Step into a smart shipyard today, and you’ll see a high-tech transformation in action. Robotic welders fuse steel panels with pinpoint accuracy. Overhead, automated cranes glide effortlessly, delivering materials exactly where they’re needed. Engineers track progress on digital dashboards instead of deciphering paper blueprints, while automated guided vehicles transport heavy components across the yard with seamless coordination. Every component, from raw steel to finished sections, is monitored by sensors feeding data into a central system, keeping operations running smoothly. This is the new era of shipbuilding driven by robotics and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). It’s smarter, faster, and more efficient and sustainable than ever before, offering greater predictability, better time and financial reliability, and enhanced accuracy.
What are the primary challenges in implementing IoT and robotics in shipbuilding?
Today, one of the biggest hurdles shipbuilders face is dealing with a major shortage of skilled workers, especially experienced welders. Robotic welding systems help fill the gap, taking on tasks that used to require hundreds of welders. However, making sure they deliver consistent, high-quality output, especially for complex welding jobs, requires careful calibration and oversight.
Another major challenge is getting all these high-tech systems to work together. Shipyards rely on machinery from different manufacturers and making them communicate smoothly isn’t always easy. That’s where IIoT comes in, helping machines share data and keep operations running efficiently. But without standardization, synchronizing everything can be a headache. Integrated technology platforms and industry-wide protocols will help to make it easier to connect everything seamlessly.
How do IoT-enabled devices synchronize multiple shipbuilding brands or systems?
Imagine trying to get a team of people who speak different languages to work on the same project. That’s basically what happens in shipyards, which use a wide range of machinery from different manufacturers, each with its own control system. IIoT-enabled devices rely on programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and standardized industrial protocols so that all these different machines – robotic welders, CNC machines, and automated cranes – can operate together. Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform then integrates all this PLC and IoT data within a centralized digital ecosystem so that shipyards can carry out real-time monitoring, short-term production planning sowftare and predictive maintenance. This approach bridges the gap between different brands and systems, supporting the creation of digital twins of workshops and shipyards.
What are the advantages of automating shipyards compared to traditional methods?
Traditional shipbuilding, while effective, has its limitations, particularly in preserving specialized human expertise. Manual blueprints and labor-intensive processes increase the risk of inconsistencies, delays, and costly rework. Digital twins, combined with robotics and automated processes, help to eliminate much of this guesswork. They enhance quality and consistency, leading to fewer defects and lower costs.
The shipyard digital twin also allows for real-time weld quality detection. Weld parameters are monitored in real time and AI-enabled cameras automate weld inspections to detect defects. Shipyards that embrace smart manufacturing already see the benefits: they produce and assemble larger, more complex sections faster and with greater precision, drastically reducing assembly time in drydocks. Since drydock cycle times are the biggest bottleneck in shipyard capacity, automation significantly boosts production efficiency. The result is a more streamlined operation with predictable timelines, reduced waste, and greater flexibility to scale production when needed.
Did you know?
Smart shipbuilding could reduce the time needed for ship engineering by 30% and cut assembly times by up to 20%.
Source: Smart Maritime Network
How does automation impact workforce requirements in ship manufacturing?
Automation has the potential to reshape shipyard work, easing the burden of physically demanding and repetitive tasks. Emerging technologies like robotic welding systems could improve precision and reduce defects, while automated spray systems may one day handle protective coatings in hard-to-reach areas. Advanced lifting solutions, including robotic cranes and exoskeletons, are also being explored to support workers and reduce physical strain.
At the same time, automation is creating demand for new roles. Shipyard workers are now needed for programming, monitoring, and maintaining these smart machines to make sure they operate efficiently. Upskilling programs and training will be critical for helping workers transition into these more technical, higher-skilled positions.
Smart shipyards are already proving how effective this shift can be. Fully automated production lines now run 24/7, producing pre-outfitted sections at twice the previous rate with roughly the same workforce. Instead of spending hours on repetitive labor, workers focus on assembling complex structures and outfitted components, boosting efficiency and precision across the board.
Benefits of robotic welding in shipbuilding
Welding is a crucial yet challenging aspect of shipbuilding. Robotic laser welders offer numerous benefits: they work around the clock, don’t need breaks, and produce precise welds with fewer defects. They also cut material waste and energy consumption (laser welding reduces energy use by 10%), lower labor costs and enhance worker safety by limiting exposure to hazardous environments.
Additionally, robotic welders significantly reduce deformations and shrinkage caused by heat diffusion during welding. Fewer deformations mean faster block assembly times and improved overall quality. While upfront costs are high, the long-term savings from increased productivity and reduced waste can make automation a worthwhile investment.
Did you know?
Laser welding can be up to 5 to 10 times faster than conventional arc welding methods.
Source: Gentec-EO
Dassault Systèmes and shipyard automation
Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform supports shipyards’ digital transformation journeys by connecting every stage of the production lifecycle, from design and planning to manufacturing. Using its virtual twin capabilities, shipyards can simulate and fine-tune workflows before production begins, identifying potential issues and optimizing efficiency. Instead of juggling multiple disconnected systems, shipbuilders gain a single, reliable source of truth, which improves planning and reduces risks.
A major advantage of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform is its deep integration of design and production data through a unified data model. This integration allows shipyards to automatically generate manufacturing and process bills of materials, create work instructions and integrate work orders. Eliminating time consuming drawing production supports a model-based manufacturing approach, improving data visibility, planning, budget control and productivity.
The future of robotics and AI in shipbuilding
The next phase of shipbuilding is already unfolding. Semi-autonomous robots are learning from human workers, AI-driven logistics are streamlining material handling, and predictive analytics are optimizing production like never before. With virtual twin technology combining data, models, context and simulations, shipyards gain full visibility into every stage of construction.
The days of manual estimates and labor-intensive shipbuilding are fading fast. Digitalization is reshaping the industry into one that’s smarter, safer, and more sustainable. The real revolution isn’t just in building better ships, it involves rethinking the entire way they’re brought to life.
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François Mathieu is the Marine & Offshore Business Consultant Director for ASIA. After starting his mechanical engineer career in aerospace industry, Mathieu joined IBM/Dassault Systèmes as a CATIA application engineer 32 years ago, and specialized his career on Shipbuilding after a training period in naval architecture in 2000. After a few years as a PLM consultant at Chantiers de l’Atlantique (French Shipyard) working with a team of marine experts, he took a new mission at Dassault Systèmes in 2004 to manage the development of small and medium marine market, contributing to the adoption of ‘CATIA for Marine’ V5 PLM solutions by 140 customers mainly in Europe. With the new Industry organization of Dassault Systèmes in 2012, he took a position of Marine & Offshore Industry Technical Solution Director, leading a team in charge of developing demonstrations and supporting selection process of key projects in Asia. (ie: CSSC Jiangnan Shipyard) and Europe (ie: Naval Group, Damen). With the surge of digital transformation projects in Asia he relocated to Shanghai, China in 2017, with a new mission of Marnie & Offshore Consulting and Services Director, ASIA focal point. Since 2022, he is located in South Korea to support the transformation projects at major shipyards in this country, as Marine Business Consultant Director.