Hull Roughness Gauge

Monitoring the hull roughness of a marine vessel plays a significant role in terms of operating costs. Hull roughness typically increases due to corrosion, pitting, plate undulation, mechanical damage, dry spray, and most commonly, biological fouling. Proper maintenance and correct application of high-quality antifouling coatings reduce hydrodynamic effects, thereby lowering fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions.

Hull roughness is measured during port inspections. The Hull Roughness Gauge measures the AHR (Average Hull Roughness) value of seagoing vessels. AHR is the average of all hull roughness readings across the entire ship.

The TQC Sheen Hull Roughness Gauge consists of a control unit and a sensor unit. The control unit is single-handedly operable; a 4-way button navigates the menu displayed on a large illuminated screen. A neck strap provides hands-free operation when needed.

The sensor unit is equipped with three anti-slip wheels and a carbide-tipped stylus and is moved horizontally across the ship’s hull to collect a series of readings. A set of LEDs indicates the device’s status, enabling operation without the control unit if necessary.

Statistics for each series of measurements, including time, date, location information, and reading values, are automatically calculated and stored in the control unit. Using the included USB cable and software, the measurements can be transferred to a computer and reported in Microsoft Excel®.

The TQC-Sheen Cylindrical Mandrel Bend Tester is used to evaluate the elasticity, adhesion, and elongation of a paint applied on a metal panel according to the TS EN ISO 1519 standard. In this test, the metal panel (maximum size: 150×100 mm) is bent around a cylindrical mandrel. As the diameter of the mandrel decreases, the stress on the coating increases. After bending, the test panel is inspected for cracks and damage.

A convenient desktop storage rack for 14 mandrels is available and can optionally be wall-mounted.

The Cylindrical Bend Test is a mandatory test for Qualicoat, QIB, and GSB accredited laboratories.

The TQC-Sheen Cylindrical Mandrel Bend Tester is also designed to comply with the latest revisions of ASTM D522, to test for cracking or detachment of a coating, paint, varnish, or similar product when bent over a cylindrical mandrel under standard conditions.

This version of the cylindrical mandrel tester includes 7 mandrels in Imperial (inch) units:
1/8″, 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″, 5/8″, 3/4″, 1″