Kongsberg Maritime has developed a new touch screen based Engine Room Simulator configuration, which has been designed to offer realism to students whilst providing colleges and training institutes with a new opportunity to broaden the range of courses to be offered without investing in expensive new hardware.
Called Neptune MultiTouch, the system, which is part of Kongsberg Maritime’s market leading Neptune ERS portfolio, is already in use at the Georgian College, Ontario and has also been chosen by the Ã…land University of Applied Science.
Neptune MultiTouch, which uses multiple touchscreens integrated with real-life engine room consoles and panels, enables a college to quickly and easily select between simulation models. The system allows instructors to change from a VLCC to a Cruise vessel, or a Ferry within seconds.
“MultiTouch is an innovative and flexible solution that offers several benefits because of its ability to run various simulation models on the same HW configuration,” says Harald Kluken, Product Advisor – Engine Room Simulators, Kongsberg Maritime. “It loads a new set of MultiTouch Mimic Diagrams as a different engine room simulation model is loaded, allowing for different courses to be offered on the same hardware solution. This provides immediate cost saving whilst at the same time enables training institutes to offer a wider set of courses, therefore attracting a greater number of students and customers.”
The MultiTouch technology already enables training on a number of well known engine and machinery systems, such as ME Remote Console, Power Management console and engine room stations with Neptune ERS MAN B&W 5L90MC VLCC, ERS Pielstick 10PC4 Ferry M22 and ERS Diesel Electric AC Cruise Vessel DE22.
Associated subsystems can be accessed from Engine Room MultiTouch Stations presenting for instance Start & Service Air Systems, HFO Purifiers, LO Purifier, DO Purifier and Bilge-Sludge Systems. Also Main Switchboard can be delivered with MultiTouch functionality.
The new MultiTouch system is based around Kongsberg Maritime’s well proven and tested Neptune architecture for engine room simulation, ensuring that all models are highly accurate, whilst offering true realism to help ensure students retain what they learn during simulator training.
The Georgian College MultiTouch installation is part of a large Neptune ERS delivery that was completed in October 2008. The delivery included a range of marine engine models installed in both full mission and desktop configurations. The low speed ERS MAN B&W 5L90MC VLCC and the medium speed ERS Pielstick 10PC4 Ferry were delivered in both full mission and desktop, with additional desktop models for the ERS Sulzer 12RTA84 Container and the ERS MaK 8M32C Trawler engine.