Development and Verification of Thrust and Torque Integrated Instrument for Ship Model Shafting

At present, the vast majority of high-precision thrust and torque measurement equipment for ship models on the market are foreign products, which are not only costly but also limited by import control, which brings a lot of trouble to ship research and design. In view of this, this paper designs an integrated thrust and torque measuring instrument based on strain gauge sensitive element, which mainly includes the instrument structure, thrust and torque measuring unit. The instrument structure is made of high-strength stainless steel to ensure stability and reliability in extreme environments. The strain measurement unit utilizes highly sensitive strain gauges, which can accurately capture small deformations due to thrust and torque by applying them to key locations in the shaft system. Thrust is measured by mounting the strain gauges directly on the bearing housing of the ship's model. When the bearing is subjected to the thrust generated by the operation of the ship's propeller, the strain gauges are deformed, and this change is accurately transmitted to the data processing unit through an electrical signal. The torque is measured using another set of strain gauges set on the drive shaft. When the shaft is rotated, it is subjected to different degrees of torque, and the deformation of the strain gauges will reflect the magnitude of the torque. Accuracy test results show that the accuracy of the device is basically comparable to foreign instruments, which can effectively solve the current small-range push torque integrated measurement instrument monopolized by foreign countries, which is of great significance.