Fike Labs will soon move to and vastly expand its operations under one roof dedicated to testing, innovation and invention - Fike Labs HQ! This state-of-the-art expansion ensures Fike Labs continues to advance safety for both today’s hazards and also for those in the future.
“The opening of Fike Labs HQ marks a major milestone in our company’s 80-year history. This new facility greatly strengthens our ability to deliver innovative safety solutions for the hazards in an ever-evolving world. Wherever and whenever Fike’s team of experts and solutions are required, we are well-positioned for nearly anything to keep our customers safe. That’s why you can continue to trust Fike with even the hardest problems.”
Josh Batz, President of Fike
We recently interviewed Tom Farrell, Principal Engineer of Test and Validation Engineering at Fike Corporation, about Fike Labs HQ.
What areas are included at Fike Labs HQ?
The new facility will bring together a comprehensive suite of Fike’s current and new testing capabilities under one roof.
For example, our fire testing areas received large upgrades and will continue to support traditional suppression research for Class A, B and C fires using inert gas, water mist and clean agents.
The Combustion Test Laboratory will move over to Fike Labs HQ and will continue providing valuable data on customers’ dust samples, while our battery testing area will support our ongoing efforts on thermal runaway management systems and customer-driven research.
Large-scale explosion testing, product development and customer strength-of-enclosure tests will continue to be performed at the adjacent Fike Providing Grounds, allowing us to study the effects of overpressure and flame propagation with various dust types and mitigation strategies.
How big is the building? How many different rooms and areas will be included?
Fike Labs HQ is 42,000 sq. ft. and will feature around 50 rooms, including four large-scale battery fire test cells that can be reconfigured for commodity fire testing, as well as a large fire test cell that can be converted into a fire sprinkler test cell. The facility will also include three conference rooms - a staff room, client services room, and a large training room - along with dedicated office areas, break rooms, and showers to support employee safety and chemical hygiene. In addition, client-viewing areas will be available for observing large-scale fire and thermal runaway tests.
Why did Fike Labs require a new building, and why was now the right time for it?
Fike has 80 years’ worth of excellence and innovation. This new facility positions us to expand on that tradition over the next 80 years.
The new facility will feature additional CTL equipment to increase throughput and deliver faster turnaround times for clients. As emerging trends in the lithium-ion battery space drive demand for more testing, and with NRTL resources often being limited, the expanded lab will help accelerate safety advancements.
The space will also support the development of safety standards and enable the application of Fike Blue technology across more diverse markets, including battery energy storage systems (BESS) and mobility.
With dedicated areas for design, build and test functions operating concurrently, product development cycles will be significantly faster, particularly for customer-specific solutions. The facility will also provide onsite customer education resources and client meeting rooms to enhance collaboration.
How does Fike Labs’ new building advance our battery testing capabilities?
The new facility will significantly increase our testing capacity, allowing us to run more tests each year while providing the flexibility to select test cells based on the expected thermal load, resulting in more accurate data. It will also feature expanded measurement capabilities with state-of-the-art distributed data acquisition systems offering higher channel counts.
Why will Fike’s combustible dust testing lab move to the new expansion?
Fike Labs HQ enables us to dramatically respond to growing demand for combustible dust hazard characterization. This means even quicker lead times than our already industry-leading speed of response.
Are you aware of any other facilities like this one in the world?
Fike Labs HQ is unique because it brings together several industrial safety disciplines within one building. By crossing multiple areas of expertise, Fike can optimize the solutions that we deliver to our customers; this is not a new concept for Fike, but having it all co-located under one roof (including consultancy) significantly drives collaboration.
In what ways did Fike Labs HQ support our sustainability goals?
The new facility is designed with a focus on environmental responsibility and sustainability. Air pollution control systems, including dust collectors and scrubbers, will help minimize emissions and ensure we remain good neighbors to the community. Solar power will be integrated to support our ESG goals, and electric vehicle charging stations will encourage more sustainable commuting options. Additionally, local materials such as limestone, trees and shrubs from site preparation are being repurposed for foundation work and onsite mulch, reducing the overall carbon footprint of the build.
