Over the past decade, the shipbuilding industry has experienced significant advancements in digitalization, aiming to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve production processes. Fincantieri, Europe's leading shipbuilder, is at the forefront of this digital transformation with its innovative concept of a digital twin. This virtual counterpart mirrors the physical ship in real-time, revolutionizing every phase of the ship's lifecycle, from design to decommissioning.
Fincantieri plans to integrate digital twins into its future new builds, beginning with the FCx30. The digital twin acts as a 'digital thread,' seamlessly integrating data from the ship’s daily operations into its digital model. This enables real-time performance optimization, predictive maintenance, and comprehensive scenario simulations. By combining physics-based models with data-driven insights, Fincantieri offers ship operators a unique perspective on their vessels' complexities.
Central to Fincantieri’s digital twin architecture is the Information Layer, where data from the ship is collected, stored in a Data Lake, and accessed by various software tools in the Application Layer. This setup supports a range of applications, from legacy systems to modern digital solutions, facilitating decision-making through sophisticated analysis tools.
Fincantieri's focus is on developing “Digital Twin ship services” for specific ship aspects like maneuverability and energy management. This targeted approach enhances operational efficiency, predicts maintenance needs, and improves crew training. Real-time data integration allows remote design work, reducing the need for port visits and ensuring up-to-date vessel configurations.
Despite the potential of digital twins, challenges remain in data management and integrating legacy tools. Fincantieri aims to create a comprehensive digital ship architecture to enable better collaboration across different domains. This architecture promises to transform shipbuilding, providing critical insights for current operations and future vessel designs.
Overall, Fincantieri's digital twin initiative marks a significant advancement in shipbuilding, offering a robust tool for managing ships and extracting valuable knowledge from real-world operations. This digital approach supports Fincantieri's ongoing efforts to innovate and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its shipbuilding processes.