Technical Foundation
What Is a Electromagnetic and Electromechanical Lock?
Electromagnetic locks (maglocks) hold a door closed using an energized electromagnet against a steel armature plate, with no moving parts in the locking mechanism itself — holding force is rated in pounds (commonly 600 or 1200 lb) and the lock is inherently fail-safe, releasing instantly on power loss, which matters for fire and life-safety code compliance on egress doors. Electric strikes and electromechanical deadbolts, by contrast, use a solenoid or motor to move a physical bolt or keeper, and can be specified fail-safe or fail-secure depending on whether the door should unlock or remain locked on power loss.
Fail-safe vs. fail-secure selection is a code-driven decision, not just a preference — most fire and building codes require free egress on power failure for doors in a means of egress path, which typically mandates fail-safe hardware, while secure areas like server rooms or evidence storage may specify fail-secure strikes that stay locked without power. Lock selection also depends on door material and frame — maglocks need adequate frame reinforcement to resist prying, while strikes must match the specific latch/bolt type of the existing lockset.
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| Spec | What It Means | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Holding Force | Rated in lbs, e.g. 600, 1200 lb | Must meet or exceed code/insurance minimums for the door's size, weight and traffic |
| Fail-Safe vs. Fail-Secure | Unlocks vs. stays locked on power loss | Life-safety egress doors generally require fail-safe; secure areas may require fail-secure |
| Voltage | 12VDC or 24VDC, field-selectable on many units | Must match the access control power supply; incorrect voltage affects holding force |
| Mounting Style | Surface mount (Z-bracket), concealed, sandwich mount | Determined by door and frame type, especially on glass or narrow-stile aluminum doors |
| Monitoring | Door position sensor, bond sensor, REX | Required for integration with access control panels reporting door/lock status |
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Applications
Where Electromagnetic and Electromechanical Locks Get Used
Electromagnetic and electromechanical locks are specified anywhere an access-controlled door needs electrically actuated locking integrated with a card reader, keypad, or monitoring system.
Commercial Access Control
Maglocks and electric strikes integrated with card reader and keypad access control systems on office and facility entries.
Data Centers & Server Rooms
Fail-secure electromechanical locks maintaining physical security on power loss for high-security areas.
Fire & Life-Safety Egress Doors
Fail-safe magnetic locks specified on egress paths to comply with free-egress-on-power-loss code requirements.
Educational Facilities
Electric strikes and maglocks on classroom and building entry doors integrated with lockdown systems.
Healthcare Facilities
Delayed egress locks on specialized-care unit doors balancing patient safety with wandering prevention.
Retail & Storefront Security
Electric strikes on narrow-stile aluminum storefront doors paired with remote door release systems.
FAQ
Electromagnetic and Electromechanical Locks Questions, Answered
What's the difference between fail-safe and fail-secure?
Fail-safe hardware unlocks automatically when power is removed, which is required by most fire and building codes on doors in a means of egress path. Fail-secure hardware remains locked when power is removed, used on doors where security must be maintained even during a power outage, such as server rooms or storage areas not on an egress path.
How much holding force do I need for a maglock?
Holding force requirements are typically set by local code, insurance requirements, or the door manufacturer's specification based on door size, weight, and expected traffic — 600 lb is common for standard interior doors, with 1200 lb or higher specified for larger or higher-security doors. Always confirm the specific requirement rather than assuming a higher rating is automatically better, since oversized units can complicate door and frame reinforcement.
Can I use a maglock on a fire-rated egress door?
Maglocks can be used on egress doors, but the installation must comply with applicable fire and life-safety codes, which generally require the lock to release automatically on fire alarm activation, loss of power, and manual request-to-exit — this typically means integrating door position sensors, REX devices, and a fire alarm interface, not just installing the lock alone.
What's the difference between an electric strike and an electromechanical deadbolt?
An electric strike replaces the door frame's strike plate and releases the existing latch or bolt electrically while the door's own lockset remains mechanical — it's a simpler retrofit onto an existing lock. An electromechanical deadbolt or lock has the locking mechanism built into the lock itself, motor- or solenoid-driven, often used where a strike isn't compatible with the door/frame combination.
Do these locks need to be monitored by the access control panel?
Most commercial installations include a door position sensor and, for maglocks, a bond sensor confirming the magnet is actually engaged — this lets the access control panel detect a door left ajar or a lock that failed to engage. Monitoring isn't strictly required for the lock to function, but it's standard practice for any access-controlled or life-safety-relevant door.
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