Kentec Electronics Ltd - Experts & Thought Leaders

Kentec Electronics, a pioneering manufacturer of life-critical control systems, has appointed Soumya Bhattcharya as an International Business Development Manager to further drive the company’s international growth in India and the subcontinent. With a forecasted compound annual growth rate of 10.91% by 2031, the fire detection and protection industries in India are fast-growing, and Soumya’s appointment will support Kentec’s growth strategy in a highly-competitive region. Soumya's work experience Soumya proven track record in the security and investigations industry, and was with the Johnson Controls  Soumya has a proven track record in the security and investigations industry, and was most recently with Johnson Controls, focusing on developing business associated with building technology and software. He will be supported internationally by Costas Constantinides, Head of International Sales, to support and strengthen local markets with a growing culture-centric approach to business as usual. “It’s an exciting time to join the Kentec team,” says Soumya. Author's quote Soumya added: “In this new role, my expertise in building and developing partnerships will help the international team consolidate their existing success in a busy region." "We hope to build upon the success of analogue addressable panels like Taktis and Syncro AS, a best seller in the region, and promote our wireless capabilities which are fast becoming globally renowned and which will play an increasingly important part in the future of fire and security.” Global mission Kevin Swann, Managing Director at Kentec, says the appointment adds to the existing strength of Kentec’s international mission: “With Kentec’s presence in the Indian Subcontinent spanning 17+ years, and the international team reaching multiple growth regions across the globe, we’re delighted to expand our horizons with his appointment and add Soumya to our existing arsenal of talent." Soumya is based in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Kentec Electronics, the manufacturer of life-critical control systems, will be utilising Intersec 2022 to showcase how its latest wireless detection technology, Sigma, and Taktis control panels have been designed to make the lives of installers and end-users easier.   Wireless mesh technology Taking centre stage will be Kentec’s latest wireless mesh technology, which not only reduces installation costs and timescales but also removes the design limitations associated with wired systems, such as building work, fire stopping, and containment systems. The mesh technology provides enhanced reliability by providing multiple wireless communication routes between field devices and wireless translators, which provides unrivalled levels of redundancy.   Sigma ZXT single-area extinguishing control panel  Sigma ZXT enables targeted extinguishing that limits damage and reduces costs Now available for general purchase following full BETA field testing in the UK, Europe, and South Africa Kentec’s Sigma ZXT single-area extinguishing control panel will be another principal element of the Kentec stand. New functionality, improved display, and multiple configuration options for a targeted response to a fire incident further Sigma XT’s market-pioneering reputation for user-friendly reliability.     Building on hundreds of thousands of Sigma XT sales in nearly 90 countries, the Sigma ZXT provides additional features, controls, and indications for a single-area extinguishing release system, enabling targeted extinguishing that limits damage and reduces costs. Three conventional detection zones provide the alarm ‘trigger’ required to activate the release of the extinguishant, and the system can be configured to release the extinguishant on an alarm from any single zone or combination of multiple zones.   Taktis control panel As Kentec’s flagship control panel, Taktis will be a vital part of its Intersec demonstrations and industry discussions. Available in up to 16 loops, it provides up to 144 zone indications and supports more than 2,000 detection devices. It can network up to 127 panels, making it ideal for the largest sites such as schools, hospitals, multi-site retail/supermarkets, critical infrastructure, and major commercial and industrial facilities.    Fully programmable straightforward access Single-area functionality enables targeted extinguishing that has clear benefits for the end-user and installer" Kevin Swann, Managing Director at Kentec, says the business is eager to showcase Kentec’s life safety systems’ latest developments and what benefits they are bringing to installers and end-users, “The Sigma ZXT, for example, is fully programmable through the front fascia, with a clear password and access menu structures for easy configuration,” he says.  “With straight-forward separate access for users and engineers the product is designed to be easy to use for both installer and end-user. Single-area functionality enables targeted extinguishing that has clear benefits for the end-user and installer. And to support our existing Sigma XT customers, the Sigma ZXT is fully backward compatible with the legacy SI status units, along with all the ancillary devices and components.”  Easy installation Commenting on Kentec’s wireless technology, Kevin adds, “It is simple to design and enables fast commissioning, which means systems can be installed in a matter of days – and because it can be designed, programmed, and commissioned from the complementary software before installation, there is less time required on-site – also important for COVID-safety measures,” he says.  

Kentec Electronics (Kentec), the globally renowned manufacturer of life-critical control systems, has launched K-Mesh, a next-generation wireless detection system that uses self-healing and configuring Mesh technology, to deliver optimum levels of reliability. K-Mesh wireless detection system Launched at the global security event, Intersec 2022, K-Mesh is a new development and new name for Kentec’s Ekho wireless system. Kentec’s sister company, Hochiki Europe, will retain the Ekho brand, for their hybrid wireless offering. This will enable Kentec Installation Partners (KIPs) to promote and sell a system that is bespoke to them, and which has a series of additional product features, in order to give them a further competitive advantage. New UNIQUE technology within K-Mesh is SmartGuide, which supports safe and strategic building evacuation, by wirelessly utilising sound, light and voice command functionality to provide the utmost clarity in evacuation instructions. The sound/light and voice command functions all exist in a single device that is also a detector. Uses self-healing dynamic Mesh network K-Mesh wireless detection system uses a self-healing dynamic Mesh network, which makes it easy to use, install and commission K-Mesh wireless detection system uses a self-healing dynamic Mesh network, which makes it easy to use, install and commission, and ultimately provides robust assurance that fire incidents are detected and communicated immediately. It is available, as part of a complete fire detection system, with Kentec-manufactured panels, to provide optimum performance.  A wireless translator module, which sits at the centre of the K-Mesh system, is hard-wired to the fire alarm control panel loop and communicates continuously with the wireless devices. Sensors are supplied in three variants: optical, thermal, and multi-criteria, with the optical and multi-criteria sensors featuring adaptive signal processing and double dust traps to prevent false alarms. Thermal detectors deployed Thermal detectors can respond to a fixed temperature threshold or detect a rate of rise in temperature. Wireless sounders, call points and testing kits are also available within the range. K-Mesh has a seven-to-ten-year battery life, which is approximately twice that of the industry standard. The technology is also fully expandable and configurable from anything from two to 2,000 devices. So, even the largest, most disparate and complex sites can now be protected wirelessly. Further capabilities of the K-Mesh wireless detection system include a communication range of up to 1,200 metres and immunity to hacking. Wireless fire detection, the future of detector technology Kevin Swann, the Managing Director of Kentec Electronics, feels wireless fire detection is the future of detector technology Kevin Swann, the Managing Director of Kentec Electronics, feels wireless fire detection is the future of detector technology. He said, “It is fast to install and less invasive to a building’s structure, and by utilising the most advanced Mesh technology, previous concerns over reliability are a thing of the past.”   Kevin Swann adds, “The K-Mesh launch puts us in a strong position to provide our installers with a one-stop-shop for all the fire detection needs. We’re very pleased to utilise Intersec to launch the product and indeed take full advantage of the extensive networking opportunities the show offers.” Radio equipment directive (RED) approval In addition to LPCB and EN-54 approval, K-Mesh has the radio equipment directive (RED) approval, which sets essential requirements for safety and health, electromagnetic compatibility, and the efficient use of the radio spectrum.  Kentec Electronics will continue to provide technical support for customers, who have already installed the Ekho wireless brand.

A new study reveals that intelligent fire detection systems have the potential to unlock more than 30 percent cost-savings on routine maintenance checks through real-time, data-driven remote monitoring. Kevin Mears, Product Manager for Kentec Electronics, describes how remote monitoring and predictive maintenance can meet the competitive challenges of the digital age. Leading economists have identified the convergence and synergies delivered by The Internet of Things – the interconnection via the Internet of computing devices embedded in everyday objects, enabling them to send and receive data – as a powerful force to create entirely new business models for system developers and integrators, by releasing the potential of remote interrogation. Remote diagnostics: A cost-efficient approach For the fire systems sector the definition of remote diagnostics is instructive: “Improving the reliability of life-critical installations and reducing maintenance costs by monitoring the condition of the system remotely to obviate unplanned maintenance.” The practical economic value of this data-driven approach to maintenance monitoring is highlighted by the findings by one of the largest global companies specialising in infrastructure solutions. The company found their costs for avoidable maintenance work were just as high, annually, as their actual profit from production: alerting them to seek a fresh rationale to release this massive saving potential. Intelligent System Interoperability So, the message is clear: real value can be created by optimising predictive maintenance by means of smarter remote troubleshooting, enabled by liberating the interoperability between intelligent systems so their full potential can be realised – and it’s a message that fully applies to an AFD (automatic fire detection and fire alarm system) to the significant benefit of service providers and to end users. The cost of wasted time for both business and the fire service is estimated to be well in excess of £1 billion per year Specifically, programmed remote diagnostics that discriminatively interrogate an AFD can cut out the need for excessively scheduled maintenance intervals, a measured approach to risk management that harnesses the interconnected intelligence of versatile addressable field devices to deliver an immense reduction of on-site maintenance costs. Reducing false alarm downtime It’s worth remembering that of the more than 600,000 call out incidents were attended by Fire and Rescue Services, nearly 50 percent of these were due to false fire alarms. The cost of this wasted time for both business and the fire service is estimated to be well in excess of £1 billion per year, and that includes downtime from needless evacuations. Clearly, such preventable emergency alerts can be sensibly reduced by the use of intelligent predictive technology, reducing the need for fire risk professionals to travel to monitored sites by allowing potential problems to be resolved before they arise. To tackle this menace of false activations, one of the leading innovators in the fire safety market has now devised an entirely new future-proof management platform that fully exploits internet-enabled technology to establish a new concept in Life Safety System performance, designed to add value to system designer, integrator, service provider and the end user. Customisable fire detection control  Entering the market as a new concept in fire detection control equipment, this life safety technology brings a new approach to system annunciation made possible by onscreen virtualisation of any life safety system via fire alarm system repeater panels, augmented by configurable, application-specific annunciator panels (such as nurses stations, sprinkler indicators, lift alarms, etc.), supported by an easy-to-configure modularity of software that makes any project customisable. The technology is designed to yield the key benefits bestowed by the virtualisation of remote monitoring Foremost, the system combines the efficiency of high-integrity fire data communications – whose performance to minimise false activations is defined by the highest reliability in resistance to outside interference – with a touchscreen-accessible configurable network whose high performance is measured by compliance with BS EN standards for control and indicating equipment, power supply equipment, and system components compatibility. At its core, this capability incorporates the latest hardware and software to deliver a system that fulfills the precautionary measures most frequently demanded by integrators and contractors. These include the management of fire and security servicing inspection routines, false fire alarm interrogation and diagnosis, or the scheduling of system maintenance call-outs. At the same time, this capability benefits users with the support of a full audit trail for traceability and regulatory compliance. Sophisticated network analysis tools, in addition, provide the ability to identify connection problems instantly. Fire management: A new dimension This internet-enabled resource permits information to flow according to the needs of each interface, and to match specific supervisory structures; for example, from the restricted entry-level user, through facilities management, to the maintenance engineer. Individual logins grant individual levels of access. This means that the intuitive touchscreen repeater screens are an easy-to-operate entry-point for those with specific safety duties in a fire zone. These screens can be programmed to ensure restricted users receive on-screen information relating only to their preordained tasks, which communicates clearly so they comprehend quickly and respond without panic. Cloud notifications are accessed 24/7 for online monitoring via users’ digital devices For more complex system demands, at the unrestricted level of engineer or building manager, for instance, these utilities permit layer upon layer of operating data to be retrieved for reliable incident reports. By drilling down, through the menu-driven interactions, management can review system event logs, conduct tests, change emergency notification, check trouble signals, disable the system, manage inspections and callouts, and improve servicing and maintenance regimes. Cloud notifications are accessed 24/7 for online monitoring via users’ smartphones, tablets, and other digital devices, ensuring full system event activity reporting, including multiple sites, false alarm diagnostics and functional testing of system devices. In addition, traceability for site compliance is delivered to benefit users with a full audit trail for regulatory conformance – including operational and performance records to register maintenance routines and all mandatory periodical tests are completed, with full confidentiality of all data. Virtuality: The new reality of predictive analytics The technology described here is designed to yield the key benefits bestowed by the virtualisation of remote monitoring: 1. To permit businesses to monitor status of devices in the field for maintenance or upgrade 2. To reduce downtime and improves network efficiencies when coupled with predictive analytics 3. To reduce servicing costs by enhancing maintenance regimes 4. To enable system integrators to harvest operational data and apply these insights to customise user services that build and retain customer loyalty 5. To deliver an operational and performance record for compliance and traceability.