Applying Sensor Cable Perimeter Protection and Intruder Detection Technology

The Italian manufacturer of outdoor security products Sicurit has extended its already comprehensive product range with the addition of the Sicurflex sensor cable product. Perhaps sometimes overseen as being too primitive for high-security sites, this technology can in fact be either a sole boundary deterrent and detection system but also represent one additional element of a total security concept.

A glance at the company‘s website shows that this well-established security systems manufacturer takes its responsibilities seriously. It is not only continuously developing its own products but also researching new opportunities to improve well-known technology solutions. The Sicurit infrared and microwave detectors have already found frequent application in government administration and correctional institutes, financial and pharmaceutical properties, manufacturing plants, airports and even nuclear power plants around the world. The innovative combination of these technologies in the dual-technology columns has been featured here in GIT SECURITY. But these ‘high-end‘ products do not always fit within the available budget and it is good to know that Sicurit do not ignore the simpler and more economic solutions that are available for boundary protection.
The new Sicurflex perimeter protection system provides a reliable and cost-effective solution for protecting properties from unauthorized intrusion. Developed also to meet the recent increased demand for cost-effective solutions for the protection of solar parks as well as photovoltaic frames, the equipment can be utilized in many other different applications and can be installed on any type of boundary fence available on the market. Indeed, apart from being a designed-in component of new fences, it can also be quickly and easily fitted to existing fences to add an extra layer of security to already operational systems.

Whatever the Weather
The Sicurflex system operates by means of an 8 mm diameter sensor cable that is mounted all the way along a perimeter fence. An electrical signal that is generated in response to movement or deformation of the cable will, within the desired threshold level, trigger an alarm condition. This simple but foolproof technology is pretty much immune to a lot of the environmental elements that disturb other more refined detection systems. It really doesn‘t matter if snow is falling, if there‘s a sandstorm or even thick fog blocking the view; any out of range movement of the fence will cause the system to close the dry alarm contacts.

It will operate reliably at temperatures as low as -20 °C and as high as +50 °C, making it suitable for installation in almost any region in the world. The IP65-rated FLCEN control unit housing for a 500 m length of cable only weighs around 300 g and consumes a measly 5 mA of power at 12 VDC. This represents truly low cost of operation. Of course, the maintenance effort required for such a simple and effective solution is also extremely low.

No Way Through
Choosing a sensor cable over other types of security device can provide a cost-effective solution where the installation of other technologies proves to be difficult or even impossible, for whatever technical or operational reasons. Nevertheless, a high detection capability is still ensured by the ability to ‘tune‘ the sensitivity of the system according to the actual conditions found on that particular site.

The temptation for any intruders reading this article to try to either cut the cable, bypass it or make a short-circuit should be forgotten as such conditions will immediately be detected and the separate tamper alarm raised on a dry relay contact. It is, however, possible to set up non-sensitive zones where these are specifically required as part of the cable run, for example going past a manned security gate or the fence support pillars. This is achieved by building ‘bridges‘ using the FlexCN junction unit and RG59 cable. This topology can also be very usefully applied to run sensor cable along the edges of and in between expensive solar panels, ensuring that each and every one stays exactly where it was installed.

During planning and installation, the system elements are chosen to match the layout of the boundary fence to be protected. The resultant system layout provides reliable detection of attempts to either surmount or to cut through the perimeter protection, or to otherwise tamper with it. This is yet another tool that can be effectively used to provide peace of mind, both for the owners of the protected object and also for the responsible security manager.