Fire Protection for the Wood Panel Industry
Increasing Efficiency Through Better Fire Safety
Fires remain a common—and costly—challenge in the wood panel industry. In many plants, fire incidents are frequent and often treated as routine disruptions. But as production speed and automation increase, so does the potential for fire-related damage and downtime.
By implementing a purpose-built fire protection system, facilities producing MDF, OSB, and particle boards can significantly reduce the risk of fires and dust explosions while enhancing overall productivity and uptime.
Understanding Fire Risks in Wood Panel Manufacturing
The wood panel production process involves several stages where combustible materials, high temperatures, and mechanical friction intersect—creating ideal conditions for fire. Dust accumulation, hot surfaces, and equipment faults can all act as ignition sources, often in areas that operate continuously and at high speeds. Wood dust can ignite at just 260°C, while hot mechanical particles may exceed 900°C, making even minor faults potentially catastrophic. Recognizing and protecting these high-risk zones is essential for maintaining safe, uninterrupted production.
Common high-risk zones
Dryers and sifters
Generate hot particles that can ignite airborne or settled wood dust.
Presses, sanders, and cutting units
Create heat through friction, raising the chance of ignition.
Oil pumps and hydraulic systems
May leak flammable fluids onto hot surfaces.
Dust extraction systems
Accumulate fine, combustible dust particles
Storage silos
Can hold self-heating material prone to smoldering and delayed ignition.
Custom Solutions for Wood Panel Production
Wood panel production is prone to fire risks from fine wood dust, friction, and hot work processes. Firefly’s systems protect critical production areas.
Firefly PressGuard®
The Firefly PressGuard®, is a quick-suppression system encompassing detection and water mist suppression. The detection system uses different detectors that are suitable for different areas of a press, ensuring rapid and accurate response. The water mist suppression system uses only a small quantity of water, minimizing any secondary damage.
Key Benefits
- Quick System Response Time
- Minimum Water Usage
- Third Party Approved System
- Precision Detection
Certifications
Firefly SanderGuard™
The fine dust generated by a sanding machine is potentially explosive and can cause a rapid spread of fire if ignited. Firefly’s SanderGuard™ system is designed for all types of sanders, using quick flame detection inside the sanding machine and water mist suppression, providing optimal protection of this important link in the production chain.
Key Benefits
- Quick System Response Time
- Minimum Water Usage
- Third Party Approved System
- Precision Detection
Certifications
Why Choose Firefly?
Ultra Quick System Response Time
The Quick Suppression System, which is part of our protection solution for shredders, operates with high performance flame detectors for extremely quick detection. The efficient water mist system has remarkable suppression capabilities which reduce damages on machinery.
EXCELLENT SUPPRESSION CAPABILITIES
The Water Mist System with fire-tested and verified extinguishing capabilities utilizes very small amounts of water resulting in less impact on machinery, minimized production loss and down time.
FIREFLY SILO PROTECTION
Firefly’s True-IR detectors will prevent ignition sources (such as hot black particles, embers and sparks) from entering the silo. Full-cone water spray is one of the methods used to extinguish the ignition source in milliseconds after detection. The detection of a smouldering fire inside a silo is known to be very difficult. Firefly’s MGD, a gas analyzer, commonly known as “electronic nose,” is designed to detect the earliest stages of a combustion process, for example the self-heating process of an organic material.
FIREFLY FILTER PROTECTION
Dust extraction systems are vital to take care of dust generated in dry bulk handling processes. The risk in these units is considered very high due to the high concentration of dust. Firefly’s FM-approved Spark Detection and Extinguishing System will efficiently prevent ignition sources from entering the risk zones.
Director of Operations at Factory X
John Bennick
FNA took the time to understand our challenges and came up with customized solutions that we never considered.
Downloads
Firefly EXIMIO™
Firefly Spark Detection System
Firefly Quick Suppression System
Firefly Wood Panel Solutions
Firefly EXsolvo®
FM Approved Fire Protection
All our fire prevention products are FM approved, meeting the highest safety standards. As the official North American distributor for Firefly, we provide cutting-edge protection, including the only FM-approved spark detection system for high-temperature particles.
Industries We Protect
Fire Safety Solutions for High-Risk Industries. We protect industries where fire risks are high, ensuring operational safety and business continuity.