Select a different country or region to see content for your location.

|

Designed to Work in Harmony

A doorset is only as good as the way its components work together

For years, the door industry has selected locks, cylinders, security hardware, and access technology as individual components, expecting them to perform together as one complete doorset.

It may be the established way of working, but that does not necessarily make it the best approach.

When components are selected individually, each manufacturer optimises its own product. The responsibility for making everything work together then falls to the fabricator or installer.

This creates variation in fitting, operating force, long-term performance, and reliability. Installation takes longer, commissioning and calibration are less predictable, and any problems that arise get left for the fabricator or installer to resolve.

The result is not simply a technical issue. It affects installation time, call backs, support requirements, customer confidence, reputation, and ultimately the profitability of every doorset.

A more effective approach begins by treating the hardware as a system, with components engineered to work together from the outset.

From compatible components to a coordinated system

Just because two products are technically compatible, does not guarantee they will deliver the best possible performance together.

The lock, cylinder, security protection, smart device, and sensor all influence how the complete door operates. Variations in movement, resistance, tolerances, and door adjustment places additional demand on the hardware.

This becomes particularly important when smart technology is introduced. A smart device attached to a locking system it was not specifically designed to operate will have to work harder than necessary. This makes calibration more complex and affects consistency, reliability, and battery performance.

For installers, easier calibration means less time on site, faster commissioning, and a more repeatable installation process.

For homeowners, longer battery life and dependable operation mean fewer frustrations and greater confidence in the door. For fabricators, greater consistency can help reduce call backs and protect the value of each installation.

Homeowners do not separate the smart device from the door. They judge the complete experience.

When the door operates smoothly and responds consistently, the technology feels intuitive. When it struggles or leaves the homeowner uncertain about whether the door is secure, confidence can quickly disappear.

Designed around the lock

Crafted Synergy takes a different approach.

Rather than combining independently selected components and expecting them to work together, it brings the lock, cylinder, security protection, and smart technology together as one coordinated ecosystem.

At the centre of the smart solution is Polaris Smart Lock, configured specifically to operate with Winkhaus autoLock AV4, AV4 Heritage, and Thunderbolt multi-point locking systems.

This is the difference between compatibility and synergy.

Compatibility means two products can be connected. Synergy means they are engineered to deliver a better result together.

Because Polaris is designed around the locking system it controls, calibration can be completed through a simple process within the Polaris App.

The device establishes the movement required for the selected lock, rather than relying on a generic setting intended to accommodate numerous unrelated systems.

For fabricators, this creates a clearer and more consistent specification. For installers, it helps reduce complexity at the point of installation. For homeowners, it supports smooth, dependable operation from the start.

Efficiency across the system

The way components interact also has an important effect on efficiency.

A motor that repeatedly has to overcome unnecessary movement or resistance will use more energy. Battery performance cannot therefore be considered separately from the lock and doorset the device is operating.

By developing the smart technology around compatible Winkhaus locking systems, Polaris can work more efficiently. Testing has demonstrated up to nine months of battery life when used with autoLock AV4 and up to 12 months with Thunderbolt, based on 13.6 uses per day in ambient temperatures.

Battery life is not simply an isolated product statistic. It is an indication of how effectively the entire system has been engineered to operate.

More meaningful information

System thinking also improves the information available to the homeowner.

Some connected products confirm that a motor has completed an instruction, but that does not necessarily confirm that the door is properly closed or that the locking points have physically engaged.

The Polaris Smart Sensor is designed to complement the locking system, by detecting the position of the locking point allowing the app to provide live visibility of the door status. And with the Polaris Wi-Fi Bridge, you can do this from anywhere in the world.

A more intelligent approach

The opportunity for fabricators is not simply to add another connected product to a door range. It is to offer a complete experience where every component has a defined role and works towards the same outcome.

Because the smartest part of a smart door isn’t an app, it is the thinking behind the entire doorset.

Designed together. Tested together. Working in harmony.











Click here to find out more about Crafted Synergy