Keeping a submarine silent is one of the most demanding engineering challenges in naval design. Every pump, turbine and fan on board generates vibration, and if that energy reaches the hull, it radiates into the water as sound, which in turn is picked up by enemy sonar. Managing this “acoustic signature” is central to submarine stealth, and it depends on being able to measure structural vibration accurately, continuously, and in some of the harshest operating environments in the world. That’s where Sensonics’ QZA accelerometer comes in. The QZA design originated during the late Cold War submarine programme era and remains a core part of Hull Vibration Monitoring Equipment (HVME) fitted to Royal Navy vessels. The QZA is built around high-performance piezoelectric technology, chosen for its ruggedness, long-term stability, and suitability for the extreme conditions found on board a warship or submarine. This is fundamentally a structural vibration sensor, not a condition-monitoring device in the traditional industrial sense. Its primary role is to measure how much vibration energy is present in the hull and machinery structure, feeding that data into the vessel’s HVME system so crews can understand and manage their acoustic footprint. The condition of the machinery generating that vibration is part of the picture, but not the main purpose of the sensor. t| +44 (0) 1442 876833 e| sales@sensonics.co.uk w| www.sensonics.co.uk More at: https://7189340.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/ 7189340/DS1110%20QZA%20(2).pdf 24 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk August/September 2026 Industry Update Structural Vibration Sensor For many manufacturers, production data exists - but getting it into the hands of the people who can act on it is often the real challenge. At William Hughes that has changed with the introduction of a new real-time production dashboard that gives shop floor teams instant visibility of manufacturing priorities, enabling them to make informed decisions without waiting for updates from the office. Displayed on two large rotating screens, the dashboard draws live information directly from the company’s ERP system and updates every hour, providing operators with a constantly refreshed view of what needs attention. The display uses a simple colour-coded system. To make the information even more actionable, jobs are grouped into small, medium and large spring categories, allowing teams to quickly identify and focus on the work most relevant to their area. Previously, this critical production information was held within the office and communicated to the shop floor through periodic updates. By making the data visible to everyone in real time, employees can now see exactly what needs to be produced and adjust their work accordingly. “The impact has been immediate”, said Engineering Director Emma Burgon, “Our teams are responding to production priorities independently, without the need for constant communication or manual direction. Everyone can see what needs to happen next, and they are taking action”. t| (01963) 363377 e| sales@wmhughes.co.uk w| www.wmhughes.co.uk Industrial process heating specialist Babcock Wanson UK has launched a new Hybrid Addon electric boiler to the UK market, designed to integrate seamlessly with existing gas or oil fired steam boilers, enabling customers to electrify their operations without making existing assets redundant. Developed by Standard Fasel, part of the Babcock Wanson Group, the modular low-voltage Hybrid Add-on boiler provides an accessible and practical route to electrification. Rather than requiring full boiler replacement, the system connects directly into the existing installation, providing additional steam capacity using electricity while reducing fossil fuel consumption and associated emissions. This approach allows businesses to protect previous capital investment, minimise disruption, and take meaningful steps toward lowercarbon operation. The Hybrid Add-on has been specifically designed to support long-term future proofing. By allowing operators to switch flexibly between fuel and electricity depending on energy prices and availability, the system supports resilience in an increasingly complex energy landscape. It can also utilise periods of surplus renewable electricity, helping organisations align with sustainability targets while contributing to smarter energy use. Available in modular 200 kW, 400 kW and 800 kW versions, the compact units can be connected to a standard 400 V electrical supply and feature unlimited turndown, natural circulation with no pumps required, and minimal integration requirements. t| + 44 (0)20 8953 7111. e| efourie@babcock-wanson.com w| https://www.babcock-wanson.com/ Hybrid Add-On Electric Boiler Sensor expert BAUMER has established a new class of sensors following the introduction of its new upgraded smart 2D profile sensors designed to deliver high quality inspection and positioning performance. For users this means easier and more reliable performance for tasks such as presence detection, completeness checks, and quality inspection by utilising smart profile sensors. This improvement in performance is due to the continuing development of the established Baumer Advanced toolset sensor range resulting in revised and upgraded OX sensors which are designed to take on more complex tasks that previously only high-quality camera systems or multi-sensor products could deliver. For example, an advanced sensor which detects gaps, missing objects and identifies faulty parts, whilst providing measuring ranges of up to 500mm, with fields of view up to 300 mm, resulting in further potential in system design. OX sensors analyse height profiles using the integrated advanced toolset providing essential data in a cost-efficient way across a wide range of demanding inspection and positioning applications. Data evaluation is performed directly in the sensor, delivering the required results such as, OK/NOK, number of objects, or position data, without the need for any additional processing unit. t| +44 (0)1793 783839 e| sales.uk@baumer.com w| www.baumer.com/gb/en/ www.baumer.com/OXM200 Solving Complex Inspection Tasks Real-Time Data Production Dashboard
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