Exploring Schottel’s digital products
When propulsion specialist Schottel provides news of references for tugs, digital elements are usually part of the order – time for a closer look at this transition into the future.
The fitting out of the engine room, including propulsion systems for new tugs, used to involve mainly mechanical and electrical components throughout.
The opportunities provided by digital technologies both afloat and via improved connectivity ashore are summed up by Alexander Neideck, Schottel’s product manager automation and digital products:
“Basically, we are creating a virtual image of the propulsion system on land, providing insights into the system. This information can then be used to plan operational and strategic deployments better.”
Functioning as a fault monitoring system, data are continuously stored, warnings and alarms generated if certain limits are exceeded. Analysis is largely carried out independently on board and viewed on an integrated control panel and can also be sent automatically to the IoT platform MariNet via encrypted connection, with cached data transferred automatically or manually later if there is no stable internet connection.
ProData, another application and part of MariNet, allows data to be viewed online from anywhere, providing information on operational conditions and equipment status and the opportunity to plan strategic fleet deployment maximizing vessel potential.
A condition monitoring service (ProCMS) uses an algorithm to monitor measured values and identify acute signs of wear or damage to specific components at an early stage, thus minimising risk of consequential damage.
The final item to mention in Schottel’s digital toolbox is VibCheck. This mobile system allows the manufacturer’s service engineers to check the condition of the propulsion system by carrying out vibration measurements on the installed units. The data is transferred manually ashore to be analysed by experts allowing more targeted maintenance planning and spare parts logistics, especially for older vessels.
Tug owners are generally keen to extract long life spans from their investments, life-extension projects often making them unrecognisable from when new.
Whether it is a new vessel or has been in operation for years, says Schottel, its digital services offer a wide range of benefits that can improve troubleshooting, strategic maintenance planning or optimise fleet management.
