Prop Scan Analysis

You can’t see a pitch error by eye. Two blades can look identical and still differ enough to cause vibration and cost you speed, and the only way to know for sure is to measure them. That’s why measurement sits at the heart of all our propeller work.

At DH Porter, we use licensed Prop Scan equipment, running the latest E4 software, to measure propellers up to about 50” in diameter.

What it measures

Prop Scan measures every blade and compares each one with the others, and with the design:

• Pitch, at points across each blade and from one blade to the next
• Rake, how far each blade leans fore or aft
• Track, whether every blade tip follows the same path
• Blade spacing, the angle between one blade and the next

We check the results against ISO 484-2, the international standard for propeller manufacturing tolerances. That tells us which class your propeller is in and exactly where it falls short, so the work goes precisely where it’s needed.

How we use it

We use Prop Scan right through our propeller work:

• Assessing a repair, so we know what your propeller needs before we quote. The assessment is free.
• Bringing propellers into class, new and repaired, typically to ISO 484-2 Class I
• Re-shaping and re-pitching, measuring before and after every change
• Measurement on its own, if you’d simply like to know where your propeller stands

Reports

Prop Scan reports are available on request. They’re most often asked for by commercial operators with vessels in survey, but if you’d like one for your propeller, just let us know.

Talk to us

To book a propeller in for measurement, or to talk about what Prop Scan can tell you, ring the workshop on (02) 9890 1766.