Técnicas y Servicios de Ingeniería is a Spanish private limited company established in 1983 with the objective of competing and positioning in the specialised market of noise and vibration engineering solutions.

The company is authorised by the Danish Maritime Authorities to carry out noise and vibration measurements and studies on vessels.

Noise and vibration management for SILENT ship designs

The company’s service includes essential works and activities for meeting noise and vibration specification requirements on ships, as well as specific underwater radiated noise requirements, such as the URN Class Notation NR 614 of BUREAU VERITAS, and the DNV-SILENT class Notation.

TSI’s services are built on 35 years of experience and the recommendations of classification societies.

The silent ship design includes the following activities performed during projects:

Preliminary ship design analysis

Contractual specification is essential for SILENT ship designs. The specification is developed by a dynamics and acoustics expert, and includes a detailed description of N and V requirements, target limits, and the methodology require to achieve compliance.

The main activities for this stage include dynamic design analysis for ship structure and main machinery, as well as acoustic design analysis for the arrangement of work areas, main machinery, and accommodation.

Sensibilisation of suppliers at the purchase stage

This stage involves specific acoustic and dynamic requirements for main noise and vibration sources, main and auxiliary machinery, propellers, thrusters, pups, compressors, HVAC systems, accommodation panels’ acoustic characteristics and mounting, and damping and acoustics properties of insulation materials.

Ship noise and vibration prediction calculations

TSI calculates predictions of ships’ vibration level, noise level, noise radiated to the harbour, underwater radiated noise (URN) and mobility.

Factory acceptance tests for shipbuilding

TSI has been involved in factory acceptance tests (FAT) for main suppliers testing specifications for silent ships.

This stage includes measurements of inertance, airborne sound insulation, impact sound insulation, and URN static.

Sea trial tests for ships

TSI provide sea trials, which include measurements of vibration, torsional vibration, axial and lateral vibration, noise, and airborne and impact sound insulation.

They also measure noise radiated to the harbour, URN, cavitation detection and visualisation, propeller pressure pulse, speed and power, bollard pull, manoeuvring and thermography.

Special tests and measurements

We carry out special tests and measurements for the shipping industry, such as dynamic tests with eccentric mass shakers, pressure pulses induced by the propeller (full scale), cavitation detection, equipment sound power measurements, ‘in situ’ measurements of the sound reduction index between vessels’ cabins, impact sound isolation tests, and shaft line reaction measurements.

Breakdown consultancy

This activity covers diagnosis and suggestions to be implemented, failure reports and inspections, specific techniques, vibration measurements, dynamic tests, extensometer and FEM calculations.

TSI also provide technical support and troubleshooting to owners, suppliers administration and insurance companies.

About TSI

TSI is ISO certified (ISO 9001:2008) and has the recognition and accreditation of international entities, DNV, UKAS, RvA, for the following issue: "Specialised services for engineering and consultancy in vibrations and noises and related training. To carry out dynamic tests: Measurements, analysis and control. Sales of vibration monitoring systems and technical services. Building Technical Assistance."

The company has participated in the European Union Framework programmes FP7 and H2020, addressing the topics of ‘Holistic noise and vibration abatement’ (SILENV), ‘The competitive ship’ (BESST), ‘Assessment and mitigation of noise impacts of the maritime transport on the marine environment’ (AQUO) and ‘Inspection capabilities for enhanced ship safety’ (INCASS).

TSI is certified for vibration and noise measurements all over the world, to obtain the Bureau Veritas class notation, in accordance with its rule: "Classification of Steel Ships, Part E, Chapter 6 Comfort on Board". Within the AQUO project, TSI has been involved in the development of the most recent URN measurement procedure, which is implemented in the new voluntary URN Class Notation NR 614 of BUREAU VERITAS.