Published by Blakes for more
than a quarter of a century
than a quarter of a century
Orian Technology Limited
ORIAN TECHNOLOGY: SERVICE TO MOD
Orian Technology Limited was established in 1989 to meet the demand for high technology engineering in the marine and mechanical industry. Wherever possible, both measurements and calculations would be applied and a comparison between the two approaches would form a valuable check on the results. Both our computer and measurement equipment are updated regularly and computer programs are written to modernise both measurement and calculation procedures.
Thus, the program to calibrate and measure power and torsional vibrations was introduced some years ago. It corrects for non-linearity in the calibrations and works on samples taken over one or more revolutions. The rpm, torque and power can be printed from the computer and the harmonic components of the torsional vibrations can be plotted against rpm if required. The results are, therefore, as accurate as possible, and these measurements have found wide application. Strain gauges, web-deflection gauges, lasers and load cells are all used to measure shaft alignment and a computer program has been developed to combine the results of the measurements and calculate bearing loads and shaft stresses. The measurements are made with the shafts in place and under-water strain gauges are used to measure the alignment of the outboard shafts. Thus, the effects of hull deflections and dynamic alignment can be measured
The power and alignment measurements are used both in commercial and Royal Navy ships. One of our first projects was to measure alignment, power and torsional vibrations of MV St Helena when she was built in Aberdeen. Soon afterwards we were commissioned to measure power and alignment in the Hunt Class minesweepers. These latter ships are built in glass-reinforced plastic and are therefore very flexible. Based on our measurements the alignment of the thrust blocks and engine rafts were corrected. Work to calculate the deflections of the hull and line up the shafts accordingly was started in this way and continued for HMS Ocean, Wave Knight, Wave Ruler, Bulwark and Albion. Recently we have completed all the shaft-alignment calculations for the Type-45 destroyers. In the vibration field we should mention torsional vibration measurements and analysis in two crude carriers, which had broken the coupling bolts, and solving a vibration problem in MV The World. We have calculated the torsional vibrations in all the ships with electric motor propulsion for the Royal Navy and for the Type 45 destroyers. We have also calculated the frequencies and amplitudes of the axial and whirling vibrations.
Our company received QA-approval to ISO 9001 in 1993 and this was updated to ISO 9001 in 2003. Our calculations and measurements give us ideas of possible improvements in existing design and, in 1999, we patented a thrust-balanced propeller, which should improve the fuel consumption by a few percent and reduce the under-water noise and vibration to about half the present values. MoD are at present considering this propeller.
Thus, the program to calibrate and measure power and torsional vibrations was introduced some years ago. It corrects for non-linearity in the calibrations and works on samples taken over one or more revolutions. The rpm, torque and power can be printed from the computer and the harmonic components of the torsional vibrations can be plotted against rpm if required. The results are, therefore, as accurate as possible, and these measurements have found wide application. Strain gauges, web-deflection gauges, lasers and load cells are all used to measure shaft alignment and a computer program has been developed to combine the results of the measurements and calculate bearing loads and shaft stresses. The measurements are made with the shafts in place and under-water strain gauges are used to measure the alignment of the outboard shafts. Thus, the effects of hull deflections and dynamic alignment can be measured
The power and alignment measurements are used both in commercial and Royal Navy ships. One of our first projects was to measure alignment, power and torsional vibrations of MV St Helena when she was built in Aberdeen. Soon afterwards we were commissioned to measure power and alignment in the Hunt Class minesweepers. These latter ships are built in glass-reinforced plastic and are therefore very flexible. Based on our measurements the alignment of the thrust blocks and engine rafts were corrected. Work to calculate the deflections of the hull and line up the shafts accordingly was started in this way and continued for HMS Ocean, Wave Knight, Wave Ruler, Bulwark and Albion. Recently we have completed all the shaft-alignment calculations for the Type-45 destroyers. In the vibration field we should mention torsional vibration measurements and analysis in two crude carriers, which had broken the coupling bolts, and solving a vibration problem in MV The World. We have calculated the torsional vibrations in all the ships with electric motor propulsion for the Royal Navy and for the Type 45 destroyers. We have also calculated the frequencies and amplitudes of the axial and whirling vibrations.
Our company received QA-approval to ISO 9001 in 1993 and this was updated to ISO 9001 in 2003. Our calculations and measurements give us ideas of possible improvements in existing design and, in 1999, we patented a thrust-balanced propeller, which should improve the fuel consumption by a few percent and reduce the under-water noise and vibration to about half the present values. MoD are at present considering this propeller.
Dr Finn Orbeck, Managing Director, Orian Technology Limited
Copyright © 2005 Blake.