​Overview

The development of a new Common User Facility (CUF) at Henderson, Western Australia, included a Self Propelled Modular Transport (SPMT) system.  The system comprising of 34 load cells, is distributed across 17 cradles that support the hull of submarines being docked for maintenance and inspection.  Even distribution of the load is essential to protect the integrity of the hull and a system to provide visual representation of the load distribution was critical to its success.

Solution  

A first of its kind in the world, SAGE developed a system to network 34 individual load cells along the 70 metre bed of the floating dock.  The uninterrupted, submergible wireless network provides reliable real-time data to the operator, displaying clear and concise information to enable instantaneous decision making.

Result  

On 9 June 2010 the Collins Class submarine, HMAS Farncomb, was successfully docked using the load monitoring system, significantly reducing risk to the multimillion dollar Navy asset.  The system continues to safeguard the docking of Navy submarines at the common user facility in Western Australia.