Ensuring a safe and controlled operation is critical in the challenging conditions of marine projects. Marine environments are corrosive and heavily influenced by currents and tides. Hence, it is paramount that all factors are considered before installation to ensure long-term performance.

This article discusses the reasons why the RUD TECDOS drive solution was ideal for the Brisbane River Ferry Terminals.

The Challenge: Decoupling Walkway in a Marine Environment

International Consulting Engineering company Aurecon approached RUD seeking a drive solution to decouple the Brisbane River Ferry Terminal walkways. The biggest challenge was enabling controlled release and rotation of the walkway undercurrents and tides and preventing damage caused by the ebb and recess of the water flow.

Why TECDOS? Addressing Key Requirements

RUD invited Aurecon to a site visit to the Brisbane factory to demonstrate and showcase the capabilities of the RUD TECDOS system.

RUD TECDOS possessed several benefits that aligned with the project's specific requirements:

• Corrosion Resistance: The zinc-coated RUD TECDOS chain is specially designed to withstand challenging marine environments, ensuring long-lasting performance without rusting even in a static position.
• 3D Flexibility: The inherent flexibility of the TECDOS chain allows for smooth and controlled movement of the walkway, accommodating slight misalignments while maintaining structural integrity. This is crucial for ensuring proper engagement and release during operation.
• Compact Design: Compared to conventional wire rope cables, the TECDOS system utilises compact wheels with six pocket teeth, minimising space constraints within the terminal design.
• Static Functionality: The system is designed to remain idle in a static position until decoupling is required. This ensures minimal wear and tear on the components during normal operation, extending their lifespan and reducing maintenance needs.
• Accurately Rated Load Capacity: The TECDOS system offers accurately rated load capacities, ensuring the safe and reliable handling of the walkway under various load conditions, including potential debris accumulation or high water levels.

Click for more details of TECDOS Pi-Gamma Drive and Omega Drive technology and why RUD is the world leader in drive technology based on the RUD round steel chain mechanism for horizontal, vertical and rotational applications.

The RUD Solution: A Controlled and Safe Decoupling Mechanism

The implemented solution leverages the TECDOS chain drive system to achieve a controlled and safe decoupling process:

• Chain Release with Damping: The mechanism utilises the TECDOS chain to control and lift the rotating gangway (walkway support structure) away from its cradle through a dampener system. This dampener ensures smooth lifting motion, preventing sudden movements and potential damage.
• Controlled Decoupling and Rotation: The control arm is integrated with the TECDOS chain to facilitate the lifting and subsequent release of the walkway. This allows the walkway to rotate controlled, aligning it with the downstream river flow to prevent damage during high tides, which increase water levels.

The Result: A Proven and Replicable Solution

The success of the RUD TECDOS implementation at the Brisbane River Ferry Terminal is evident by:

• Multiple Installations: We have installed the TECDOS drive solution in seven ferry terminals across Brisbane. Each terminal uses nine TECDOS six-tooth pocket wheels, chains, and terminations per unit. Each unit features a fixed pocket wheel connected to the dampener for controlled speed and additional wheels facilitating lifting and releasing the gangway.
• Operational Success: The fully fabricated and controlled system is operational across all seven ferry terminals, demonstrating its effectiveness in safely managing walkway decoupling during high tides and debris during flooding.

Watch the video of the engineering and design from Aurecon, which ensured an ideal option to ensure the critical ferry infrastructure is flood resilient, accessible and for travellers to enjoy and celebrate the river.

Conclusion: Addressing Marine Challenges with Innovative Solutions

The RUD TECDOS system on the Brisbane River Ferry Terminal demonstrates its versatility and effectiveness in addressing complex challenges in the marine sector. Its corrosion resistance, 3D flexibility, compact design, and precisely rated load capacity make it an ideal solution for applications requiring controlled movement and reliable operation in challenging environments.

In addition, the system's modular design and proven track record across multiple installations highlight its potential for wider implementation within the conveying and drive sectors, where accurate control, corrosion resistance, and space optimisation are critical considerations.

Article copyright to RUD Ketten and RUD Australia. This information is accurate at the time of publication, and RUD Australia takes no responsibility for any errors, inadvertent or otherwise. Some pictures are for illustration only

Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality - Washington Irving.

Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone. It is the season of giving, and who better to talk about giving than a charity? Our December Charity Champion is Sallyanne, who is very passionate about giving to the community through the #BeAnElf organisation.

The #RUDstory is about our employees, the charities they support each month, the values they hold dear, and their experience of teamwork, challenges and motivation at RUD.

How many years have you been involved with the Be An Elf charity?

I have been supporting the BE AN ELF charity for 6 years, and RUD Chains has been participating for the last 5 years.  This is my favourite charity which I support as I love doing the shopping and giving back to the community.

What inspired you to continue advocating for this charity?

My children have been very fortunate to receive gifts on Christmas morning, and I wanted to teach my children to give back to the community. The Byrne family has been part of the BE AN ELF charity for the last six years, and we love making some local children happy on Christmas Day.  This is RUD’s fifth year supporting the charity, which is exciting.  One thing I love about this charity is the “Elves” deliver the gifts on Christmas Eve so the children receive their gifts on Christmas Day.

Why is this charity important to you?

I think the big smiles on the children say it all. Being given the gift ‐ granting the very longed-for item and brand from the top of their Wish Letter to Santa' is incredible.  We've gone and done it ‐ granted that first wish ‐ bought a new pair of black school shoes, the next Wish Letter for a most desired Barbie, then a really longed-for 'new undies' that weren't holey and pre-worn.  RUD and I want to make a difference, contribute to our local community and put smiles on children's faces.

How does the charity serve the community?  

For the last 16 years in December, BE AN ELF volunteers read letters written by children to Santa and arrange gift bags for distribution. The letters are mostly written by local kids or their mums or dads asking for 'new shoes', ' bed sheets’, ‘pillow' or other necessities.  The children are referred from services such as Centre Link, Social Workers, Neighbourhood Centres, Family Services and GP’s. The BE AN ELF mission is to put smiles on the faces of less fortunate local Queensland kids on Christmas Morning.  When times are tough, it’s the little people who are struggling that suffer the most, and being different can be a hard lesson to learn. 

How does the RUD team help with the cause?   

The difference we make at RUD through the BE AN ELF is an empowering contribution to society’s vulnerable and smallest members who, most of the time, end up neglected because they do not have a voice.

Any additional comments?

I love contributing to this cause, and every year RUD contributes more wish letters which makes me so proud to work alongside such generous people. All for the same cause of making Christmas the most magical day of the year for all.

Interested to join the team?

Check our current vacancies on Seek.

We are always looking for people in engineering, fabrication, welding, sales or marketing who believe that customers and culture are important. If there are no suitable roles, click here to send us an expression of interest.

A gangway is a narrow walkway or platform that provides safe access to a ship, truck, or train. Ship gangways are used for the passage of both passengers/crew and cargo. They must move in all directions and be height-adjustable for use with different ships. The gangways must also be robust, secure and safe under challenging conditions.

RUD’s TECDOS Drive system offers an ideal solution for a gangway, using calibrated steel chains fitting into complimenting sprockets. TECDOS drive systems are an ideal replacement for pinion gear and wire rope drives because they function reliably even under the most challenging conditions.

For gangways, RUD TECDOS drive systems can include:

TECDOS PI-GAMMA DRIVE

The PI-GAMMA drive system, with a fixed 180-degree angle (PI) or a flexible 90-180-degree (GAMMA), is suited for horizontal and vertical applications. The PI-GAMMA pocket wheel block can pull the load along the round steel chain or move it to a different location.

The advantages of PI-GAMMA DRIVE:

• Ideal 2-in-1-solution.
• Light and can be used in narrow spaces.
• Can be used between a 90° and 180° redirection or a total 180° redirection.
• Multiple lifting points.
• Durable, reliable, and safe.
• Easy installation without the need for a stable mounting base.

TECDOS PREMIUM ROUND LINK CHAIN

The core component of each TECDOS drive system is a highly wear-resistant, calibrated round link chain that can be used in challenging conditions or with abrasive materials. TECDOS chains have high-grade strength to ensure maximum operating safety. The Premium Round Link Chain is case-hardened.

TECDOS END CHAIN FIXING

The chain end fixing, which connects chains to supporting structures, transfers 100% of the TECDOS chain operating forces. Because of its adjustable axis, it also ensures maximum flexibility during use.

TECDOS LIFT LIMITER

The lift limiter prevents the chain from “passing through” by limiting the unloaded sides of the chain, working as a route limiter.

The Project: 

RUD Australia was approached to build a passenger gangway for a cruise ship terminal in Western Australia. The client could not implement the standard method of using a hydraulic cylinder, as it was too expensive and not cost-efficient for the required lift height.

The Solution: 

After understanding the project's scope and the solution that best met the client's requirements, RUD developed a dual-strand loop drive component package for this project.

The Result:

RUD implemented a TECDOS 65 component package. Gear motors independently drove the Pi Drives.

The Project Inclusions:

• 2 x TECDOS 65 PI-GAMMA DRIVE
• 2 x TECDOS 65 HEBG END FASTENER
• 34m TECDOS 65 PREMIUM CHAIN
• 2 x POWERPOINT PP-VIP M36
• 2 x TECDOS 65 SPECIAL BOLT
• 2 x TECDOS 65 POCKET WHEELS

TECDOS systems are ideal for applications where materials or equipment must be swivelled, lifted, moved, or rotated safely and reliably. RUD quality is a result of years of research and development, creating bespoke drive solutions that are used by leading companies in maritime, engineering, automotive, and wind power and by military forces around the world.

Article copyright to RUD, this information is accurate at the time of publication and RUD Australia takes no responsibility for any errors, inadvertent or otherwise.

For more details on how RUD can help with your crane requirements, please call us on 07 3809 1300 or fill out an enquiry form here.

Sources:

• https://www.rud.com