Onity Electronic Locking Solutions Achieve ANSI/BHMA Certification
Onity’s hospitality locking solutions have been certified as compliant with the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA)/American National Standard Institute (ANSI) A156.25 grade 1 standard for electrified locking devices.
ANSI/BHMA Certification has been achieved by both the Onity HT 24 and HT 28 electronic lock models, which are specifically designed for hospitality applications. Onity, one of the world’s leading providers of electronic locking solutions, is part of UTC Fire & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp.
“Onity is extremely proud to have our hospitality electronic locks achieve certified compliance with the tough standards that BHMA demands in this category,” said Bill Oliver, Onity Vice President of Sales & Operations for North America and EMEA.
“Over the past several years, electronic locks have come to be viewed as a commodity, and as a result, many products of questionable quality and durability have flooded the marketplace. It is imperative to the future of our industry to provide a benchmark of quality that is set by a respected third party. We believe that BHMA’s rigorous standards provide the most reliable assurance to our clients, and we are firmly committed to meeting and exceeding those standards of excellence…both now and in the future.”
BHMA is the trade association for North American manufacturers of commercial builders’ hardware, and is the only U.S. organisation accredited by the American National Standards Institute to develop and maintain performance standards for builders’ hardware.
BHMA and ANSI work closely together to establish standards for a variety of products in the commercial building products manufacturing industry.
These ANSI/BHMA standards are written descriptions and criteria that precisely define the operation, performance characteristics, physical properties, test values, usage parameters, and safety criteria of specific types of builders’ hardware products.
At present, there are 31 ANSI/BHMA standards, covering everything from hinges to locks to power doors. Many ANSI/BHMA standards further designate products by grades. These product grades (grade 1, 2, or 3 -- with grade 1 being the highest) are defined by progressive levels of performance benchmarks in each applicable ANSI/BHMA standard.
To become certified as compliant with these standards, products must endure a variety of rigorous tests.
The prescribed evaluation for electrified locking devices includes a break-in test, testing for operational function, slam cycle, security strength, high-voltage shock, temperature extremes, corrosion, moisture, dust, and salt spray, as well as a full battery of electrical function tests.
"The escutcheon tension test alone is one that most locks on the market could not come close to passing," said Oliver. "With 3,600 pounds of pressure pulling the lock from the door, that is the equivalent of hanging a Lexus off the lock."
6-Sep-2007