Security, reliability, technical advances and cost. These are all key words that come up when developing or choosing security products. But what about design?
Take the new Codelock 5000 coded access control lock. With little design being used in this sector the company felt design could be used to raise the product’s profile. Managing director Grant MacDonald says: “As a well-known brand in this area we have to raise the game by continuing to increase the quality we offer customers. Good design can help here. If two products do the same job but one looks like it has been created out of a block of granite and the other has been designed by professionals it’s obvious which one customers are going to choose." To achieve this Codelocks brought in specialist industrial product designers DesignEdge.
Says DesignEdge’s Alasdair Barnett: "Typical existing control locks were visually bulky and utilitarian in appearance, so there was much that could be done to make the product stand out aesthetically. But design isn’t just about the look of a product and we also had to ensure it was simple to use and operate, highly durable, weather resistant and easy to install." Says Grant MacDonald. "DesignEdge has helped us achieve the quality, looks and functionality that we wanted from the product.”
Codelocks 5000 is powered by the new Piezo actuator, which has a battery life of over 500,000 operations. And although this is hidden within the lock design also performed a great function in its development. Simon Powell, technical director for Piezo’s creator Servocell says: "Even hard-nosed engineers are affected by aesthetics. If a product is well styled it pulls the eye, even if it is a component of another product. We’ve embraced styling and our sales have increased. We also champion the use of industrial design by our customers, even when they are in more traditional industries."
Servocell has also used DesignEdge on a number of products. Its aim with design is to give a product a recognisable look, so that when the brand name is covered up people will still recognise it as Servocell "It’s unusual in engineering to put so much emphasis on design," says Simon Powell. "But it’s now become an established fact that sales improve when you do. What DesignEdge has done for us is not only beautiful but it is economic to manufacturer and stands up extremely well against the competition."
Simon Powell believes that the influence of design is only going to increase. "In this business designers are often thought of as ‘felt tip fairies’, but what we’ve found is they can produce a piece of kit that does the job and can be made."
It’s also vital to use designers who understand the requirements of the industry, as Grant MacDonald explains: "There is a fine balance in getting the design right. Anything quirky or too up to the minute isn’t going to work because locks are not something you change with the seasons."
The final outcome of the Codelocks and Servocell design was something that combined the new technology with industrial design, Alasdair Barnett says: "In both function and style Codelocks and Servocell are setting a very high standard for the rest of the industry to follow." DesignEdge was involved in all aspect of the design process covering the weather resistant housing, user interface, ergonomics, surface finish, graphics and new technology integration. The lock is available in a highly durable stainless steel, black chrome and polished brass to complement various architectural applications. The keys have rugged metal caps to add to the vandal resistant yet stylish enclosure, the return-to-door handle is both ergonomically designed and comfortable to use and meets the relevant safety standards.
