From Proven Performance to Intelligent Control:
The Story Behind Decca's New Mark IV 

Developing a Type Approved Straight Line Wiper is about far more than redesigning components. It requires years of engineering, testing and refinement to deliver reliable bridge visibility in some of the world's toughest marine environments.

Decca develops marine visibility systems for commercial vessels, offshore vessels and workboats where clear visibility is critical to safe operations. Its new Mark IV Straight Line Wiper (SLW) represents a new generation of wiper technology, developed to meet today's Type Approval requirements while simplifying retrofit upgrades from existing Mark III installations. 

A Straight Line Wiper (SLW) moves horizontally across large bridge windows, providing consistent visibility in demanding weather conditions. While the movement appears simple, the engineering behind it combines a fundamentally redesigned mechanical system with Decca's intelligent LOKE control technology. 

Building on Proven Technology

The Mark III Straight Line Wiper had already earned the trust of customers around the world. Rather than replacing a successful product, the objective behind the Mark IV was to build on its strengths while meeting today's Type Approval requirements.

The Mark IV is not a revolution. It is a necessary evolution, developed to meet today's Type Approval requirements while simplifying upgrades from existing Mark III installations.

Engineer Christiaan Noorlander, who played a key role in the Mark IV development, explains:

"The Mark III performed well, but there was a growing demand for a Straight Line Wiper with Class Approval. The challenge was to achieve that while maintaining the proven performance of the existing system."

Although the Mark IV is fundamentally a new system, it has been designed to simplify upgrades from existing Mark III installations wherever possible. Customer feedback, together with input from Decca's commercial team, helped shape several practical improvements, particularly around retrofit installations. One important objective was to make the transition from the Mark III as straightforward as possible while developing a completely new generation of Straight Line Wiper technology.

Solving the Biggest Engineering Challenge

One of the biggest engineering challenges was developing a completely new system capable of meeting Type Approval requirements while maintaining the reliability Decca's customers expect.

Through simulations, calculations and extensive testing, the engineering team confirmed the peak forces occurring at the wiper's reversal point. This insight enabled the development of a robust construction and advanced control system that reliably withstands these demanding loads.

"Making the existing drive principle suitable to meet classification requirements while maintaining performance and reliability required significant engineering effort."

This insight led to improvements in the drive mechanism, sealing solutions and material selection, ensuring reliable performance under real-world marine operating conditions where wind, vibration, salt exposure and corrosion place continuous demands on the system.

The Intelligence Behind the Mark IV

Mechanical engineering is only part of the story behind the Mark IV.

At the heart of the new system is LOKE, Decca's next-generation intelligent control system. Together with the redesigned mechanical platform, LOKE is one of the key innovations that differentiates the Mark IV from previous generations of Straight Line Wipers.

Designed to intelligently control the complete wiping cycle, LOKE automatically manages every movement of the wiper system to deliver smoother operation, consistent performance and optimal visibility under changing weather conditions.

By reducing mechanical stress on the motor, arms and blades, LOKE helps minimise wear, extend the lifetime of the complete wiper system and improve overall reliability. At the same time, it simplifies operation by automatically managing the wiping process for the user.

Continuing Decca's tradition of naming its control systems after figures from Norse mythology, the new controller is named LOKE, reflecting intelligence, adaptability and smart decision-making.

For shipowners and operators, this means a wiper system that is easier to operate, easier to maintain and designed to deliver reliable performance throughout its lifetime.

Together, the Mark IV and LOKE represent a new generation of marine visibility technology, combining robust mechanical engineering with intelligent control.

Designed Around Real Customer Needs

Performance alone was not enough. The system also needed to be practical for the people using it every day.

Customer feedback remained an important part of the development process. Ease of maintenance, straightforward retrofit upgrades and onboard serviceability were priorities from the early design stages.

"A brilliant design that cannot be maintained at sea is worthless."

The result is a more service-friendly system that simplifies maintenance while allowing many existing Mark III customers to upgrade using the existing mounting locations wherever possible.

Years of Development. One Clear Objective.

Today, the Mark IV is undergoing the final stages of its endurance testing programme as part of the Type Approval process, including thousands of hours of testing under demanding operating conditions.

Behind those tests are years of collaboration between engineers, designers, suppliers and customers, all working towards the same objective: delivering reliable visibility when conditions are at their worst.

Engineering Confidence at Sea

The Mark IV represents far more than a new generation of Straight Line Wiper technology.

It reflects years of engineering expertise, customer collaboration, testing and continuous improvement.

While Christiaan played an important role in the development of the Mark IV, the project ultimately reflects the collective knowledge and commitment of the Decca team.

That same focus on engineering, quality and continuous improvement continues to drive Decca's development of reliable marine visibility solutions for the global maritime industry.

Because when safety depends on visibility, performance cannot be left to chance.

Mark IV at a glance: Type Approved Straight Line Wiper Intelligent LOKE control system IP67 protection Improved drive mechanism Simplified upgrades from existing Mark III installations Simplified onboard maintenance