Integrated Test & Measurement (ITM) will be at the International WorkBoat Show in New Orleans, December 2–4, 2026. Tim Carlier will be at booth #2240 with our partners from Binsfeld Engineering, showing how shaft torque data becomes something vessel owners, operators and engineers can use.
The reason is simple. Most boats know how fast their shafts turn. Far fewer know how hard those shafts are working. A tachometer shows speed, not load. Torque shows what the shaft is actually delivering to the propeller, and that is the number behind how a boat performs on a tow, how its gear wears, and what its engines are really being asked to do.
From Shaft Torque to Fleet Insight
At the booth we’ll show both the measurement and what happens to the data afterward.
The measurement. The TorqueTrak 50 SPM (TT50) from Binsfeld Engineering measures torque, RPM and power on rotating shafts for long-term monitoring. Strain gages are bonded to the shaft, and a battery-powered TX50 Strain Transmitter clamps around it as a link-style collar. There is no shaft disassembly or modification. The TT50 fits shafts from 65 mm to 1 m or larger. The transmitter is rated IP66, works from -40 to 70 °C, and runs about a year on its battery, depending on settings.
The connection. The TX50 sends its data wirelessly over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) directly to ITM Connect. No separate receiver is needed.
The insight. ITM Connect, an Edge Solution by ITM, is an edge computer and web app that lives on board. “Edge” means the analysis happens on the vessel, where the data is collected, rather than in a distant data center. ITM Connect shows live torque, RPM, power, trends and FFT results on a wheelhouse display, and it can send data to shore over LTE or satcom.
A typical marine setup records continuous torque, power and RPM trends once per second (1 Hz), plus scheduled high-rate bursts for FFT analysis. An FFT (fast Fourier transform) breaks a signal down into its frequencies, so a problem that repeats with every revolution or every gear tooth stands out as a peak. Depending on configuration, the system can capture every shaft revolution. It runs unattended, with no engineer needed aboard.
On a twin-screw towboat or tug, a TT50 on each shaft gives the wheelhouse and the office the same picture of both sides of the boat.
Stop by and see a live demo of ITM Connect.
Why Torque and Shaft Power Matter
Shaft power is calculated from torque and speed (P = T × ω, where ω is shaft speed in radians per second). That gives you measured shaft horsepower instead of rated or nameplate horsepower. What that’s worth depends on your job.
- Owners and operators. See shaft power and torque trends for one vessel or a whole fleet, from shore. You can see how each boat is being worked without waiting for a call from the wheelhouse.
- Port engineers, chief engineers and crews. Get early warning of drivetrain problems such as propeller damage, misfire, gear mesh issues or bearing trouble, so they can be checked before they become expensive failures.
- Shipyards, naval architects and OEMs. Get real load data for sea trials, commissioning and troubleshooting, and a way to check propulsion performance after a repair or repower.
- Records. Measured shaft power can support EEXI power records (EEXI is the IMO’s Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index) and USCG Subchapter M record-keeping for U.S. towing vessels.
Beyond the Shaft
Torque is where it starts, not the whole product. ITM Connect is expandable with other wireless sensors across the drivetrain, including vibration, temperature, fuel flow and GPS, so shaft torque monitoring sits alongside the rest of the picture.
The same system also works away from the water: measured horsepower, connected plant. Industrial and power-generation sites use the same approach to see the horsepower their rotating equipment actually delivers.
Visit ITM at WorkBoat 2026
International WorkBoat Show
New Orleans · December 2–4, 2026
Booth #2240
Come see ITM Connect running, talk through your vessels and drivetrains with Tim, and bring your questions about your shafts.
Can’t make it to New Orleans? Talk to us about shaft torque and power monitoring for one vessel or a whole fleet.
Related solutions
Torque Monitoring
Continuous shaft torque, RPM and power monitoring with the TT50 and ITM Connect. Explore →
The Edge Platform
How ITM Connect turns sensor data into dashboards and alerts, on board and on shore. Explore →
Strain Gauging
The strain-gage measurement expertise behind shaft torque installations. Explore →
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