Today, Wuxi Rihuan Sensor Technology Co., Ltd. will introduce to you how to select the "locking force" of the safety door lock. Is 1300N sufficient? 

Among the selection parameters of the safety door lock, "locking force" (Holding Force) is one of the parameters that is most easily misunderstood and misselected. It determines whether the protective door can be forcibly pulled open when the equipment is in a dangerous operating state. Is 1300N sufficient? The answer is: It is sufficient for most conventional equipment, but it is not universal.

1. What is locking force?

Locking force refers to the maximum pulling force that a safety door lock can withstand when it is locked, that is, the force that the door can resist before being forcibly opened when locked. 1300N is approximately equivalent to the destructive force of 130 kilograms, which is required to forcibly open it.

In the industry, 1300N is a commonly adopted standard. Many mainstream brands use 1300N as the locking force parameter for their standard safety door locks. This force is sufficient to resist the subconscious pulling of ordinary people and can effectively prevent the door from opening abnormally, physically isolating the dangerous area.

2. Where is 1300N used? - The "standard answer" for most conventional scenarios

1300N locking force safety door locks are suitable for the safety protection of most conventional industrial equipment.

Typical application scenarios include:

Small and medium-sized machine tools and automated equipment: such as conventional machining centers, numerical control machines, and general automated production lines

General industrial security doors: factory equipment, warehouse access control, etc., where unauthorized opening is needed to be prevented

Robot workstations: 1300N locking force can withstand high-intensity external force impact and is suitable for industrial scenarios with high safety requirements

Lithium battery production lines and other precision manufacturing scenarios: to ensure that the safety door is securely locked and to guarantee the stable and reliable production of automation

1300N is a widely used standard configuration in the industry, which can effectively prevent the door from opening abnormally and meet the safety protection needs of most equipment.

3. When is a higher locking force needed?

When the equipment risk level is higher or the door body may be subjected to greater external force, 1300N may not be sufficient, and a higher locking force model needs to be considered.

Scenarios requiring a higher locking force include:

Robot workstations and large stamping lines: If the protective door is accidentally opened during operation, the consequences will be extremely serious. A deliberate pull with a force of up to several thousand Newtons can be achieved, and a higher locking force is needed to resist it.

Large or heavy door bodies: Door bodies with large size and heavy weight may generate a huge opening force due to inertia.

Scenarios with "deliberate" pulling risks: In management-lax or "convenient" operation habits sites, operators may forcefully pull or impact the door body.

For these high-risk or high-stress scenarios, the industry usually recommends 2000N-level heavy-duty door locks. In some extreme scenarios, a locking force of 2600N or 3000N or above may be required.

4. Locking force ≠ Safety Level: The two dimensions cannot be confused

This is the most common mistake in selection. Locking force (N) and PL safety level (PLd/PLe) are two completely different dimensions:

Locking force answers: Is it secure to lock? - It belongs to the mechanical strength category

PL level answers: Is the interlock function reliable in the event of component failure? - It belongs to the functional safety category

A high-risk door requires both a large locking force (to be locked) and a high PL level (to ensure reliable interlock). Both must be separately met, and one parameter cannot replace the other.

5. Selection suggestions

Scenario type Recommended locking force Explanation

Small and medium-sized machine tools, general security doors 1300N Standard configuration, meets most conventional needs

Robot workstations, automated production lines 1300N as a starting point 1300N can be used for most robot workstations

Large-scale stamping lines, heavy-duty door bodies 2000N level Designed to handle deliberate pulling and high-risk scenarios

Extremely stressed, special doors Over 2600N Dependent on risk assessment

The selection logic is quite simple: Determine the maximum pulling force this door may experience during locking - such as unconscious pulling, wind pressure, accidental contact, or even deliberate hard pulling. Generally, a 1300N standard model is sufficient; for gates and those where people will forcefully pull or where the opening outcome is serious, choose the 2000N level heavy-duty type. It's better to choose the higher level rather than let the door be pulled open when the equipment is operating in a dangerous state.

The safety door lock product line of Rihuan Sensor provides a full range of models from the standard 1300N model to higher locking forces, which can be precisely matched according to the equipment risk level and door body conditions. All products comply with international safety standards such as EN ISO 14119, with mandatory disconnection of contacts, and complete certifications. Welcome to follow Dayuan Sensor to obtain professional safety door lock selection suggestions and technical support.