A hull section, completed last Friday and unveiled yesterday at Henderson, WA, demonstrated a new way of doing business for advanced manufacturers, said ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems.
The ABC and others report that Civmec, which had previously not completed much defence work, teamed up with TKMS to prove its capability in building sections of a submarine pressure hull.
“…we can work within the fine tolerance that are required and we can meet all the welding skills,” Civmec chairman James Fitzgerald told the ABC.
The hull section was designed by TKMS at Kiel, Germany, digitally transmitted, and built at the Australian Marine Complex, Henderson. It used the Integrated Product Design Environment (a ‘digital shipyard’ system based on Siemens TeamCenter platform) to transfer design details across countries.
“Today’s revealing of the hull section at the Australian Marine Complex (AMC), Henderson is a perfect example of how leaders in the global shipbuilding industry are changing the way they will do business in the future,” said Dr John White, chairman of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems Australia, in a statement.
“ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems is at the forefront of integrated digital design, construction and sustainment and sees IPDE as an area of huge potential as Australian shipbuilding meets the challenges of the future.
“The spin-off impact on advanced manufacturing in Australia will be enormous.”
TKMS had met with around 500 Australian companies regarding the submarine project, which the German bid is competing with Japan and France for. All have said they are open to the prospect of building submarines in Australia. All have visited the Marine complex, with competition for work on the project stiff between WA and South Australia.
Defence minister Marise Payne is expected to visit this week.
The successful bidder for the work building the next submarine fleet is expected to be known early next year.
Source: Manufacturing Monthly