Integrated Virtual Assembly Environment and its application in ship piping layout

Abstract

Complex pipe layout plays an important role in ship building. Pipes prefabricating and assembling often depends on testing and rebuilding in outfitting. This leads to more workload, high cost and longer manufacturing cycles. In this paper, a new virtual assembly system called Integrated Virtual Assembly Environment (IVAE) is introduced, in which the ship outfitting can be simulated and process planning can be completed. With the help of assembly constraints management, collision detection and response, assembly sequence and paths planning, users can assemble the parts interactively in a virtual outfitting environment, just as in an actual cabin. As well as for virtual ship outfitting, IVAE can also be used in general product development. As a typical case, the pipe layout in the engine room of a 5000 M³ hydraulic dredge from Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co., Ltd is given to test virtual ship outfitting in IVAE.

Keywords:

• Virtual reality
• Virtual assembly
• Piping layout
• Ship outfitting

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Key Technologies R&D Program of science and technology council, Shanghai, China, under the title “Research and Development of VR key technologies in UNIX and their applications.” The financial contribution is gratefully acknowledged.