PACOM’s security solutions chosen by aerospace manufacturer
Leading aerospace manufacturer with multiple locations across the world, chooses PACOM security products to keep its sites and people safe.
Aerospace based organizations need to be particularly diligent when it comes to ensuring that people, property and assets are protected from possible threats. As well as ensuring processes and procedures are in place to thwart those with malicious intent, it is also recognized that security and access control technology has a vital role to play, and this is why PACOM solutions have been chosen by a leading aerospace manufacturer.
PACOM was tasked with providing an integrated security system for buildings and sites located in different parts of the UK. This presented an opportunity to completely reconfigure the entire security and access control infrastructure for the organization.
The configuration of access control and the issuing of cards was previously the role of the administration teams working autonomously at each site location. As some global business employees often have to travel across all sites, the introduction of a single fully centralized and integrated system therefore eliminated the need for three separate access control systems, facilitated easier access, and ensured that individuals only have to carry one unique card. Not only did this have benefits from a logistical point of view, it has also enabled one administration team to monitor, manage and control activity and introduce a more consistent approach to site security.
Internet protocol (IP) has had a dramatic effect on the physical security equipment industry, resulting in the development of new technologies which enable access control technology to be managed remotely over an existing IT infrastructure. The PACOM Graphical Management System (GMS), which is now central to this customer’s new system, was engineered to communicate over the customer’s IP network and has technology tailored specifically for multi-site environments. It facilitates the integration of access control, alarm monitoring, video surveillance and many other building services – such as fire detection in the data center – into a single, remotely accessible system.
PACOM’s IP access control solutions offer virtually unlimited system expansion capabilities that, in turn, provide an abundance of cost saving and centralization benefits. This scalability also means that new technologies can simply be added to as they are developed, providing this customer with the ability to develop the system as required.
On this subject, Richard Joslin, key account manager at PACOM, says, ‘Our GMS technology draws on over 35 years of experience in developing applications based on a data communications platform, successfully balancing electronic security and IT applications on a single network. It provides the perfect harmony between interoperability and functionality to ensure that the user’s exact security needs can be met, without compromising on quality or operational process. Just as importantly, its levels of redundancy are unrivalled in today’s market, with technologies that deliver uninterrupted system operation, intelligent self-testing, multiple back-ups and remote disaster recovery.’
Throughout the customer’s manufacturing estate in the UK there is a wide range of devices that are connected to the PACOM GMS management system. These include the IP based PACOM 8002 next generation controller, PACOM remote intruder and access control expansion devices, intelligent power supplies, car park access control functionality using wireless modules and more. The customer has also taken advantage of the integration options that are available within the core operation of the 8002 series controllers ensuring building and staff security is maintained at the highest standard at all times.
The PACOM 8002 controller is built using PACOM-Edge technology. PACOM-Edge represents a new family of devices enabling advanced security capabilities across an organization’s Ethernet backbone. The IP capability means there is a reduced need for traditional security cabling, which ensures convenient deployment and extensive scalability.
The 8002 Controller also supports auto-discovery of peripheral devices for simplified installation. All doors can be individually configured to operate based on card only, PIN only, or card and PIN, with access schedules providing further control. Doors and alarm points can be partitioned into multiple areas of security, and can be controlled by several keypads. With dual-flash memory, firmware upgrades can be performed without any disruption to the system. Along with the ability to scale alarm inputs and outputs using expansion modules, the PACOM 8002 is the ideal option for integrated security systems.
As well as protecting the customer’s sites, PACOM technology is being used in a range of other innovative ways, for instance as an interface to the time & attendance system. In this application, once an individual goes through a designated entry point, the access control system automatically clocks them in. Then at the end of the day, by exiting through the designated route, the exit reader clocks them out again. That data goes into the time and attendance logs and helps calculate overtime and identifies any incidents of late attendance or absence. It also allows reports to be quickly and easily produced.
One of the key benefits of a centrally managed card access system is that the administration team can make changes in real time to grant access for individual cards or, if an emergency arises, to quickly deactivate cards and therefore restrict access throughout the entire UK estate.
There are also some less obvious benefits. Occasionally the site opens its car park to host special events. In these instances the PACOM system allows people to enter this part of the estate by turning off the automatic bollards during certain times when an event is taking place, but restricts access elsewhere. This principle also applies to various areas of the building that can be restricted to certain individuals at specific times of the day, while those working at weekends or out of normal office hours can be given special clearance – even at short notice.
Richard Joslin concludes: “The customer is delighted with what’s been achieved with the PACOM system so far and appreciates the functionality and flexibility that is now at their disposal. Just as importantly, it offers an unrivalled level of future proofing so if, for instance, they wanted to introduce biometric technology, they could do so. The benefits, time savings and other efficiencies that this technology offers have helped to optimize their entire security and access control infrastructure”.
