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 Our Qualifications
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Message From the President
 Thank you for
considering Thrustmaster of Texas, Inc. for your marine propulsion
project. Since the founding of the company, we have consistently
provided quality products and service to the commercial marine
industry at a reasonable cost.
What sets us apart in the marine propulsion
industry is our dedication to quality and the commitment to treating
our customers as our business partners. Not only do we know the
marine market, we actively listen to our customer’s requirements
and apply that knowledge to product development and improvement.
With more than 1,000
thruster units in operation around the world, many of them of
an exclusive design to suit a particular unique application,
we have proven our dedication to design engineering excellence
as well as comprehensive service after installation. We hold
patents for many of those special design configurations.
At Thrustmaster, we
constantly strive for the continuous improvement in the quality
and value of our products. While many of the traditional thruster
designs available on the market are more than 30 years old, we
have taken every advantage of new technology for product improvement.
Our thruster designs incorporate the latest state-of-the-art
U.S naval technology.
The assurance of quality
is reflected in our dedication to the ISO-9001:2000 standards
and classification society type approvals of our thrusters.
We pledge to operate our company in
an environmentally responsible manner. We therefore maintain
a broad reaching health, safety and environmental management
plan in support of our operations wherever we work.
The dedicated employees
of Thrustmaster of Texas share a common passion for building
quality products that are known throughout the industry. We welcome
the opportunity to serve you for all of your marine propulsion
requirements.
Happy Sailing!
Joe
R. Bekker, President
Executive Summary
Thrustmaster of Texas, Inc. is a for-profit,
closely-held IRS Subchapter S corporation domiciled in the State
of Texas. Founded in 1984, by its president, Joe R. Bekker, the
company has grown to a world leading manufacturer of heavy duty
commercial marine propulsion systems. Products comprise all types
of main and auxiliary marine prolusion equipment including deckmounted
propulsion equipment, thru-hull azimuthing thrusters, retractable
thrusters, tunnel thrusters, and portable dynamic positioning
systems.
Thrustmaster has a
complete and experienced engineering staff which designs all
of the thruster and control systems. Most of the key personnel
have doctorate or advanced level engineering degrees. State of
the art computer aided drafting and manufacturing as well as
solid modeling and finite element analysis systems are used in
the design of the products.
Reliability of the Thrustmaster marine
equipment is proven by the more than 1,000 propulsion units and
thrusters in service around the world. Thrustmaster propulsion
equipment has been type-certificated and approved by every major
classification society as well as the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard,
and numerous foreign navies. Thrustmaster is ISO-9001:2000 certified
by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).
Current annual revenues
are in excess of USD 100-million with a current production backlog
of well over USD 150-million.
Current production
facilities include a 90,000 square foot manufacturing facility
and 20,000 square feet of design and administrative space located
in northwest Houston, Texas. Thrustmaster is currently in the
process of constructing a new facility on a 60 acre tract near
its present location. The new facility includes a 200,000 square
foot thruster factory, a separate 40,000 square foot engineering
design and administrative center, and a large outdoor in-water
test facility for testing of large thrusters including the testing
of thruster underwater mount and dismount integrity. Thrustmaster
is a medium sized business by U.S. employment standards and employs
an average workforce of more than 150.
Thrustmaster’s
Service Department comprises a complete staff of highly experienced
field service engineers operating from the Houston facility,
as well as several forward-based service engineers in strategic
locations around the world such as Dubai, China, Singapore, and
The Netherlands. The Service Department can be reached by telephone
at any time day or night regardless of local time. Service engineers
can be dispatched within 24 hours to any destination in the world.
All service engineers are qualified to supervise installation,
perform start-up and commissioning procedures, and attend dock
and sea trials. A dedicated Training Manager is available for
customer training at the Houston facility or anywhere in the
world.
Thrustmaster maintains
a large inventory of spare parts at its Houston manufacturing
facility as well as in strategic locations such as England, Dubai,
China, Singapore, and The Netherlands. Spare parts can be shipped
within 24 hours to any location in the world.
1. General History
Established in 1984 by its current president,
Joe R. Bekker, Thrustmaster of Texas, Inc. has grown from a small
manufacturer of outboard, deck-mounted propulsion units to a
worldwide leading manufacturer of marine propulsion systems.
From the first order for 13 deck-mounted propulsion units for
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a follow-up order for the
U.S. Navy, Thrustmaster has continually grown and expanded its
propulsion systems designs as well as its engineering and manufacturing
capabilities. In ten years, the company had more than quadrupled
its size and was rapidly growing into a new second facility.
 In 1995, Thrustmaster moved to its current
facility and expanded its workforce to accommodate the growing
demand for Thrustmaster’s thrusters designed for both main
propulsion and propulsion assist. In the following years, the
engineering department was upgraded with hiring a new chief engineer
who specialized in rotating equipment manufacture, the installation
of customized mixed-mode manufacturing software specifically
detailed for Thrustmaster’s products, and the addition
of state of the art CAD/CAM and FEA engineering software.
Thrusters for dynamic positioning
became one of Thrustmaster’s prime examples of excellence
in both engineering design and manufacturing.
In 2001, a new General Manager significantly improved
both the manufacturing efficiency and quality of field service.
In 2002, Thrustmaster received certification as an ISO-9001 qualified
marine equipment manufacturer from the American Bureau of Shipping
(ABS) Quality Systems division. In 2003, Thrustmaster upgraded
its ISO quality system to the ISO-9001:2000 standard. ABS issued
a Certificate of Manufacturing Assessment Certificate and type
approval certificates for Thrustmaster’s standard tunnel
thrusters.
In 2006, Thrustmaster
began the process of constructing a new expanded facility to
support the increase in sales which now exceed USD $100-million
annually. Thrustmaster now manufacturers thruster systems up
to 8,000 horsepower (6,000 kW). Orders for main propulsion and
dynamic positioning thrusters for the commercial marine and offshore
energy sectors as well as military fleet improvement programs
continue to make Thrustmaster a world leader in marine propulsion.
Thrustmaster Chronology
1984
|
Thrustmaster of Texas, Inc.
is founded in Houston, Texas, by Joe
R. Bekker who is still the President and CEO of the company.
The first order, a self-contained diesel-driven propulsion unit
for mounting on the deck of a barge, is produced for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. |
1985
|
The U.S.
Navy orders four propulsion units for a crane barge.
Hydraulic tunnel thrusters are produced for several military
and commercial customers. |
1987
|
The U.S.
Army orders thirteen self-contained diesel-hydraulic propulsion
units for floating causeway application. |
1988
|
The first Portable
Dynamic Positioning System (PDPS) is installed on a treasure
hunting vessel, the Arctic Discoverer, which successfully
locates the S.S. Central America and recovers an estimated USD
150-million in gold. Ellicott dredges are outfitted with
fixed hydraulic
podded thrusters. A radio-controlled propulsion unit
is installed on a bow boat used by Breathwit Marine Contractors
for better navigation of barge trains through rivers and canals. |
1989
|
Clean-up contractors order
fourteen diesel driven propulsion units for the Alaska oil spill
in Valdez, AK. A car ferry crossing the Mekong River in
Laos is provided with diesel-hydraulic Thrustmaster propulsion
units. Breaux Brothers orders aluminum tunnel
thrusters for crewboats. |
1990
|
The U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers continues to buy propulsion units
of different sizes and configurations. Hydraulic tunnel
thruster business grows rapidly for use in OSV’s, dinner
cruise vessels, river casino boats and tugs. Thrustmaster
moves to larger manufacturing facilities. |
1991
|
The first Thrustmaster azimuthing Z-drives
for tug boats are installed
at Bernert Tug and Barge Lines. The Navy
of Pakistan joins the growing list of military users of Thrustmaster
propulsion units. More units are shipped to customers in
Guyana, Korea, Indonesia and Singapore. Thrustmaster rapidly
is becoming a major thruster manufacturer in the world commercial
marine market. |
1992
|
Alcatel buys a PDPS
for a cable lay barge in Thailand. Matson Navigation orders
an azimuthing
retractable stern thruster with radio control for one of
their towed ocean-going barges. Baker Marine in Singapore
orders azimuth drives
for self-propulsion of a jack-up rig. The U.S.
Air Force buys Thrustmaster propulsion units for offshore
bases. The U.S. Navy
orders propulsion units for torpedo testing barges. Thrustmaster
is elected “Exporter of the Year” by the U.S. Small
Business Administration. |
1993
|
Many casino boat projects
with through-hull azimuth
Z-drives and large hydraulic
tunnel thrusters. The Marine Spill Response Corporation
(MSRC) orders seventeen self-contained diesel-hydraulic
propulsion units with integrated pilot house, mast, oil skimmer
drives and many other features. Global Industries installs
retractable azimuth thrusters in one of their large pipe lay
barges. Sales now exceed ten million dollars. Thrustmaster
doubles its manufacturing space. |
1994
|
The Navy
of Pakistan orders more self-propelled
deck mounted units for barges. The U.S. Navy Underwater
Warfare Center (NUWC) orders diesel-hydraulic
propulsion units for sonar research program. Thrustmaster
continues to supply many tunnel
thrusters for casino boat projects. Western Geophysical
orders diesel-hydraulic propulsion units for operations in Kazakhstan. |
1995
|
Thrustmaster Z-drives
and podded non-steerable
drives are used on long-range trawler yachts built by Cape
Horn Trawler Corporation and others. Edison Chouest Offshore
buys Thrustmaster steerable drop-down thrusters for station-keeping
of their large aluminum fast supply vessels. Many diesel-hydraulic
propulsion units are built for brown water barge applications
for river transport in Alaska, South America, Africa and the
Far East. |
1996
|
Pirelli orders PDPS
thruster system for cable-lay barges used in shore approaches
and shallow water trench-lay-bury operations. International
business is growing fast with thrusters for OSV’s in Malaysia,
fishing vessels in Peru, transport barges in Ecuador, fast ferries
in Australia, an offshore construction barge in England, a SWATH
vessel in Hong Kong, a cruise vessel on the Thames River, car
ferries in Chile and Egypt, a tanker in South Africa and split-hopper
barges in Indonesia. |
1997
|
U.S. Navy uses the PDPS
for diving support. Tug projects in Mexico and Venezuela, many
OSV and PSV thrusters for dynamic positioning, retractable
azimuth thrusters for tanker application. Thrustmaster’s
Chief Engineer, Dr. Shaw Dou, Ph.D, brings ANSYS Finite Element
Analysis into the company. Thrustmaster moves to a larger
factory. |
1998
|
Seacor Marine orders retractable
bow thrusters for their large aluminum crew/supply vessels.
Delba Maritima in Brazil orders PDPS
thrusters for dynamic positioning conversion of an OSV.
Western Geophysical buys large propulsion unit packages for survey
barges at Alaska’s North Slope. Refinery Terminal
Fire Company in the Port of Corpus Christi orders azimuthing
thrusters to dynamically position a large fire-fighting barge.
Many thruster orders from all over the world. Thrustmaster
now the largest thruster manufacturer in the U.S. and one of
the largest in the world. |
1999
|
Seacor Marine places new orders
for retractable thrusters for its new-build fleet improvement
program. A second PDPS
delivered to Pirelli for cable-lay barge conversion to dynamic
positioning. Hydraulic
tunnel thrusters are ordered by numerous shipyards for tuna
fleet expansion in Mexico. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
continues to order deck-mounted propulsion units. The first
jet thruster delivered to Baltimore Marine Industries. |
2000
|
At the turn of the Millennium,
Thrustmaster is well established as a world leading manufacturer
of marine propulsion equipment for the 21st Century. Several
large vessels are converted to dynamic positioning class using
Thrustmaster electric or hydraulic thrusters. More harbor
tug operators order azimuthing
Z-drives for new tugs and retractable azimuth thrusters for
upgrades of older tugs. Several PDPS
ordered for barge conversions operating in the Pacific Rim. |
2001
|
Owen Traylor joins Thrustmaster
as General Manager who introduces significant improvements in
customer service. Many PDPS
systems are ordered by customers all over the world. |
2002
|
Thrustmaster receives ISO-9001
certification. Builders of OSV’s crewboats, tugs, ferries
and military vessels place orders in record numbers. Six
2,000 HP azimuthing
Z-drives delivered for escort tugs on contract to the U.S.
Navy for surface ship and submarine docking services. Seacor
Marine continues their fleet improvement program with Thrustmaster’s
thrusters. Thrustmaster expands its manufacturing facilities
again. |
2003
|
Thrustmaster’s quality
system is upgraded to ISO-9001:2000 by the American Bureau of
Shipping (ABS) Quality Evaluations. Thrustmaster continues
to grow into a world leading marine propulsion manufacturer.
Thrustmaster wins contract to provide thrusters for the U.S.
Army Logistical Support Vessel (LSV) program. |
2004
|
Continuous but controlled
growth leads to record numbers of thruster orders. Many
azimuthing
Z-drives ordered for ASD tug fleet improvement programs.
Egyptian government places an order for 270 self-contained propulsion
units. More PDPS
ordered by operators in the Pacific Rim. Thrustmaster wins
contract to supply thrusters for the U.S. Navy’s Littoral
Combat Ship (LCS) program. |
2005
|
 Thrustmaster
receives ABS Manufacturing Assessment Certificate and "Type
Approval Certificates" on standard models of hydraulic
tunnel thrusters. PDPS hydraulic thrusters now produced
up to 2,000 horsepower each (1,500 kW). |
2006
|
Many hydraulic thrusters and
self-contained power units of 1,000, 1,500, and 2,000 horsepower
ordered for various conversions to dynamic positioning.
U.S. Military Sealift Command leases PDPS
for deck barge. Large azimuthing thruster orders for drilling
platforms. Thrustmaster now producing thrusters up to 8,000 horsepower
(6,000 kW). |
2007
|
Thrustmaster receives record
number of orders for large electrically-driven thrusters for
drilling applications. Design of the new 200,000 square
foot thruster factory begins. Thrustmaster receives “Subcontractor
of the Year Award” from the U.S. Small Business Administration
for its work on the U.S. Navy LCS program. Annual sales
now exceed USD 100-million. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
programs are added to Thrustmaster’s suite of design tools. |
2008
|
Thrustmaster continues forward
with new factory breaking ground in May 2008. Two retractable
DP azimuth thrusters are installed in the Seacor Cheetah high
speed catamaran crew boat. Signs new contracts leading
to mechanical geared drives of 5000 to 6000 hp while continuing
to produce record numbers of Portable
Dynamic Positioning Systems. Field offices are opened
in Europe, the Middle East, and Singapore. |
2. Business Model
Mission Statement
Thrustmaster of Texas, Inc. aims to
be a leading manufacturer of marine thrusters all over the world.
We believe we can achieve this by:
- Optimizing product configuration for each individual customer
application;
- Producing high quality products on time and at a fair price
and profit level;
- Providing comprehensive after-sales service;
- Continuous product improvement based on customer feedback;
and
- New product development to address changing market needs.
General Business Model
The closely controlled structure of Thrustmaster of Texas,
Inc. ensures the superior quality of its products and services,
each of which is tailored to meet the individual customer’s
specific requirements. Its corporate framework also guarantees
prompt, continuing maintenance and support services of each product
to ensure the repeated satisfaction of its customers.
Thrustmaster’s established
reputation as a leader in the technically complex marine propulsion
industry, combined with its comprehensive quality management
program, enables Thrustmaster to achieve project objectives efficiently,
consistently and without unnecessary engineering changes, delays
or cost overruns. The following are just a few of the ways Thrustmaster
ensures that its customer’s project will meet their expectations:
- Know the Industry
Thrustmaster
is actively involved in all aspects of the marine industry including
the offshore service and supply, oil and gas exploration and
production (OGE&P), cargo, ferry and passenger vessel sectors
as well as the military deepwater and littoral operations. Moreover,
it is involved with many marine, engineering and manufacturing
professional societies to keep current on the latest technology
and industry requirements.
- Know the Regulations
Thrustmaster’s
experienced staff has expert knowledge of the complete spectrum
of marine regulatory issues with respect to marine propulsion,
including IMO, USCG, SOLAS, IMCA, ADC, etc.
- Know the Classification Societies
Thrustmaster works very closely with all major marine
classification societies to ensure that its propulsion products
meet the most exacting standards in accordance with best marine
engineering practices. ABS, DNV, BV, LRS, GL, and CCS have all
approved Thrustmaster propulsion products for commercial vessel
and offshore applications.
- Have a Passion for Quality
Thrustmaster
understands that its products are the backbone of many ships,
crews and businesses worldwide. Thrustmaster’s extreme
attention to product quality is crucial to the success of its
customers and deeply ingrained into its corporate culture. Thrustmaster
employees share a common passion for building quality products
that are known throughout the industry.
- Senior Management Involvement
Senior
managers review all designs, production schedules, and quality
plans to ensure the best possible project management. Thrustmaster
measures its success on how consistently it meets project deadlines,
control costs, and maintain customer satisfaction.
- Customers are Business Partners
Thrustmaster
looks at its customers not merely clients but as and as an integral
part of the team. Instead of merely taking the customer’s
specification and designing a product, Thrustmaster involves
the customer at every step of the project, explaining the various
engineering options available and compliance issues, thus allowing
the customer to make sound technical and business decisions.
By viewing the customer as a partner in each project, Thrustmaster
ensures that the customer’s expectations are well met.
CONTINUITY OF OPERATION PLAN (COOP)
Thrustmaster maintains an industry standard Continuity of
Operation Plan (COOP) as part of its overall risk management
strategy. Business units and manufacturing capacity are segregated
or duplicated where necessary to ensure that a plant casualty
will not result in a catastrophic interruption of business operations.
Memoranda of understanding
with suppliers as well as machining and manufacturing subcontractors
allow for the shifting of logistical requirements to off-site
facilities in the event of an interruption.
More than sufficient builder, property, and liability
insurance coverage is in place to ensure that risk is adequately
financed.
3. Organization & Capabilities
A. Organization
Thrustmaster of Texas, Inc. is organized in accordance with
the chart which may be found in Appendix A. Generally, the organization
consists of the President which operates as the Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) of the company. Because the organization is a closely-held
private Subchapter S company, there is no board of directors
and all executive decisions manifest in the President/CEO.
A General Manager functions as
the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and oversees the day to day
manufacturing and engineering operations as well as the administrative
departments.
Engineering
is overseen by the Chief Engineer who supervises all engineering
personnel and reports to the General Manager. The Chief Engineer
manages the design of thrusters and components as well as the
assessment and specification of processes required to manufacture
the thruster and formulate the quality plan for each project.
The Chief Engineer is assisted by a number of Engineering Managers
and Lead Design Engineers.
B. TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES
Project Management
Thrustmaster of Texas, Inc. has assembled a well-qualified
and experienced project management team of marine propulsion
professionals which is a highly-skilled and diverse group. From
the first enquiry to the finish of dock and sea trials, each
project has a hand-picked team assigned to ensure complete customer
satisfaction with design, installation, performance, and service
from its products.
The engineering
project management team ensures that a project is designed, assembled,
tested, and delivered in exact accordance with the customer’s
technical requirements and specifications. Moreover, the management
team ensures optimized allocation of company resources to ensure
on-time delivery without cost overruns or unnecessary delays.
The custom mixed-mode manufacturing software allows Thrustmaster
to continuously monitor the exact milestone of each project and
alerts the project team to any anticipated difficulties allowing
for intervention and correction before any manufacturing problem
can mature.
  Thrustmaster
uses the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT). The
PERT method is incorporated with the Critical Path method and
the project is tracked on a GANTT chart backed up by custom designed
project management software.
Since its inception, Thrustmaster has been continuously involved
in large commercial and military marine equipment deliveries
which require precise and dedicated project management skills.
Examples of large scale projects include the U.S. Army’s
Logistical Support Vessel (LSV) program, the U.S. Navy’s
Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program, numerous Dynamic Positioning
(DP) installations and conversions, and OSV/PSV fleet improvement
programs.
In 2007, Thrustmaster
of Texas, Inc. received the prestigious Subcontractor of the
Year award on behalf of the Small Business Administration for
its project management of the U.S. Navy LCS thruster program
at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (GDBIW) shipyard.
Thrustmaster’s dedicated engineers, project managers,
engineering support staff, and field service engineers have proven
themselves over and over again as highly capable, skilled, and
professional marine propulsion team. No matter how large or small
the project, Thrustmaster’s project anagement experience
is ready to serve the customer to ensure quality design and timely
delivery.
Thruster Design, Manufacture, Assembly & Testing
General
Thrustmaster
has extensive experience in the turnkey development of complete
propulsion systems for specialty applications. This includes
the definition of operational requirements, translation into
design parameters, selection of a suitable concept and configuration,
equipment design, manufacturing, purchasing of commercially available
system components, packaging, testing, and assistance in installation,
commissioning, dock trials, sea trials and ongoing logistical
support for the system.
One
of Thrustmaster’s greatest strengths lies in systems analysis.
The company has the experience, ability and technology necessary
to apply its propulsion systems creatively to a multitude of
challenging applications. Thrustmaster engineers routinely design
new thrusters to achieve a perfect match between thruster features,
vessel geometry and operational parameters.
Engineering Design
Thrustmaster’s
state-of-the art thruster designs are developed using the latest
Computer-Aided Design (AutoCAD) software, ANSYS Finite Element
Analysis (FEA), modal analysis, 3D solid modeling and strain
gage testing under load. Hydrodynamic studies are performed using
HydroComp NavCad, and CD-adapco CFD software.
Fabrication & Machining
Fabrication facilities use computer controlled
plasma and flame cutting machines as well as modern flux-core
welding equipment for both aluminum and steel construction. Machining
tools include large horizontal boring mills, vertical turret
lathes, manual and CNC engine lathes, as well as both vertical
and horizontal CNC machining centers. Welders are certified to
meet all shipbuilding classification society and regulatory authority
standards including ABS, DNV, BV, LRS, CCS, and GL. Non-Destructive
Testing (NDT) is a routine quality control procedure and includes
liquid penetrant, magnetic particle, eddy current, and ultrasonic
inspections as well as radiographic examination.
Assembly
Every
Thrustmaster product is assembled by experienced production personnel
and subjected to rigorous testing prior to shipment. A highly
educated and well trained workforce has been developed at Thrustmaster.
The company devotes a great deal of time and resources to upgrading
personnel through ongoing educational programs. Dedication to
the goal of constant improvement has greatly increased the professionalism
and efficiency of the people who run the company’s manufacturing
operations.
Factory Acceptance Testing
The robust design of Thrustmaster’s marine
propulsion equipment incorporates fabricated housings that are
subjected to ultrasonic, liquid penetrant and hydrostatic testing.
Full load and torque are applied to verify gear contact patterns
of assembled units. Each thruster is subjected to extensive running
and functional testing prior to shipment in accordance with the
project quality plan an the company’s quality management
system.
Subcontracting
With
its location in Houston, Texas, the heart of the offshore industry,
the nation’s fourth largest city and with the largest tonnage
port in the USA, an excellent support infrastructure exists within
the city. Houston has an abundance of job shops available for
subcontracting of fabrication, machining and special processes.
Thrustmaster has established
many long-term relationships with its local subcontractors who
are thoroughly familiar with Thrustmaster’s products and
manufacturing practices. Because of these long-standing relationships,
the volume of work and quality control, Thrustmaster will not
have to submit subcontracted fabrication, machining or finishing
work to unproven or unknown
vendors.
Quality Assurance & Control (QA/QC)
Thrustmaster is certified to
ISO-9001:2000 standards by ABS Quality Evaluations. All products
are subjected to rigorous inspection in accordance with a quality
and engineering review plan developed specifically for each project.
All quality records are maintained and assembled in a Manufacturing
Data Record Book for each project.
A
dedicated Quality Assurance and Control (QA/QC) manager ensures
that the procedures promulgated by the Quality Assurance Manual
(QAM) are strictly followed during the manufacture of each thruster
in accordance with the project quality and engineering review
plan. The Quality Manager supervises a well-trained staff of
quality line inspectors.
Health, Safety & Environmental (HSE)
Thrustmaster maintains a strict
Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) policy at its facility
and on-site facilities of the customer. The purpose of the HSE
policy is to integrate a safe, healthy, and environmentally responsible
culture into all company operations.
Thrustmaster strives to send every employee home
healthy at the end of each day. To accomplish this goal, Thrustmaster
has instituted a safety management system built on comprehensive
and structured programs designed to reduce accidents and eliminate
injuries at the Houston facility and at the customer’s
facilities or while embarked on board ship.
Environmental management includes programs that
provide oversight of hazardous waste management, chemical conservation
and pollution prevention, emergency preparedness and planning.
A dedicated HSE manager is employed to administrate
the HSE Management System and provide employee training. The
HSE manager is assisted by a number of safety inspectors as well
as an organized HSE committee.
Information Technology (IT) System
Thrustmaster’s Information
Technology (IT) system is state of the art and incorporates both
local and wide area networks and VPN capabilities within the
company. For its mixed-mode manufacturing method of operation,
Thrustmaster uses a state of the art custom software application
that manages each project from inception though fabrication,
assembly, and factory acceptance testing and
is
capable of detailed fiscal, operational, and maintenance reporting.
A comprehensive Critical
Application Disaster Recovery Process is part of the company’s
Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP). All critical data is stored
on mirrored hot-swappable drives on Thrustmaster servers. The
server’s automatically backup critical data daily to removable
backup tapes and the daily backup tapes are stored off-site to
ensure continuous availability of all project critical data and
records.
Human Resources (HR)
Thrustmaster maintains a diverse and productive
workforce. A particularly effective means for reducing labor-relations
problems before they arise is to hire committed workers with
positive attitudes. By developing a reputation as great places
to work, Thrustmaster attracts many potentially productive workers
who take pride in their work, in their company and in what they
produce.
In addition to excellent
competitive health and retirement benefits, Thrustmaster has
in place a variety of programs that have resulted in employees
knowing that they work for a great company and this has resulting
in very stable labor relations within the company. There has
never been a strike, work stoppage, work slowdown, or act of
intentional sabotage at the company.
Field Service Engineers and Spares
Thrustmaster’s Service Department
comprises a complete staff of highly experienced field service
engineers operating from its Houston facility, as well as several
forward-based service engineers in Dubai and China. The Service
Department can be reached by telephone at any time day or night
regardless of local time. Service engineers can be dispatched
within 24 hours to any destination in the world. All service
engineers are qualified to supervise installation, perform start-up
and commissioning procedures, and attend dock and sea trials.
Each engineer is specially trained in diagnosis, troubleshooting
and repair and can train shipyard personnel and vessel crews.
A dedicated
Training Manager is available for
customer training at its facility or anywhere in the world.
Thrustmaster maintains a large
inventory of spare parts at its Houston manufacturing facility
as well as in strategic areas such as England, Dubai and China.
Spare parts can be shipped within 24 hours to any location in
the world.
C. Key Personnel
1. Joe R. Bekker, B.Sc.M.E President
Joe R. Bekker is the founder and President of Thrustmaster of
Texas, Inc. Joe is a graduate of the University of Amsterdam
in the Netherlands, holding a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical
Engineering. He is a member of the Society of Naval Architects
and Marine Engineers (SNAME) and the American Society of Naval
Engineers (ASNE).
2. Owen Traylor, General Manager
Owen Traylor has over thirty-five years of experience in heavy
equipment fabrication, manufacturing and plant management. Owen
acts as Thrustmaster's Chief Operating Officer with all department
heads reporting to him and ensures that adequate resource allocation
is available to complete each project.
3. Shaw X. Dou, Ph.D., Chief Engineer
Dr. Shaw X. Dou, is a specialist in geared power transmissions
and holds both a B.S. and M.S. from Jiao Tong University in Shanghai,
China, and a Ph.D. fromTennessee Technological University, all
in Mechanical Engineering. Shaw has been designing cyclo-palloid
and rotational gear transmissions and sub-systems for marine
thrusters at Thrustmaster for more than 10 years. She is a member
of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
4. Jason D. Small, B.Sc.Mar.E, Engineering Manager
Jason Small is a graduate of Texas A&M University and holds
a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering. Prior to
coming to Thrustmaster, Jason conducted research in dynamic positioning
control logic and served aboard ship for Kirby Inland Marine
as a member of the deck department holding a U.S. Coast Guard
master's license for near coastal motor vessels. Jason is responsible
for the overall management of work flow through the engineering
department as well as design of hydraulic and electrical power
transmission systems.
5. Hee Soek Ahn, Ph.D., Senior Mechanical Design Engineer
Dr. Ahn is a specialist in computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
and has a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M
University, as well as a master's and bachelor's degree in mechanical
engineering from Korea University in Seoul, Korea. Prior to coming
onboard Thrustmaster as a senior design engineer, Dr. Ahn, completed
a post-doctorate in nuclear engineering where he conducted research
on multi-phasic flow and heat transfer. Dr. Ahn previously worked
as a senior research engineer for the Hyundai Motor Company's
engine research division. At Thrustmaster, Dr. Ahn conducts research
and development on thruster performance and other fluid dynamics
projects related to marine propulsion. He is a member of the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Institute
of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
6. Sang Jin Lee, Ph.D., Mechanical Design Engineer
Dr. Lee has a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the Texas
A&M University, a Master of Science in mechanical engineering
from Pennsylvania State University, and both a master's and bachelor's
degree in mechanical engineering from Ajou University in South
Korea. Dr. Lee's expertise is in nonlinear Finite Element Modeling
(FEM) for the design of mechanical components and structures
as well as vibration measurement and analysis of rotating machinery.
Dr. Lee has extensive experience in the design of mechanical
and hydraulic power transmission systems.
7. Babu Sridharala, Ph.D., Mechanical Design Engineer
Dr. Sridharala has a doctorate in mechanical engineering from
the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he conducted research
on product optimization and Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Babu's
undergraduate education was in mechanical engineering at the
Bapatla Engineering College in Southern India before earning
a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Tennessee
Technical University. Since joining Thrustmaster, Dr. Sridharala
has enhanced the expertise of the engineering department particularly
in the areas of solid and 3-D modeling, shock analysis, and FEA
where he has been widely published. Babu Sridharala is a member
of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Society
for the Advancement of Materials and Process Engineering (SAMPE),
and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).
8. Venkat Mudupu, Ph.D., Controls Design Engineer
Venkat Mudupu is a specialist in design of control systems for
dynamic applications including programmable logic controllers
for both marine and aerospace applications. Dr. Mudupu has a
doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Nevada,
Las Vegas, where he conducted research on feedback control, adaptive
and fuzzy logic, and non-linear control systems. Dr. Mudupu is
responsible for design and implementation of both analog and
digital thruster control systems.
9. Yonghee Lee, M.Sc.M.E., Mechanical Design Engineer
Yonghee Lee hails from Seoul, Korea, where he earned a Bachelor
of Science in machine design from Sungkyunkwan University's College
of Science and Engineering before working as an engineer for
Hyundai's automotive division. Mr. Lee then decided to pursue
a Master of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University,
graduating with honors. At Thrustmaster, Mr. Lee is responsible
for the design of mechanical power transmission systems including
3-D modeling of thruster components and systems.
10. Louis James (Jim) Levy, Senior Engineering Design Graphics
Technician
Jim Levy has overseen the engineering design graphics department
at Thrustmaster for over 12 years. Jim is a graduate of the Maryland
Drafting Institute in Springfield, Virginia, and has earned various
certifications in mechanical and architectural drafting as well
as completing advanced training in AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Geometric
Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T), and the design of hydraulic
fluid power systems.
11. Pamela R. Robinson, Senior Mechanical Designer
Pam Robinson comes to Thrustmaster from the aerospace and petrochemical
industries where she has over 20 years of solid modeling, component,
and piping design experience. Pam has a B.A. from Sul Ross State
University and is a certificated instructor in CADD. Pam's previous
experience in the design of aerospace components, piping and
instrument diagrams (P&ID), and material assurance includes
work for a NASA contractor and various petrochemical engineering
firms.
12. Rabiul Alam, M.Sc.M.E. Mechanical Designer
Raiul Alum has a Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from
Texas A&M University, a Master's Degree in Mathematics from
Prairie View A&M University and a Bachelor of Science in
Mechanical Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering
and Technology. Rabiul Alam has extensive experience in 3D and
2D design of complex machinery components and assembly as well
as complex hydraulic system design.
13. Michael D. Amrozowicz, M.Sc.M.E, M.Sc.N.E., M.B.A,
Project Manager
As a former nuclear submarine engineering officer in the U.S.
Navy, Mike Amrozowicz has an extensive educational and professional
background in nuclear and marine propulsion engineering as well
as extensive project and risk management in major surface combat
ship procurement and construction. Mike has earned a Bachelor
of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Florida,
a Master of Mechanical Engineering, Master of Ocean Systems Management
and Naval Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
as well as a Master of Business Administration from the Collage
of William and Mary. Prior to joining the project management
team at Thrustmaster, Mike was a Program Support Manager and
an Engineering Manager for Northrop-Grumman Shipbuilding in Newport
News, Virginia. At Thrustmaster, Mike is responsible for the
management of azimuthing thruster projects for main propulsion
applications. Mike Amrozowicz is a member of the Project Management
Institute (PMI) and the Society of Naval Architects and Marine
Engineers (SNAME).
14. Karl Strauss, Project Manager/Hydraulic Systems Engineer
Karl has over 35 years experience in the mechanical and hydraulic
power transmission industries, the last 20 of which have been
in the marine and offshore sectors. Prior to joining Thrustmaster,
he has held senior positions with Bosch-Rexroth, Hagglunds, and
the Caterpillar Engine Company. Karl presently is a project manager
in our engineered systems group and also acts as the resource
person for special hydraulic systems design. Karl is a member
of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME)
and the Canadian Institute of Marine Engineers.
15. Sam R. Moore, M.Sc.M.E, Project Manager
Sam Moore is Thrustmaster's technical project manager for azimuthing
thrusters used in drill ship and semi-submersible platform applications.
Sam earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering
and Master of Science in Mechanical and Agriculture Engineering
from Texas Tech University and has more than 40 years of experience
in the design, manufacture, and project administration of rotating
and hydraulic-powered equipment including offshore deepwater
drilling and production applications. His previous experience
has included design engineer, development engineer, chief engineer,
vice president of engineering, vice president of manufacturing,
project manager, and senior consulting engineer for various concerns
involved in the design and manufacture of heavy construction
equipment, non-destructive oilfield tubulars test equipment,
and offshore deepwater systems.
16. Rob Watson, Project Manager
Rob Watson brings experience as a former U.S. Coast Guard Boarding
Officer in Alaska and Marine Safety Team Leader at the Port of
Houston. As a Professional Research Assistant at the University
of Colorado, Rob designed and constructed prototype equipment
and experiments for the High Energy Particle Physics department
for the Superconducting Super-Collider. Rob also brings over
20 years hands-on experience in manufacturing engineering, machining,
fabrication, and 3D CAD and conceptual designs for shipyards,
work vessels, patrol boats and yachts. Rob currently develops
mechanical animations related to equipment and thruster installations
and is the project manager for the new
Thrustmaster facility.
17. James R. (Jim) Pickett, Operations Manager
Jim Pickett is the Operations Manager for Thrustmaster and is
responsible for the supervision of the machining, fabrication,
and assembly of our marine propulsion products. Jim Pickett has
nearly 30 years of mechanical, shop operations, supervisory,
and management experience in the maintenance, repair, and production
of rotating and gas turbine equipment used in the chemical,
petrochemical, and power generation industries.
18. Mike Wilson, Manufacturing Engineering Manager
Mike Wilson comes to Thrustmaster with more than 30 years experience
in manual and CNC machine operations, CNC programming, CAD/CAM
administration, lean manufacturing, and manufacturing engineering.
Mike's combination of hand's on machining and manufacturing experience
plus administrative, instructional, and supervisory experience
makes him an excellent
asset for managing the complex manufacturing processes used by
Thrustmaster for production of its state of the art marine propulsion
products. Mike Wilson is responsible for the overall supervision
of the manufacturing engineering department. Mike is a member
of the Society for Manufacturing Engineers.
19. Ira J. Woods, Quality Manager
With over 20 years experience in rotating equipment and over
13 years experience as a Certified Lead Auditor, Ira brings to
Thrustmaster a wealth of experience. Ira has numerous certifications
in Non-Destructive Testing including Level II ultrasonic as well
as magnetic particle and liquid penetrant procedures. In his
position as Quality Manager, Ira is responsible for maintaining
day-to-day quality procedures throughout the company, supervision
of the quality control inspectors, as well as monitoring strict
adherence to the Thrustmaster ISO- 9001:2000 quality program.
20. David M.A. Hollaway, B.Sc.Avn.E, HSE Safety & Training
Manager
Dave has more than 25 years experience in the marine and aviation
industries including seven years as a Senior Applications Engineer
for Thrustmaster before becoming the HSE Safety and Training
Manager. Dave earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation
Engineering from American Technological University as well completing
numerous safety and mishap prevention courses from the U.S. Army,
U.S. Coast Guard, and is a graduate of the U.S. Department of
Transportation Safety Institute (TSI). Dave earned the Associate
in Claims (AIC) and an Associate in Risk Management (ARM) ratings
from the Insurance Institute of America (IAA) as well as holding
Advanced Ground Instructor (AGI) and Instrument Ground Instructor
(IGI) certificates from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Dave has taught technical systems and safety courses for NASA,
Boeing, Bell Helicopter Textron, Continental Airlines, Lockheed-Martin
Space Systems, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Federal Aviation
Administration. Dave Hollaway is a member of the Society of Naval
Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) and American Society
of Naval Engineers (ASNE).
21. Terri P. Sepulveda, Technical Documentation Specialist
Terri Sepulveda is responsible for the organization and management
of technical documentation in accordance with Thrustmaster's
File Data Management System (FDMS). Terri has extensive experience
in complex document control systems, technical drawing revision
management, project tracking, and contractual compliance.
22. Robert Cook, Materials Manager
With more than 28 years experience as both a materials and plant
manager, Bob Cook is Thrustmaster's Materials Manager. Bob supervises
the purchasing department was well as the warehouse and shipping
and receiving departments.
23. Don Zadik, Service Manager
Don Zadik has over 32 years combined maintenance and service
related experience, including 18 years in the U.S. Navy in electro-hydraulic
systems as well 10 years as a senior electrician and six years
as a Field Service Engineer with Thrustmaster. Don is a graduate
of the Universal Technical Institute program in Automotive Technology
and is in charge of managing Thrustmaster's service department
as well as handling customer requests for service, repairs and
rebuilds.
24. Russell Hendrix, Service Technical Advisor
Russell Hendrix is the Service Technical Advisor for Thrustmaster's
field service department. Russell has over 20 years combined
maintenance and service related experience, including eight years
service with the U.S. Army as a heavy equipment mechanic and
seven years as Field Service Engineer with Thrustmaster. He is
responsible for service technical advice and assistance to Thrustmaster
service technicians and for customer technical assistance on
service-related technical issues.
25. Gregory S. Ault, Financial Controller
Greg Ault studied business and financial management at Texas
A&M University and brings 15 years of experience to the position
of Financial Controller. Greg is responsible for all company
financial data, project budget tracking and reconciliation, and
supervises the accounting and financial staff.
D. Current Facilities
Plant DescriptionsCurrent production facilities
include nearly 90,000 square feet of manufacturing space and
20,000 square feet of office and administrative space located
on a 13 acre land tract in the Northwest Industrial Complex.
Overhead handling includes numerous multi-ton mobile bridge and
jib cranes installed in the fabrication, machining and assembly
bays to maneuver the large size of the thrusters. The facility
includes both a large area for Factory Acceptance Testing as
well as a 15,000 square foot multi-level stacked spare parts
warehouse.
Thruster Assembly Bay A-1 |
Thruster Assembly Bay B-2 |
Stacked Parts Warehouse
|
Fabrication & Machining Bay
B-1
|
Design and Engineering
 Thrustmaster
has a complete and experienced engineering staff which designs
all of its thruster and control systems. More than 1,000 of the
Thrustmaster propulsion thrusters are in operation all over the
world.
Its customers include just about every major commercial marine
operator and shipbuilder including the U.S., British, Pakistani,
Portuguese, Egyptian, and Columbian navies. Commercial customers
include Shell Oil, Exxon-Mobil, Tidewater Marine, Secor Marine,
Baker Marine, Rigdon Marine, Keppel Marine, Global Industries,
Nippon Salvage, Fukada Salvage, Damen Shipyards, Austal Ships,
Cheoy Lee Shipyards, Wuchang Shipbuilding, General Dynamics’
Bath Iron Works, Vosper-Thornycraft, as well as the Venezuelan
(PDVSA) and Brazilian (Petrobras) offshore oil exploration and
production concerns.
 State-of-the-art
design tools including AutoCAD, SolidWorks, AnSys Finite Element
Analysis (FEA), HydroComp, and many other engineering, computational
and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) systems are in use at
Thrustmaster’s headquarters in Houston, including CD-adapco
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Much of the engineering staff
possesses advanced engineering degrees including two doctorates
(Ph.D.) and several Master level (M.Sc.) engineers. Thrustmaster’s
engineers come from the U.S. China, Korea, India and the Netherlands,
facilitating excellent communications with customers worldwide.
Fabrication, Machining, Assembly & Testing
 Fabrication, Machining, Assembly
& Testing All Thrustmaster welders and weld procedures are
certified under the guidelines set forth in the current ASME
or AWS D1.1/D1.1M Structural Welding Code as well as the requirements
of the classification societies rules for building and classing
both steel and aluminum vessels. The company has an extensive
volume of its own certified weld procedures and is capable of
writing and qualifying any procedure that may be required to
properly fabricate any materials the project may require. GTAW,
GMAW, SMAW, and Flux Core (FCAW) procedures are fully qualified.
Machining tools include large horizontal boring mills,
vertical turret lathes, manual and CNC engine lathes, as well
as both vertical and horizontal CNC machining centers.
Thrustmaster’s staff of experienced assembly technicians
carefully assemble all components of the thruster in accordance
with a written procedure as part of the project quality plan.
During the assembly procedure, quality inspection hold points
are inserted to ensure that the assembled product complies with
the required procedure and the quality plan. A staff of line
inspectors routinely spot check all assemblies to ensure quality
compliance.
A complete control shop designs, fabricates, and tests thruster
control systems. Controls include Full-Follow-Up (FFU), Non-Follow-Up
(NFU), and complete interfacing with electrical, pneumatic, or
digital controls including all classes of dynamic positioning
computer systems.
D. Future Facilities
General Description Due to long range planning
for the exponential growth of its marine propulsion equipment,
Thrustmaster is in the process of constructing a new manufacturing
facility on a 60 acre land tract. The new facility will include
a 200,000 square foot thruster factory, a separate two-story,
40,000 square foot engineering design and administrative center,
and a large outdoor in-water test facility for testing of large
thrusters including testing of thruster underwater mount and
dismount integrity.
The future facility includes a large parts warehouse, assembly
and test bay with a 40 foot crane hook height, machine shop with
a 30 foot crane hook height, and a fabrication bay with a 30
foot hook height. Overhead handling facilities include a 100
ton bridge crane in the assembly & test bay extended to the
thruster water test pit in addition to several 50, 30, and 15
ton bridge cranes.
Site Layout
4. Product Line
Tunnel Thrusters
 Tunnel thrusters
and bow thrusters are primarily used for docking, slow speed
maneuvering, emergency steering and station keeping at zero or
slow forward speed. Tunnel hrusters are installed transversely
in the bow or the stern of a vessel.
Electric drive tunnel thrusters with fixed pitch propeller
are available from 250 to 6,000 horsepower (180 – 5,000
kW). They are designed for variable speed electric motor input,
either DC with SCR or variable speed drive control systems or
AC with variable frequency drives. Most of hem are used in dynamic
positioning applications. Thrusters can be supplied complete
with electric motors and drives or they can be made to fit flange
and shaft end of a customer supplied or shipyard supplied electric
motor.
Tunnel thrusters for direct engine drive are available in
the range of 250 to 6,000 horsepower (180 – 5,000 kW).
The engine must be provided with a marine gear with a reduction
ratio to match the input speed of the thruster. A cardan shaft
connects between the output shaft of the marine gear and the
input shaft of the thruster.
 Thrustmaster
offers a great line of hydraulic tunnel thrusters from 35 to
2,000 horsepower (26 – 1,500 kW). They are used all over
the world and many of them in dynamic positioning applications.
Many models have ABS Type Approval.
Azimuthing Thrusters
Azimuth thrusters are for main propulsion and dynamic positioning
of displacement vessels and offshore facilities. They are available
in a wide range of input power and speeds. They replace conventional
propulsion and rudder steering systems to perform both the propulsion
and steering functions. Azimuth thrusters are used when enhanced
maneuverability is required in applications such as dynamic positioning,
ship escort and ship docking services.
Thrustmaster azimuthing thrusters are available for vertical
(L) or horizontal (Z) prime mover input and use fixed pitch propellers
in open wheel configuration or with nozzles. They may be optimized
for vessel speed or for maximum bollard thrust. Azimuthing thrusters
are available from 250 to 8,000 horsepower (180 – 6,000
kW) with a wide selection of reduction ratios and propeller/nozzle
diameters to suit the application requirements. They are available
with integral wet hydraulic or dry air actuated clutch, in top
pull-out, underwater bottom-mount or weld-in configuration.
Hydraulic L-Drive thrusters are thru-hull azimuth thrusters
using Thrustmaster's hydraulic podded propeller drives. These
thrusters are available in a range from 75 to 2,000 horsepower
(56 – 1,500 kW) with either open propeller or with nozzle.
The hydraulic power system is normally supplied by Thrustmaster
and may be configured for the hydraulic pump driven by a customer
furnished diesel engine, which may be placed at any convenient
location in the vessel. Hydraulic piping or hoses connect between
the hydraulic pump and the thruster. The hydraulic drive provides
fully proportional propeller speed control and is very forgiving
when hitting obstacles in brown water applications.
- Two 1,000 SHP Thrusters Under Load
Test
|
Retractable Thrusters
 Thrustmaster
retractable thrusters are thru-hull azimuthing thrusters using
fixed pitch propellers at variable speed. Most commonly, they
use ducted propellers and are used for dynamic positioning or
slow speed course tracking applications. They are available with
electric drive from 250 to 3,000 horsepower (180 – 2,300
kW) or with hydraulic drive from 75 to 2,000 horsepower (56 –
1,500 kW).
Thrustmaster electric retractable thrusters are fixed pitch
propeller thru-hull azimuth thrusters capable of retracting completely
into the hull. They are configured for vertical variable speed
electric motor input. Sizes range from 250 to 3,000 horsepower
(180 – 2,300 kW) with a wide selection of reduction ratios
and propeller/nozzle diameters to suit the application requirements.
These thrusters are normally supplied complete with electric
motors and variable frequency drives, but they can also be made
to fit flange and shaft end of a customer supplied or shipyard
supplied electric motor. The motor travels up and down with the
thruster, so the drive line is never disconnected.
 Thrustmaster
hydraulic retractable thrusters are thru-hull azimuth thrusters
using Thrustmaster’s exclusive hydraulic podded propeller
drives. They are available in a range from 75 to 2,000 horsepower
(56 – 1,500 kW) with either open propeller or with nozzle.
Thrusters can be supplied in aluminum or in steel construction,
depending on vessel hull material. The hydraulic power system
is normally supplied by Thrustmaster and may be configured for
the hydraulic pump driven by customer furnished diesel engine
or other prime mover, which may be placed at any convenient location
in the vessel. Hydraulic piping or hoses connect between the
hydraulic pump and the thruster. The hydraulic drive provides
fully proportional propeller speed control while the engine is
running at constant speed.
Thrustmaster’s retractable thrusters are also available
as combination thrusters, functioning as tunnel thruster in the
retracted position and freely azimuthing in the lowered position.
Compact units are available for vessels with limited hull depth.
A hull fairing piece is normally attached to the bottom of the
thruster to reduce drag when the thruster is stowed.
Deck-Mounted Propulsion Units
 Propulsion
units are self-contained thruster packages for main propulsion
and positioning of barges, platforms and river craft. They are
available either with direct engine drive, using geared power
transmissions or with hydraulic drive. The hydraulic drive is
especially suited for shallow, brown water applications while
the geared units are primarily used in deeper, blue water.
Direct engine driven propulsion units are available from 150
to 3,000 horsepower (112 – 2,300 kW) either with open propeller
or with nozzle. They are engineered on application and are available
with a wide variety of engine, gear reduction ratio, propeller
diameter and stem length. These propulsion units are usually
installed on deck, often in slots or notches in the transom.
 Hydraulic
Propulsion Units are available from 35 to 2,000 horsepower (26
– 1,500 kW) either with open propeller or with nozzle.
The hydraulic drive provides fully proportional propeller speed
control in forward and reverse while the engine runs at constant
speed. Many options are available, including hydraulic kick-up
of the outdrive, hydraulic propeller depth adjustment, remote
control panels, choice of engines, etc. The WORKMASTER™
style provides for 180 degrees steering and is for general propulsion
applications. The THRUSTMASTER™ style is freely azimuthing
with endless 360 degrees steering and is used for double-ended
river ferries, dynamic positioning and similar applications.
All units can be configured as deck-mounted packaged units,
deck-mounted mini-skid units or transom-mounted units. The mini-skid
and transom-mount styles allow remote mounting of the engine,
either above or below deck at any convenient space, while the
packaged units include the engine on the skid.
Transom-mounted units are ideal for applications where sufficient
freeboard is available. They can be welded to the transom or
sides of vessels, barges or platforms. Frequent immersion from
wave action is no problem. The engine and hydraulic power unit
may be installed on deck or in an engine room at any convenient
location. A single engine may power multiple transom-mounted
thrusters.
Portable Dynamic Positioning (PDPS)
 Thrustmaster of
Texas has developed a portable dynamic positioning system consisting
of modular, deck mounted, azimuthing thrusters with separate
hydraulic power units and a DP control console. The whole system
can be installed dockside, takes a minimum of deck space and
does not require any permanent vessel modifications. Installation
can be completed within days.
The system normally consists of four or more thrusters, four
or more hydraulic power units, one (1) central DP console and
the interconnecting hydraulic hoses between thrusters and power
units, and electrical control cables between power units and
console. Standard thruster sizes are 250, 500, 1,000, 1,500,
and 2,000 horsepower (180 – 1,500 kW). Using multiple units,
systems ranging from 500 horsepower (2 x 250 HP) up to 24,000
horsepower (12 x 2,000 HP) may be configured.
 The portable thrusters
are mounted on deck using a minimum amount of deck space. They
use direct hydraulic drive to the propeller. The variable speed
hydrostatic drive motor is in the lower foot of the thruster
directly in line with the propeller shaft. This direct hydraulic
drive eliminates the need for right angle gear transmissions
and drive shafts used on other thrusters. Hydraulic hoses run
from the deck mounted upper thruster assembly down to the propulsion
motor in the lower foot of the thruster. It allows mounting on
deck without intermediate stem support.
 Each thruster
is powered by its own hydraulic power unit. These power units
are enclosed marine type hydrostatic transmission units using
a radiator cooled Caterpillar diesel engine as prime mover. Some
of these units use a standard 20 foot or 40 foot ISO container
as enclosure. They may be installed at any location based on
deck space availability or optimum weight distribution. The units
are complete with fuel day tank, independent battery powered
electric start and control system with automatic alarms and shutdown
and are provided with critical grade muffler and noise attenuating
equipment. These power packs produce the hydraulic power for
the propeller drive system as well as hydraulics for steering
and auxiliary functions.
6. Quality Management
Quality Policy Statement
Thrustmaster
of Texas, Inc. is committed to producing products and services
at a level of quality and reliability equal to or better than
its major competitors.
OBJECTIVES
Maintain a quality system in full compliance with ANSI/ISO/ASQC
Q9001.
Provide products and services that meet the needs of our customers.
Reduce the occurrence of warranty claims.
Improve on-time delivery of new unit orders.
Management will continually assess progress
towards these objectives and pursue opportunities for improvement.
Customer satisfaction is achieved by providing quality products,
on time, and backed up by exceptional service.
Quality Management System (QMS)
 Thrustmaster has
developed and implemented a Quality Management System (QMS) to
enable the company to operate with increased effectiveness, consistency
and customer satisfaction. The system is certified by the American
Bureau of Shipping (ABS) Quality Evaluations branch to be in
compliance with ISO-9001:2000 and covers the design and manufacture
of all company products and operations at its Houston, Texas,
facility.
Thrustmaster company
management continues to demonstrate its commitment to the quality
management system through daily active participation, communication,
management reviews, enforcement of the quality policy and by
ensuring the availability of required resources. Management ensures
that the quality policy is understood, implemented, and maintained
at all levels of the organization through an employee continuous
training program as well as quantified improvement and operational
objectives.
Thrustmaster
utilizes a team approach with its customers through routine visits,
joint planning and implementation meetings, industry trade show
and professional society participation, and customer audits of
the company’s facilities.
7. Health, Safety & Environmental (HSE)
HSE Policy Statement
The
management philosophy for Thrustmaster of Texas, Inc. incorporates
health, safety and environmental (HSE) excellence as a core corporate
value. Along with its customers, contractors and suppliers, Thrustmaster
shares the vision that it can perform its operations in such
a way that no one gets hurt and nothing gets harmed or adversely
impacted. Therefore, it is the policy of Thrustmaster to:
- Comply with all relevant HSE legislation, regulations and
other requirements;
- Ensure that systems are developed and implemented to identify,
assess,
monitor, periodically review and control
HSE impacts related to all operations and
business
activities;
- Set HSE objectives and targets, and achieve superior performance
(i.e., pollution
prevention, hazard elimination,
no accidents or mishaps) through the utilization of
a
continuous improvement process incorporating Six Sigma methodology;
- Provide necessary training and education to enable employees
to understand
and perform their roles and responsibilities
involved with their job functions; and
- Implement mechanisms to communicate with and obtain input
from employees,
customers, contractors and
other interested parties to the HSE Management
System.
This statement of policy is the foundation
that supports the entire HSE Management
System.
It establishes Thrustmaster’s management philosophy with
regard to the HSE
values, as well as a shared
vision between its customers, contractors and suppliers.
HSE Management System
The
HSE Policy Manual describes the HSE Management System responsibilities
of the Thrustmaster organization, and control features necessary
for achieving its HSE vision. Compliance with this manual is
consistently applied at all Thrustmaster facilities and operations,
installations, dock and sea trials. Each employee identified
with responsibilities in the HSE Management System is responsible
for implementing the requirements specifically assigned, and
visibly demonstrating their commitment to the HSE process through
their actions while performing their work duties.
Thrustmaster has invested heavily in educating
and promoting effective HSE practices among its employees. Courses
in safety management and leadership, first aid, cardio pulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED)
certification, fire prevention, hazardous material and waste
handling, HSE workshops, emergency preparedness drills and educational
literature are just a few examples.
Planning is an integral component within the HSE
Management System, and allows Thrustmaster to assess needs, set
targets and lay the groundwork toward compliance with its HSE
Policy Statement and objectives. Planning is an ongoing activity,
which requires the identification of hazards, risks, controls
and legal requirements, as well as establishing long-term goals.
HSE Hazard Identification,
Risk Management & Control
This
process involves a cross-functional HSE Committee made up of
representatives from various levels of the organization, including
management, operations and other support and staff functions,
utilizing established management system tools to identify the
hazards and risks associated with the various activities performed
at each location. Each activity or operation is carefully examined
using a risk matrix and ranked to establish risk priorities.
This process ensures accurate identification and implementation
of necessary control measures before any work begins.
Identification of Regulatory
Requirements
Relevant regulatory
or legal aspects and other requirements (customer requests, for
example) are considered during the HSE planning process. This
ensures that each project has access to, and evaluates, any laws,
regulations and other requirements that affect HSE issues relating
to Thrustmaster’s activities, products and services.
HSE Objectives and
Goals
Objectives and goals are
initiatives designed to minimize hazards and risks within specific
activities that have been identified through the assessment process.
An objective is a general goal and may carry with it any number
of measurable specific goals. Objectives and goals may be initiated
at business unit level and are managed by the HSE Committee.
Management Review
Effectiveness is evaluated at least
annually at the management review and is intended to provide
a forum for open discussion and improvement of the Thrustmaster
HSE Management System.
8. Project References
The following section provides a short selected synopsis of
Thrustmaster’s recent project experience.
Y020300 P&R Water Taxi
|
Provided six (6) Model TH-2000M azimuthing thrusters
in the Z-drive
configuration for fleet improvement
of Azimuthing Stern Drive (ASD) escort tugs
for
escorting U.S. Navy surface ships and submarines into Naval Base
Pearl
Harbor. Classification of thrusters per
ABS Rules. |
Y040239 Wuchang Shipyard
|
Provided four (4) Model TH-1500MZ azimuthing thrusters in
the Z-drive
configuration for a harbor tug
fleet improvement program. Classification of
thrusters
per CCS Rules.
|
Y040350 U.S. Navy – GDBIW – Austal Ships
|
Providing up to 20 Model TH-850RN retractable azimuthing
thrusters for
installation in the U.S. Navy
Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) fleet improvement
program.
LCS vessels are under construction at the General Dynamics Bath
Iron
Works (GDBIW) facility in Maine and at
the Austal Ships U.S. facility in Mobile,
Alabama.
Project required complex design and shock testing of thrusters
for
combat survival. Received the Subcontractor
of the Year award for project
management. Classification
of thrusters per ABS Rules. |
Y040357 Wuchang Shipyard
|
Provided two (2) additional Model TH-1500MZ azimuthing thrusters
in the Z-drive
configuration for harbor tug
fleet improvement. Classification of thrusters per
CCS
Rules.
|
Y060079 SIMA-PERU
|
Provided two (2) TH-1500MZ azimuthing thrusters in the Z-drive
configuration for
harbor tug fleet improvement.
Classification of Thrusters per ABS Rules. |
Y060084 Shell Offshore, Inc.
|
Provided four (4) Model OD-2000N and four (4) containerized
diesel-hydraulic
power units (HPU) rated for
2,000 HP (1,500 kW) for conversion of a semi-
submersible
drilling platform to dynamic positioning. Classification of thrusters
per DNV Rules with Type Approval Certificate.
|
Y060139 PMS Offshore
|
Provided four (4) Model OD-1500N and four (4) containerized
diesel-hydraulic
power units (HPU) rated at
1,500 HP (1,200 kW) for conversion of an offshore
crane
barge for dynamic positioning. Classification of thrusters per
LRS Rules.
|
Y060215 Petrobras
|
Provided six (6) Model OD-2000N and six
(6) containerized diesel-hydraulic
power units
(HPU) rated at 2,000 HP (1,500 kW) for conversion of an offshore
pipelay barge to dynamic positioning. Classification
of thrusters per ABS Rules.
|
Y060280 PT Masa
|
Provided three (3) Model
OD-1000N and three (3) containerized diesel-hydraulic
power units (HPU) rated at 1,000 HP (745 kW) for
conversion of an offshore
work-over barge to
dynamic positioning. Classification of thrusters per BV Rules.
|
Y060355 Crossmar
|
Provided four (4) Model OD-1000N and four (4) containerized
diesel-hydraulic
power units (HPU) rated at
1,000 HP (745 kW) for conversion of an offshore
construction
support barge to dynamic positioning. Classification of thrusters
per
ABS Rules.
|
Y060432 Helix Energy Solutions
|
Provided two (2) Model OD-2000N and two (2) containerized
diesel-hydraulic
power units (HPU) rated at
2,000 HP (1500 kW) for conversion of a Floating
Production
Vessel (FPV) to dynamic positioning. Classification of thrusters
per
LRS Rules. |
Y060437 Dubai Shipbuilding
|
Provided two (2) Model OD-1000N and two (2) containerized
diesel-hydraulic
power units (HPU) rated at
1,000 HP (745 kW) for conversion of an offshore
crane
barge to dynamic positioning. Classification of thrusters per
LRS Rules. |
Y060455 Frontier Drilling
|
Provided two (2) Model TH-2000ML electric-driven L-drive
azimuthing thrusters
rated for 2,000 HP (1,500
kW) for conversion of an offshore drill ship to dynamic
positioning. Classification of thrusters per LRS
Rules. |
Y070196 Helix Energy Solutions
|
Provided two (2) Model 66TT900 transverse tunnel thrusters
rated at 900
horsepower (670 kW) for conversion
of a mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) to
dynamic
positioning. Classification of thrusters per ABS Rules.
|
Y070020 Frontier Drilling
|
Providing two shipsets of six (6) Model TH-6000ML electric-driven
L-drive
azimuthing thrusters rated for 6,000
HP (4,475 kW) for dynamically positioned
offshore
drill ships. Classification of thrusters per DNV Ice Class Rules. |
Y070275 Confidential Contract
|
Providing 40 Model TH-5000ML electric driven L-drive azimuthing
thrusters rated
at 5,000 HP (3,730 kW) for
dynamic positioning of semi-submersibles.
Classification
of thrusters as determined by customer.
|
Y070281 Dubai Shipbuilding
|
Providing four (4) Model TH-2500MZ engine-driven azimuthing
thrusters in the Z-
drive configuration rated
for 2,500 HP (1,865 kW) and four (4) Model 56TT600
transverse
tunnel thruster rated for 600 HP (445 kW) for new-build offshore
anchor handling tug and supply (AHTS) vessel.
Classification of thrusters per BV
Rules. |
Y070384 Landstrong Group, Inc.
|
Providing two ship sets (4) Model TH-2000MZ engine-driven
azimuthing
thrusters in the Z-drive configuration
rated for 2,000 HP (1,500 kW) for
new-build
ASD tugs. Classification per CCS rules.
|
Y070410 Davie Quebec, Inc.
|
Providing two ship sets (10) Model TH-2500MZ azimuthing thrusters
in the
Z-drive configuration rated for 2,500
HP (1,865 kW) for two
accommodation barges.
Classification per DNV rules. |
|