Challenge: Optimizing Shipyard Infrastructure

Worldwide shipyards are experiencing significant growth, driven by the increasing demand for naval vessels, commercial ships, container vessels and cruise liners. This growth necessitates global shipbuilders to improve build cycle time and strengthen competitiveness by reacting faster to customer needs. 

South Korea will establish an innovative manufacturing system with heightened productivity, specifically investing in building smart shipyards. Additionally, the country will increase the use of robotics to realize a digital transformation in the shipping industry.

"With the global shipbuilding industry's upturn adding a tailwind to Korea's shipbuilding industry, we expect to see great opportunities for making a rebound and new leap," says Youngjin Jang, the Vice Minister of South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE).

Additionally, in his article, retired Admiral James Foggo says, "While improving the physical infrastructure of shipyard facilities will be critical to success, it's equally essential that we take this opportunity to build the digital infrastructure required to accelerate our readiness advantage."

Large order books, ship complexity and limited shipyard infrastructure are key challenges that shipyards must resolve daily. Powered by the 3DEXPERIENCE® platform, Dassault Systèmes' digital manufacturing solutions are designed to support the optimization of shipyard infrastructure.

Optimization can be done virtually in a smart shipyard by combining the virtual twins of the shipyard and the ship. The combined virtual twins allow shipbuilders to improve assembly operations by simulating material flow and enhancing the shipyard layout. In addition, an efficient shipyard layout will support material transportation efficiency and safety. This is achieved by performing a digital simulation of material movement and transportation to identify bottlenecks from one shipyard resource to another, such as the storage and workshop.

One of the world s largest commercial shipyards leverages the Build For Sea Industry Solution Experience to reduce assembly time during the ship erection period in dry docks by more than 60%. They achieved this by preventing manual corrections in outfitting and by validating potential clashes virtually during the early stages of production in pre outfitting.