Fugro's InclinoCam® Revolutionizes Wind Turbine Monopile Installations
Fugro, a leading geotechnical and geoscience firm, has unveiled the InclinoCam®, a revolutionary tool enhancing safety and precision in wind turbine monopile installations. This innovative system, showcased at EWEA Offshore 2013, allows hammer operators to monitor and correct deviations in real-time, improving verticality and efficiency.
The InclinoCam®, first tested and published in 2009, uses two high-resolution cameras and Inertial Motion Units (IMUs) to measure inclination in two directions, compensating for vessel movement. This data is synchronised and displayed in Fugro's Starfix.NG navigation suite, providing continuous, real-time verticality monitoring without delays or the need for personnel on deck.
Traditional manual measurements using hand-held inclinometers often proved inaccurate and caused delays in piling operations. The InclinoCam® addresses these issues, using intelligent visual object recognition combined with vessel motion compensation. Operators, impressed by its reliability and time-saving abilities, often switch to using it as their primary system. The system has proven effective in measuring the verticality of wind turbine monopiles, typically 70 meters long, 6.5 meters in diameter, and weighing 850 tonnes.
The InclinoCam® by Fugro is transforming wind turbine monopile installations, offering improved verticality and safety. Its real-time monitoring capabilities and intelligent compensation for vessel movement have been proven in practice since 2009, making it a reliable and efficient tool for hammer operators.
