Steam Turbine Μanufacturing through Reverse Engineering

Manufacturing of an Obsolete ERV-32 Steam Turbine for Oil Cargo Pump Service Through Advanced Reverse Engineering

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Vessel returned to service within dry-docking schedule

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Shaft restored without replacement

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OEM dimensional tolerances and alignment maintained

Project Snapshot

A tanker vessel experienced a critical failure of its ERV-32 cargo oil pump turbine, requiring immediate restoration to maintain operational capability.

Inspection revealed severe deterioration across multiple turbine components, including extensive corrosion, worn rotating parts, damaged gears and blades, and shaft bending. All critical components were found beyond repair.

Because of  the turbine’s operational importance and the obsolescence and unavailability of spare parts, KIMI undertook the challenging task of manufacturing through reverse engineering all required components to fully restore the turbine to operational condition.

Challenge

Due to the turbine’s age, the availability of OEM documentation was limited and insufficient to support the manufacturing process. One of the major challenges was that all dimensional verification had to be performed based on worn and damaged components rather than detailed engineering drawings or original blueprints.

Despite these limitations, KIMI’s engineers undertook the challenge of redesigning and manufacturing the required parts through advanced reverse engineering, utilizing detailed 3D scanning, precision measurements, and extensive engineering know-how to accurately reproduce the components and restore full operational capability.

Complex Manufacturing & Engineering Challenges

Wear, bending, and corrosion on shafts and discs

Damage and scoring on gear teeth and grooves

Damaged rotating and stationary blades

Destroyed bearings and labyrinth seals

Limited OEM documentation availability

Strict repair and delivery schedule

Steam Turbine Manufacturing Process

01

INITIAL INSPECTION & CONDITION ASSESSMENT

Detailed inspection, dimensional verification, and operational evaluation of all turbine components to define the repair shame for restoration.

02

REVERSE ENGINEERING & 3D SCANNING

Advanced 3D scanning and digital modeling applied to reproduce damaged or obsolete components with high dimensional accuracy.

03

METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS & MATERIAL IDENTIFICATION

Material samples analyzed in KIMI’s metallurgical lab to identify material specifications and manufacturing requirements.

04

CNC MANUFACTURING & COMPONENT MANUFACTURING

Critical turbine components manufactured using multi-axis high-precision CNC machining centers.

05

ASSEMBLY & DYNAMIC BALANCING

The turbine rotor assembly dynamically balanced to ensure smooth operation, stability, and vibration control.

06

ONBOARD INSTALLATION & TESTING

The newly manufactured turbine installed onboard and successfully commissioned under full-load operating conditions.

Achievements

✔ Obsolete components manufactured without OEM documentation


✔ Major turbine components successfully manufactured and assembled


✔ OEM-level dimensional accuracy achieved through reverse engineering


✔ Full-load onboard commissioning successfully completed


✔ Cargo pump turbine fully restored to operational condition in less than 9 weeks

Why rely on KIMI

Advanced reverse engineering, 3D scanning, and multi-axis CNC manufacturing capabilities for obsolete equipment under strict maritime industry timeframes, fully integrated within one workshop.

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Advanced reverse engineering capability for obsolete and non-supported marine components

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High-precision 3D scanning and multi-axis CNC manufacturing capabilities

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Fast-response manufacturing for critical marine equipment under strict maritime industry timeframes

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ESYD-accredited quality control laboratory