For a long time, we have always searched for ways to protect our property. One of these methods used for hundreds of years is by using a lock and key. This security measure is perfect for keeping unauthorized people from going into sensitive areas and deterring thieves from stealing.
Depending on the situation, physical locks and keys have an Achilles heel to them — they can be forced open. A determined trespasser would know how to open the lock by picking the locking mechanism or even hitting the lock in a certain way. Because of this, you might be looking to improve your security, Which you can do by installing a Magnetic Lock.
Details About the Magnetic Lock
Before heading too deep into this article, you may want to know what a magnetic lock is. A magnetic lock (maglock) is a device that uses low-power electricity (usually 12VDC or 24VAC) to power an electromagnet that keeps the door closed. This locking mechanism also includes an armature plate where the electromagnet sticks during operation.
- Magnetic Lock Holding Force
Both the magnet and armature plates have a large enough surface area that allows this lock to withstand tremendous force. In some cases, the strongest maglocks can withstand forces close to 3000 pounds. In general, however, your average maglock is most likely able to handle around 1200 pounds of force
- Power Supply Requirements
While the lock itself runs on 12 or 24 volts, it should include a power supply unit that runs off of 120V that you can connect to your main electrical supply.
Maglocks are considered a fail-safe device. Essentially, when the lock doesn’t have power, it will deactivate. While this is amazing in situations where you don’t want to lock yourself in, it also presents a security issue. If anyone ever wanted to break in, all they would need to do was to shut off all power. For this reason, you should have your maglocks on their circuit and breakers with backup power supplies to prevent unwanted break-ins.
Benefits of Going Magnetic
No More Dealing With Physical Locking Mechanisms
Physical locks usually mean you’d also have to deal with physical keys, which may present several issues.
As mentioned earlier, crooks may find ways to pick the lock open. In some situations, a picture of the key would let them create forged keys quickly. Another problem you may encounter is employee turnover. If you’ve given out keys to your employees for access to certain areas, you may begin to worry that they had unauthorized copies made.
You’d need to change your locks to secure your facility in both cases. With maglocks, changing out keys won’t be necessary since the locks rely on keyfobs or swipe cards for access. Because of this, you can disable these devices within minutes, giving you total control over site security.
Durability and Adaptability
Mechanical devices are prone to wear and tear and need regular maintenance and lubrication. However, magnetic locks are less prone to breakage since they rely on electronic devices and magnetism.
If you ever need to increase the security, maglocks usually come with a way to adjust the current going to the magnets. If you want the lock to increase its grip, you’d need to increase the current going to the magnets. This flexibility gives you total control over how much punishment you want your locks to endure before breaking open.
Magnetic locks are so adaptable that you can even find them in places such as Magnetic Access Doors that combine ease of use and aesthetics in one package.
Conclusion
With maglocks, you can control who gets access to what areas without spending big on key-cutting. The maglocks are naturally strong and can increase or decrease their locking strength on the fly. With this, Maglocks are the perfect solution if you’re looking for ways to gain total control over building security.
