Advanced Digital Manufacturing Techniques for Complex Warships

Academic Institution: University of Strathclyde

Academic Supervisor: Dr Ian Whitfield

Industry Partner: BAE Systems Naval Ships

PhD Student: Sebastian Froehlich

Start Date: 3rd December 2018

Abstract

BAE Systems Naval Ships designs and builds complex naval ships for the Royal Navy and for export. Over the past five years’ we have been evolving a digital design for our latest product the T26 ASW Frigate, embodying a ‘Digital Twin’ approach. As we move from a maturing design to manufacture, we need to improve our digital manufacturing capabilities, to integrate with our digital design approach and facilitate a shift towards Industry 4.0 business.

This project will investigate the future use of digital techniques in a naval ships production environment and look to create an architectural framework to realise such. It will consider how best to integrate the digital design with automated production methods and how to link the production engineer with the design engineer to promote a two way dialogue to maximise a right first time approach.

This will be developed as part of the strategic partnership between the University of Strathclyde and BAE Systems Naval Ships. This has the goal of modernising the Scottish maritime engineering capability to win and grow more high value manufacturing business including exporting BAE Systems’ products to the world.


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