Pinning engine software for locksmiths

A pinning engine is software that takes bitting values — the numeric code representing each key cut — and calculates the exact pin stack required for each chamber of a pin tumbler lock cylinder. For a single lock, the math is straightforward. For a master key system with dozens or hundreds of locks, the calculations become complex and error-prone when done by hand.

A pinning engine automatically calculates pinning specifications from bitting records, eliminating the manual math required to assemble pin tumbler lock cylinders.

The output of a pinning engine is a pinning specification: a per-chamber breakdown of bottom pins, master pins, driver pins, and spacers. This specification is what a locksmith uses at the bench to physically assemble or rekey a cylinder.

LockBench is the only field service management software with a built-in pinning engine — no other FSM platform includes this capability.

The workflow is integrated directly into your job and master key management:

• 1.Record bitting values for each key in your master key system or individual lock
• 2.LockBench calculates the pinning specification for every chamber — bottom pins, master pins, drivers, and spacers
• 3.Review the specification on screen or generate a printable pinning chart
• 4.The pinning chart is linked to the job record, the client site, and the MK hierarchy

Because the pinning engine lives inside LockBench, there is no data re-entry. Bitting records flow directly from the key record into the pinning calculation, and the output is stored alongside the job and client records.

A pinning chart is the physical document a locksmith uses at the bench. It shows the complete pin stack for every lock in a system — chamber by chamber — so the technician can assemble or rekey cylinders accurately without recalculating.

LockBench generates printable pinning charts directly from the job record. The chart includes the bitting values, the calculated pin sizes, and the keyway reference for each lock. Charts can be printed for a single lock or for an entire master key system.

• ✓Per-chamber pin breakdown: bottom pin, master pin, driver, spacer
• ✓Keyway reference and bitting values printed on every chart
• ✓Print a single lock or batch-print an entire MK system
• ✓Charts linked to job records for permanent documentation

Any locksmith who rekeys pin tumbler cylinders benefits from a pinning engine. The value increases dramatically for shops that work with master key systems, where manual calculation is time-consuming and error-prone.

• ✓Commercial locksmiths managing multi-tenant buildings with master key systems
• ✓MK system specialists who design and maintain complex key hierarchies
• ✓Locksmith shops with multiple technicians who need consistent, accurate pinning documentation
• ✓Security companies that require defensible records of every cylinder assembled