Matt Ball from Fireco gives an overview of the step-by-step process involved in developing a new product, Dormag Pro, from conception to the finished product

Hi Matt, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I'm a Product Design Engineer working here at Fireco. I’ve been here just over 4 years now and have been involved in multiple design and engineering projects relating to improving both the functionality and aesthetics of Fireco’s product range. One of these projects, seen from initial conception sketches through to manufacture, is the DorMag Pro, which has recently been released.

There’s quite a lot of excitement at Fireco about this new product. What exactly is DorMag Pro?
It's our new magnetic door retaining device, which is designed to be installed behind the door. It’s wireless; it holds open the door and is activated by radio, releasing during a fire alarm.

What would you say makes a DorMag different?

Most of the magnetic retainers on the market at the moment are wired-in solutions. So the thinking behind our DorMag magnetic door retainer is that it would be wire-free. It’s powered by a single battery pack that consists of three lithium cells that provide extensive power supply to the device. Also, the product offers a compact wire-free design that is easy to install.

What’s special about the magnet?
The Pro unit is fixed to the wall, and the Door Keeper is fitted to the door. Magnetised together, they form a simple solution to latch open the door. The door can be released easily by pressing the button on the front. This sends a pulse to the electromagnet, briefly demagnetising the electromagnet, causing the keeper and the door to release. The magnet also retracts inwards, which is a key feature of the product. Once the magnet has retracted, you won’t be able to latch the keeper onto it - it is now in a fail-safe state. 

You might ask, “Why can’t you just have the current switched off to the magnet or the magnetism taken away from the magnet during an alarm?” The problem is that this works by having a permanent electromagnet that delivers a current to that magnet to demagnetise it. Because it’s a battery-operated device, if you continuously fire a pulse through that magnet with a current flowing through it, you’re going to drain through your batteries really quickly. A big part of the project is trying to overcome that, that’s why you also retract the magnet at the same time. The key thing is that once in that state, it’s now not using any excess power. It’s not using anything but its quiescent (sleep) current to detect its transmitter (ProHub or ProExtender), to tell it when to come out of the alarm active state. 

Can you tell us about the development and testing process? 

The initial brief was quite open, which allowed plenty of room for creative freedom within the project. We really wanted to design something with form and aesthetics at the heart of the project, and the engineering would follow that. 

Often, when faced with compliance requirements, people tend to envision clunky, unappealing solutions. However, we were determined to challenge this by creating products that not only met regulatory standards but also boasted an attractive and discreet appearance when installed on doors or walls. This emphasis on design was integral to the project. 

Testing proved to be a significant phase of the project, consuming the majority of our time. Given the stringent standards within the fire industry, rigorous testing protocols were essential. For instance, DorMag Pro underwent extensive testing to meet standards such as EN1155, which specifically addresses fire door safety-retaining products. This included evaluating its capacity to release the alarm when prompted, as well as enduring 50,000 cycles on our in-house fire door test rig to ensure durability beyond expectations. 

Then we have in-house product testing, fitting it in situ on our doors and walls. And then we’ve been rolling it out to beta site customers. These are customers that are willing to help us out, take on the product while we monitor it, get feedback and make improvements in the firmware or hardware until we’re completely confident to release the product to market. 

It’s got a great, sleek look. Can you tell me a bit about how you settled on the final design?
In the initial phases of design, we conducted extensive experimentation with various forms and geometries. This iterative process began with conceptual sketches on paper, progressed to the creation of foam models, and eventually advanced to CAD models and 3D prints. Throughout this journey, we not only explored different shapes but also prioritised the robustness of the geometry. Our goal was to achieve a balance between structural integrity and sleekness, ensuring that the design maintained its rigidity without becoming overly engineered. This approach allowed us to preserve the product's compact and streamlined form while upholding its durability.

What excites you about DorMag? 

Probably the mechanics behind the build. That’s part of what I studied going back to my university days. One of the challenges lay in finding a solution to demagnetising the front magnet while devising a way of retracting that magnet simultaneously. It was looking into this critical electromechanical process that ignited excitement in the project. There was a lot of work that went into that to finalise it and get to the point where we’ve now applied for it to be patent-approved.

DorMag Pro is part of the Fireco Pro System. Can you tell us how it works?
Our ProHub is essentially a transmitter that is connected to your fire alarm panel. If the alarm is triggered or the alert is triggered as well, it basically transmits a signal that’s between 433-434 MHz, which is a regulated frequency within the UK. It will trigger the unit to essentially pulse its magnet, unlatch the door, and also cause the magnet to retract. So it’s now no longer in a latchable state. That’s the Pro side of the product. The good thing about the radio-activated device is that it’s not impacted by any noise, which a lot of other similar products on the market are. For certain premises, that is more useful. But if you’re looking for a solution that is independent of audio around the building, then the radio option is probably the way to go.

So that’s the lowdown on DorMag Pro. But Fireco has also announced an acoustic version.
Yes, Fireco has recently introduced DorMag SmartSound, an innovative audio-activated version of the product. This variant is equipped with advanced SmartSound audio capabilities, enabling it to differentiate between background noise and a fire alarm. Through its engineered audio algorithm, the device accurately discerns between the two, ensuring that only the alarm triggers the devices. DorMag SmartSound has undergone rigorous
testing against numerous fire alarm sounders and background noises to ensure its reliability. Despite these enhancements, the product retains its compact, wire-free, and battery-powered design, similar to the DorMag Pro. Notably, unlike its predecessor, DorMag SmartSound operates independently and does not require any additional transmitter devices such as ProHub or ProExtender.

Now with DorMag joining the Fireco range, we can offer a compliant solution for any environment!