Antenna Lifting Fixture for Radome Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antenna systems require costly and risky procedures for repairing or replacing failed components, often necessitating the use of cranes and experienced operators to remove radomes and lift antennas, which is unsafe and inefficient, especially on moving vessels and in varying weather conditions.
Innovation Solution
An antenna lifting fixture utilizing threaded lifting rods allows for the separation of the antenna pedestal from the mounting structure without removing the radome, enabling safe and stable lifting within the radome's confines, even on moving surfaces, by threading rods into the mounting structure and using thrust bearings for support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a crane and experienced crane operator are used to remove the radome and lift the antenna, then the antenna can be raised and components accessed, but the procedure becomes costly, unsafe, and requires the ship to return to shore
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting system is divided into multiple independent lifting rods distributed around the antenna pedestal, each rod independently supporting the load. This segmentation allows the heavy lifting task to be distributed across multiple simple mechanical elements rather than requiring a single complex crane system.
Solution Approach 2:
Thrust bearings are introduced as intermediary elements between the lifting rods and the antenna pedestal mounting structure. These bearings facilitate smooth lifting motion and load transfer, enabling the lifting operation to proceed without requiring complex crane mechanisms or radome removal.
2Ease of repair
If the radome is removed and antenna raised with crane, then components can be repaired or replaced, but safety risks increase due to size and weight of antenna
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna pedestal is separated from the mounting structure using multiple distributed lifting rods rather than a single point attachment. This segmentation distributes the mechanical stress and reduces the risk of failure, allowing safe lifting of heavy antennas without requiring radome removal or crane operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The thrust bearings are positioned to provide controlled support during the lifting process, cushioning the transition as the antenna pedestal is raised. This prior cushioning mechanism prevents sudden load shifts or drops, enhancing safety during component access operations.
3Ease of repair
If crane operations are performed on ship, then antenna components can be accessed, but ship cannot be in motion and may need to return to shore
Solution Approach 1:
The thrust bearings serve as intermediary elements that enable lifting operations to be performed independently of ship motion. By mediating between the lifting rods and the antenna pedestal, they allow the system to accommodate ship movement while maintaining lifting capability, eliminating the need to return to shore for repairs.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting system is designed to be dynamically adaptable to ship motion. The multiple lifting rods with thrust bearings can accommodate movement and positioning changes, allowing antenna component access to be performed while the ship remains in operational status without requiring return to port.
4Ease of repair
If radome is removed for antenna lifting, then components can be accessed, but radome fragility and cracks can impact antenna performance
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting mechanism extracts the need for radome removal from the repair process. By using lifting rods that thread into the mounting structure and thrust bearings to support the antenna pedestal, the system enables component access while leaving the radome intact, eliminating the harmful effect of radome handling and potential damage.
5Productivity
If antenna lifting is performed in varying weather conditions, then maintenance can proceed, but narrow weather window limits safe operation
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting system is designed to be dynamically adaptable to varying weather conditions. The multiple lifting rods with thrust bearings can accommodate movement and environmental variations, allowing antenna component access to be performed in a broader range of weather conditions without requiring a narrow weather window, thereby improving maintenance efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method simplifies and reduces the cost of repairing or replacing components by eliminating the need for cranes and experienced operators, allowing for safer and more efficient maintenance within the radome, extending the antenna's service life.
Implementation Method 1
threaded lifting rods, each of the threaded lifting rods having a first end configured to be coupled to the antenna pedestal and a second, opposing end configured to be coupled to the antenna pedestal mounting structure
Implementation Method 2
threaded lifting rods... having a length selected to space the antenna pedestal a predetermined distance from the antenna pedestal mounting structure
Implementation Method 3
using thrust bearings for support
Data Source
AI summary
A method of raising an antenna includes decoupling an antenna pedestal from an antenna pedestal mounting structure. The method additionally includes separating the antenna pedestal from the antenna pedestal mounting structure using one or more lifting rods. The method further includes inserting one or more antenna lifting fixtures between a first surface of the antenna pedestal and a first surface of the antenna pedestal mounting structure. The method also includes operating the one or more antenna lifting fixtures to move the first surface of the antenna pedestal away from the first surface of the antenna pedestal mounting structure. A corresponding system and antenna lifting fixture is also provided.