How will FORAN integrate into Siemens’ Xcelerator portfolio for ship lifecycle management, and what will it imply for the SENER group?
Marine vessel design and engineering combines multiple disciplines and technologies, as well as a specific new product development process, which ranges from naval to commercial ships, specific vessels, tugboats and workboats, fishing ships, oceanographic vessels, and other offshore structures, floating platforms, transformation services, and others.
Marine engineering disciplines include mechanical, machinery, piping, propulsion, hydroelectrical/electronical, software, internal systems, deck equipment and the outfitting of a ship. The hull is obviously the main interface to external elements, whereas equipment and outfitting components can be tailored to meet functional and other requirements. Vessel and marine structure design and construction remain a specialized industry that requires niche solutions to fully integrate all design aspects at every stage of production, across shipyards and suppliers, as well as across product construction and subsequent operating services.
In July 2021, Siemens announced its acquisition of FORAN, a system used in the design and construction of vessels and marine structures, which was developed by Spain-based SENER for 50 years and is currently licensed at more than 150 shipyards and design offices in 40 countries. FORAN software specialized in ship design and engineering, covering initial and basic design, hull structure, machinery and outfitting, electrical design, drafting and mechanical CAD/CAE/CAM, It included extensions to integrate the software with product lifecycle management (PLM) platforms, virtual reality tools, and change and access control to manage confidential data and outsourcing requirements.
According to Siemens, for shipbuilders, “the design and engineering phase typically represent 5 to 10% of the overall production cost of a vessel, and yet has an impact on about 85% of the construction costs. It is also during this phase that ~90% of the vessel performance is determined. Getting things right from the inception of the project is critical to ensure success.” Building efficiency, data connectivity, reduced time to market, and adoption of new sustainability requirements are at the core of the industry.
With this agreement, Siemens declared its intention to integrate FORAN into a “comprehensive digital twin approach to ship design and construction,” to “better support marine customers in digital transformation, with a focus on meeting Shipyard 4.0 and sustainability goals.” This also provides an opportunity for the SENER group to strengthen its traditional marine engineering business lines and expand its market presence to different types of ships and offshore vessels. The FORAN system is used across all ship design and production and is powered by an underlying product data management (PDM)-like database.
According to Siemens’ website, its marine and offshore capability portfolio already includes the following solution elements: marine performance engineering, production planning and engineering for shipbuilding, HVAC design for ships and offshore structures, marine industry sustainability, hydrodynamics, engines and power generation, structural integrity and dynamics, propulsion systems, aerodynamics, system performance and controls, integrated ship design and engineering, integrated project planning and execution, digital ship lifecycle management, ship service and maintenance.
Clearly, the FORAN acquisition will fall into Siemens’ existing array of industry capability solutions, and include expected integration with Teamcenter and connectors to NX CAM and manufacturing tool libraries. This will provide access to extended enterprise capability integration (from requirements to project management, advanced product variant configuration, integrated weight and cost impact assessment, supplier delivery management, ERP connectivity and more).
As highlighted in a recent industry outlook by Monica Schnitger commissioned by Siemens, “the maritime industry isn’t, of course, the same as the automotive. Ships are much more complex and are produced in smaller lot sizes.… In most design offices, the overall process still follows the Design Spiral identified in the 1950s, which uses a stepwise approach to vessel design, from initial, contract, functional, to detail and production design.”
The idea presented in the report is to interconnect the V-model of each discipline and break operating silos by “connecting digital platforms across design, supply chain management, and yard/manufacturing operation,” leveraging data connectivity and traceability. Furthermore, the marine industry transformation extends to new technologies and new operating models, including “the advent of smart connected ships, digitally integrated yards, and opens up the prospect of delivering new services to clients, perhaps including digital twins of the physical ship.”
Not surprisingly, the core requirements from the marine industry suggest a need for further concurrent collaboration, integrated change management, data applicability and traceability across design and manufacturing phases.
Tony Hemmelgarn, CEO and president of Siemens Digital Industries Software, declared that “the acquisition of FORAN enhances our marine digital twin, adding preeminent capabilities to our integrated ship design and engineering digital thread solution.” He added that “by adding FORAN’s extensive tools to the Xcelerator portfolio and leveraging the team’s industry expertise, we will be able to offer commercial and naval shipbuilding customers better control of their ship design and manufacturing process as they transition to Shipyard 4.0.” Details of the Shipyard 4.0 concept can be found in this interesting paper by Ángel Recamán Rivas, vice-president of engineering and innovation at Navantia.
SENER operates across four major verticals, from aerospace and defence, to infrastructure, energy and marine. “With over 150 shipyard and design office customers across 40 countries, FORAN technology provides a strong position for Siemens to better support customers across the marine industry. At the same time, Siemens’ global reach and the integration of the FORAN team into Siemens helps guarantee current FORAN clients continuity and improvement to the services provided with a strategic vision for ongoing developments,” said Gabriel Alarcón, managing director of SENER Engineering. “This transaction allows the FORAN product family to grow in line with the expanded presence that Siemens has in industrial software.”
The Siemens acquisition of FORAN is scheduled to be completed in Q4 2021. The press release provides no specific information about the nature of the transaction or possible implications to the SENER group and its other divisions/product offerings. Presumably, the Siemens deal only concerns the FORAN software and the marine division of SENER.
What are your thoughts?
References:
- Rivas, A. R., “Navantia’s Shipyard 4.0 Model Overview,” Ciencia y Tecnologia de Buques 11(22):77, March 2018.
- Schnitger Corporation, “The Marine Industry in 2030, from Spiral to V-Model, Siemens website, April 2021.
- Siemens Company News, “Siemens Acquires FORAN Software to Expand Capabilities in Marine Design and Engineering, July 20, 2021.