a division of: Rock Art, Ltd.
"Professionals of Epoxy Applications” ™
Aerospace Epoxy Test Bed
Precision Air Bearing Floor
The Precision Air Bearing Floor has a surface so perfect,
it allows for minimal air usage with little to no drifting
of air bearing equipped devices
Precision Epoxy Air Bearing Floor /
Georgia Tech
The Aerospace Epoxy Air Bearing Floor
When we were first approached by the Aerospace Industry in 2004 to create a modified version of our Motor Sports Surface Plate for use as an Epoxy Test Bed to float air bearing equipped devices, we jumped at the chance. It seemed like an easy transition to what we had already been doing for twenty six years in major Race Car Shops around the country. Ignorance is bliss or so they say as we packed up and traveled 2500 miles to install our first true Aerospace Epoxy Test Bed. We soon discovered that although similar in many ways, the nuances and levels of accuracy are somewhat different between the Surface Plate and the Test Bed. I have been told that the Epoxy Test Bed idea was hypothesized in an Aerospace journal back in the early 1970's and yet no one has developed this idea to any degree until Precision Epoxy. As we have moved forward and have learned more about this application, we now have a better understanding and a clearer focus about what is involved in creating a Test Bed that is a solid, useful and productive investment for the Universities and Research Facilities employing our services. We have now developed special epoxies and application techniques to suit the special needs of the Epoxy Test Bed and its user. Our Test Beds meet or exceed the criteria of acceptance required by this specialized industry.
Since our involvement with the Aerospace Industry, we have learned a lot and realized what little knowledge we have concerning this fascinating field. We, as most, simply had taken for granted the professional people
Precision Epoxy Air Bearing Floor /
Orbital ATK Space
and hard work involved in the development and deployment of satellites into space that we all benefit from so much on a daily basis. What we do know is Epoxy and Flooring and we are proud that our knowledge, desire and talent afford us the opportunity to be included in a very small way with the continuation of research and development within the Aerospace community. I realize that my Epoxy experience and background of the past 50+ years has been preparing me for our development and application of the Precision Air Bearing Floor.
All our Test Bed installations are personally installed by Mike Ramy, owner of Rock Art, Ltd. and Precision Epoxy Products. This means for all planning, design, contracting and logistics coordination, you are always dealing with the actual people doing all the work at your location. All of our 100% solids, zero VOC epoxies are custom formulated in-house and are designed to meet or exceed requirements for use in your facility.
We require an area of approximately 20' x 20' in size adjoining the Test Bed installation area to set up a work shop, to stage and mix epoxies, to access application tools and to prepare and cleanup as needed. We first lay down plastic and cardboard as a sub-floor to protect existing flooring from possible spills and/or splatter. A very big advantage to the Epoxy Test Bed installation is that we can move all our materials, installation tools and equipment through a normal three foot wide doorway. The Test Bed can also be installed at any size or shape desired to fit any room configuration.
We have included key components from our Epoxy Surface Plate into our Epoxy Test Bed applications such as the ‘Advanced Grounding System’ for static control and the access ramp within the aluminum retaining wall, if needed, for easier
University of Southern California Information Sciences Institute
Space Engineering Research Center /
Microsatellite Dynamic Test Facility (MDTF)
deployment of test units on and off the Test Bed. We have also stepped up our level criterion from 0.003 inch or better for Surface Plates to 0.001 inch or better for Test Beds. Standard Test Beds of 500 square feet or smaller in size require a two to three week installation period more time may be needed for larger Floor Plates (see the USC Project). This includes, but is not limited to, sub-strate preparation, anchor bolt grid system, penetrating primer application, mounting of temporary form work, 4 each 1/4" pours of FP-90 Epoxy, removal of temporary form work, mounting of custom fabricated permanent aluminum retaining wall onto initial epoxy pours' perimeter, installation of grounding system, two more 1/4" pours of FP-90 Epoxy System, applying foam padding to inside of retaining wall and final detailing of completed project. Some application environments or larger Test Beds may require or allow for variations in procedures and scheduling. Due to the complexity of this application, we only offer professional installations.
Key Benefits of the Epoxy Test Bed:
· Layouts of any size and shape
· Installations with minimal disruption to daily business routines
· Need only normal 36" wide doorway to access installation room
· Custom 100% solids Epoxy Formulations with zero VOC, no odor or off gassing
· One vendor does it all from start to finish
· 'Turn Key' installations from the only experienced people for this type of application
Precision Air Bearing Floor / CalTech
Thanks to the everyone at Cal Tech for their hospitality during the installation of our Precision Air Bearing Floor at GALCIT (Graduate Aerospace Laboratories of the California Institute of Technology).
The research being developed at this facility is setting new standards
and has won several awards within the Aerospace Industry.
Additional Information on GALCIT - Click Here
To see our plates in action here:
Surface Plate Video
Click here for a printable PDF version of this page
(large file may take a moment to upload)
Click here for Additional Information about Rock Art, Ltd and Mike Ramy
Additional Information on the MEV Project - Click Here
University of Kentucky - Aerospace Deployment Dynamics Laboratory
MAXAR - NASA Spider Program
Additional Information on the Spider Project - Click Here
Precision Epoxy Products
a division of: Rock Art, Ltd.
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Phone: (770) 489-0340
Email: [email protected]
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