If you’re a facility manager of a retail shopping center, large school system, university, or commercial properties you know that changing the locks is an unavoidable part of managing your property. Large multi-site organizations can have security breaches and changing the locks because of misplaced keys is an inevitability. So how can you save your business time and money without compromising on security?
Oftentimes when there’s been a security breach or a need for quick personnel restructuring, most facility managers will contact a locksmith to change the locks on the building. Professional Locksmiths have the skillset and tools to remove and replace locks on your facility. But what happens when something goes wrong in the middle of the night and you don’t want to wait?
Today we are going to answer the question: What is an Interchangeable Core? We will also discuss how your facility can save time & money with Interchangeable cores!
At Loc-Doc Security, Our Mission is to help you protect your people and your property. We continue to share information like this to help you be informed so you can know the best solutions for the security of your property.
In previous articles, we’ve talked about implementing Key Management in your organization and planning so you don’t have to worry about the locks and keys on your building. Addressing a security breach or a quick replacement of personnel should be part of the prior planning of Key management and having an efficient plan in place can help you quickly distribute new keys so you can get back to business without delays.
Interchangeable cores were invented to simplify the lock changing process.
What is an Interchangeable Core?
An interchangeable core, also known as an IC core, is a figure eight shaped cylinder that can be removed from lock hardware and replaced with another core in order to change your locks. A quick search of wikipedia tells us that Interchangeable key cores were invented in the early 1900’s. The intent was to avoid having to call a professional locksmith for every rekey. Instead, interchangeable cores could be removed by authorized personnel within a business with a control key. This would in a sense save the Facility Manager time and money. While they aren’t the perfect solution to lost keys (we do prefer using mobile keys on our cell phones) they can be beneficial for some facilities and properties. By having a designated controller, which could be a facility manager or another person onsite, you can swap the lock easily by using a control key to remove the core and replace it with a different one. This takes seconds to implement and is simple for anyone with the control key to complete!
What are the Benefits of Interchangeable Cores? Let’s look at how implementing Interchangeable Cores can benefit your Facility. Rapid Response: When someone loses a key, responding quickly can keep your facility secure! With no wait time or scheduling delays, you can easily change the locks yourself and distribute the keys immediately. Saves You Money: Interchangeable cores can save you time and money. The expense that can come with rekeying a suite or floor is quickly minimized with the simple task of replacing the interchangeable core. It also saves time with the rapidity of being able to swap out the cores. We all know that time is money so a huge benefit is the ability to get back to business without delays. Masterkey Friendly: We’ve discussed Masterkey systems in previous articles, but Interchangeable cores can be integrated to a master key system. This means that if there is a lost key, it can be changed at the master key level without requiring the other level of keys to be changed! Using Interchangeable cores at your facility can help you manage your building easily! Using a control key, they can be easily added and just as easily removed without the need for a professional locksmith call. Storing replacement cores on-site can help you immediately respond to any security issues without delay.
If you are interested in using Interchangeable cores at your facility, schedule a free evaluation that works for your schedule with one of our professional account managers.