UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RIO GRANDE – FURG

ESCOLA DE ENGENHARIA
ENGENHARIA
I
MECÂNICA NAVAL
Disciplina Tecnologia da Construção Naval

Equipagem / Outfitting

Fonte: [Link]

E-mail: [Link]@[Link]

Mauricio de Oliveira Silva

Rio Grande - RS
Tecnologia da Construção Naval

Equipagem “Outfiting”
O que é a Equipagem Avançada na construção
Naval? (Advanced Outfitting)
In conventional shipbuilding, the ship’s hull structure is
fabricated and erected on the berth or dock and the outfitting is
started only after launching the hull from the berth.
As a result, it has been found that the process of first fabricating
and completing the hull structure followed by outfitting the hull after
launching takes longer time.
Hence, to reduce the cycle time and improve the productivity of
the shipyards, the concept of advanced outfitting has been
developed.
O que é a Equipagem Avançada na construção
Naval? (Advanced Outfitting)
All the modern day shipyards across the world have now identified
that by adopting the concept of advance outfitting the vessel building cycle
time can be reduced and a substantial saving of costs, along with other
benefits, depending on the availability of infrastructure in the yards can be
achieved.
Different concepts have been developed for the completion of
outfitting in block stage to derive the benefits of this methods.
Conceito de Unitização

Even before the hull block is made, the outfit components

(machinery, piping, seating structures, etc.) which are supposed to be
located in a particular small area in the ship are fully assembled into a small
unit and when the hull block is made, this unit is then directly installed at
the required position in the block.
Hence you see, in this process, the steel structure and the machinery
outfit units are developed simultaneously instead of a traditional process
wherein the machinery and outfit are installed only after complete erection
of the ship’s hull.
This process actually helps in reducing the cycle time required to build
the ship. Remember, in ship-building too, time is money.
Conceito de Unitização
Conceito de Equipagem em Bloco (Block Outfitting)

Block outfitting involves erection of units of assembled components

(a component may be a unit of a pump with its seating and associated
piping) and also heavy machinery (for example: boilers) on large blocks of
the hull before the blocks are erected and welded to each other.
However, consideration is always given to the limitation of the total
weight that can be handled by the carnage facilities of the yard.
The size of the hull blocks are accordingly pre-decided by the design
department of the yard, keeping this factor in mind.
Conceito de Equipagem em Bloco (Block Outfitting)

By this process, the yards have managed to prefer down-hand

welding because, the hull blocks can be inverted and the outfit can be
installed before erection of the blocks.
As a result, the components requiring overhead welding (for example:
exhaust lines, ventilation trunks, etc.) can be welded by down-hand welding.
This is actually very fruitful because down-hand welding is not only
easier than overhead welding but also a safer option for the welders in the
shipyard.
Also, open-sky access for erection of machinery, makes it easier for
the production department to erect larger machinery.
Conceito de Estações de Trabalho (Workstations) –
WBS – Work Breakdown Structure
The basic principle of Group Technology is that it involves identifying
the subdivisions of a product, which although may not be necessarily
identical are produced by the same process and set of operations.
Conceito de Estações de Trabalho (Workstations) –
WBS – Work Breakdown Structure
For example, in the engine room area of a ship, a unit can be
considered as a machinery component along with its seat and connected
piping. The kind of work required to erect such a unit, will be similar to that
required to erect many similar units in the engine room area.
Therefore, Group Technology involves identification of the interim
products or so called units, which can be handled by the same type of
processes.
The application of Group Technology to ship-building results in
dividing entire ship into sub-divisions based on the kind of work required to
build and erect each division.
Each division can now be assigned to different manufacturing groups
who are specialised to build those particular units effectively.
Conceito de Estações de Trabalho (Workstations) –
WBS – Work Breakdown Structure
Such categorisation of the components required to build the ship is
known as Product Work Breakdown Structure (PWBS). Now, each type of
component is to be manufactured in separate and specialised locations in
the shipyard called workstations.
The question arises as to why do we need such a grouping? The
answer lies in the fact that this method of grouping offers considerable
potential for the improvement of the manufacturing efficiency of the
shipyard.
Because each workstation is now specialized in efficiently
manufacturing its designated units, since it is equipped with the suitable
tools, machinery and workforce required for the same. This not only allows
easier planning of work but also maintains a steady work load with
increased performance of operators.
Conceito de Estações de Trabalho (Workstations) –
WBS – Work Breakdown Structure
One very notable aspect that we must take note of is that this
method can now be applicable to develop and manufacture the interim
products of units for all types of ships that the yard will be building in the
future. Thus, the advantage of repeated work can be obtained in utilizing
the workstation concept in shipbuilding industry.
Conceito de Equipagem por Zonas (Zone-Outfitting)

Before we start understanding this concept of advanced outfitting, it

is necessary to understand what a “Zone” is when we are speaking in terms
of shipbuilding. A zone may correspond to a compartment or even any
integral part of a compartment of a ship, such as a cargo hold or a
machinery space and its sub-divisions.
It completely depends on the yard as to how they define the zones in
a ship to be built. Even an entire superstructure or just one level (deck) of a
superstructure could be considered to be a zone.
Hence, in a nutshell, a zone is a sub-division of a ship that is selected
for the convenience of outfitting either on units of hull block or on larger
hull blocks or directly on-board the whole ship after all the blocks are
joined.
Conceito de Equipagem por Zonas (Zone-Outfitting)
types of zone outfitting practices, mainly dependent on the scale on which it
is applied.
On-Unit: Outfitting on unit is the assembly of a unit of machinery or
component or an already manufactured product (which can also be
purchased by the shipyard).
But this unit is not a part of the steel structure of the hull. For
example: a unit can be a boiler mounted on its seat, along with its
connected piping, flanges, valves. This unit is first completely assembled,
and then transported to the site where the hull block is previously erected.
The unit is then erected on the hull block as a single unit.
This is again similar to the application of the Unitisation Concept that
we discussed previously. But the point to be noted is that in zone outfitting,
we are focussing on the zone of the ship where the unit is erected.
Conceito de Equipagem por Zonas (Zone-Outfitting)

On-Block Installation: Outfitting on block is the installation of outfit

components (machinery with seats, piping, electrical cables, ventilation
trunks, etc.) after an entire hull block is completed.
The units are installed either as separate components or after
unitising them (similar to what is described above.
Conceito de Equipagem por Zonas (Zone-Outfitting)

However, the concept of unitisation provides an advantage of

fabricating hull blocks and unitising the components to go on parallelly in
the shipyard. On the other hand, the process of fabrication and erection of
hull blocks and then erecting the components would only consume more
time, since in this case, they are a series of activities.
Conceito de Equipagem por Zonas (Zone-Outfitting)

It is important to note that the decision of sequencing the outfit

process according to the size of the outfit components, machinery and the
associated zone of the hull structure is a very crucial aspect of the decision
making process of the production planning department of the yard.

Other zones of outfitting include accommodation blocks, stern blocks,

etc. which are separately manufactured in specialised areas of the yard (or
by contractors) and then erected onto the hull structure as single units.
Como os estaleiros podem adotar a Equipagem
Avançada (Advanced Outfitting)?
Shipyards that implement advanced outfitting have special facilities
required to allow this method to be applied efficiently, in order to obtain
maximum benefits.
The following are the factors that are to be considered by the
shipyards in order to adopt advanced outfitting:
Overall Layout of the Shipyard
Design Department adapted with Advanced Outfitting
Proper Planning of Material Procurement in Yard
Marshalling of Materials to outfitting areas
Como os estaleiros podem adotar a Equipagem
Avançada (Advanced Outfitting)?
• Overall Layout of the Shipyard
If an old shipyard is to be upgraded into a facility that can adopt
advanced outfitting, then the layout of the shipyard needs to be re-
designed. The layout of the yard includes the location of the steel complex
(where the steel plates are stores, hull shops, and fabrication workshops),
outfit shops and areas to be relocated in such a manner so that the flow of
the building work is sequential, and there is less requirement to move
material and labor force from one shop to another.
If the ships are built and erected on berths, then the berths are to be
properly strengthened so that they can carry the loads of the hull and
machinery together, because in conventional shipbuilding, the outfits are
generally added after the ship is launched.
Como os estaleiros podem adotar a Equipagem
Avançada (Advanced Outfitting)?
• Overall Layout of the Shipyard
If a new shipyard is to be established for advanced outfitting, the
layout of the yard is to be very intricately planned so that the storage of
materials (for example: steel plates), fabrication of the hull blocks and units,
outfitting areas are in close proximity to the building docks.
Also, proper cranage facilities are to be provided in all the areas, such
that they are suitable weight of the maximum size of blocks (weight
including that of steel hull and machinery) fabricated in the yard. Adequate
mobile cranage facilities are also to be provided for transportation and
erection of blocks within the building docks.
Como os estaleiros podem adotar a Equipagem
Avançada (Advanced Outfitting)?
• Design Department adapted with Advanced Outfitting
The design department in an advanced shipyard should also be adept
with design techniques that suit the strategy of advanced outfitting.
Do you see, how we have slowly shifted from the production site to
the design department?
This should convey a very important message to you. Shipbuilding is a
very integrated industry, where the operation of one single department is
intricately connected to many other department, and also some other
industries.
Como os estaleiros podem adotar a Equipagem
Avançada (Advanced Outfitting)?
• Design Department adapted with Advanced Outfitting
Normally, in conventional shipbuilding processes, the design
drawings are made system-wise.
For example, there would be a separate drawing for all the engine
room systems. Now, such drawings are not feasible in case of advanced
outfitting, because in this case, the hull fabrication goes hand in hand with
the erection of machinery and outfit.
So the design department must prepare the drawings in order to align
them with the work structure of the yard.
Como os estaleiros podem adotar a Equipagem
Avançada (Advanced Outfitting)?
• Design Department adapted with Advanced Outfitting
The number and size of the blocks is to be decided by the designer,
depending upon the cranage facilities, and the yard capacity.
So, from the beginning, the hull structure is broken up into the
required number of blocks, and design for the blocks are carried out,
keeping the process of outfitting in mind.
Como os estaleiros podem adotar a Equipagem
Avançada (Advanced Outfitting)?
• Design Department adapted with Advanced Outfitting
Along with the drawings, a list of materials is to be mentioned clearly
that are required to fabricate the particular block. The materials would
include everything including components of hull structure, to machinery and
other outfit items. This is done, so that the production department can
easily concentrate on the work content of a particular block at a particular
time.
Well, if group technology is proposed (which is mostly carried out in
Japanese and Korean shipyards), the drawings are to be prepared basing on
the trades available in each workgroup, so that the work can be processed
smoothly in each workstation.
Como os estaleiros podem adotar a Equipagem
Avançada (Advanced Outfitting)?
• Design Department adapted with Advanced Outfitting
Proper work instructions are also to be indicated in the drawings, for
reducing the production time.
If blocks are to be turned upside down for carrying out downhand
welding, or for laying out pipelines and ventilation trunks or cables, proper
instructions for all these processes are to be provided along with the
drawing for each of these blocks.
Como os estaleiros podem adotar a Equipagem
Avançada (Advanced Outfitting)?
• Proper Planning of Material Procurement in Yard
The name of this topic may not appeal much to you. But it is in this
aspect of shipbuilding, that the dynamics of the entire yard economies lies.
How? The answer is simple. Steel cost changes with time.
So, the planning department needs to cleverly analyse the cost trends
and procure the material at the suitable time intervals, also keeping in mind,
that the production schedule is not hampered.
Como os estaleiros podem adotar a Equipagem
Avançada (Advanced Outfitting)?
• Proper Planning of Material Procurement in Yard
In order to understand further, let us first acquaint ourselves with a
new term- Master Schedule. A Master Schedule, is a routine timeline
prepared by the planning department, which specifies all the activities
involved in the process of building a particular ship, along with their
assigned dates of commencement, and completion. So, depending on the
master schedule of a particular project, the planning department prepares a
schedule for completing individual blocks, along with associated outfitting.
Depending on the above prepared schedule of fabrication of blocks
and associated outfitting equipment, the machinery and materials are to be
procured, so that they are readily available to the production departments
‘before’ the outfitting for the particular block starts.
Como os estaleiros podem adotar a Equipagem
Avançada (Advanced Outfitting)?
• Marshalling of Materials to outfitting areas
For advanced outfitting to be carried out without bottlenecking the
production processes, proper infrastructure and trained manpower are to
be provided to marshall the materials and machinery required to outfit the
concerned blocks of the hull.
The design drawings shall also specify the operations to be carried out
during marshalling, in a chronological order, which is to be followed by the
yard.
Como os estaleiros podem adotar a Equipagem
Avançada (Advanced Outfitting)?
• Marshalling of Materials to outfitting areas
Lastly, it is important to know at this stage of our discussion, that
facilities for outfitting of accommodation blocks are completely different
from that of other blocks, in the recent shipbuilding industry.
These are most of the times, prepared by sub-contractors whose
construction standards satisfy those of the classification societies. Once
these blocks come prepared into the yard, outfitting of accommodation
blocks involves separate technology.
So they are many times also outfitted by the subcontractors’ teams
themselves, in parallel to the building of the corresponding hull blocks.
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
1. Shorter Cycle Time;
2. Better Working Conditions;
3. Reduced Interference in Design;
4. Open Sky Access for Erection of Equipment;
5. Down Hand Welding;
6. Fewer Crane Lifts;
7. Reduced Service Requirements and Overheads;
8. Less Requirements for Staging;
9. Better Cash Flow for the Yard;
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
10. Low Inventory Costs;
11. Availability of Guarantee Period for the Equipment;
12. Even Distribution of Man Hours during Cycle;
13. Modularisation of Accommodation Areas;
14. Separate Facilities for Fabricating or Outfitting or Stern Blocks;
15. Effective and optimum Utilisation of Building Docks and Berths;
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
2. Better Working Conditions:
Since outfitting in block stage is carried out in a workshop
atmosphere, the efficiency of the work force will be more because of the
improved lighting and better ventilation. Modern shipyards also incorporate
efficient human factors to ensure optimum level of workshop productivity.
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
3. Reduced Interference in Design:
Since advanced outfitting is done at a time in a limited area (that is, in
one block at a time), limited number of people would be working, with less
interference.
For example, the personnel concerned with piping is likely to meet
with interference from personnel concerned with ventilation.
In case of advanced outfitting, these obstacles are done away with,
hence improving working conditions.
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
4. Open Sky Access for Erection of Equipment:
In case of conventional outfitting, the total hull (steel) structure is
completed, and it is very difficult to lower and then erect equipment and
machinery into the lower decks, and this process requires a lot of tools like
chains, etc.
But in case of advanced outfitting, if the equipment are erected right
in the block stage, and then the erection process is well planned in such a
way so that the equipment can be directly erected with open sky access
(that is, the deck above the equipment is erected after the equipment is
erected on its seat).
This has been seen to reduce the total erection time required to
complete a shipbuilding project.
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
5. Down Hand Welding:
One of the most inconvenient methods of welding in shipyards, is that
of overhead welding where the welding torch has to be held up in an
overhead position.
Not only is this process risky, but also takes longer time. If outfitting is
done in the block stage, the blocks can be turned upside down by 180
degrees using the cranage facilities, so that majority of the welding can be
carried out in downhand position, which will reduce the building time
drastically.
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval

Upturning the blocks can facilitate downhand welding instead of overhead

welding (Image credits: [Link] )(USCG)
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
5. Down Hand Welding:
One of the most inconvenient methods of welding in shipyards, is that
of overhead welding where the welding torch has to be held up in an
overhead position. Not only is this process risky, but also takes longer time.
If outfitting is done in the block stage, the blocks can be turned upside
down by 180 degrees using the cranage facilities, so that majority of the
welding can be carried out in downhand position, which will reduce the
building time drastically.
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
6. Fewer Crane Lifts:
The machinery and equipment along with their seat and connected
piping can be unitised into modules and these modules can be erected as a
single unit. Therefore, instead of separate crane lifts for equipment, seating,
and piping, the entire unit is erected by only one crane lift.
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
7. Reduced Service Requirements and Overheads:
This is a very interesting point wherein you will see how small changes
in production methods impact the overall economy of the shipyard in
different ways. Every shipyard has overheads expenses behind the
manpower that it employees. Now, imagine a case where a shipyard builds
only one ship per year.
The expenses on overheads will remain same, irrespective of the
number of ships built per year, because the man power is employed
throughout the year. But in case of advanced outfitting, since the cycle time
is reduced, the shipyard not only builds more ships at a given time, but also
gains in the sense, that along with the increase in productivity, the overhead
expenses remain same for a year, thereby saving overhead costs.
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
8. Less Requirements for Staging:
For erection of ventilation trunks, electric cables, piping spools, etc.
below deck staging is to be arranged in conventional ship building process in
order to provide easy reach for the people working in the area.
However, in the case of advanced outfitting, since outfitting is done at
the block stage itself, the block can be turned upside down or to any
convenient position so that the outfit components can be easily erected
without the requirement of staging arrangements.
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
9. Better Cash Flow for the Yard:
Since the overall cycle time is reduced by adopting advanced
outfitting, more number of ships can be built in a year, and accordingly,
there will be a strengthened cash inflow from the owners and borrowing
costs will also be substantially reduced.
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
10. Low Inventory Costs:
In case of conventional ship building, the machinery and other outfit
items are kept in the yard for a longer duration, and hence there will be
more inventory costs and hence a lock up of capital.
By adopting the strategy of advanced outfitting, since cycle time is
reduced, the inventory costs are also brought down by noticeable amounts.
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
11. Availability of Guarantee Period for the Equipment:
Shipyards normally provide one year guarantee for the ship delivered
to the owners, and any defects that occur within the guarantee period will
be rectified by the shipyard’s costs.
Generally, equipment manufacturers provide a guarantee period for
their equipment for one year after delivery of the ship to the owners (or in
some cases, eighteen to twenty four months from the date of despatch from
the manufacturers).
If the delivery of the ship takes a longer time, then the guarantee
period provided by the manufacturers will not be available to the yard after
the delivery, and hence the guarantee costs are to be borne by the yard
itself.
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
By adopting advanced outfitting, the duration of construction is
reduced, and hence the guarantee for the equipment will be available to the
yard, and any defects noticed after delivery will be rectified by the
manufacturers at their costs.
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
12. Even Distribution of Man Hours during Cycle:
In case of conventional ship building, the steel shops will be working
for a considerably higher fraction of the cycle time, and majority of the man
hours will be consumed by the steel workforce.
Therefore, the outfit shops (plumbing, electrical, engineering,
machinery, and sheet metal, etc) shall be working below their normal
capacity during hull fabrication. After the hull is completed and launched,
the outfit departments will have maximum work, and steel shops are not
loaded with full capacity of work.
This imbalance is not observed in case of advanced outfitting, where
hull fabrication and equipment erection are done parallelly, therefore
ensuring even distribution of man hours during construction cycle.
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
13. Modularisation of Accommodation Areas:
In conventional shipbuilding, the accommodation steel blocks are
erected after launching, and after the heavy machinery are erected.
Outfitting is done at a much later stage.
In modern ship building technology, these accommodation blocks are
separately made and outfitted at a specialized area in the yard and this
block (as one unit) including associated outfits, is erected onto the ship.
The accommodation block can be completed as a parallel work along
with the hull structure erection and machinery erection.
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
14. Separate Facilities for Fabricating or Outfitting or Stern Blocks:
In modern shipbuilding yards, separate berths are provided
exclusively for fabricating and outfitting stern blocks, and for a series of
daughter ships, these stern blocks and engine room blocks are made
parallelly in order to reduce total cycle time.
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
15. Effective and optimum Utilisation of Building Docks and Berths:
Once a ship is being constructed on a berth or a building dock, the
next ship cannot be constructed on the same berth until the first ship has
been launched.
Hence, to construct more number of ships in a year, the time of
occupation of a ship on a particular berth should be optimised to minimum.
In case of advanced outfitting, wherein outfitting is done in block
stage in shops, there will be very less time of occupation of the berths or
docks and more number of vessels can be built by the yard in a year.
15 Vantagens da Equipagem Avançada (Advanced
Outfitting) na construção Naval
In recent days, shipyards are yet looking forward to more efficient
methods, not only to reduce the cycle times, but also to improve the
efficiency of each worker in a shipyard, and hence add leverage on the
overall productivity.
Advanced outfitting is not only an important concept to be known by
shipbuilders, but also to Naval Architects, as this method has also had an
effect on the production design process followed by design offices in almost
all modern day shipyards.