As the shipping and shipbuilding industry makes great strides in digitalization, there are more opportunities for classification to streamline and accelerate its approval processes where the use of 3D models instead of drawings has become a reality.

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As the shipping and shipbuilding industry makes great strides in digitalization, there are more opportunities for classification to streamline and accelerate its approval processes where the use of 3D models instead of drawings has become a reality. To date, plan approvals for newbuild projects have been based on conventional 2D drawings. Since most designers use 3D modelling software, however, the obvious next step is to extract the information needed for design approvals directly from these models and perform the entire review process digitally instead of manually. As the maritime industry continues to embrace digitalization, both classification and digital twins are expected to become more commonplace within the industry. 

The Open Class 3D Model Exchange (OCX) format

Developing an open-standard exchange format to ensure interoperability across all the different CAD software applications and allow class to review models generated by many different CAD tools was a key activity of the JIP. The result is the Open Class 3D Exchange or OCX standard. Developing an open-standard exchange format to ensure interoperability across all the different CAD software applications and allow class to review models generated by many different CAD tools was a key activity of the JIP. The result is the Open Class 3D Exchange or OCX standard. 

The DNV 3D approval platform

Developing an open-standard exchange format to ensure interoperability across all the different CAD software applications and allow class to review models generated by many different CAD tools was a key activity of the JIP. The result is the Open Class 3D Exchange or OCX standard. 

Model-based approval - a design-centric work process

Benefits include:

• Allowing Designers and Class to engage in a fully digital work process
• Enable early involvement of Class in the design process
• Saving customer’s time by reducing the need for 2D class drawings/documents
• Re-use CAD models for prescriptive and FE calculations

    

The DNV Nauticus Hull project

DNV and NAPA are developing a new 3D OCX integration between NAPA Designer and Nauticus Hull, which allows the designer to verify their design directly in NAPA. “As a software vendor of tools for the early ship design phases, NAPA sees great potential in the current and future development of OCX. Instead of having individual interfaces between different software packages, the OCX concept opens up new possibilities to utilize best-of-breed tools, which will boost the digital transformation of the shipbuilding and ship design industries from classical drawing-based design towards seamless information exchange using a 3D model. NAPA offers full support for import and export of OCX data and is looking forward to its expansion becoming the world-wide standard,” says Mikko Forss, EVP, Design Solutions.      

3D approval – the birth of the "Digital Twin"

The digital twin is a virtual representation of an asset, used from early design through building and operation, maintained and easily accessible thorughout its lifecycle.