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News Release from: ABB Automation Tech (Instrumentation + Automation) | Subject: Turbochargers and service
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 24 December 2001
Fast answer to turbo problem helps
shipping firm
Graig Ship Management was recently able to recover from a machinery failure and save significant costs in deadline penalties thanks to fast service from ABB
Graig Ship Management Ltd was able to recover from a machinery failure and save significant costs in deadline penalties during October, thanks to fast service from ABB: "We already knew that ABB delivers excellent service," said Rob Cotter, Graig technical superintendent, "but this particular case was simply amazing." The m/v CEC Westoe, one of Graig's modern project cargo vessels, suffered a turbocharger failure soon after leaving Vancouver en route for Portland, Oregon The ship was due to collect a cargo of steel from a factory that was due for closure; a failure to meet the pick-up deadline would have incurred a penalty charge equivalent to the factory's total monthly wage bill
"This would have run into hundreds of thousands of pounds," Cotter explained.
The 8,744-tonne Confidence class ship had suffered a bearing failure on the compressor side of the turbo.
The crew alerted Graig head office staff in Cardiff who immediately called ABB Turbo Service headquarters, in Telford.
ABB's Turbo Service Centre in Vancouver - part of a worldwide network of 75 centres in major ports - was promptly advised of the situation.
Local ABB personnel discussed the nature of the problem and potential solutions with the crew while the ship returned to port, arriving between 08:00 and 09:00 on Friday morning.
"Instant on-the-spot rebuilding of the turbo was not feasible," explained Julian Withers, ABB technical manager.
"There are so many different possible configurations for turbochargers that each one is, in effect, a tailored system.
And, it was clear from our conversations with the customer that a complete rotor assembly would probably be required." As a fallback position, local ABB engineers in Canada began to manufacture a blanking plate, which would allow the ship to proceed under normally-aspirated power, in case the ideal solution could not be provided.
At the same time, ABB Turbo Systems AG in Switzerland - the manufacturing centre for turbocharger parts - was alerted of the replacement requirement and started to check that all necessary components were available.
With entry of the original turbo's serial number into ABB's central database, the unit's full technical details were immediately available to authorised personnel.
This meant that Swiss engineers could build an exact replica of the Westoe's customised TR454D-32 unit, if necessary.
By Friday evening, UK time, it was clear that a complete rotor assembly would be needed and this was ordered by ABB personnel in Telford.
ABB engineers in Switzerland then began to assemble the unit.
After more than 12 hours of non-stop work, the 500 kg unit had been built and was despatched by air for Canada.
ABB engineers were ready at the airport when the assembly arrived on Sunday afternoon, local time, and took it immediately to the vessel.
There, with the co-operation of the local Service Centre, bearings, pumps, bushes and gaskets were sourced and the complete rotor assembly installed and tested.
The blanking plate was not needed.
The CEC Westoe was able to set sail on Sunday evening and reached its destination within the deadline.
"ABB was absolutely fantastic," commented Rob Cotter.
"I would never have thought it possible: ABB first heard about the problem on Friday, but by Sunday they had built a new rotor assembly, shipped it halfway around the world and installed it." Graig, established in Cardiff in 1919, is a leading international ship management company with a strong focus on sophisticated project cargo vessels.
It currently manages 34 vessels, many of them fitted with ABB turbochargers.
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