Koreans do Seoul Business with DLM

Friday, 3rd November 2017

A South Korean Cable Laying company visited Dynamic load Monitoring’s (DLM) Head Office in Southampton last month for product training on DLM’s unique cable working equipment soon to be used on an up and coming PLGR (Pre Lay Grapnel Run) project.

PLGR is an operation undertaken prior to laying cable and is used to clear the route, by the use of various Grapnels (also supplied by DLM) being deployed along the seabed trailing behind a vessel

The Saddleback Monitor, designed and manufactured by DLM, is used to measure line tension on Winch rope during PLGR operations and can also be used for delicate fibre optic cable during laying. The line tension is measured by the cable passing over the chute and deflecting the load cell mounted beneath. Speed or distance of the cable can also be measured by the roller arm incorporated within the Saddleback. The device is able to detect when the grapnels on the end of the line are caught on an obstacle on the seabed, by observing peaks in line tension during PLGR. The Saddleback is also critical to safety and can be fed back to the Winch control in order to allow the Winch to render if the tension increases beyond set points, preventing wire rope breakages and also protecting clients cable when used for cable laying.

Some of the main features exclusive to DLM’s Saddleback design include lifting eyes and securement plates, optional frame and goal posts for cable guidance along with the huge benefit that it can be used with a wide range of cable diameters without changing wheel sets, like you would have to with line tension monitors.

The South Korean company flew over to receive training on the saddleback monitor last month, where DLM’s technical engineers were able to give demonstrations of the products functionality, calibration and maintenance procedures. The Saddleback is due to be used in up and coming operations in the Philippines and the Pacific Ocean, along with other projects going forward.

Martin Halford, Managing Director from DLM comments ‘ The client approached us from an existing clients recommendation and also finding our products through an online search for proven methods to measure the cable tension during cable operations, in particular PLGR. Due to our expertise in the supplying of products to the Cable laying industry, we were able to work with the client and suggest various options, with the most suitable being the Saddleback Monitor. We do work with a lot of international clients and it is really beneficial to have the opportunity for us both to share practical experiences from the field to the benefit of both parties, along with practical training to ensure operations run smoothly. We are looking forward to providing assistance going forward and will be on hand to provide assistance 24/7 as the industry dictates.’

New wind farm crew transfer vessels use switchboards and helm panels designed and built by Energy Solutions

Friday, 3rd November 2017

Aluminium Marine Consultants (AMC) is one of the UK’s leading aluminium boat builders providing innovative and original, bespoke solutions to vessel construction and design. AMC lead the way in quality control ensuring the highest standards of workmanship are achieved and have attained ISO 9001, 14001 and 18001 Accreditation, ensuring the very best standards of build in a safe and environmentally responsible way.

AMC work closely with the fast growing European market of wind farms and their support facilities. Their research has shown that wind farm support teams will need to travel the average 43.3km from ports and harbours to offshore wind farms to install and maintain the turbines. For this purpose the Isle of Wight-based company has developed a series of Category 1, Bureau Veritasclassed catamaran crew transfer vessel that’s unrivalled for this task as well as being highly flexible.

To control and monitor the power systems onboard these vessels required a comprehensive set of switchboards and helm panels. AMC approached Energy Solutions to design, manufacture and commission these elements for this series of vessels. Overall the control systems needed to be low maintenance, easy to use, and robust enough to meet their 40 year life cycle criteria.

Working closely with AMC engineers for the duration of the project the switchboards, control and monitoring system were all designed by Energy Solutions in-house engineering team. The system, and subsequent panels were designed and delivered to meet the stringent Bureau Veritas and MCA regulations for this vessel type. During the process, all panels and switchboards were modelled by Energy Solutions in 3D enabling AMC to ensure fit and form before delivery, speeding up final installation.

Installed within the wheel house the helm panels were built to match the overall design style of the vessels. They are easy to use and maintain, making them a perfect fit for these vessels which are in constant use in all conditions.

All the units were delivered to AMC for their team to install within the build, then when complete the Energy Engineering team commissioned the system. Daniel Cox, Engineering Manager at Energy Solutions explains “This has been a great series of vessels to work on, the requirements have evolved but we were pleased to deliver a full control and monitoring system that met the exacting requirement of this expanding industry.”

Innovative outer pump cover zipped on

Friday, 3rd November 2017

How to dress your dredge pump for success

Dredge pumps can be fitted out with a second outer pump casing. Up to now, this meant a large, heavy piece of steel. Pioneering research by Damen R&D engineers has resulted in a patented pump cover, which can be zipped onto your current dredge pump effortlessly. Full details will be uncovered at the CEDA Dredging Days.

The new DynaCover is made of finely woven super strong Dyneema fibres, which can be mounted around any existing cast pump casing. The total weight is only 10% of a similar steel casing, resulting in serious weight gain. Moreover, the limited size of the cover results in a lower position of the entire dredge pump which is favourable for the dredge pumps suction properties. Using the outer cover, the inner pump casing can be worn to the max and enhances crew safety significantly on board at the same time. The DynaCover consists of a Dyneema clamp-mounted inner cover and a NOMEX zipped-on outer cover.

The choice of Dyneema is a logical one. The Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibres have extreme long molecular aligned chains, high crystallization, and low density to transfer load more effectively to the polymer backbone. The fibres are stronger at the same weight or lighter at the same strength than alternatives and therefore typically used for making i.e. ballistic bulletproof vests.

All technology on the super-fibres and their application comes from PROTEQ bodygear, a company specialised in developing and producing tailor-made bulletproof vests. For the DynaCover, PROTEQ uses an endless woven fabric of Dyneema-fibres consisting of multiple layers of uninterrupted material, of which the strength is comparable to an astonishing 40 mm steel. The total amount of finely-woven inert super-fibre optimally absorb energy in all layers at ballistic speeds. The extreme high modulus determines the high sonic velocity in the fibre indicating the area and layers of the fabrics involved in stopping projectiles. The advantages of this man-made material are innumerable, up to 15 times stronger than steel, floats on water and resistant to moisture, UV and chemicals as well as 100% recyclable.

Around the Dyna-Cover, a NOMEX outer cover is zipped. The innovative zip design not only ensures simple mounting, but also acts as detector for a burst inner pump casing. The Dyneema cover being water tight, the burst casing is detected by a tension QuickBurst zipper in the NOMEX cover automatic opening under higher tension. Once a new inner casing is mounted, both covers can be re-used by simply re-zipping the QuickBurst zipper.

Full details of the ground breaking design of the patented DynaCover can be found at the CEDA Dredging Days. On 10th November at 11.00 Mr Ewout van Duursen, Damen Research engineer, will present his paper on the design process, the various full scale pressure test and their results. The Damen booth will show the DynaCover, and Mr Van Duursen will be present for further explanations. The DynaCover shows out-of-the-box research resulting in an innovation which will be put to good use in the dredging industry.

Successful demonstration of Â¡VAMOS! technology in UK

Wednesday, 1st November 2017

On the 24th of October the ¡VAMOS! consortium, Advisory Board Members, and interested external parties were invited for a live demonstration of the ¡VAMOS! technology at the Imerys Minerals Ltd. test site in Lee Moor, Devon, UK. The 29 visitors were divided up in small groups and guided around the premises by representatives of SMD Ltd., Damen Dredging Equipment and INESC TEC, who have been working on the various project components.

Visitors were provided with PPE and safety instructions before they were taken by boat to the Launch and Recovery Vessel, where they were able to inspect the Mining Vehicle and witnessed the deployment and recovery of the vehicle.

Back on shore, the visitors were given an overview of the functionality of ‘EVA’ – the Exploration VAMOS AUV, an automated underwater vehicle that is being used to assist in precise positioning, navigation and situational awareness of the Mining Vehicle and that can execute preliminary surveys of underwater mine sites.

In the Control Unit and Data Centre, the visitors were shown the impressive virtual reality HMI, where all machinery is controlled and where real-time data on the operations is collected. Real-time data for grade control and mineralogical properties is collected by a LIBS – Laser Induced Breakdown Spectrometer, which was demonstrated and is being perfected for a wide range of commonly mined minerals.

During the day, ¡VAMOS! demonstrated a highly successful integration of different systems to be applied in underwater mining. The project team was optimistic about continuing the testing until the end of the week to advance even further towards the projects targets.

This was supported by the Advisory Board: “The consortium should be extremely proud of their efforts. What they have managed to achieve with the ¡VAMOS! System and its integration of new technologies is very impressive”, said Dr. Bramley Murton from UK’s National Oceanography Centre.

Next week the system will be demobilised and prepared for transport to the second test site in Bosnia and Herzegovina in spring 2018.

Calibration made simple; i-calibrate

Wednesday, 1st November 2017

Global OEM HTL Group have launched their new in-house service innovation; i-calibrate.

Offering complete certification traceability, i-calibrate ensures that the user has complete control of calibration and test services via a simple to use portal.

Utilising QR codes on each tool, i-calibrate offers user’s instant, paperless, real time access to calibration and test certification for their entire inventory.

Complementing HTL’s existing calibration and testing service, the new software presents a paperless, digital calibration and test process as well as an automated reminder feature. i-calibrate offers users 24 hour access to the most important calibration and test information including certificates and automated reminders, from any smart device.

Stephen Jones, CEO, HTL Group comments: "Being part of an industry where new developments are constant and fundamental to improving customer experience means that our number one priority is to develop new product and service solutions to make our customer’s lives easier".

With the launch of i-calibrate, we aim to bring a complete calibration and test service to market which ensures that there is nothing we can’t take care of for our customers.

Instant access to important calibration and test information including automated reminders allows the customer to control and manage their own calibration and test maintenance at ease."

i-calibrate works by printing QR codes on each calibration label that records all current certification, providing a unique way for the user to access certificates from any smart device for their complete controlled bolting fleet, 365, 24/7 from any location.

To see how i-calibrate works, visit HTL’s YouTube channel, website or simply contact HTL direct on +44 (0) 1670 700 000, info@htlgroup.com to arrange a live demonstration.

PCE Instruments introduced new series of borescopes

Wednesday, 1st November 2017

PCE Instruments recently launched a new range of industrial borescopes which are available with different camera cables to fit the individual customers' purpose. The series is called the PCE-VE 1000 series.

The order code PCE-VE 1036HR-F, for example, means that the borescope has a cable which is 3 m long and the camera head has a diameter of 6 mm. The HR stands for the HR camera cable which is flexible, as the F implies.

One of the special advantages of the borescope is the large display which allows the user a good overview of the surface to be viewed, due to its large dimensions and good resolution. The borescope can record images and videos. The videos are additionally saved by audio recording. The user can see the very clear resolution when saving the images to the inserted SD card by a keystroke. When the SD card is read out via a computer, the recorded images and videos are shown very clearly. Since the recordings are saved to an external mass storage device, the user can select what SD card to insert into the borescope. The maximum capacity should be 32 GB. An 8 GB memory card allows more than 60,000 images or 530 minutes of video material to be saved.

The borescope's 2-way optics are particularly advantageous in locations that are hard to access. However, if the control of the camera head should not be sufficient at times and the images in the display are not clear enough, the user has the possibility to rotate the images in the display of the hand-held unit by 90 °. In addition to the image rotation, several other functions can be set directly at the hand-held unit. This enables digital zoom as well as setting the LED brightness of the camera head. The borescope has a thread at the rear side which enables the operator to place the main unit on a tripod in order to make continuous recordings. The Auto Power Off function can be enabled or disabled in the borescope's menu and different time intervals between 5 and 30 minutes can be selected as the Power Off time. The main unit can also be held comfortably using the foam-covered hand straps.

PCE Instruments is a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of test, control, laboratory and weighing equipment in all price ranges, offering a huge number of different measuring instruments for applications in engineering, manufacturing, aerospace, food and hygiene, environmental and many other industries. The company was founded by German engineers nearly two decades ago and has expanded all over the world, having 13 offices in various countries. In case a customer cannot find the right product or solution in PCE's range of products, they can ask the production and development department to provide a more individual solution that suits their needs.

For further information, please see:
https://www.pce-instruments.com/english/measuring-instruments/test-meters/industrial-borescope-kat_40041.htm

PACS Marine Engineering Ltd is a steel fabrication Specialist

Wednesday, 1st November 2017

PACS Marine Engineering Ltd is a steel fabrication Specialised, completing all aspects of fabrication work, from ship mobilizations, demobilisations to Pipe work, repair work. We work with a wide range of steel including; Aluminium, Cunifer, stainless. Our expertise, capability and experience provide our clients with peace of mind knowing every job is completed above and beyond expectations. We thrive on offering advice and support to deliver a quality and reliable service to each client.

Here at PACS Marine Engineering LTD we have dedicated team of qualified Platers, Welders and painters. Enabling us to complete all aspects of working with steel. Our unique blend of skills enables us to provide cost effective service to a wide range of applications and disciplines. Here at PACS Marine Engineering we are 100%

dedicated to safety and quality at all times when working on projects big or small.

As a customer, focused organisation we are committed to providing fast, professional and reliable service

Efficient Filtration Ensures Fuel Cost Savings

Wednesday, 1st November 2017

Reducing waste and saving time

With marine fuel oil prices continuously rising, the need for increased fuel efficiency is more important than ever.

This was a well-documented problem on board a major cruise liner, whose fuel oil system had become outdated and so was producing high levels of sludge.

· BOLLFILTER UK carried out a main engine fuel oil filtration system upgrade, a proposal was provided for 2 x 6.72.1 DN65 automatic filters @ 34 micron, complete with electric control panels & flanged-on simplex standby units.

· The Chief Engineer was able to calculate that the new system was reducing the amount of sludge produced per day by approximately 60 litres. This equates to a best case estimate of nearly 22,000 litres per year saved in unnecessary sludge.

· Staff Chief Engineer, responsible for the vessels operation and maintenance said

"The biggest saving for me is the old filters needed cleaning just about every week, using staff time. The new filters have not needed cleaning since installation. They are also producing less sludge due to the reduction in number of back flushes per day.

See the recent BOLLFILTER case study

For full product details see: BOLLFILTER Type 6.72 web page.

BOLLFILTER After Sales Service.

BOLLFILTER UK are the sole UK and Ireland sales office for BOLL & KIRCH filtration products. We've been established for 2 decades and hold stocks of marine and industrial spare parts at our UK premises for immediate dispatch.

For more information, technical details or a quote please contact the BOLLFILTER UK Filters team. Contact details below;

BOLLFILTER UK Limited
Tel: +44 (0)1206 589620
Email: Filters4@bollfilter.co.uk
Website: https://www.bollfilter.com/uk/

For Sale The Buoyancy Tank Assemblies

Wednesday, 1st November 2017

Akastor is a Norway based oil services investment company listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. The company is the result of the demerger of Aker Solutions in 2014. Akastor has a portfolio of industrial holdings, real estate and other investments. The company "BTA Technology AS" is wholly owned by Akastor and Akastor wishes to find a new owner for the company, alternatively the assets of the company. The assets consist of;

Patented technology for installation and removal of offshore jacket structures
NO 318859 / GB 2402422 ("BTA")
NO 326901 / GB 2462565 ("BTA re-use")
Wordmark «BTA» in Norway (reg. no. 258853)
Documented and DnV certified method for removal of jackets
Comprehensive systems & operations description
Ownership to four Buoyancy Tank Assemblies

The BTAs were used in the removal of the Frigg DP2 Jacket in the North Sea. The BTAs were designed and fabricated from 2005 to 2007 and the actual removal was executed successfully in 2008. The 4 BTAs have since been stored at Stord, Norway.

Some key figures for the BTAs are;