How Shipbuilding will be done in the future?
Industrial development is carried out by utilizing several technologies. In the Ship manufacturing sector, there will be many changes to control environmental pollution. In near future, we can see smart ships and also we can see several vessels which are really economical. We all know that Industry 4.0 has made several changes in the manufacturing sector.
Based on the commercial market requirements Shipbuilding is evolving to meet these requirements. Almost all of the industrial sector is being digitalized so in the near future we can see the Shipbuilding industry as a totally digitized manufacturing sector.
Right now Ship manufacturing is on the path of a technological revolution. Advanced materials are utilized to manufacture ships or vessels. Augmented reality and also Robotics is utilized to manufacture different kinds of ships or vessels. All these technological revolutions in the Ship manufacturing sector will be really useful to control environmental changes.
What are all the major technological changes that will happen in the Ship manufacturing sector?
Digitalization of the Ship-building industry
Several technologies would be utilized in the maritime sector to handle several problems in the marine sector. There would be economical and autonomous vessels due to the technological advancement in the maritime sector. We can make sure that while digitalizing the Shipbuilding sector we can improve the quality, reliability, efficiency, and productivity of the vessel.
1. Artificial intelligence in Shipbuilding
AI will be really useful in the maritime industry it can be utilized to carry out several tasks in this industrial sector. In the manufacturing sector, Automation plays a great role and AI can be utilized in this to carry out several operations securely. AI can also be utilized to control cargo ships there are several cargo ships all around the globe.
Cargo ships are the major means of transporting goods, so these goods must be transported properly at the required time and AI will be really useful for this. AI can be utilized to transport cargo in an efficient manner by classifying and organizing the goods which are going to be transported. There will be less terminal traffic by implementing AI in the cargo section.
2. Sensors
Sensors play an important part in the industrial revolution. Sensors can be utilized to determine the ship’s operations and thus we can ensure the safety of the vessel. We can reduce several manual tasks by utilizing sensors. Different equipment in the ship can be connected together by utilizing sensors and also we can analyze the quality of the devices with the help of sensors.
Remote monitoring is possible with the help of sensors. Maintenance can be carried out in proper time and also preventive maintenance can be done. Faults can be detected before they can happen and thereby reducing the cost of maintenance. Communication can be easily carried out because of these sensors. Ships can be controlled by fleet members on land by utilizing these sensors.
3. 3D Printing
This technology is utilized to create the virtual image of several objects. It would be really useful to develop several pieces of equipment and also it can reduce the manufacturing cost. The virtual image would be really useful to reduce manufacturing costs. The major advantage of utilizing the 3D printing feature is that we can reduce the development cost. So it can be utilized to create a virtual ship model and also this feature can be utilized to carry out maintenance.
4. Robotics in Shipbuilding
Robotics plays a major role in most industrial processes like manufacturing and also it can be utilized to do dangerous tasks. There are several dangerous tasks in Shipbuilding and one of them is welding we can utilize robots to do these works. Robots will be useful to uphold the security of the vessel, they can also inspect the vessel and can prevent faults. We can utilize robots to work in hazardous environments where human life could be in danger. Robots can do several tasks in Ship-building such as blasting, painting, lifting huge weights, and a lot more.
5. IoT in Shipbuilding
IoT is the internet of things and it is utilized to create smart homes. We can remotely control several household devices by connecting these devices to the internet. We can utilize this technology in the shipping industry too. We can control several pieces of equipment or devices in a ship remotely by utilizing this technology. All the devices in the manufacturing sector can be connected to each other via a wireless network. Communication can be easily carried out by utilizing this technology, the data from sensors and other equipment can be easily transmitted to the control system.
6. LNG fuel for Ships
Most of the technological advancement is done to reduce carbon emissions and thus pollution can be decreased. LNG fuels are eco-friendly and can be used as fuel in ships. The carbon emission from LNG machines is really low when compared to diesel engines. So in the future, we can expect a lot of LNG ship engines instead of diesel engines. Major ship manufacturing organizations are planning to create LNG machines. Another advantage of utilizing LNG in ships is that LNG is really cheaper when compared to diesel.
7. Wind and Solar Energy for ships
It would be really good if we can utilize renewable energy as the energy source for our vehicles. The shipping industry is planning to utilize renewable energy such as wind and solar energy as the energy source. This would be really helpful to reduce fuel consumption. Many ship manufacturers are doing a lot of research based on this. Turanor is a solar-powered ship and it has traveled all around the world without using any fuel. So all these show that in the future renewable energy would be utilized for ships.
8. Carbon Nanotubes for Shipbuilding
Carbon nanotubes are utilized to create Buckypaper, basically, it is a thin sheet. Conventional ship-building material was steel but now in the future, this Buckypaper would be utilized to create ships. The weight of Buckypaper is really less when compared to steel and also it is twice stronger as steel. So if a ship is constructed by utilizing Buckypaper then the weight of the ship can be easily reduced and hence less fuel would be required.
9. Augmented Reality in Shipbuilding
AR is an advanced digital technology it can create a digital environment based on the user’s environment in real-time. Augmented reality would be really useful for shipbuilding and design and it can be utilized to inspect the ship. Maintenance can be easily carried out by utilizing this feature. During the development process, this feature can be utilized, and thus we can create a digital model by utilizing this and can find out if there are any faults in it. So by utilizing this feature in shipbuilding we can save money and time.
10. Advanced propeller system in ships
The new propeller system for ships is designed by utilizing smart technology. The propulsion system would be controlled by advanced technology and due to this, the chances of human error are reduced. So the captain of the ship doesn’t have to monitor the vessel frequently. The ship engine can be controlled by utilizing the software. So the Captain and the engineers on the ship can monitor the status of the ship with the help of this software.
What are the major advantages of digitalizing the Ship-building sector?
- Data plays an important role in many industries so several important decisions can be taken based on the collected data
- Manufacturing and operational costs can be reduced by implementing advanced technology in this sector
- The emission of carbon can be controlled and thereby environmental pollution can be reduced
- Profit will be improved due to the reduction of operational costs
- Safety and security would be improved
