Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), one of the world's leading shipbuilders, used Intergraph's Smart 3D software to design the first ship to surpass the 20,000 TEU mark.
PTI spoke to Mattias Stenberg, the software development and services company's Process, Power & Marine’s President, to learn more about the technology that was behind the construction of the shipping leviathan.
What made the MOL Triumph unique in terms of pushing the limits of using 3D technology?
“Smart 3D is used by many of the world’s leading shipbuilders, so that in itself is not unique.
“With the MOL Triumph, what was particularly outstanding was the fact that it was delivered on time and with no safety incidents, which is no mean feat given the size and complexity of the project.
“We feel that Smart 3D’s optimized design features can take at least partial responsibility for that.”
“SHI has similar success stories in the delivery of other projects using Smart 3D – in the recent past they delivered a containership three months ahead of schedule, thanks to intelligent early design with Intergraph tools.”
MOL Signs Major Towage Deal – image credit: KotugSmit
What challenges does Intergraph face when developing 3D technology for creating ships that keep getting bigger in size?
“What many people may not know is that today’s shipbuilding and offshore projects actually have more parts than a Boeing 777 or even an Airbus A380.
“So they are not only getting bigger in size, but also more complex.
“The beauty of working with a technology package such as Smart 3D is that it is absolutely scalable, and therefore the size of the project is ultimately irrelevant, as it’s easy to replicate design changes and updates across the entire project, as required.
“The challenges are more around design complexity as well as coordination and communication, since more people will work on the project itself.”
What bespoke changes were made to Smart 3D so MOL could build the series of Ultra Large Container Ships?
“We’ve found that recently, most major shipbuilders have reached maximum productivity in the design phase.
“Now they are focused on gaining a competitive edge by being more productive during production.
“So with that in mind, we co-developed two modules with SHI and applied them to the MOL Triumph: Top-down Planning & Estimation; and Assembly Planning & Simulation.
“The first is for work volume estimation and the second is for integrated production method engineering. They are now being used for all of SHI’s commercial vessels and offshore projects.”
Mattias Stenberg is the President of Intergraph PP&M (soon to be known as Hexagon PPM). The company works closely with the world’s leading owners, engineering contractors and other participants in the project value chain to deliver design and information management solutions that boost safety, quality and productivity.
Intergraph Corporation is an American software development and services company.It provides enterprise engineering and geospatially powered software to businesses, governments, and organizations around the world. Intergraph operates through three divisions: Intergraph Process, Power & Marine, Hexagon Safety & Infrastructure, and Hexagon Geospatial. The company’s headquarters is in Huntsville, Alabama, USA. In 2008, Intergraph was one of the hundred largest software companies in the world. In 2010, Intergraph was acquired by Hexagon AB.
Watch the video below if you want to find out more about Intergraph's 3D solution:
