Archive for the ‘Shipbuilding’ Category
Saturday, July 27th, 2019
The IT landscapes in the maritime industry are characterized by the fact that special shipbuilding applications are often used for initial, basic and detail design as well as for production preparation. Although they enabled the specialist departments to carry out their work particularly efficiently, they require powerful integrations from an entrepreneurial point of view in order to be able to use the digital information throughout the process. Consistent processes and information flows are the prerequisite for building a digital ship model that can accompany the entire ship life cycle.
The development of proprietary interfaces is not only time-consuming and cost-intensive, but also complicates the exchange of existing applications or the rapid integration of new ones. Based on the proven OpenPDM technology, which is used by many companies for the integration of different enterprise systems, data migration and cross-company collaboration, PROSTEP has therefore created an extension of this integration platform specially designed for the maritime industry. An essential component of this platform are standards-based connectors that simplify both the horizontal integration between different authoring systems and their vertical integration into the enterprise systems which manage the product structures (PDM, PLM, ERP, etc.).
OpenPDM SHIP enables data exchange between special shipbuilding applications such as NAPA, AVEVA Marine, CADMATIC or ShipConstructor and mechanical CAD systems such as CATIA or NX. The latter are often used for the construction of complex interiors, e.g. for public areas in cruise ships or large yachts. When transferring information from mechanical to shipbuilding specific CAD applications and vice versa, the integration platform maps the different data models to each other. This allows companies to use the CAD tool of their choice for any task in the ship development process without losing valuable information during conversion and data exchange.
On the other hand, OpenPDM SHIP supports the creation of complex CAx process chains with arbitrary synchronization points from initial design in NAPA or NAPA Steel to basic and detail design in AVEVA Marine or CADMATIC to production preparation, for which some shipyards use the NESTIX software. The challenge with CAx integration is that the coherent ship geometry for the subsequent processes and systems must be broken down into manufacturable components and transferred with the production-relevant information. The integration platform supports this process and enables the consistent use of digital information in all phases of the ship development process.
OpenPDM SHIP also provides connectors to common PDM/PLM and ERP systems (3D Experience, ARAS Innovator, Teamcenter, SAP, Windchill, etc.) to merge CAx data from different source systems into a digital ship model and control this model through the ship life cycle. The vertical integration of the authoring systems into the data and process management environment is a prerequisite for comprehensible ship development processes and consistent management of all information generated. At the same time, the integration platform offers the possibility to link the digital ship model for Digital Twin applications with the real operating data.
OpenPDM SHIP is now available and will be continuously expanded with new integrations. In cooperation with SSI and SSI’s European sales partner NDAR (Nick Danese Advanced Research), PROSTEP is currently developing an OpenPDM SHIP connector for the SSI Enterprise platform. It is the basis for exchanging CAD models between NAPA Steel and the Autodesk-based ship development platform ShipConstructor and for importing the ShipConstructor data into common PDM/PLM systems.
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Friday, April 5th, 2019
At this year’s Schiff&Hafen Maritim 4.0 conference, PROSTEP’s shipbuilding experts outlined the challenges faced when it comes to end-to-end digitalization in the maritime supply chain and the benefits of a digital vessel twin. The choice of topic for their presentation was a good one, as the event is primarily attended by shipping experts who are interested in optimizing their working fleet.
Maritim 4.0 in Hamburg was well attended with approximately 100 representatives from shipping companies, equipment manufacturers and classification societies. The event focused less on shipbuilding than on shipping, i.e. the challenges facing ship operators. We explained to the participants the role the digital vessel twin (DVT) plays in monitoring and optimizing operation of the vessels. The term DVT refers to a digital representation of the vessel that is linked to the physical asset and enables new services such as predictive maintenance or remote inspection – something mentioned by a representative from the classification society DNVGL. Without the DVT, the vision of autonomous vessels would also never be feasible.
In our presentation, we made it clear that the end-to-end provision of digital product information over the entire lifecycle of a vessel is a key prerequisite for the digital twin. Ship operators today face the challenge of making digital product information available to their various partners throughout the vessel lifecycle in an efficient, needs-oriented and purpose-related manner. We used practical application examples to demonstrate how companies in other industries make service-relevant information available via the OpenDXM CCenter collaboration platform, thus managing the balancing act between end-to-end digitalization and know-how protection.
Another reason our presentation met with great interest among participants was the fact that we were able to point out similarities to the digitalization efforts being made in other industries. Carmakers and automotive suppliers, for example, are trying to ensure the homologation of autonomous driving functions with the help of simulation-based validation and verification processes – an approach that could also be of interest to the maritime industry. We have set important accents with the DVT topic at Maritim 4.0 and established promising contacts with potential new customers.
In the panel discussion that followed, which was headed up by Prof. Dr. Uwe von Lukas from Fraunhofer IGD in Rostock, several participants raised the question of which standards are needed to create digital vessel twins in view of the large number of IT systems used. We think that the technical problem encountered in the context of end-to-end digitalization of the DVT can be solved using a variety of standards, as demonstrated by examples from other industries. However, data continuity across company boundaries remains a challenge in light of the fact that organizational aspects and aspects such as IP protection expand the number of requirements. Lukas suggested creating a maritime data space, i.e. an open, industry-specific platform for exchanging digital data.
The question of where data acquisition and documentation for the digital twin should take place aroused some controversy during the event. While equipment manufacturers see this taking place on land or in the cloud to ensure the provision of new services, shipping companies think it should accompany the ship on board in order to support the crews during operation. They are after all faced with the challenge of having to repeatedly prepare and document emission-specific data in line with different country-specific requirements, a process that is still paper-based. For us, this was an important input which allows us to further sharpen our DVT concept.
By Lars Wagner
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Friday, February 1st, 2019
This year, PROSTEP is sponsoring the COMPIT Conference in Tullamore, Ireland, where it will give a presentation on the integration of shipbuilding design tools in the early development phase. Specifically, the new NAPA-AVEVA interface will be presented and the associated improved possibilities it offers for a continuous integration of data and processes in shipbuilding.
Companies in the marine and offshore industries are spoilt for choice when it comes to digitizing their business processes: either they opt for a Best of Suite approach, i.e. an integrated solution for ship design from a single manufacturer that may not cover all the functional requirements of the various disciplines and areas. Or they use the best solutions for the various tasks and are therefore faced with the question of how to integrate the digital tool chain in such a way that the data flows as consistently as possible.
Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages, but in most cases the shipbuilders opt for the Best of Breed approach because of their grown IT landscapes. However, it will only be successful if the cost of integrating the tool landscape is lower than the additional effort resulting from the functional limitations of a Best of Suite solution. As a specialist for CAD and PLM integration, PROSTEP will explain to COMPIT participants which requirements they should consider when integrating the tool chain from a business perspective and with a view to the IT organization.
The implementation of an interface is not enough. First of all, it must be clarified whether the data should flow in one or both directions, whether all the information required by the target system is available in the source system, whether its data models are compatible, and whether native data or only geometric representations are required. Also important are aspects such as the use of catalog part libraries, which may have to be standardized. In addition, the question arises as to how often data synchronization must take place, which data volumes must be synchronized, and whether the exchange process should be permanently monitored. Only then can you start looking for standard interfaces for importing and exporting data.
Using the new NAPA Steel / AVEVA Marine interface as an example, PROSTEP will then explain the challenges of integrating two shipbuilding-specific CAD applications in more detail. PROSTEP presented the interface concept for the first time last autumn at the NAPA User Conference in Helsinki, where it met with great interest.
NAPA Steel is mainly used in the early design phase, e.g. for the calculation of buoyancy, drag and maneuverability. However, most shipyards use AVEVA Marine software to design their vessels’ steel structures and outfitting. Although both are intent-driven systems that do not primarily generate explicit geometry but describe the way in which they are generated parametrically and via topological relationships to other elements, the data from NAPA Steel cannot be used one-to-one in AVEVA Marine. The different semantics of the two systems must be mapped to each other in such a way that topology definition, parametric breakthroughs and other features can be transferred in best quality or rebuilt in the target system.
The special feature of the import strategy developed by PROSTEP is its high error tolerance: the interface is able to transfer even non-accurately defined topology information in a lower quality, e.g. as pure geometry. The user does not have to read through long error reports to understand which data has which quality, but recognizes this by means of the different color shades. The interface is developed on behalf of NAPA and already supports the transmission of 80 percent of the components in the current development stage.
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Sunday, January 6th, 2019
PROSTEP and NAPA, the leading maritime software, services and data analysis provider, have successfully completed a joint ship design solution development project for shipbuilder MEYER TURKU. Building on this success, the two companies have signed a formal cooperation agreement to work more closely together in the development of PLM software and CAE interfaces, as well as in the field of PLM consulting.
Increasingly, shipyards function as integrators between multiple parties in the design process. They need efficient and effective software to successfully drive a project from inception to completion. To help MEYER TURKU make and implement its shipbuilding decisions more effectively, NAPA and PROSTEP have combined their respective expertise to develop an interface for the 3D modelling an design software NAPA Designer, that perfectly meshes with MEYER TURKU’s CAD.
MEYER TURKU is one of the world’s leading shipbuilders and specialises in building cruise ships, car-passenger ferries and special vessels. Their efficient design and construction requires the seamless interaction of many commercial partners and software providers. MEYER TURKU uses NAPA software as part of their design toolbox. “Together with PROSTEP, NAPA has delivered us a CAD solution which has realised substantially improved efficiency and time-savings for us during the design and production process”, comments Ari Niemelä, Hull Basic Design Manager at MEYER TURKU.
As a result of this success NAPA and PROSTEP have signed a formal cooperation agreement to work more closely together in the development of PLM software and CAE interfaces, as well as in the field of PLM consulting. By combining their capabilities in these areas, NAPA and PROSTEP will be able to increase operational efficiencies and improve customer satisfaction. Through our cooperation with NAPA, we are strengthening our market position in this important industry as an IT systems integrator and closing another important gap between NAPA and downstream detail design CAD systems in the digital thread along the ship development process.
Tapio Hulkkonen, Director, NAPA Design Solutions Development, commented, “Thanks to our cooperation agreement with PROSTEP, our customers around the world benefit from a comprehensive, market-leading PLM know-how that is bringing improvements in their ship design process. NAPA looks forward to working with PROSTEP to drive further gains and profitability.”
By Matthias Grau
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