With a sponsorship from First Alert, our team was tasked with developing a strategy to lower the cost of manufacturing First Alert fire extinguishers (FEs) designed for household use. Although fire extinguishers have existed for centuries, and the designs of regular FEs have not been modified significantly in the previous decades, the team was able to provide First Alert with a potential increase in profit through a reduction of inventory. After conducting preliminary research, the team began to search for possible ways to reduce manufacturing costs. This was centrally focused on comparing the flow behavior of different FE nozzles. The team was tasked to work with the 2.5 lb. and 5 lb. home-use FEs as they are the most purchased for home use.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Hu, Mingsi
• Rowland, Jackson
• Zachery, Khadir
• Fernandes Vicenzotto, Lucas

Subject

• Innovation
• Industry

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 64656
• E-project-042722-191254

Keyword

• manufacturing
• reducing cost
• fire extinguisher

Advisor

• Sullivan, John M.
• Wu, Kun-Ta

Year

• 2022

Sponsor

• First Alert

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• Not Specified

Date created

• 2022-04-27

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Applied Physics
• Mechanical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright