USCG Amberjack
- New main engine installation
- Thordon bearings
- Hendry Corporation, Tampa
Hendry Corporation, Tampa, Florida, January 2013
New Thordon cutless bearings installed
This shows the optical alignment telescope and the target in the aft cutless bearing.
This shows the optical alignment telescope and the target in the aft cutless bearing.
New main engine installation underway
Professionals in the shipyard, working with the right equipment. Working safely in a shipyard environment requires knowledge and experience, and the right people.
Professionals in the shipyard, working with the right equipment. Working safely in a shipyard environment requires knowledge and experience, and the right people.
Optical alignment telescope
Shaft line established and scope in place. Optical alignment for shafts or engines on a boat or ship, or any type of vessel with a traditional shaft system, starts by fitting targets to the bearings. We always want to do optical alignment checks on new bearings, or bearings that can be shown to be within original tolerances, as shafts in service will wear or line-bore the bearings to the existing shaft line. Optical alignment checks on worn bearings report the bearing wear, and not the bearing position. Once a shaft line is established on new bearings, the bearings can be checked for skew or offset against each other, themselves, and other components of the drive train. Once the shaft line is established and verified, other components such as the main engines or marine gears can be brought into alignment with the established shaft line.
Shaft line established and scope in place. Optical alignment for shafts or engines on a boat or ship, or any type of vessel with a traditional shaft system, starts by fitting targets to the bearings. We always want to do optical alignment checks on new bearings, or bearings that can be shown to be within original tolerances, as shafts in service will wear or line-bore the bearings to the existing shaft line. Optical alignment checks on worn bearings report the bearing wear, and not the bearing position. Once a shaft line is established on new bearings, the bearings can be checked for skew or offset against each other, themselves, and other components of the drive train. Once the shaft line is established and verified, other components such as the main engines or marine gears can be brought into alignment with the established shaft line.
Main engine getting closer
It takes a large team, including riggers, crane operators, supervisors, and outside mechanics and machinists to pull this off. Specialized knowledge, teamwork, and preparation are key. Diverse talents and capabilities have to combine in a well-managed project to remove and reinstall main engines on this scale, and on a schedule. Time for everyone is precious, but for commercial and military projects time is of the essence.
It takes a large team, including riggers, crane operators, supervisors, and outside mechanics and machinists to pull this off. Specialized knowledge, teamwork, and preparation are key. Diverse talents and capabilities have to combine in a well-managed project to remove and reinstall main engines on this scale, and on a schedule. Time for everyone is precious, but for commercial and military projects time is of the essence.
Engine and shaft optical alignment solutions
Optical shaft and engine alignment for yachts, boats, commercial vessels, and military vessels remains the most accurate, quickest, and most efficient alignment procedure.Optical alignment equipment operated with knowledge and experience provides shipyards, boatyards, and builders with efficient and accurate engine, bearing, and stern tube alignment. Michael H. Bartlett, in the marine industry in Fort Lauderale for thirty years and with over 15 years of optical alignment experience and over 1500 successful boat alignment procedures, owns and operates Marine Alignment, Inc.