Their many features and useful applications keep push-button locks relevant in an increasingly mobile world. It’s difficult to fathom, but keyless push-button locks once were as exotic and cutting edge as are biometric locks today. Now, of course, locks that allow for the entry of a code, mechanical and electronic, to unlock the lock and open a door are commonplace.
They also are a bit old hat.
As more of everyone’s daily activities get moved to their smartphone, it’s become natural for that device to become a part of a person’s security routine. Demand for smart locks that allow for the use of mobile credentials — the key that won’t be forgotten or lost — has increased substantially and will continue to do so for the immediate future.
Given that, the question then becomes how does the now-humble push-button-lock fit in in an increasingly mobile-based security world?
“Very well, actually,” says Peter Lowenstein, vice president of sales at Alarm Lock. He predicts that push-button locks always will be a part of an overall security solution. “It’s the same idea as the old-school brass keys:‘Brass keys, you’re crazy. Everything is going to go to credentials.’ No. No. There will always be brass keys. There will always be push-button locks.”
Brian Fie, senior product manager at dormakaba Americas, agrees.
“Push-button sales may decline but will not go away because of mobile,” he says. “They will coexist. There are too many factors that make push-button locks too appealing.”
The first mechanical push-button lock was aimed at providing access control to exterior doors at remote locations in extreme temperatures where neither keys nor electronics were appropriate or even possible. The locks had to be reliable and provide top security. They succeeded on both counts.
With the concept proven, manufacturers later brought electronics to bear, which added flexibility to the push-button lock.
Today, reliability and flexibility make up a large part of the appeal for push-button locks.
Aside from their lower price, mechanical push-button locks are known for their reliability and durability.
“There are no power failures with mechanical pushbutton,” says Scott Wojcik, national sales manager for LockeyUSA. “It’s just a solid, secure way to secure anything — door, fence, gate, you name it.”
Their mechanical operation also makes these locks attractive to a number of parties, including locksmiths who eschew electronics, Fie adds, because they don’t require software or firmware updates, don’t require changing batteries and are simple to use and administer.
“When you require someone to use their phone as a mobile key, that now becomes a $1,000 credential, in lieu of a free code,” he says. “This raises some questions, such as, what happens if the phone battery is low — will it still perform as a mobile key?”
As for electronics, the key word is flexibility. Electronics allows for remote access as well as data retrieval, as long as the lock is connected to the internet. It also allows for the use of that smartphone as part of a dual-credential scenario where someone has to punch in a code as well as present a mobile credential (or card).
“A lot of institutions and government agencies require two-credential identification,” says David Higginson, director of business development with SARGENT and Corbin Russwin. “They want you to be able to flash your phone but then also put a code in to gain entry.”
Push-button locks, particularly mechanical versions, are aimed at providing standalone access control at doors that either aren’t meant to be tied into a larger security system or are at locations where a large system isn’t necessary, such as a small office or even a residence.
One such application, according to Matt Welty, Codelocks vice president, Americas, are janitorial closets where only a handful of people will require access to the room over time.
“Why would I spend X number of thousands of dollars to try to connect [those doors] into what I call the big system that’s going to operate the rest of the building?” he says. “I can just put a stand-alone lock on there, mechanical or electronic, depending on whether I want time functionality. It’s a lot more cost-effective and doable.”
Outdoor applications, such as gates, are another natural location for a mechanical push-button lock.
“There’s no batteries, and there’s no PCB boards to get corroded up,” Welty adds. “You can put them out there, and even in harsh environments, they’ll still operate. They may not look the prettiest depending on the surroundings, but they hold up.”
The advantage for electronic pushbutton locks is that as they get “smarter,” they can connect with the internet and be managed through a computer or smartphone from anywhere. They also can connect with other locks. Increasingly, electronic push-button locks include modules and other components that allow for expandability beyond a standalone application, which is appropriate for small businesses that can expand.
Another application where electronic push-button locks are well-suited gets back to their capability, depending on the model, to provide multicredential authorization — vacation rental properties.
Larry Schwalb, a security engineer with Houdini Lock & Safe of Philadelphia, says vacation-rental companies, such as Airbnb, have been a boon for push-button lock sales at his company. That’s because the rental companies prefer to send a code for timed access to a rental property for each member of a group, rather than, say, a mobile credential, which must be provisioned to an individual phone. As with other similar credentials, when the time is up, the code ceases to work.
“Things have changed dramatically,” he says, noting in particular the effects of the COVID pandemic. “We’re seeing use for digital code more, really, than I ever thought there would be a need for previously.”
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20, Oct 2022
