OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE
AN INDUSTRY STAPLE T
Why a solid state MRU and MGC from one technology manufacturer has seen industry-wide take up
he maritime industry utilises a spectrum of applications that require precise attitude, heading and position data, as
well as reliable performance over time. The use of technology manufacturer Kongsberg Discovery’s solid-state Motion Reference Unit and its Motion Gyro Company (MGC) has therefore become the de-facto industry standard. Here we explain how the company
has spent the past three decades harnessing the understanding of inertia to develop the highly versatile sensing technology that underpins these technologies. “In 1986, we embarked on a mission
to simplify and commercialise inertial navigation technology for the maritime market at an affordable cost. Our engineers spent six years honing the technology, and in 1992 we launched our first MRUs. They deserve huge credit as pioneers,” says Vidar Bjørkedal, vice president SEATEX sales at Kongsberg Discovery.
KEY LEGACY With over 20,000 MRUs installed and the product name now known as
an industry-wide generic term, the Kongsberg MRU has had considerable influence on the industry. Following the success of the MRU line, the MGC was first released in 2014 and more recently, the company launched the miniMRU. The company’s MRUs feature a
cluster of highly tuned accelerometers and Kongsberg-developed MEMS gyros that deliver precise measurements of rotations and accelerations with incredible accuracy. Based on this, the MRUs can calculate speed, attitude and many other parameters. The MGCs, with their north-seeking gyros, also bring true heading output. Particular benefits include a high output data rate, high reliability, compact size, light weight and low power consumption. Neither the MRUs nor the MGCs require any maintenance as there are zero wear-out parts. For most applications, recalibration is also a thing of the past.
UNRIVALLED MOTION COMPENSATION TOOL MRUs can be used as embedded sensors in just about any piece of equipment or working platform that requires accurate motion stabilisation,
from offshore jack-up operations, dynamic positioning (DP) systems, riser monitoring and motion damping for fast ferries, to helideck monitoring and even motion compensation for beds on cruise ships. Typical Active Heave Compensation (AHC) applications include offshore cranes, gangways, winch systems, Launch & Recovery Systems (LARS) and hoisting equipment in drilling draw-works. The MRU feeds data to the controller
that regulates the motion compensation system. “Customers can select from more than 350 variables for a particular application, making these units extremely flexible,” says Bjørkedal.
HIGHLY VERSATILE SINGLE SENSOR Kongsberg’s type-approved and wheelmarked MGCs go on to provide not only simultaneous motion compensation for multiple onboard applications but also replace conventional gyrocompasses for navigation of all ship types. “We’re one of very few vendors globally that can supply a single type-approved sensor that can cater to all applications
The company’s MRUs feature a cluster of highly-tuned
accelerometers and
Kongsberg-developed MEMS gyros
The MGC was first released in 2014
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