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Continuous innovation fuels journey to radar level leadership

It all started in the 1970s . At the time , crude oil tankers traversing the seven seas — typically with 16 tanks per vessel — needed a way to know how much oil was in the tanks and if there was a risk of spillage , especially during filling in the harbor or travel through storms . A few high-profile accidents — most notable , the tanker SS Torrey Canyon that broke into two pieces off the coast of Cornwall in the United Kingdom , creating a massive , deadly spill — brought the issue to the forefront . It was then that shipping companies sought to speed up the research and technology development to provide accurate level measurement in their tankers .
In 1973 a Norwegian shipowner approached what was then Saab , eventually acquired by Emerson , to determine if the high-tech defense technology developer could figure out a way to measure the level of oil in their tankers without the mechanical methods that were already in use . In short , the shipowner wanted a noncontacting , high-tech , and accurate method .
It was a serendipitous request given that the company was already working with radar technology as an altitude meter for jet fighters and missiles . Engineers at the company , led by Kurt Isaksson , who brought the business savvy , and Olov Edvardsson , who brought the technology expertise , set forth on tailoring their radar technology for use on fluid level measurement in oil tankers and a new era of level measurement innovations was born . In the process , the two men became the founders of what is now Emerson ’ s radar level measurement business .
Thomas Ortenberg is vice president and general manager of Emerson ’ s global level business and has workedwith the company ’ s tank radar level technology since it was part of Saab . In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the company ’ s Rosemount radar level technology , Ortenberg talked with Control Editor-in-Chief Len Vermillion about the history and development of radar technology for tank level measurement .
Q . On this 50th anniversary of Emerson ’ s level measurement business can you reflect on what a storied history it has been and what this milestone means for the company ? A . It ’ s been a fantastic journey driven by customer needs . As I reflect on the technology ’ s 50-year history , it ’ s impressive to see how capabilities have evolved over the last five decades and analyze what were the driving forces behind such evolutions . Customer needs have always been the driving force behind our innovation , and considering that some of our employees have been around for almost the entire journey it ’ s really a monumental milestone for the company .
Q . How did your founders , Isaksson and Edvardsson , approach the beginning of the radar evolution in level measurement ? A . It was like Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak , where a commercial mind and a technical mind came together and built a team around them . The first system was designed and built in less than a year , quite a major achievement considering the high requirements on electrical safety in the explosive environment onboard oil tankers . The system was the first ever to have no moving parts , no contact with the product , no maintenance , and was fool-proof . The first trial installation was on the Swedish built tanker Sea Scout in 1973 and followed the tanker ’ s operation during both its first loading in Kuwait and the first unloading in Milford Haven in Wales . That was 50 years ago and that ’ s how it all started . It just took a few years until the company became the global market leader for level measurement systems for crude oil carriers and other tanker types .
Q . It was a quick evolution from mechanical sensors to radar . How did the industrial needs change over time ? A . That technology transition went really fast , we ’ re talking about a time span of only half a dozen years . After that , the interest in this new technology quickly grew even further as all these vessels went into harbor at the end of every trip to load or offload their cargo into terminal tanks in refineries or depot tanks into which they pumped
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