Lock manufacturers fabricate and assemble lock system components for many types of doors in commercial and residential buildings, storage, automobiles and furniture. There are many different types of locking systems with varying degrees of security, installation difficulty and cost. Almost all locks are made out of metal, usually a steel grade or titanium.
Manufacturers fabricate three main types of locks: mechanical, electronic and biometric. Mechanical locks are by far the most common and include pad locks, mortise locks and cylinder locks, all three of which are mostly used in residential and commercial buildings on doors and door frames. Some are designed for bathrooms and bedrooms within the interior of the building that require minimal security, while others, usually mortise locks, which are harder to pick or break, are often used to secure doors to the outside. Hotels and higher security workplaces use electronic lock systems, which are keyless. In order to open them, the user must have an access code or password to type into a keypad or a plastic magnetized card. These are useful when the authorized users of the locking systems change often. The main securing component of a lock system is the bolt: a solid, strong steel or titanium rod piece with a round profile that, when the mechanism is locked, is inserted into the door frame to prevent the door from separating from the frame. They may either be spring operated or have a dead bolt, which is the most secure form of bolt.
