Access Control FAQ

Access Control FAQ

What is Access Control?

When combined with a barcode reader and Electronic Door Controller, Gym Assistant can provide access control for your facility entrance doors.

For access control at the front desk, you may want to install a turnstile or gate.  Members swipe a card and then pass through a turnstile, swing gate or half-height door.

Install an electronically-controlled door lock on the outside entrance for 24-hour access.

Most turnstiles, gates and electronically controlled locks require the same type of input to trigger; they all work by momentarily closing a circuit.  Think of a doorbell where you press a button to trigger the doorbell chime.

How does Access Control work with Gym Assistant?

GateKeeper is a small program that comes bundled with Gym Assistant.  GateKeeper is basically the brains behind member check-ins — it receives the card scan data, looks up the member record, records the visit and controls a door entrance.

Access Control with Gym Assistant works as follows:

• The member swipes a card or keytag through the reader.
• GateKeeper receives the card data from the reader and checks the member’s status.
• If the member is up-to-date, GateKeeper sends a signal to the Door Controller to open the door.
• The Door Controller closes a circuit to open the door latch or turnstile.

Can I control who gets into the facility and when?

Yes. You can specify which members are allowed access in various ways. For example you might allow access for only certain membership types or only those members who pay an extra fee each month for after-hours access.

You can also determine the hours during which the entrance is active, for example you might allow access only between the hours of 5am-8am and then 8pm-11pm on weekdays but 24 hrs/day during the weekend.

Can I control access into special areas of my gym, like tanning?

Yes. For some examples:

• Control access into men’s and women’s locker rooms, limited by gender.
• Control access into a pool area or cardio area separate from the main facility.
• Control access into a tanning room for only those who have purchased monthly tanning.

How many entrances can I control?

We offer systems to control up to 8 independent entrances.

What is the difference between Barcodes and Proximity Cards?

A barcode is basically a series of black and white bars (zebra stripes) in a pattern that can be read by an optical reader. You will find barcodes on almost any retail product, on gym keytags and in many other places. Barcodes are inexpensive to produce (you can use any printer with special software), and they are easily reproducible. Gym Assistant barcode keytags are laminated to increase durability. To read a barcode the use usually slides the barcode through a slot reader mounted to the wall.

A proximity card is a plastic card (or key fob) that contains a proprietary integrated circuit. To read a proximity card the user simply places the card within 3-6 inches of the reader (a small plate) mounted to the wall. Proximity cards are also sometimes called “contactless” cards.

Pros-and-Cons of Barcodes vs. Proximity cards

What type of lock should I purchase?

You can use any type of lock that works for your physical layout, but the most common types are electric door strikes and magnetic locks.

An electric door strike is installed in the frame of the door — when power is applied the strike releases and the door can be pulled open. To exit the door you simply turn the knob as you would normally. An electric strike works well on a single door with a self-locking latch, that is the door will lock itself when it is closed. A deadbolt lock will not work with an electric strike.

A magnetic lock (or “maglock”) consists of a very strong electromagnet attached to the door frame and a steel plate mounted to the door — when current is applied to the magnet the door is locked, and when the current is stopped the door can be pulled open. If your door has only a deadbolt lock (like many aluminum frame glass storefront doors) or if you have a set of double doors then a maglock may be the best solution.

The only requirement for Gym Assistant is that the mechanism must be controlled with a dry contact (like a doorbell button).  The dry contact can be either normally-opened (for an electric strike) or normally-closed (for a magnetic lock).

Wikipedia has some good general information about electric door strikes and magnetic locks.

Check out our own MagLock FAQ – How to purchase a Complete Magnetic Lock System.

We have also put together our own tutorial on How to Purchase a Magnetic Lock System.

If you have any questions, just call us for a free consultation.

Where can I purchase an electric lock?

We recommend that you consult with a local locksmith or security company and consider having the lock them professionally installed. If you prefer to do your own installation we recommend these online companies for the lock hardware:

MagLocks.com
www.MagLocks.com

Where can I purchase a turnstile?

Online River
(203) 801-5900 or Toll Free (800) 341-1620
https://onlineriver.com/turnstiles

Boon Edam Inc.
(910) 814-3800
www.BoonEdam.us

Turnstile Security Systems, Inc.
(519) 833-9494 or Toll Free (888) 371-2222
www.TurnstileSecurity.com

Alvarado Manufacturing Company
(909) 591-8431 or Toll Free (800) 423-4143
www.AlvaradoMfg.com

Who will do my installation?

All of our products are straightforward to install and configure, but you will need some skills for installation and wiring. If you have any doubts about your ability to install our products, we recommend that you contact a local locksmith (for the lock hardware) or contractor. Or better yet, give us a call and we’ll help you to understand exactly what is involved.

Gym Assistant checks if the member:

• Is an Active Customer
• Has A Valid ID Card
• Account Is Past Due

For more general information about our Gym Assistant Access control, please visit Access Control Systems.

Bio-Logic provides free telephone support for all products we sell.