Design Considerations

When starting to plan your new master keyed system you need to think about a range of issues.

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When starting to plan your new master keyed system you need to think about a range of issues. For example:

Does the end-user want convenience or security?

Do they want people to have the ability to get keys cut locally as you can with an open profile system?

Or do they require the security that comes with patented key protection?

What will the building be used for?

Are there any special features or functional requirements?

Take a look at the following design considerations for general guidance, and get in touch with our team if you’d like to discuss anything further.

How convenient should key duplication be for the end users?

Open profile system? Restricted profile system? Patent protected profile systems? In schools and hospitals for example, the safety and security of building users places a duty of care on the building/system owner.

Building Type and Function

What is the building? What is the building used for? For example, is it a Secondary School or a Primary School? These would both have similar locking requirements but the master keying and key control would differ significantly.

Building Size and Future Expansion

How big is the building? How many doors require locking? How many doors will require locks in the future? Building size and future building size will help you to consider system capacity now and what it may be in the future.

Is it a new build, extension or refurbishment?

What locks have or will be fitted? What profile of cylinder is required, euro, UK oval, Scandinavian oval etc? Understanding if the system is being supplied into a new or existing system could mean a difference in locks and therefore a difference in cylinder profile and type.

Are the external doors and locks to be incorporated in the system?

Are there external gates, bin stores, shutters? Are padlocks required within the system? Understanding whether the inclusion of the external door cylinders and other external locked doors is vitally important.

Is there a requirement for TS007 cylinders?

1 Star or 3 Star Kitemarked cylinders? Masterkeyed or Standard Differ formats? TS007 cylinders are becoming increasingly utilised on commercial applications.

What type of cylinders are required?

Singles, doubles. Cylinder/turns etc? Equal split lengths or offset sizes? Overall cylinder lengths? Consideration should be given to the types of locks, lock positioning and door thicknesses within the building.

Are there any special features or functional requirements?

Within the building's master key system is there a need for special functions? Accessible design? Classroom function? Clutch function? Construction keying? Drill & tap?

Do the cylinders need special finishes?

What is the colour and finish of ironmongery and hardware across the project and do cylinder locks need to match these colours and finishes? Blacks, bronze, reds, blues, greens? Split finishes?

Are there any special security requirements?

Are there any electronic access controlled doors? Do these doors need a digital cylinder or even mechatronic?

Example Lockchart

Download our example lockchart. It's an example of how the Lockchart is organised and then populated to show which doors are accessible by which Control Key Groups.