| Typical Commercial Use | Offices, classrooms, small retail spaces, and interior rooms | Hotels, offices, healthcare facilities, and high-traffic entrances | Exit doors and emergency egress routes fitted with exit devices | Frameless glass offices, showrooms, and conference rooms | Residential-style commercial doors requiring coordinated latch and deadbolt operation |
| Primary Access Methods | PIN, RFID card, mobile credential, mechanical key, or remote management | PIN, RFID card, mobile credential, mechanical key, or remote management | RFID card, mobile credential, PIN, request-to-exit hardware, and mechanical override | PIN, RFID card, mobile credential, remote release, or mechanical override | PIN, RFID card, mobile credential, mechanical key, or remote management |
| Required Door Preparation | Standard cylindrical lock bore, commonly a 2-1/8-inch face bore with compatible edge bore | Dedicated mortise pocket and correctly sized faceplate; existing preparation often requires modification | Compatible exit-device mounting holes, door stile clearance, and suitable strike or frame hardware | Compatible glass thickness, clamp or patch-fittings, and a suitable door frame or floor/ceiling fixing point | Separate latch and deadbolt bores with correct backset and vertical alignment |
| Typical Installation Complexity | Low to medium; often suitable for retrofit projects | Medium to high; accurate mortise routing and alignment are essential | Medium to high; requires exit-device and life-safety coordination | Medium to high; glass drilling should generally be avoided unless approved by the door system supplier | Low to medium when existing bore spacing and door thickness match |
| Door Material Compatibility | Usually compatible with wood, hollow-metal, and aluminum doors when the lock body and templates match | Suitable for wood, hollow-metal, and aluminum doors designed for mortise lock cases | Commonly used with metal, aluminum, and fire-rated doors when the exit device is listed for the assembly | Designed for tempered glass systems; compatibility depends on glass thickness and fitting configuration | Usually compatible with wood and metal doors; verify bore spacing and frame alignment |
| Power Arrangement | Battery-powered, typically using AA or AAA cells; some models support external low-voltage power | Battery-powered or wired low-voltage power; higher traffic may favor a wired solution | Battery-powered, wired, or integrated with access-control power supplies depending on the exit hardware | Battery-powered or low-voltage wired; cable routing must preserve the glass-door design | Usually battery-powered; confirm battery life under the expected traffic level |
| Recommended Traffic Level | Light to medium traffic, depending on the certified duty rating | Medium to heavy traffic when the lock case and trim are appropriately rated | Medium to heavy traffic and designated egress applications | Light to medium traffic unless the complete glass-door hardware system is specifically rated for heavier use | Light to medium traffic |
| Fire-Rated Door Considerations | Use only a complete lock assembly listed for the specific fire-door application | Use a listed mortise lock and compatible fire-door hardware; field modifications may affect certification | Verify the complete exit-device, door, frame, and access-control assembly is fire-rated where required | Fire-rating suitability depends on the entire glass-door and frame assembly; do not assume compatibility | Confirm that the complete interconnected lock assembly is listed for the fire-door type |
| Emergency Egress | Must allow free egress where required by local building and fire codes | Must include compliant inside egress operation and suitable anti-panic provisions where applicable | Best suited for doors that require panic or emergency exit hardware | Requires compliant egress hardware and a door configuration approved for the occupancy | Must not delay or prevent code-required exit operation |
| Weather Exposure | Choose an exterior-rated model with an appropriate IP rating for exposed locations | Choose exterior-rated hardware and protect wired components from moisture | Use weather-resistant exit hardware and reader components for outdoor applications | Generally better for protected indoor locations unless the complete system is exterior-rated | Normally intended for sheltered locations; verify the exterior rating before installation |
| Best Selection Criteria | Choose when the existing cylindrical bore is standard and a fast retrofit is important | Choose when stronger construction, integrated latch/deadbolt functions, and heavy use are priorities | Choose when emergency egress, panic hardware, and access control must work together | Choose only after confirming glass thickness, fittings, frame design, and egress requirements | Choose when the door already has compatible separate latch and deadbolt preparations |
| Key Measurements to Verify | Backset, door thickness, bore diameter, edge-bore size, strike dimensions, and handing | Mortise case dimensions, backset, faceplate, door thickness, strike position, handing, and spindle height | Door width and height, stile dimensions, mounting-hole pattern, exit-device length, strike, and clearance | Glass thickness, door width, hinge or patch-fittings, frame gap, swing direction, and floor clearance | Backset, bore spacing, door thickness, deadbolt throw, strike alignment, and handing |