A CNC machine is a major investment for any business, be it a specialist CNC shop, or where the machine becomes a part of a much larger production facility.  As part of the facility, it is likely protected by a common sprinkler system that provides fire suppression across the shop floors, warehouse, and office areas.

So it’s covered, right? Well, yes and no! 

A fire in a CNC machine is a fire inside a microenvironment within a facility. When using oil as a cutting fluid, this micro environment can be very volatile and susceptible to fires originating from a tool failure, programming error, or issues with the coolant system.  And, importantly, this micro environment is not specifically protected by sprinklers. 

Because the inside of the machines is enclosed, a fire can rage inside the machine for an extended period, both delaying the fire detection and preventing the water of the sprinkler from reaching the fire source.  The fire will continue until it either consumes all the fuel in the machine or is dealt with directly. 

If left to consume the fuel, the machine will be completely lost, and the hope would be that the sprinklers prevent the spread of the fire beyond the machine.  If dealt with directly, time becomes the critical issue.  Every second the fire is burning inside the machine; it is getting hotter and causing exponentially more damage.  

To deal with it directly there are two options:  either employees using traditional handheld extinguishers, or an automatic fire suppression system. 

Handhelds in Comparison to Automated Fire Suppression

If relying upon handhelds, you become dependent a few factors, including the response time of the employee, their willingness to approach the fire (these fires are oil fed with forced air from the mist collector and can be very aggressive and intimidating) and if the employee uses the extinguisher properly.  There have been instances where the machine actually required several handhelds to effectively supress the fire over the course of a few minutes.  In the end, even if supressed effectively, plastic parts and wiring will likely have been destroyed in the machine and in many cases the time to restore the machine to service extends from months to over a year.  

The other option that has become very popular with CNC owners is a Fireward Automatic Fire Suppression System that is designed to protect the specific microenvironment of the CNC machine.  These systems place fire detection inside the machine itself which enables a fire to be detected in seconds with suppression beginning immediately after the detection of the fire. 

Watch our state of the art fire suppression system in action.

Fireward CNC Machine fire protection systems are compact and high-performing. The systems used on CNC machines themselves typically utilise our Indirect (ILP) system, where we are able to offer this system with our UL2166 Listing for Indirect (ILP) Clean Agent Technology. 

These systems use a Clean Agent fire suppressant that quickly and effectively controls the fire without any residue or contamination of the cutting fluids.  Often these systems are so fast and effective and clean that the owner doesn’t even realise there has been a fire until there is a closer examination of the machine and tools.  

Fires are detected using our UL-approved tubing, which is designed to burst when exposed to the heat and radiant energy of a fire, triggering the activation of the system. This proprietary tubing is ideal for providing detection inside the machine - right at the heart of the potential fire as it is heat-reactive but immune to the coolant sprays and vibration inside the working area. From this the suppressant agent is released to the heart of the fire via the discharge network, consisting of hoses and nozzles.

The extinguishing agents that we typically supply for CNC machine protection consists of Reacton 1230 (Also known as FK 5-1-12). These clean agents are the most tried and tested on the market, providing excellent fire protection and preventing reignition. They require no post fire clean-up, nor will they contaminate the cutting fluid.  We also offer dry powders, specifically Class D powder, for CNC machine protection where flammable metals are being machined. 

For a typical CNC system, Fireward can include two key options

First, we offer a manual activation point.  This two action (pull, then push) system enables an operator to set off the system if they see a small fire starting.

The second commonly included option is a pressure switch that can be wired to the machine.  Typically this is wired to the E-Stop on the machine, shutting down the machine and mist collection to provide maximum effectivity from the fire suppression system. Without shutting the machine down the fire could restart as the gas dissipates, or without shutting off the mist collection the gas may be quickly sucked out of the machine.

Conclusion

With a Fireward Fire Suppression System, you can rest assured that your CNC machines and personnel are operating in a safer environment. Thanks to our cutting-edge technology and quick response time, your assets can be protected against the risk of fire. 

Protecting People and Assets 24/7

To find out more about Fireward’s Automatic Fire Suppression systems, get in touch by calling 0800 151 0249 or email at: sales@fireward.co.uk.