Naval Engineering Best-Kept Secrets of Design
When you’re interested in the marine industry, it’s only right that you look into important changes taking place in the naval engineering field. This is a field that is continuously growing since governments and industries have so much invested in it.
The United States currently has a naval shipbuilding budget of more than $200 billion a year, making it one of the largest in the world.
To get an idea of some of the naval engineering design trends and secrets that are spreading, read on.
1. The Use of 3D Printers
Companies are starting to use 3D printers to improve their construction times and lower their overhead costs. Expect this trend to continue with naval engineering.
Builders can craft the most important parts and components from scratch, allowing engineers to put together plans to build large, sophisticated ships to spec.
When using 3D printers, you’ll need to make sure that the components are crafted with the best material. This means understanding things like the different grades of stainless steel.
2. Building With Robotics
Just like with 3D printers, expect companies to begin using robotics to speed up their building process.
It gives you access to around the clock labor without having to pay several employees overtime. What’s more, the safety risk is minimal when you have fewer humans actively working on a project.
As robotics technology becomes more precise and accurate, the most powerful shipbuilding companies in the world are forecast to keep adopting this practice.
3. Eco-Friendly Naval Engineering
Right now, ships account for 3 percent of all carbon emissions on the planet. As such, companies in the shipbuilding industry are looking for ways to reduce emissions.
Governments, in particular, are looking to push toward renewable energy, and are rewarding contractors that begin making the shift. They often will get tax breaks or other certifications that make it worth their effort.
Some of the most common eco-friendly changes you can expect to see include turbine powered electricity and liquefied natural gas. Changing to these sources of fuel will dramatically reduce marine industry emissions and can also save on expenses at the same time.
4. Improved Defense Against Cyber Threats
Cyberthreats are damaging across the board, and hackers are becoming more sophisticated and effective with their breaches. Since the defense industry accounts for the majority of money spent on shipbuilding, it’s only right to expect them to keep shoring up cybersecurity on marine vessels.
These vessels have access to sensitive government communications and even nuclear codes, so a breach could be costly and dangerous. To stay ahead of the curve, a lot of money and time will be spent learning to defend against these attacks.
Stay Up to Date on Naval Engineering Trends
Naval engineering trends are on the rise, and you can only expect them to continue as the years go by. The tips in this article will help you learn more about the design points that will last.
To learn more about what we do in the shipbuilding industry, give us a call at (484)731-4010, or reach out for an online quote.