Straightpoint Pioneers Load Cell Bluetooth Technology

Wednesday, 7th February 2018

A new Bluetooth app for smart devices, named after Straightpoint's (SP) Handheld plus display unit, is now available for download and easy connection to the manufacturer's recently launched range of load cells that boast the same technology. The innovative pairing is set to revolutionise the way data is captured and supplied in below-the-hook and other force measurement applications.

The HHP app, available on iOS and Android platforms, uses Bluetooth (wireless technology for exchanging data over short distances) to collect information from a single load cell up to 50m away. Further, the app can package up the data collected and send it onto a recipient in the form of an Excel spreadsheet.

The free-of-charge app adds convenience and cost efficiency to the vast majority of applications involving SP equipment where a single force measuring device is used in close proximity to a reader and / or data-logging system. Until now, wireless readings were only possible on the handheld system, while the company's multiple wireless load cell controller (SW-MWLC) software was required to convert data into another format.

Those existing products remain integral to the SP offering; the Handheld plus has a range of up to 700m (2,300 ft.) and the SW-MWLC package displays and logs data from up to 100 SP wireless load cells simultaneously. This is cutting-edge technology in its own right but is suited to more demanding, specialist applications for which the app is not designed. Capacity isn't a dictating factor to its use, although the heavier the load the more likely it is that multiple load cells will be used and the operator will be at a greater distance from it.

David Ayling, director at SP, said: "We've been experimenting with Bluetooth technology for some time-it's been used with our Clamp On Line Tensionmeter (or COLT)-but that research was part of a journey towards the landmark launch of the new load cells and accompanying app. Distributors and partners have lauded its ability to send reports from the same device that captures the data and noted the inherent convenience of having the app on a smart device that is on their person."

The HHP app is user friendly but can be downloaded in simulation mode so users can practice before utilising it in a real-life application. It is compatible with any SP product that fits the usage criteria, which can be selected via a straightforward menu. Units of measurement and calibration settings are among other variables that can be specified with equal simplicity.

Ayling concluded: "The launch of the Bluetooth range chimes with a gravitational pull towards IoT [Internet of Things] and could be game-changing in that we're not aware of any other solutions on the market that harness the benefits of this technology through a mobile app. Once again we've demonstrated our pioneering intent and we're keen to monitor uptake through download numbers in the coming weeks."

CDMS SSE Ltd are currently heavily involved in ROV Technology

Monday, 5th February 2018

CDMS SSE Ltd are currently heavily involved in ROV Technology based on frequent client requests for this specialist service. CDMS SSE Ltd and one of the worlds leading ROV manufacturers have teamed up together in a concentrated research and development phase to produce a versatile new breed of ROV system.

At this point in time there are two versions of this new ROV in operation. The first being a small light and compact machine with a depth/distance capability of 100m, primarily for culvert and confined space applications. The larger model is more suited to tidal conditions and stronger flows, making it an ideal solution for wind farm inspection projects and bed profile surveys, UXO, wreck location etc. Both types of ROV systems are manually deployable and recoverable having the ability to use limited deck space eliminating the need for LARS (Launch and recovery system). Each unit has the latest computer technology, with a heads up display showing direction, trim, auto depth and auto heading. These ROV’s are equipped with onboard LED lighting and scanning sonar for zero visibility applications.

There is a third larger version currently on the drawing board along with an exciting opportunity for the location of a highly classified WWII gold bullion cache currently being negotiated, making this the most exciting project yet from one of a series of recent overseas enquiries.

This research period concluded with a considerable financial investment commitment. It is now evident at the start of 2018 is showing consistent developed involvement of this service with numerous projects for this equipment already filling up the order book. This has further confirmed it has been a valuable investment with extensive potential to further developing CDMS SSE Ltd services and future investment opportunities to it’s increasing clients portfolio.

Multraship takes delivery of first of two CARROUSEL RAVE TUGs from Damen

Monday, 5th February 2018

Leading towage and salvage specialist Multraship has taken delivery of the first of two game-changing CARROUSEL RAVE TUGs (CRT) which will make it easier, safer and more environmentally friendly to work with seagoing vessels at much higher speeds than conventional tugs can safely achieve, and without the risk of capsizing under a tow-load.

The vessel, commissioned as Multratug 32, was delivered by Netherlands shipyard Damen Maaskant in Stellendam and will operate under lease to Multraship. Multratug 32 is 32 metres long, has a maximum static bollard pull of 77 tonnes, and is powered by two Voith thruster units and two ABC main engines delivering 2,650 kW at 1000 rpm. Top speed is over 14 knots.

The contract for the vessels was agreed between Novatug, an innovation arm of the group to which Multraship also belongs, and Damen’s specialist propulsion subsidiary Van der Velden Barkemeyer GmbH in November 2015. German shipyard Theodor Buschmann GmbH in Hamburg assembled the hulls, which were then moved to Stellendam for fitting-out.

Julian Oggel, managing director of Novatug, says, "The whole CRT concept was driven by safety considerations. In principle, capsizing is impossible when towing with the Carrousel, which facilitates the safe execution of manoeuvres that would be very high-risk with traditional tugs.

"The Carrousel system consists of a base structure surrounded by a steel ring that can rotate freely through 360° in the horizontal plane. It carries a towing winch that can tilt vertically 45 degrees so that the winch can always be aligned with the towing line, providing optimal control. As a result, we can work with large seagoing vessels at much greater speeds than can be achieved by conventional tugs, and that means that the vessels themselves are easier to steer. This a major step forward for both efficiency and safety."

Pepijn Nuijten, managing director of Multraship Towage & Salvage, says, "We are delighted with the CRT, which not only represents a major improvement in crew safety but also means that we can continue to lead the way in the provision of services for our customers. Thanks to the ingenious design of the tug, which effectively maximises the use of the kinetic energy available in the towed vessel rather than the tug’s own engine power only, the same towing force can be achieved at much lower levels of fuel consumption than with a conventional tug."

"The savings amount to at least 25 per cent on an average operation involving a seagoing vessel. We have been using sustainable Eco2Fuel+ diesel from De Pooter Oil since trials began, resulting in emissions of soot and particulate matter being reduced by a further 16.5 per cent, and a reduction in carbon emissions of 44.7 per cent compared with regular diesel."

Mijndert Wiesenekker, sales director of Damen Benelux, says, "We are delighted to be handing over this remarkable new vessel to our long-standing partners at Multraship. We have been looking forward to this day for a long time and it gives us real pleasure to see Multratug 32 begin what we are sure will be a long and highly productive life."

Damen is currently building a second, identical CRT for Novatug. Delivery is expected in May 2018 and the vessel has already been reserved for Multraship. Novatug also plans to market smaller versions of the CRT.

Zinga: Corrosion Protection For Steel

Monday, 5th February 2018

Corrosion costs industries billions each year. Corrosion protection of steel causes structural instability and poses a serious safety hazard. It causes severe disruption and financial implications in maintaining and replacing structures, and also appears aesthetically as though structures are old and failing.

ZINGA is different from other anti-corrosion methods because it combines both passive and active protection. Zinga can be easily applied as a film galvanizing system that not only delivers active cathodic protection but also provides a passive physical shield.

Where there is steel, there is corrosion. Corrosion-related spending has risen to billions. Countries like the US, UK, Germany and other industrialised countries have an individual corrosion related expenditure of more than US$10bn. This means that the cost of corrosion is significantly higher than the sums spent on industrial coatings worldwide.

A common method to protect steel from attack by corrosion is to coat the structure with different types of paints. One part of the coating system contains anti-corrosive pigments and additives, whereas other coatings react with surface humidity. A common way that these coatings work is by forming a protective barrier to block the contact between the air / oxygen and the metal itself. Many of these systems are very effective, but if they begin to show bubbles, cracks or other defects in the coating, the barrier will be broken and the protection will be lost.

Preparation of the surface and the application process must be perfect for the coatings to work effectively. In coastal climates especially, a completely intact coating that has been applied too thinly may allow chloride ions on the surface to penetrate the paint film to the steel surface underneath. It usually costs four to five times more to correct the errors than the original cost of coating, because of all the extra work in rectifying and re-coating.

The inefficiencies of coatings is a primary reason for the practice of hot dip galvanising to protect steel. Hot dip galvanising eliminates many issues that may arise with surface treatment. However, hot dip galvanising also has its own limitations and best practice guidelines to ensure the effective protection for steel.

Hot dip galvanising can increase the risk of twisting thinner steel parts. Even a very small rotation can cause significant issues. Some steel alloys have a different surface structure than ordinary steel and can therefore prove difficult to obtain a uniform design across the various alloys. Cast iron structures are difficult to hot dip because dipping in a liquid zinc bath with temperature at 450 degrees would lead to bursts.

*Stats above taken from Zingametall

Advantages Of Using Zinga Over Hot Dip Galvanising

● CAN PROTECT LONGER THAN HOT-DIP GALVANISING (AT THE SAME DFT)
● CAN BE APPLIED ON SITE
● CAN BE USED TO RE-COAT EXISTING GALVANISING
● EXISTING LAYERS OF ZINGA CAN BE RE-COATED
● EXCELLENT PRIMER IN DUPLEX SYSTEM
● GOOD RESISTANCE TO MECHANICAL ABRASION
● EXCELLENT ADHESION
● EXTREMELY FLEXIBLE
● CAN BE APPLIED IN EXTREME TEMPERATURES
● WELDABLE TO X-RAY QUALITY
● CERTIFIED TO NOT SPREAD FLAME OR CREATE SMOKE (BS476 PARTS 6&7)
● UNLIMITED SHELF-LIFE AND UNLIMITED POT-LIFE

During the early 1970’s, a system for film galvanizing called ZINGA was developed in Belgium. ZINGA can be used on structures that cannot be removed or moved easily. It can also be used on items that were previously treated by hot dip, such as high-voltage masts, pier legs, super sized storage tanks, bridges and traffic sign posts.

ZINGA film galvanising system offers the same type of cathodic protection as hot dip, but it is applied in the same manner as a paint or coating system. The liquid galvanisation consists of atomised zinc particles, resins and binders. This easy application has been proven to work well for repairs and can restore and increase the zinc coating thickness. The great results seen by using Zinga for repairs convinced more and more manufacturers to also use this method. This process also helps eliminate the problems with rotation of thin steel parts. Even iron can be galvanized if the application takes place at ambient temperature.

Film galvanising combines cathodic, galvanic and barrier protection. Application can be done by brush, roller or spraying. Zinc content in the dry layer is at least 96%. It can be applied in a humidity up to 95% and in temperatures down to -15 degrees Celsius. The zinc coating dries within 15 minutes and a second layer can be applied after an hour. Due to these fast curing properties, film galvanising is now widely used in the offshore sector and on foundations of ports and bridges.

Zinga’s cured colour is grey which may not suit every application. However ZINGA can be over painted if required, but it does not require any extra finishing coating to complete the galvanising system. The longevity of the product can be seen in the performance of the surface on the Kalvoya bridge outside Oslo. The bridge was treated with ZINGA nearly 30 years ago and it is only now that a further refurbishment is being considered. An added advantage is that it has been found that a new application of Zinga will not require any further blasting, it will only require the surface to be cleaned under high pressure (700 bar). Tensile tests have demonstrated that the almost 30 year old ZINGA layer still has an adhesion of 11 MPa.

This example clearly demonstrates that it is possible to keep virtually all types of steel and iron constructions maintenance-free for a long period, and gives the structure full cathodic protection. This is provided the surfaces are properly cleaned and sandblasted prior to first application.

To find out more about the Zinga range of products in the UK, please go to www.zingaoutlet.co.uk

Swath CTVs to meet future windfarm requirements

Friday, 2nd February 2018

Ad Hoc Marine Designs is championing the feasibility of its Typhoon Class Swath design as the best suited windfarm vessel to meet significant wave height requirements for future rounds of offshore windfarms.

The company has recently released details of its new Walk to Work (W2W) Swath CTV capable of servicing the next generation of Round 3 windfarms, giving operators a "better alternative" to ordering larger vessels.

"The next round of windfarms and the future vessel requirements for higher wave height and being longer at sea is due to windfarms being placed further out to sea," said John Kecsmar, naval architect, Ad Hoc Marine Designs.

"Our Typhoon Class Swath design is the best one on the market to meet these requirements going forward."

Mr Kecsmar refutes the view that Swath designs have more resistance at higher speeds, increasing fuel consumption and operating costs for operators. Existing CTV designs are comparable.

On the contrary he said, existing CTVs are unsuitable for the much longer voyages to the outer edges of round 2 and round 3 farms, principally owing to the requirements of running and transferring in 3m high seas, especially considering most of their profile will be stationary/loitering.

The choice of which type of vessel to choose rests with ensuring the motions during transit and transfer are sufficiently low to prevent seasickness and fatigue in the higher sea states.

This has historically meant going for a much larger vessel to move the natural periods of motions away from the expected encounter periods.
But the success of the 26m Typhoon Class, MCS Swath 1, which runs in seas states with vertical accelerations less than 0.1g in Hs=2.5+m seas, points to an effective alternative to ordering a larger vessel.

The all new 41m Swath uses the experience of MCS Swath 1 to offer not only superior seakeeping during transits, but also transfers.

It tunes the Swaths’ motions away from expected sea states coupled with the addition of Island Engineering’s zero heave mode built-in to the motion control system.

This has ensured that the whole vessel is ‘heave damped’ and does not require any heave dampened gangway for transfers.

The 41m CTV is designed to run in Hs=3.5m sea heights and adopts the same philosophy of MCS Swath 2, by going quad drive with four CAT 3512C engines rated at 1678kW each, giving 25 knots.

This enables the operator to reduce fuel consumption by running on just one or two smaller engines when on the tower, or just the gensets when in ‘hotel’ mode for long extended periods.

The vessel is capable of being at sea for up to two weeks, has accommodation for 24 technicians in their own individual cabins and can carry any combination of 4 ISO containers.

It also comes with the option of Ad Hoc’s unique DampaCat system which increases damping even further.

For operators after an even more compact vessel, Ad Hoc has a slightly smaller 33m Typhoon Class Swath that is a smaller version of the 41m. It sleeps 12 passengers and provided up to two weeks endurance offshore.

SMS refit for Red Funnel car ferry

Friday, 2nd February 2018

Isle of Wight ferry operator Red Funnel is investing £3m on a major refurbishment of its ro-pax ferry Red Eagle in a project similar to the new look given to their Red Falcon and Red Osprey in 2014 and 2015.

The contract was awarded to SMS with interior fitout by Trimline and aluminium fabrication work contracted to Wight Shipyard Co in East Cowes. The lounge modules presented a unusual sight on 31 January as they crossed the Solent from the Isle of Wight to Southampton on Williams Shipping barges.

Work on Red Eagle will be completed in time for the summer timetable which starts on 29 March. The project will see a significant increase in the number of internal seats for customers and involves a complete refit of B Deck including a state-of-the-art galley and new toilets. On A Deck, there will be a dedicated pet’s lounge and a purpose built Signature Lounge offering a premium club experience for discerning travellers.

Modern seating styles and tables, subtle colours and clever LED lighting will create spaces which are perfect for socialising, working or just relaxing. High-capacity Wi-Fi, USB charging points, air conditioning and digital entertainment are just a few of the features available to everyone on board. Outdoor space to soak up the sun will be available on A and AA Decks.

The refit of Red Eagle comes at a particularly good time for SMS as it begins 2018 in a period of expansion with the recent acquisition of drydock and marine workshops at Lowestoft.

"Our expansion with Lowestoft coupled with the addition of marine workshops in Poole, Avonmouth, Portsmouth, Devonport and Dover to our facilities at Southampton and the drydock at Shoreham means SMS is now the largest independent ship repair business in the UK," explains Chris Norman, Managing Director of SMS.

Month: February 2018

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