“On behalf of DNV Software, thank you very much for your participation and involvement at the DNV Software Conference this year. The feedback given shows that the meeting was well received, and the engagement of the participants during the discussions gave valuable input to DNV Software,” says Ketil Aamnes, Global Sales and Marketing Director.

About 70 participants gathered at Høvik 1–2 June for this year’s DNV Software Conference. The focus was on today’s challenges within design of ships and offshore structures, and speakers from the industry shared their experience and knowledge.

The conference was organised in parallel sessions. Our Sesam and Nauticus users were invited to a traditional software user meeting where the latest news on our software developments was presented. The second day was allocated to a number of tailor-made workshops addressing subjects within design of marine and offshore structures.

One of the highlights of this year’s conference was the introduction of the Nauticus Early Design software. This is an exciting new-generation product for early design within the marine and offshore industries. Developed by DNV Software, Nauticus Early Design utilises innovative core technology from Intergraph. The objective is to combine CAD, CAE and other naval architect tools into a complete solution for basic design.

The theory of Best Engineering Practice has gained recognition in the industry worldwide. DNV Software has taken this a step further by putting the theory into practice. Great interest was attached to the workshop, which presented an overview of how Brix Workflow Manager enables companies to integrate standardised work processes into their production line and thereby effectively manage people, applications and information. Brix Workflow Manager uses single active predefined templates enabling standardised work processes and consistent behaviour among team members.

From industry, Jan A. Korsnes from Moss Maritime presented its experience with and use of Nauticus and Sesam software on the Akpo FPSO Project. The Nauticus software was essential for an effective and timely structural design process. The use of the superelement technique in Sesam was essential due to the large and detailed model. The Nauticus Automatic Buckling Check was mandatory for the structural design team in order to achieve results within the schedule. “Thank you to DNV Software for your cooperation and willingness to develop the software to suit our needs and requirements and for the outstanding support during the project execution,” added Korsnes.

Bjørn Vartdal from DNV Maritime, extensive users of DNV Software’s tools for shaft alignment, presented ‘Shaft Alignment – damages, consequences and lessons learned’. Topics covered included problems encountered during shaft alignment, an example of stern bearing damage and the increased focus on shaft alignment. DNV Machinery is often contacted to solve alignment problems when damage has occurred. These problems can lead to expensive off-hire and delayed delivery. Recent trends have resulted in increased propulsion power, lower shaft speed, heavier propellers and shorter and stiffer propulsion shafts.

This has led to increased levels of damage to stern tube bearings. DNV has increased its focus on this topic, and is currently carrying out a number of research programs in order to improve knowledge in this area. The objective is to develop new ways to look at shaft alignment to avoid problems occurring in the future.

It has become a tradition at the DNV Software Conference to take our guests on a tour of the beautiful Oslo fjord by boat; this year was no exception. During a very pleasant evening, it was time for more informal and social contact. As an integral part of the meeting, the conference dinner allows old friends to meet and new ones to be made. Many new ideas and valuable collaborations have developed from this social event through the years.