From movement to management: Self-powered locks for evolving needs

The power and cost-efficiency advantages of wireless over wired access control devices are now widely understood, reports ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions EMEIA.

Battery-powered locks and smart key systems consume less energy in managing access than equivalent mains-powered wired solutions. They are less invasive to install and generally cheaper to maintain.

However, energy-harvesting digital locking takes this ‘wireless advantage’ even farther: It consumes no power at all at the door.

With smart key-based digital access built on this technology, lock electronics harvest energy from the thrust and/or turning of a key.

Kinetic energy from the keyholder powers secure communication between credential, device and the access system software.

They do not require batteries or cables – or any external electricity source.

These energy-harvesting solutions combine the familiarity and convenience of key operation with the intelligence and flexibility of digital access management.

“However, to meet the challenges of the future, these digital access solutions also need smart, flexible software platforms,” explains Joachim Mahlstedt, Chief Commercial Officer DAS at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions EMEIA.

“These must grow and adapt with evolving operational and strategic needs, protecting the organisation’s investment while delivering the ROI over the long term.”

Energy-harvesting solutions with flexible, intuitive software

Built on decades of expertise in locking cylinder engineering, PULSE from ABLOY brand is a smart key-based digital access solution powered by energy-harvesting technology.

The kinetic energy generated when inserting the smart key is harvested into power for the lock’s encrypted digital security – eliminating the need for batteries or wiring.

The PULSE range includes door cylinders, padlocks, furniture locks, key deposits and cam-locks.

In addition, ABLOY PULSE smart keys incorporate an RFID chip, so they can unlock both any PULSE device and openings secured by digital readers.

Users only carry one credential with all their access rights, whatever the opening.

To enhance site security and user privacy, PULSE credentials are powered by Seos, the latest generation of technology with the highest encryption and authentication standards.

Both keys and cylinders are reusable and reprogrammable, so managing staff turnover becomes faster and simpler for facilities staff – saving organisations’ time and money.

The efficiency benefits of remote access management

Every ABLOY PULSE digital access system, including keys and access tags, is straightforward to manage from the unified ASSA ABLOY Access platform.

This intuitive, cloud-based solution enables facilities managers to administer access from anywhere.

It is scalable on demand, future-proofing investment and enabling businesses to deploy a whole range of keyless access solutions in combination with their PULSE locks.

To learn more about ABLOY PULSE, download a free solution guide here.