Customer challenge
- Need to manage simultaneous design by teams located in different geographical locations around the world.
- Present PDM and ERP data in a single interface for production department without need to use different applications.
Damen Naval – maritime solutions partner
Hull & outfitting design and information management with Cadmatic
Dutch naval shipyard uses Cadmatic for hull and outfitting design and information management
Cadmatic solution
- Replicas of Cadmatic database are used to distribute design. On-line replicas at engineering department and subcontractors.
- Color coding in CADMATIC eShare visualizes different PDM and ERP statuses. Process is automated and updated daily without human interference.
“Concurrent engineering at different locations is a powerful option with the use of replicas of the Cadmatic Outfitting COS database." – Peter Geschiere, CAD Application Administrator
Damen Naval is the dedicated naval shipbuilding division of the Damen Shipyards Group. With a history dating back to 1875, the company is responsible for several ships used by the Royal Netherlands Navy. Cadmatic software is used by Damen Naval for 3D design including hull, piping, and outfitting design. Cadmatic is also interfaced with the Damen Naval PDM system Teamcenter for data and drawings.
Damen Naval’s range of vessels includes coastal defense ships, corvettes, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, gunboats, joint support ships, landing platform docks, offshore patrol vessels, submarines, submarine support ships, and replenishment ships.
According to Peter Geschiere, CAD Application Administrator at Damen Naval, the design of naval vessels is challenging as the vessels need to be fast, yet capable of withstanding enemy fire. The high level of automation required on the vessels adds an additional level of design complexity.
The launch of a hull section of the Royal Netherlands Navy’s combat support ship, the HNLMS Den Helder. Cadmatic was used for the basic and detail engineering of the vessel and to generate piping and steel production data for Damen Naval’s Work Preparation Department. The keel of the vessel was laid in 2021 and it is expected to be delivered in 2024.
Simultaneous design by teams all over the world
Peter indicates that Damen Naval vessels are designed simultaneously by teams that are located all over the world.
“Concurrent engineering at different locations is a powerful option with the use of replicas of the Cadmatic Outfitting COS database. We have on-line replicas in our engineering department in Romania and at our subcontractors and yards all over the world,” says Peter.
He adds that a key benefit of Cadmatic is that the software is developed specifically for shipbuilding.
“The containment management of 3D-volumes is dedicated to managing the shipbuilding process, which is done in sections, batches, and spaces,” says Peter.
A sample containment view in CADMATIC Outfitting of another project: the Antarctic Supply Research Vessel “Nuyina”.
Cadmatic information management tools in active use
Damen Naval also actively use Cadmatic’s information management tools eShare and eGo.
According to Denis Lintvelt, another CAD Application Administrator at Damen Naval, eShare is used mainly by their production department.
“With eShare, all PDM and ERP data can be presented in one interface without the need to open other applications. Drawings are presented in a tree and linked directly from the eShare model to the relevant PDF files. We also use color coding in eShare to present different statuses,” Denis explains.
Color coding is used, for example, to visualize equipment that needs to be placed, is in a compartment, is mounted, and has been finalized. Similarly piping statues such as in job preparation, at the pipe shop, and being mounted can be visualized.
Denis adds that they also visualize statuses for commissioning to indicate which supplier is doing installation work and which parts have electrical interfaces.
"The whole process is automated and updated daily without human interference,” says Denis.
CADMATIC eGo is used at Damen Naval building sites where foremen use tablets to access the information they need. The foremen compare the ship model with the actual build of the vessel and make edits and comments as necessary. Once they return to the office, the tablets are returned to their docking stations and the data is synced from eGo to update the 3D models.
In addition to strong technical features, Peter says that personal contacts are important with software vendors and that through good cooperation they have developed powerful additional tooling with the help of a Cadmatic programmer with shipbuilding knowledge.
Read more about Cadmatic solutions
Read more about Cadmatic ship design solutions.
