Simulation and Prototyping

MARINTEK has been systematically building up a centre of expertise in the field of system integration and simulation technology, combined with top-level competence in cybernetics, hydrodynamics, aerodynamics and marine vehicle operations. Our experience and databases, derived from the development and testing of all types of vehicles for many years, both as models and at full scale, are important aspects of these efforts.

The Research Council of Norway supports the competence development process via a Strategic Institute Program called “MS Nautilus”, to which the maritime industry also contributes.

Example of a Graphical User Interface for an Active Operator Guidance (AOG) system.

Simulating complex operations at sea

Monitoring our marine resources, offshore installations and rescue operations at sea will be high-priority areas in the future. We are working on several different types of operations at sea:

• Rescue operations, lifeboat testing and operation of rescue boats for the US Coastguard, Norwegian operating companies and shipyards. 
• Operations in narrow, shallow waters and strong currents, underwater topo-graphy, under-water reefs, etc.
• Complex operations with ships, air vehicles, underwater vehicles, for example replenishment at sea and lightering.     
• Extreme sea and weather situations, including damaged ships.

The above scenarios are highly relevant for both the civilian sectors and the Royal Norwegian Navy. Cooperation with the Navy, among other clients, has given us the opportunity to learn technologies that deal with simulator architecture and infrastructure, in which we link our theoretical methods and physical models to other visualisation and user interface products.

MARINTEK has taken part in a major NATO-project in which several large-scale multinational simulation tasks, such as landing a helicopter on the deck of a naval ship. This project employs simulation techno-logy in combination with a number of other disciplines to create a common arena for the design, development and joint understanding of a complex operation at sea.

NATO simulation project - helicopter landing on a naval ship. 

Simulation techniques employed in the design of on-board decision-support systems for reducing motions and loads

MARINTEK employs simulation techniques in the development of on-board decision-support systems. Vessel motions and manoeuvrability under all operating conditions, including possible handling errors, must be modelled correctly. In our laboratories we perform tests using models of the relevant ships, in which the data are combined with theoretical models before we enter the simulation models themselves. These are then used to develop and test active decision-support systems for installation on board, i.e. systems that offer the captain advice about how to avoid excessive motions and accelerations such as altering course or speed, or from taking other measures. In collaboration with UECC we are in the process of developing systems for integrating steering and control systems on board ship with the aim of reducing ship motions and thus increasing operability.

The transfer of liquid or solid cargo from ship to ship at sea is an important link in the transport chain in many parts of the world. MARINTEK, together with companies in the lightering business, is planning an R&D programme, the objective of which is to develop products that will improve the safety and economy of lightering operations: better numerical models for simulator training, user-friendly shipboard simulators and decision support and warning systems. The first model test program has now been completed as part of this R&D project.

Prototyping of a joystick control system for FerryCat

In cooperation with Rolls-Royce Marine, MARINTEK has developed a joystick control system for the FerryCat™ 120. The FerryCat™ 120 is a high-speed aluminium catamaran built by Fjellstrand AS and is an innovative concept in the field of commuter ferries. The ferry will have a capacity of 112 cars and 400 passengers, and will be capable of making 22 knots, using a newly developed propulsion system known as Azipull (Azimuthing pulling propeller) from Rolls-Royce Marine AS. The propulsion system consists of four propeller units, one at each “corner” of the vessel. The ferry will be steered from a wheelhouse that can be rotated 180 degrees, depending on the direction of travel of the ferry.

This project employs simulation technology in combination with several other disciplines in order to create a common arena for the design, development and joint understanding of designing a marine control system. 

In the first stage of the project, the control system was developed using software-in-the-loop simulations. All modules were implemented and tested in MARINTEK’s Simulation Environment.

The simulator comprises the following modules:

• Ship (hull force, wind and current effects)
• Propulsion (force and power for each Azipull)
• Control system (joystick and autopilot control)
• Navigation (GPS, gyrocompass, speed-log and wind sensor) 
• Electronic Chart (visualisation and navigation tool)
• 3D Terrain (visualisation)
• GUI (Graphical User Interface and 3-axis joystick)

The second step was to test the real target solution, using both hardware and software in the simulator (hardware-in-the-loop simulations). According to feedback from operators and system designers, the solution was considerably improved when the Simulation Environment was used. Finally, the control system was installed in a full-scale system and successfully verified and tuned within a few hours.

In collaboration with Rolls Royce AS, MARINTEK has developed new propulsion and
steering systems for more efficient ferry operation. 

Contact person at MARINTEK: Arne Kjørsvik

(Article in MARINTEK Review No 2-2003)