For submarine cable laying maintaining tension in the cable within required tolerances is critical during the laying process to minimise the risk of cable damage due to cable cores being crushed or the minimum bend radius being exceeded.
To regulate this tension specialist machines are used to handle the cable as it is laid. One such machine is the 45Te 4-Track Tensioner made by MAATS Tech Ltd, which features electro-mechanical screw jacks for the positioning of the lower tracks. These screw jacks are variants of Made in Britain member Power Jacks precision 500kN E-Series Machine Screw Jack (type EMT0500) that have been specially adapted for the tensioner. Within each screw jack system one screw jack has an integrated geared motor drive and the other an absolute encoder. The electric motor includes an integral brake to guarantee the screw jacks can be locked in position in addition to the jacking systems being naturally self-locking. The ability to self-lock is a feature screw jacks can offer so that position can be maintained even when there is no power. The screw jacks are mounted on pivoting points with a trunnion mount at the screw jacks gearbox and a clevis end on the lifting screw. Their design is marine rated and fully certified and approved by DNV (Det Norske Veritas). A process which included load and operational testing.
Throughout the project Power Jacks team of specialist engineers worked closely with MAATS to ensure the best design was provided on schedule.
Managing Director of MAATS Tech Ltd, Lisa Edwards, said: “Our projects require timely delivery and great flexibility when it comes to schedules, Power Jacks have always accommodated all our requirements for timely delivery and we regard them as a trusted and continuing supplier.”
Managing Director of Power Jacks, Keith Mackie adds: “This is an interesting marine application for our screw jacks that once again demonstrated how our expert team of engineers can work closely with a client to deliver the best solution”.
Power Jacks is a British design and manufacturing company, based in Scotland, specialising in electro-mechanical actuation, lifting and positioning equipment. Our products, which include screw jacks, bevel gearboxes, linear actuators and their systems are engineered to the highest standards and deployed in a multitude of applications worldwide in civil engineering, defence, transport, industrial automation and energy sectors.
Read more about Powerjacks here
By Made in Britain 5 years ago | By Made in Britain