The Basics of Troubleshooting

Engine Room Machinery

For marine engineers working on ships, troubleshooting problems related to
engine room machinery is the most important task they have to deal with on a
daily basis.

We often get questions like – what is the best way to troubleshoot a machinery
problem? And to be honest there is no one answer to such question. Technically,
there are several aspects that play important roles toward solving a engine room
machinery problem.

Though marine engineering training inculcates the very basics of maritime

concepts, it is only through hands-on experience that marine engineers
understand the vital techniques of engine room operation and maintenance.
However, even both of these two factors together are not enough.

The process of troubleshooting ship’s machinery involves three important factors

which are as follows:

– Requirement
– Approach

– Learning

Requirement

Though the art of troubleshooting cannot be learnt just from marine engineering
books, bookish knowledge is equally important. As important as it is to learn
solving machinery related issues of ships through experience and practical
approach, it is equally essential for a seafarer to have a technical background
along with following basic requirements:

– A marine engineering course to understand the basic marine machinery skills-

A Diploma or Degree

– Practical training with real machinery- Ground or hands-on training in

workshops, projects, onboard ships etc.

– Simulation training to enhance the problem solving capabilities

– Experience – As stated earlier, practical experience is the best teacher and one
should never forget its importance
Approach

Though it is mandatory for a person to have all the “requirements” stated above
in order to work on ships, those are also not enough. Fulfilling the requirements
is just the first step towards successful troubleshooting. The right approach to
learn and understand the machinery is one of the three important factors
seafarers must consider for troubleshooting. A healthy approach involves:

– Knowing your machinery inside-out

– Learning starting and stopping procedures of engine room machinery

thoroughly

– Reading the maker’s manual for a friendly interface and easy understanding,
especially the troubleshooting points

– Understanding what makes machinery perform and what are the power
sources that are used to operate? Take a look at important factors such as
electricity, oil, water, air, temperature etc.

– Checking and knowing the basic parameters and comparing with previous
records

– Checking for the most basic faults- malfunctioning of gauges and parameter
display panels even when the components are working fine

– Identifying which parameter is abnormal

– Identifying which component or part of the machinery is in fault

– If identification of troubled component is not possible, start a reverse technique

of ruling out the performing component and approaching the faulty one

– Once the component or reason is located, think logically as to where the fault
lies – in the region in front or in some other area

– Identify wether other parts connected to the faulty component can be at trouble

– Rectify the problem once identified immediately

– Test the machinery for satisfactory performance

– If problem persists, check the same again and also track other connected parts

Know more about the right troubleshooting approach here.

Learning
Seafarers often forget that troubleshooting is a continuous learning process.
There is no stage such as “know-it-all”. There is something new to learn
everyday even if one has years of sailing experience. So if sometimes someone
is not able to solve a problem at hand, don’t be disappointed. Learn from the
issue.

Learning from the last problem tackled always adds on to the experience which
can be used for future troubleshooting situations. Once the problem is solved, it
is better to discuss the same with your team to find other simpler way of tackling
the same issue.

Recording the problem faced, the way it is approached and the method used for
solving will not only be helpful in future but also serve as a useful resource for
other engineers to solve similar situations quickly and easily.

While working in ship’s engine room, it’s of utmost importance to troubleshoot

any problem in a fast and streamlined manner to ensure that the ship’s voyage
schedule does not suffer. The above three factors together form the basics of
troubleshooting engine room machinery problems.