CMT launches pressure drop tester for ship engine diagnostics

CM Technologies has introduced a compact instrument for measuring pressure loss in diesel engine cylinders, aiming to standardise a diagnostic test that crews often perform with makeshift methods.

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German company CM Technologies (CMT) has released a dedicated instrument for measuring pressure loss in the cylinders of ship diesel engines, filling a gap in standardised diagnostic tools, the company announced on 27 July 2026.

The device, called Pressure Drop Test Instrument (PDTI), is designed to check how much pressure a cylinder holds during the compression stroke. CMT says the tool can reveal problems such as worn piston rings, cylinder liner wear, or leaking air inlet and exhaust valves.

According to CMT, the PDTI works by feeding pressurised air into the combustion chamber via the engine indicator valve and then recording how quickly the pressure falls over a set time interval. Acceptable pressure loss depends on the engine type, the company notes, but comparing the decay rates across cylinders can highlight abnormal behaviour.

David Fuhlbrügge, Managing Director of CMT, said in a statement: "Any loss of cylinder pressure also represents a loss of energy that would otherwise act on the piston during combustion. As a result, an engine will require more fuel to compensate for the reduced pressure and maintain the required power output."

Fuhlbrügge also commented on the lack of standardised tools: "Checking whether a cylinder is losing pressure should be a standard test, but there are relatively few dedicated instruments available. Some crews have developed their own rudimentary tests, which may work, but do not provide a uniform solution across a fleet. Customers approached us because they wanted a simple, standardised instrument capable of more consistent results."

He added: "Pressure leakage is easy to overlook, but it can be an early indication that the engine is beginning to deteriorate. A simple comparison of pressure decay between cylinders will help saving fuel and give engineers useful information before it becomes a costly problem."

CMT manufactures the PDTI using additive manufacturing: the instrument is built layer by layer from stainless-steel powder through a 3D-printing process.