HSI Sensing’s Sentinel entry-point sensor achieves UL 634 Level 2 listing

HSI Sensing, an Oklahoma-based manufacturer of custom reed switch and sensor technology, announced its Sentinel high-security entry-point sensor has been UL 634 Level 2 listed, placing it among an elite group of security sensors capable of monitoring highly sensitive areas. HSI Sensing is one of only five companies worldwide to achieve the UL 634 Level 2 listing.

“We are very excited to announce the availability of Sentinel,” said Ryan Posey, CEO of HSI Sensing. “By using Hall effect technology, we were able to develop a new and unique product that meets all the needs of the high-security industry. Sentinel is an innovative product intended to be a door contact or entry point sensor useful in a wide range of security applications, for monitoring everything from bank safes to doors in government facilities.”

Sentinel entry-point sensor

Sentinel is designed with a wide range of anti-tamper features that allow it to resist physical, electrical and magnetic tampering, all in a package 50 percent smaller than comparable sensors, while still offering adaptive digital processing. At the core of Sentinel, multiple Hall sensors detect the actuator’s magnetic field in the x, y and z axis. Most security sensors only detect the presence of a magnetic field. Sentinel can detect small changes in the magnetic field caused by other magnets or movement from the actuator. This technology makes Sentinel ideal for monitoring highly-sensitive areas, including Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF), financial institutions, data centres, military facilities, prisons, power grid facilities, airports, seaports, and other high-level secure applications.

UL 634 standard

UL, an independent safety science company, introduced its UL 634 as the standard for all connectors and switches for use in burglar-alarm systems. It is the standard for SCIF intrusion detection systems for the government intelligence community, which has a preference for Level 2 devices. The UL 634 requires 40 standards be met to be listed, an additional eight testing criteria to achieve Level 1 and another eight requirements to achieve UL 634 Level 2. These eight requirements for Level 2 include passing a switch assembly removal test, a magnetic field compromise test, and an extended endurance test.

Sentinel is offered in two variations, with a rear-exit cable and side-exit, metal jacketed cable. Every Sentinel sensor includes a recessed tamper plate, actuator, mounting hardware, and security screws. It’s aluminium housing can be anodised in a limited number of colours to help match the entry point it is monitoring.