Shipbuilding 4.0 Index Approaching Supply Chain

The shipbuilding industry shows a special interest in adapting to the changes proposed by the industry 4.0. This article bets on the development of an index that indicates the current situation considering that supply chain is a key factor in any type of change, and at the same time it serves as a control tool in the implementation of improvements. The proposed indices provide a first definition of the paradigm or paradigms that best fit the supply chain in order to improve its sustainability and a second definition, regarding the key enabling technologies for Industry 4.0. The values obtained put shipbuilding on the road to industry 4.0 while suggesting categorized planning of technologies

Sustainability challenges and how Industry 4.0 technologies can address them: a case study of a shipbuilding supply chain

The shipbuilding industry is under significant economic pressure and in need of more efficient solutions to secure economically sustainable operations. It is also challenged by social issues and the need for a greener maritime industry is critical. Accordingly, the shipbuilding industry is pressured across all three dimensions of sustainability. This paper aims to identify the sustainability challenges in shipbuilding supply chains and explore how Industry 4.0 technologies can impact the sustainability of shipbuilding. This is achieved through a case study of a shipbuilding supply chain, which results in the identification of its primary sustainability challenges. Further, this work proposes a set of nine digital solutions to support sustainable operations in shipbuilding as the paper’s primary contribution. This lays the foundation for further empirical research on sustainability and digitalization in shipbuilding, while for practice the paper provides enhanced insight into how Industry 4.0 technologies can be adopted in shipbuilding supply chains.acceptedVersio

Multidimensional Approach to Implementation of Continuous Process Improvement Utilizing Small Run Analysis in a Shipyard Environment

Nationally, both public and private shipyards are experiencing a high rework rate (over 40%) in the fabrication of plug connectors used for electronic systems onboard Navy vessels. The shipyard\u27s survival depends on acquiring the elements necessary to maintain a major industry in a position of continuous improvement that produces a better product than their competitors, at less cost, in a safe manner, and on schedule. This research addresses the complex problem of how to introduce quality control methodologies within a job shop environment that assists in identifying variables that influence the rework rate of plug fabrication process over a four year period at Norfolk Naval Shipyard. The research objective of implementing continuous process improvement in a job shop environment was addressed by: developing a multidimensional approach using nontraditional statistical procedures designated Small Run Analysis, Pareto Analysis, Deming methodologies, and Concurrent Engineering. A new system to implement continuous process improvement and to measure the results of the new system for cost effectiveness and improvement of quality was developed. The research has resulted in a successful pragmatic introduction of small run analysis in a job shop environment and lower rework rate through cooperation of both internal and external influences. Additionally, this research indicates that the system developed for continuous process improvement was not only cost effective but also transferable to public and private shipyards, leading to better understanding of information using data bases, automation, and networking in a shipyard environment

Appraisal Of Mass Production Costs For Wave Energy Devices

The objective of this report is to express opinions on the order of possible costs obtainable by adopting a mass production approach to the construction of wave energy devices. From our investigations we believe the following points need to be emphasised. it is important to understand how a "cost" is derived and the relationship of the various elements within the total the designs will have to reconcile the best shape for energy absorption with less efficient but cheaper designs for production ultimately the structural cost of a device is the product of two elements: the mass in tonnes the manufacturing cost in £ per tonne The design development must aim to optimise this product to achieve the minimum cost. the eventual choice of the best device and material will need to consider all the factors in total cost. From the manufacturing point of view the key ratio which needs to be monitored is of course the cost/kw. For a device in a particular material this ratio is derived from the mass/output (tonnes/kw) and the cost/tonne (£/tonne) strategic planning will be required of both the manufacturing methods and facilities to suit the device design, again with particular attention to cost minimisation risk assessment should be included to see the effect of variances with the aim of reducing possible excesses cost reduction studies will be required during the detail design development stage and will be most successful if 'value analysis' type methods are used and emphasis placed on an iterative approach attacking the cost of all elements until a minimum figure is reached. As an example, prestressing materials make up half the material cost of the concrete Raft and are therefore a suitable target for cost reduction. This comment is relevant to all sections of the wave energy programme since the goal must be to find the minimum cost of power generation. When design and manufacturing methods can be reconciled, then significant savings in mass production costs in steel are possible. The concrete designs appear to have a reduced potential because of their size and jointing problems. We suggest that attention to manufacturing and launch out cost should be an ongoing activity once the conceptual design has been resolved. This should clarify design development programmes and by imposing disciplines prevent abort i ve development of non-productive ideas

Evolutionary Computation Automated Design of Ship Hull Forms for the Industry 4.0 Era

As the marine industry moves towards the industry 4.0 era, the role of automated smart design is becoming increasingly significant. This offers an ability to produce highly customisable design and to integrate with the product-lifecycle process such as digitalised ship production and ship operations to in an efficient process. Currently, the hull form optimisation process is performed manually using `trial-and-error' approach, which is not efficient. Focusing on automated smart design, this paper introduces a hybrid evolutionary algorithm and morphing (HEAM). It works by mapping the entire hull form (phenotype) into a chromosome (genotype), which allows global shape modification using a novel 2D morphing method. By combining this 2D morphing and Genetic Algorithm (GA), it enables optimal hull designs to be produced more rapidly with no user intervention