Software Engineering
We translate TWD’s engineering and design expertise into first-rate apps and automation solutions. The use of specialised, interactive apps is becoming an industry game changer. Our software engineers can uncover your project’s automation potential, from optimised designs, to increased vessel workability.
At the heart of all TWD projects lies creative design and ingenious engineering. Typically, the final deliverables of a project are reports and static drawings. However, we believe our clients can further benefit from our know-how through other means. Currently, TWD can provide apps as both the final product, or in conjunction with other solutions. Think of an engineering app for composing lifting arrangements, an operational app that generates a report for the warranty surveyor, or a dashboard to monitor the vessel’s accelerations during an in-field measurement campaign for workability optimisation. If you can dream it, we can develop it!
Our Expertise
Engineering work at TWD is always done with a continuous regard for automation. Thanks to our in-house, Python-based engineering framework, we can set up our calculations to be fully equipped for automation and app development. Our unique engineering approach allows us to:
- Quickly set up new calculations
- Script repetitive calculations and provide tabulated export data
- Automatically generate calculation reports
- Speed up calculation flows and iterations by forwarding data between calculations
- Integrate with different engineering software, like RFEM and Inventor
Built upon this engineering framework, we can easily build interactive apps with ingenious engineering at its core.
Engineering Automation
Our designers are masters in Autodesk Inventor. By streamlining the modelling process, they can concentrate on what really matters. That’s why our software engineers have and continuously develop TWD’s in-house Inventor add-ins and templates. Combining this suite with our Inventor proficiency we can:
- Automatically generate parametric constructions like access structures
- Couple standardised parametric components to engineering calculations
- Generate high-quality drawings in a shorter time frame
- Automatically generate material take-off (MTO) and Bill of Materials (BOM) tables
- Deploy parametric design apps with Autodesk Forge based on our designs
Design Automation
We package our engineering and design ingenuity as interactive, online apps. Our apps enable you to design and engineer the product yourself, with the assurance of TWD’s high standards at its core. Current apps and prototypes include:
- Cargo lashing verification
- Lifting arrangement analysis
- Spreader beam designer
- Monopile saddle settings
Web Apps
Our mission equipment plays a vital role in our client’s operations. This equipment represents our ingenuity and creativity. Wouldn’t it be great if you could further benefit from our know-how in your operational phase? That’s why we develop apps to assist you in planning and performing your operations. Our products include:
- Interactive deck layout tool for the project management of vessel outfitting
- Sequence configuration tool with engineering verification and automated reporting
- Parametric scripts for mechanical designs (e.g. configurable monopile saddle settings) that serve as a starting point for PLC development
Operations
Data is knowledge and knowledge is power! A key input to our design and calculations are the actual vessel motions in-field. Our new, in-house developed motion sensors enable an economically attractive combination of hardware and software to validate our designs and perform workability studies. These can be performed for both floating and jack-up vessels. Possible applications including measuring:
- Oscillations of jack-up vessels to determine workability
- Accelerations to ensure structural integrity of transported modules
- Accelerations to validate loads during transit and assess fatigue life
In-field Measurement Campaigns
Monopile Operations Tool
The monopile (MP) operations tool is an example of how TWD’s engineering and design know-how can be packaged into a tool that provides benefit for our client in the operational phase. From the app, the user can configure a trip by selecting and positioning MPs in the seafastening lanes. The app then fully automates:
- Structural verification of the saddles and deck
- Verification of MP stability and integrity
- Determination of the MP saddle settings
- Report generation, with trip overview and fully outlined checks for the warranty surveyor
An app like this enables contractors to optimise their installation sequence, stay flexible, and reduce mobilisation time with autogenerated mobilisation reports.
Automation at TWD
Internally, the software engineering group supports all TWD projects by automating repetitive tasks, reducing avenues for human-error, and giving space for our teams to concentrate on boosting creativity and ingenuity. Our continuous focus on automation is a two-way street that keeps us ahead of the curve and sustains our quality of work.
As our internal working methods are already automated, they form the ideal starting point for the creation of an interactive app.
Example Projects
Jacket Seafastening – Moray East OWF
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WTG Seafastening – Triton Knoll OWF
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Start a project?
Want to discover the automation opportunity in your engineering operation? Reach out to our specialist.
Imco van Gent