Industry 4.0: smart test bench for shipbuilding industry

Abstract

Industry 4.0 promises to increase the efficiency of production plants and the quality of the final product. Consequently, companies that implement advanced solutions in production systems will have a competitive advantage in the future. The principles of Industry 4.0 can also be applied to shipyards to transform them into “smart shipyards” (Shipyard 4.0). The aim of this research is to implement an interactive approach by Internet of Things on a closed power-loop test bench equipped with sophisticated sensors that is specifically designed to test high-power thrusters before they are installed on high-speed crafts, which are used in passenger transport. The preliminary results of the proposed Internet of Things-platform demonstrates the efficacy of the decision-making support tool in improving the design of propulsion systems and increasing their efficiency compared to traditional systems.