NX for Shipbuilding 2024: Integrated Marine Design & Digital Shipbuilding Platform

NX for Shipbuilding 2024 is Siemens Digital Industries Software’s comprehensive CAD/CAE/CAM solution tailored specifically for the marine industry, integrated within the broader Siemens Xcelerator platform. Unlike general-purpose CAD, NX Shipbuilding provides specialized toolsets for hull form design, structural modeling, general arrangement, production integration, and lifecycle management.

The platform combines NX design software, Teamcenter for PLM (Product Lifecycle Management), Simcenter for simulation and optimization, and Tecnomatix for process and shipyard simulation . This integrated environment enables shipyards to implement Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and achieve Shipyard 5.0 digital transformation

???? Primary Users

This comprehensive digital shipbuilding platform is designed for:

Naval Architects & Marine Engineers performing complete vessel design from concept to production
Shipyards & Marine Construction Firms managing complex, multi-discipline newbuilding projects
Defense & Naval Shipbuilders constructing warships, submarines, and specialized vessels
Offshore & Energy Sector Contractors designing drilling rigs, FPSOs, and offshore platforms
Ship Repair & Conversion Yards executing modification projects with 3D scanning integration

⚡ Key Features & Capabilities

????️ Hull Form Design & Surface Modeling

NX Ship Design General Arrangement:

Dedicated application providing specialized functionality for naval architects to quickly create design proposals in 3D
Single source of information for all concept design activities
Accurate 3D product model generation with associated attributes
Automatic associative 2D drawing updates from 3D models

Surface & Hull Modeling:

Advanced NURBS-based hull surface creation and fairing
Developable surface generation for shell plating
Surface-to-surface intersection with trimming
Curvature displays for curves and surfaces

???? Structural Design (NX Ship Structure)

Frame & Stiffener Modeling:

Automated frame generation for complex hull structures
Stiffener placement and cutout management
Parametric structural modeling with design rules

Production Output:

Shell Expansion – Generate developed plating for hull construction
Markings and Numbering – Automated production markings
Frame Lists and Bending Forms – Output for frame production
CNC Cutting Data – Direct NC file generation for plate cutting

???? General Arrangement (NX Ship Structure GA)

The General Arrangement application provides dedicated functionality for naval architects :

Create 3D concept models for client presentations and contract design
Extract marketing material and 2D associative drawings
Collaborative design possibilities across teams
Improved design communication and visualization

???? Hydrostatics & Stability

While NX integrates with specialized hydrostatic tools, the platform supports:

Integration with established hydrostatic calculation software
Data exchange for stability documentation
Model-Based Design Approval workflows with classification societies

???? Digital Twin & Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)

Single Source of Truth:

NX serves as the central authoring tool within Teamcenter PLM
Integration of key drawing information directly into 3D models
Seamless connection between design and production data

Model-Based Design Approval:

BV (Bureau Veritas) and HD Hyundai Samho JDP for 3D model-based approval
Direct sharing of neutral format models for classification society interpretation
Accelerated design approval process
Foundation for digital transformation of classification

???? Production Integration

NX Ship Design Production Output:

Automatic generation of production data for outsourcing and fabrication
Shell expansion, markings, frame lists, and frame bending forms
Eliminates manual craftsmanship and compensates for declining nautical expertise

Integration with Tecnomatix:

Process and shipyard simulation
Production workflow optimization
Digital twin of manufacturing processes

⚡ Simulation & Analysis (Simcenter)

System and vessel simulation and optimization
Hydrodynamic analysis integration
Structural FEA via NX NASTRAN integration
Performance prediction and validation

???? Third-Party Integration

CADMATIC for Piping:

Companies like Kooiman use NX for hull design and CADMATIC (Nupas-Cadmatic) for piping, with integration workflows
Goal to achieve fully integrated design eliminating model transfers

Point Cloud Integration: