I have been using ShipConstructor since early 2012 in the Shipbuilding/Repair/Oil and Gas industry, working with leading Naval Architects in South Africa.
During the first five years of using ShipConstructor, I realized the wide range of applications it can be used for, from refitting a crushed bulbous bow to creating production information for the mining industry.
By utilizing the automated workflows in ShipConstructor, it is possible for designers to focus on what they are good at and let the program do complex calculations and problem identification.
One of the big wins from the early use of the ShipConstructor environment is information sharing through Navisworks and the model metadata. The shipyards that adopt this strategy tend to be more productive and easier to work with, as everyone is empowered by this method of information and knowledge transfer.
Standardizing Design Office Output
In 2018, I started working with KD Marine Design (Cape Town, South Africa) and was put in charge of getting all users onto ShipConstructor and standardizing their shipbuilding output.
The biggest challenges we faced were:
- Optimizing internal design phases (Validation phase to formal design phase)
- Integrating output with shipyards, and
- Getting new users to utilize software in a uniform approach.
On shipyard integration:
We optimized a few things in this regard. The main focus was profile cutting. Normally the shipyard would read from the Assembly Drawings, Bill of Materials (BoM), and then add up and procure. We took advantage of this opportunity to utilize EnterprisePlatform, SSI’s information sharing tool, and make something simple yet effective.
Firstly, we optimized the purchasing BOM to procure materials (this was used many times to get costs on a project in the validation phase):
Secondly, on the profiles, we tried to combine information that comes from Reports and profile plots, all in one place and could be printed on A4 and be in the hands of profile cutters as they do the work:
Below you can see where on the profile cuts are applied, web or flange:
Result
This resulted in the shipyard’s:
- Pricing information being more accurate.
- Materials stocked more precisely.
- Production department spending less time on adding up profiles.
- Cutting department being agile and can filter sheet to which assembly they require.
- Saving time in cutting procedure as each profile is a line item instead of a drawing.
Conclusion
ShipConstructor is a versatile system that can be fully customized to suit Client needs. The key is to build these relationships with Clients and all collaborators. The user community is very supportive and are a great help when it comes to problem-solving. Without the client, the user does not exist, and without the user the client does not thrive.
In November 2022, I started JOLWAGE Design. I serve several Clients throughout Europe and am open to any new Clients. I look forward to building long-lasting partnerships/relationships.
About the author
Jacques Olwage, hailing from South Africa, is a Structural Design Engineer at JOLWAGE Design. With a wealth of expertise exceeding a decade, he specializes in ShipConstructor, showcasing a profound understanding of the software.