Modern industrial flooring in a CNC machine shop – materials engineering in practice
CNC precision machining facilities place the highest demands on the floor: it must be perfectly smooth, resistant to point loads, and completely dust-free. Although this project was completed years ago, it remains a model of a modern approach to concrete mix design and surface finishing technology.
Advanced formula: More than just ordinary concrete
To achieve uncompromising durability and aesthetics, we have used a proprietary modification of the concrete mix:
- Copolymer fibers (4.5 kg/m³): The use of synthetic microfibers instead of steel fibers eliminated the risk of corrosion and exposed wires during subsequent grinding.
- Addition of metakaolin: Replacing part of the cement with metakaolin radically improved the concrete’s rheology and the adhesion of the topping. As a result, we were able to incorporate as much as 6 kg of mineral shake hardener per m² without the risk of delamination (layers separating).
Result: Perfectly exposed aggregate and CNC durability
The technology used made it possible to achieve a unique visual effect—uniformly exposed aggregate across the entire floor surface during the concrete grinding process. Although polishing systems at that time were not as advanced as today’s NORTEC®, our pioneering approach to mechanical processing provided the investor with:
- Extreme abrasion resistance: Essential when handling heavy metal parts.
- Floor stability: Essential for maintaining the calibration of precision CNC machines.
- Easy to clean: Thanks to the closed, dense structure of the chemically modified concrete.
