FEATURE MACHINE BUILDING, FRAMEWORKS & SAFETY
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HOW INTEGRATED AUTOMATION CAN DRIVE SHIP INNOVATION
Beckhoff solution provider Pressure Design has built a bespoke hydraulic test rig to help Anemoi Marine Technologies advance the performance of its wind-assisted propulsion system for ships
R
otor sail technology is a type of wind- assisted propulsion system that uses tall, rotating cylinders to generate forward
thrust via the Magnus effect. These spinning sails use electric motors to generate thrust through aerodynamic forces, reducing the load on a ship’s main engines and helping lower consumption. Anemoi is a leader in this technology, and
continues to optimise the performance of its sails through ongoing R&D. So when the company needed to validate a new bearing and drive system design to support and rotate the sails, it commissioned a bespoke hydraulic test rig from Pressure Design.
THE PROJECT For this project, instead of constructing full- scale sails, which are typically 35m high, the team built a compact, force-loading platform to simulate the effects of wind at sea. Commenting on this, Beth Ragdale, software
product manager at Beckhoff UK, said: “It was a clever way to test new component designs under realistic forces without the complexity of full-scale installation.” Beckhoff was brought in to provide a complete
automation and monitoring solution for the rig. Central to the setup is a high-performance C6032 industrial PC, which consolidates control, data logging and vision capabilities. The test rig features the same bearings and
drive system as the real Rotor Sail, each fitted with a range of sensors to measure vibration, temperature and G-forces. These sensors capture data at 1,000 samples per second across 58 channels, which is logged and stored in a Microsoft SQL Server database using Beckhoff’s TF3520 Analytics Storage Provider and TF3500
Analytics Logger. Those tools provided the ability to handle large volumes of high-frequency data without needing complex custom code. TwinCAT Vision
software was used to integrate a thermal imaging camera that monitored tyre tread temperatures. Tyres are used to rotate the part of the rig representing the rotor sail, with hydraulic forces applied to mimic wind loads. The camera was a late addition to the project to help assess tyre performance under different pressures and provided a live view of heat build-up, helping to identify where any energy could be lost. With real-time visibility crucial, Beckhoff’s
Scope View software provided oscilloscope-style displays embedded in the HMI, allowing engineers to monitor parameters like vibration and thermal build-up. If any measurement exceeded a threshold, the system would trigger an automatic shutdown to prevent mechanical failure. The system architecture was designed to be
both compact and efficient. Beckhoff's EtherCAT P modules allowed the analogue-to-digital conversion to take place close to the sensors, reducing signal noise and simplifying the wiring. All data acquisition, control logic and visualisation tasks ran on a single industrial PC, avoiding the need for multiple systems. “We bundled everything – control, analytics, vision and HMI – into one IPC. That level of integration isn’t typical,” said David Grice, software applications engineer at Beckhoff UK.
THE BENEFITS OF BECKHOFF From James Penty, director at Pressure Design’s perspective, the key benefit of choosing Beckhoff was its flexibility. It allowed the company to encapsulate the entire hardware scope with one solution. In addition, the open architecture made it easier to integrate third-party components, including the customer-specified ABB drive and motor and certified marine sensors. The test rig structure, unlike a real rotor sail, was open for easy access to internal components. However, this exposed steel frame created more drag than the real Rotor Sail, limiting the rig’s top speed. “We added aerodynamic fairings to the structure
20 DESIGN SOLUTIONS DECEMBER/JANUARY 2026
Feature
to mimic the smooth shape of a real sail. That cut drag significantly and allowed us to reach full test speed,” said Penty. Other innovations included traction control
logic for the tyre drive. The software is able to detect any loss of grip that might be experienced in wet conditions, and automatically reduces drive torque to prevent slip. According to Penty, these refinements help ensure the rotor sail system is practical and serviceable at sea.
SUSTAINABILITY Rotor sails are already helping shipowners reduce emissions, but automation is critical to accelerating adoption. With Beckhoff’s technology stack, engineers at Anemoi can monitor complex dynamics and test under controlled, repeatable conditions. “It’s all about validating and trusting the data,” Ragdale added. “When you’re running test cycles that last ten hours, you need to know your system can capture everything reliably.” For this project, testing is now complete and
the first Rotor Sails using these components are in production, although the test rig will continue to provide useful data for future designs. Looking ahead, the team sees broader opportunities for automation to support sustainability goals in marine and renewable sectors. Grice added: “We’re seeing increased demand
for test benches and condition monitoring across wind, subsea and hybrid marine technologies. The ability to combine high-performance control with real-time insight is a game-changer.” For Anemoi, this project marks a step in the
evolution of rotor sail technology. For Beckhoff and Pressure Design, it offers a compelling example of how integrated automation can drive forward innovation in sustainable engineering.
Beckhoff Automation T: 01491 410539
www.beckhoff.co.uk
www.designsolutionsmag.co.uk
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