New Technology Supplement

Foundation for Success

Agility, innovation provide means to achieve greater goal for manufacturer

  • By Del V. Salvi
  • Oct 01, 2006

DORTRONICS' reputation for in-house engineering expertise and production capabilities was recently put to the test while being faced with a situation when a specified switch assembly purchased from another company was not measuring up to Dortronics' standards. Rather than source a comparable product from a different vendor or try to shift the focus of the issue, the company chose to re-engineer the design and manufacture the product by itself. In doing so, Dortronics was able to improve the device to meet its standards and substantially increased its electrical current rating.

Rather than source a comparable product from a different vendor or try to shift the focus of the issue, the company chose to re-engineer the design and manufacture the product by itself. In doing so, Dortronics was able to improve the device to meet its standards and substantially increased its electrical current rating.

Building a Better Mousetrap
According to John FitzPatrick, vice president at Dortronics, the company was providing equipment for a job that included a specification for a particular pushbutton. The device requested was an off-the-shelf control unit, and although specified for the job, it was not designed for the security market.

"While testing the device, we discovered that the electrical contact portion of the switching component had a tendency to intermittently stick, and this caused the switch to sometimes malfunction," he said. "Our next step was to study the options available and determine which of these alternatives could be reliably adapted to work with the specified switch assembly. Once we had sourced the more appropriate components and conducted our in-house tests to confirm the reliability of the re-engineered unit, it was then simply a matter of gearing up for production. From start to finish, the turn around time was quick, and this was due to the fact we could do it ourselves and didn't have to rely on outside engineering or delays associated with off-shore sources."

You Can't Put a Price on Good Will
For the upgraded version of the switch, the cost difference was pennies and records indicate the reliability has been favorable. FitzPatrick said the company is able to keep costs at a minimum because of in-house design as opposed to paying a third party to design the change.

Another element often overlooked on the subject of cost is customer satisfaction -- an area of concentration Dortronics believes to be critical.

"Had we provided a faulty component, this could have easily cost us future business," FitzPatrick said. "By recognizing the potential problem, and addressing it immediately, we were able to implement the design changes with no obvious physical signs that the unit was upgraded. It was a pretty seamless implementation as far as the customer was concerned."

Commitment to Quality and Value
In today's security-conscious environment, faulty equipment and systems not only result in lost revenue and down time, but also significantly impact the vulnerability of a facility. Incoming raw material testing and ongoing equipment calibration and maintenance are an integral part of the production process at the company.

The company will soon be introducing a new line of economically priced control timers and door prop alarms.

"We are constantly improving our product line based on customer demand and/or the industry migration to system integration," FitzPatrick said. "This strategy allows us to remain competitive in the marketplace in areas other than cost, while our reputation for quality and performance helps ensure market share and volume, which in turn can help us keep our costs down."

Changing Roles
Dortronics is a division of Sag Harbor Industries, the contract manufacturing company founded by Charles Edison, son of the famous inventor Thomas Edison. Originally known as an OEM parts manufacturer for major security manufacturing companies, Dortronics has evolved in the past 10 years to a full-line manufacturer of electric locking hardware and controls for the security, hardware and door control industries with product solutions available in standard or custom configurations.

FitzPatrick believes the company's commitment to implementing innovative ideas and solutions will serve Dortronics well in the coming years.

This article originally appeared in the October 2006 issue of the Security Products New Technology supplement, pg. 42E.

Featured

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.