3D Hull Scanning for Drydocking Block Placement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current drydocking systems are inadequate for accurately and safely supporting water vessels without a docking plan, particularly when vessels have irregular hulls or unknown projections, leading to potential damage and safety risks.
Innovation Solution
The use of 3D scanning technologies, such as photogrammetry, Stereo IR Depth Cameras, 3D Multi-beam Sonar, and LiDAR, to create a digital model of the vessel's hull, allowing for the generation of a customized docking plan that accounts for hull irregularities and projections, ensuring safe and accurate block placement during drydocking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional drydocking methods are used without a docking plan, then the process is simpler and faster to initiate, but the safety and accuracy of vessel support deteriorates due to unknown hull irregularities
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary 3D scanning and digital modeling of the vessel hull before the actual drydocking operation. This advance characterization of hull geometry, including detection of irregularities and projections, allows planners to prepare appropriate block placements and support strategies in advance, thereby improving safety without adding significant complexity to the execution phase
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital 3D copy or replica of the actual vessel hull through scanning technologies. This digital model serves as a virtual representation that can be analyzed, measured, and used for planning purposes without requiring physical contact with the actual vessel, enabling safe drydocking planning while maintaining operational simplicity
2Measurement precision
If 3D scanning technologies are implemented to create detailed hull models, then measurement precision and docking accuracy improve, but the time and resources required for scanning and processing increase
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning and modeling process is divided into discrete segments or stages, such as initial rapid scanning for overall geometry, followed by targeted detailed scanning of specific areas with irregularities. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high measurement precision where needed while minimizing total scanning time by not uniformly detailed-scanning the entire vessel
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs intermediate processing steps and software algorithms that efficiently convert raw scan data into usable 3D models. These intermediary computational processes automate the complex tasks of point cloud registration, surface reconstruction, and feature extraction, thereby reducing the manual time investment required while maintaining high measurement precision
3Loss of information
If comprehensive 3D scanning is performed to detect all hull irregularities and projections, then the quality of docking information improves, but the complexity of data processing and analysis increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different levels of scanning detail and data processing intensity to different regions of the vessel hull. Areas with detected irregularities, projections, or structural features receive more intensive scanning and analysis, while uniform areas receive minimal processing. This local quality approach ensures complete information capture where needed while reducing overall data complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary analysis of scan data to identify regions of interest containing hull irregularities or important features before conducting detailed processing. This preliminary screening step filters out large areas of uniform hull geometry that require minimal processing, thereby reducing the overall complexity of data analysis while ensuring no critical information is lost
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces uncertainty and risk in drydocking by providing a detailed, accurate representation of the vessel's hull, enabling safe and customized support, even without a pre-existing docking plan, and adheres to standards like MIL-STD 1625 and NSTM 997.
Implementation Method 1
A sensor 102 (e.g., using photogrammetry) generates two-dimensional (2D) and/or three-dimensional (3D) digital scans
Implementation Method 2
Stereo IR Depth Cameras
Implementation Method 3
3D Multi-beam Sonar
Implementation Method 4
LiDAR
Data Source
AI summary
A method comprising scanning at least one portion a hull of a vessel positioned below a waterline while the vessel is floating in water. The method further comprises generating multi-dimensional scans of the at least one portion of the hull based on data acquired during the scanning, generating a 3-dimensional (3D) model of the at least one portion of the hull, analyzing the 3D model to identify one or more features of the hull of the vessel below the waterline, generating docking information for drydocking the vessel based on the one or more features of the hull, and identifying, based on the generated docking information, a docking plan for supporting the vessel when the vessel is supported out of the water. The method further comprises outputting instructions to dry dock the vessel.