Page 10: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 2022)

Digitalization

T e 3D Digital Process 3D digital design can save ‘dollars on the deck plate’ during construction while maintaining safety, says Patrick Ryan, SVP, Global Engineering & Technology, ABS.

By Greg Trauthwein ast year ABS, Robert Allan, Signet and USCG tal path, it has been on-point helping to bring together collaborated on a project that would be the first disparate parties to effectively lead the transformation.

commercial vessel in U.S. history to be pro- “To a large degree, it’s really about enabling our cli-

L duced using only 3D models in design and con- ents to save dollars on the deck plate during construc- struction for all structures. While the process used to tion while maintaining the class focus on safety,” said deliver this RAL-designed Advanced Rotortug (ART) Ryan. While savings vary greatly depending on the is historic, it is just the start as Ryan contends that a scale of the project and are proprietary bits of informa- purely 3D process reduces costs and time investment, tion held closely, Ryan said the savings can be substan- while streamlining interaction between all stakehold- tial. “I come from shipbuilding before my time with ers throughout the design, verification and construction ABS, and I really think about this in the lean manufac- phases, without compromising safety. turing perspective of the elimination of waste.” “ABS started focusing on this (pure digital process) “(I’ve been saying for more than a decade that) engi- in 2018 with a series of joint development R&D proj- neering drawings are a waste in the lean manufacturing ects,” said Ryan. sense because they are an inefficient communication

These early development projects were effectively method,” said Ryan. “With mobility and modern tech- building blocks in the digitalization production process, nology and the advent of computers on the deck plate, it with the ART tug representing the completed structure; makes that drawing production an antiquated process.” “purely and completely, stem-to-stern, all drawings re- “I took drafting in college and I have respect for the placed with 3D CAD from a plan review standpoint.” romance and the beauty of an engineering blueprint.

As is turns out, ABS has not simply been on the digi- But if you can communicate directly from the CAD to “I took drafting in college and I have respect for the romance and the beauty of an engineering blueprint. But if you can communicate directly from the CAD to those downstream stakeholders and eliminate the drawing from the production process, you save money in engineering.”

Patrick Ryan, Senior Vice President,

Global Engineering and Technology, ABS

Watch the interview with Patrick Ryan @ bit.ly/3HiXApB 10 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • February 2022

MR #2 (1-17).indd 10 2/4/2022 10:38:51 AM