Dutch Navy to use 3D tech to maintain fleet

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The Dutch navy will scan its entire fleet using 3D technology to keep all vessels in top condition, the Naval Technology department has said.

As the organization responsible for maintaining vessels of the Royal Netherlands Navy, Marinebedrijf Koninklijke Marine is expected to use 3D technology to scan and collect data of the entire fleet.

The project will be able to dramatically increase the ability of vessel maintenance, such as the replacement of damaged components and modifications.

The Royal Netherlands Navy contracts work for the maintenance of its vessels and submarines to Dutch organization Marinebedrijf Koninklijke Marine. /Naval Technology Photo‍

It will not only allow the navy to “print” necessary components using 3D technology, but could also serve as an important reference for the navy in the future.

At present, the organization is using two types of handheld scanners for the project.

Working by projecting light in a grid pattern onto an object, the scanners capture deformation data of an object from different angles.

Then, it calculates the distance from scanners to specific points on every object using triangulation. In general, these points are used as coordinates to create a 3D digital model.

In order to speed up the servicing, Marinebedrijf Koninklijke Marine turned to use 3D technology. /Naval Technology Photo

Compared to traditional methods, which require multiple types of measuring tools and complicated processes, “using 3D scanning has saved us up to weeks of work,” said Ben Jansen, Computer Numerical Control coordinator at Marinebedrijf Koninklijke Marine.

It is unclear how long it will take for the company to complete the 3D scanning process of the entire naval fleet.