NC Electronics

 

 

Access control

 

 

Say goodbye to the conventional key!  With burglaries happening every few seconds, controlling who has access to your home or office is a key factor in the prevention of theft of merchandise and information. Apart from keeping unwanted people out, access control systems are a great way for monitoring the time habits of your personnel. With properly selected and installed Access Control Systems, you have the ability to "close off" restricted areas from all individuals who do not have the necessary security clearance.

 

Access control systems can reduce premise liability by keeping unauthorized individuals out of restricted or sensitive areas. It can help control and document access to sensitive or high value areas of your commercial industrial facility while mitigating theft and reducing premise liability—and enhance the overall safety of your workplace. Controlling internal theft of inventory and assets is important, as these incidents occur even during operational hours. You can manage access to various areas based on business need, such as specifying entry to precise areas for drivers, cleaning staff, administrative personnel and management. 

 

Access Control Systems can range in complexity from a simple card reading system to a multi-level access control system with comprehensive software and multiple components controlling access to external as well as internal doorways.

 

Basic Components of an Access-Controlled Door

 

READERS

 

The Reader is located outside the protected or secured area, usually on the handle side of a door, but, depending on your application, can be installed on poles, mullions and other locations. The reader is the method of identification, either by an 'Access Card' and/or a PIN code. Access readers come in two basic concepts: Proximity and Magnetic-Stripe, and both can include a keypad for entering a PIN. Here are two examples, but remember that readers come in many shapes, sizes and configurations.

 

Proximity card readers produce a magnetic field that surrounds the device. When a proximity card is passed through this field, a coil in the card "energizes" a transmitter that modulates the magnetic field. The card’s identification is interpreted by the reader. No physical interaction is required between the card and the reader.

 

Magnetic Stripe readers are similar to your bank or credit cards. A stripe of magnetic material is impregnated on the card and is encoded with the identification data. The reader "reads" this data as you swipe the card through the slot on the reader.

 

LOCKING DEVICES

 

The locking device is, of course, very important to Access Control. These devices need to be as or more secure than a typical door lock. Locking devices also have to meet Fire and Safety codes. The most common locking devices are the Electric Strike and the Electromagnetic Lock.

 

Electromagnetic locks use a very efficient electrical magnet to keep the door closed. The large "magnet" is installed on the doorframe, and the "plate" is installed on the door. Though the electromagnet takes very little power, it has a very strong holding power, requiring several thousand pounds of pressure to open. These locks are used where control of entry AND exit is required.

 

An Electric Strike is installed in the doorframe, where the latch bolt is located. The 'keeper' remains locked in place, which keeps the door closed and locked. When the strike is energized, it releases the keeper, allowing the door to be pulled open. This type of strike does NOT prevent people from exiting, only entering, and therefore is not subjected to the same degree of fire and safety regulations.

 

DOOR STATUS DEVICES

 

The door status device’s function is to simply report if the door is open or closed. The panel processes this information accordingly. Magnetic door contacts, just like the ones used in burglar alarm applications, are used for this purpose.

 

REQUEST TO EXIT DEVICES

 

The Request to Exit device is located on the inside of the protected door. Its primary function is to advise the system that a person is leaving through the door. The purpose of this action is to bypass the door status input (more on this later) so that the opening of the door will not cause an alarm condition. In the case of an Electromagnetic lock, it will also release the door. These devices come in a variety and shapes and forms, though the most popular is the motion detector type.

 

The Infrared Motion detector works similar to a motion detector used in burglar alarm applications; they detect movement by measuring changes in infrared heat energy. These units are designed to detect movement within tight parameters in front of the door, so that people passing by are not causing the device to trigger. No intervention is required by the person exiting.

 

The Exit Button, located near the door, requires the person exiting to actively intervene in the exiting process. This applies with high security applications, or where incidental pedestrian traffic would make a motion detector inappropriate.

 

Biometric access 

 

While traditional access control systems might prompt a user to provide a proximity card or a smart card to gain access to a protected resource, a biometric security system requires the user to present their fingerprint (or other biometric) to the system, which is then matched against a stored image to verify the user's identity. Biometric access control systems tie a unique physical attribute of a user to the data that they are allowed to access. The most common biometric access systems use fingerprints, but these systems can also use iris and retinal scans, hand geometry, and facial recognition technology. Biometric technology represents a significant security advancement because it physically proves an individual's identity.

 

PANELS

 

The access control panel is the heart of the access control system. It is here that access decisions are made, not at the front-end computer. This is referred to as a "distributed database architecture," in that all user and access data is stored in all panels within the system. Most panels have connections for readers, door locking devices, door status inputs and request to exit inputs. All panels will communicate with the software computer by means of communication loops, TCP/IP network protocols and/or a combination of both, depending on requirements.

 

Control access to sensitive areas on your premises for maximum security control. NC Electronics offers a spectrum of access control security technology including proximity reader, biometric access control, magnetic access control, keypad access control, card reader and electronic key.

 

Protect your business and workforce with effective access control solutions. Let us at NC Electronics custom design the optimal security solution suited to your business, and adequately service your commercial access control, so you can fully concentrate on business.