Free-hand style

Brussels boasts one of the busiest airports in Europe, with more than a quarter of a million aircraft using it each year and more than 15 million passengers.

It has had to balance the necessity for rigorous security, particularly after September 11, with the equally pressing need to keep staff, passengers and cargo on the move. The security systems at Brussels are the responsibility of Fabricom GTI, a leading Belgium-based systems integrator that specialises in bespoke solutions.

Making the choice

For its access control systems hardware, Fabricom GTI turned to specialist, Bewator, one of the company's oldest partners. The two-year project to install hands-free access control for Brussels International Airport Company, equipped more than 30,000 airport staff with Bewator's Cotag technology and system hardware.

"Our principle is to use preferred suppliers who as soon as possible become true partners," said Emile Peeters, Department Manager at Infra Buildings Security, Fabricom GTI's infrastructure arm.

Hands free access

Fabricom used Cotag Technology, based on RFID (radio frequency identification), for more than a decade and in a range of projects. Rather than swipe or scan their tags - a little thicker and the same size as a credit card - users walk up to an access point, whether a door, hatch, portal or gate, to activate it hands free. Brussels users, depending on security clearance, control some 1,000 access points.

A battery within the card or tag allows reading at a distance of up to one metre, through handbags, pockets, or other non metallic materials. This makes carrying equipment, for instance, particularly easy, with no need to put equipment down to find and scan the tag, and is equally useful for enabling disabled access.

At Brussels Airport, around 350 Granta control systems are located centrally in equipment houses and shelters. Each is wired to up to eight doors.

These controllers communicate directly to the access control software made by Fabricom-GTI. The software fully integrates the different security sub-systems like access control and CCTV.

Expansion on demand

Modularity of both hardware and software allows the user to add modules and controllers later as business or demand grows.

The Bewator Granta system also provides an integrated input/output system allowing inputs and outputs to be controlled individually, or in groups and, combined with "flags" and "counters" to provide intelligent monitoring.

This may include changing the gate at an airport pier from arrival to departure, and closing it down if it remains unused. Each Granta controller works automatically in offline mode, even when disconnected from the others.

John Thacker, Bewator's Vice President, Technology, said; "We are proud that Fabricom GTI counts us as a valued partner." Systems are backed up with a round-the-clock customer service.