Keywords
Citation
(2005), "Unique collaboration formed to advance air film technology", Assembly Automation, Vol. 25 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2005.03325cab.005
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2005, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Unique collaboration formed to advance air film technology
Unique collaboration formed to advance air film technology
Keywords: Air, Bearings, Films (states of matter)
A unique collaboration between the Hovair division of British Turntable and the UK's newest University, The University of Bolton, has been formed to advance air film technology, a long established method of moving heavy industrial loads by floating them on a thin cushion of compressed air (Plate 3).
Plate 3
Air film technology from British Turntable has been successfully used to
manoeuvre very heavy loads as diverse as nuclear flasks, rail in an easy, safe
and precise manner
The two partners in the deal have forged closed links with each other under the knowledge transfer partnership scheme, through which UK academic institutions and industrial companies are increasingly sharing technical knowledge and experience to improve manufacturing and technology practice and advance innovation.
Under the scheme The University has employed a masters graduate Mechanical Engineer, Craig Wright, to work with British Turntable on integrating the turntable and air bearing technologies research and development programme currently in progress.
Originally dating back to the 1960s, air film technology, which is akin to the well-known Hovercraft principle, has been successfully used to manoeuvre loads as diverse as nuclear flasks, rail vehicles, aero engines, electrical transformers and even warship gun turrets within factories in an easy, safe and precise manner.
The applied physics and fluid mechanics principles required for this technology have been well understood from decades of practical use, but it is felt that modern materials development and the latest computer modelling methods will be able to contribute to design advances, leading to significantly improved performance and wider applications.