Case Studies DaqPRO - Pyrotechnics
	DaqPRO used to Monitor Fireworks' Quality in China The discovery of fireworks, in fact the formula for gunpowder, is commonly believed to have happened by chance in China 2,000 years ago. Three common kitchen ingredients were heated over a fire and when dried and burned gave a loud bang. Inserting this into a bamboo stick led to early fire crackers. Today the field of pyrotechnics is developing rapidly and China is recognized as the number one producer of quality fireworks, in terms of technology. There is a huge market in China, since fireworks play a crucial role in ritual and festivities, but also as a major exporter. One leader in the Chinese fireworks industry, recently had their products tested with the DaqPRO solution by the China National Key Laboratory for pyrotechnic testing. This official body is situated in Hunan province and plays a key role in defining national safety standards in manufacture, acceptance checks, sales, transportation, storage and launching of fireworks. To ensure safer and more environmentally-friendly offerings and meet safety regulations both at home and abroad, the company takes quality inspection very seriously. They were looking for a solution that would maintain their product's high quality reputation. They considered the DaqPRO to be the answer. The independent data acquisition solution could stand alone in extreme testing conditions and allowed for the measurement of very high temperatures via the type T thermocouple sensor which can measure up to 400 degrees centigrade. One or more heat flux sensors are connected to the DaqPRO with a distance kept of at least one meter from the pyrotechnical material. Heat flux and temperature are measured in sync and at the end of the recording process the DaqPRO recorded data is downloaded to a computer for analysis. The DaqPRO allows on-screen editing so comments to be made next to collected data. The lab measure at what point the fireworks combust so that the safety levels of the pyrotechnical materials could be verified while stored on supermarket shelves or in shipment.