Project scope
Number of users: projected group
project 1000. At present +250 users
at one site.
Number of buildings: One.
Number of enrolment stations:
One Sagem MEMS.
Number of biometric readers:
Six Sagem MorphoAccess.
Mode of biometric operation:
Identification (1:MANY) - fingerprint
only.
Number of turnstiles: Two, and
one staff admin entrance.
Number of doors secured: One.
The history
A manufacturer of steel products, Macsteel
was having problems with lost and stolen
proximity cards, broken cards and probably
buddy-clocking.
The company needed more time
and attendance programmes,
and some sites needed to implement access
control measures. Health and safety,
timekeeping, and not to allow free access
onto premises were also pertinent reasons
for changing the access control system
that had been in place.
Proximity cards continuously needed
to be replaced due to loss or being
stolen and there was probably also a
problem attendance clocking
and buddy-clocking.
The existing systems were based on old
technology and it was difficult to get
spares or to have the system repaired.
People not on work lists had access
to the premises.
The goal
The goal was to have an accurate and
clear time-keeping method as well as
to control access onto premises.
The solution
"We wanted to create a situation
where employees would go through access
control," says Harry Coetzee. "Times
captured at the access control points
were to be imported to a central server
at head office and then linked to Paywell
payroll."
The benefit
The benefit envisaged was to have an
accurate and clear time-keeping method
and to cut down on the administrative
functions involved in correcting bad
clockings or missed clockings by implementing
the clock in attendance system.
Obstacles en route to a final solution
The main obstacles encountered were
the costs and the networkability. On
biometric systems there were environmental
obstacles because work areas are 'dirty'
factory environments. The main challenge
was to communicate over WAN.
Tenders, specs and implementation
"We put out tenders and then discussed
the problem with our existing service
provider who had supported us over many
years," Coetzee explains.
The result
So far, according to Coetzee, Macsteel
has achieved about 60% of its goal,
specifically with smoother and more
accurate operating of time and attendance
systems and tighter access
control.
"We would recommend that a test
site be set up and different readers
tested until the best one is found.
In our case, other biometric readers
were also tested but proved unreliable
when dealing with poor quality fingerprints.
"As a result, we have selected
Sagem fingerprint
time clock as the preferred
biometrics, as the readers have proved
to be the most reliable and provide
very fast identification speeds. It
is also important to keep communication
with the IT dept and let them be a part
of the project team."
Fact file
Key service providers, products
and solutions.
System integrator: Timewatch
Systems.
Contact: Michael B. Horvitch,
011 640 1850.
Clockwatch Software: Clockwatch
Distribution, Dani Taback, 0860 100
854.
Turnstiles supplied by Turnstar, Mark
Eardley, 011 786 1633.
Macsteel, Harry Coetzee, 011 871 0000,
harry.coetzee@macsteel.co.za
CASE
STUDIES
