JRC Alphatron AlphaPilot MFS User manual

AlphaPilot MFS
Operation Manual
www.alphatronmarine.com

2 | Introduction
Contents
I. Preface........................................................................................................................................4
Revision History...............................................................................................................................5
Glossary ..........................................................................................................................................6
Abbreviations..............................................................................................................................6
Definitions...................................................................................................................................7
II. Safety Information ....................................................................................................................11
III. Warranty...................................................................................................................................13
IV. About the manual .....................................................................................................................14
Intended readers...........................................................................................................................14
Manual overview...........................................................................................................................14
1 Introduction..............................................................................................................................15
2 AlphaPilot MFS Control Unit......................................................................................................17
3 Operating modes ......................................................................................................................21
3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................21
3.2 Standby (S) mode ..............................................................................................................22
3.3 FU (F) mode.......................................................................................................................22
3.4 Auto (A) control mode .......................................................................................................22
3.4.1 Introduction...............................................................................................................22
3.4.2 Enable Auto (A) control mode....................................................................................23
3.4.3 Steering in Auto (A) control mode..............................................................................23
3.5 Track (T) control mode ......................................................................................................25
3.5.1 Introduction...............................................................................................................25
3.5.2 Enable Track (T) control mode ...................................................................................25
3.5.3 Steering in Track (T) control mode .............................................................................25
3.6 Dodge (D) control mode ....................................................................................................26
3.6.1 Introduction...............................................................................................................26
3.6.2 Enable Dodge (D) control mode .................................................................................26
3.6.3 Steering in Dodge (D) control mode ...........................................................................26
4 Controls and functions ..............................................................................................................27
4.1 Turn on..............................................................................................................................27
4.2 Turn off .............................................................................................................................27
4.3 Enabling control ................................................................................................................27

3 | Introduction
4.4 Autotrim............................................................................................................................27
4.5 Rudder-Thruster modes.....................................................................................................28
4.6 Alert handling....................................................................................................................28
4.7 Dimming............................................................................................................................28
4.8 Remote control .................................................................................................................28
4.9 Alarm test..........................................................................................................................29
5 Menus.......................................................................................................................................30
5.1 Menu ‘Main Menu’............................................................................................................30
5.1.1 Touch screen calibration............................................................................................31
5.1.2 Display cleaning .........................................................................................................33
5.1.3 Theme .......................................................................................................................34
5.1.4 Date and time ............................................................................................................35
5.1.5 About.........................................................................................................................35
5.1.6 Alarm test..................................................................................................................36
6 Alarms, warnings, and cautions.................................................................................................37
Appendices.......................................................................................................................................40
Appendix A: Alphatron MFS Alerts ................................................................................................41
Alert display messages and BAM alert types..............................................................................41
Operational Alarms...................................................................................................................46
Diagnostic failure messages: Heading Sensors...........................................................................47
Diagnostic failure messages: Miscellaneous ..............................................................................48
Ethernet Alarms........................................................................................................................49

4 | Introduction
I. Preface
The Alphatron AlphaPilot MFS is a type approved Heading Control System (i.e. Autopilot) with self-
adjusting ‘Auto Tune’ algorithm, designed to fit vessels of any size, including high speed crafts. It is a
modern and technologically advanced digital vessel control unit that is intended to reduce the
operator’s workload, increase the vessel motion efficiency and improve operational safety.
The AlphaPilot MFS Control Unit is the main control module of the AlphaPilot MFS system. It is used
for control and monitoring of autopilot operation, setting vessel heading or rudder angle, selection of
autopilot operating modes.
•Thoroughly read this operation manual before operating the equipment.
•We recommend keeping this manual nearby the equipment to ensure ready access to it.

5 | Introduction
Revision History
Revision
No.
Date
Description
Author
1.0
02-12-2020
First issue
J. Kreeft
1.1
18-02-2021
Completeley updated Appendix A. Removed MFS
model.
J. Kreeft
1.2
19-02-2021
Additional updates on Appendix A. Minor textual
updates.
J. Kreeft

6 | Introduction
Glossary
The glossary contains a list of abbreviations and a list of definitions.
Abbreviations
Abbreviations as used in this manual are explained in the table below.
Abbreviation
Description
AUTO
Automatic (‘Heading Control mode’)
APH
Automatic Permanent Helm
CCA
Course Comparator Alarm
COG
Course over ground
DNC
Digital Nautical Charts
ECDIS
Electronic Chart Display and Information System
ENC
Electronic Navigational Charts
FU
Follow-Up
GPS
Global Positioning System
HCS
Heading Control System
HSC
High Speed Craft
HMS
Heading Monitor System
IMO
International Maritime Organization
NFU
Non-Follow-Up
OHA
Off Heading Alarm
PID
Proportional, Integral, Derivative
PS
Port Side
RAD
Radius
RFU
Rudder Feedback Unit
ROT
Rate Of Turn
SB
Starboard Side
SOG
Speed over ground
SOLAS
Safety of Life at Sea
STW
Speed through the Water
TCS
Track Control System

7 | Introduction
Definitions
The meaning of standard definitions as used in this manual are explained in the table below.
Definition
Description
Alert
Announcement of abnormal situations and conditions requiring
attention. Alerts are divided in four priorities: emergency alarms,
alarms, warnings, and cautions:
-Emergency alarm:
Highest priority of an alert. Alarms which indicate immediate danger
to human life or to the ship and its machinery exits and require
immediate action.
-Alarm:
An alarm is a high-priority alert. Condition requiring immediate
attention and action by the bridge team, to maintain the safe
navigation of the ship.
-Warning:
Condition requiring immediate attention, but no immediate action
by the bridge team. Warnings are presented for precautionary
reasons to make the bridge team aware of changed conditions which
are not immediately hazardous, but may become so if no action is
taken
-Caution:
Lowest priority of an alert. Awareness of a condition which does not
warrant an alarm or warning condition, but still requires attention
out of the ordinary consideration of the situation or of given
information.
An alert provides information about a defined state change in
connection with information about how to announce this event in a
defined way to the system and the operator.
Alerts are separated for the alert handling into three categories of
alerts:
-Category A alerts:
Alerts for which information at the task station directly assigned to
the function generating the alert is necessary, as decision support for
the evaluation of the alert-related condition.
-Category B alerts:
Alerts where no additional information for decision support is
necessary besides the information which can be presented at the
CAM-HMI.
-Category C alerts:
Alerts that cannot be acknowledged on the bridge but for which
information is required about the status and treatment of the alert,
e.g., certain alerts from the engine.
AlphaPilot MFS
Alphatron brand name for the heading control system
Assisted turn
Manoeuvre of a vessel from one straight leg to the next automatically
controlled by a pre-set radius or rate of turn but not based on the
vessel's position.

8 | Introduction
Definition
Description
Autopilot
A Heading Control System.
COG (Course Over
Ground)
COG is the actual direction of progress of a vessel, between two
points, with respect to the surface of the earth. The vessel’s heading
may differ from the COG because of wind, tide and currents.
Course
A vessel's course is the cardinal direction along which the vessel is to
be steered. It is to be distinguished from the vessel's heading, which is
the compass direction in which the craft's bow is pointed.
Cross track distance
Perpendicular distance of the vessel from the track including direction
(negative if the vessel is left of the intended track)
Cross track error
See ‘Cross track distance’
Cross-track limit
Maximum cross track distance before an alert is activated.
Curved track
Non-straight track between two straight legs.
ECDIS (Electronic Chart
Display and Information
System)
A geographic information system used for nautical navigation that
complies with IMO regulations as an alternative to paper nautical
charts.
An ECDIS displays the information from ENC or DNC and integrates
position information from position, heading and speed through water
reference systems and optionally other navigational sensors. Other
sensors which could interface with an ECDIS are radar, Navtex,
Automatic Identification Systems (AIS), and depth sounders.
Electronic Navigational
Charts
An official database created by a national hydrographic office for use
with an ECDIS.
Heading
The horizontal direction in which a vessel points or heads at any
instant, expressed in angular units from a reference direction, usually
from 000° at the reference direction clockwise through 360°.
Heading control
Control of the vessel's heading.
HCS (Heading Control
System)
A system which enables a vessel to keep a pre-set heading with
minimum operation of the vessel's steering gear, within limits related
to the vessel's manoeuvrability in conjunction with their sources of
heading information. The HCS may work together with a TCS.
A turn rate control or a turning-radius control for performing turns
may be provided.
The term HCS differentiates the automatic pilot (autopilot) from a
system designed to keep a vessel on a pre-determined track
throughout its passage, which is called TCS.
Heading Monitor System
This system monitors the actual heading sensor by an independent
second source.
Helm
A wheel or tiller by which a vessel is steered.
IEC
A non-profit, non-governmental international standards organization
that prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical,
electronic and related technologies.
Indication
Visual display of any message to the user which may be accompanied
by a low intensity acoustic signal to gain attention.
Latitude and Longitude
The units that represent the coordinates at geographic coordinate
system.
LOG
Speed data from Water Speed Log

9 | Introduction
Definition
Description
Leg
Line between two waypoints defining the track.
Main steering gear
The machinery, rudder actuators, steering gear power units, if any,
and ancillary equipment and the means of applying torque to the
rudder stock (e.g. tiller or quadrant) necessary for effecting
movement of the rudder for steering the vessel under normal service
conditions.
Magnetic compass
The Earth has a magnetic field which is approximately aligned with its
axis of rotation. A magnetic compass is a device that uses this field to
determine the cardinal directions.
Manual (steering) mode
Method of controlling steering gear manually is contrast with
automatic steering control mode (course control mode). Both Follow-
Up and Non-Follow-Up modes may be considered as manual steering
mode.
Radius of turn
Radius of a curved track
Rate-Of-Turn
The speed (or rate) at which a vessel is turning at, or can turn at,
measured in degrees per minute.
Relative bearing
The direction of a target from own vessel expressed as an angular
displacement from own vessel's heading.
Relative course
The direction of motion of a target relative to own vessel's position
expressed as an angular displacement from north. It is deduced from
several measurements of target range and bearing on own vessel's
radar.
Relative speed
The speed of a target relative to own vessel's position. It is deduced
from several measurements of target range and bearing on own
vessel's radar.
Rudder Feedback Unit
The Rudder Feedback Unit can be used in a rudder angle indicator
system and as a part of the control loop in a steering
control system.
SOLAS (Safety of Life at
Sea)
An international maritime treaty which requires signatory flag states
to ensure that vessels flagged by them comply with minimum safety
standards in construction, equipment, and operation.
Speed
The absolute value of velocity. May either be the vessel's speed
through the water, or the speed made good over the ground.
SOG (Speed over ground)
The speed of the vessel relative to the surface of the earth.
Steering gear
The equipment provided on vessels to turn the vessel.
Autopilot mode switch
An external switch on the navigational bridge provided for the
selection of manual steering and automatic steering devices.
Tiller
A device that is used to turn the rudder, which then steers the boat.
Track
Path to be followed over ground.
Track control
Control of the vessel's movement along a track, where corrections
made by the controller to compensate for wind, drift and other
influences, are based on the cross-track error and not only on the
bearing to the destination waypoint.
TCS (Track Control
System)
System designed to keep a vessel on a pre-determined track
throughout its passage.

10 | Introduction
Definition
Description
Track Control systems must be interfaced with an electronic position
fixing system. SOLAS Regulation 19, 2.8.2 requires Heading Control or
Track Control Systems to be fitted to all vessels of 10000 GT and
upward. There is no requirement to fit a Track Control system to any
class of vessel. Track Control Systems include the functional
capabilities of Heading Control systems.
Waypoint
An intermediate point or place on a route or line of travel, a stopping
point or point at which course is changed.