Wärtsilä has unveiled a new system that uses digital technology to monitor the condition of shaft bearings and seals to help customers realise the maximum uptime and lower lifecycle costs of vessel shaft lines.
The Sea-Master system enables ship owners, operators and onshore staff to understand the operational health of the tail shaft equipment by providing real-time data from the tail shaft of the vessel.
Uses both digital technology, composite components and existing seals, the system helps ship owners obtain real-time data regarding the condition of the tail shaft for classification society surveyors without having to withdraw the tail shaft, extending the interval between removals and thereby reducing unnecessary downtime.
Furthermore, the system uses alarms to give warning of potential failure of critical components such as bearing temperatures and lubrication rates before it occurs.
The equipment is applicable to open and closed-loop water lubricated stern tubes and closed-loop oil-lubricated stern tubes for all ship segments and types as well as newbuilds and retrofits and is approved by classification societies.
Matthew Bignell, Sales Development Manager, Wärtsilä Seals & Bearings commented: “We used our existing condition monitoring technology to develop this new system and service, which applies proven data analysis methodology to deliver not only information but careful expert analysis and performance-enhancing recommendations as well. Our customers get a window into the operational health of their tail shaft and gain knowledge about, for instance, the wear rates of the equipment. This allows for more accurate maintenance planning and reduces unforeseen risks.”
Retrofit programs are due to begin in September 2016.
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