
SUPERYACHT #505 May 2004
Article selected from our quarterly magazine dedicated to the largest
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Article by Angelo Colombo
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NAVIOP INTEGRATED SYSTEMS SAFETY AND COMFORT
The Naviop company came into being as a department of the multinational
Exor. It was set up in 1999 for the development of navigation technologies.
Exor is a world leader in the field of automation systems production and
wanted to exploit its precious know-how by getting into the production of
naval systems. Since its establishment Naviop has been growing
unexpectedly. Its systems are authorised by the Italian Shipping Register
in accordance with AUT-UMS standards and are installed on numerous ferries
for the transport of passengers and vehicles. In 2002 the company
experienced a very important period: with considerable investments in
technology and human resources it took on its present day form in which it
is involved in the development and spreading of integrated systems that are
much appreciated in both shipping and pleasure yachting contexts.
Naviop works side by side with a company which for more than 25 years has been
manufacturing control switchboards and electrical systems for vessels, a
partnership that has resulted in a dynamic staff capable of responding to
every kind of requirement. What this Romagna company offers includes
hardware and software solutions for management and control of all on-board
systems, from propulsion and safety to relaxation.
Reading the foregoing
you might think we are talking about domotics applied to yachting, but
Naviop systems are much more and domotics is only a part of the services it offers.
Imagine a central system that receives data from all the on-board
sensors and systems, from those in the engine room for checking working
status and engine efficiency to video cameras, intrusion sensors, fuel and
water tank level sensors, radar, GPS, wind station, depth-finder,
electrical switchboard, bilge pump alarms, air conditioning etc.. Well, all
these data arrive at a central unit where, by means of touchscreen
technology monitors, they are not only visible but can be controlled: this
means that if we want to switch on the air conditioning for example we can
do it from a monitor, just as we can modify the lighting conditions in each
environment or carry out navigation by integrating the system with the plotter.
Of course there is only one central unit, but monitors may be
installed anywhere on board: in the skipper's cabin, the owner's cabin, in
the saloon, on the flying bridge and on the main bridge. Each video
terminal not only supplies all information transmitted by the on-board
sensors but also permits management of each individual system. What seems
most important however is that from each terminal you can be advised, by
sound signals and graphics, of any system malfunctions or of excess liquid
in the bilges or smoke in the engine room or any other unsupervised area.
These features mean safety and accident prevention, also because the
software adapted to each individual application permits evaluation of
whether the malfunctioning of an apparatus may have been triggered by a
series of data picked up by the sensors. The flexibility of Naviop systems
results from the flexibility of company staff who daily study new solutions
for the integration and management of all the sensitive parts of a ship or
boat, be it powered by sail or engine. The software can be integrated with
numerous functions: for example, in the management and monitoring of
propulsion or generator engines you can programme the maintenance tables
which will then be displayed beforehand on the LCD monitors distributed on board.
Another important safety element in Naviop systems is the recording
in a special file of all anomalous events, like the black box aboard an
aircraft. This permits a posteriori analysis of what caused a breakdown,
with view to finding solutions that will prevent recurrence of the same
anomalous behaviour of electrical or mechanical apparatus. Of course for
safety reasons certain functions, though available on each monitor, may
only be handled through insertion of a password, thus sidestepping the risk
of an inquisitive guest causing damage by investigating the multiple
functions of the monitor he finds in his cabin.
As for management and
monitoring of sewage, dirty water and drinking water levels, the user has a
precise, real-time, clear and reliable reading of these values, obtained
from precision sensors installed and calibrated in each tank and linked to
an independent system module. In this case too, naturally, the required
minimum and maximum levels may be programmed for each tank.
Notwithstanding
its multiple functions, use of the system is simple and intuitive. In fact
even without reading the manual you could go by intuition on the basis of
the clear and precise information displayed on the monitor for management
and control of each on-board system. All this has been made possible by the
development of easily identifiable graphics, integrated with online help
that is easy to consult.
Substantially, each individual system or
instrument is shown graphically on the Naviop monitor, leaving no room for
doubts about interpretation. This is, indubitably, a complete and complex
system, but thanks to integration and miniaturisation it is simple to
install and adapt aboard any kind of vessel, be it under construction or
undergoing maintenance. Another interesting detail is that the Naviop
system monitors can receive all types of video signals, either from a
video-camera or decoder.
For further information contact: Naviop, Via E.
Benini 4, z.a. Vecchiazzano; 47100 Forlì (FC); Italy; tel. +39 0543
482161; fax +39 0543 483661; e-mail info@naviop.com; website: www.naviop.com.
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