Bearing Condition Monitor Gains Full Approval
Open-up inspections can be avoided if an AMOT XTS-W+ Bearing Condition Monitor is installed. The XTS-W+ is a bearing wear monitor which gained approval from MAN Diesel & Turbo and Germanischer Lloyd after completion of extensive trials on the Hapag-Lloyd vessel Hanover Express. The approval will allow ship owners to apply for Survey Arrangement Condition Monitoring (SACM) if an XTS-W+ is installed and there is a reassurance that the bearings are in good condition.
Eliminating unnecessary open-up inspections of the cranktrain bearings represents huge operating cost savings, since such inspections are a major cause of premature bearing failure, resulting from mis-assembly, ingress of dirt or even physical damage. Because of this MAN Diesel & Turbo does not recommend unnecessary opening up of the crank train bearings on its 2-stroke low speed engines.
The XTS-W+ has significant operating features including an additional bearing damage algorithm that quickly indicates short term changes, fully automatic calibration and fully integrated water-in-oil (WIO) and shaft line earth monitoring (SLEM). Such features enhance the proven real-time monitoring of diesel engine crank train bearings, providing early warning of bearing wear, preventing high cost consequential damage and unplanned downtime.