Siemens strengthens competitiveness of shipyards by helping them develop ships the market demands.
Siemens is supporting the maritime industry through a crucial period with software-aided product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions, which can reduce time-to-market by up to 50% due to shortened development, design and engineering times. The software also helps shipbuilders avoid costly, time-consuming errors while enhancing the productivity and flexibility necessary for working with suppliers. Siemens’ PLM technology makes it possible for all of the design, simulation and manufacturing data in a ship to remain available throughout the ship’s life. More than half of all the major shipbuilders are now using Siemens’ PLM technology in their projects, including: Hyundai Heavy Industries; Fincantieri; ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems; Lürssen Werft and the Damen Shipyards Group.
Overcapacities and competition from new suppliers, together with changes in market demand forces shipyards to improve development and design time, while reducing the costs of both the building and operating of ships. To meet these challenges, new technologies must be introduced in the shipbuilding industry. Many shipyards work together with engineering offices, associates and suppliers to develop, build and test new classes and versions of ships. One of the significant tasks is to develop all the project-specific components at low cost while still meeting marine requirements and delivering on schedule. Siemens’ PLM technology supports this process from engineering and design of the components, through the planning and manufacturing simulation.
Simulation of assembly and virtualisation of the processes involved enable the workflow to be optimised before construction of the ship actually begins in the yard. Testing and analysing alternatives at this stage can drastically reduce the rate of error and development time. At the same time, a number of fields, such as product development, ship design and quality assurance, are integrated into the production planning and control of the shipbuilding on the basis of a uniform digital platform. The central PLM database not only reflects the current state in development of a ship, but can also document every change in its design and engineering. Parties throughout the value chain can access this data according to specific authorisations and requirements. As a result, the design of the ship and the handling of the project can be substantially more dynamic. The range of Siemens’ PLM technology helps leading shipbuilders and suppliers create the ‘digital ship’ in the ‘digital shipyard’.
Siemens is expecting the use of its PLM technology to increase in the future, especially in shipbuilding. These solutions are used extensively in many other industries with complex requirements, such as the aerospace and automotive industries. The company says that 63 000 companies in 62 countries worldwide are using its PLM technology.
For more information contact Keshin Govender, Siemens Southern Africa, +27 (0)11 652 2412, keshin.govender@siemens.com, www.siemens.co.za
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