Fire detection technology is evolving fast, and one of the most exciting innovations today is laser aspirating smoke detection (ASD).
At JEM Systems, we are proud to spotlight Kidde Commercial’s ModuLaser® — a solution that’s setting a new benchmark in early detection, flexibility, and system scalability.
What Makes Aspirating Smoke Detection Different?
Aspirating Smoke Detection actively samples the air in a protected space through a network of pipes which transport air by means of an aspirator (fan) to the detector apparatus. Diverted air for analysis is then filtered and sent to a high-sensitivity laser chamber for analysis. ASDs can be configured such that up to four (4) alarm levels can be independently configured for different responses by the local staff as well as the supervising fire alarm and fire suppression systems.
Due to their proven performance in detecting smoke in its incipient (invisible) stage, ASDs are the de facto standard for high-sensitivity smoke detection (HSSD) in mission-critical applications such as telecom facilities and data centers where Very Early Warning Fire Detection (VEWFD) is specified to avoid costly downtime. To learn more about why ASD is essential in these applications, visit our previous blog article on Aspirating Smoke Detection for Data Centers.
In challenging spaces such as high-airflow and difficult-to-access environments such as ITE (server rack) cooling containment aisles, elevator hoistways, and warehouses equipped with an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS), ASD sampling pipe can be installed in a manner that allows testing from outside of the protected area, consistent with NFPA 72 Chapter 14. Additionally, once piping is installed and validated for structural security and compliance with installation standards, periodic visual inspection of the pipe is not mandated NFPA 72 as any disruption to airflow outside of the programmed thresholds of the ASD will be annunciated as an airflow fault.
In environmentally-challenging environments such as cold storage facilities, ASDs provide a significant improvement in response times to slow smoldering fires, which aid in the localization of fire suppression responses such that property loss and disruption to service is minimized. Sampling pipe rated for the environment can be safely installed in freezing environments and transported back to the ASD located in a tenable environment. Passive heating and condensation traps can be implemented such that the ASD operates smoothly and exhausted air is returned safely to the protected area.
ASD performance compared to traditional fire sensing technologies offers the highest level of early warning fire protection while reducing the risk of downtime or service interruption.
Why ModuLaser® Stands Out
The ModuLaser® Modular Air Sampling Detector (MASD) platform offers features that are uniquely modular and endlessly flexible, such as:
- Fully Scalable Modular Design: Detection is implemented and controlled on a per-pipe basis. Absolutely no unused pipe ports due to this unparalleled level of modularity. Up to eight (8) pipes can be served in a single ASD arrangement.
- Highly Adaptable to a variety of Challenging Environments: The patented ClassiFire™ sophisticated algorithm continuously adjusts detector levels to seasonal changes in background nuisance criteria, ensuring detection is optimized.
- Laser Dust Discrimination: Identifies “spikes” in the obscuration reading caused by particulate matter in the air sample as nuisance signatures, improving reliability.
- Superior Configurability: Easy-to-Taylor on a Per-Pipe Basis, including sensitivity levels and flow balancing. Multiple ASDs can be networked (up to 127 total modules) to a Command Display Module, which allows for network-wide configuration, including programming and firmware updates from a single location.
- Cost Efficiency: Modular and flexible design reduces total equipment and installation costs by up to 37%.
- Survivability: Each pipe of a ModuLaser arrangement is independently aspirated and analyzed for smoke allowing for inherent, latency-free cross-zoning of alarm conditions between pipes. Unlike competitive, multi-port ASD which use a single aspirator and detection chamber, a degradation in performance of one pipe (clog, break, etc.) in a ModuLaser detector does not affect any other pipe.
Designed with the end user in mind, ModuLaser® delivers both precision and simplicity without compromising system performance.
At JEM Systems, we not only distribute ModuLaser® products but also offer full design services, ensuring that your project — from planning to product delivery — is supported by expert precision and care.
Key Applications Across Campus and Commercial Facilities
Educational and commercial environments often face complex fire safety challenges. ModuLaser® is built to meet these challenges with ease:
- Large Open Spaces: In areas like atriums and auditoriums, where smoke stratification can prevent smoke from reaching ceiling-mounted detectors, ModuLaser®’s flexible pipe networks ensure early detection from the sides or lower levels.
- Difficult-to-Access Areas: In facilities such as elevator hoistways, server rooms, data center hot and cold containment aisles, and laboratories, aspirating detectors can be installed, tested and maintained outside of the protected areas, reducing downtime and easing maintenance.
- Lithium-Ion Battery Code Prescriptions: In the latest revision of the model building and fire codes, Occupancy Groups E, F, M, and S require ASD or radiant-energy-sensing detection where lithium-ion or lithium metal batteries are manufactured or stored.
- High-Traffic and Mission-Critical Areas: Faster early detection enhances evacuation efforts and limits property damage, especially in crowded spaces where panic can occur quickly.
- False Alarm Reduction: ModuLaser®’s patented environmental technology minimizes costly disruptions and unnecessary evacuations.
As Katerina Turchenko emphasized in a presentation:
“Every environment comes with its own challenges — whether it’s high airflow, difficult access, or the need for discrete detection. ModuLaser® is flexible enough to adapt to all of them, without sacrificing sensitivity or reliability.”
Built for Flexibility, Compliance, and Long-Term Value
With over 30 years of aspirating smoke detection expertise and over 100,000 devices installed worldwide, Kidde’s ModuLaser® is engineered for high performance and dependability.
Key advantages include:
- Designed from the ground-up for full compliance with UL 268 7th Edition.
- A 5-year extended warranty — demonstrating unmatched confidence in system reliability.
- Modular maintenance: servicing one module without disabling the entire system ensures continuous protection.
Final Thoughts
Today’s fire protection demands require smarter, faster, and more adaptive solutions.
Kidde Commercial’s ModuLaser® meets this need with intelligent aspirating smoke detection designed for complex, dynamic environments.
At JEM Systems, we are proud to design and distribute ModuLaser® systems, helping our partners deliver next-level fire and life safety with a single point of contact.
As Katerina summarized:
“Whether you’re designing a brand-new facility or upgrading an existing one, ModuLaser® gives you the flexibility and performance you need — without compromise.”
If you’d like to learn more about how ModuLaser® can safeguard your facility, contact JEM Systems — where we design, we supply, and we care.
