The Device
TIDYNE
Man Riding System
A marine lift system for personnel and cargo transfer - built around a mechanical failsafe brake chain that works with no power, no logic and no software.
Technical Specifications
| Capacity | 400 lb / 180 kg |
| Rated Speed | 40 ft (12.2 m) descent in approx. 14 s |
| Rope Speed Range | To be confirmed |
| Power Supply | Standard: 51.2 V LiFePO4 battery, 100 Ah (5,120 Wh), in its own enclosure; ship's AC for charging only Option: hardwired 220 V AC ship's supply with backup battery as secondary power |
| Motor | 1 kW AC servo motor, 3,000 rpm rated, IP65, on a separate servo drive (48 V DC in, three-phase AC out) with Safe Torque Off |
| Encoder | Multi-turn absolute |
| Gear Reducer | 40:1 hypoid bevel (approx. 90% efficiency) + 1.2:1 ANSI 60 chain stage = 48:1 overall |
| Drum | 316L stainless, approx. 215 mm grooved diameter, 270 mm flanges, helically grooved |
| Wire Rope | 6 mm, single layer |
| Braking Systems | 3 brake systems (band brake, centrifugal governor, regenerative braking) plus manual release lever and Safe Torque Off |
| Monitoring | Real-time telemetry, load and speed logging, anomaly alerts |
| Roadmap | Solar and wind charging (in development) |
Hardware
System Architecture
Engineered for reliable mounting and precise drive control in marine environments.
Mounting System
The TIDYNE mounting bracket clamps securely to booms, jib arms, king posts, and pad eyes — no permanent hull or structural modification required.
Drive System
1 kW AC servo motor on a separate servo drive, turning a 40:1 hypoid bevel reducer (approx. 90% efficiency) and a 1.2:1 ANSI 60 roller-chain stage - 48:1 overall. The drive has programmable speed and torque limits and a hardwired Safe Torque Off input. Power comes from a 51.2 V 100 Ah LiFePO4 battery in its own enclosure; ship's AC is used only for charging. The high-efficiency reducer recovers energy on descent, and because it does not self-lock, a dedicated fail-safe brake holds the load. The drive runs on 48 V DC from the battery and turns it into three-phase AC for the motor, so the unit needs no AC power from the ship while it works.
Power Options
Standard: battery-powered. A 51.2 V lithium battery in its own sealed enclosure powers the unit; the ship's supply only recharges it, so the winch works the same through a blackout. Option: hardwired 220 V. For vessels that prefer a fixed supply, the unit runs from the ship's 220 V AC with a backup battery as secondary power. Same winch, same brakes, same controls - only the power source differs.
Gear Reducer & Drum
The drive turns a helically grooved wire-rope drum: a 316L stainless steel barrel grooved at about 215 mm diameter between 270 mm flanges, with the whole drum stack in one stainless alloy. The groove is cut for 6 mm wire rope, wound in a single layer for predictable line pull and rope life.
Safety
Braking System — In Detail
Three brake systems: a fail-safe band brake that holds the load, a purely mechanical overspeed governor, and regenerative braking through the battery system.
Fail-Safe Band Brake
A band brake on the rope drum, applied mechanically whenever its release solenoid is de-energised. The solenoid releases it only to lower. When hoisting, the brake stays applied but, being directional, lets the drum turn in the lifting direction - so it never has to be released to lift. A hand lever also releases it for a controlled emergency descent.
Automatic Centrifugal Brake
A purely mechanical overspeed governor on the motor shaft with no wiring, sensors or software of any kind. It engages on overspeed and regulates the descent rate during emergency manual lowering.
Overspeed Control
Mechanical - no wiring or software
Limits descent speed during emergency manual lowering
Regenerative Braking
Part of the battery system. On every descent the servo motor acts as a generator, holding the load back at a controlled speed and returning the energy to the 51.2 V lithium battery. A braking resistor absorbs any energy the battery cannot take, so descent stays controlled even with a full battery.
Safety Mechanisms
Descent Control & Failure Response
Every failure mode is anticipated. The system responds automatically — with or without operator input.
Lowering speed is automatically controlled to a pre-set speed via intelligent torque and RPM adjustment. Smooth acceleration and deceleration ramps prevent sudden starts and stops — the person being lowered is never taken by surprise.
Normal Operation
40 ft (12.2 m) descent in approx. 14 s
At rated load, normal operation
Releasing the Down button or pressing E-Stop de-energises the brake solenoid - the brake applies immediately and holds the drum.
The servo drive limits motor speed electronically. If the drum overspeeds regardless, the centrifugal governor on the motor shaft brakes it mechanically - no sensor, wiring or software involved.
Loss of power instantly de-energizes the brake solenoid — the brake engages automatically. Manual brake release allows a controlled descent via the centrifugal brake.
If the emergency brake solenoid fails, the device can still lift — the brake freewheels in lifting mode without requiring the solenoid, and the device remains operational.
Operation
End of Travel & Homing Procedure
Intelligent position tracking ensures minimum rope turns are always maintained on the drum.
- Device starts at slow speed until homing is complete
- Operator lifts hook to within inches of the head pulley
- Press Home button (underside of control enclosure) to set position
- Normal speed enabled after homing — position tracked automatically
- E-Stop does not lose the Home position
- If power is cut with stirrup in Down position, Home position is lost
- Alternately press Up and Home buttons repeatedly to gradually lift stirrup
- Once stirrup is near the head pulley, press Home to restore position tracking
Brake Systems & Safety Devices
Three brake systems - the fail-safe band brake, the mechanical overspeed governor and regenerative braking - backed by a manual release lever and the drive's hardwired Safe Torque Off. Loss of power applies the band brake rather than freeing the drum.
Fail-Safe Band Brake
The primary holding brake: a band brake on the rope drum, applied mechanically whenever its solenoid is de-energised and released only to lower. Any loss of power or control signal applies the brake rather than freeing the drum.
Mechanical Centrifugal Brake
A purely mechanical overspeed governor on the motor shaft with no wiring, sensors or software of any kind. It engages on overspeed and regulates the descent rate during emergency manual lowering.
Regenerative Braking
Part of the battery system: on descent the motor works as a generator, holding the load at a controlled speed and charging the battery. A braking resistor takes any energy the battery cannot absorb.
External Manual Release Lever
A hand lever on the winch that must be pulled and held to lower with no power available. Releasing it for any reason re-clamps the brake - a mechanical dead-man requiring no electronics, logic or software.
Drive Safe Torque Off (STO)
A hardwired circuit that removes motor torque on E-stop, independent of firmware. STO removes driving torque only; the band brake performs the holding function.
Analytics & Anomaly Detection
Every operation is monitored in real time. The onboard system logs telemetry, detects anomalies, and surfaces alerts before issues become failures.
- Real-time load monitoring
- Speed and encoder telemetry
- Brake engagement status
- Anomaly detection with alerts
- Operational data logging & reporting
Engineered for Human Lifting
TIDYNE is engineered specifically for personnel transfer - crew evacuation, enclosed-space rescue and man-riding operations - with a fail-safe brake that holds the load without power, logic or software. The same device handles cargo and people. It is designed and researched against Lloyd's Register CLAME; class approval has not yet been sought.
Roadmap
Solar and Wind Charging (In Development)
A variant that charges its battery from solar and wind power is in development, for fully off-grid operation. Regenerative braking already returns energy to the battery on every descent.
Safety Architecture
Unified Safety Architecture
Robust hardware combined with an integrated central computing system — engineered for fail-safe operation in the harshest marine environments.
Mechanical & Operational Features
Controlled Descent & Lifting
Regulated lowering and upward mobility for personnel or equipment under varying load conditions.
Three Brake Systems
A fail-safe band brake that holds the load, a mechanical centrifugal overspeed governor and regenerative braking through the battery, plus a manual release lever and a hardwired Safe Torque Off on the drive.
Marine-Grade Edge Computing
Housed in a sealed steel enclosure with its own battery supply - logging and reporting continue through a total ship power failure.
Integrated Software & Intelligent Monitoring
Real-Time Operational Analytics
Monitors winch velocity and direction in real-time, instantly identifying operational anomalies or deviations from safety parameters.
Autonomous Activity Logging & Fleet Analytics
Every deployment is automatically logged to a secure cloud database — capturing usage patterns, environmental conditions, and motor performance for a transparent audit trail.
Predictive Maintenance Intelligence
Analyzes telemetry and historical data to provide predictive insights into mechanical wear — enabling condition-based maintenance that prevents failures and minimizes vessel downtime.
Operational Applications
TIDYNE is designed for high-stakes maritime environments requiring reliable personnel and cargo transfer.