CASE STUDY
Modernizing Award-Winning
Film Recorders with
OAV Air Bearings
Cinelab used custom OAV Thrust Air Bushings to modernize the iconic Arrilaser film recorder, restoring functionality and ensuring film quality.
CUSTOMER
Cinelab
INDUSTRY
Media & Enterntainment
APPLICATION
Film Recording
PRODUCT USED
Thrust Air Bushings
BENEFIT
Frictionless Recording
THE CHALLENGE
Cinelab is a premier modern motion film laboratory specializing in the development, scanning, and printing of 8 mm, 16 mm, and 35 mm motion picture films. Among the most notable machines in their facility is the Arrilaser, a German-engineered digital-to-35 mm film recorder costing over $550,000. This system set the standard for digital film recording in the early 2000s and was used in many films such as the Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, The Matrix, and Gladiator.
Maintaining this equipment became difficult as original components wore out and manufacturer support disappeared. The original thrust bushing in the Arrilaser used a red film coating as a solid lubricant between the shaft flange and the thrust surface. Over time, this contact-based solution led to wear, degradation, and imprecise performance, risking damage to the fragile optical shaft and compromising film quality.
THE SOLUTION
The Arrilaser operates by projecting a laser beam, modulated by digital data, through a rotating optical shaft equipped with a precise lens assembly. Since this process requires ultra-precise rotational and axial positioning to ensure each frame of film is exposed with perfect focus and alignment, OAV reverse-engineered the legacy thrust bushing and developed a custom 14 mm Thrust Air Bushing designed to fit seamlessly into the existing housing.
Unlike the original, OAV’s Thrust Air Bushing featured a three-way graphite thrust face that supports the shaft on a thin, pressurized air film, enabling true frictionless operation. This frictionless interface eliminated wear, protected the delicate optical shaft, and delivered significantly enhanced precision and longevity.
What’s more, OAV’s custom thrust air bushing was supplied at less than a thousand dollars per unit—a fraction of the cost of replacing the entire Arrilaser system or pursuing extensive repairs. This cost-effective upgrade restored critical functionality and elevated performance, allowing Cinelab to continue using its world-class film recorder with cutting-edge air bearing technology at its core.
THE RESULTS
By integrating OAV Thrust Air Bushings, Cinelab restored critical performance and extended the life of the Arrilaser system.
Eliminated friction and wear on the opitcal shaft
Restored precise rotational and axial alignment
Preserved legendary 35 mm film recorder
Extended machine life and reduced maintenance
Thanks to OAV's precision-engineered solution, Cinelab continues to delivery world-class film mastering and preservation services using one of the industry's most iconic film recorders.
Figure 1. Dual ARRILASER film recorders at Cinelab.
Figure 2. The ARRILASER’s deflection system with the OAV Thrust Air Bushings for high-speed, frictionless beam deflection and film transport.
Figure 3. OAV Custom Thrust Air Bushing in Action
SOURCE
Case study material based on information provided by Cinelab, Inc.