Engineering a strategic partner’s fleet of the future
We’re using our deep expertise in producing the highest quality valves for extreme environments to power the next generation of surface ships and submarines.
There’s hardly a more critical environment for our valves than a submarine. They need to withstand the corrosive effects of sea water and be shock-proof too. They help keep service people on board alive, pressurising interior systems and providing oxygen and drinking water for the crew. Given that repairs at sea may not be possible, the integrity of onboard valve systems and ongoing support and maintenance is vital. From supplying one main customer in the UK 60 years ago, IMI is now a trusted partner to 36 navies around the world.
Megatrends in naval marine
Naval marine budgets are increasing and more governments are investing in submarines due to their operational flexibility. We estimate that, over the next 20 years, there will be double the number of submarines that there are today, offering us a strong, secure long-term market. We’re currently working with several partners on the next generation of naval marine assets that will see service for 40 to 50 years. With the trend towards digitisation and automation, much of the value that we’ll add will be through utilising artificial intelligence to keep critical on-board systems functioning smoothly with smaller crews.
Silent and secret
We see a major growth area in noise reduction and the ability to minimise a submarine’s acoustic signature to be less identifiable by an adversary’s detection systems. Advances from our Acoustic Control Vantage (ACV) technology and additive manufacturing allow us to make valves with more complex flow paths that are therefore quieter than we could using traditional methods.
Another global customer problem we’re solving is biofouling, when marine growth and barnacles enter mechanical systems making them inefficient and noisy. We’re developing and testing these new technologies at our IMI Truflo Marine centre of excellence in Birmingham, UK, which opened in April 2022. The new facility has state-of-the-art data protection and encryption technology and we’re using it as an example of best practice for future facilities in other locations. There are many positive spin-offs from being in this sector. But there’s no bigger driver of a better world than lack of conflict. With its deterrent effect, that’s what the naval marine market enables.
A strategic partner asked for our help with modernising its fleet but required local production for its security purposes. By leveraging IMI’s existing local presence, we can license our design and manufacturing capabilities whilst maintaining the highest regard for confidentiality and security. This allows us to serve our partner’s requirements, unlocking a great opportunity for future growth.
Key local manufacturing facts:
» Our tech-transfer solution will enable the strategic partner to shorten the supply chain by engineering and manufacturing products in-country.
» Our first orders will be fulfilled in 2023.
“Submarines and surface ships are like a game of cat and mouse. Every time an adversary increases its detection abilities, it gives manufacturers a technological imperative to make submarines less identifiable. We are committed to leveraging our global references, technological expertise and global manufacturing footprint to the benefit of the global marine sector and customers”, Jackie Hu, Divisional Managing Director, IMI Critical Engineering.