Case Studies
As a trusted partner of naval, subsea and oceanographic organizations, ESS has supplied products for some of the most exciting under-sea exploration projects in the last decade. Designed to meet the rigorous demands of undersea environments, ESS syntactics are a critical component for manned and unmanned exploration vehicles; AUVs, ROVs & HOVs, plus a wide array of flotation and buoyancy applications.
Bluefin Artemis 21 AUV
ESS has worked with Bluefin on its range of AUV’s, including the Bluefin 21 recently deployed in the search for missing Malaysia Airline flight 370. ESS provided specially developed syntactic at 30 lbs/ft3 rated to 4500 meters.
Schilling ROV (#1)
48 Tons of Silver Recovered From 4,700 Meters; Heaviest, Deepest Haul Ever - In 2012, Odyssey Marine Exploration recovered a record-breaking haul of silver from the SS Gairsoppa, a British cargo ship sunk by a German torpedo during WWII. Odyssey used a Schilling HD 5000m ROV containing ESS syntactic foam.
Isis ROV (#2)
Isis ROV Explores World’s Deepest Known Undersea Vents - The Isis ROV has reached the Cayman Trough’s Beebe Vent Field at a depth of ~5 km (3.1 miles). After it was damaged in 2011, ESS repaired the starboard side buoyancy and replaced the port side package with 30-lb/ft3 material rated for 7,000 meters.
Remus 6000 AUVs
Hydroid REMUS 6000 AUVs have been used in the Titanic, Earhart and other major expeditions. The Titanic, Amelia Earhart and Air France 447 search and recovery expeditions all utilized Hydroid REMUS 6000 AUVs containing ESS AZ-34 syntactic foam (successfully tested to 9,000psi). REMUS 6000 vehicles are currently in use in the South Pacific.
HOV Alvin
Alvin is the most easily identified HOV in the world. Operated by the scientists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute since 1964, Alvin has made more than 4,600 dives. From 2010-2012, ESS worked closely with WHOI on a system upgrade, supplying over 300 cubic feet of syntactic foam extending Alvin’s working depth from 4500 meters to 6500 meters.
USS Zumwalt
USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) Guided Missile Destroyer Is State-of-the Art - The 183-meter, 14,500-ton DDG 1000 will be the lead ship in the U.S. Navy’s Zumwalt guided missile destroyer class. More than 3,500 cubic feet of ESS MacroCore™ high-performance syntactic is being used in critical joint areas of the Deckhouse.
Low FST Time-Elapse Video
FireShield – LFST is a low-density syntactic material specifically designed to meet the flame, smoke and toxicity requirements of the construction industry. Providing all the strength of traditional building materials at a fraction of the weight, Fireshield –LFST installs quickly and easily reducing labor and material costs. In addition to being ideally suited for applications where adherence to fire safety codes are mandatory, FireShield-LFST provides the additional benefit of radio frequency wave transparency, for improved communication.
Schilling ROV (#2)
Schilling Robotics utilizes ESS provided buoyancy packages for its 4K and 5K HD ROVs. The three-part buoyancy sets are precision machined, urethane coated and painted with a marine grade layer. Schilling generated animation shows a typical ROV in action.
ISIS ROV (#1)
One of the deepest operating ROVs currently in service is ISIS, operated by the UK’s National Oceanographic Center off of the RRS James Cook research ship. ESS refurbished and replaced the 7000 meter buoyancy package after damage to the original foam occurred in a 2011 propeller incident. ISIS was successfully returned to service in 2013.
Hawkes Challenger
Graham Hawkes “Flies” Under Water in the Deep Flight Challenger – Hawkes Ocean Technology invented Deep Flight Challenger, a winged submersible with the power to revolutionize deep sea travel. ESS contributed a 45-lb/ft3 foam tested to full ocean depth as the buoyancy package for this remarkable vehicle.
Seabotix
SeaBotix LBV Recovers Remus AUV in 137 Meters of Water: A Hydroid Remus 600 (one of just two in operation at the time – valued at nearly $1 million) was lost. SeaBotix located and recovered the AUV within two days. SeaBotix Sealift and LBV950 mini ROVs utilize ESS BZ grade syntactic.
ROV Jason
Jason was first launched in 1988 and has been used for hundreds of dives in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. A sturdier, more advanced second generation Jason was launched in 2002. Over the last 8 years, ESS has provided buoyancy upgrades for Jason, including the addition of 500 lbs of 7000 meter syntactic in 2014.