Why Protecting Industrial Machines from Fire Hazards is a Must!

Introducing Rotarex Firetec's latest additions for a complete industrial machine fire protection 

Ensuring the safety of personnel working near the machines on the production site is paramount. Fires in industrial settings can quickly become life-threatening, and specialized fire protection systems help mitigate these risks, providing a safer working environment.

Industrial machines such as CNC or grinding machines are high value equipment and require special fire protection.

But what are the potential fire risks actually? There are several critical factors including the high flammability of materials due oil-based coolants, the intensive heat, sparks generated and combustible dust contribute to an increased fire risk.

Once a CNC machine catches fire, it can result in significant downtime, with the machine out of operation, sometimes for months. In the worst-case scenario, severe damage could render the machine unusable, necessitating a replacement. Ordering and setting up a new machine takes time so that businesses have to face extremely costly downtime or replacement expenses.

Furthermore, many industries face strict fire safety regulations. Implementing special fire protection systems ensures compliance and helps avoid fines and legal liabilities. According to Holger Nolte, OEM Sales Manager and Rotarex’s in-house expert for industrial machine fire protection with 20 years of experience in this field “the primary reason for implementing structured and well-thought-out fire protection measures should always be the safety and protection of personnel and individuals near fire-prone machinery”.

Are You Prepared for a Fire Emergency in Your Industrial Machine?

Fires in an industrial machine can ignite faster than you can react. And just like that, your valuable property could be damaged in just seconds. Therefore, implementing advanced fire suppression systems is crucial to protect your critical infrastructure and ensure continuous operations. Our FireDETEC® fire suppression system offers an ideal solution with all necessary components for a complete and effective fire protection.  

Our systems protect small to large production machines and machine tools and are engineered to withstand extreme vibrations. They are simple and flexible to install and offer fast and effective detection and suppression.

DIMES^® - Digital Measurement System for reliable digital extinguishing agent monitoring 

Since CO₂ can usually only be measured with a weighing device, monitoring the extinguishing agent quantity is often omitted in small extinguishing systems. However, this is a fatal and misguided cost-saving measure.

Rotarex offers a simple and reliable method to monitor the CO₂ quantity accurately to the percentage with its DIMES^® measurement system. This provides you, the customer, with the following advantages:

• More safety and increased system​ readiness, exact indication of the cylinder content​
• 24/7 digital monitoring of the cylinder content​
• Proactive alerts to leaks or problems​
• Cylinder no longer need to be periodically​ be dismantled and weighed​
• You can set the alarm threshold yourself
• Interventions are only necessary when ​the system sends a warning

"According to Holger Nolte, 'Machine fires often occur because the fire extinguishing cylinder is empty. Therefore, we strongly recommend to regularly check the extinguishing agent levels."

Introducing our latest FireDETEC® components additions for a comprehensive fire protection

Fire Control Unit RX400

Designed to meet the highest standards, the RX400 is built up for systems to meet performance level d (PLd) and is compliant with DIN EN 19353 and DIN EN 13849. Plus, it's EC type-examination certified, ensuring top-notch reliability and safety. Its LCD touch display and menu navigation in multiple languages ensure user friendliness for its operators.

UV-flame detector

The UV300 flame detector can be connected directly to the RX400 control unit using a simple, oil-resistant 3-core cable. In our portfolio, we use the UV detector without air purge connection. This saves several hundred euros per year in sealing air costs and makes it easier to clean the sensor. In practice, it has been shown that many detectors become dirty despite the sealing air and still need to be cleaned regularly. However, the sealing air attachment makes cleaning more difficult. Our UV detector is therefore more user-friendly and less expensive to maintain.

TMME heat sensor

The TMME heat sensor was specially developed for the RX400 extinguishing control unit and must be installed as a second fire detection element in the air exhaust. Thanks to its special sensor technology, the TMME enables very fast fire detection. In the extinguishing control unit, you can choose between the following three trigger temperatures: 54 °C, 72 °C or 98 °C.

Acoustic/optical warning devices

In industrial environments, it is important to provide both visual and acoustic alarms. However, background noise or other visual signals can mean that important alarm signals from the extinguishing system are not immediately recognized. Our visual-audible combination alarm unit ensures that the operating personnel are reliably alerted. Thanks to the space-saving combination of both signal forms, our alarm unit is also very easy to install.

FIREDETEC^® pneumatic detection tube

This proprietary continuous linear pneumatic detection tube reliably detects and actuates the release of the extinguishing agent. It is flexible, space efficient and enables cost effective protection of individual high-risk areas like electrical and mechanical equipment which are impractical to reach and protect.

Telescopic Bracket with DIMES alarm box holder

This telescopic bracket is ideal for mounting cylinders with a diameter of up to 140 mm in various sizes. It can be extended with a mounting plate for the DIMES interface with minimal installation effort. This allows you to attach the DIMES Control Box and the FireDETEC detection tube manifold to the machine or object without additional drilling. This enables an extremely compact and easy-to-install installation.

Bell Nozzle

Thanks to the compact design of our new bell nozzle, safe extinguishing agent application can be guaranteed even in small objects. The design of the nozzle makes it possible to discharge CO₂ with more control, which means that less oil and dust is dispersed in the extinguishing area. The cone-shaped discharge of the extinguishing gas ensures precise coverage of the affected area. This guarantees targeted, effective and safe firefighting.

Compact bulkhead piston block manual actuator

The bulkhead construction of this manual actuator has a FireDETEC^® pneumatic detection tube connection at the rear. The new manual release is integrated and fixed to the housing of the machine, which means that the housing is completely sealed and no cooling liquids can escape from the machine. The new piston block design is compact and ideal for confined spaces in the machine. Thanks to the special piston block design, the manual release can be reset and requires no spare parts after actuation.

The manual actuator complements the RX400 control unit and turns it into a complete extinguishing system. The manual release is positioned so that it is easily accessible for the operator. It is possible to connect several manual releases in series, which makes it possible to equip even large machines with two operating stations

By investing in our advanced fire suppression solutions, you’re choosing unparalleled technology, exceptional performance, and the utmost protection. You minimize downtime, and protect your company's financial health. The reliability and efficiency of our system provides a robust defense against the unpredictable nature of fire hazards. In a world where the unexpected can happen at any moment, having a dependable fire suppression system is not just a precaution but a necessity.

Want more details? Download our brochure or contact our experts.