How can you extend the lifespan of marine machinery and equipment?

"Just love the machinery the way you love yourselves", this was told to me by my senior Chief Engineer when I was a young 4th Engineer. My machinery was shabby and dirty , there were leakages around. He told me, keep your machinery clean, it will take care of your career and your family. When you keep your machinery clean, you basically look at every aspect of your machinery from leakages to vibrations everything. Cleanliness is the first step to maintenance. My post looks like just casual talk but it had a great impact on my life in keeping machineries in good condition all the time , increasing their life as well.

Machines are also exposed to harsh environmental conditions, such as saltwater, humidity, corrosion, vibration, and wear and tear,some tips and best practices to extend the lifespan of marine machinery ,Schedule maintenance based on usage: Perform maintenance tasks according to the machine's usage. Properly train operators to handle equipment safely and perform routine maintenance tasks Adhere to the recommended maintenance schedule and guidelines provided by the equipment manufacturer to ensure the machinery's performance and longevity. Establish a comprehensive preventative maintenance program that includes component rebuilds, electronic data collection, and a point-to-point inspection program.

One of the most basic and effective ways to prolong the life of marine machinery and equipment is to inspect them regularly and thoroughly. Inspection can help you detect any signs of damage, malfunction, or deterioration before they become serious and costly problems

Regular inspections are key to improving longevity of marine equipment especially those in out of sight locations. However, the quality of inspection is more important than frequency. This quality depends on some factors such as qualification and experience of the personnel, personnel work load as well as the location and environment of the equipment. On the other hand, operators could consider automation through the use of multiple technologies and sensors such as vibration sensors , acoustic sensors, thermal imaging and sensing to improve monitoring. Furthermore scheduling inspections at times when personnel are in a good location and less busy could improve the quality of the inspection outcome.

- Discipline. - Hire the correct personel. - plan your budget and maintanance. - use your network to be updated with the latest info on your equipment.

Cleaning and lubrication helps to ensure equipment work and operate efficiently with better cooling. Though these are usually scheduled in the PMS or whatever maintenance system is adopted onboard. It is important to pay more attention to aging equipment as they are prone to oil leaks, equally important is the impact of humidity on marine electrical equipment. Therefore, operators in the tropics need to pay more attention beyond OEM recommendations as regards the cleaning and lubrication of their equipment.

- Using correct and appropriate manufacture recommended lubricants must be used for the equipment - Self cleaning sealing system must be chosen for critical applications - Anti corrosive coating can be applied for exposed surfaces

Marine machinery and equipment maintenance involves cleaning and lubrication to prevent the accumulation of dirt, dust, grease, and other contaminants that can impair the performance and efficiency of the components. Lubrication can reduce friction, heat, and wear and tear, and protect the surfaces from corrosion and rust. It is important to use the appropriate cleaning agents and lubricants for each type of machinery and equipment, and follow the manufacturer's recommendations for the amount, frequency, and application methods.

Ensure correct and timely lubrication of moving parts to reduce friction, prevent overheating, and prolong the life of bearings and other components.

Maintaining cleanliness and ensuring proper lubrication are fundamental for the longevity of marine machinery. Saltwater exposure can lead to corrosion, so regular cleaning is essential. Use appropriate cleaning agents and methods to remove salt deposits and other contaminants. Additionally, establish a lubrication schedule to ensure that moving parts operate smoothly. Proper lubrication reduces friction, minimizes wear, and helps prevent overheating. This simple yet effective maintenance practice significantly contributes to the extended lifespan of marine equipment.

A few points of note on this one from my experience: 1. Alignment is not a task of routine maintenance- alignment checks can be a routine but infrequent maintenance task. Attempting alignment as a routine maintenance task is much more likely to damage equipment than improve it's lifespan as a routine maintenance task, since onboard crews do not truly possess the correct equipment to align complex machinery and shafting such as main propulsion equipment and shafting- or truly any equipment supported at more than 2 points- since maintaining a stationary reference point with stable enough ambient conditions is almost impossible. 2. Some sensors use up a significant portion of their service life in performing calibration. Follow OEM guidance.

Accurate calibration and alignment are crucial for optimal performance and longevity of marine machinery. Misalignments or inaccuracies can lead to increased wear and decreased efficiency. Regularly calibrate instruments and sensors to ensure they provide accurate readings. Additionally, align components such as shafts, couplings, and gears to manufacturer specifications. This not only enhances efficiency but also prevents premature wear and tear. Implementing precision in calibration and alignment practices contributes to the overall health and durability of the equipment.

- Calibrartion and alignment must be carried out in the beginning of the installment of the equipment and also alignment screws must be installed in the base plate - Shims must also be installed on the foot mountings of rotating equipment to assist in future alignments - Skilled technicians must be hired/involved to recalibrate equipment

Calibration involves adjusting the settings and parameters of components to match specified standards, while alignment is the process of positioning and orienting components to achieve optimal contact and interaction. This is particularly important for the proper alignment of the propeller line shaft, which is essential for efficient and safe performance in marine operations.

Regularly calibrate sensors and align machinery components to ensure accurate operation, prevent unnecessary wear, and optimize overall system performance.

- The life cycle of an equipment must be studied to ensure timely replacement avoid cartostrophical failures - For pressurized equipment a scheduled 3 /4 years yearly check must be done to check for corrosion - Piping wall thickness inspection must be carried out to find signs of wear in corrosive lines.

Swiftly address identified issues through timely repair and, when necessary, replacement of worn-out or damaged components to prevent further deterioration and ensure continued reliability.

Timely repair and replacement of worn-out or damaged components are essential to extend the lifespan of marine machinery. Keep an inventory of spare parts and promptly replace any parts that show signs of deterioration. Establish a proactive approach to address minor issues before they escalate into major problems. Regularly assess the condition of critical components and follow manufacturer recommendations for replacement intervals. This preventive maintenance strategy helps avoid catastrophic failures and ensures the continuous reliability of the equipment.

Important to understand the significance of best quality part to be used. Machineries on board ships are subject to stresses well beyond those that similar machineries experience on shore. Therefore, it is essential to not cut corners in quality when ordering and using spare parts; using suboptimal quality spares can lead to much more expensive breakdowns. Another barrier can be erected by training marine engineers in determining the quality of spares and the reporting and feedback process of suppliers should be given adequate importance.

Also, I suggest: - Promptly address any identified issues during inspections. - Establish a robust maintenance and repair plan that includes a supply of spare parts. - Follow manufacturer guidelines for replacement intervals and consider upgrading to more durable components.

Training is vital for all task that we preform. All crew all professional need to read all the maker manuals prior maintenance task in order ensure that they will follow all protocols and minimize the risk of damage in equipment's.

- Before the sailaway of a vessel, suppliers must carry out training to crew om how to handle the equipment - Training manuals and videos can be provided to the crew to torubleshoot and carry out maintenance - Important parameters and settings for an equipment shall be explained to the crew to help them understand the system

The way operators, technicians, and supervisors use, take care of, and handle components surely depends on their skills, knowledge, and attitude. It's essential that their training is practical, and supplemented by on job mentoring and not just for getting a certificate. The goal should be clear, and the testing organizations should be honest, focused on getting results, and maintain a professional approach. This will ensure that the training translates into effective actions.

Ensure manufacturer's recommedations in regards to its maintainence are strictly adhered. Handling the machinery with appropriate skillset is the equally important. Understanding your machinery and its limitations are Vital to its healthy functioning.

1. Emergency preparedness: Simulating the conditions as close as practically possible is crucial. 2. Specialized Overhauling and workshop trainings should be mandatory and made available to marine engineers. 3. Skills in software and network systems is becoming necessary on board ships. Almost all vessels use a common server and barely a few have even functional knowledge or training in these. 4. Knowledge in using analytics tools either company ERP tools or even tools such as Excel to create analytics for better insights into vessel performance and individual machinery performance is mandatory for engineers. 5. Marine engineers are not just engineers but managers as well, so pertinent management training is must.

Companies should deploy good riding fitters and experienced service engineers from time to time. Original equipment manufacturers should provide competent service engineers and service experts for condition based maintenance. Onboard engineers are generally not well trained or competent enough to carry out complex health check and condition based maintenance. Even routine maintenance and measurements aren't done properly by engineers on board due to various factors like poor training, fatigue, too many responsibilities, fast turn around times, manpower shortage, lack of expertise due to exposure to different makes and models of machinery on different ships et al. Hence good shore support is a must.

Daily rounds performed properly is the most important thing to prevent breakdowns. To see, smell, listen and feel the development of a failure with the same hands,eyes,nose and hands will ensure you to detect any malfunctions on an early stage

Digital/cloud-based planned maintenance systems are essential when managing inspection & maintenance routines. Those which incorporate AI and advanced reporting/analytics are especially effective.

Nobody can expect equipment to run indefinitely and it will require maintenance, but it is also worth considering the benefit of sharing the experience of particular maintenance across the whole workforce. Rather than encouraging everyone to specialise in one or two systems, promote the ethos that as engineers, we see something and make it better. Even if it's just returning something to design, we shouldn't be waiting for the right person to come along, we need to create the right people through training and experience. Basic husbandry is a hugely overlooked part of maintenance and allowing it to deteriorate sets the precedent for the state of the systems, which adds time, effort, and parts when conducting routine maintenance.

Condition monitoring in the form of oil analysis, vibration analysis and thermographic surveys all aid machinery life expectancy and give early warnings of potential issues.