Maintaining the performance and reliability of assets is paramount, telematics and maintenance solutions provider Applied Satellite Technology (AST) has shared a compelling case study using the company’s Integrated Remote Asset Management System (iRAMS).
Gardline, part of the Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. engineering department and entrusted with the task of serving the offshore renewables sector, harnessed the power of iRAMS to monitor engine performance data on its twin engine workboats. The platform, with its real time monitoring capabilities, revealed a noteworthy anomaly: increased fuel consumption on one of their twin-engine workboats. This discrepancy raised an immediate red flag.
The onshore engineering department, thanks to the insights delivered by iRAMS, was quick to identify a substantial drop in boost pressure on the port engine. This indicated a potential boost leak or turbo fault. Such prompt identification was instrumental in taking swift and effective action.
Subsequent physical inspections confirmed the presence of a significant issue: the inducer wheel tips on the port turbo had fractured and broken up. The alert triggered by iRAMS allowed Gardline to implement preventative repairs; in this case, it averted the need for a new turbo, which would have incurred a replacement cost of £50,000 or even worse the need for a complete engine rebuild, which would have resulted in several weeks of lost income.
AST says iRAMS stands as a guardian of maritime assets, providing real-time insights, enabling swift identification of potential issues, and ultimately, saving both time and resources.
