- Navigating the EPI, Inc. Website -
Site Map and Other Hints
NOTE: All our Products, Designs, and Services are SUSTAINABLE, ORGANIC, GLUTEN-FREE, CONTAIN NO GMO's, and will not upset anyone's precious FEELINGS or delicate SENSIBILITIES.
It is our goal that visitors will be able to easily locate any of the subject material presented on this site.
There is a SEARCH BUTTON at the top left of every page (in the yellow bar under the EPI logo). By typing one or more keywords into the white window and clicking the SEARCH button, you will find pointers (links) to every page on this site containing those words.
The blue buttons on the left border of EVERY PAGE also depict the high-level organization of this site, presenting the major subjects covered in each section of this site.
The site-map below is in the form of a high-level Table of Contents (TOC), in the same order as are the buttons down the left side of every page. As such, it outlines the organization of the material on the site.
(1) EPI Inc. Chronological List of Major Website Updates ( "WHAT'S NEW " )
(2) EPI Inc. Home Page and Company Information:
- EPI Inc. Company Background View Page
- PRODUCTS and SERVICES AVAILABLE from EPI View Page
- CEO Resume View Page
(3) MECHANICAL BASICS See Table of Contents
This section contains a collection of pages, each of which presents a brief review of mechanical fundamentals which will assist in the understanding of some complex mechanical issues regarding engines, gearboxes, and aircraft stuff in general. The subjects include force, friction, pressure, stress, fretting and vibration.
(4) PISTON ENGINE TECHNOLOGY See Table of Contents
This section contains an ever-growing collection of articles which present concepts critical to the understanding of the operation and improvement of piston engines. The subject material includes such topics as Understanding Power and Torque, several useful Yardsticks of Performance, Volumetric Efficiency, Fuel Efficiency, Thermal Efficiency, Rotating and Reciprocating Components, Valvetrain Technology, and Torsional Excitation.
(5) ENGINE PRODUCTS See Table of Contents
This section contains descriptions and pictures of the liquid-cooled V8 engines we have developed in the past. It also presents our clean-sheet-design 200-cubic-inch, air-cooled, horizontlly opposed, 125 HP 4-cylinder engine (currently in pre-production testing), and a clean-sheet-design 60° V-12 engine which EPI has developed specifically for application to aircraft propulsion. These engines, when combined with an EPI Propeller Reduction Gearbox, have proven to be extremely reliable, high-performance powerplants.
NOTE: There are some significant constraints governing the use of such an engine in an aircraft. These constraints are presented in detail in the section titled Aircraft Engine Conversions.
(6) AIRCRAFT ENGINE CONVERSIONS See Table of Contents
This section contains a wealth of engineering, technical, and regulatory information regarding the conversion of an aircraft to use a different powerplant than the one for which it was originally designed or certificated (if applicable). It also contains descriptions of several aircraft engine conversions which EPI has either done or served as a primary contributor.
Converting an aircraft to use a different engine than the one for which it was originally designed is a serious undertaking, and the implications and engineering challenges should be fully understood before embarking on such a project.
(7) GEARBOX TECHNOLOGY See Table of Contents
This section contains detailed presentations of the various technical considerations and design issues which must be satisfied in order to produce a safe, reliable, lightweight Propeller Reduction Gearbox (aka "PSRU"). It includes bearing issues, shaft design, lubrication and cooling, gear design, vibration issues, and an FAQ page.
This section is a must-read for anyone seeking a Propeller Reduction Unit.
(8) GEARBOX PRODUCTS See Table of Contents
This section contains descriptions and pictures of the various transmissions EPI has designed and developed for a variety of applications, including Propeller Reduction Units (PSRU), helicopter transmissions, turbine engine transmissions, and industrial power units.
(9) AIRCRAFT PROPELLER TECHNOLOGY See Table of Contents
This section contains an introduction to the basic concepts of propeller design and operation. It includes information about sensitive to vibration and to mechanical damage a propeller is, as well as some information to assist in the selection of an appropriate propeller for an aircraft.
(10) SPECIAL PURPOSE SYSTEMS See Table of Contents
This section contains information about several innovative and successful special-purpose solutions EPI Inc. has devised, designed and prototyped to solve various persistent and troublesome problems in different areas of powerplant and power transmission applications, including a leading NASCAR™ engine producer, a leading IndyCar™ engine producer, oil drilling operations, large Diesel engines, AND a detailed description of a unique rear-engine, oval-track race car..
It should be noted that each system described here is the sole and exclusive property of the client for whom we designed it, and is presented here with the approval of each of those clients.
(11) ANALYSIS OF THE ROTORWAY HELICOPTER DRIVE SYSTEM See Table of Contents
This section contains an in-depth analysis of the rotor drive system on the RotorWay helicopter, with vibration analysis, metallurgical analysis, and FEA studies showing the causes and cures for the epidemic problem of in-flight secondary shaft failure.
(12) EPI's REFERENCE LIBRARY See Table of Contents
This section contains an organized listing of the reference books currently in EPI's library. This listing is organized by subject type, and includes respected works on mathematics, basic engineering, mechanical design, material science, aircraft engineering, engines, and computer engineering.
(13) EPI PUBLICATIONS See Table of Contents
This section contains several documents EPI has published (Service Bulletins, Installation Manuals, etc.)
