Innovating Without Limits
Listening to the Market
Our Voice of Customer (VOC) process highlighted a clear opportunity: customers were frustrated by existing Class D solutions that required significant amounts of fire suppression agent, increasing costs and human intervention. Machine shops and distributors consistently voiced the need for an efficient solution that wouldn't compromise safety or effectiveness. This insight clarified the objective—to develop a system that’s dramatically more efficient than competitors’.
“Our reputation is built on trust and innovation,” said Aaron Haynes, Firetrace’s Director, Industrial Sector. "As leaders in the industry, we felt a responsibility to deliver. We had to ensure our solution not only met but exceeded customer expectations."
Setting Our Own Standards
Developing this solution was unique because there were no existing industry standards for automatic Class D fire suppression.“There are no standardized protocols for testing Class D automatic suppression systems. We had to build our own,” said Luis Ruiz, Firetrace Project Engineer.
The absence of benchmarks was seen as an opportunity internally, and fed an increased responsibility to thoroughly test. Without predefined guidelines, the engineering and product management teams were determined to set a rigorous internal standard, pushing beyond industry norms to ensure exceptional reliability and efficiency.
A Rigorous Approach to Innovation
Firetrace’s structured, yet adaptive Stage Gate approach guided us through conceptual, feasibility, and qualification testing phases. This rigorous methodology allowed our engineers to continuously adapt and improve the system based on real-world findings.
“This wasn’t a plug-and-play development,” said Nathan Lehr, Firetrace Product Manager. “We had to be more aggressive in our design and testing to ensure that when we launched this product, we could stand behind it.”
The Firetrace team conducting live fire tests at its Scottsdale, Arizona headquarters.
The team tested various agents, nozzle configurations and discharge techniques to suppress fires set to a list of Class D metals, closely studying fire behavior to ensure optimal performance. The size and shape of each testing enclosure and even the size and composition of the metal chips used as fire test fuel affected results.
"One of the most significant challenges was the nozzle design" said Ruiz. “Initial designs performed well in controlled scenarios, but struggled in deeper, more complex environments like collection drums."
This iterative testing—performed over 100 separate live fire scenarios in total— allowed the team to systematically address and overcome these challenges, ultimately refining a nozzle design that delivered consistent performance across the intended applications.
"We needed authentic scenarios," Ruiz said. “Testing fire agents on magnesium or titanium isn’t just about burning metal — it’s about understanding how that fire behaves under real-world shop conditions.”
The Result: Superior Efficiency and Cost-Effectiveness
Thanks to the exhaustive testing process, Firetrace was able to develop a Class D solution that uses up to four times less suppression agent per square foot compared to other solution offerings. This remarkable efficiency translated directly into tangible benefits for customers such as lower costs and reduced cleanup.
Our disciplined-driven approach didn’t just result in a better product; it gave Firetrace a compelling competitive advantage in efficiency and value, clearly demonstrating why rigorous testing and adaptive development are central to the NPD process.
Innovating for the Future
Our commitment to setting new benchmarks through rigorous testing is at the heart of Firetrace’s culture.” said Haynes.
By continuously pushing the boundaries and holding ourselves accountable even without industry standards to guide us, we ensure that Firetrace remains a trusted leader—always efficient, always reliable, and always innovating.
While others simply follow the market, Firetrace leads by redefining what is possible.