¶ Topic
Understanding key sections and keyways. Applicable to most PM8 design modules.
¶ Key sections and keyways
Key sections and keyways are about the cross section shape of the key blank and cross section shape of the cylinder core (or plug or barrel depending on where you were schooled).
¶ Definitions
¶ Key section
The Key section is the shape of the warding or grooves on a key. I.e. It is like taking a cross-section through the key blank.
¶ Keyway
The keyway is shape of the hole in the cylinder core that the key goes into and refers to the warding or grooves on that hole.
¶ Key sections in PM8
In PM8 you define your key sections and keyways and the relationship between them.
Key sections and keyways are separated by design module.
Each key section family may contain as little as one key section and one keyway up to as many as are required for the family.
A key section family must contain only key sections and keyways that interact. Don't add key sections to a family if they should be in a family of their own.
¶ Example key section and keyway
For this example we have created a key design with only 2 levels of hierarchy (a master key and some bottom level keys), but in complex key section families there may be more levels, more keys on each level and more keyways that are operated by only some of the key sections.
There is no difference in the concepts when key section families get more complex and also no difference to how they are configured in PM8.
¶ Example key sections
In this example there are three bottom level key sections called A, B and C
Additionally there is a master key section called M.
¶ Example keyways
In this example there are three bottom level keyways called A, B and C. These are operated by the key section of the same name and also by the key M.
Additionally there is a keyway called M that is operated by only the M key.
Finally there is a keyway called MAISON that is operated by A, B, C and M.
¶ The example shown as a table
The table shows the relationship between the key sections and keyways, indicating where a key section operates in the keyway and where it does not.
| Keyway: | MAISON | M | A | B | C |
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| Key section M |  |
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| Key section A | |
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| Key section B | |
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| Key section C | |
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¶ Adding the key sections family in PM8
When you add the key section family in PM8, first enter the key section names and keyway names. If you miss one or mess up a bit you can fix it in the next window.
Here's that first step:
Then on the Key Sections And Keyways window set the relationship between key sections and keyways.
Here's what it looks like when done:
