Marine Propellers for Commercial Service

Although the design and manufacturing process of today’s marine propeller has changed considerably, Kahlenberg has been designing and manufacturing marine propellers and propulsion systems continuously for over 100 years. Specializing in propellers for commercial service, Kahlenberg currently offers a wide variety of fixed pitch designs made from stainless steel and nickel aluminum bronze (Nibral).

Kahlenberg “Delta” Style

One of our most successful and popular propeller designs for inland river service is the Kahlenberg “Delta” style propeller, with blade area maximized at the blade tips. Recently more popular again with variations from many manufacturers, this is a design we have been producing for more than 50 years.

With modern design and manufacturing techniques, a standard “one size fits all” propeller design of constant pitch, fixed blade area ratio, and blade section profile, is less often used to achieve best performance. Instead, custom designs using the most appropriate geometry are designed specifically for a given vessel and its operating conditions. These custom designs reduce operating costs by being more efficient, and they are far more predictable with regard to performance than they have been in the past.

Delta Style

  • 4 Blade Gawn, CF3 Stainless Steel, 74″ Diameter x 65″ Variable Pitch
  • .86 DAR, 7″ SAE Taper Bore, 2079 lbs.
  • For 134′ ABS A1 Towboats, Inland River Service, Triple Screw
  • 1280 Design HP, 287 RPM

This variable pitch design was applied for maximum bollard pull in a high horsepower open wheel push boat application where draft was limited. Additional design consideration was made for debris filled inland river conditions. Zero degrees skew or rake was required, maximizing backing power.

H Style

  • 5 Blade Gawn, CF3 Stainless Steel, 72″ Diameter x 58″ Pitch
  • .80 DAR, 7″ SAE Taper Bore, 1701 lbs.
  • For a 72′ Towboat, Inland River Service, Twin Screw
  • 1000 Design HP, 291 RPM

More of a standard design constant pitch propeller for a high horsepower twin screw towboat, the 5 blade design was chosen vs. 4 blades to maximize thrust within a given diameter limit, but minimize potential for vibration on this particular hull.

Kaplan Style

  • 4 Blade Series B, CF3 Stainless Steel, 86″ Diameter x 76″ Pitch
  • .70 DAR, 8″ SAE Taper Bore, 1996 lbs.
  • For a 195′ ABS A1 Construction/Dive Support Vessel, Twin Screw
  • 1150 Design HP, 242 RPM

This constant pitch B Series design was applied for maximum hull speed. Anti-singing trailing edges are included as in most propellers manufactured by Kahlenberg.

Skewed Kaplan Style

  • 5 Blade, CF3 Stainless Steel, 57″ Diameter x 79.5″ Pitch
  • .90 DAR, 6.5″ SAE Taper Bore, 1093 lbs.
  • For a 100′ Towboat, Inland River Service, Twin Screw
  • 1520 Design HP, 400 RPM

This design includes variable pitch, forward rake, and skew, and was applied for maximum thrust in a high horsepower nozzle push boat application in shallow water. With the extreme limitation placed on diameter, this is a highly modified Kaplan design where pitch is high, tapers off at tips to prevent cavitation, with high skew for smooth operation.

Manufacturing

Creating propellers is a precise, high-tech process. We start with original design data, which is seamlessly transferred through 3D modeling and printing software to create a perfect pattern. This eliminates the need for manual work, resulting in an accurate casting for your propeller. We offer propellers in stainless steel and nickel aluminum bronze (Nibral). Our proprietary domestic CF-3 (304L) stainless steel has been modified to resist corrosion while maintaining ductility. For a perfect fit, we precision-machine the propeller shaft bores and inspect them with calibrated gauges. Blade pitch is measured using advanced Hale MRI and Kahlenberg digital scanning technology, and a final static balancing is performed on precision rollers.

Inspection

Inspection processes are carried out at each step of the manufacturing process to the ISO 484/2 Standard in addition to ISO 9001-2015 inspection procedures established in-house. Final inspection data is also verified with digital scanning equipment prior to shipment. Kahlenberg Propellers for workboat service are held to ISO Class 1 requirements unless otherwise specified. These tighter manufacturing tolerances result in more accurately made, more efficient propellers that save fuel and enhance performance. All propellers meet or exceed ABS Rules. ABS and various other certifications are available upon request.

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