Project Report: Development of a Low-Cost Fire Alarm System (CE 2.1)

This report details a project focused on the development of a low-cost, microcontroller-based fire alarm system (M-FAS). The project aims to design, prototype, and implement a user-friendly fire alarm system utilizing heat, flame, and smoke detectors. The system incorporates a PIC16F877A microcontroller to control operations, including sensor input, alarm activation (buzzer, strobe light), and a monitoring system. The project includes detailed descriptions of the system's components, engineering knowledge applied, and the role of the project manager. The report also compares the cost-effectiveness of the developed system with commercially available alternatives and addresses project management aspects such as scope definition, procurement, documentation, and cost control. The system's design incorporates parallel connections of sensors to prevent false alarms and utilizes a GUI for monitoring. The report discusses the application of engineering principles, including microcontroller programming and circuit design, to achieve the project's objectives. Furthermore, the report includes details of the project manager's responsibilities, including defining scope, managing documentation, and coordinating with clients and team members. The project's distinct activity is the development of a front panel GUI for monitoring and the use of specific components like LM741 and 2SC9012 for heat detection and relay actuation.

Career Episode 2

CE 2.1: Project Introduction
Name of the Project : Low Cost Micro-controller Based Fire Alarm System
Geographical Location : Please Fill
Project Duration : Please Fill
Organization : Please Fill
Position in the Project : Project Manager
CE 2.2: Project Background
CE 2.2.1: Characteristics of the Project
The current fire alert framework in advertise these days, is excessively mind boggling in term of
its plan and structure. Since the framework is excessively perplexing, it needs general preventive
upkeep to be done to ensure the framework works well. Then, when the upkeep is done to the
current framework, it could raise the cost of utilizing the framework. The M-FAS checking
framework is related with identification framework to facilitate the crisis area assurance. The
observing framework has smoke, fire and warmth marker in each level. At the point when these
sensors are set off, the status pointer is turned on. This alert is considered as a genuine caution to
keep from caution activating and wellbeing safety measures. The microcontroller is utilized as
the fundamental piece of M-FAS that controls the whole operations engaged with the crisis
circumstance. The microcontroller based fire alert framework depicted in this postulation, could
be the best thing to spare lives and diminish property misfortunes with minimal effort.

CE 2.2.2: Objectives Developed for the Project
In determining the purpose and the direction of this project, there are several objectives
that need to be accomplished in developing the M-FAS. This project aims to achieve the
following objectives.
i) To design a low cost microcontroller based fire alarm system.
ii) To develop the prototype of the fire alarm system using heat, flame and smoke
detector.
iii) To develop the monitoring system to safeguard the students and their belongings
and at the same time being user friendly to accommodate the need of the masses.
CE 2.2.3: My Area of Work
I was appointed as a project manager on this particular project. After taking charge of this
project, I was worked along with the project member to define the scope of deliverable of this
project so that it can be successfully execute till the end. My past experience was helped me to
get this position. Apart from that, as I had in depth knowledge of documentation and good
communication skill, I assigned as the top responsible place in this project where I worked in
preparing documentation for this project. Furthermore, I studied the scope of the work properly
and identified the critical items within the procurement that can be compiled with the project
schedule in order to meet the deadline. Moreover, I have taken the responsibility of attending the
project design review and all the kick off meetings with the client.

CE 2.2.4: Project Group
CE 2.2.5: My Responsibilities in the Project
The M-FAS also incorporated the heat and flame detector that is connected to the infrared smoke
detectors in parallel. This alarm system is considered as a true alarm system when all of these
three detectors or sensors are triggered. This is to prevent from false alarm triggering and safety
precautions. The PIC 16F877A microcontroller acts as a heart of the Fire Alarm System. This
PIC controls the entire operating system –
 Define Scope, Goals and deliverables for successful execution of the projects in
collaboration with Project member and Clients.
 Study the scope of work and identify long lead / critical items procurement in
sufficient time to comply with the project schedule.
 Attend project design review and kick off meetings with Client.
Project Engineer
Project Member Project Member

 Develop a documentation list that will identify all documents including the
engineering documents and drawings required for the project as per client
requirement.
 Develop fire alarm system also incorporates the heat and flame detector that is
connected to the infrared smoke detector in parallel.
 Used microcontroller as the heart of this fire alarm system that controls the entire
operations involved.
 Designed the fire alarm system which is capable to locate and identified the place
that is in fire whereby it is monitored using the monitoring system.
 Manage cost aspects of the project to forecast final costs, identifies trends and
takes action to avoid cost overruns.
 Follow up for payments to ensure cash flow for the project and company
CE 2.3: Distinctive Activity
CE 2.3.1: Comprehending the Theory of the Project
The PIC 16F877A microcontroller goes about as a heart of the Fire Alarm System. This PIC
controls the whole working framework. The whole flag got from the sensors is then judged by
the PIC and consider either enough data to demonstrate the current of flame or to reset if any of
this sensor don't react. Other than that, the fire caution framework additionally incorporates a
strobe light, a principle alert and bell in each level which alarms understudies. This bell and
principle caution are initiated once the PIC gets a flag from the three sensors that are associated
in parallel.

This fire caution framework is partitioned into two primary parts. There are the equipment and
programming parts. These two fundamental parts assume a vital part to influence the framework
to work legitimately and adequately. There are couple of methodology must be considered before
continue to the following stage, that is building up the venture. The prior arranging is required to
make the outline and advancement of the M-FAS.
Amid this stage, the framework necessity is resolved. This incorporates equipment, programming
and interfacing engaged with the framework improvement. This stage likewise incorporates the
exploration and investigation led on the current frameworks accessible in the present market. It
likewise incorporates survey on the past ventures that had been created by people or associations.
The M-FAS detection system involves detection components and the microcontroller. The
detection circuit that contain of flame, heat and smoke sensors is been designed so that it
connected in parallel each other to avoid from the false alarm trigger. At each level, there is a
buzzer. This buzzer will be activated and evacuate students at the level.
The circuit input consists of a light dependent resistor, which detects the intensity of the incident
light. The resistance of the LDR decreases with the increase in incident light intensity. Thus, the
LDR has maximum resistance in dark condition. The LDR is connected in series with small
value resistor forming a voltage divider network.
CE 2.3.2: Engineering Knowledge and Skills Applied in the Project
The appropriate microcontroller has used to controls the whole operation of the M-FAS. The PIC
16F877A have been picked in light of high memory limit. The limit of the PIC microcontroller
been utilized as a part of this advancement of M-FAS is 256 bytes of EEPROM information
memory. The PIC 16F877A is customized utilizing the microC compiler. The outlining of the M-

FAS observing framework includes one graphical UI (GUI) which is produced utilizing the
Visual Basic. This venture comprises of a principle circuit which is utilizing microcontroller PIC
16F877A to control the whole operation of the parts that incorporated to the fundamental circuit.
Other than that, there are additionally other sensor circuits and interfacing circuit associated with
the principle circuit. The fire circuit utilizes the Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) as a sensor,
which recognizes the force of the occurrence light. The resistance of the LDR diminishes with
the expansion in occurrence light power. In this manner, the LDR has most extreme resistance in
dim condition. Under low power conditions, when the LDR resistance is low, the majority of the
supply voltage drops crosswise over it and the voltage over the arrangement resistance is little.
CE 2.3.3: Accomplishment and Task Performed
I along with the other team member used several components that required for this project. To
execute the project successfully, all those components were very important. During the project
work, The LM 741 acts as a summing amplifier whereby when the NTC detects heat, LM 741
produces an output causing the LED to light up the 2SC9012 transistor to turn on. This will
further cause the relay to be actuated.
Apart from that, I was took the responsibility of following up with the internal as well as external
customers for the fabrication and engineering stage. Furthermore, monitoring the project member
and controlling them was my top most responsibility in this project. The RA0, RA1, RA2, RA3
and RA4 ports were declared as the output port to drive the driver unit. The first pin of the
microcontroller acts as the reset pin. A microC highlights of advancement device for PICmicros.
The microC programming use to compose a program for the microcontroller. At the point when
the program is been composed on the microcontroller by utilizing the product, the PIC
microcontroller recognizes every one of the conditions that has been program on it.

CE 2.3.6: Plan for Producing Creative and Innovative Work
I developed the Front Panel of GUI which was very important so that all the monitoring process
work probably without any failure. In this front panel consist of all the sensors indication that
attached to the building.
CE 2.4: Project Summary
CE 2.4.1: Project Overview
The fire alarm system that has been manufactured by the well-known Chubb manufacturer and
ADT manufacturer costs about RM1000-RM1500. For the promotional price of the fire alarm
system. This fire alarm system designs only for the fire identification purposes using sensors.
Besides that, the manufacturer has separate charges for the monitoring system. The additional
charges for the monitoring system would about RM75 per month. On the other hand, the fire
alarm system that been designed in this project, costs only about RM600 including the
monitoring system preference within the same system.
CE 2.4.2: Conducting the Project to Meet its Requirement
The fire alarm system that had been designed could be installed with dial up phone system using
a dial up modem. It is done via monitoring program, as the program automatically dial up the
phone number of the respective parties and sends a voice call repeatedly as well as indicating the
exact location of the fire.