Shipdex has introduced a version of the S1000D specification for digital data exchange applied in the aerospace and defence industries, and adapted it to the marine sector.
This specification standardises electronic dissemination of technical data to equipment makers, shipyards and shipowners. WinGD said that it was committed to making all its technical documentation available to shipbuilders and operators in a digital form, which complies with the precisely defined and internationally established standards in Shipdex.
Shipdex primary scope is to allow manufacturers and customer to create a technical documentation repository where all the data is collected and managed under quality, configuration and version control.
In addition, the Shipdex protocol allows the automatic import of technical data into the computerised maintenance management systems (CMMS) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) at shipyards and on board vessels.
“With important data, such as our operation manuals, maintenance manuals and spare parts catalogue, converted into interactive electronic technical publications (IETP), we can compile, structure and deliver the data to shipbuilders and engine end-users much more rapidly and effectively,” explained Rudolf Holtbecker, WinGD’s director operations.
WinGD has completed its first project to make data on its engines accessible in accordance with Shipdex standards. “Our recently launched X52 diesel engine is our first new engine project in which we employed Shipdex standards for all technical documentation. We will now continue to apply the philosophy to all new engines and convert existing documentation for our complete engine portfolio with an overall target of having the complete portfolio accessible by mid-2020,” Holtbecker added.
With the application of Shipdex standards, WinGD said it planned to leverage the full potential of digitisation in the design, production and operation of its low-speed engines. “Shipdex allows us to realise digitisation as an industry trend and ensures that all possibilities are considered and all synergies realised,” Holtbecker said. “The fact that almost all modern shipmanagement programmes are compatible with Shipdex means that this format will have a very positive impact.”
Beyond the automated data exchange, WinGD said that it saw great potential in training crews in accordance with the sharable content object reference model (SCORM), the standard for e-learning employed within Shipdex. Also, the maintenance planning functionality offers further benefits to customers, the company claimed.
The Shipdex standard is continuously evolving new features to meet the users’ demands. For example, an in-service field data-feedback standard is under development.
Marco Vatteroni, technical manager in the Shipdex organisation, said. “With WinGD on board, Shipdex has gained a very important designer of ships’ equipment. WinGD’s participation represents a major step towards establishing a comprehensive community of marine equipment suppliers who are all supporting the optimisation of production and asset management in the shipping sector through the potential of digital information exchange. I am very proud to co-operate with WinGD to implement their Shipdex process.”