Category: Updates
Applied Acoustic Engineering (AAE) chose this year’s Oceanology Conference & Exhibition in London (UK) to launch several new products including a greatly enhanced USBL system. Nexus 2 is the second generation 2- way digital system designed and produced by the award winning UK based company that takes the performance and features of the popular Nexus USBL system to a new level. Developed with an emphasis on far greater accuracy whilst positioning over an extended operational range, the Nexus 2 provides a reliable and secure acoustic link with an extremely low susceptibility to interference.
Fundamental to the Nexus 2 system is AAE’s Sigma 2 digital acoustic coding, a proprietary set of bi-directional spread spectrum acoustic protocols devised by the company’s in-house R & D team. These protocols working with a complementary transducer design mean that positional accuracies of up to 0.15% slant range have been achieved.
Alongside the USBL development, AAE also showcased a new series of acoustic beacons to complement the Nexus 2. Based on the same Sigma 2 protocols, the 1100 Series Beacon has evolved to provide more accurate positioning, very long battery life and now has the addition of data telemetry options when used with the Nexus 2. This feature allows the complete system to operate as a combined positioning and data transfer package, a combination that can prove valuable for use with subsea instrumentation or in environmental monitoring applications.
For standard positioning and tracking tasks, Nexus 2 is also compatible with AAE’s 1000 Series beacons, 1200A and 1300A Micro beacons, and some of the older AAE ‘tone’ products (900 Series).
The Directors of Applied Acoustic Engineering Ltd (AAE) are proud to announce important changes to the structure and leadership of the company, implemented to strengthen its place in the subsea industry, and to provide the facility to offer a wider range of products and services across a variety of other industries.
The most significant development sees the establishment of a group of companies, operating under the guidance of AAE Technologies Ltd (AAET). With AAET at the helm, the trading group is comprised of three separate companies – Applied Acoustic Engineering Ltd, Ensign Subsea Systems Ltd, and Modulus Technology Ltd.
Building on its reputation for quality and service over its 27 year history, Applied Acoustic Engineering (AAE) will continue to operate in its current guise, designing and building subsea acoustic products and systems for sub-bottom profiling and acoustic positioning operations. The company has an enviable record of success in its field and since 2010, has been honoured with two Queen’s Awards for Enterprise in the International Trade category, a significant and prestigious endorsement for UK manufacturers and exporters.
Modulus Technology Ltd has been incorporated to act as a custom engineering arm of the group, able to undertake a wide range of activities such as bespoke design and build projects outside of AAE’s remit, as well as providing engineering services for the subsea industry. Primarily operating as the repair and maintenance centre for all AAE products, Modulus Technology also offers training, trials and demonstration services for the AAE Technologies Group as a whole.
The group structure is completed by the addition of Ensign Subsea Systems Ltd, AAE’s military and defence sales subsidiary company. Ensign Subsea Systems (ESS) exists to provide the systems and support to the maritime defence community that has become an integral part of the AAE business. By separating this product line, ESS has the capability to operate in this market as a dedicated defence contractor, continuing
to supply AAE systems and services for mine detection, relocation and countermeasures (MCM), as well as the general maritime defence sector where over 200 subsea tracking systems are currently in use.
The three trading companies are wholly owned subsidiaries of the AAE Technologies Group and will remain under the ownership of AAE’s founder and current directors. In addition to the reorganised trading arrangements of company, Group Chairman Adam Darling welcomes Neil MacDonald and Gavin Willoughby as directors of the subsidiary businesses, both long term employees of Applied Acoustics with over 25 years of combined experience with the company. Under this leadership, the AAE Technologies Group is looking forward to continued growth and a successful future.
Western Advance Pty. Ltd., the exclusive distributor for Applied Acoustic Engineering (AAE) in Australia, has recently completed a contract for the supply of one of AAE’s Nexus USBL systems to Neptune Marine Services headquartered in Perth, WA. The provision of this system is notable as it marks the 450th USBL system that AAE has supplied to the subsea industry, further demonstrating the company’s strong position in this field.
Having been a regular user of the Nexus USBL through Western Advance’s rental facility, Neptune’s Operations Manager Pat Fournier commented, “Given the amount of work we are now undertaking where the use of a USBL system is a requirement, it makes sense for Neptune to invest in a permanent system and as our operators have built up a good track record with the Nexus system, the decision to purchase wasn’t difficult.”
Cory Brooks, Sales Manager of the Marine Division of Western Advance went on to say, “We have enjoyed a close working relationship over the years with both Neptune Marine Services and AAE, and we look forward to continuing our role in introducing quality equipment to the Australian market while providing a first class service to our clients.”
Applied Acoustic Engineering has been producing subsea acoustic systems for over 25 years from their headquarters in the UK. The award winning company specialises in the design and production of acoustic positioning and tracking systems and is also well known for their market leading range of subsea geophysical profiling systems.
AAE and Western Advance will be exhibiting at the AOG conference in Perth, WA, co-sharing stand D8. Neptune Marine Services are also exhibiting and are on stand D14.
The new 10t Release Frame offers a method of wirelessly separating an underwater load from its crane. By using acoustics, rather than divers or ROVs with cutting equipment, this method has the potential to both reduce risk and save time.
The Release Frame consists of a heavy duty strong back and lever system that amplifies the load capability of an Applied Acoustics’ 529P Release beacon, and a standard AAE surface control unit, typically a 3510 PAM Portable. Once the load is in position a remote acoustic signal received from the surface unit triggers the hinged hook to open releasing the load, allowing the frame unit itself to be recovered in its entirety for re-use.
Useful for bight release applications in the cable laying and repair industry, this acoustic release frame is also suited for coastal construction operations on wind farm sites, lowering work baskets or other subsea structures, separating lift bags from their loads or as method of marking subsea infrastructures that are at risk of damage from surface activity.
Great Yarmouth based Applied Acoustic Engineering Ltd has won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category, for a second time. The Award is recognition of its outstanding achievement in boosting export revenues over three years of continuous growth. This excellent performance has been made possible through technical innovation and the sustained support of a strong network of overseas representatives.
“This is wonderful news for us,” said Managing Director Adam Darling, “I’m pleased for everyone in the company because the recognition of a Queen’s Award is about as good as it gets in business.”
We have competitors all over the world, so it’s great to know that what we do in terms of engineering excellence, customer service and fast response technical support really pays off. It’s a true team effort.”
Applied Acoustics designs and manufactures underwater acoustic positioning, tracking and survey equipment sold mainly to the commercial offshore energy market but increasingly sales have been secured with oceanographic research institutions and naval defence industries. The company exported to over 61 different countries over the past three years, including significant orders received from Japan, USA and Germany. New agency agreements have been established in Turkey, Mexico, Brazil and Australia.
The Queens Award is a highly prized recognition of business achievement requiring an exceptional overall standard of commercial success and corporate responsibility. Internationally recognised, it is universally regarded as one of the most prestigious business accolades in the world.
Applied Acoustics will be unveiling its latest new deep tow sparker, the DTS-500, at Ocean Business. The product extends the company’s range of sparker sub-bottom profiling systems and will significantly increase data resolution, up to 15cm, in waters up to 500m in depth.
Designed for High and Ultra High resolution geophysical surveys, the DTS-500 operates with a single industry standard coaxial tow cable up to 2000m in length, has long-life durable electrodes and integral hydrophone receiver. Consisting of a rack-mount surface console, cable and robust tow fish, the system easily interfaces with standard data loggers, and benefits from all the full operational safety interlocks expected from a company that has been at the forefront of this technology over 25 years.
Triton Imaging, Inc., Capitola CA and Applied Acoustic Engineering Ltd., Great Yarmouth, UK have announced that they have signed an OEM agreement under which Applied Acoustics will offer Triton ISIS Offshore-SB data acquisition and Perspective-SB processing and interpretation software bundled with Applied Acoustic sub-bottom profiling hardware. With this arrangement, Applied Acoustics’ customers will have the advantage of using the proven Triton topside software to acquire high-resolution seismic data from the Applied Acoustic sparker/boomer systems. The Perspective-SB software will give these users the tools they need for the accurate processing, display and interpretation of these data in a broad range of applications where an accurate understanding of sub surface geology is critical.
Applied Acoustics is a leading company in the design and manufacture of a wide range of subsea navigation and positioning products, and marine seismic survey equipment from 50-12,000 Joules, and Triton Imaging develops software for the acquisition, processing, visualization, and interpretation of data from sub-bottom profilers, as well as from sidescan, SAS, multibeam, and interferometric sonars.
Another milestone was reached recently when Applied Acoustics’ sold its 400th USBL system to its long standing Canadian distributor, ROMOR Ocean Solutions based in Nova Scotia. The system, the Spread Spectrum rack-mount Nexus, is bound for the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) located in St John’s, Newfoundland. This organisation provides a variety of diverse services to clients in the region including fish harvesters, the shipping industry, port authorities, environmentalists and the scientific community.
Sales Representative Evan Aalders was pleased he’d secured the 400th sale, having recently been over to the UK for training. “The Nexus system, the top of the range from Applied Acoustics, has high accuracy performance, versatility and an ease of operation that is difficult to match” he said.
Evan’s training also included an introduction to the Applied Acoustics’ V-Nav positioning system for multiple seabed targets and a preview of the new Micro beacons that will be unveiled at Subsea Expo in Aberdeen early in 2015.
Event Date: 14 Oct
Applied Acoustics, based in Great Yarmouth UK, hosted a very successful conference for its worldwide distributors in early October to celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary year. The event also included training in the use of some new products, practical demonstrations from a boat out to sea and an introduction to products coming off the production line in the near future.
“Equally as important as the product training we were keen for agents to share their expertise and knowledge of best practice too,” explained Sales Manager Gavin Willoughby, “and meet all the people here that they’re in contact with on a daily basis.”
The company sells its underwater acoustic products to the global offshore energy, ocean research and maritime security industries but some overseas markets are more developed than others, so the conference hoped to identify new opportunities for growth as well.
“The event was really useful,” said Evan Aalders, over from Romor Ocean Solutions in Nova Scotia, “and the training in the use of the products will equip me well when dealing with our customers in Canada.”
The three day conference was intensive but included a great night out at Norwich City Football Club, thoroughly enjoyed by the agent from Japan, and visits to a number of fine venues in the mediaeval heart of the city.
A new, compact and lightweight acoustic release beacon has been launched by Applied Acoustic Engineering based in Great Yarmouth, UK. The model, the omni-directional 1519, is part of the company’s 1500 Series that employs spread spectrum technology for added ‘uplink’ reliability.
The release beacon can be operated by both the Applied Acoustics’ Easytrak USBL system and a dedicated PAM 3510 Acoustic Command/Configure unit. The PAM 3510 has the added advantage of being convenient for on-deck operations as it is housed in a water-proof, rugged case with a clear LCD display.
The 1519 Acoustic Release Beacon has a Safe Working Load of 75kg (including a 4x factor of safety) and a nylon release block incorporating a positive drive-off mechanism that is field proven to have a low susceptibility to biofouling. Long life alkaline batteries, with a listening life up to 12 months, ensure the release beacon is ideal for long term environmental and metocean observations in waters down to 400m.
Event Date: 18 Mar
Applied Acoustic Engineering (AAE) in the UK and iXBlue, a global leading provider of navigation and positioning solutions, have released details of a formal working relationship between the two companies, permitting cross compatibility between their acoustic positioning products to create a greater degree of flexibility across a wide market area.
Conceived during 2013 and approved earlier this year, the agreement allows Applied Acoustics’ complete range of 1000 Series transponders to operate with iXBlue’s GAPS USBL systems using a jointly developed set of acoustic protocols.
Speaking on behalf of Applied Acoustics, Managing Director Adam Darling stated, “This collaboration represents a significant step forward for both companies, giving us the ability to service new clients whilst adding extra versatility to our existing product ranges. I look forward to a long and successful partnership and to providing long term benefits to our joint customer base.”
According to Christian Giroussens, VP of iXBlue’s Acoustic Products Division, “The established cooperation between our companies allows the variety of GAPS compatible beacons to expand, for instance with high directivity / high source level beacons, and therefore provides our customers with an enhanced solution in very difficult environments. For sure, the joint experience of both companies will create value for the entire community of USBL users.”
The Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) has taken final delivery of an unprecedented contract awarded to Applied Acoustic Engineering (AAE) for the supply of a large number of USBL tracking systems and associated equipment.
Following sea trials in Japan and a competitive tender process early in 2013, JMSDF took the decision to invest in more than one hundred of AAE’s Alpha Portable USBL systems, one year after receiving an initial shipment of seven systems. Predominantly intended for use with their naval search and rescue dive teams, JMSDF also specified over four hundred of AAE’s 210 Micro/Remote transponders as the ideal beacon to attach to its divers.
The contract award, issued in conjunction with Toyo Corporation, AAE’s exclusive representatives for Japan, is AAE’s single biggest contract to date, and reaffirms the company’s position as a leading manufacturer of subsea acoustic systems for commercial and military applications.
On his return from meetings in Japan, Sales Manager for AAE, Gavin Willoughby commented, “This contract award marks a milestone in the history of our company and demonstrates our capability for quality mass manufacturing while enhancing our reputation as a major supplier to the defence industry. We are extremely proud that JMSDF continues to support our products in this way and we look forward to a long and successful association”.