Steering gears

Our steering gears provide vessels with a reliable and durable steering system. We offer custom design of steering systems based on vessel characteristics and customer specifications, taking into account SOLAS and Classification Societies requirements. Servoship has built steering gears for all types of vessels, with drive torques from less than 1 Tnm to more than 70Tnm and rudder operating angles ranging from +-35º, +-45º.

For other pairs and ranges please contact us.

One, two or three rudder arrangements, with the possibility of mechanical synchronization by means of linkage rod or electronic synchronization managed with PLCs.

We can define it as the electrical or sometimes electronic part, in charge of the control and monitoring of the system. Servoship supplies custom consoles for the control room, bridge, wings, auxiliary bridge, etc. Integrating in them the angle indication system, NFU Control or FU Control as required. We offer compatibility with the Integrated Control Systems of the Platform (SICP) of the ship, Autopilot or VDR.

The power unit consists of a hydraulic oil tank that will be pumped to the actuating cylinders. As standard, they are composed of two identical motor-pump units. Each of them is capable of providing the complete servo performance independently. From there, there are multiple options such as tanks and piping in stainless steel AISI-316L, variable flow pumps to reduce noise and vibration levels, actuation speeds above the strictly regulatory, emergency hand pump drive, etc..

Manufacture of rudder shaft support bearings. Depending on the design characteristics of the ship we offer systems with bearing support by means of plates and friction bearing manufactured in bronze on a cast alloy steel body or for the smallest equipment with bearing support manufacturing by means of commercial bearings.

A rocker type steering gear consists mainly of two cylinders connected to the crosshead. Due to its geometry it must be sized correctly so that the maximum torque requested by the rudder is available at the position or angle of rotation defined by the rudder manufacturer.

A Rapson-type electrohydraulic steering gear consists of two or four hydraulic cylinders, usually of one single effect type, connected oppositely, so that they act on the same line of action. It is a suitable configuration for high actuating torques or if a compact solution is required for lower actuating torques.