From concept to certification - the technical journey behind ESP’s Espire alarm range
Following ESP’s entry into the fire and safety alarm sector with its Espire range, Jake Green, Head of Technical Engagement, Scolmore Group, provides a detailed insight into the development journey of these high-performance products.
Already an established and highly respected player in the UK fire protection and security industry, ESP is continually looking at ways to improve and develop its product offer, and to explore new areas for expansion. The launch of Espire earlier this year, is the company’s most significant new product development programme to date. It brings to market a comprehensive range of high performance fire and CO alarm products that has at its core quality, reliability and innovation.
Espire operates as a distinct brand within ESP’s expanding portfolio, drawing on the extensive expertise that has been built up over more than 25 years in the fire protection and security sector. Benefiting from its unique position as part of the industry-leading Scolmore Group, Espire enjoys the strong backing of Scolmore and the trusted distribution network of ESP.
With a product category that plays a crucial role in safety, it is imperative that the products are of the highest quality, have undergone rigorous testing procedures and comply with all the relevant standards. As expected with a project of this scale and importance, ESP invested significantly to create a range of products to meet the company’s exacting requirements. The full Espire collection has been developed from scratch.
The project was guided by a robust design process that began with extensive research to understand user requirements, market trends, and technical constraints. Insights from this phase informed several cycles of prototyping and testing, enabling continuous refinement of the designs until they achieved the desired balance between functionality, aesthetics, and user satisfaction.
To maintain strict quality control measures and ensure product consistency, the factory operates under a comprehensive and rigorous auditing system. Regular internal inspections and process evaluations are carried out to verify that every stage of production meets stringent industry standards and regulatory requirements.
The facility is equipped with state-of-the-art manufacturing and testing equipment, enabling precise calibration and verification of alarm functions, sound output levels, and detection accuracy. Complementing this technology is a highly experienced and qualified team of engineers, quality control specialists, and technicians, all dedicated to upholding the highest standards of safety, durability, and compliance.
The range has been designed to assist installers to meet the recommendations of BS5839-6: Code of Practice for the Design, Installation, Commissioning and Maintenance of Fire Detection and Fire Alarm Systems in Domestic Premises, and BS EN 50292: Electrical apparatus for the detection of carbon monoxide in domestic premises – Guide on the selection, installation, use and maintenance.
Rigorous testing procedures
All Espire products have undergone a meticulous design, development and manufacturing process at its dedicated factory. To ensure compliance with all relevant standards rigorous testing is conducted at various stages in the production process.
A variety of specialised testing chambers and rooms have been utilised to conduct a range of tests on the alarms and these include:
- Smoke alarm testing – state of the art smoke tunnels are utilised to ensure fast and accurate responsiveness to various concentrations of smoke.
- Heat alarm temperature testing - heat testing is carried out in the alarm chamber and measures the responsiveness to changes in temperature. The calibration of the alarm can be adjusted to ensure correct response times are met.
- Carbon Monoxide testing is carried out using the alarm chamber and sensor chamber, to measure the responsiveness to various CO levels.
- Decibel ratings of the alarms are tested in a sound proof room, to ensure the alarm is sounding at the required level.
- Ingress protection of the alarms is tested in a special chamber, to include humidity rating.
- A radio frequency test room is used to capture the transmission signals from the RF module without interference.
- Duration tests that take place after manufacture include controlled faults and functionality checks.
Each alarm is tested a minimum of four times during production. These include pre-checks of the components before moving on to the calibration checks of each sensor or sounder. During assembly of the devices the interface and functional tests are also carried out on the production line, concluding with a final assembly soak test to ensure all alarms have been thoroughly checked and tested prior to installation.
All alarms have been tested by 3rd party test houses and certified by LPCB (Loss Prevention Certification Board) and TUV, to meet the relevant product standards – BS EN 14604 for smoke alarms: BS 5446-2 for heat alarms and BS EN 50291-1 for CO alarms. Every product in the Espire range also comes with a five-year warranty, providing homeowners with added peace of mind.
With meticulous testing, rigorous certification, and innovative design, the Espire range represents ESP’s unwavering commitment to protecting lives and property.