IHC Merwede will take its place at stand 201 in hall B4 again this year to showcase its vessels, equipment and life-cycle support for the dredging, mining and offshore markets at SMM 2012. The biennial international trade fair for Shipbuilding, Machinery & Marine Technology will take place in Hamburg from 4 to 7 September.
A number of scale models will demonstrate the wide range of vessels engineered and manufactured by IHC Merwede. The IHC Merwede stand will also feature examples of advanced equipment designed to meet the demands of the dredging, mining and offshore sectors. These will include a flexible spud carrier for a self-propelled cutter suction dredger, a new spud system, the Curve and the Bonecrusher.
Flexible Spud Carrier
The flexible spud carrier – fitted to a standard cutter suction dredger – has been developed with hydraulic buffer cylinders to increase its flexibility. The cylinders are connected to nitrogen pressure vessels and can be set to move in or out at pre-defined forces acting on the spud connected to the sea floor. In this way, the dredger is able to move along with the waves – in case there is too much force – to prevent the spud bending or even breaking. Additionally, the effect of the sea state on the spud load is made visible, enabling the operator to make an informed decision on whether to stop or continue operations, which in turn will lead to the increased availability of the equipment.
Spud System for Backhoe Dredgers
IHC Special Dredging Equipment has developed a new spud system for IHC Merwede’s standard backhoe dredgers. Each spud pole consists of a maximum of four elements, which can be easily connected with a fast-locking mechanism. The key benefits of this are: a safe spud system with hydraulic cylinders instead of winches, sheaves and wires; aft spuds positioned close to the excavator, decreasing reaction forces on the pontoon; and no spud-tilting system is required, resulting in increased space on deck for maintenance, bucket changes and the improved stability of the pontoon.
Curve and BoneCrusher
One of the latest products to be developed by IHC Parts & Services is the Curve, a type of pump impeller with blades designed to improve the suction characteristics and reduce the wear rate of a dredge pump. Another is the patented BoneCrusher, which is a suction/discharge hose with innovatively shaped steel rings to protect the rubber from abrasion and therefore ensure durability.
IHC Sealing Solutions
IHC Lagersmit (stand 227 in hall A1) will be exhibiting for the first time under its new name of IHC Sealing Solutions. This change, which came into effect on 6 July, is the result of the continued international growth that the company has experienced in recent years. Additionally, the company’s focus has shifted in past decades from the manufacture of bearings to the production and marketing of seals for rotating shafts.
IHC Metalix
IHC Metalix, IHC Piping and IHC Interior will be at stand 509 in hall B7. IHC Metalix specialises in the production of construction kits for ship, yacht and offshore building. It will exhibit its logistics system for supplying detailed, sorted and documented construction parts.
IHC’s new spud system
