A full range of simulators
After buying a new dredger there is a wide range of Life Cycle Services to support contractors in your daily operation. One of them is training. As modern dredgers are becoming more complex and more high tech, their operation requires higher skilled and more knowledgeable operators and thus proper operator training becomes a necessity. Next to this, less time is available to train these operators on the job. Therefore, more and more practical training is performed using simulators instead.

In October 2009 TID put a new cutter suction dredger simulator into service in addition to the two simulators, based on a Beaver 6518 and a IHC 7025 MP, TID already had at its disposal. This IHC 8527MP ® simulator, which is even larger and more sophisticated, makes the range of simulators complete: from a straight forward classic desk with one dredge pump up to a full automated dredge with three pumps pumping in series and full automation systems.

New simulator
The newest state of the art simulator, which is also made by IHC Systems, is a powerful 13.500 kW cutter suction dredger with a dredge pipe of 850 mm. It has a cutter with 1100 kW power and can dredge at a depth of 27 m. Winches and cutter are electrically driven. The slurry transport is performed by a submerged dredge pump and two inboard dredge pumps for booster purpose. Any configuration can be simulated with the new simulator (ranging from full use of all pumps up to only using the under water pump).

Furthermore, the simulator is equipped with the latest automation techniques, which can be expected in a modern cutter suction dredger nowadays. Such include a SCADA control system, a Dredge Track Presentation System (DTPS) and an Automatic Cutter Control system (ACC) . The layout of the dredging control desk is the same as used in recently built cutter suction dredgers in its class. This alltogether makes the new simulator a very versatile tool to train cutter operators for larger dredgers.

Training
Over the past years training has shown to raise the knowledge levels of complete organizations and as a site effect improve communication between crew, site office and head quarters. In this case specifically the simulation training has proven itself to be an excellent method to improve the performance of operators and as a consequence of the dredging equipment. This can be done under specific conditions and enables trainers to show specific results and effects. Cutter operators can benefit from this training in three ways:
1. New operators can be trained on the basic operating skills of a cutter suction dredger and they can make mistakes, without hampering the production of the dredger or risking damage to the dredge as could occur while practicing in the field.
2. Experienced cutter operators can be made familiar with new equipment, automation and control techniques.
3. All cutter operators can be trained on hazardous situations or to perform special operations without danger, risk or loss of production. Examples of this are blocked cutter, silted up pipeline, blackout dredger, hard soil conditions, waves and currents etc. As one could think of preparing operators for difficult projects

Tailor made
Adding this latest simulator to their fleet of cutter simulators enables TID to serve customers with all sizes of cutter suction dredgers and with all levels of automation.  As all simulators are easy to transport, simulation trainings can be organized anywhere in the world, tailored to the customers needs.

Finally
The full range of simulators of the Training Institute of Dredging enables a dredging company to select the right simulator for their job and get their operators properly trained and ultimately improve their entire dredging operation.