Southco

Part 1 of a 3-part series on off-highway access components

It might not be a Mercedes, but it just might cost as much! Off-highway vehicles and machinery are not cheap, so security is an obvious necessity. And anyone who has worked with off-highway equipment knows that convenience and durability are also paramount. Southco recognizes the challenges of marrying these features together in reliable, affordable entry door components.

If you’ve operated multiple vehicles on a job site, then you know the joy of multiple keys. Not exactly convenient. Electronic key systems allow operators different access privileges across a large number of vehicles. A key fob, information reader and validation controller all work together seamlessly with Southco electromechanical locks so users can program, add and delete keys with the simple press of a button. Security and convenience in one!

Southco’s actuators and latches are designed to ensure durability and ergonomic comfort in heavy duty vehicles and equipment. Corrosion-resistant products mean you won’t see rust and deterioration, and push-to-close convenience ensures you won't break a sweat struggling to close a squeaking door.

Let’s face it; it’s not always easy to choose the right latch, the right actuator and the right cables. So rather than just offering a latch, Southco offers a complete system. To share your thoughts on entry door solutions or learn more about Southco’s complete system offerings, email us or download your copy of our Design Guide today.

 Coming Next: Part 2— Chassis Components for a Rugged Environment

 

Remote Monitoring Solutions

Part 3 of a 3-part series on Electronic Access Solutions

It might be a simple indicator light or a sophisticated monitoring system. Whatever the choice, a remote monitoring solution is the final piece to a full Electronic Access Solution (EAS).

So how does it work? Let’s take Southco’s H3-EM Electronic Locking Swinghandle as an example. In this scenario, the Swinghandle provides electronic access security to datacenter cabinets. Its integrated sensors and multiple output signals provide data for both local and remote monitoring.  The swinghandle can be integrated with industry standard rack monitoring solutions with a simple retrofit, and the microprocessor-controlled gear motor design ensures minimal power consumption and multi-event status reporting.

The possibilities with today’s remote monitoring solutions are endless. You can provide an electronic “signature” each time a lock is actuated. Combined with a unique input credential, the system can provide the necessary output to networked systems to control and monitor access from any remote location. You can use an EAS with an existing networked control system that is down the hall or across the globe. And we can help.

 If you'd like to get started on an electronic access solution integration, be sure to check out our new EAS Guide. It will walk you through the basic components you will need for your system. Once you know what you want, contact our dedicated design team with your design requirements so we can help get your project rolling!

Atlanta in March – a nice break from the snow and cold! Someone forgot to tell the weatherman, as two inches of snow landed on the Atlanta landscape and caused school closings, business closings, and airport craziness…

Inside the Georgia World Congress Center  people seemed not to notice. HIMSS10 (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) Conference and Exhibition offered networking opportunities and over 300 educational sessions regarding the latest solutions for improving healthcare through IT, including EHRs and HIPPA requirements.

The halls seemed to go on forever, with more than 900 exhibiting companies showing their latest innovations including medical carts, cabinets, software, networks, and security solutions to name a few.   The 27,000+ attendees walked the show, visited booths, played video golf, and Rock Band, and possibly even stopped by the well-attended daily happy hour at a booth I won’t mention by name.

As I walked the show, the applications I saw were endless.  Carts galore – from simple mobile workstations to very complex medication dispensing carts with electronic latching and full audit trail capability – most with Southco solutions! There were also many storage cabinets used for equipment, supplies and medications, again using Southco latches and hinges for a distinctive look and feel. Electronic access solutions seemed of great interest to nearly everyone we talked to as hospitals strive to ensure patient safety and privacy, while keeping medications controlled. On many occasions I found our electronic rotary latches and electronic strikes on applications at the conference. Which makes sense since I have often seen our design engineer’s workstations filled with pieces of medical equipment that they are developing new products for.

As the day went on my legs grew tired and I knew I had to refresh… a quick game of pop-a-shot and a Red Bull later, I was ready to explore again! And what did I find, but opportunities for Southco positioning control technology all over the expo. Ergonomics was on the top of everyone’s mind. The need to position monitors, devices and other medical equipment is vital to doctors, nurses and technicians work and companies are dedicating major resources to improving this area. There was a lot of interest in our new Dynamic Mounting Arm that allows easy positioning of screens and monitors. In addition to the Arm, our positioning control hinges will improve the flexibility of all kinds of medical equipment including wall mounts, cart monitors and even hand-held medical devices.

Well, I must close now… there is a lot of follow-up to be done for this fantastic show. Hope to see you next year in Orlando with Mickey!

Starting today, March 1st, and running through Wednesday, March 4th, our design and business teams will be attending the HIMSS10-Healthcare IT Conference and Exhibition in Atlanta, Georgia. They will be walking the show and talking with customers regarding their needs for monitor arms and electronic access solutions.

We look forward to meeting with any of you visiting the Georgia World Congress Center for what promises to be an exciting event.  We're there to help with any access hardware or position control challenges you are facing so don't be shy! Let us know how we can help.

Part 2 of a 3-part series on Electronic Access Solutions

So you’ve chosen the appropriate electromechanical lock or latch (EML) for your application. As we discussed before, your selection will dictate the ultimate design of the end product. As the heart of any system, the EML is critical to the overall quality of any Electronic System.

A self-contained solution, such as a keypad, can offer basic plug-and-play access control without the need for software or network administration. Users have the convenience of not having to carry a physical key or device, the ability to manage and monitor unique user access codes, and the flexibility to change codes without physically distributing new keys or access devices. Proximity based and remote RF control systems are wireless solutions that can simplify security for both large and small organizations. They offer hands-free convenience and the ability to open locks and latches without physical contact.

Southco's latest access control option is the electronic key. This little device if especially useful with applications that feature many users with differing access privileges across a large number of enclosures. If you haven't seen one before, it looks a lot like the key fob you probably use to unlock your car. It fits snugly in your hand, is easy to program and provides simple key code management without the need to stock multiple key codes.  Just press it against the remote sensor and the EML will open.  (We have a few demo panels of the electronic key system in the office and I have to admit...they are pretty fun to play with. Unfortunately this can be annoying to the EML design engineers so they deactivated my key to the demo panels!)

Whatever the need, there's an access control solution suited to our application.

To share your thoughts on Access Control or learn more about Southco’s offerings, email us or visit our site at http://www.southco.com/minisites/eas/Access-Control-Device.aspx

Coming Next: Part 3—Remote Monitoring Solutions

Part 1 of a 3-part series on Electronic Access Solutions

They are critical to the overall quality of any Electronic Access System. Their design influences everything from electrical requirements and physical security to ease of installation and design of the end product. I’m talking of course about the heart of every Electronic Access Solution: the electromechanical lock or latch (EML).

Here at Southco, the simple mechanical latch has transformed over the years into a reliable EML with the benefits of access control. I sit near the EML design group and it has been fantastic to witness the changes that have transpired!

With this transformation came amazing new benefits.

The design of the EML makes it an easy next step in security over mechanical latches. Its ability to provide access control (via a keypad, for example) opened up tremendous possibilities for full Electronic Access Systems. Today’s Southco EMLs feature gear motor drives that use less power and provide higher load capabilities than solenoid-driven solutions. They also provide built-in intelligence and heavy-duty, vandal-resistant performance—features lacking in the mechanical latches of the past.

From a more technical standpoint, the EML has also evolved to include mechanical override options and latch status monitoring from a simple indicator light to a sophisticated monitoring system. Southco has embraced recent technological changes with three new EMLs of its own: the R4-EM, H3-EM and E-Keeper. All three provide robust performance that makes for a simple transition from mechanical to electronic access.

To share your thoughts on EMLs or learn more about Southco’s offerings, email us or visit our site at www.southco.com/eas

Coming Next: Part 2—Access Control: The Human Interface

Customers often come to us looking for a simple way to ensure a door or panel stays closed.  For light weight panels and access doors, bi-stable mechanisms provide a great alternative to a conventional hinge and slam latch arrangement.

The action of a bi-stable mechanism is familiar to anyone who has every used a typical "flip phone" style cell phone.  Close the cover and it snaps shut, lift the cover and it flips open.

In the design stage, Southco's G7 bi-stable hinges can easily be integrated into most smaller plastic doors, adding proven hold-open, hold-closed functionality.  This allows designers to provide reliable, easy, and intuitive access, without the need for a separate latch.  In addition, the bi-stable functionality drives doors closed, eliminating the possibility of leaving a cover or panel slightly ajar.

For more detail and installation examples, visit out website at www.southco.com/class/g7-bi-stable-embedded-hinges-7631.html
 

Outdoor environments can be intensely damaging to hardware. You’ve seen it…missing doors, dented panels. It's not pretty. Off-highway and construction equipment can really take a beating. One of Southco’s two new rotary latches—the R4-20—addresses this ugly problem by providing rugged performance suitable for door and access panel applications in industrial, off-highway, construction and transportation industries. A perfect choice for baggage doors, engine covers, exterior door and other outdoor access points. The medium-duty latch provides a compact design with the choice of single-stage engagement or two-stage engagement. Make no mistake; this latch brings all sorts of great benefits to the table.

Now if you need something more robust, the R4-50 is something to check out. It features a two-stage, double-rotor design that ensures secure closure even if a weak push leaves it in the secondary latched position. Much like your car door does when the door isn't closed hard enough. Design engineers that need to comply with governmental safety requirements need not worry; the latch satisfies the safety requirements of the U.S. FMVSS-206 standard for passenger entry doors.

Both of these new latches are concealed and in most applications are actuated remotely. We've launched three new actuators along with these latches. Push-button, T-Handle, and paddle actuator designs complete the system for remote actuation of light-, medium-, and heavy-duty rotary latches using a cable connection.

Our applications engineers have a great deal of experience with these systems. To discuss how the flexibility might be adapted to your application, send us an email or post a comment.

Make no mistake: The devil is, almost certainly, in the details. Today’s consumers notice everything about a product, including—and especially—the little things. One Wall Street Journal review of a luxury automobile obsessed on the poor performance of a cup holder representing a tiny fraction of the car’s overall cost.

Sound crazy? It’s not.

And it’s becoming more of an issue as consumers are conditioned to recognize quality design through the media, word-of-mouth advertising, and personal experience. Asking the right questions early in the concept stage goes a long way toward determining the ultimate success of a finished design. Those questions can range from issues of physical performance and cost efficiency to consumer preferences and the increasing important issue of ergonomics.

I recently came across an article on the ‘Construction Equipment’ website regarding theft deterrent technology that I found particularly interesting (see http://www.constructionequipment.com/article/CA6675702.html?nid=4843&rid=12166898 ).  Being a manufacturer of access hardware for the construction equipment industry I found this very interesting.

It occurred to me that although there are some great advances in technology that help prevent the engine being started and big steps forward to improve the chance of quick recovery of stolen vehicles, there has been little discussion about stopping unauthorised entry into the cab and from gaining access to other areas of the vehicle.  With expensive LCD ‘touch screen’ technology, stereo systems and personal belongings being stored in the cab, surely it is important to stop thieves being able to get in?

An area that we have focused on is electronic access solutions, incorporating technology not too dissimilar to that found on automobiles.  A great example of this is Southco's electronic rotary latch, the R4-EM.  The beauty of this technology is that it can significantly enhance the level of vehicle security (no matter where it is being parked or stored) while still providing the same level of convenience as a single key for fleet owners and rental companies.  For example, you could give certain operators access to certain vehicles, change access rights whenever needed and even track who used what equipment and when.

Could electronic access hardware work for you? Why do some original equipment manufacturers seem reluctant to integrate this technology?

It would be great to hear your thoughts on comments on this subject!