By Elaine Chen

It’s a common dilemma: Mechanical locks are cost-effective and can be easily installed anywhere, but they have limitations.

Anyone who has a key can open the lock at any time, and if a key gets lost or falls into the wrong hands, the entire lock must be replaced to ensure security. Meanwhile, intelligent electronic access systems can let in users only at specific times of day, block users remotely and keep track of access. However, they must be linked to electricity and, often, the Web, making them expensive to install and maintain – and difficult to retrofit into many solutions.

Fortunately, there’s now a third approach: CLIQ, a technology originally launched by Assa Abloy in 2002. CLIQ adds an encrypted electronic ID to a traditional mechanical system of lock cylinders and keys that requires no electricity and is easy to install. “If there is a hole for a cylinder somewhere, we can fill it with a CLIQ cylinder,” notes Michael Söderberg, Director of E-cylinder Platforms, Shared Technologies at ASSA ABLOY. “Together with the dual security (of mechanical and electronic IDs), this is unique and not found in any other e-cylinder on the market.”

A smarter mechanical lock
So how does it work? The secret is taking advantage of miniaturization and cleverly dividing various elements between the lock cylinder and the key. The CLIQ cylinder plug includes traditional mechanical lock components as well as an electromechanical blocking element that locks the side rail. This blocking element is encoded with multiple encrypted electronic IDs, allowing programmers to set access rules as well as track usage. “Both the mechanical code and the electronic ID must be valid to open the lock,” explains Söderberg.

Meanwhile, the key includes a battery with a two-year life span along with an integrated circuit that allows it to store its own encrypted electronic ID and audit trail. Special programmer keys can be used to change access rules and collect audit trails from the lock cylinder itself. And since the key’s battery provides all the power needed for the system, no electrical connection is required for the door – a simple yet still ingenious solution.

This combination of established solutions and cutting-edge technologies provides CLIQ with an incredible degree of flexibility. Cylinders are available in a vast range of form factors and can be installed anywhere a traditional cylinder will fit, even including padlocks. Meanwhile, the keys can open standard mechanical locks in addition to CLIQ locks, and offer an added bonus: “The CLIQ key is virtually impossible to copy due to its overall security system, application specific Integrated Circuit and 3DES encryption of information and communication,” notes Söderberg.
     
Of course, CLIQ can’t offer the full functionality provided by electronic access systems. An administrator must physically visit the CLIQ cylinder to change access rules and collect audit trails, and access therefore can’t be tracked in real time. However, electronic access systems are also significantly more expensive to install and maintain, and may be difficult to install in certain environments.

CLIQ locks therefore provide a strong alternative for applications where advanced access controls are required on a budget, or where a full electronic access system is impractical. And since a CLIQ lock can simply be reprogrammed when a key is lost, it can actually end up to be more cost-effective than a mechanical lock system. Since mechanical locks must be fully replaced to guarantee security when keys are lost, over time costs can grow, and of course mechanical locks don’t offer the advanced access control options provided by CLIQ. 

Smart simplicity – and success.
Given its unique combination of smart features and flexibility, it’s no surprise that CLIQ locks are quickly being installed everywhere. “CLIQ is today sold in more than 35 countries all over the world,” notes Assa Abloy’s Michael Söderberg. “The demand for this unique product is very high and is increasing - we have seen a steady sales growth of 45-50 percent annually.”

And don’t expect the current version of CLIQ to remain the last word on integrating mechanical and electronic security. According to Söderberg, “The technology is still very early in its product life cycle. . .  we (have) only just started the journey with CLIQ and many exciting opportunities for our customers and ASSA ABLOY are in the pipeline.”