NYK Completes Basic Design Process Using Only 3D Drawings

On March 28, NYK received approval for 3D drawing (3D Model-Based Approval) from ClassNK of the basic design of a new multi-purpose container vessel.

This is the first time that the entire basic design process, including classification approval, using only 3D drawings, has occurred for an ocean-going vessel, according to NYK and ClassNK.

Currently, 2D drawings of the structural design of new ships are commonly shared between shipowners, shipyards, shipping companies and classification societies. Even if a shipping company or shipyard has created 3D drawings during basic design, they had to be converted to 2D drawings, which is the established standard format, when applying to classification societies for approval because 3D CAD systems differ among companies and ship types.

In addition, classification societies needed to check whether the requirements were met by using a 3D model evaluation system based on the 2D drawing data they received, making it necessary for both parties to improve efficiency. Many years of experience and a high level of expertise were required to understand the complex 2D drawings accurately, and the granularity of information-sharing among the parties involved in the design process depended on the person in charge.

As the structure of each part of the vessel can be verified directly on the 3D drawings, the design can be understood more intuitively than on the 2D drawings, enabling smooth communication among the parties involved.

In designing the new ship, NYK and ClassNK collaborated so that the 3D model data created by NYK could be checked on a proprietary system used by ClassNK, thereby eliminating the process of converting the data to 2D drawings.