Manufacturing Processes News

ABS is joining Mencast Marine (MMPL), the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), and the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC) on a project to manufacture and class a 3D-printed propeller.The collaborative project builds upon a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by ABS and MMPL that is focused on additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, for critical maritime components.The new initiative has an objective to 3D-print a ship propeller using Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) techniques with a goal to achieve high-quality…

On March 29, 2021, President Biden announced his ambitious plan to deploy 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind power – enough energy to power 10 million U.S. homes – by 2030. The plan would leverage authorities under the Department of Interior, Energy, and Commerce to guide “more than $12 billion per year in capital investment in projects on both U.S. coasts, create tens of thousands of good-paying, union jobs, with more than 44,000 workers employed in offshore wind by 2030 and nearly 33,000 additional jobs in communities supported by offshore wind activity.” The U.S.

Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA announced it has been awarded a contract potentially worth more than $3 billion for the detail design and construction of new TAGOS-25 class ocean surveillance ships for the U.S. Navy.The $113.9 million fixed-price incentive (firm target) and firm-fixed-price contract includes options for detail design and construction of up to seven T-AGOS 25 class ships which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract to $3.195 billion.Austal…

The Power Systems division of Rolls-Royce has been selected to supply a further four of its mtu naval generator sets for the USS Congress (FFG-63), the second ship in the U.S. Navy’s Constellation Class Guided-Missile Frigate program, previously known as the FFG(X) program. Rolls-Royce has made significant investment at its production facilities in Aiken, S.C. and Mankato, Minn. to support the program and manufacture the gensets in the US.Rolls-Royce is currently supplying mtu gensets for the lead ship in the Constellation Class program…

Fastener Fair USA is back, taking place at Music City Center in Nashville, TN from May 16-17, 2023. This year's event promises to be bigger and better than ever, with new exhibitors, industry-leading products, and a range of educational and networking opportunities.Fastener Fair USA is a unique opportunity for members of the entire fastener supply chain to connect, network, and learn about the latest trends, products, and technologies in the industry. The event features nearly 200 exhibitors showcasing a wide range of products and services…

Two load-bearing pillars of Norway’s leading maritime industry cluster in Sunmøre on the country’s west coast – offshore energy and the expedition cruise sector – took severe knocks from plunging energy prices in the 2010s followed by COVID-19. However, a recent tour of the region found the cluster in recovery mode.At the time, the cluster’s diversification strategy was to dive into the emerging expedition cruise sector: small, highly sophisticated ships designed to operate in some of the world’s most sensitive environments incorporated features including the highest ice-class…

Over the last two years a series of unexpected events has scrambled global supply chains. Coronavirus, war in Ukraine, Brexit and a container ship wedged in the Suez Canal have combined to delay deliveries of everything from bicycles to pet food.In response, a growing group of startups and established logistics firms has created a multi-billion dollar industry applying the latest technology to help businesses minimize the disruption.Interos Inc, Fero Labs, KlearNow Corp and others…

New legislation introduced in Congress aims to create a federal entity dedicated exclusively to advancing solutions to the challenges faced by the eight states of Great Lakes region.Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin together, contain a large core of the United States’ commercial and defense industrial base, as well as the largest freshwater system anywhere on Earth, but lawmakers say the Great Lakes region lacks the support present in other regions where the federal government has an array of commissions…

AVEVA and  International Maritime Industries (IMI) extended their existing long-term collaboration with a new strategic partnership, a partnership designed to advance IMI’s engineering solutions to include production and manufacturing processes for the maritime sector in the Middle East and Africa (MEA).The new a joint venture involves Saudi Aramco, Lamprell Plc, Bahri and Hyundai Heavy Industries and spans a 10-year period, to optimize digitalization across the maritime lifecycle using AVEVA Unified Engineering and AVEVA Digital Ship and Shipyard Operations.Set to be fully operational by 2023, IMI is driving an accelerated and advanced digital program to ensure it is able to commence yard operations using the most advanced technology innovations.

U.S.-based Ecochlor has launched its new EcoOne filterless ballast water management system (BWMS).“By eliminating the filter, we have taken simplicity and reliability in ballasting operations to the maximum level. Whilst, at the same time, we have maintained the original Ecochlor BWMS’ high performance and service that customers expect from us,” said VP of business development, Andrew Marshall.“Comprehensive R&D and rigorous compliance testing of EcoOne, along with a strong company philosophy focused on ‘engineering for reliability’…

Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) is expanding its management team further: in April, Carsten Treuer starts as Head of Operations and Bernd Liedtke as Head of Sales.“I am very much looking forward to working with these two shipbuilding specialists,” says Philipp Maracke, CEO of Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft, about the expansion of his team. “Our common goal is, on the one hand, to align production even more specifically with the requirements of our portfolio in the future.

Vice President and General Manager of Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, Todd Thayse, has 34 years of experience in the maritime construction and repair industry, working with clients from all over the world as well as vendors and suppliers from the Great Lakes region and beyond. He has an extensive background in manufacturing production, material procurement, strategic planning, estimating, budgeting, labor negotiations, mergers and acquisitions as well as scheduling for both the commercial and governmental shipbuilding industries. He has overseen projects that have produced U.S.

Shipbuilder Metal Shark reports it has seen increased business from law enforcement agencies, with 20 new law enforcement customers recently added and more than 35 welded aluminum law enforcement vessels either recently delivered or currently in production.Among its new builds, Metal Shark is producing five custom 23-foot Relentless center console patrol boats for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, while continuing to deliver 26-foot and 28-foot Relentless center console…

German industrial conglomerate Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TMS) plans to use 3D printers increasingly in manufacturing submarine parts. This offers decisive advantages over conventionally produced components.The corresponding quality and safety approvals have already been granted. Through acquisition of the thyssenkrupp TechCenter Additive Manufacturing (in Mülheim an der Ruhr, North Rhein-Westphalia), the required technology and expertise will now come to the Kiel Fjord. It is planned to complete the transition by June 2020.Dr. Luis Alejandro Orellano, COO of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems said: "3D printing opens up completely new potentials for us. In the design engineering, we no longer have to consider the limits of conventional manufacturing processes everywhere.

Industry in Rotterdam is working on a series of projects with which a total of 20 to 25% of the Dutch CO2 reduction target for 2030 can be achieved. Virtually all of the projects require the government to play an active role."It’s precisely because so many transition projects are taking place in a small part of the Netherlands that custom solutions are needed for this area. The energy transition is a complex issue and many of the projects are interconnected. This calls for an integrated approach from the cluster and close cooperation between government, businesses and the Port Authority. If we complete all of our ongoing projects, we will achieve three times as much CO2 reduction here as we would need to if the emissions reduction target were to be divided equally across Dutch industry…

As maritime digests a number of historical changes, Norway’s Fjellstrand shipyard wants to put aside the rule book and look at the whole process in a new way, reducing engineering costs up to 70% and production costs up to 20%.The process of designing and building a ship, even in today’s highly standardized mass manufacturing environment, remains largely a one-off, one-of-a-kind design and build. Ships are most often built to a shipowner’s or operator’s specific requirements, which are often based on fixed parameters such as speed…

A naval architect and graduate of the Webb Institute, Co-Owner/CEO Chris Allard introduced the engineering-centric approach that has fueled Metal Shark’s growth; driving innovation and transforming the company from a regional builder to a globally recognized industry leader.A member of the ownership team since 2005, Mr. Allard has overseen the expansion of Metal Shark from several employees to over 350. Under Mr. Allard’s direction, Metal Shark has successfully captured over $500…

As maritime digests a number of historical changes, Norway’s Fjellstrand shipyard wants to put aside the rule book and look at the whole process in a new way, reducing engineering costs up to 70% and production costs up to 20%.The process of designing and building a ship, even in today’s highly standardized mass manufacturing environment, remains largely a one-off, one-of-a-kind design and build. Ships are most often built to a shipowner’s or operator’s specific requirements, which are often based on fixed parameters such as speed…

Yanmar has undertaken development of underlying technologies for robotic boats and auto-docking, technologies that are expected to see service in operations in dangerous waters, maritime surveys, or smart fisheries.While development of autonomous vehicles for the road and the farm continues apace, maritime robotics technologies have yet to become established. With long established track record of R&D in various fields of robotics and IT, Yanmar has been working to meld the hardware…

Solid-State Welding Processes Being Developed for NASA Manufacturing Programs Could Significantly Reduce Workboat Fabrication CostsWhether it is for a tug boat, cargo vessel, or an offshore supply ship, much of the workboat fabrication industry is located along the Southern Coast of the U.S. But a visit to any one of the workboat facilities in that area (or any other in the country) would reveal antiquated and archaic fabrication processes used seventy years ago. The workboat manufacturing process is very expensive, labor intensive, and has not really changed since World War II.

ABS released new guidance and software to assist chemical tanker owners, operators and shipyards: the ABS Guide for Materials and Welding for Stainless Steels and ABS CHEM software.The ABS Guide for Materials and Welding for Stainless Steels provides minimum requirements for properties, manufacturing processes and fabrication techniques applicable to common types of stainless steels used in the marine and offshore industries. This new guidance is particularly relevant to construction…

One-on-one with Suzanne Beckstoffer, an accomplished engineering leader and business woman, the first woman president in SNAME’s 125 year history.As the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2018, it will celebrate another historical milestone at the start of 2019 when Suzanne M. Beckstoffer takes the helm of SNAME as president, the first woman to hold this position in the association’s history. We met recently with Beckstoffer to discuss her distinguished shipbuilding career…

Said bin Homoud Al Maawali, CEO, Oman Drydock Company (ODC) means business when he aims to triple revenue by 2021, but it’s anything but business-as-usual at ODC. A neophyte to the shipyard world, he is a veteran business man with a long resume in multiple industries, a turnaround specialist. He sees potential at ODC, but bigger picture, he sees the shipyard as a means to help Oman broaden its business and revenues outside of the traditional energy industry.As the global shipbuilding community shakes off a historic slump, new thinking is creeping into a space steeped in tradition.