When it comes to manufacturing aircraft components there is understandably no margin for error. Utilising state-of-the-art robotic manufacturing equipment and the latest in high-tech materials technology, the manufacture of aerospace and aircraft components involves precision engineering within minute tolerances.
The buildings that house these precision manufacturing facilities must meet an array of strict design and construction requirements – particularly in level flooring. When it came to selecting an appropriate flooring solution for the new Hawker de Havilland aircraft wing assembly manufacturing plant in Sydney, engineers specified Mastertop®1230, an epoxy-based, coloured, seamless, self-smoothing architectural flooring system from BASF Construction Chemicals.
The new wing assembly manufacturing plant has been established in several existing buildings at Hawker de Havilland’s Bankstown facility in the western suburbs of Sydney. Understandably, installing state-of-the-art robotic manufacturing equipment into existing buildings that are several decades old, presented significant design and construction challenges.
Richard Egan, Firmstone Flooring Specialists epoxy flooring projects manager, stressed that when a precision engineering and manufacturing facility was being created, the selection of an appropriate flooring solution was of paramount importance.
“The primary challenge for Hawker de Havilland’s facility was to achieve this flat and smooth finish in a refurbished facility with existing concrete slab floors,” expressed Mr. Egan. “Mastertop®1230 from BASF was easy to apply, looked good and provided an extremely level and smooth floor to ensure the successful operation of the equipment, leaving everybody happy with the results.”
“What’s more, the extremely hard-wearing nature of the floor – and the fact that it’s easy to clean and look after – also means it will stay looking good in such a busy manufacturing environment.” Mr. Egan added.
In order to meet the tight requirements, the existing concrete slab floor was first prepared with BASF’s Concresive®2525 – a solvent-free, high performance epoxy resin binder and structural adhesive, followed by a top coat of BASF’s Mastertop® 1230 in a pale green colour. The solution has provided Hawker de Havilland’s facility with a flat and smooth floor that is critical in enabling the state-of-the-art robotic wing manoeuvring system to function correctly.
Mastertop®1230 was applied at a thickness of between two and four millimetres. The new floor was applied in two stages, encompassing a total area of about 3,600 square metres.