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Authors: Blue Vision New Generation is an automation system for propulsion plants in yachts and
workboats with MTU Series 2000 or 4000 engines. It is available both in a straightforward, non-
Dr. Stefan Ihmor classifiable version (Blue Vision Basic New Generation) and in an expanded, classifiable version
Project Director Blue Vision New Generation (Blue Vision Advanced New Generation). In a subsequent expansion stage, Blue Vision Premium
Development New Generation will represent the most extensive version. The Basic, Advanced and Premium
versions supersede the current products Smartline, Blueline and Bluevision.
Cornelius Müller
Project Director Blue Vision New Generation
1. Motivation and sometimes even during the course of a
There would appear to be an irreconcilable gulf product’s development.
between the heterogeneity of customers and
markets in the ship automation area and topics Another challenge concerns the use of complex
such as the use of equipment across product state of the art technologies and extensive devel-
lines or an equivalent parts concept at the level opment processes in conjunction with operational
of assemblies or components. Nowadays, elec- availability over many years. There is a clear trend
tronic components are phased out significantly towards increasing requirements imposed by the
in advance of the end of the product life-cycle, classification societies, not just with regard to
www.mtu-online.com
the quality of products but also their associated The equipment developed by MTU in the include the use of standardized interfaces as
development processes. automation platform MCS-6 has in turn been well as adequate performance for expanding the
configured for the respective applications, system. Uniform software interfaces facilitate the
In order to take account of these requirements, with consideration for the customer require- migration of code and accelerate the integration
MTU Friedrichshafen has created a new technol- ments. As far as the ambient conditions such as of bought-in software. Uniform communication
ogy platform for use in MTU automation systems: temperature, electromagnetic compatibility or interfaces make it possible to exchange entire
“MCS-6”— the 6th generation MTU „Monitoring shock are concerned, all key components met components, e.g. in the case of product phase-
and Control System“. the maximum demanded requirements in order outs. Uniform mechanical interfaces make it
to be used across various products. In terms of possible, for example, to carry out an upgrade of
2. Automation platform the selection of components and assemblies, the products in the field.
Today’s MCS-5 automation platform is a modular emphasis was placed on achieving a consistent
system that has been in place for 20 years now. equivalent part and spare parts concept in order The Blue Vision New Generation system de-
With MCS-6, it is being phased out by a new to meet the requirement for long-term opera- scribed below is the first representative of the
generation. The focus here is directed towards tional availability over many years. Application- new MCS-6 technology generation with its focus
highly specialized components developed by specific peripheral components such as on the automation system for ships’ propulsion
MTU that are combined with commercial off- propulsion control levers and instruments are plants. In the medium term, MTU automation
the-shelf (COTS) products to create modular bought in where sensible, and are connected systems in all applications are being converted
and scalable solutions. via standard interfaces. In addition to tried- from MCS-5 to MCS-6.
and-tested CAN bus technology, Ethernet is
MCS-6 defines cross-application characteristics used as the standard for data communication 2.1 System overview
relating in particular to the aspects of interfaces and service activities. Prefabricated plug-and- Blue Vision New Generation (see Figure 5) is an
and software. Efficient reuse of software, includ- play cabling reduces commissioning times and automation system for the propulsion plants in
ing software test cases on the basis of test case minimizes cabling faults. yachts and workboats with MTU Series 2000 or
libraries as a quality assurance measure, also 4000 engines (see Figures 1 to 4). The system
plays just as much of a role as the decentralized MCS-6 has been configured as open architecture is being introduced in several steps. In the first
application engineering in the project system in order to permit adding, upgrading and ex- phase, Blue Vision New Generation replaces the
business. changing components. Key factors in this regard existing Smartline and Blueline products, and of-
Engineering System
· Application Engineering
· Parameter Setting
· Diagnosis
dant engine signals in classified installations, 2.3 Versions allocated to precisely one shaft. The LOP functions
including monitoring of engine speed and lubri- The Blue Vision New Generation product line is as a local control stand in the engine room, and
cating oil pressure, as well as oil mist detection. available in two versions. The Blue Vision Basic comprises the Systembus Processing Unit (SPU,
New Generation (see Figure 11) version offers a see Figure 10) in combination with an operating
In addition, the EMU permits an expansion to the straightforward, non-classifiable system on the basis unit, the Local Operating Station (LOS).
range of signals for monitoring engine measuring of the components listed below, as the successor
points such as individual exhaust monitoring. to the current Smartline product line. The follow- The SPU contains two independent modules for
ing chapters explain the equipment and functions. MCS and RCS. The MCS module monitors the
Engine Interface Module (EIM) engine and gearbox as well as additional drive-
The EIM (see Figure 9) is the central interface The Blue Vision Advanced New Generation (see related signals. The RCS module is the central
between the ECS and the automation system, Figure 12) is the successor to the current Blueline unit for remote control of the propulsion system.
and implements the monitored safety circuit. product line and offers an expanded, classifiable In addition, it monitors the expanded range of
For this purpose, it provides an emergency version of Blue Vision New Generation. signals for classified installations. The LOS is in
stop function for up to eight emergency stop turn connected via the MCS module in order to be
momentary-contact pushbuttons integrated 2.4 Devices and functions independent of the RCS module.
in the hardware. Furthermore, checking and
monitoring of an optional emergency air-shutoff Local Operating Panel (LOP) und Systembus There are two versions of the LOP: the LOP 13 (see
flap are possible. Control functions close to the Processing Unit (SPU) Figure 13, Blue Vision Basic New Generation) for
engine, e.g. for the starting sequence, are also The LOP is the central component in the Blue non-classified applications and the LOP 14 (see
implemented in the EIM. Vision New Generation automation system and Figure 14, Blue Vision Advanced New Generation)
as such is contained in each version. It is always for classified applications. The operating unit of the
Slave Control Stand
POU
MCS-CAN-Bus MCS-CAN-Bus
RCS-CAN-Bus RCS-CAN-Bus
Main Control Stand
MCS-CAN-Bus MCS-CAN-Bus
RCS-CAN-Bus RCS-CAN-Bus
LOP 13 LOP 13
Engine Room
Ethernet
EIM EIM
Fig. 11: System overview Blue Vision Basic New Generation (based on two shafts and two control stands)
Blue Vision New Generation | MTU | 4
Instruments DIS PAN PAN CL PAN PAN PAN DIS Instruments
Slave Control Stand
2nd Control Stand
LOP 14 LOP 14
Ethernet Ring
Engine Room
Ethernet
EIM EIM
Fig. 12: System overview Blue Vision Advanced New Generation (based on two shafts and two control stands)
LOP 13 only provides basic functions (ready for MCS and RCS modules of the LOPs in the engine Prefabricated plug-and-play cabling is used to
operation, start, stop, combined alarm/horn off, room. In Blue Vision Basic New Generation, MCS connect the engine and gearbox as well as the
test overspeed, emergency stop, turn engine); the and RCS control stand components installed MTU RCS and MCS components on the LOP. A
LOP 14, on the other hand, offers a classifiable throughout the ship are connected to the associ- non-MTU RCS and selected shipyard signals can
local operating unit (in addition to the LOP 13: con- ated LOP via CAN bus. In Blue Vision Advanced be connected by the customer in a shipyard duct
trol of engine and gearbox as well as a display with New Generation, this task is carried out by the employing standard terminal technology.
operating keys for local monitoring). The LOP 14 is Systembus developed for the propulsion system.
also available in Blue Vision Basic New Generation. The operational availability of Systembus communi- Standard TCP/IP packages are used for carrying
cation is ensured by a ring topology in combination service and process data via the Systembus. CAN
Communication between the individual LOPs with the Media Redundancy Protocol. A managed bus data can also be transported via the System-
of the power train (in multi-shaft installations) Ethernet switch functions as the media redundancy bus (CAN over Ethernet, CoE).
and the connected automation components is manager. This divides up the ring so that it can be
explained below. closed immediately in case of a loss of communi- Systembus Coupling Unit (SCU)
cation. The cross-shaft ring structure connects all Only CAN-based units are employed on the control
Systembus and cabling Systembus stations by means of 3-port switches stands in Blue Vision New Generation. The SCU
The Systembus is an Ethernet-based field bus for inside the unit, applying Ethernet cables, thus (see Figure 15) was developed for connecting
carrying process and service data between the minimizing the cabling complexity. the CAN bus stations to the Systembus (only Blue
Fig. 13: Local Operating Panel 13 Fig. 14: Local Operating Panel 14 Fig. 15: Systembus Coupling Unit
Vision Advanced New Generation). It has a redun- Operating Panel (PAN) Portable Operation Unit (POU)
dant electrical power supply and two independent The operating panel PAN 9 (see Figure 18) was For Blue Vision Basic New Generation, an optional
microcontroller systems including two times two developed for operating the propulsion plant. It Portable Operation Unit (POU, see Figure 22)
CAN interfaces and emergency stop signals. Thus, makes it possible to input and display up to six is available as a mobile auxiliary control stand.
all MCS and RCS components for one shaft are con- functions. The PAN 9 uses the SAE J1939 CAN Alternatively, the POU can be connected at up to
nected to one control stand via only one SCU on transmission protocol, and is used in the following four different locations via the Remote Interface
the Systembus in a classifiable way. configurations: Module (RIM), thereby facilitating maneuvering.
· Start/stop PAN (control stands) The following actuators can also be connected via
Displays (DIS) · Control active, start, stop, combined alarm/ the RIM, and activated by the POU:
The following displays are available: horn off, override, emergency stop · Windlass
· Basic DIS (see Fig. 16) · LOP-PAN (operating unit of the LOP 13) · Bow thruster
· Version: Blue Vision Basic New Generation · Version: Blue Vision Basic New Generation · Stern thruster
· CAN transmission protocol: SAE J1939 · Ready for operation, start, stop, com
· MTU Multi Function Display (MFD, see Fig. 17) bined alarm/horn off, test overspeed, The RIM interacts with the LOP 13 using the CAN
· Version: Blue Vision Basic New Generation and emergency stop, turn engine transmission protocol CANopen.
Advanced New Generation · RCS-PAN + control stand PAN (classified
· CAN transmission protocol: PCS-5 control stands) 3. Development according to the specifica-
· Type-approved · Version: Blue Vision Advanced New Generation tions of the classification societies
· 1x RCS-control-stand-PAN: Display “com- The shipyard must present extensive verification
Instruments manding control stand” and “control stand records for registering a ship with a classifica-
Instruments (see Figures 19 and 20) are available transfer” tion society. This also includes verification of the
for the following functions: · 1x RCS-info-PAN per shaft: Display of automation system for the propulsion plant. If
· Blue Vision Basic New Generation “clutch position” and “synchronization for these verification documents are already avail-
· Engine speed (combination instrument with control stand acceptance”. able, this simplifies the classification process
LCD, up to eight additional measuring points) significantly. At MTU Friedrichshafen, therefore,
· Gear oil pressure Optionally, an external horn can be con- all components for use in classified systems are
· Gear oil temperature nected to the PAN 9. provided with a type approval for the relevant
· Engine cooling water temperature classification societies, for example:
· Engine lubricating oil pressure Propulsion Control Lever (CL) · ABS (American Bureau of Shipping)
· CAN transmission protocol: SAE J1939 The following propulsion control levers (CL, see · BV (Bureau Veritas)
· Blue Vision Advanced New Generation Figure 21) are available for the propulsion plant · DNV (Det Norske Veritas)
· Engine speed remote control: · GL (Germanischer Lloyd)
· Rotational speed · Blue Vision Basic New Generation and Ad- · LRS (Lloyd’s Register)
· Gear oil pressure vanced New Generation · RINA (Registro Italiano Navale)
· Gear oil temperature · RCS UNO/6k (for 1 shaft)
· Engine cooling water temperature · RCS DUO/6k (for 2 shafts) Development according to V-Model
· Engine lubricating oil pressure · RCS TRIO/6k (for 3 shafts) One important aspect in the development of
· CAN transmission protocol: SAE J1939 · CAN transmission protocol: CANopen Blue Vision New Generation was to ensure early
· Type-approved · Type-approved involvement of the classification societies in the
Development
Engineering
Requirements Analysis System
Device
Software Integration
Device &
Device Test
Device Design
(HW/ SW Architecture)
Development
Hardware
Detailed Design
Software Module Test
Software
Module
Software Implementation
delivery of preconfigured spare parts or restoring · Quicker and easier commissioning via struc- 8. Conclusion
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