Approach of the Naval Industry Towards Industry 4.0

Abstract

The shipbuilding industry and its approaches to the Industry 4.0 technologies are very few nowadays. Since the naval sector is one of the most important around the world due to its strategic, billing and employment, it is necessary for it to adapt to the fourth industrial revolution through the Key Enabling Technologies. As there is not a full view of the challenges this transformation will face, this work aims to establish the starting point for it. This research work studies the actual state of the shipbuilding industry, analysing it and giving an overview on the digital challenges. A synthesis of the Industry 4.0 potential and its benefits in the naval industry is carried out to prove that the digital transformation is necessary. A research on the initiatives taken by the enterprises of the naval sector regarding technologies linked with Industry 4.0 is conducted, so the trending in this sector can be established and analysed. Therefore, the challenges this industrial sector will have to face to meet the requirements of the Industry 4.0 are described in this work, as they are the main focus point to work on before an effective Industry 4.0 implementation and achieve the sector’s sustainability. Keywords: Industry 4.0, Shipyard 4.0, Key Enabling Technologies, Naval sector, Digital Transformation.