Modularisation– Establishing New Ship Building Mindsets, Changing The Way Ships Are Ordered

In the CABLE CAR task 14 task companions interact to create a zero-emission quickly going traveler vessel with sophisticated modular manufacturing. “Trying to change the industry’s perception of modular and more standardized vessels has been the biggest challenge,” claim modular specialists Tobias Seidenberg and also Christoph Jürgenhake of the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechatronic Systems Design IEM.

In enhancement to establishing and also constructing a zero-emission demonstrator quickly ferryboat, the CABLE CAR task intends to create never-before seen modular style and also manufacturing techniques for such vessels. The task is innovative both in regards to no discharge innovation and also production techniques, and also will certainly add to making electric-powered high-speed vessels affordable in regards to both expense and also the setting.

From automobiles to ships

“Today ships are most often designed as a one-off, even though many of them are built according to almost exactly the same specifications. We are examining the opportunities for creating modules that can be reused across application cases. By combining advanced modular production principles with ship design and construction methods, the TrAM project will develop a more efficient modular system integration than the currently favoured function orientated modularity systems,” states M.Eng Tobias Seidenberg of task companion Fraunhofer IEM.

Image Credits: maritimecleantech.no

The German institute has actually dealt with modular designs for automobiles for significant clients such as the Volkswagen Group, and also leads CABLE CAR’s deal with adjusting modularity designs from the auto and also aeronautics sector to the requirements of the maritime sector. The suggested modular principle will certainly be verified and also improved with one physical demonstrator and also 2 replicators. The demonstrator will certainly be a zero-emissions traveler ferryboat that will certainly service a multi-stop traveler course right into the Norwegian city of Stavanger from January 2022. The replicators will certainly be created for the rivers and also networks in London and also Belgium.

Beyond Lego

“In essence, the project is about how to build the same ship for different purposes – creating one ship family for three different routes. Our goal is to develop a modularisation methodology that allows all three vessels to have the same systems and interfaces inside the hull and the same rough structures – maybe with a partly different hull shape for each vessel,” clarifiesDr Ing. Christoph Jürgenhake at Fraunhofer IEM. He brings a number of years’ experience with modularisation from Airbus to the CABLE CAR task.

Image Credits: maritimecleantech.no

Modularisation is frequently discussed as utilizing the “Lego principle” in style and also building. But Fraunhofer’s feature very first technique is noteably various from that of the conventional mechanical developer.

“While a mechanical designer normally has a geometrical point of view and starts with the shape, we start with a functional point of view – asking where we can imbed which functions. Then we try to identify which functions belong together, before deriving some sort of shape from that,” Jürgenhake describes.

It’s what’s inside that matters

Initially, both coworkers were worried that the task would just result in really abstract modularisation designs, like basic style and also manufacturing standards. But throughout the very first year and also a fifty percent of their study, concepts for particular CABLE CAR components have actually arised.

“Together with colleagues from the Strathclyde University in Scotland we are thinking about modularising different sections of the hull, allowing the hull to be more easily adapted to each use case. But the essence of the TrAM modularisation effort is to have the complete inside and the interfaces of the vessel in easily adaptable modules,” Jürgenhake states.

One proposition consists of a modular bridge plan. “It became obvious to us that there’s no reason to build a different bridge for each of the three TrAM vessels. We are currently thinking of a bridge module that can be equipped completely by the supplier and adapted to each use case. This is a huge benefit for the shipbuilder, allowing plug and play during construction of the next vessels in the family.”

Modular power supply

They likewise have concepts for a modular power component in which all the batteries and also power electronic devices are saved on the top degree of the vessel as opposed to inside the hull.

“This is an advantage for the future. We know that battery technology will develop rapidly in the coming years, and to have the power module as an easily accessible unit on top of the vessel will benefit future retrofitting, allowing easier battery replacement or integration of new power sources like fuel cells,” Seidenberg states.

Interior components like lunchrooms are likewise being considered. “For example, in London, buying snacks and beverages on board constitutes a substantial part of the customer experience. We would like to see a modularised cafeteria on the TrAM vessels. If there is enough space, this can be a manned cafeteria, but the module could also consist of self-service vending machines. Regardless of size, the key is to have all the interfaces for cafeteria services planned into your hull, including freshwater supply, energy supply, and more.” This attribute will certainly likewise pay for future proprietors enhanced adaptability to customize the lunchroom location, Seidenberg describes.

Establishing a brand-new state of mind

Jürgenhake and also Seidenberg are clear on the greatest difficulty in the task until now. “In general, the main challenge has been to convince the transportation and maritime industries that modularisation is a good approach in ship design, to open their eyes to a new mindset,” states Jürgenhake.

Both he and also Seidenberg think modularisation can and also must transform the method ships are bought. “There is a dominant belief that complete optimisation is the only way to design a ship. This is a result of today’s extremely specified tender processes, which lead to one-off ships due to all the requirements vessel owners include in their tenders.” He mentions an usual instance: “Why specify a rigorous top speed if a vessel only uses that speed 10-15 percent of the time, and still keeps to its timetable?” Jürgenhake asks.

“The maritime industry also has a strong focus on initial price,” Seidenberg includes. “We believe the industry needs to look more at lifetime costs, like the aviation industry does. We are now in the process of validating estimates showing that the lifetime cost of a cheaper, more standardised modular vessel actually can be lower than an individually designed ship operating on the same route. If our numbers are correct, I believe this will be an eye-opener,” he states.

Completing the last leg

As the demonstrator vessel relocates right into the thorough style stage, Fraunhofer IEM’s job is to record all their searchings for. They anticipate to end up in September orOctober “Our scope of delivery to the project will be the methods used to modularise the vessel, accompanied by examples and suggestions. We would also like to include some sort of configurator tool, visualising the methodology for the shipbuilder through examples from the three TrAM use cases and showing what you can achieve by modularisation,” Seidenberg wraps up.

Construction of the demonstrator vessel will certainly begin in very early 2021. The totally electrical rapid ferryboat is set up to get in industrial procedure for Kolumbus in Stavanger on January 1st, 2022.