WatchDog Robotics’ Autonomous Suppression Systems are built to protect paper mills and materials-processing facilities, addressing risks from combustible dust, paper stock, bale storage, equipment heat, and dryer or press-line ignition sources. These advanced systems provide reliable, precision fire protection that integrates seamlessly into continuous-run operations—supporting uptime, safeguarding personnel, and ensuring stable, uninterrupted production.
Your Solutions
Overview
Paper mills and materials-processing facilities operate in high-heat, high-fuel environments where fire risks are constant. Dust accumulation, dry fiber stock, bale storage, lint, and high-temperature equipment create conditions where ignition can occur suddenly and spread rapidly. Press sections, dryer cans, hood systems, pulpers, refiners, and conveyor-fed processes all generate heat, friction, or trapped material—making fast, precise suppression essential.
Traditional sprinklers or alarms alone often cannot address fires that begin inside machinery, beneath web paths, within dust accumulations, or along conveyors. WatchDog’s NozzleBot™ uses thermal imaging, AI-driven analytics, and targeted suppression to detect and stop fires in under 15 seconds—without soaking equipment, ruining paper stock, or forcing prolonged downtime.
Our autonomous systems operate 24/7, adapting to your mill’s layout, machinery, and process flows while providing continuous monitoring, early detection, and precision-controlled suppression.
With WatchDog Robotics, your mill stays ahead of risk, minimizes equipment damage, reduces downtime, and protects people, product, and production continuity.
Dryer Sections & Hoods
Detect and suppress early-stage fires caused by sheet breaks, overheated components, or accumulated lint.
Press Sections
Identify heat anomalies from friction, rollers, bearings, or paper jams.
Conveyor Systems & Transfer Points
Monitor hot material movement, catching fires before they travel upstream or downstream.
Bale Storage, Roll Storage & Warehouse Areas
Provide autonomous protection for high-fuel-density areas holding pulp, rolls, or finished product.
Pulpers, Refiners & Mechanical Processing Equipment
Identify abnormal heat inside or adjacent to processing machinery.
Dust-Prone Zones
Protect areas with fiber dust accumulation that may flash or smolder.
Coating, Calendaring & Finishing Lines
Address ignition hazards created by friction, static, coatings, or thermal processing.
Scrap Handling & Wastepaper Conveyance
Prevent fires fueled by shredded material, recycled fiber, and bale contaminants.
Outdoor Fiber Storage & Chip Piles
Provide protection where sprinklers are not installed or cannot reach.
Temporary Operations During Shutdowns & Maintenance
Protect mills when safeguards are offline or areas are exposed.
Dry Fiber & Dust Ignition
Fine paper dust, lint, and fiber accumulate in hoods, ducts, conveyors, and machinery—igniting easily from friction, hot surfaces, or static discharge.
Equipment Heat & Mechanical Friction
Press rolls, bearings, dryers, motors, and refiners generate heat that can ignite stuck material or surrounding dust.
Sheet Breaks & Web Handling
Paper breaks can wrap hot cylinders, accumulate in dryers, or contact hot surfaces, creating rapid ignition.
High Fuel Load Areas
Bale storage, roll storage, scrap lines, and recycled fiber piles burn intensely once ignited.
Enclosed Machinery Ignition
Fires inside dryer housings, hood systems, conveyors, balers, pulpers, or refiners often go undetected until well-developed.
Outdoor or Unsprinklered Zones
Raw material yards, chip piles, and external conveyance lines operate without protection.
Rapid Horizontal Fire Spread
Conveyors and material flow pathways can carry heat, sparks, or burning material rapidly through multiple production zones.
Use Cases
Why the High Risks?
Features
Rapid Response
24/7 Support
Nationwide Service
Latest Detection Technology
Turnkey
Suppression Solution
Scalable, Self Contained Design
Blog Post
Overview
Paper mills and materials processing facilities face elevated fire risks due to high fuel loads, intense heat from drying processes, airborne cellulose dust, and continuous operations that enable rapid fire spread. Traditional ceiling sprinklers often fail to address fires originating in enclosed or shadowed areas like dryer hoods, presses, conveyors, and dust accumulations. WatchDog Robotics’ NozzleBot systems deliver machine-level autonomous detection and precise suppression through advanced thermal analytics, IR3 flame sensors, and articulated aiming, extinguishing threats in seconds while using significantly less water to minimize damage and downtime. Supporting NFPA 652 and 654 compliance via dust monitoring and optional washdowns, with 24/7 operation, flexible mounting, and scalable flow rates from 200-1,500 GPM, NozzleBot enhances safety, operational continuity, and risk management in paper mills, pulp plants, tissue facilities, and similar high-hazard environments.
Why do paper mills experience so many fires?
Paper mills experience so many fires because paper dust, dry fibers, heat sources, and nonstop processing create ignition conditions that can escalate quickly without immediate intervention. Dust can combine with oils from pneumatics or adhesives from the production process, causing rapid buildup.
Why is cellulose dust so dangerous?
Cellulose dust is so dangerous because it ignites extremely easily due to its low Minimum Ignition Energy (often as low as 30 mJ), allowing even minor sparks or hot surfaces to trigger combustion or explosions when dispersed in air.
How does WatchDog detect fires earlier than traditional systems?
WatchDog uses continuous thermal monitoring or IR3 to identify abnormal heat signatures or flames at conveyors, drop points, and processing equipment—triggering suppression within seconds.
Learn more: https://www.watchdogrobotics.com/nozzlebot
Why are sprinklers often ineffective in mills?
Sprinklers are often ineffective in mills because fires frequently start inside machinery or under hoods, before spreading rapidly. The sprinklers are often delayed so long they may never activate, or are insufficient once they do. Shadowing effects and temperature stratification of the large buildings pose additional challenges.
How does WatchDog detect fires earlier?
WatchDog detects fires earlier because thermal analytics combined with IR3 sensors pinpoint heat anomalies or flames in seconds, reducing false alarms while capturing incipient stages.
Is NozzleBot suitable for outdoor stockpiles and yards?
Yes. Outdoor yards are among the highest-risk areas and are typically unprotected by sprinklers. WatchDog provides autonomous detection and suppression in these exposed zones with weather-proof components and long lasting 316L stainless steel construction
How does WatchDog Robotics reduce downtime compared to deluge systems?
WatchDog reduces downtime compared to deluge systems by targeting only the ignition source with precise suppression, using substantially less water (potentially 80-90% reduction in similar targeted vs. flooding approaches) and preventing widespread flooding of machinery or inventory.
How does WatchDog Robotics compare to deluge systems?
WatchDog compares favorably to deluge systems by enabling early, precise intervention with minimal water, while deluge systems flood large areas with high volumes upon late activation, increasing collateral damage and even the risk of electrocution to responders.
Does NozzleBot integrate with mill control systems?
WatchDog can integrate with mill control systems or FACPs through standard protocols like Modbus, Ethernet/IP, or dry contacts for seamless data exchange and centralized oversight.
Is continuous monitoring important in mills?
When should a paper mill consider WatchDog Robotics?
Is WatchDog effective during equipment maintenance or downtime?
Can the NozzleBot block out certain areas that should not be exposed to large amounts of water?
Can the NozzleBot be used for tasks other than suppression?
Continuous monitoring is important in mills because many fires ignite during off-shifts or overnight when staffing is low, making 24/7 autonomous detection essential since fuel levels in various forms remain high.
A paper mill should consider WatchDog whenever persistent hotspots, dust challenges, recurrent ignitions, inadequate sprinkler coverage, or insurance pressures elevate risks to unacceptable levels.
Yes. Maintenance periods can increase risk. WatchDog provides continuous protection when safeguards are reduced or equipment is exposed, on guard 24/7/365.
Yes. It can be configured to disregard or block certain vulnerable areas of a plant that should not get wet, like pressure vessels, delicate controls, or yankees dryers, while providing rapid, precise suppression elsewhere.
Yes. It can be controlled manually via a joystick or computer UI, allowing it to be used for cleaning and wash-down practices in addition to fire suppression.