technology. Here we come across two critical terms: Fail-Secure (Stays locked if power goes out) and Fail-Safe (Unlocks automatically if power goes out).
It is the mechanism that goes into the door frame, directly opposite the "tongue" of the lock. Where it fits: In classic wooden doors or aluminum doors. How it works: When we give it power (usually 12V DC), it releases its "lip". So you can push the door without turning the knob. Security: Usually set as Fail-Secure*. If the power goes out in the building, the door remains locked from the outside (protecting the space). From the inside, the knob always opens it mechanically.
It is a huge electromagnet that is screwed to the top of the case, while a metal plate (armature plate) is screwed to the door leaf. Where it fits: Ideal for heavy, glass entrance doors (Securit) or fire doors. How it works: As long as current is applied (usually 12V or 24V), the magnet "pulls" the plate with enormous force (often 300 or 600 kg of holding force). No man can push it open. * Security: It is mandatory Fail-Safe. If the power goes out, the magnet is deactivated and the door opens freely. This is critical for safe evacuation in the event of a fire.
How does the employee "prove" his identity to the Reader?
The classic solution (plastic cards or key fobs at 13.56 MHz). They are cheap but can be given to a colleague (Buddy punching) or copied if an encrypted protocol like Mifare Desfire is not used.
Absolute safety, since the finger is not borrowed. However, in Europe there is strict GDPR legislation for storing employee biometric data.
The modern trend. The employee has the digital key on their mobile phone (in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet). He simply holds his phone closer to the reader.
If you are preparing a new office, the Access Control wiring must be done at the plasterboard stage. Wireless systems are not recommended here for stability reasons. All cables start at the door and end at the Central Controller (Star).
What cables do we drop per door:
This is where the biggest mistake is made by unskilled installers. If you put a Magnetic Lock on a central escape exit, you create a "death trap" in the event of a fire if employees panic and can't find the exit button.
The law (and the common sense of engineers) dictates: The current (supply) that feeds the electromagnets must pass through a Relay of the Central Fire Detection Panel. When the fire alarm goes off in the building, the fire panel instantly cuts power to the locks. All building doors are automatically released for unimpeded evacuation.
In addition, next to the door (from the inside), there is always a green emergency break button (Break Glass), which cuts the current to the magnet mechanically, bypassing any electronic Controller.
Access Control transforms your office from a simple space to a controlled infrastructure. Know who's in, deny access to sensitive rooms, and add/remove permissions in seconds with a click. If you plan to install it, correctly predicting the wiring (lock current, UTP reader and connection to the fire detector) is 90% of the success of the project.
Next Step: We solved the office issue. We now return to home (and small business) security, to solve the problem of "What if I didn't run wires when I built the house?".
We continue in one of the biggest revolutions of the last decade: Modern Wireless Alarms (eg Ajax Systems): Reliability, battery life, anti-jamming and connection to a Signal Receiving Center (SRC).
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