Shipbuilding: Is there a different future for ship repair and conversion?
There is an old adage that states that a repair yard can economically build new ships, but a new construction yard should never touch ship repair jobs. In my experience there is a lot of truth to that statement, and it does not mean that new construction yards are run by less capable people; it simply means that ship construction and ship repair and conversion are fundamentally different business models. Ship construction uses a script, while ship repair and conversion is improvisation.
Tech File: Naval Postgraduate School Adds Xerox ElemX 3D Printer
The Navy is a step closer to achieving the vision of being able to fabricate parts on demand. Xerox and the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) have announced a strategic research collaboration to advance 3D printing and additive manufacturing.As part of a Collaborative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between NPS and Xerox, a Xerox ElemX Liquid Metal Printer has been installed at the school’s Large Experiment Annex on campus.
Ship Repair Tech: Ship Repair Goes Digital
Earlier this year Newport Shipping unveiled what it is calls a “first of kind, innovative online portal” that was designed to ease the complexities of ship repair and retrofit works by leveraging the power of digitalization.As presented the NMS platform enables shipowners and fleet operators to obtain instant quotes for routine maintenance works, have real-time visibility of shipyard availability and get priority access to dry dock slots, all at the click of a mouse.
