During a vessel handover, the actual wear condition of the main engine's cylinder liners needs to be established quickly, yet port calls and anchorage windows are usually short. Recently, Tecway engineers boarded a dry bulk carrier at Lianyungang anchorage and used the Dr. E. Horn Cylinder Liner Diameter Measurement (CLDM) system to measure the diameters of the liners in all six cylinders of its 6S60ME main engine through the scavenge ports, delivering a complete inspection report.
01 How tight is the inspection window during a handover?
The vessel serviced on this occasion was a recently handed-over dry bulk carrier. With the vessel handover and crew change taking place together, and limited time both in port and at anchorage, the window available for inspecting the main engine was narrow.
Checking wear in all of the main engine's cylinder liners by conventional methods requires considerable manpower and time, and also involves the costs of dismantling for inspection and replacing spare parts.
The client needed an inspection solution that did not require dismantling core main-engine components and could be completed during a short stop.
Vessel serviced
02 Working through the scavenge ports, measuring all six cylinders one by one
Tecway engineers boarded the vessel with the dedicated Dr. E. Horn CLDM system and measured the cylinder liner diameters of all six cylinders of the vessel's 6S60ME main engine, one by one.
The measuring probe was inserted into each cylinder through the scavenge port, without dismantling core main-engine components at any point in the inspection. On-site data were automatically collected and analysed by the software supplied with the CLDM system, allowing the work to progress continuously while the vessel was at anchorage.
Main engine and engine room on site
03 From on-site data to a complete inspection report
After several hours of on-site measurement, data collection for all six cylinders was complete. The client received the inspection report in PDF format at the same time, clearly showing:
- 01 Actual measured diameters at each measurement height
- 02 Wear relative to the original bore diameter (mm)
- 03 Differences in wear between directions
- 04 Ovality, taper, wear curves and a 3D model of the cylinder liner
04 Completing the work within the anchorage window, reducing losses from time out of service
Under the applicable operating conditions in this case, measuring each cylinder took approximately 1 hour, and inspection of the cylinder liners across the entire main engine could be completed at anchorage or during a short stop. Compared with conventional dismantling and inspection, the on-site assessment indicated a reduction in downtime of more than 80%, with a corresponding reduction in operating losses caused by time out of service.
Tecway engineers completing cylinder-by-cylinder measurements on site
Dr. E. Horn CLDM system — A clear view of cylinder liner wear for evidence-based maintenance planning
Looking ahead, Tecway will continue to draw on its professional engineering team and field-service experience to provide clients with timely, reliable technical support.
Tecway's engineering team is always on site.
ABOUT TECWAY
About Tecway
Tecway International Limited was founded in Hong Kong in 1993 and is a leading technical consultant and high-quality distributor in the global maritime industry. With more than thirty years of industry experience, it has developed five core business areas: marine equipment, petrochemical storage and transportation, diesel and internal combustion engines, maritime technical services, and maritime consultancy services. Its business covers major markets including China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
We have deep roots in the diesel and internal combustion engine manufacturing industry, providing products including the CLDM system and related technical support. From sales consultation and installation and commissioning to after-sales training, our responsive service network provides clients with professional, reliable support throughout the process.
We also focus on shipping companies' low-carbon transition needs, providing EU ETS, UK ETS and FuelEU compliance consultancy, support for green hydrogen projects in shipping, industrial drone solutions, solutions for exporting Chinese-made marine equipment, and vessel FGSS technical services.
Business enquiries
Mr Gou
CLDM | BDMS
Business email: goubaojun@tecwayintl.com