Fire risks under control at all times

Automotive industry

1
euros in costs caused by fires in automotive companies
1
Minimization of fires in the automotive sector through modern fire protection technologies in recent years

Our solutions at a glance

 

Risks that cause high fire hazards

  1. Fast automated processes
  2. Hot work
  3. Sparking and hot particles
  4. Overheating of materials and workpieces

Machines with high fire risks

  1. Filters
  2. Engine test benches
  3. Paint booths
  4. CNC machines
  5. Lathes
  6. Milling machines
  7. Welding machines
  8. Laser cutting machines

Fire detection and prevention technologies

  1. Spark extinguishing systems
  2. Gas extinguishing systems
  3. Fire detection systems
  4. Infrared early fire detection

Your partner in the automotive industry

 

The automotive industry and its suppliers is one of the most dynamic industries in the world. Highly complex and highly automated manufacturing processes lead to extremely short supply chains with just-in-time and just-in-frequency deliveries. Many companies have already recognized that interruptions in production lead to fatal consequences. One of the most common causes is uncontrolled fires caused by various technical faults in and on the production machines. The resulting business interruptions not only entail high costs for reconstruction, but also pose other risks that are not necessarily obvious at first glance.

7 reasons for reliable fire prevention:

1. Rebuilding costs energy, time and money.
2. loss of customers and suppliers due to long absence from the market
3.provision of the investment: claims settlement by the property insurer is not always
clear and prompt.
4. acquisition of machines, furnishings and equipment for workstations
5. data recovery: IT systems may be damaged
6. installing and setting up hardware and software
7.restoring all processes

Effective fire prevention does not come “off the shelf”, but fulfills the specific requirements of the respective process or plant area.

Further delays due to

  1. Shortage of skilled workers: both in the construction sector and in the company’s own workforce
  2. Verlängerte Lieferzeiten: für Maschinen, Kleinteile, Material (Lagerbestand)

If you have already recognized these dangers, you have come to the right place. If not, you are also in the right place and can read about potential fire hazards in the following sections and learn about technologies that will protect you from production downtimes and lengthy discussions with insurers.

Which production areas pose a particularly high fire risk?

Engine test benches, mechanical processing

Engine test benches

Fires on engine test benches are diverse and range from technical defects to human error. Here are 4 of the most common.

  1. Fuel leaks: Leaks in fuel lines, tanks or injection systems can cause fuel to escape, which can ignite.
  2. Oil leaks: Leaking engine oil, especially if it gets onto hot engine parts or electrical components, can cause a fire.
  3. Electrical defects: Short circuits, overloads or faulty wiring in electrical systems and control units can generate sparks that can cause a fire.
  4. Overheating: Insufficient cooling or a defect in the cooling system can cause the engine or other components to overheat, which also poses a fire hazard.
  5. Exhaust systems: Hot exhaust systems or sparks from the exhaust can ignite flammable materials, especially if not properly ventilated.
  6. Turbochargers and exhaust gas turbochargers: Defects in these systems can lead to high temperatures and sparking.

Mechanical processing

Fires can occur in CNC, grinding, milling and turning machines due to a variety of causes, including both technical defects and human error. Here are 4 of the most common.

  1. Overheating: Insufficient cooling of tools and workpieces, which can lead to overheated chips or sparking, or even failure of the cooling system or insufficient coolant flow rate.
  2. Oil leaks: Leaks in hydraulic systems leading to oil leaks that can ignite on contact with hot surfaces
  3. Sparking: Sparks created when grinding metal can ignite flammable materials in the surrounding area.
  4. Dust explosions: Accumulations of fine sanding dust can ignite in the presence of sparks.
  5. Chips: Hot metal chips produced during turning can ignite flammable materials in the vicinity.
  6. Cooling lubricants: Leaks of cutting oils and cooling lubricants that can ignite when they come into contact with hot parts.

Welding systems, laser cutting machines

Welding systems

Welding systems are frequent sources of fires in the automotive industry. Here are 4 typical causes of fire that can occur in this context.

  1. Sparking and welding spatter: Welding produces sparks and hot metal droplets (welding spatter), which can easily ignite flammable materials. Sparks can strike flammable materials such as oil, solvents or dust and cause a fire.
  2. Uncontrolled heat development: The high heat generated during welding can ignite surrounding materials or components. Metal parts can become so hot that they catch fire, especially if they come into contact with flammable substances.
  3. Gas leaks: Welding work using gases such as acetylene or argon can create an explosive atmosphere in the event of a leak. A leak in a gas line or gas container can lead to an explosion or fire, especially if sparks or open flames are nearby.
  4. Electrical defects: Faulty electrical connections or components in welding equipment can cause short circuits or overloads. Defective cables, damaged insulation or improperly installed welding equipment can cause sparks and fires.

Laser cutting machines

Various causes of fire can occur when laser cutting machines are used in the automotive industry. Here are some of the typical causes:

  1. Sparking and hot particles: The laser cutting process generates sparks and small glowing particles that can cause fires if they come into contact with flammable materials. Sparks can be thrown into the surrounding area and ignite flammable materials such as packaging, lubricants or dust.
  2. Overheating of materials and workpieces: The intense heat of the laser can overheat materials, causing them to ignite, especially thermally sensitive materials. Highly flammable metals or plastics can be ignited by the concentrated heat of the laser.
  3. Residues and dust accumulation: Accumulations of dust or residue from cut material can be flammable and catch fire from sparks or the heat of the laser. Dust from metallic materials or plastic can form an explosive atmosphere if it comes into contact with sparks.
  4. Faults in the laser equipment: Technical problems or malfunctions in the laser equipment itself can lead to fires, especially if they result in uncontrolled energy output. Defective optics or mirrors that focus the laser beam can lead to uncontrolled energy emissions.

Advantages for the automotive industry

Specialized solutions

Tailor-made fire protection systems for the special requirements of the automotive industry.

Broad product portfolio

Enables the best possible use of the technology suitable for the process

Outstanding service

Individual advice on site, fast response times and regular maintenance.

Innovative technologies

Early detection and efficient firefighting using advanced technologies.

Certified systems

The fire protection systems from T&B offer the best possible insurance protection thanks to their VdS approval and also their FM system approval

Partnership and expertise

Close cooperation with customers to develop optimum protection concepts and a high level of consulting expertise.

What does effective fire protection look like for these areas?

T&B works with you to develop individual protection concepts for your production plant.

Effective fire prevention does not come “off the shelf”, but meets the specific requirements of the respective process or plant area.

We attach great importance to holistic protection for the best possible safety. Tailored to your production and certified.

Spark extinguishing systems

T&B spark extinguishing systems detect the slightest ignition potential such as sparks, glowing and hot particles. A fine mist of water cools down the ignition potential in milliseconds without interrupting the production process. Thanks to the high-performance infrared detectors, sparks as well as smouldering and hot particles can be reliably detected at an early stage. In the event of a persistent spark, the production areas can be shut down and other extinguishing systems, such as gas extinguishing systems, can be activated.

    • Filter systems
    • Engine test benches
    • CNC machines
    • Welding systems
    • Laser cutting machines

Gas extinguishing systems

T&B gas extinguishing systems are monitored and triggered by an intuitive fire detection and extinguishing control panel. Depending on the process, fire detection takes place via different fire detectors such as flame, smoke, heat or fire gas detectors. Argon is used as the extinguishing gas, which offers significant advantages over other extinguishing gases (more on this here). In special cases, it can also be combined with the T&B spark extinguishing system.

    • Filter systems
    • Engine test benches
    • Paint booths
    • CNC machines

Water spray extinguishing systems

The water spray extinguishing systems from T&B detect a fire particularly quickly and distribute the water simultaneously over all nozzles belonging to an extinguishing area. This is why they are often referred to as deluge systems. In the event of a fire, they quickly release large quantities of water, which is distributed evenly over the entire area to be protected. In this way, fires can be extinguished quickly and reliably, even in critical areas.

    • Engine test benches
    • Hydraulic rooms

Fire alarm systems

T&B fire alarm systems consist of an intuitive fire alarm control panel that can also be used as an extinguishing control panel. In combination with the robust industrial fire detectors from T&B, it forms a reliable system for safely detecting fires. Whether smoke, flames, heat or combustion gases, with the various fire detectors from T&B, the right fire detection system can be planned for every process.

    • Assembly halls
    • Warehouses
    • Filter systems
    • Engine test benches
    • Paint booths
    • CNC machines
    • Welding systems
    • Laser cutting machines

Please send us your request

Jannis Lange

Sales
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