INDUSTRY: Marine
In the marine and offshore sector, reliability and precision are essential. OEM Controls designs and manufactures joystick, throttle, and electronic control modules engineered to handle saltwater, vibration, and extreme weather, ensuring safe and responsive equipment operation.
What types of controllers are used in marine applications?
Marine systems rely on multi-axis joysticks, throttle levers, and CAN-based control modules for propulsion, steering, cranes, and deck equipment.
- Joysticks – Provides precise proportional control for thrusters, winches, and cranes.
- Throttle / Lever Controllers – Adjusts propulsion or hydraulic flow smoothly.
- Electronic Modules – Processes signals and communicate with NMEA, CANopen, or J1939 networks.
Common Use Cases:
- Propulsion and Steering Control
- Crane, Winch, and Deck Equipment Operation
- Dredging and Excavation Systems
- Towing and Tug Operations
Find the Right Control for Your Marine or Port Application
Start with your vessel, port equipment, or monitoring application. Answer a few questions about the functions, operator requirements, system integration, and environment to narrow the OEM Controls solutions that may fit.
Key features:
- Waterproof housings rated to IP67/IP68
- Corrosion-resistant materials (e.g., stainless steel and anodized aluminum)
- EMC-shielded electronics for noisy vessel environments
- Fail-safe design for redundancy and operator safety
- CE / EMC certified for marine safety
- Compatible with CANopen, NMEA, and J1939
- Programmable analog and digital outputs
- Wide temperature operation (-40 °C to +70 °C)
- Custom handles, grips, and labeling for intuitive control
Checklist for choosing the right controller:
- Required axes or functions (propulsion, crane, steering)
- Signal protocol (CANopen, NMEA, analog, PWM)
- IP / corrosion rating
- Handle ergonomics and mounting type
- Redundant sensing for safety-critical use
- Integration with existing marine systems
OEM Controls Solves Challenges in the Field
OEM Controls addresses signal drift, corrosion, and vibration failures with robust design and testing.
- Conformal coatings and sealed connectors
- Dual sensors for redundancy
- Potting and gasketed enclosures to block saltwater
- Shock-resistant construction for high-vibration decks
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are OEM marine controllers submersible?
Select models are rated IP68 for continuous immersion.
Do these work with NMEA 2000 or CANopen?
Yes, our controllers support NMEA, J1939, and CANopen standards.
Can I customize joystick grips or throttle levers?
Absolutely — we offer tailored grips, detents, and labeling.
What applications use these controllers?
Tugboats, dredgers, cranes, fishing vessels, and offshore platforms.
Real-World Application
OEM Controls partnered with Ports America to install tags on their shipping crates at a port. The crates were tracked leaving the port and stowed away at the port, letting Ports America know of their whereabouts.
- BT tags are attached to each crate.
- Gateways or readers placed at key locations (port entry, yard zones, staging areas) detect BT tag presence and signal strength.
- When a tagged crate enters or exits a geo-fenced zone, the system generates events (arrival, departure, dwell time).
- OEM DD would collect, process, and deliver this data via dashboard, API, or automated alerts.
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