What are the benefits of an electronic inclinometer compared to pendulum or U-tube?
An electronic inclinometer can record the inclination for a long period and take an average over that period, which leads to better accuracy when wind, waves or a weight shift cause rolling. The recorded curves also document the conditions during the test. It can also be used to measure the roll period and used for many other angle measurements.
An electronic inclinometer is easier to set up and transport.
Is JM-Sensors inclinometer with ShipIncline software approved by a class society?
There is no process to get an approval for an electronic inclinometer. JM-Sensors inclinometer with ShipIncline software is designed to meet the all the requirements given by class societies. It is up to You to know your measuring equipment and the attending surveyor to approve the usage of your equipment. Several of our customers use JM-Sensors inclinometers for inclining test regulated by IMO/IACS No.31 Inclining test unified procedure. Even some class societies use our equipment.
At the moment at least one pendulum or U-tube must be used and JM-Sensors inclinometer(s) can be used to replace the rest for official inclining tests.
Do JM-Sensors inclinometers need to be calibrated?
JM-Sensors inclinometers are calibrated at one degree intervals during manufacturing. So far none of the inclinometers made since 2007 has needed a recalibration. However it is a good practice to check the calibration annually or after a shock (e.g. the inclinometer is dropped). It is enough to check a few angles in the typical range used.
How do I install the software?
JM-Sensors software needs no installation. Just unzip the software package to your preferred location. A new folder JM-Sensors will appear and you can start the software from folder JM-Sensors/lib. If you get just an executable file, you need to put it to JM-Sensors/lib folder. The newest basic software can be downloaded from this site.
ShipIncline software is available only as an executable for those who have bought it. Basic software needs to be installed before and ShipIncline must be put to JM-Sensors/lib folder.
I get “Unable to find USB devices” error message. Why?
The software is unable to communicate with the USB device in the JM-Sensors inclinometer. This can be caused by not having USB drivers. Install the drivers from the JM-Sensors/drivers folder or from http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/D2XX.htm. 64 and 32 bit drivers are identical.
If this doesn’t help, the USB cable can be damaged or ripped off due to too much force on the cable. Open the enclosure in a dry location and check that the mini USB connector is firmly in place. You can also test to replace the USB cable with another USB mini cable. Note that some USB cables are only for charging and do not have all the wires connected.
If the USB cable needs to be replaced, it is necessary to dissemble the USB mini connector in order to fit it through the cable gland. This can be done by a cable shop or You.
I get an error message about missing DLL files.
You need to have the full zip file for you software version. Older version may have different sets of DLL files. You also need to start the software from JM-Sensors/lib folder. If you prefer to use another folder, you can make a symbolic link of the software.
Which software should I use with JM-Sensors inclinometer?
The basic software includes IMSRM, IMSRM_BOOM and SHIPRM. IMSRM and IMSRM_BOOM are intended for ORC rating system measurements, but can also be used e.g. for an inclining test for CE certification. IMSRM is used for one weight shift and the angle before and after the shift can be measured 1-4 times. RM is calculated. IMSRM_BOOM is uses main boom as a weight arm. Four angles (boom on STB side with and without weight and boom on PORT side with and without weight) are measured 1-4 times. From those two RM values and their average is calculated.
SHIPRM can measure nine angles and is intended for the standard eight weight shift method. It does not calculate RM.
All the basic software versions measure each angle up to one minute at 10 Hz frequency. For bigger vessels with long roll period one minute may bee too short for getting an accurate average. For such vessels and most inclining test for class societies ShipIncline software should be used. It has more features and can record the whole inclining test.
Note that the file formats of each of these software are different. Consult the manuals or contact JM-Sensors for further details.
Can JM-Sensors inclinometer be used for absolute angle measurements?
Yes and no. The enclosure with rubber feet is intended for differential measurements, which means measuring the change of the angle from a base angle. During this measurement the sensor must be totally stationary and the high accuracy is lost, if the sensor is rocked or moved.
If the sensor is used for absolute angle measurement, it should be attached to a metal bar with a accurately flat surface using the two holes under the lid and calibrated for level (e.g. writing down the reading at level and using this as offset). This makes the sensor useful tool for e.g. shaft alignment etc. Without such a bar the accuracy is limited to about 0.1 degrees.