At the annual COMPIT conference, the SENER engineering and technology group presented a technical/economic study on the implementation of a CAD system in a shipyard and, in particular, the FORAN System, developed by SENER. The event took place in Lecce, Italy, on May 9, 10 and 11. COMPIT is an international conference focusing on software applications and information technologies that have been well received within the marine sector. The event is always held in Europe.
Rodrigo Pérez, from SENER’s Marine Department, presented the article ‘Learning Curve and ROI in the Implementation of a CAD System in a Generic Shipbuilding Environment’.
The article provides an analysis of the FORAN system learning curve in a generic shipyard. The data used as the basis for the analysis – the hours involved in the design of the different vessel blocks with their different weights – were obtained over a period of two years from different shipyards that have recently started to use the FORAN system.
This data was highly valuable when it came to performing an analysis of the factors that affect the learning curve of a CAD system such as FORAN. One of the key factors examined in-depth in the article is the labor mobility of the drafters and engineers and the impact this could have on the implementation of FORAN. The results obtained, both regarding the FORAN learning curve and the ROI, were very positive.
SENER’s FORAN System, a CAD/CAM/CAE software program for the design and production of all kinds of ships and vessels, celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015. After half a century of continuous reinvention, it is the longest-standing product of its kind on the market. Currently in use in 40 different countries, FORAN is based on cutting-edge innovative technology and is used in world-leading programs.