Articles & Blogs

Once upon a time, fabrication was done with paper and spreadsheets while the construction was waiting.

That is no longer a viable business option; now while in fabrication, several functions – such as engineering design, work preparation, material storages, logistics and management – must exchange information almost in real time.

Hence the fabrication must be data-driven, transparent and produce just-in-time.

Efficient part fabrication is the starting point of shipbuilding and offshore projects. Intergraph Smart Production Powered by NESTIX (“Smart Production” in short) enables yards to control the entire block/module production process from digital design to parts fabrication through the completion of subassemblies, pipe spools, structural panels and block/module assemblies.

Through its design system agnostic approach, it is capable of efficiently handling all the production resources. It also supports the principles of lean production: the planning process supports effective material use through up-to-date scheduling of parts, integrated efficient nesting, NC programming and remnant management.

Except managing data workflows from digital design to fabricated assemblies and spools, steel service companies need to calculate costs for quotations, combine different end-customers’ orders together to save material and resources, and pack and deliver in time before the final invoicing. Smart Production solutions enable also the steel service centers to control their complete production processes.

Standard Solutions
Smart Production solutions consist of the following two main standard software:
• Smart Production Enterprise / Production management system for shipyards, offshore engineering yards and pipe spool fabricators
• Smart Production SSC / Production management system for steel service centers, mechanical heavy industries and steel construction

With more than 400 customers in total, Smart Production features proven solutions based on Industry 4.0 concepts.

Smart Production Releases
Since 2018, Smart Production Enterprise and Smart Production SSC have got three significant releases in standardizing the Smart Production software portfolio. The latest releases gain:
• Over 1,000 change requests and development ideas as new functionalities
• Over 500 bug fixes.

Smart Production software has one or two main releases annually. The release name identifies the publishing year and the main release number (00-01). The forthcoming next releases, Smart Production Enterprise and Smart Production SSC 2020 (20.00), are due to come in Q3/2020 timeframe.

Highlights of the new tools and improvements in the latest release include:

• Some 30 New Drivers (postprocessors) for NC cutting machines with various brands and technologies, such as plasma, oxy-fuel, waterjet and laser cutting, bevel cutting, multi-torch cutting, drilling and panel cutting
• Integration to Pipe Fabrication Facilities through Isogen capabilities to produce FIX files
• Further Data integration to Shop Floor with automatic warehouse management systems and blasting-painting lines
• ODATA-Web API Development (continuous effort) to move to a cloud enabled platform and further integration to other solutions
• Enhanced Project Import for automatic engineering data import
• Stock and Schedule Interfaces to third-party ERP software
• Plate Nesting and Cutting Enhancements related to geometry import, nesting function, technology tools and performance improvements
• Improvements in Profile Nesting and Cutting, related to nesting function and performance improvements
• Cassette and Box Planning Developments for cut profiles and T-bars to follow next work processes and requirements thereof
• Enhanced Workshop Web for acknowledging the progress of fabrication at shop floor in real-time
• Barcode Development to acknowledge works execution at shop floor, using Android for barcode and QR code reading (use with mobile phones also possible)
• Sales Module Enhancement, such as selling from stock and quotation accuracy improvements
• Developed Standard Report Set including 15 standard reports as default; additional reports possible to configure based on customers’ needs
• Electronic Freight Documents
• New Splash Screens and System Icons
• Enhanced Excel Interface to gather material stock data via spreadsheet templates
• Enhancements in Master Data Configuration, such as more varied work phases and work phase chains possible
• On-line User Manuals are available in the application bar