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Hochiki Europe’s L@titude system distributed by XtraVision

Hochiki Europe’s L@titude range of fire alarm control equipment combines the very latest hardware and software to produce a powerful control and indication system, which is both sophisticated, yet simple to use. Developed by Hochiki’s design team and distributed through XtraVision in South Africa, L@titude is one of the most powerful, intelligent and technically robust fire alarm products available in the market today.

The flexibility of the platform means it can be reconfigured to realise many other control and indication applications, with direct integration into intelligent buildings. L@titude is designed to add value to system designers, integrators, service providers and end users/building owners.

The products and services offered under the L@titude brand provide solutions to the most technically challenging applications in African life safety. The modular nature of the system allows all field wiring to be connected to a passive motherboard enabling addition, reconfiguration or replacement of all electronic hardware without the need to disconnect any wiring.

This modularity also allows each panel to be customised with addressable loop detection circuits, conventional detection circuits, relay cards, additional sounder outputs or programmable I/O modules as required. The L@titude solution can also record up to 10 000 events and incidents, providing a detailed history of system activity for fire safety professionals. As well as being customisable, the modular product is expandable to offer customers a near future-proof life safety system.

The solution allows maintenance teams to rapidly locate and examine any incidents occurring across their premises, in real time, from any location. The flexible panel can hold up to 64 operator profiles, giving a range of programmable access levels to building owners, facilities managers and those responsible for fire safety in a property.

International standards

In 2019, the product gained EN 54-13 approval, commonly known in the industry as ‘Part 13’, ensuring the reliability of all of the individual components within the systems in accordance with stringent European standards.

When used alongside Hochiki Europe’s L@ti-View visual monitoring and control software, operators and users are alerted to events as soon as they occur on their premises via an innovative interface, and are immediately directed to their location on screen. The software is fully configurable on-site using administrator logins.

At the same time, Vizulinx, Hochiki’s compact fire alarm management module, can also be used to enhance the L@titude experience. This easy-to-install module allows for remote monitoring of Hochiki fire alarm systems, while also interfacing Hochiki control panels to third-party equipment. Vizulinx also enables duty-holders to receive texts to their mobile device whenever an incident occurs.

Fast and secure

One company to make use of the innovative L@titude system is Jardine Motors, a £5 million showroom in Kent, UK, which displays high-value Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles. The business needed a state-of-the-art control and indication system which would link its various heat, flame and smoke detectors from around the space. L@titude was specified due to its ultra-reliability, flexibility, user friendliness and accessibility while still being able to fit in with the showroom’s sleek aesthetics.

As the control panel comprised a modular nature, all field wiring could be connected to a passive motherboard to which electronic hardware can be added and reconfigured without disconnecting older wiring. Consequently, there was little disruption to operations during installation, meaning the showroom’s valuable merchandise was able to stay in place throughout and extensive renovations were avoided – speeding up the delivery time of the project.

Roger Dawkins, facilities manager at the showroom, saw first-hand how L@titude was made in Hochiki Europe’s factory. He commented: “Having the chance to see the production and design process gave us reassurance in Hochiki Europe’s ability to produce state-of-the-art life safety systems which would meet our needs as a business. We are currently exploring the rollout of L@titude across all our showrooms nationwide thanks to the initial success of its safety protection in our Kent showroom.”

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