| Zone Access consists of Zone Wing and Zone Door elements to make a network of flexible access controllers |
Spica International, a leader in workforce management solutions, including access control and time and attendance (T&A) software and hardware, has launched its revolutionary new access control platform, Zone Access.
The platform consists of two key elements – Zone Wing and Zone Door – that combine to make a network of flexible access controllers that can be matched exactly to users' system design requirements. In addition, access readers can be configured to be real-time time registration points, or auxiliary terminals can be added onto the system to provide richer T&A functionality – delivering simplicity, clever design and cost savings to customers.
Zone Wing, the intelligent part of the system, controls all communications with the host system over Ethernet. It stores access profiles and offline events for the points it supervises and communicates with all connected Zone Door units over an innovative CAN subnetwork.
Zone Door manages all of the inputs and outputs for access control. Each Zone Door has two card (or biometric) reader inputs, RS485 connection (for various peripherals) and all of the required digital I/O. Each Zone Wing can have up to 32 Zone Door units connected to it, enabling a single ‘controller’ to be built for between 1 and 64 doors.
Shortlisted at the IFSEC & FIREX Awards 2013 in the Access Control Product of the Year category, Zone Access was demonstrated for the first time at the IFSEC show last week (C35 Hall 4).
"We have developed an access control platform to suit whatever design or physical layout a customer wants" |
''The concept is simple and quite unique,'' explains Nick Jakowiw, Managing Director at Spica in the UK. ''We have developed an access control platform to suit whatever design or physical layout a customer wants. One or two channel controllers at each door, localised panels for clusters of doors, fully-centralised panels, or even putting the I/O and readers locally at each door while keeping the intelligence central. Zone Wing and Door does all of this and more.''
The DIN-rail mounting means other ancillary items can be added as required by the customer, from vendors who specialise in such things as power supplies, interposing relays, modems, wireless bridges, etc. Users can also add a modem or additional memory to Zone Wing using the two USB ports if needed.
Zone Wing and Zone Door went on sale on 1 May 2013, and is distributed through Spica's subsidiaries and network of partners across the UK, Europe and the Middle East.