7 innovations that might change the future of the shipbuilding industry
18.02.2016
Advanced technology became the key factor for the successful development of all industries. The shipbuilding industry is no exception. Actually the sector is rapidly changing due to implementation of the latest technical innovations meant to solve essential problems such as those related to the environmental protection and the increase of fuel prices.
The serious investments in research lead to spectacular results in time, as new revolutionary technologies have been developed. Some of them are meant to radically transform the global trends in the navy industry.
3D printing
The 3D printing technology offers the possibility of creating real projects on a base of 3-dimensional simulation. The procedure involves decomposing the virtual formula in 2-dimensional “slices” and recomposing it while separately printing each 2D version in part. Up till now more variations of 3D printing have been developed, but just few of them became sustainable, respectively efficient from the commercial point of view. For the moment the method is used basically in developing scientific equipment, small structures and models for various applications.
Shortly, NSWC Carderock used the 3D technology for producing a USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) hospital ship while uploading the CAD project in the 3D printing program.
The further development of the technological process could influence the usage of it on a larger scale for producing complex geometrical elements. The idea of including the 3D printing technology for finding solutions on replacing different ship components is still under research.
Navy Robots
The current tendencies suggest the fact that robotics is the number 1 driver of efficiency in shipbuilding industry, strongly connected to the security and risk prevention related to welding operations.
Geoje Shipyard from South Korea annually producing about 30 vessels develops around 68% of the processes while using robotic systems, minimizing the risks and increasing the productivity in the same time.
The first industrial robots have been designed for replacing the classic welding form applied in the shipbuilding industry. Now there is innovation implied also in the inspection and blasting areas. On of the most interesting robots is the Spider. It investigates the entire surface of a ship and blasts it so it gets ready for coating. The Iron Man robot and Heavy Industry Solution also created mini welding robots further changing the course of the shipbuilding industry in our days.
Ballast Free Ship Design
The concept focuses on solving the issues related to the seawater pollution. The project is designed for those pipelines positioned from the bow to the stern of the ships and that are responsible for the transfer of seawater during transport. The major objective of the project is to avoid the circulation of contaminated liquid into the ecosystem. The project is still experimental and it envisages the creation of series of models with potential to reduce the waste impact on seawater.
If successful the design will be considered a revolutionary one for the shipbuilding industry.
Engines based on liquefied natural gas
The usage of liquefied natural gas is becoming more and more popular as an alternative fuel. Therefore the market for engines based on this technology appears to be increasing and having real chances to be implemented in the next couple of years.
The CO2 emissions are supposed to be 20%-25% lower than in case of diesel engines. 92% of the exhaust emissions are also supposed to be reduced.
The most important developers of this technology are Mitsubishi, Wartsila, Rolles Royce and MAN Diesel & Turbo.
Beside the fact that it’s environmental friendly, the technology uses a cheaper form of fuel these determining cost reductions on long term.
Alternative energy
The shipbuilding industry invests already important resources in research of technologies able to use the alternative sources of energy (wind and solar ones).
Turanor is a 100 m ship that traveled around the world without using any conventional form of energy therefore becoming the base for further researches in the area. There is a high potential that bigger ships will become able to travel in the future while using wind and solar sources of energy.
Series of variations on the topic have been investigated in the last period of time. One of the newest is the Energy Sail (license phase), which is developed by Eco Marine Power. Its objective is the usability of wind energy for reducing the consumption of classic fuel and gas emissions with immediate positive effect on the environment.
This technology is thought exclusively for the navy industry and is designed for the future production of oil tankers.
Buckypaper
Buckypaper is a thin foil made of carbon nanotubes (CNT). Each CNT is 50.000 times thinner than air. In comparison with the conventional material used in the shipbuilding industry (steel), buckypaper is 1/10 times easier, 500 times more resistant and maybe 2 times harder than diamond if the foils are combined for obtaining a composite material. Such a ship will need less fuel, making the energetic consumption more efficient. The material is surprisingly anticorrosive and inflammable. The actual researches focus on utilizing the technology primarily in the aeronautic industry with chances to be afterward implemented in the shipbuilding industry.
Integrated electric propulsion
The integrated electric propulsion is a process in which the gas turbine and diesel engines generate three-phase winding able to activate the electric engines. The system utilizes the electric transmission instead of the mechanical one, this having a direct impact on the environmental protection.
HMS Queen Elizabeth of Royal Navy and Zumwalt Class Destroyers of US Navy will soon incorporate this innovation.
