CALMFLOOR’s revolutionary out-of-the-box floor vibration control solution has driven problematic vibration from the building at F1 Arcade’s ultimate racing experience centre in Boston, USA.
F1 Arcade is the name behind some of the world’s most dynamic high-tech driver simulators and gaming stations offering atmospheric digital experiences for players at every location. However, following the opening of the landmark Boston centre, the power of F1’s 62 next-gen simulators generated excessive floor vibration that impacted neighbouring units in the building, leading to restrictions on simulator use during peak hours.
F1 Arcade needed a fast solution that would reduce its floor vibration to within acceptable levels while maintaining uninterrupted operations. CALMFLOOR responded swiftly to the call knowing that active mass damping (AMD) technology, needing no structural intervention, disruption or downtime, would meet the strict requirements of the building owner and F1 Arcade.
Within days, the UK-based technical team flew to the US for a site visit. Working closely with F1 Arcade’s vibration consultant and the building’s structural engineers, McNamara Salvia, the team tested and validated the effectiveness of CALMFLOOR technology. Initial tests demonstrated reductions in vibration of over 50% across a broad frequency range, proving the system’s potential to eliminate all problematic floor vibration.
A finite element model of the building’s structure, combined with precise site measurements, was used to identify the optimal locations for the CALMFLOOR units. Based on these simulations, the team recommended strategically placing 11 AMDs in key areas to target the most problematic vibration hotspots and achieve peak floor vibration performance throughout the space. All this without any structural change or business disruption.
Floor vibration levels reduced by 76%
The results were remarkable. Upon installation, vibration levels were reduced by an impressive 76%, providing F1 Arcade with a high-performance, vibration-controlled environment, much to the delight of the building owner and the project’s engineers. The entire CALMFLOOR solution was deployed in just six weeks, exceeding the customer’s expectations and demonstrating the rapid capability of this world-first technology and the commissioning team.
“Working with F1 Arcade on this project was a hugely satisfying experience,” said Steven Senior, COO at FSD Active, the organisation behind CALMFLOOR’s game-changing technology. “We were able to deliver an innovative solution in record time, ensuring F1’s simulators could continue to provide the ultimate racing experience without any impact on building’s neighbouring occupants.
“We must also highlight the success of our collaboration with the McNamara Salvia team. This close cooperation was crucial in achieving the perfect balance between cutting-edge technology and a seamless, vibration-controlled operational environment.”
Indeed, Omer F. Tigli, Vibrations Group Director at McNamara Salvia was thrilled with the success of the F1 Arcade project, revealing:
“The data collected from the tenant floor both before and after the installation of Calmfloor units, showed impressive results – a remarkable 76% reduction in the low-frequency vibrations we targeted. This is a fantastic outcome, and we’re grateful for CALMFLOOR’s role in providing such an effective solution for vibration control.”
Scope to roll out CALMFLOOR to worldwide F1 Arcade locations
In addition to solving the vibration issue, F1 Arcade has integrated CALMCONNECT, a smart portal that provides 24/7 monitoring and real-time and historic analysis of building performance data. CALMCARE, a comprehensive service level agreement, is also in place, ensuring that vibration control is continuously optimised.
With this solution in place, F1 Arcade is now confident in rolling out CALMFLOOR active vibration control to further worldwide locations to mitigate and protect against any potential vibration issues.
Read the F1 Arcade case study