Tekla Structures for Marine Applications

Marine Drawings

Marine drawings are detailed technical illustrations used in the marine and shipbuilding industries. They can include:

1. General Arrangement Drawings: Layouts of the ship, detailing compartments, decks, and equipment.
2. Hull Drawings: Structural designs of the ship’s hull.
3. Piping and Electrical Layouts: Schematics for plumbing and wiring systems.
4. Fabrication Drawings: Detailed blueprints for constructing specific ship components.
5. 3D Models: Rendered visuals of the ship for improved understanding and presentation.

Tekla Structures for Marine Applications

Tekla Structures is a widely used 3D modeling software for structural design, detailing, and fabrication. While primarily utilized in the construction industry, its capabilities can also be adapted for marine applications, such as:

1. Shipbuilding: Creating detailed 3D models of ship structures, including hulls, decks, and other components.
2. Offshore Structures: Designing rigs, platforms, and other offshore installations.
3. Steel Fabrication: Generating fabrication-ready shop drawings for ship parts.
4. Collision and Clearance Checks: Analyzing space constraints and ensuring design accuracy.

Tekla Structures Workflows

Tekla Structures facilitates efficient 3D modeling, detailing, and documentation for complex projects. Here’s a typical workflow.

a. Project Setup

1. Template and Settings: Establish a marine-specific template or customize one for shipbuilding and offshore structures.
2. Material Library: Add marine-specific materials (e.g., marine-grade steel) to the material database.
3. Grid and Coordinate System: Align the coordinate system with the ship’s orientation.

b. 3D Modeling

1. Structural Model Creation: Create the hull, decks, and bulkheads using parametric components for repetitive ship elements.
2. Connections: Add welds, bolted connections, or other marine-specific joinery. Use Tekla’s built-in connection tools or create custom connections.
3. Piping and Outfitting: Employ external tools (e.g., AutoCAD Plant 3D) for detailed piping and import these into Tekla.

c. Detailing and Fabrication

1. Shop Drawings: Generate NC (Numerical Control) files for cutting and welding. Produce drawings for hull sections, frames, and other elements.
2. Reports: Extract material take-offs and weight calculations for marine use.

d. Collaboration and BIM

1. Interoperability: Integrate with marine design software like AVEVA Marine or ShipConstructor using IFC or STEP files.
2. Clash Detection: Use Tekla’s clash detection tools or export models to Navisworks for comprehensive checks.

Marine Drawings Standards and Tools

When producing marine drawings, accuracy and adherence to standards are crucial:

Standards

– Follow guidelines from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and relevant class societies (e.g., ABS, DNV).

– Ensure compliance with CAD/CAM requirements for marine fabrication.

Tools

– Utilize Tekla Structures for structural components.

– Use AutoCAD or similar software for piping and electrical drawings.

Integration of Tekla Structures and Marine Drawings

To bridge the gap between Tekla Structures and marine-specific workflows:

       1. Model Exchange

– Use IFC, STEP, or DXF/DWG files to integrate Tekla models with marine-specific software.

– Example tools include AVEVA Marine, ShipConstructor, or Rhino with Orca3D.

      2. Marine-Specific Extensions

– Explore Tekla’s custom components or develop plugins for marine features like curved hull plating.

      3. Collaboration

1. BIM Workflow: Share models using Trimble Connect for real-time collaboration.
2. Fabrication Integration: Utilize CNC-ready outputs for marine fabrication yards.

      4. Automation

– Employ Tekla’s API or scripting to automate repetitive tasks in marine design, such as generating stiffener layouts or curved plate developments.

Example Use Case

Project: Offshore Platform

1. Use Tekla Structures to model the steel framework of the platform.
2. Export the framework as an IFC file for seamless integration with piping and electrical designs in AVEVA Marine.
3. Generate fabrication-ready drawings (e.g., deck plates, beams) in Tekla.
4. Conduct clash detection using Navisworks.