OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF AUTO PILOT!!!

1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION

• THE AUTO PILOT IS THE SYSTEM WHICH CONTROLS THE RUDDER TO KEEP OR CHANGE THE SHIP’S COURSE.
• THIS SYSTEM MAINLY CONSISTS OF A STEERING STAND INSTALLED IN THE WHEEL HOUSE AND EQUIPMENT IN THE STEERING GEAR ROOM.
• DETAIL INFORMANTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS;

MAKER : TOKIMEC

MODEL : PR-8000-L

SERIAL NO : 81516

 

2. OPERATION OF AUTO PILOT

• OPERATION OF AUTOPILOT PR-8000-L (running, adjustment, stop) is simply made in the steering stand. The system selection switch can select no.1 no.2 system, and any mode out of Auto steering-Hand steering-Non-follow up steering-Remote steering can be selected by the mode selection unit.
• The panel switch can select one of ADPT steering-PID steering-Rate steering (option) –Nav steering (option) in the auto steering position.
• TG-5000 gyro compass is contained in PR-8057-L stand. The operation of the gyro compass (start, adjustment, stop) can also simply be made in the auto pilot steering stand.

 The operation of the auto pilot and the gyro compass are explained in the followings

Main selections for operation

Gyro Switch Panel (Gyro Compass Built-in Type)

1) START

(1) When the heading azimuth is known.

   When the heading azimuth is known by the magnet compass or the quary azimuth,

• ① Set the mode switch(MODE) located at the lower left of the steering stand at SLEW position, and wait until lighting of the red lamp(approx. 4minutes).
• ② After the lamp lights, rotate (synchronize) the compass card to the known true azimuth by throwing down the slew(SLEW) switch to the right or the left.
• ③ Set the mode (MODE) switch at RUN position (the green lamp lights). The compass should be settled within two hours,

•  CAUTIION- when mode(MODE) switch is turned from (SLEW) position to (RUN) position, stop at [OFF] position at once, and turn to[RUN] position.

(2) When the heading azimuth is unknown.

Set the mode ( MODE) switch of the switch panel at RUN(the green lamp lights). The compass should be settled within four hours in this case. 

 

2) STOP 

•   Set the mode(MODE) switch of the switch panel at [OFF].

3) SPEED ERROR CORRECTION

• This gyro compass has a speed corrective function, and each repeater receives the corrected signal.
• The speed correction is automatically made by setting the speed (SPEED) setting knob and the latitude (LATITUDE) setting knob on the corrector panel located at the lower left of the steering stand to present values respectively.
• The speed error is proportional to the cosine (COS) of the heading azimuth and its polarity depend on whether the ship goes northward or southward. TG-5000 gyro compass varies the polarity automatically, then the speed correction varies the polarity automatically, then the speed correction can be completed only by setting the speed and latitude.

4) CARD Illumination

• Illumination of the compass card can be adjusted by turning the dimmer (DIMMER) knob on the switch panel located at the lower left of the steering stand. turning the knob clockwise makes the lamp brighter and counterclockwise darker.

5) POWER SUPPLY ALARM

• When the ship’s AC power supply is interrupted, the alarm generates.
• 1. The buzzer mounted at the lower section of the steering stand sounds and the     red indication lamp on the corrector panel of the gyro compass lights.
• NOTE - The ship supply is automatically switched to the DC power supply, to continue the master compass operation even in this case, However, the repeater cannot be used
• 2. The buzzer stops by pushing the alarm stop switch. And the red lamp continues lighting.
• NOTE- When the AC power is recovered before the operation of above , the red lamp continues lighting. Push the alarm stop switch to stop the buzzer sounding and the lamp lighting.
• 3. When the power supply is recovered, the buzzer sounds again and the red lamp continues lighting.
• 4. Push the alarm stop switch again to stop the buzzer sounding and the lamp lighting.

6) HAND steering

• 1. HAND steering is already ready by the start operation, then the steering is able to be made by the steering wheel while observing the rudder indicator.
• 2. When the steering mode is changed from other steering mode to HAND steering mode, turn the mode selection switch to HAND position after setting the pointer of the order rudder angle indicator at the center.

Rudder Order Indicator

7) AUTO Steering

  The auto steering becomes possible after the gyro compass settles to the north. Confirm the repeater azimuth and the master compass azimuth are the same. When the synchronization is divergent, synchronize them by turning the repeater switch to OFF before starting the auto steering.

• 1) Confirm the steering mode is in HAND.
• 2) PUSH and turn the course setting knob to set the pointer to the rudder’s line. (This means to coincide with the ship’ s azimuth,)
• 3) Confirm position of each adjusting knob.
• 4) Turn the mode selection switch to AUTO. (AUTO lamp in the mode unit lights. Then, the ship goes along the setting course ( course keeping).
• 5) Automatic course changing.  (When the ship’s course is required to change while navigating in the auto steering mode, turn while pushing the course setting knob to set the pointer at the desired course on the card, and release the course setting knob. The ship starts turning to enter into the new course. An example is shown below.

Operation of Auto Course Changing

• 6) Switching to ADPT steering from PID steering or vice versa. (This operation is only when combination of PID+ADPT steering.)

★CAUTION★

Switching is available only in AUTO mode

• Switch always when the ship is going straight in the auto steering mode.
• Push the panel switch on the mode unit panel center and the panel switch on the desired side of PID or ADPT at the same time.
• When the switching is completed, LED on the panel switch lights and the auto steering at the switched side becomes possible.

MODE Selection Unit

8) NON –follow Up steering

• i) Turn the mode selection switch(MODE SWITCH) to NFU position. NFU lamp on the mode unit lights.
• ii) The rudder moves in the same direction during the lever is thrown down to P(PORT) or S(STB’D). Returning the lever the midship, throw the lever down to the reverse
• iii) Make the non-follow up steering while observing the rudder angle indicator.

9) MONITOR Unit Operation

The auto pilot Operation conditions and the collective alarm can be monitored by this unit. The operating conditions are displayed by the green characters and the alarm conditions are displayed by the red characters. The operation method of the common display is explained here.

 

(1) Operation of the common display. Every push of [SEL] switch on the right side of the monitor unit changes the display item to display the item’s present value. The displayed item returns to the top after one round.

 

(2) ALARM operation.

• Buzzer stop
• Pushing [BS] switch stops buzzer sounding. The collective alarm light is changed to continued lighting from flickering.
• Confirmation of the generation alarm point.
• After the alarm is indicated by pushing [SEL] switch, confirm the present generating alarm point code number by (LFET) switch or
• (RIGHT) switch, Every push of switch indicates the alarm generated before the present indicating alarm, and     switch indicates the alarm generated after the present indicating alarm.
• If the alarm point has been recovered before the confirmation, when the next alarm point is indicated by     switch or switch, the number of the present generating alarm points is revised and if no other alarm is generating, the collective alarm lamp goes off.

(3) Other operation

• Lamp test : ALL lamps light when [LT] switch is pushed and the buzzer sounds. At this time, the dimmer is released to light the lamps with the highest intensity.
• Dimmer : Pushing [DM+] switch makes the lamp brighter and pushing [DM-] switch darker. Adjust the illumination to meet the ambient brightness. 

Monitor Unit

 Alarm level S: SYSTEM FAIL   Very high emergency alarm

                  A: AUTO FAIL     High emergency alarm

                  C: Caution         Alarm for Caution

Eg. Table of Alarm Cause Displays and Their Contents

10) STOP

• 1.Turn the steering wheel to set the pointer of the order rudder angel indicator at the center (MIDSHIP).
• 2.Turn the mode selection switch (MODE SWITCH) to (HAND) position
• 3.HAND indicating lamp of the mode selection switch lights.
• 4.Turn the system selection switch (SYSTEM SWITCH) to (OFF) position.
• 5.POWER indicating lamps of NO.1 and NO.2 of the Monitor unit is lighting.

11) ADJUSTMENT IN AUTO MODE

There are the following items for adjustment in the auto steering.

Items for adjustment           Steering mode	PID	ADPT
Meeting rudder (RATE) adjustment	-	None
Rudder ratio (RUDDER) adjustment	-	None
WEATHER adjustment ………  HAND/AUTO	-	None
PILOT WATCH setting	-	-
Rudder LIMIT setting	-	-
SPEED SELECT setting………  HAND/AUTO	None	-
STEERING MODE SEL setting	None	-

 ¦ These adjustments have been performed by service engineer in the sea trial at the dockyard, however, the suitable value may vary according to the ship’s cargo condition and the sea state, them read just in accordance with the following adjusting procedure.

 

3. TROUBLESHOOTING

1) EMERGENCY OPERATION

(1) When any trouble occurs in AUTO steering, immediately follow the directions as below.

• When SYSTEM FAIL lights or starts flickering, change the system to standby side. ([NO.1] to [NO.2] or vice versa)
• IN case SYSTEM FAIL does not light but AUTO FAIL or CAUTION lights or starts flickering, change the system to standby side ([NO.1] to [NO.2] or vice versa) or change to HAND steering and steer with steering wheel.
• IF steering is not available with 1 or 2 direction above, change the mode selector switch to NFU and steer with NFU lever.
• Further if NFU steering cannot be obtained follow the direction of steering gear EMERGENCY OPERATION PROCEDURE.

(2) When any trouble occurs in HAND steering, immediately follow the direction as below.

• Change the system to standby side. ([NO.1] to [NO.2] or vice versa)
• IF HAND steering is not available with above direction, change the MODE selector switch to NFU and steer with NFU lever,
• Further if NFU steering cannot be obtained follow the direction of steering gear EMERGENCY OPERATION PROCEDURE F

Main Section of The Operation Switch

2) PROCEDURE

(1) When any trouble occurred and considered that it is not so serious to steering operation or detecting its cause and managing failure have priority to recovering the function, follow the direction as below.

• A. When any trouble occurred, see the table LIST of Failure Phenomena and scan to find the Phenomena similar to being observed. Follow the direction of TROUBLESHOOTING NO selected.
• B. Confirmation of the alarm provided.

(2) This autopilot has the operation indicators, individual alarms and group alarms on MON UNIT and alarm factors in group alarm can be identified with the alarm number on common display. Troubleshooting can be done smoothly by observing these indicator and displays to find failed part and remedy

 

(3)  When alarm sounds, firstly confirm which alarm is provided with the individual alarm and group alarm. Then press the BUZZER STOP panel switch. If group alarm keeps lighting on, press the SELECT switch and display the alarm number on common display the press LEFT switch or RIGHT switch to display all alarms happened

• C. When a failure is complicated, contact the nearest service station and request the service engineer to inspect and repair the failure. When a failure is detected, record the troubleshooting No. and the result and inform the service engineer of them.
• D. General direction When troubleshooting

(4) This autopilot has the steering modes of AUTO/RATE(option)/NAV (option), HAND and NFU. Before doing troubleshooting, the operation and function of each mod should be understood to make it smooth. Troubleshooting for the failure part which is provided in NO.1 and NO.2 system (dual) is easier if comparing each other,

 

(5) Pay attention that the SYSTEM SWITCH and service switches in POWER SUPPLY UNIT should be off when checking or removing the printed circuit board damaged

Eg. List of Failure Phenomena

Eg. Troubleshooting table

 

4. MAINTENANCE OF AUTO PILOT

1) GENERAL

• This autopilot is equipped with various kinds of steering modes (AUTO, HAND, NFU) and two lines of steering system (No.1 System and NO.2 system) to provide safe and sure steering against all possible accidents. Be familiar yourself with the operation by selecting all the respective steering systems once a day, and at the same time make sure that each system is normal at all times and sure in the standby condition.
• Always monitor that the auto pilot is normally functioning by confirming the indicating lamps and the alarm devices.
• General maintenance by the operator is replacing lamps and fuses. Replace them according to procedures described in REPLACEMENT LAMP And FUSE.
• The entire auto pilot system should be inspected by shore service engineer once a year.

2) DAILY INSPECTION

NO	Inspection Items	Procedure
1.	Confirmation of operation in each steering mode.	Make [AUTO], [HAND],[NFU] steering mode in NO.1 and NO.2 system and confirm the normal operation.
2.	Confirmation of display and buzzer	Confirm that all display lamps (except for those not installed) light and the buzzer sounds by pushing LAMP TEST switch.
3.	Confirmation of each alarm lamp(red)	Confirm that each alarm lamp does not light when normal operation condition.
4.	Confirmation of each operation display lamp (green)	Confirm that each lamp is as follows. i) POWER (NO.1 and NO.2) lamps light even when the system selection switch is in [OFF] position. ii) The system lamp selected by the system selection switch of [NO.1 system] or [NO.2 system] lights. iii) One of [AUTO], [HAND],[NFU],[RC] mode lamps lights when selected by the mode selection switch.([RC] may not be available because of option.) iv) [PORT] or [STB’D] at the side of the rudder direction ordered in the each mode in (3). lights, The lamp goes off when not ordered.

3) REPLACEMENT LAMP AND FUSE

 BE sure to cut the power supply off when replacing lamps or fuses. ( The system selection switch and the power supply unit service switch.) When finished replacement, always turn the service switch to “ON”.

4) REPEATER UNIT

(1) Lamp replacement

• For repeater illumination lamp, push the lamp and turn counterclockwise to pull it out.
• Insert a new lamp and turn it clockwise. (This lamp is of banoyet base type).

5) POWER SUPPLY UNIT

(1) FUSE replacement

• Pull the fuse out from the fuse holder and press a new fuse in. (This fuse is of tube type.)