Mechanical Locking Hardware Archives - Kenton Brothers Systems for Security

From Legacy to Leading Edge: A visual journey through the evolution of security technology

October 9, 2024/in Access Control, Commercial Security, Cyber Security, Mechanical Locking Hardware, System Design and Consulting, Video Surveillance/by Gina Stuelke

By Gina Stuelke, CEO of Kenton Brothers

Back in 2008, our industry experienced a significant convergence event joining physical security and IP based networks onto a common platform. This was a major shift away from the disparate systems we had become accustomed to. That seems like such a long time ago! Today, we are involved in another convergence event involving physical security and cyber security.

The two pyramids in the images below represent the technology stacks used by Kenton Brothers, with each layer reflecting the progression of security technologies and how our offerings have elevated over time.

Kenton Brothers 2008 Technology Pyramid

1. Base Layer (Mechanical Locking Hardware): Traditional, physical locking systems.
2. High Security Cylinders and Masterkey System Implementation: The introduction of advanced physical keys and locks.
3. Legacy and Stand-Alone Access Control and Analog Video Surveillance Systems: Initial electronic security measures, such as standalone access systems, video surveillance and analog technologies.
4. Network-Based (IP) Access Control and Video Surveillance Systems: The shift to internet-based systems, improving remote access and integration.
5. Integration Services: Combining different systems (video, access control, etc.) for better coordination and ease of use.
6. Hosted and Managed Services: Outsourcing and cloud-based security management to external providers.
7. Video Analytics: Using software to analyze video data and identify suspicious activities automatically.

Kenton Brothers 2024 Technology Pyramid

1. Base Layer (Security Policies and Procedures): Security begins with robust organizational policies and procedures, a foundational aspect in modern security systems.
2. High Security Physical Hardware: Continues from previous physical security technologies but is more sophisticated.
3. Detection: Active detection systems for unauthorized access or incidents (includes sensors, alarms, etc.).
4. Access Control: Advances in access control technology (includes biometric and smart credentials).
5. Video Surveillance: Video monitoring remains central, but with higher resolution, better storage, and cloud integration.
6. Analytics and AI Support: Modern video surveillance includes AI, improving event detection and proactive analysis.
7. Cyber Hardening: Reflects the growing importance of cybersecurity, securing systems from hacking and digital threats.

What are the comparisons in technological advances?

Shift from Analog to IP: Over the last decade, analog systems (present in the first pyramid) have largely been replaced by IP-based systems, which allow for higher quality video and easier integration into larger networks.
Integration of AI and Analytics: Modern systems (second pyramid) emphasize the use of AI for proactive security management. This shift moves beyond video analytics to AI-supported threat detection, reducing human workload and improving accuracy.
Focus on Cybersecurity: The first pyramid lacks any mention of cybersecurity, which has become essential in modern security infrastructures due to the increasing threat of hacking. Cyber hardening in the second pyramid highlights this critical evolution.
Increased Use of Cloud Services: The second pyramid also reflects advances in cloud technologies for video storage, processing, and real-time analytics—leading to more flexible, scalable, and manageable systems.
Detection Technologies: Detection is more advanced in the second pyramid, likely including smarter sensors and automated systems integrated with AI.

Security systems have evolved from primarily physical and standalone solutions (first pyramid) to highly integrated, AI-driven, and cyber-secure ecosystems (second pyramid). These technological shifts have led to more automated, efficient, and intelligent systems capable of responding to modern-day security threats.

Has your commercial security stack been in place for a long time? It may be time to take a good look to make sure you are keeping up with the aggressive changes in technology. And if you need help, please give us a call!

Hold On To Your Keys with Key Management Software and Key Tracking Boxes

August 7, 2024/in Mechanical Locking Hardware, System Design and Consulting/by Ryan Kaullen

By Ryan Kaullen, Field Services Manager at Kenton Brothers

A major part of key control and building security is keeping track of your keys. That can happen in many ways including Key Management Software, Electronic Tracking Keys boxes, and risk contingency plans. All of these can work independently from each other, but also work well together. In this article, we will explore each option and how they can help you manage your keys.

Key Management Software

Key Management Software, especially for larger companies, schools, and companies with multiple locations is a powerful way to keep track of all the keys floating around. The Key Management Software solution that we install and configure for our clients has the following capabilities:

Track Key issued by User.
Date Issued.
Date Expected to be returned. (Perhaps you issue a key to a vendor and that vendor will have it for a week, so you set when it should be returned, and if it is not an alert will be triggered.)
What Doors the key works with.
Department / Floor/ Bldg / etc. the key is tied to.
Users can add in building maps to view floor plans of doors.
No more tracking keys issued on paper and clipboards.
And More!

Understanding from the start who keys are issued to is critical in securing a facility. If that person leaves for any reason, and you don’t know what keys that individual has, and the keys are not returned, it can cause a major security problem and expose you to financial risk. This is why Key Management Software is a good solution.

Electronic Key Tracking Boxes

Over the past decade, companies within the physical security industry have come out with electronic key tracking boxes. The idea is to secure physical keys, manage who issued keys, and make sure keys that are taken are also returned. The electronic key management boxes we install include the following features:

Manages who can access the box.
Manages what specific keys that user can have access to.
Integrates into a lot of access control platforms via licenses.
Alerts can be set up if a key is not returned.
Allows the ability to only issue keys as an add needed basis versus individuals always carrying keys.
Helps control who is allowed in certain areas.
And More!

Electronic Key Tracking Boxes can really help cut down on the number of issued keys, who has access and to where, who can get keys, and they also work hand-in-hand with Key Management Software for a facility.

Risk Contingency Plan

So, what happens when a key is lost? Stolen? This is going to happen at some point, and having a plan is crucial to mitigating risk, liability, and minimizing financial implications. Setting up a master key plan to help minimize risks is very important. Having a trusted locksmith partner who can come in and rekey the locks affected and using Key Management Software is a winning combination.

To learn more about these key management solutions and how we can help you take control of how you are issuing and tracking keys, please give us a call!

Why are door closers so important and how do they affect the security of my building?

June 5, 2024/in Access Control, Mechanical Locking Hardware/by Ryan Kaullen

By Ryan Kaullen, Field Services Manager at Kenton Brothers

It is important to understand that door closers play a pivotal role in the security of your buildings and helping keep spaces secured. What are some of the features door closers offer? Are there different types of grades on door closers?

The simple task of a door closer is to help make sure that when a door opens, it closes and helps with door latching when it returns. Door closers serve other safety and security capacities such as helping maintain the fire-rating of fire rated openings, preventing damage and wear to other door hardware, and helping doors to close quietly and not slam shut. Door closers are vital to the integrity and safety of an opening. Do not overlook them!

What are some of the features door closers offer?

Door closers offer security and safety as mentioned above, but can also offer building environment benefits as well. You may ask, “What do you mean by building environment?” Just like at your house, when a door isn’t closed your home becomes susceptible to the elements, bugs, unwanted visitors, etc. The same is true for the doors at your workplace. By adding a door closer to applicable doors, you are helping with all of these scenarios.

Preventing damage is another great feature door closers offer. Door closers slow the closing of a door and help them securely latch by pulling the door shut. Damage can come in several forms, including damage to the opening itself or even injury to a person as they are using the opening. By preventing slamming, door closers lengthen the life of the door, the frame, and other door hardware on the opening.

Door closers also offer different options in regards to functionality of a door such as wider degree openings, hold open options, longer arms, heavier duty arms, and more. When evaluating the door and type of closer needed, it’s important to evaluate what the opening is typically used for to help select the right grade, which I will get into later, and any specialty features needed. It is also important to remember that the features we’ve talked about so far are just some of the major benefits door closers offer.

Grades of door closers

Just like other door hardware, door closers also come in different grades and standards for the type of opening they are being installed into. For instance, an exterior opening that sees a lot of foot traffic during the day should have a Grade 1 closer whereas a closet internal to the building that may be used rarely may not need a Grade 1 closer. A Grade 2 closer would be sufficient in this instance.

Grade 1 vs. Grade 2 also comes down to industry standards for cycle count efficiency (how many times that door can be opened before the closer fails.) Grade 1 closers offer double the cycle efficiency of a Grade 2 closer. This is another reason it’s so important to understand the usage/foot traffic the door is going to see in a day. Grade 1 closers cost more than Grade 2 closers, but you need to look at the situation to determine the investment. If one of your doors has a ton of foot traffic every day, and you opt to go with a lower grade closer, you will be replacing it sooner (and more often) than a Grade 1 closer. Often, Grade 1 closers are the better long term financial decision.

When it comes down to selecting a door closer, it’s important to pick the right closer for the given application. Safety and security play a huge role in this decision. Kenton Brothers installs hundreds (if not thousands) of door closers every year. Our Security Consultants can provide insight and industry best practice suggestions for your openings to help you pick the right door closers. Give us a call to discuss!

Commercial vs. Residential: Not All Door Hardware is Made the Same

May 22, 2024/in Access Control, Commercial Security, Mechanical Locking Hardware/by Ryan Kaullen

By Ryan Kaullen, Field Services Manager at Kenton Brothers

One of the biggest requirements that our clients have is their employee and customer safety. This goes hand in hand with the door hardware that is being used. I am going to compare two things in this article; Commercial Grade Hardware vs Residential Grade Hardware and Grade 1 Hardware vs Grade 2 Hardware. All have their proper applications and it’s important to understand when and where they should be used.

Commercial Grade Hardware vs. Residential Grade Hardware

Commercial grade hardware is built to withstand areas with higher amounts of traffic than residential buildings require. Essentially what you put on your home isn’t the same as what goes on the front door of a highly used commercial space. Along with commercial hardware being heavier duty, most commercial buildings have specific requirements when it comes to meeting certain specifications such as UL Listings, ADA compliance, or other life safety conditions.

Residential hardware is made for homes where they won’t get as much wear and tear. Some businesses have used residential hardware in their spaces, but this causes several issues.

1) Warranties by the manufacturer of the residential hardware can be voided because it’s installed in a commercial space.
2) They won’t hold up and will need to be replaced frequently.
3) They don’t meet the life safety requirements of many commercial buildings.

Installing the correct hardware on commercial buildings is incredibly important. The hardware lasts longer, helps with safety and security, and keeps you in compliance.

Grade 1 Hardware vs. Grade 2 Hardware

When you dig deeper into commercial grade hardware, there are two levels you really want to look at: Grade 1 and Grade 2.

Grade 1 hardware not only meets building requirements for commercial spaces, but it also provides a higher level of security, withstands heavy usage and helps guard against vandalism. Grade 1 hardware can be used anywhere but on exterior openings. They can also be used in doors that protect rooms containing items of high value like IT closets.

Grade 2 door hardware meets light commercial requirements and is a level above residential door hardware. These locks are great for offices, closets and other applications that don’t require heavy usage. Grade 2 hardware is more economical compared to Grade 1, but will last longer than residential hardware.

When selecting the grade of hardware for your facility, your choices may vary from door to door. The type of usage and other factors play into these decisions. It is extremely important to understand where the different grades make good choices. If you have any questions, please reach out to Kenton Brothers so we can help with your facility needs!

Which ADA Operator is right for my business?

March 13, 2024/in Access Control, Commercial Security, Mechanical Locking Hardware/by Ryan Kaullen

By Ryan Kaullen, Field Services Manager at Kenton Brothers

An ADA Operator is a device that you install on a door to make it suitable for people who need help opening and holding open a door. ADA Operators come in many styles, offerings, and sizes to help meet the needs of a facilities openings. Operators can be integrated to work with a company’s access control platform and can be set to work on specific schedules.

The question becomes which ADA Operator is right for my business?

First let’s discuss some of the common type of ADA Operators.

Low-Energy Operators, Power-Assist Operators, and Full Power Operators are some of the most common types. Each of these Operators are made for a specific purpose:

Low-Energy Operator

A Low-Energy operator allows users of all types of mobility to select either manual operation or automatic operation of the door.

Power-Assist Operator

A Power-Assist Operator uses a motor driven mechanism inside the device to open and close the door, it senses the presence of a person trying to open the door and assists them in doing so.

Full-Power Operator

Full-Power (Or Energy) Operators use more energy to quickly open the doors with a higher amount of force. They use sensors, guide rails, have variable closing speeds, and other internal tools to help at the opening.

Access Control Integration and ADA Buttons

Next let’s discuss the integration of the operators.

Kenton Brothers installs hundreds of Operators each and every year, and a large portion of these are integrated with our customer’s access control platform. The benefits are simple: They can be controlled via schedules, they work in tandem with physical door hardware to keep your facility secure, they allow employees and or patrons with mobility issues to gain entry at correct times, and the operators become an integral part of the building design.

I also wanted to mention ADA buttons.

ADA buttons can be hardwired, wireless, and wave actuated. Button selection is determined by many things including wire paths available; do you want people touching the buttons or not, location of buttons, and aesthetics. Buttons also come in different sizes depending on the available space in the location where they will be installed.

If you have any questions regarding ADA Operators and how they can fit into your facility’s safety and security methods, please contact one of our security consultants to learn more.