Ashtead rolls out time-reducing optical chain measurement system

Subsea rental equipment and solutions provider Ashtead Technology has developed a new optical chain measurement system (CMS) to provide accurate and repeatable mooring chain measurements.

Courtesy of Ashtead Technology
Courtesy of Ashtead Technology

As described, the measurements are used to track chain corrosion, wear and elongation between surveys, combined with inclination measurement to verify chain tension.

The optical CMS combines high-resolution video with machine vision algorithms and reduces chain measurement time by more than 50% and provides real-time results, Ashtead claims.

The system is said to offer substantial operational time and cost advantages over other technologies such as mechanical callipers, photogrammetry and laser measurement systems.

Tyler de Gier, general manager of Ashtead Technology’s mooring inspection and asset integrity business, said: “Our new optical CMS is considered to be the most accurate and reliable mooring chain measurement system in the market, delivering real-time measurement of chain dimensions within seconds of tool placement”.

Tyler added that the system is particularly well suited for chain measurement in high-motion environments and was under field trials in the North Atlantic.

In the company-related news, Ashtead recently provided its Autonomous Structure Monitoring Systems, integrated with LUMA optical modems, to complete an underwater installation monitoring work scope for Havfram in the Norwegian North Sea.

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